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High Stakes (Vegas Vampires #1)

by Erin McCarthy (Goodreads Author)

3.7 of 5 stars 3.70 · rating details · 4,219 ratings · 211 reviews

From the USA Today bestselling author, a vampire-meets-girl story set in the city that never sleeps-except during daylight.

He's a bloodsucking freak of nature. But, unlike other politicians, Ethan Carrick is actually a nice guy. Not to mention a very hot, wealthy, casino-owning vampire. It's an election year for vampires, which means he'll first have to escape his oppone...more

Paperback, First Edition, 304 pages

Published August 1st 2006 by Berkley Trade

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Apr 21, 2008 Gina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Um, I'm not sure what to make of this. I was expecting better?

I didn't think the characters were strong at all. I felt almost no chemistry between Ethan and Alexis. Sure, there were some sparks, but I think Alexis flies way off the handle a little too much for my taste. I didn't feel a dept to the characters as I was expecting.

I thought the plot weak. Other than getting Alexis to fall for Ethan and winning the election, I didn't really see much of a story here. There were a few action scenes tha...more

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Mar 06, 2008 Daisiemae rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: good, humorous, vampire book

Recommended to Daisiemae by: I like the author

Shelves: vampire-paranormal, contemporary-romance

This book was a really fun, light read. I loved the character's rapport with one another, and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the witty conversations they had with one another.
Plus, I really liked the way the hero and heroine came to trust, like and then love one another. I found myself caring about them and the outcome of their romance.
I really like(love) a deep, dark vampire romances...this is not one of those books. But, I liked the sweetness about it, and the ease that Erin brou...more

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Jan 08, 2009 Erica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: trashy-fiction

Steamy, but unsatisfactory in the end. From antagonistic sexual tension to marriage in under a month, and we're supposed to buy this heroine as self-confident and strong? Not only that, but "dewey mound" - really?! Beyond the unbelievable speed of the story, and the cliched writing, there are several major and minor issues. The younger sister with a jesus-freak savior complex is not exactly enticing, or frankly interesting. Thank goodness that gets dropped by the end, and for that reason alone I...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Aurian Booklover rated it 4 of 5 stars

When her sister suddenly moves into one of the big casino’s on the strip, and abandons her flourishing dental practice, assistant district attorney Alexis is worried about her. Determined to get her sister out of the clutches of the slimebag who is keeping her, she enters Ethan Carrick’s meeting unannounced. Her little sister is gorgeous, but not always bright when it comes to men, and it is up to Alexis to rescue her from herself. Brittany should marry an accountant and settle down, not become...more When her sister suddenly moves into one of the big casino’s on the strip, and abandons her flourishing dental practice, assistant district attorney Alexis is worried about her. Determined to get her sister out of the clutches of the slimebag who is keeping her, she enters Ethan Carrick’s meeting unannounced. Her little sister is gorgeous, but not always bright when it comes to men, and it is up to Alexis to rescue her from herself. Brittany should marry an accountant and settle down, not become a rich man’s newest plaything!
But Brittany doesn’t want to go home, she has discovered that Ethan and his people are vampires, and she wants to save them.

Ethan was planning on making Brittany his wife. He is the currant vampire president, and is running a campaign to be re-elected for the next 40 years. Brittany is an Impure (half vampire, half human), and as such, would be politically talking, perfect as his wife. But even though she is gorgeous, she is not doing anything for him, which is why he hasn’t slept with her yet. But her sister, now she is something else. She tries to kick the hell out of him, to make him back off. And so he makes a bargain with her: if she plays his platonic girlfriend for a week, he will send Brittany home. Alexis is certain she can withstand his amazing looks and physique, and she wants Brittany out of here. So on her own terms, she accepts. And that Brittany thinks they are all vampires, that is just a bunch of nonsense, and makes them geeky roleplayers. But Ethan is determined to woo Alexis, she must be his one true mate, as he cannot hear her thoughts at all. Brittany is an open book for him, but Alexis is shielded tight.

When Ethan is shot in the heart though, and she fears for his life, Alexis finds out differently when Ethan heals before her eyes. Can she deal with all this?

