Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
When the temptation to end his misery proves too much to deny, unbeknownst to James his very existence is about to change. Seth doesn't want to visit with another vampire, but his beloved wants to see Cody, and whatever Hannah wants, Hannah gets. Cody may have the answer to their grief, but while Hannah is optimistic, Seth's moods are interfering with her plan. Then there's the complication that the human who might well save them is a virgin.

BOOK REVIEW:
James is a sweet man still mourning the death of his fiancé, Elaine. Hannah and Seth are a vampire couple who have lost their partner, Edward, and their will to live. The problem is that even though they love each other, that love isn't enough to keep them going. Hannah turns to Cody, a fellow vampire known for his matchmaking skills.

James makes a snap decision to end his life, but the all-knowing and all-seeing Cody intervenes and so begins the psychological drama that is Sharon Marie Bidwell's "Del Fantasma: Virgin Special."

Hannah and Seth take over James' care and try to tempt him back to the land of the living. Some readers might be non-plussed by the manner in which they do so, but Hannah and Seth are vampires fighting for the will to survive and James is their only hope.

How do you convince someone who's lost the very meaning of his life to live again? Through thoughtful conversations, simple board games and shared pain, Hannah and Seth attempt to do just that, but James doesn't make it easy for them. He resists their overtures at every turn and is determined to hold on to his grief at any cost.

Bidwell deserves kudos for elevating an erotic, ménage vampire tale to such a cerebral level that I wasn't sure how the story would end. The characterizations are particularly strong in "Virgin Special." Bidwell gives the reader a lot of background on each person, with plenty of vivid flashbacks so that their motivations are crystal clear. This is a good thing because the heart-stopping ending pays off handsomely. I would have been okay with either outcome.

The Del Fantasma series is a lot of fun. Each tale is written by a different author and the one thing they have in common is Cody, a matchmaking vampire who owns The Del Fantasma bar on the beach. His watering hole is frequented by humans and a wide variety of supernatural beings. These independent stories stand alone and don't need to be read in any particular order.

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