Dead and Loving It by MaryJanice Davidson

OK -- I admit, it's not really a vampire novel, but 2 of the four novellas are about vampires so I'm including it. I also must say that I don't like short stories or romance novellas. They just seem too rushed. It's always "love at first sight," hot steamy sex, and a suggestion of happily ever after. I mean, it's hard enough to believe the romance novels when the characters actually develop a relationship, but when a one night stand leads to happily ever after -- come on! (So says the chick who reads about vampires -- like THAT'S believable).

Monster Love is about an opinionated, foul-mouthed she-werewolf who finds happiness with a lonely male vampire who rapes her. Basically the attraction is that they can have sex without crippling each other. They do make a good couple, but Davidson should have found another way of bringing them together instead of rape. Again, easier to believe in vampires and werewolves than to believe that a victim would fall in love with her rapist.

The reason I read this book at all was for A Fiend in Need. It reveals the origins of George the Fiend from the Undead series. A psychic she-werewolf has a vision that leads her to Betsy the Vampire Queen. When she meets George, she feels an immediate connection and reveals that his real name is Garrett Shea. Sparks fly and they have great sex even though he's a man of few words. --- It just didn't work for me. I mean, I understand that fiends have needs too, but eeewwwww! It's not like she somehow heals him psychically and he's a whole man again. This whole relationship was just too much too soon.