I enjoyed this book, it is light and humorous, and I loved the kick ass Alexis. She has a black belt, and loves practicing her moves on Ethan. Who at first tries to be noble, but when she keeps coming at him, seriously has to defend himself. Alexis and Brittany had a lousy childhood, with a mother who is a stripper, and keeps searching for a man. Alexis was the one who raised Brittany, and has always been protective of her. She is though, has serious commitment problems, and doesn’t think she will ever marry. The fact that Ethan is seriously interested in her is a miracle. She is not tall and willowy, but short and curvy. Yes, low self esteem in the looks department here.
And then there is Ethan, 900 years old, and falling in love for the first time. Of course he has trouble adjusting to that state, and being patient. Waiting for Alexis to make up her mind, and choose for a relationship with him for real, instead of the one week deal. I liked him, he really wants to be a good president.

There is a bad guy, who also wants to be president, to control the vampire world, and make them public so they can rule humanity. A campaign manager who is very stuffy. A human assassin who can’t understand why Ethan is still alive, and the young female vampire he fell for. A second storyline with Brittany and the French vampire she likes. I do think that his one will play out in the second book in the series, keep a watch out for the review of it.

All in all, it was fun, never really predictable and still full of action, and of course, hot vampire love scenes. If you are in the mood for something light and funny, I do recommend this series. I really enjoyed this book.

8 stars.

Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com
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Feb 24, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance

~* 3.5 Stars *~
Erin McCarthy's Vegas Vampire series opener, High Stakes, is one of those light, funny vamp romances that can be gulped down in large bites and leave you feeling a little happier for it. It's been described as Vamp Chick-Lit and that just about sums it up.

And there's nothing wrong with that!

I strongly believe that reaction to this book in particular, and probably the series in general, will entirely depend on what you're looking for when you pick it up. Personally, I just spent s...more ~* 3.5 Stars *~
Erin McCarthy's Vegas Vampire series opener, High Stakes, is one of those light, funny vamp romances that can be gulped down in large bites and leave you feeling a little happier for it. It's been described as Vamp Chick-Lit and that just about sums it up.

And there's nothing wrong with that!

I strongly believe that reaction to this book in particular, and probably the series in general, will entirely depend on what you're looking for when you pick it up. Personally, I just spent several weeks reading back-to-back books that ranged from gritty and dark to emotionally significant and I just wanted to rest my brain, kick back with a book that made me laugh and know from page one that the two lead characters are going to get their HEA. No draining angst or cruel deceptions, no monstrous forces of every nature threatening world-ending horror.

A laugh here (and here and here) and a grin there (and there and there and there) was exactly what I needed. Erin McCarthy delivered. In fact, that's rather what I read McCarthy for. It's what I call brain candy.

I was actually pleasantly surprised that this series opener had a wee bit more depth than I was anticipating, with the plot threads of the presidential party platform, the banished Frenchman, and the deadly political opponent. Was it high drama? No. Was it enough to sink my teeth in and interest me enough to keep reading the series? Yes.

If I wanted to be critical, I suppose I could point to Alexis' sister, Brittany, who came off a little too...borderline-zealot with her ditzy crusade to redeem the undead. That was not to my personal tastes. Scenes with her were actually a little painful. I could also possibly criticize the rather abrupt wrap up, almost like McCarthy got to a certain point and just...forced the HEA to fit within a certain page count.

Yeah, okay, those two things kept the book from getting five stars, but High Stakes is still a delicious bite of brain candy and I liked the overall experience of reading it. It was exactly what I was looking for.

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.(less)

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Apr 06, 2010 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This cracked me up! The characters were fun. It's not often I think of that when I pick something out of the trash... I mean romance section... but I was laughing so often when reading this! And, Alexis is a girl after my own heart. When I read the line "sang dan mahk ki" I literally said out loud "yes!" And every time I read the word "ki hap" I was excited. Clearly Ms. McCarthy knows a little something about Korean Martial Arts.

It was totally refreshing to read something that wasn't this epic...more This cracked me up! The characters were fun. It's not often I think of that when I pick something out of the trash... I mean romance section... but I was laughing so often when reading this! And, Alexis is a girl after my own heart. When I read the line "sang dan mahk ki" I literally said out loud "yes!" And every time I read the word "ki hap" I was excited. Clearly Ms. McCarthy knows a little something about Korean Martial Arts.

It was totally refreshing to read something that wasn't this epic battle for good vs. evil in this genre. Paranormal romance is all essentially the same story - over and over again with different names (although I can't tell you how many versions of the name "wrath" or "wraith" I have seen, and are they really all that different?) for the good guys and different names for the organization of baddies. To totally be a political story line - President of all the undead registered voters with his enemy being the other candidate... what a nice refreshing change. Of course, it is a little more then that - since how often do candidates try to bump each other off - or at least scare each other that much by attempting? And that's part of what made it funny. Plus, there was just enough tension between Alexis and Carrick that I thoroughly enjoyed the love story too.

I had 2 complaints. First, there were so many open questions still at the end that sort of just got ignored for the wedding. I mean it was like things skipped 2 weeks forward and the author forgot to tell us what happened in those two weeks. I am hoping that we get the filler in the next book. Also, the whopper in the last chapter - who is Gwen (I get that she's Carrick's sister, but there seems to be more to it then that) and what will we see from her next?! But I am excited to get my hands on the next book to find out.

Second complaint - the love scenes were just ok. When I pull a book from this section of the book store, I am looking for a little fantasy. And here, they didn't leave me breathless and with pink cheeks, the way I like to be left after reading these books. But again, maybe we'll see better in the next ones. If JR Ward is the standard for the steaminess, these fall way short. But if JR Ward is the standard for plot - I think these just edged her out, if for no other reason then having an original take on a vampire romance plot.(less)

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Dec 28, 2009 Sensitivemuse rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had to grudgingly admit (this is coming from someone who runs away from the romance shelves) I actually liked this book. Alexis is a great likable character; she's got wit, she's stubborn as an ox, she knows how to fight back (literally), and her sense of humor is hilarious. With a main character like that, it was thanks to her that got me so interested in this book I read at least more than half of it in one morning and then finished it the next day.

The plot was all right. It does follow the...more I had to grudgingly admit (this is coming from someone who runs away from the romance shelves) I actually liked this book. Alexis is a great likable character; she's got wit, she's stubborn as an ox, she knows how to fight back (literally), and her sense of humor is hilarious. With a main character like that, it was thanks to her that got me so interested in this book I read at least more than half of it in one morning and then finished it the next day.

The plot was all right. It does follow the typical romance genre standard plot line but the characters are likable and engaging and they provided so much entertainment, I found myself chuckling a couple of times because of Alexis and Ethan and how they felt about each other at first, and their banter was extremely entertaining. Although the sub-plot of several of Ethan's enemies trying to oust him from running for President is interesting, I actually wished they focused more on that plot instead of having to spotlight the main couple all the time. It left me with a lot of questions and now that certain events now happened regarding some of his enemies, I really want to know what's going to happen next. What bugged me was, although they were some trying to kill Ethan, it seemed as if both Ethan and Alexis didn't really care, they were too busy being in love with each other - which caused me to roll my eyes in frustration. Yes, I do realize this is a romance novel, but the intrigue plot is so interesting, why give that up to showcase the couple? wouldn't the plot to kill Ethan be just as exciting?

I also liked the plot with Brittany and Corbin. I thought they made such a cute couple and I was actually wanting more of those two instead of Ethan and Alexis, sure they were fun to read, but as soon as the "mushy stuff" came in, I just wanted them to move on and wanted to learn more about Corbin and his "research". Although Brittany strikes me a terribly naive and a little on the ditzy side, you can't help but like her because it's like she doesn't have a bad thought for anybody and nothing seems to ruin her day. She's such an exact opposite of Alexis but it's nice to see, so at least you don't see the book through eyes of one side all the time.

There are love scenes for those that enjoy that sort of thing, I particularly don't care much for them, so those were skipped. They do become more frequent as Alexis and Ethan are closer together towards the end of the book. It does get old, and tiring and the plot just remains stagnant with those two. I do admit, they do make a nice couple. (Although upto the point where they got mushy I switched to preferring Brittany and Corbin). The other problem I do have is it was predictable in some parts. Oh well. I actually expected that in this story. It wasn't bad enough to ruin my enjoyment of the novel.

