Review: A Vampire's Salvation by Virna DePaul

A Vampire's Salvation

Author: Virna DePaul

Series: Beyond Human Novellas, Book 1

ISBN: 0011986549

Purchase Information:

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*Novel provided by the author for a honest review

For more information please visit Virna DePaul's website.

Vampire Jake Rios heads up the CA governor's security team, but he's distracted by having just discovered his true mate, the human female who can give him love, children, and continuing immortality. Frankie Stewart's attracted to Jake but her priority is protecting her heart. Can Jake eliminate the person threatening her, convince her to trust him, and gain them both eternal happiness?

Review:

A Vampire's Salvation by Virna DePaul was a quick read filled with a sweet, hot romance and lots of intrigue that kept the plot moving and me interested. Once again, DePaul shows her prowess as a writer by creating in the moment relationships with real to life characters that draw the reader in. In short, this is a wonderful novella perfectly concocted for paranormal romance lovers to sink their teeth into.

One thing that I simply love about this writer is her ability to bring characters and their relationships to life. Despite the threat of danger lurking about, we are swept away in the affairs and fantasies of the characters. The characters themselves always exude a wonderful sense of humanity with flawed personalities that help the reader to relate to them. Likewise, their strong and admirable natures are enduring and make them people that we instantly want to love. Frankie herself is an emotionally scarred woman with a history that makes her leery of becoming involved with men, especially one that makes her want to loose control. And yet, despite her painful past, she's developed a successful life fighting for causes that she sees as worthy. Her dedication to her causes is admirable. So when she sets her eyes on the head of security, Jake, she is no less committed. However, how far she's willing to let herself be swept away by him is always in question. Jake on the other hand has no questions or reservations when it comes to Frankie. He wants her and is determined for her to become his mate. His pursuit of her, however, shows the restraint and tenderness he's capable of as he realizes the extent of damage on her psyche that her past experiences have inflicted. Determined to make her trust him, I couldn't help but fall for him myself becasue he goes to such lengths to try and protect her, not only physically but emotionally. There's just something so appealing about that kind of love and when romance finally comes to pass between them it is utterly organic and engaging making for some extremely hot sexual tension and erotically charged loved scenes. There's a slight sense of delicious hesitation and uneasy feelings experienced by Frankie as she struggles to find out Jake's motives, but this unsure quality is only offset by her reaction to the truth about what this mysteriously alluring man really is.

But, what's a story without a plot? Naturally, DePaul creates a wonderful storyline full of danger and unseen threats as Jake tries to help ease the way for vampires to step out into the public light. Of course, not all vampires are happy with this movement and decide to use Frankie as a means to put an end to it. Never sure where exactly the danger is coming from, you are drawn into the mysterious drama and suspense that unfolds. However, while I loved the premise immensely I was a little disappointed by the sudden ending. This novella is more about threat then anything else and I was hoping for a great action packed climax, instead I was given a promise of more to come. I would have liked to see a bit more action to go with the mounting threats that were made to Frankie and more insight into the possibility of a traitor on Jake's team, but I suppose I'll just have to wait and find out in the next installment!

And like the plot, if the setting isn't well established then you just can't be drawn in to the world the author has created. This world, in fact, is extremely well developed, the atmospheres perfectly captured. I was actually quite impressed with the development of this world, the histories of the characters and the overall tone of the novella. Truly, all of these things can be attributed to DePaul's wonderfully descriptive and insightful writing style. It is this technique that proves she knows her profession well because this novella had me hooked and left me wanting to know more, a sure sign of a talented writer who knows how to keep her readers coming back for more!

Overall, this was a short enjoyable read full of vampires and hot sex. What more could one ask for? Perfect for paranormal romance fans in need of a quick distraction, but be warned it will leave you with a craving for more.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Scars

Advisory: Strong sexual content