Genre: Historical, Fantasy, Erotic
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay, Bisexual
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Laurent Boudreaux, London’s Darling and most eligible bachelor in Town, should be down in the ballroom entertaining all the guests that have come to Greyside Manor to gain his favor and, perhaps, his affection. Instead, he’s hidden himself in the library to sulk the night away. Very impetuous behavior for a proper gentleman. Even worse for a vampire charged with the simple task of attracting dinner for his coven.
Due to his immense fortune, obvious good looks, and charming personality, Laurent’s gained quite a coterie of admirers, and with his popularity growing more and more every day, the meals are never in short supply. Unfortunately, his new duty for the coven has caused some of his favorite pastimes — flirting, bedding lovers, irritating people, to name a few — lose their excitement. Laurent is bored. And boredom always leads to trouble.
Tonight Laurent’s solitude and pouting is interrupted by a young man who stumbles into the library, disheveled and exhausted and definitely not supposed to be there. And he happens to be everything Laurent’s ever fancied.
Seth Faolian has had a rough night, and ending up in the Marquis de Castelnau’s library isn’t isthe way he expected to end it. All he wanted was a place to hide while he recovered from tonight’s full moon. Being a cursed werewolf is hard enough. Finding himself face-to-face with a vampire is even worse. But Laurent Boudreaux isn’t like other noblemen. He isn’t even like other vampires, and Seth finds himself strangely intrigued by his unexpected host.
Although typically enemies, the spark that ignites between this vampire and werewolf sends them both on a journey that spans across more than a century.
The Review
The Scene: 1847 in London, at the Greyside Manor. Laurent Boudreaux, Marquis de Castlenau, is quite bored with the extravagant gathering for his small coven. Being wealthy he also attracts very high class guests. Rumors fly about him, as he really enjoys being in the company of the more normal people where he can flirt and be a naughty vampire.
While secluded in his library, thinking about his precious garden, his thoughts are interrupted when disheveled man stumbles into the room. Laurent’s charisma opens a conversation between him and the appealing visitor, a man named Seth Faolian. Seth is a lone cursed wolf with nowhere to go. He opens his home to Seth, feeds him, and has a proposal for him.
Will Laurent’s offer be accepted? Will their feelings (and hearts) become entangled?
Murphy creates a charming picture of the Victorian era in this short tale about a vampire and a shifter werewolf. The story is very well written, revolving around the personalities of these two “monsters” that both need something special. They engage in a very detailed discussion, and I loved that it wasn’t “insta-love”.
There’s also lot’s of banter and snark, a sweet humor that lightens this romantic and steamy tale. In the Victorian era, vampires and werewolves did not a match make, but the author has a way of bringing them together that’s both fun and wonderful.
I enjoyed this story, and hope the author will continue with the Chronicles of Laurent and Seth. It’s just enough of a teaser to make me curious about what will happen next!
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.