Overall, it was a nice light read despite some pitfalls. I was able to tolerate it and I enjoyed it because of such entertaining characters. The story and plot could have used some work though. Those that love romance with vampires in it, give this a try. It's on the light side so don't expect things to get too dark.(less)

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Mar 11, 2012 Sarah's Book Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars

OK, so I am a huge fan of anything that has vampires, werewolves etc you know the whole paranormal romance bit. I read a lot of the reviews before reading this and didn't go into it thinking it was going to be a great read but WOW WRONG, I totally love love love this book.
So first the characters. Vampire President Ethan Carrick is a 900+ year old vampire with blond hair, blue eyes and a killer body (can you say YUM). In his days he was a total playboy looking for pleasure, never falling for an...more

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Jun 03, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. (Im a spoiler..Beware)

Common things:
Huh, governmental vampire nation. Most vampire books have that, so I dont really think its weird. What else.. Oh yeah! The 'chosen' person for you. In other words, Soulmate. And again, there is a bunch of books I can name that has soulmates in it. Hmm. What else. The vampire-cant-be-seen-on-recordings thing. Well, theres not much books that applies that to vampires but I guess some.. I know another one! Vampire plus Vampire equals no baby but Vampire plus Mo...more

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Apr 02, 2008 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire-books, read-in-2008, fiction, authors-erin-mccarthy

I liked this book. The idea of vampires in Vegas is intriguing since I live in Vegas and I could see how it would be the perfect city for them to inhabit. Alexis was a bit strong, but weighed out by Ethan's cool demenour. They were fun to read about and the idea of vampire politics was interesting. Alexis' sister Brittany grated on my nerves a bit. She seemed too dimwitted instead of innocent for my tastes. Overall a great read.

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Jul 10, 2010 Catherine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: assassin-killer-bounty-hunter, comedy, contemporary, fantasy-paranormal-sci-fi, fluffy, read-2010, romance, series, sucked, vampire

Alexis has come to Ethan Carrick's casino to pry her sister from his life. Her sister, Brittany, has left her career and home to come be his arm candy. Alexia knows that he has brainwashed her sister, so she's ready to do anything necessary to remove her. That includes acting in a manner that would get most people arrested.

That right there is when I started to get a bad feeling about this book. Alexis is some awesome prosecuting attorney, but she barges into the situation with the subtlety of a...more Alexis has come to Ethan Carrick's casino to pry her sister from his life. Her sister, Brittany, has left her career and home to come be his arm candy. Alexia knows that he has brainwashed her sister, so she's ready to do anything necessary to remove her. That includes acting in a manner that would get most people arrested.

That right there is when I started to get a bad feeling about this book. Alexis is some awesome prosecuting attorney, but she barges into the situation with the subtlety of a brick upside the head. I guess she was cast as an attorney to make her look smart without having to actually act smart.

This book had some cute moments, especially in the beginning. It wasn't really Alexis that was funny though. She was brash and irritating. It was Ethan's reaction to her comments that was cute. Apparently no one has ever, in all his 900 years, thought he wasn't hot. So, watching him puff up with pride and offended male dignity was cute. But, as soon as he decided there were feelings involved in his desire to seduce Alexis he stopped being funny. He turned into someone who would rub noses with you and coo.

Brittany, the sister, was dumb. She wasn't cute and kind of dim, she was just dumb. She also didn't seem to be bothered by anything. You want to control her mind and kidnap her? No biggie, it's cool. She finds out you're a vampire - that's cool, how about I save you from your horrible existence. Every encounter was like that. It was really weird.

What was up with the French vampire? Did he really have to talk like that to convey he was French? Those "ze" and "iz" and "zat" expressions were really irritating.

Alexis made a comment when rejecting vampirism that I found really odd. She said she couldn't continue her work or see Brittany's future kids if she was a vampire. Why exactly was she excluded from doing those things if she was a vampire? The way vampires are written in these books there's nothing holding them back from any of that. They can move around in sunlight and they don't have to sleep at night. She knows this, she hung out with Ethan outside during the day. I just thought it was weird.

