Be Still My Vampire Heart (Love at Stake, Book 3)

This is the third book in Kerrelyn Sparks' series which began with "How to marry a millionaire Vampire" (a catchy title but not that close to the feeling of the book) and continued with "Vamps in the City". The second book was rather weaker than the first but this third instalment is definitely an improvement. Emma Wallace is a member of the CIA's vampire hunter squad and she's very committed to her work - it's an opportunity for her to revenge herself on the vampires that killed her parents. She's English and arrived in America 7 months ago having previously worked for MI6. When lurking in Central Park to try and slay vampires she comes across Angus MacKay, a Scottish kilt-wearing warrior; she doesn't know if he's a vampire or not but her certainly catches her attention. Emma knows the truth about vampires - that they are all evil. However, as soon as she starts to get to know Angus, who is indeed one of the evil undead, she has to start reconsidering her firmly held views. Angus works hard to get her to trust him and to keep her safe. There are far more politics involved in vampire slaying than Emma understands and as she gradually learns more about the Malcontents (bad vampires) her safety is put at risk. Can she and Angus stay safe and happy and will they get over their differences? Despite our heroine Emma being English and our hero Angus being Scottish, their use of language is a little too American for verisimilitude. For example, both Emma and Angus seem to think that English slang for underwear is 'unders'; I'm an Englishwoman and I've never heard ANYONE call them 'unders', they are, of course, 'undies' (although at the end of the book she finally gets this right). Equally a running joke about Scottish attire and the sporran has Emma referring to it as Angus's 'purse'; this is the American word for handbag; a purse to Brits is a female's wallet, a small coin-holder, and not the bag that they are evidently referring to. It struck me that an American author using English and Scottish characters ought to check her dialects. I liked the way that Kerrelyn Sparks didn't make Emma's distrust of Angus drag on and on (she was a little more polished with this tale than the first in the series where Shanna just seems so dense). The romance wasn't all that romantic particularly but you did feel that the central characters had enough in common to make a go of it. And, most importantly, unlike the previous two books, where one half of the love-interest is completely opposed to being made a vampire, this book has a little more 'realism' about the future possibilities between an undead and a mortal. We meet the characters in the previous books in this one - Roman and Shanna feature quite a bit and Shanna's baby is part of the story; Austin and Darcy appear briefly. However it's not at all necessary to have read the other books to understand this one. As a lighthearted read this works very well. Don't expect anything too deep, just enjoy the whizz

Kerrelyn Sparks has done another amazing job with this Third book in the series. Loved Angus and Emma - they were perfect together. Can't wait for the follow up on the grown up Ian and baby Constantine.

Angus McKay, a world-weary, battle-scared vampire has seen it all--or so he thought. When his company, McKay Security and Investigations is charged by Roman Draganesti with locating and stopping a vampire slayer working in Central Park, the last thing he expects is to find a small, sexy woman behind the killings. Emma Wallace--the name alone is catnip to the dyed-in-the-wool Scotsman--is a warrior like Angus. And, like Angus, she is committed to fighting the vicious Malcontents, vampires that still feed from and kill humans. The only problem is that Emma sees no distinction between Angus and the evil vamps she's determined to eradicate. The only good vampire is a dead vampire. Emma has lived by this motto for years, and as a CIA agent with a mission to destroy all vampires, it has served her well. Her worldview is challenged, however, when she comes in contact with a Scottish hunk with a code of honor as unbending as his claymore. Could Angus be telling the truth when he says he's one of the good guys, or is it a trick? And could Emma ever trust one of the very beings she's sworn to kill? Emma is forced to confront these questions and her own prejudices when the Malcontents seek retaliation for the slayings. BE STILL MY VAMPIRE HEART is the third full-length novel in Sparks' immensely popular, award-winning Love at Stake series, and fans will thrill not only at Angus and Emma's exciting, romantic story, but with the reappearance of Roman and a very-pregnant Shana. Tension escalates in the series as hostilities between the good vamps and the Malcontents continue to grow to a head, laying the path for a future showdown that readers will not want to miss. Sharp pacing, fun prose, and excellent characterization round out BE STILL MY VAMPIRE HEART, a must read for any fan of paranormal romance!

When Emma Wallace's parents were killed by vampires, she began taking matters into her own hands. She is now a member of the CIA's Stake-Out team. Emma could care less if the vampire is good or evil. She stakes every vampire she comes into contact with. Emma's favorite hunting place is in New York's Central Park. Everything is going fine until Angus MacKay shows up while Emma is hunting. It is hard to ignore a handsome Scotsman wearing a kilt and welding a huge claymore. Roman Draganesti is the richest vampire around. He has Angus begin searching for "the Slayer" and make the guy stop staking vampires. Seems Katya Miniskaya, co-master of the Russian-American coven, is blaming Roman for the deaths of some of her coven members. The Slayer is to be stopped before Katya goes to war! Angus never expects the slayer to be a female; especially one as lovely as Emma! Attraction is instantaneous, so Angus must convince Emma that not all vampires are evil and to stop vigilante spree. It gets even harder, seems Katya is hunting the slayer also. Katya must capture the slayer and Angus for Casimir, the world's most evil vampire, or be "removed" herself. ***** This is the third novel in the amazing vampire romance series by author Kerrelyn Sparks. Emma and Angus are two of a kind and a perfect match for each other in more ways than one. Perfect for readers who enjoy some feisty characters, a fast paced plot, and a lot of action. ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

A human vampire slayer is wreaking havoc among the Russian Malcontents. Ordinarily, the death of these vicious vampires would be a good thing but their coven master, the deadly but beautiful Katya Miniskaya, has stated that if another Malcontent is found dead, she will declare war on Roman Draganesti's vampires who subsist solely on bottled blood. Angus MacKay agrees to stop the slayer, a member of the CIA Stake-Out Team. He doesn't expect to lose his heart to Emma Wallace, who despises all vampires for killing her parents. Unfortunately, Katya has other plans in store for them all.... Each book in the Love at Stake series just gets better and better! The trademark humor of Kerrelyn Sparks is once again present in BE STILL MY VAMPIRE HEART. The splendid mixture of action and humor will keep readers thoroughly engrossed in this fascinating tale that delves deeper into the war between the vampires. Readers unfamiliar with the first two books will easily slip into the fascinating world created by Ms. Sparks although this reviewer highly recommends reading the previous books simply because this series is so enjoyable. Angus MacKay is an adorably sexy Scottish male. After all, who couldn't love a hero who checks under his kilt after teleporting from one location to another to ensure that everything is still in place? Emma provides the perfect counterpart to this Scottish gentleman, as she is definitely a modern day woman who values her independence. Emma's struggle over the concept that not all vampires are evil is a difficult one as she has an instant attraction for Angus. Kerrelyn Sparks continues to demonstrate her ingenuity with each installment of the Love at Stake series. BE STILL MY VAMPIRE HEART is a must buy for vampire lovers, as it is sure to satisfy. Kerrelyn Sparks is without a doubt the master of the humorous vampire tale! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES