Vampire Viscount

Nicholas, Viscount Saint-Vire, favours nocturnal pursuits; he frequents gambling clubs and occasionally some Society events. We discover early in the book that he's looking for a wife, and that he has some specific requirements. And then we also discover that he'd a vampire. At a gambling den, he encounters Lord Farleigh and wins far more than Farleigh can afford to pay. Farleigh, in an attempt to get himself out of trouble, offers Nicholas his daughter Leonore. So Nicholas and Leonore become engaged. It's clear that Nicholas needs Leonore to help him in his quest to become human again, and that Leonore needs to marry him willingly. So he needs to court her. Leonore, fed up with her father's gambling and the effect on her family, has become a governess. She isn't sure what to make of Nicholas, but agrees to marry him because he assures her that he will never force her, never be cruel to her. And, although she knows that this is a marriage of convenience, he pays her beautiful compliments, takes her to places her father never took her to, and his kisses make her swoon.But, because he's so pale and because he tells her that he has an illness which makes him allergic to sunlight, she believes that he has a fatal illness and that he's dying. Can she allow herself to love a man she may only have for a short time? This is a very intriguing take on Beauty and the Beast, which I did enjoy, although the introduction of the villainous female vampire was probably unnecessary. It's another unsual Regency from Karen Harbaugh, well-written as her books normally are, and while not the best Regency or vampire romance I've ever read, it's fascinating to see the two worlds combined so well.

When the lovely Leonore Farleigh finds herself sold in marriage to the illusive Nicholas St. Vire to pay for her fathers gambling debts; she expects the man to be lecherous and old, wanting to take her to wife for the sole purpose of having an heir. What she doesn't expect is a man so handsome he takes her breath away with his silky chestnut hair and eyes so green they rival the leaves on the trees and a voice so soft, so hypnotic and deep she finds herself longing to be his wife in every way. What is it about this strange man that makes her long to be near him always? Why does he never appear in the day? Leonore begins to suspect that he is ill and fears that she will not have much time with him which saddens her greatly, for she has fallen hoplessly in love with the enigmatic lord.All Nicholas wanted was a innocent wife, a virgin to help him carry out his plan. Love did not enter into it. The marriage need only last one year and if all went well, he would be free of the curse that had haunted him for 60 years. 60 years in which he had seen many of his friends age and die while he remained forever young. What Nicholas didn't expect was that Leonore would entrance him as no woman ever had. Leonore, with her Lovely blonde hair, exquisite figure, elfin face, and soft grey eyes. He finds himself needing her in more ways than one. He began to wonder, to hope, Could he have it all? the life he had lost so long ago, the love of a beautiful woman, to once again feel sunlight on his face? But when Mercia, the evil woman who was the cause of all his torment returns--he begins to think that he might have to sacrafice it all for the love of Leonore; because if Mercia had a say in it, Nicholas would never be free...

I love all Karen Harbaugh's books, but this is my very favorite. The hero is fascinating, the heroine strong and his equal. The paranormal elements are superbly done. So well so that fans of paranormal and fans of Regency alike will find this book a Must Read.If you haven't read Karen Harbaugh yet, you'll be glad you did when you get your hands on this great book!

Tired of reading about over privileged rogues and heroines who seem to do little more than drink tea, gossip and attend balls? Think the ton needs a good shaking up? Then imagine the thought of a vampire cavorting amongst the ton, charming the socks off of every woman he gazes at, and getting invites to the most exclusive and sought after clubs and balls. Karen Harbaugh's hero does all of these things in her story THE VAMPIRE VISCOUNT. Leonore Farleigh, a governess with an abusive father, agrees to marry the gorgeous and secretive Lord Nicholas St. Vire to get away from her unstable home and secure a better future for her sister. What she can't figure out is why such a handsome and charming man would want to marry a lowly governess. As she begins to get to know him she comes to the conclusion that he suffers from some terrible disease that forces him to hide from the sun and her heart begins to break because she's falling in love with him and fears he doesn't have long to live. Nicholas has reasons of his own for marrying Leonore and falling in love with her was most definitely not one of them. But fall he does and now he must do everything within his power to protect her when a jealous vampiress from his past returns. THE VAMPIRE VISCOUNT is great book about a tortured hero who manages to come across as good-humored and charming despite his problem. He's witty and likable and I'm so glad he wasn't another one of those typical whiny vampires that I'm so sick of. He and the heroine both had a good sense of humor and I thought they were just perfect for each other. But poor Leonore does get put through the emotional wringer before the book is over. I'm going to be on the lookout for more of this author's work because she's imaginative and her writing style is a lot of fun.