My biggest problem with this book was the fact that they fell in love with each other. This book took place in what, a week or two? In that short time they've found true love and are going to live together for the rest of eternity? Does that strike anyone else as rushing things? If this book would have ended with them wanting to see where their relationship was going I would have found it a lot more believable.

I thought the ending was really weird. There's a big crisis that happens really close to the end, but there's no closure in this book. It just...ends. I guess it will be solved in the next book, but I still think it's weird. There was a lot of nothing happening in this book, but when something finally does happen it ends before that can be hashed out.(less)

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Jun 08, 2010 Maria rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

I guess the book was written to be fun, perky but that was totally lost on me. I found it mostly almost boring. Alex is a tom-girl that fights, and not only verbally, and uses tons of irony. The thing with irony is that it is very difficult to get trough in text so quite often it falls flat on it´s face.

The first scene in which Ethan and Alex are going to kiss the begin with a loooong fist fight. Rather boring I must confess. The story is so predictable. Ethan is a perfect gentleman not wanting...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-romance, humor, vampire

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Las Vegas - a good place for vampires, and where the vampire president lives - in the casino he owns. It's a reelection year, and Ethan's opponent is looking to lead vampires into power, to take advantage of their preternatural talents... Ethan wants the status quo, blending, blood banks, mortal safety. And he needs a woman on his arm to enhance his image.

he thinks Brittney, his dentist, would fit the bill - she is sweet, happy, and half vampire, and using a bit of vampiric persuasion, she joins...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Jadaloves rated it 4 of 5 stars

Plain and simple, I liked it. I think this is the first book I’ve read that I really enjoyed that had absolutely no plot to speak of. Okay so Ethan is up for re-election of the Presidency among Vamps, and his opponent is sending henchmen to take him out. But all of that is completely secondary to the romance between Vampire Ethan and Mortal Alexis.

Ethan Carrick is an ancient vampire who is beyond elegance and sophistication. He’s tall, attractive, competitive, and always up for a challenge. Alex...more

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Oct 13, 2007 Princess Allie rated it 1 of 5 stars

I learned from this books that I cannot stand vampire fluff. I thought since I enjoy MaryJanice Davidson that I would enjoy Erin's books, but I'm thinkin' no. Her characters tend to over react and scream at each other. I feel like I'm watching Pokemon when I read this book. From now on I will have to be picky with my vampire romance.

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Jun 01, 2013 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned

The whole Chc Lit genre definitely gets better when vampires are added to the mix. This book did not disappoint. It was a very entertaining read. The main character, Alexis, and her sister, though different as night and day, were interesting in their own way. It did not make sense, however, that at first Brittany was a really dizzy blonde who morphed into someone very different later on. Ethan, Alexis's lover, is everything a woman could ask for in a man. He didn't have too much brooding depth,...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, hot-heroes, american-setting, average-love-story, kickass-heroines, ordinary-world, paranormal-romance, erotica, romance-at-high-dose, series, supernaturals-or-paranormals, sweet-and-enchanting, vampires, a-4-stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Lagi-lagi aku kena sama Tante Erin McCarthy. Di buku ini, Erin McCarthy bikin cerita dengan genre fantasi lagi. Dan ceritanya nggak lagi mengenai fallen angels (My Immortal, Fallen, dan The Taking) tapi tentang vampir dan Las Vegas. Iya, serius. Vegas.

Jadi, ceritanya, Ethan Carrick menculik--tsah, bukan nyulik, tapi ngajak--Brittany Baldazzi ke kasinonya, The Ava, di Las Vegas. Ethan pengen ngejadiin Brittany sebagai istrinya dalam rangka pemilihan presiden Vampire Nation. Ini tipikal banget yah...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Melliane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

C'était assez sympa comme histoire, rien d'extraordinaire ou de nouveau mais ça se laisse lire tranquillement. Il ne faut pas s'attendre à une grande histoire.

J'ai bien aimé les caractères des personnages, une Brittany gentille douce mais qui sait quand meme ce qu'elle veut, un éthan et Alexia trés tétue , il faut dire que Alexia peut etre trés déterminée et chiante quand elle le veut !

