A FIRE IN THE BLOOD by Amanda Ashley is a standalone paranormal romance novel, so it's ideal for readers who may not be familiar with this author. This book is classic Amanda Ashley -- tall, dark, enigmatic stranger with fangs, and a heroine who faces the choice to either embrace immortality or enjoy her immortal lover for a brief time before she dies a human death. Andrei Dinescu is an example of the kind of well-crafted, broody vampire hero Amanda Ashley has been creating before Buffy's Angel graced the small screen, and Stephanie Meyer's Edward set hearts aflame on the big screen. As a fan who has enjoyed Amanda Ashley's recent books that were part of a series, I enjoy this change of pace. Tessa Blackburn is the girl- next-door, working in a bank with her BFF, and completely unaware of the danger headed her way.

Unbeknownst to Tessa, vampires are flocking to her in droves over tales that her blood is like ambrosia for young vampires, and will increase their strength. Enter sinfully sexy vampire Andrei, his evil vampire wife Katerina, and good guy vampire hunter Luke. A FIRE IN THE BLOOD is a fairly straightforward tale of good versus evil with one or two paranormal twists. Andrei intrigued me from the beginning because he initially struck me as being a little bit morally ambiguous, and I was unable to guess his next move. Andrei's vengeful ex Katerina makes a convincing villainess and is a wonderful contrast to the strong heroic female characters in A FIRE IN THE BLOOD. I think Tessa differs from some of Amanda Ashley's previous human heroines because, although Andrei's vampire nature initially creeps her out, she is quick to see the bigger picture and be pragmatic about her situation.

A FIRE IN THE BLOOD is an exciting vampire romance with a slew of fascinating paranormal characters -- the good, the bad, and the unequivocally evil. There is a fair amount of excitement and suspense in A FIRE IN THE BLOOD, but the romance remains paramount. Amanda Ashley builds the sexual tension between Tessa and Andrei as the story progresses. There are several weddings in A FIRE IN THE BLOOD -- ranging from the sweet, the unusual yet poignant, and the bloody. Shape-shifters make appearance in A FIRE IN THE BLOOD, and I'd love to see more Amanda Ashley stories with these types of characters.

Book Summary

“I see a man. He is old. Very old. He will come into your life in a moment of danger. He will watch over you and protect you.” The gypsy’s hand gripped Tessa’s tighter. “He will bring you death,” she whispered, her voice like the rustle of dry leaves. “And life.”

Ten years later, when Andrei Dinescu saves Tessa from a vicious attacker, she has no idea that the handsome stranger the gypsy fortune teller predicted is not a hunter but a seven-hundred-year-old vampire. Darkly powerful, unbelievably compelling, he is obviously pursuing Tessa, but is it her love he's after or her blood?

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