Regency London – a dizzying whirl of balls and young ladies pursued by charming men. But the Woodmore sisters are hunted by a more sinister breed: Lucifer’s own. Voss, also known as Viscount Dewhurst, relishes the sensual pleasures immortality affords. A member of the Dracule – a cabal of powerful, secretive noblemen marked with a talisman that reveals their bartered souls – the mercenary Voss has remained carefully neutral…until Angelica. Angelica Woodmore possesses the Sight, an ability invaluable to both sides of a looming war among the Dracule. Her very scent envelops Voss in a scarlet fog of hunger – for her body and blood. But he is utterly unprepared for the new desire that overcomes him – to protect her.
120 years ago, during a dream, Lucifer offered Voss Arden a chance to be immortal. Being the pampered and spoiled only son of a Viscount he was all for extending the fun of his live to eternity. Of course Voss thought this was all a dream and when he woke up he had a somewhat harsh reality to face. He had to learn more than a few things along the way and not all of them fun…like never being able to feel the sun on his face ever again.
Despite the downfalls of being a Dracule Voss has lived an unrepentantly fun life. His thrall aids him in his quest for blood and sex and no one can resist him…until he meets Angelica Woodmore.
Angelica is the sister of a vampire hunter who is missing – and happens to be missing along with a Dracule’s sister, Narcise, who is also Dracule. Narcise’s brother is a very bad man and takes his power hungry desires to the nth degree. So when he discovers that Narcise is off with Chas he decides that he can bring Chas in by kidnapping one of Chas’s sisters – his main target: Angelica.
Angelica and Voss, after meeting, have a certain connection that draws them to each other. Angelica is almost instantaneously smitten and wants nothing more than to be with Voss. For Voss he feels drawn to Angelica but more for the blood and sex. When his thrall doesn’t work on her he’s intrigued by the woman along with the fact that he realizes that he’s actually going to have to seduce the woman the old fashioned and human way. Voss is determined to keep Angelica from the hands of the evil Dracule but Lucifer, who more or less controls the Dracule’s thoughts and actions wants Voss to take her any way he can get her. But Voss hesitates…to a point. Is he actually getting a conscience after all of these years? And if so, what is it about Angelica that creates these thoughts? Voss isn’t sure what to make of it but he’s certain he wants Angelica.
This, for me, was more of a vampire focused book than a romance. Voss was not a vampire that I liked very much, even at the end of the book. Even when he stopped his random sex fests he still didn’t seem to me like a man who had learned very much about himself. I think he was supposed to have but the change in him seemed to sudden to be believable. I personally didn’t see it.
Angelica and Voss in the romance department: She was mighty attracted to him but once she found out he was a vampire she loathed him. Even when he was doing a good deed she wasn’t thinking nice thoughts about him. That didn’t stop her from lusting after the man, which is understood, but when the words, “I love you” were spoken, I actually thought she was saying it just to stop her brother from killing Voss. Later I was saying, “oh wait, she actually meant that? Wow” since I just didn’t believe the turn from hate to love.
The writing was really good and while the world-building in the book could have answered a few more of my questions (maybe they’ll get answered in later books?) I really liked the world of the Draculia. I enjoyed the blend of regency historical with paranormal which is not something I normally go for. I was also very interested in the totally anal retentive, intolerant of humans bore that was the vampire Dimitri. He intrigued me and I’m very anxious to read his book.
So while I didn’t love The Vampire Voss I thought it was a good book and a good start to the world of the Draculia.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
This book releases in on 3/22/11
His eyes freak me out.
Yeah – me too. Voss's description in the book is nothing similar to the cover model – which is a good thing, imho. 🙂
I'm trying to finish this book right now. This is the one that kept freezing up my ereader. I kinda hold a grudge against this book. LOL
Hmmm. I like books in which the characters grow and change, but I need to see that change…and it needs to be gradual. The about turn…doesn't work so much.
And I don't get the whole 'I loathe him, but I'm in lust' thing…but then that could just be me… 🙂
Ames – Oh, yeah, having the book constantly freeze up on you would put a damper on things. Try not to hold it against the story. lol
Orannia – Yeah, I didn't buy the about turn. He just loved who he was too much for me to totally believe he was ready to change. *shrugs*
Yeah, the I hate, I lust, I love thing was odd for me – not just you. 😉