On se trouve dans un monde ou les vampires ne sont pas connus mais on se trouve plongé dans une histoire politi...more

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May 24, 2012 Dragana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, vampires

*** 3½ stars ***

Ethan Carrick is not just an ordinary vampire. He is 900 year old and he has seen it all. Nothing can surprise him anymore. So with his experience he is the perfect candidate for the president of the vampire nation. He just needs a fiance to further advertise his calm and professional image.

The only thing shorter than Alexis Baldizzi is her temper. When something gets on her nerve she is not ashamed to voice her opinion loudly and clearly for everyone. And the thing that irritate...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a nice light read. I enjoyed the witting characters and the life that Erin McCarthy brings to them. I felt like I was dropped right in the middle of their world in Vegas and completely understood what was going on. I enjoyed this lighter view of vampires and their habits. Most vampire books are a bit dark but this one was really not. The relationship between Alexis and Brittney was interesting and helped to me really understand each of these women. There were some VERY hot sex scenes in...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Cindy Veltman rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book I already read in the past from the library, but I wanted to have it myself too and that is why I ordered and read it again.
Alexis is used to protecting her sister. That is why she takes her place next to Ethan. That she feels attracted to him, has nothing to do with it. By the way he is a bit crazy, because he pretends to be a vampire. Till she finds out that he really is a vampire.
At that point she still doesn’t now what to do with the attraction between them. For the answer on what...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Krisnow18 rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this. A fast read. Alex rushes into rescue her sister from a possible abduction. What she finds is anything but. It turns out her sister, Brittany, is half vampire, and is what is called an Impure. She has been taken by the head of the vampires as a potential bride. When he meets Alex he realizes he could never be happy with Brittany due to the attraction he feels for her sister. Brittany, however, realized the other group are vampires and has decided to save them. She meets a banished...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Valerie rated it 1 of 5 stars

I disliked this book immensely. I rarely write a bad themed review, but this book demanded it.

The "hero" was weakly developed. The plot was based on, in the last chapters, the next book. $$$$ was all I beleived was the motivation in writing the book. Did not find any entertainment whatsoever. The main female character was mean. I could not like her at all.

I can say everytime I see the book cover of this book, I cringe. I can't believe I paid to read this book (I bought it). I have to say, totall...more

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Mar 06, 2011 Estela rated it 4 of 5 stars

I forget I read this book until I got a couple of pages into the first chapter but still read again. It all slowly came back to me and I enjoyed again. I love to read funny books, this one does not disappoint, but the ending left me wanting more. It ended really fast and not quite finished for me. I guess it really left me wanting to read the next one. First time reading Erin McCarthy in a vampire story. Can't wait to see if there is more in store for Alexis Baldizzi and Ethan Carrick along with...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, 2013-tbr

I read one of this author's contemporary romances several years ago and really liked it. Of course, when I discovered that she had a vampire series I had to check it out! Set in the bright lights of Las Vegas, High Stakes introduces to us Ethan, the president of the Vampire Council, and Alexis, a lawyer with way too much attitude for his own good. Ethan is running for re-election and his staff thinks it would be good for him to get married and project a more mature image (he is 900 years old!),...more I read one of this author's contemporary romances several years ago and really liked it. Of course, when I discovered that she had a vampire series I had to check it out! Set in the bright lights of Las Vegas, High Stakes introduces to us Ethan, the president of the Vampire Council, and Alexis, a lawyer with way too much attitude for his own good. Ethan is running for re-election and his staff thinks it would be good for him to get married and project a more mature image (he is 900 years old!), so he chooses his bubbly dentist, Brittany. She happens to be Alexis' little sister, and she comes to "rescue" her from a kidnapper/brainwasher. Of course, her rescue attempt falters and she learns that vampires do exist, and this one is the target of multiple assassination attempts.

I thought that the plot was really fun, as it should be with Chick Lit. I really enjoyed the vampire politics, and the idea of Impures, which are half-vampires fighting for their rights within the vampire community. These vampires are not "out of the coffin" as in many series, so they have the Council to make sure that they remain a secret and can live normal lives along side humans. Obviously, there has to be some evil vampire politician out to get Ethan, and there is. There's no resolution to that plot thread this time, so I'm interested to see how it's carried out in the next books.

