A Taste for Passion

I picked up Patrice Michelle's A Taste for Passion a few months ago when I was browsing at the bookstore. I had narrowed my purchase decision to this book or another one, and I bought this one when I saw that it was an autographed copy. That probably doesn't surprise many of you, since my love for autographed books is no secret. In any case, that's how I ended up buying this book, and I'm pleased to say that I ended up really liking it: 4 out of 5.

Rana Sterling finally meets the man of her dreams and BOY does he know how to push all the right buttons. Only, Mr. Tall, Dark and Too-Good-to-Be True turns out to be just that; he's a real live, fanged vampire!

Lucian Trevane has a duty to fulfill. He's expected to take the role of Vite, leader of the vampires in three days. But he knows he won't take the position without his wife by his side. Now, after seventy years of searching for his reincarnated fiance, he finally finds the woman of his dreams in Rana Sterling, Rana may respond to his lovemaking, but she refuses to become his vampire wife. As if their lives aren't complicated enough, throw in a vengeful vampire, a surprise twist, and the fact that Rana and Lucien can't deny the strong attraction that exists between them and you've just stepped into A Taste for Passion.

Reincarnation stories are tricky--I think it's easy to make the reincarnated character too much like the original character. In that case, it's not clear whether the hero and heroine are really in love or whether they are together because one of them resembles a previous love.

In A Taste for Passion, we don't learn a lot about Lucian's fiance, but we do know that Rana's personality is different. I appreciated this very much. Lucian reinforces this by making it clear at one point that they are different and that his feelings for Rana are unique. I also liked the fact that Rana doesn't simply fall into Lucian's arms. Well, she does when she is dreaming of him; when awake, she makes him work for their relationship and for her.

The back cover text mentions "a surprise twist," and there certainly is one. I like the unique way this part of the story plays out. My main issue with the book is that I wish it had been longer. I wanted more of a good thing.

This book is the first in a series, and I picked up the second one, A Taste for Revenge, today. It should be interesting.