Saturday, May 12, 2012

Under A Vampire Moon by Lynsay Sands

 
Title: Under A Vampire Moon 
Author: Lynsay Sands 
Genre: Paranormal Romance           
Series: Argeneau #16
Publisher: Avon 
Number of Pages: 351
Source: Edelweiss





 Christian Notte's story, the sixteenth book in the Argeneau series is set on an island paradise called St. Lucia. After a bad relationship and an even worse divorce, Carolyn decides to go on a long overdue and much needed vacation with the 'girls'. Only the rest of the vacationers didn't get the memo. Around every corner there seems to be another couple celebrating their honeymoon or anniversary and the few single men she does see are far too young to even consider, including an irresistibly attractive rock violinist she meets. It's really too bad he's so young but in the end it doesn't matter because according to his cousin, Giacinta, women in general aren't Christian's type. But there's a catch, Christian needs Carolyn's help. He needs her to be his beard (to play the part of his fake girlfriend) for the week to appease his 'machismo' family. Carolyn just can't seem to say No and decides to help Gia's cousin. The only problem is that being around Christian and acting like they are a loving couple is wreaking havoc on her emotions. Carolyn's thoughts keep drifting back to places they shouldn't, like kissing his full lips or feeling his broad shoulders under her fingertips... good lord, she's in trouble. (goodreads)

I requested this book by mistake at Edelweiss. I meant to request the one underneath it, but as usual was too fast with the mouse and ended up requesting this one by mistake. I've been meaning to try this author forever and decided that I'd give it a go, even though the plot bothered me.

 Carolyn is on vacation with her friend Bethany in St. Lucia when she runs into Marguerite and Julian. As luck would have it the band that was supposed to play cancelCarolyn's friend Genie who works at the resort is in a flummox..luckily Marguerite steps in and volunteers a band full of her family members. She recognizes right off the bat that Carolyn is her sons Christian's life mate, which is why she volunteered the band she was in to come to the resort. Even though Christian is 25, he looks it and when Carolyn meets him she's attracted to him, but at 42 and recently divorced feels that she is way too old for him. Christians cousin Gia comes up with the plan to pretend that Christian is gay and to have Carolyn pretend to be his girlfriend. Carolyn's done this before in college, and feels comfortable in the role. Most of the book was Carolyn fighting her feelings for Christian knowing he was gay, and Christian being upset that he had to pretend to be gay.

 The plot was a bit over the top, but you know what? Despite that I couldn't stop reading it. Even when the heroine went on and on about how she was: clumsy, old, and well, every negative adjective you can think of I still ate this book up. As much as Carolyn bothered me, she did have me laughing and Christian was great. Without him, I seriously think this book would have been a dnf for me. I loved how mad he kept getting at his family for interfering, and at the same time how every time Carolyn would say something negative about herself he would counter it with something positive. Honestly, I'm not sure what it was about him that made me love him so much.

Not being familiar with the series, I have to say that the ending drove me beserko. I don't want to ruin it, but  I wanted more closure, more of them together..more something! The ending reminds me of why I don't start a series with the last book out. (The last time I did this was with Sherrilyn Kenyons Dark Hunter Series) I have to say that this book was a lot like cotton candy-fluffy, sweet, a bit of a mess and left me wanting more. I am now going to have to start at the beginning of this series so I can see what I missed!

Barrons Hero Hotness Meter: High 
Curran Crush Meter: Medium 
Martini Sigh Meter: Medium 
Sizzle Meter: Low
Finn/Swopes Sidekick Meter: High