The characters took me a while to warm up to, especially Alexis. She's a bit too mouthy for my liking, and she spent a lot of book insulting Ethan and egging him on. I'm normally a fan of these kind of antagonistic to lover stories, but it was a little much in this case. I did like Brittany, but felt like she wasted on a lame side plot. Her whole "vampires are damn and must be saved" way of thinking was annoying at the beginning, but once Corbin arrives on the scene, things get much more interesting.

Overall, this was a fun read despite its flaws. There's some steamy sex scenes scattered through out, with plenty of biting! Ethan has some tricks up his sleeve! If it weren't for my slight dislike for the characters, I would have rated this higher. I am excited for what the next book has in store though.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.(less)

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May 18, 2012 Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-vegas-vampires, books-read-2012, genre-paranormal-romance, humor, vampires

This review was posted at Under the Covers

I've been wanting to read this series for quite some time now, mainly because I looooooove Erin McCarthy's writing in her contemporary stuff and this one looks like fun. And it was fun. Just not exactly what I expected, maybe?

So we have Ethan Carrick who is the head of the vampire council and running for re-election. He's campaign manager recommended that he should get married and settle down in order to give a good image while running for re-election. A...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Kathy Davie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance

This was cute in a light, fluffy way with a different vampire culture. They elect Presidents for 40-year terms! They have platforms and policies. In Vegas!

So far, it's mostly "good" vampires with their own personalities. McCarthy uses this novel to set up the future with a Las Vegas prosecutor, Alexis, hooking up with the current President, Ethan, who owns a fancy hotel/casino in order to free her sister from his, gasp, evil clutches; his chief of staff is a vampire who acts more like a fuddy-d...more

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Feb 21, 2010 Jacqueline rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Eh, no one really, it wasn't all that impressive

Recommended to Jacqueline by: Me, Myself, and I

Shelves: genre-romance-paranormal, trope-pnr-lite

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Well...uh, hm.

Okay, in truth the book rocked. Really rocked. In fact, up until the last two chapters, I legitimately thought the book would blow me away. Sadly enough, it didn't. While the characters were very interesting, with Eric Carrick and mortal Alexis Baldizzia, being two emotionally explosive and hallariously entertaining couples, the problem came at the end. Literally.

While the book had a good, steady pace that remained vigilante through most of the plot, it just felt jammed-bammed at t...more

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Feb 03, 2010 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When Alexis decides she needs to save her sister from being brainwashed by a rich playboy in Sin City she has no idea what she is getting herself into. Alexis is a busy Lawyer who thinks her sister Brittany is in way over her head with Ethan Carrick. Alexis talks Brittany into going home and letting Alexis take her place as his "bimbo" on his arm because she thinks Brittany is way too sweet and innocent for the job and would just get hurt. What Alexis doesn't realize is that Ethan is the preside...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Sophie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vamps

This was the FIRST book i read of Erin McCarthy, and ever since, im her most LOYAL fan. I guess you can add the mystery of being a vampire, with the FUN and THRILL of living at a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Every time i go to Vegas i just dream on finding THE AVA and watching Ethan walk around the gambling floors......I dont know WHO decided on NOT CONTINUING these series......but let me tell you that it's been one of the WORST desitions any publisher couldve made......McCarthy's books are RAR...more

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About Erin McCarthy

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written almost fifty novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for New Orleans, tattoos, high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.

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Trivia About High Stakes

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Quotes from High Stakes

“I can't give you the sunset, but I can give you the night.” — 22 people liked it

“Feeling downright giddy, which must be the lack of blood, Ethan flung his arm over his face and winced. Doubled over.

"What? What is it! Are you bleeding again?" Alexis reached for him.

He dropped his arm and smiled. "No. It's just that I was momentarily blinded by your beauty."

Her jaw dropped and she slapped his arm. "Idiot."

But as he laughed, he saw her struggle not to grin.” — 2 people liked it

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High Stakes (Vegas Vampires #1)

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