Book Review-It Happened One Bite

It Happened One Bite
Regency Vampyre Trilogy (1)
Lydia Dare
Sourcebooks Casablanca
Paperback
Published March 2011
385 Pages
Paranormal Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-1-4022-4507-7
Authors Website

Synopsis
He'd bite her in a heartbeat, if she'd only set him free...

He's lost, trapped, doomed for all eternity...

Rich, titled, and undead, gentleman vampyre James Maitland, Lord Kettering, fears himself doomed to a cold and lonely existence—trapped for decades in an abandoned castle. Then, beautiful Scottish witch Blaire Lindsay arrives, and things begin to heat up considerably.

Unless he can persuade her to set him free...

Feisty Blaire Lindsay laughs off the local gossip surrounding her mother's ancestral home—stories of haunting cannot scare off this battle-born witch. But when she discovers the handsome prisoner in the bowels of the castle, Blaire has no idea that she has unleashed anything more than a man who sets her heart on fire.

My Review 
When Blaine's brother is insistent on going to a estate that he has inherited, he brings her along, even though leaving Edinburgh is the last thing she wants to do. When they arrive, she and her brother are shocked when they discover its a abandoned castle. As they start to settle in, Blaine hears noises and a man's voice, but she doesn't know if its real and if its a ghost or not.  James Maitland, Lord Kettering, was tricked twenty years previous when trying to feed on a young woman, and was then trapped in the deserted castle he awakens in. He starts to remember that it was five witches who trapped him here. When he senses others in the castle, he realizes that this may be his chance to free himself. Even though it goes against Blaine's instincts, she senses something good in James, and releases him from his prison, she has no idea who he is and why he has been trapped here. Even though she wants to remain aloof and distant from James, she starts to feel a deeper connection to him, and even though she knows he can be dangerous, she knows in her heart that he would never harm her or her family. When enemies of James come knocking on the door, she learns of his true identity and only when she accepts James into her heart will they be able to survive the danger and grab onto a chance of a future together?

It Happened One Bite is the first in the Vampire Trilogy by Lydia Dare. It is connected a bit to her Westfield Wolves series. I was really excited to read It Happened One Bite because I had recently read the first book in the Westfield series, so I had high hopes for this one. It started out a bit slower than I expected. As I continued with the story though, it picked up as the sparks started to fly between James and Blaine. Blaine is a witch and part of a five witch coven, and as such she protects her heart and is very practical, because she has had to be. When she meets James, a fire burns within her, and even though she wants to give into the desire she feels for him, she fights it. James, is burning with rage and desiring revenge, but his attraction to Blaine is undeniable and his anger turns into desire for a woman who seems to not want him, but he knows that she desires him as much as he desires her.

There is quite a bit going on in this story. In the beginning it seems to be just a romance between a vampire and a witch in the regency era in England. However we start to see there is more to it than a love story. There is a few twists and turns involving two enemy vampires, whose only desire is to kill everyone that James cares about. I liked the aspect of vampires in a historical setting, with a portion of witch lore. The setting was set up perfect to set the stage for the story. The characters were exciting to see together. James, is handsome and confident and powerful, yet very gentle at times, and I couldn't help but fall in love with him from the start. I couldn't help but be on his side for most of the story, seeing a character that even though is a vampire, has honest intentions and even though can be brooding, he isn't dark or sinister type of vampire. He is a gentleman through and through, because he started out as a gentleman before he became a vampire. So I admired him quite a bit, and in the way he handles Blaine is just precious. Blaine is strong willed, and fiercely independent and with her powers as a witch is intent on standing by James side even though she is mortal. At times it could be quite humorous, but there was such a enticing quality to their relationship and the way they worked together.

It Happened One Bite was a sweet and charming paranormal story set in the beautiful setting of Scotland. A heated read full of sensuality and a fascinating plot with twists and turns that puts together a memorable story.

First Line 
Blaire Lindsay had the overwhelming desire to throw a fireball at her brothers thick head and engulf him in flames. 

Favorite Quote 
We know what we are, but not what we may be

My Grade 
4 Blossoms

Heat Rating 
Steamy

Other Books In Series 
In The Heat of the Bite
Never Been Bit