BETWEEN A VAMP AND A HARD PLACE is a standalone story and not part of the same vampire mythology in Jessica Sims' Midnight Liaisons series. Even though this is not part of the Midnight Liaisons series, BETWEEN A VAMP AND A HARD PLACE has some of the same humor and heat that are staples of her writing. Jessica Sims puts a unique twist on the vampire theme and creates a truly creepy undead villain. What starts out as a story about two best friends trying to make it as antique dealers takes an unexpected turn toward the terrifying.

Lindsey Hughes is a sympathetic character and BETWEEN A VAMP AND A HARD PLACE is told strictly from her point of view. A lot of the humor in BETWEEN A VAMP AND A HARD PLACE comes from the banter between Lindsey and her friend and business partner, Gemma. However, after discovering Rand—the vampire tucked away in the spooky secret basement—the mood shifts dramatically. When Rand regales Lindsey of his tale of murder and betrayal, they embark on a quest to find out the mystery of who betrayed him all those years ago and to put an end to the vampire supervillain. Jessica Sims deftly weaves a paranormal tale of suspense that evokes some of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films. As you read along, you get the feeling the villain's reach is absolute and no place is safe for the hero and heroine.

Since Rand has been sleeping the sleep of the undead for a few hundred years, he is not the modern vampire many readers are more familiar with. This dynamic gives the story a "time traveler" feel and adds variety to the narrative. This is also another way in which Jessica Sims injects a little humor into a story that is extremely intense and fraught with danger. Things move along pretty quickly as Lindsey and Rand race across Europe hunting down clues and assorted bad guys. There are enough surprises to keep things entertaining. I think the chemistry and passion between Lindsey and Rand builds as they travel together and bond over the assorted trials they face.

BETWEEN A VAMP AND A HARD PLACE is a mixed-up vampire fairy tale full of passion and peril. Jessica Sims gives readers a romance, which is slow to start but builds in intensity to an operatic and satisfying conclusion. While I wasn't sure about Lindsey and Rand as a romantic pairing at first, I was cheering for them as the story wore on. I would love to read about Lindsey's friend Gemma in a future book. I look forward to the next book by Jessica Sims.

Book Summary

In the wickedly funny spirit of bestselling authors Kerrelyn Sparks and Molly Harper, this sexy paranormal romance features an estate broker and a 600-year-old vampire out for revenge.

Lindsey Hughes loves antiques and couldn’t be happier to make a living in the estate sale business. But when her assistant accidentally buys an entire estate without her approval, Lindsey is forced to clean up the mess herself.

Lindsey travels to the newly purchased, age-old house in Venice, Italy, and soon discovers more than she (never) bargained for. While digging through the hoarder’s trove that fills every floor, she finds a secret staircase behind a wall that leads to a strange coffin…with an even stranger inhabitant.

Vampire Rand FitzWulf has been in his coffin for 600 years. But now that he’s awake, he’s ravenous, and there’s a delicious-smelling woman with a rare blood type in his basement. Luckily, Lindsey has more to offer than blood: she agrees to travel throughout Europe with Rand to help him get revenge on the one who turned him. But as the unlikely pair grows closer, will the billionaire vampire be overtaken by his thirst for blood—or his thirst for love?