The Vampire Narcise

Apr 27, 2011 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, regency-draculia, pararnormal-romance

It's a rare thing for me to find a book that truly surprises me. I read a lot of books from the same genre and they tend to follow patterns. And though I enjoy many of them thoroughly and may find a minor surprise here or there, I'm rarely as wrong about a book as I was about this one.

I had lukewarm feelings for The Vampire Voss , but I forged on and found I really liked The Vampire Dimitri . The two books were similar in tone and seemed to set up a pattern I just expected the third installment...more

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Jun 18, 2011 jD rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: series_vamps, netgalley, 2011-read, 2011_5-stars

Coleen Gleason’s Vampire Narcise is one of the rare romance novels that left me emotionally and physically exhausted. Ms. Gleason is bold in her plot development and angst. The primary characters – Narcise Moldavi, Giordan Cale, and Chas Woodmore are set on a collision course filled with peril and tragedy. This is the 3rd book in the Regency Draculia series. It could be read as a standalone but I would not recommend it. The story fills elements of the plot and timeline from the previous books. T...more Coleen Gleason’s Vampire Narcise is one of the rare romance novels that left me emotionally and physically exhausted. Ms. Gleason is bold in her plot development and angst. The primary characters – Narcise Moldavi, Giordan Cale, and Chas Woodmore are set on a collision course filled with peril and tragedy. This is the 3rd book in the Regency Draculia series. It could be read as a standalone but I would not recommend it. The story fills elements of the plot and timeline from the previous books. The three provide a complete story and the combined perspectives of each character.

Narcise Maldovi is a Dracule. She lives in a gilded cage provided compliments of her brother Cezar’s. This book explains the relationship between the siblings and the events that led up to her being on the run or a hostage. Cezar Moldavi is the protagonist in all three books. Chas Woodmore is built as the righteous vampire hunter who has either rescued or abducted Narcise Giordan is a friend of the vampires from the previous books – Voss and Demetri. Although involved in the plots of the previous books, he was not on the front burner. In Vampire Narcise, I wondered more than once why the book wasn’t named Vampire Giordan. He was that crucial.

As with the previous books, the dissaperance of Narcise and the mystery of the relationship between the Moldovi siblings is the launching point of all the drama. Each Dracule is at a specific place in his existence and mindset as it relates to his/her curse. Each book tells us what caused the character to make the horrific pack with the Devil for immortality. It’s a unique perspective and clearly shows that Ms. Gleason took the time to develop the persona of each character. The regency period in which the story takes place, gives us a decent sense of the peril of living in Europe during Napoleon’s rise to power. The articles of clothing, once again, were the best part for me. It’s amazing how much people wore. These details were fitting for the genre of historical romance and also gives us a taste of what Ms. Gleason could do if she moved to straight fantasy. I can't even imagine but it would be good...very good.

This is a adult tale -- point blank. The situations are raw and graphic. As a reader, I appreciated this and was shocked by it. I am not easy to shock. Let that be warning enough. This is a very intelligent work with many uneasy truths about human nature. Do we really know what we would do in situations of survival and desperation? Ms. Gleason will make you ask yourself that over and over again. I still don’t know but am glad for fact that Vampire Narcise made me think about it.

I hope Ms. Gleason has more books planned for this series and the characters. I am sold on this series.

I thank Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for my review.
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Jun 11, 2011 WildAboutBones rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read4netgalley, read4bbpr-review

This, the third in Gleason's Regency Draculia series, has "vampirs" both "turned" by Lucifer and "made" by other vampirs who are thus much weaker than the "turned" vampirs. And this is not all that is different with Gleason's vampires - each has an individual weakness will paralyze them with fear, making them helpless. A very nice variation to the vampire lore - as are Gleason's other inventive differences.

This paranormal romance, featuring as the central female character Narcise, is filled with...more This, the third in Gleason's Regency Draculia series, has "vampirs" both "turned" by Lucifer and "made" by other vampirs who are thus much weaker than the "turned" vampirs. And this is not all that is different with Gleason's vampires - each has an individual weakness will paralyze them with fear, making them helpless. A very nice variation to the vampire lore - as are Gleason's other inventive differences.

This paranormal romance, featuring as the central female character Narcise, is filled with family betrayal, a heartbreakingly huge sacrifice for love that is misconstrued as betrayal, a truly depraved and malevolent villan, love lost and found, excellent swordplay, wasted time and reunited love.

This story is unique in that it features two heros (no, not a three-some); Giordan, a turned vampir and Chas a vampir hunter - both possess a masculine beauty.

On a sensual scale of 1-4, I rate it a 3. Giordan talks very sexy - would have been excellent at phone sex. There is a very hot scene involving him handcuffed to a wall allowing Narcise to have her way with him. And it is always hot on the rug in front of a fireplace fire. However there is also attempted rape and mention of past rapes. Also occasional m/m action that is very tastefully portrayed without getting into the mechanics - not enough to push this into the erotica genre.

This series and author are new to me but the summary had me very interested in reading this book even though I had not read the other books in the series. Which, it turned out, is not an issue. This is a completely self contained story. There are characters in it I'm sure appear and/or were introduced in earlier books but they were just here as secondary characters seamlessly weaved into the story.

I enjoyed the story giving it a content rating of 4 out of 5 stars, even though much was heartbreaking (but that makes for a good story, no?), and I think fans of the paranormal romance, urban fantasy and vampire genres will like this as well.

Warning - Spoiler Alert!!!!
This does have a HEA ending in case fans of happy endings are turned off by those books without one.
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Apr 30, 2011 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, arc-review-held, vampires, regency-romance, raped-or-abused, sexual-assault, 2011-read, family-issues, on-the-run, love-triangle

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release Date: May 31, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Mira
Author’s Website: http://www.colleengleason.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 3, The Regency Draculia
Series Best Read In Order: Yes
Steam Level: Hot

I am very, very torn on my rating for this novel.

Narcise never appealed to me as a character in the first novel, The Vampire Voss. She seemed spoiled, arrogant, and quite fran...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Crystal ♥ RBtWBC rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: request-netgalley, best-of-2011

I was blown away by the third installment of the Regency Draculia series by Colleen Gleason. The Vampire Narcise was an emotional roller coaster through hell for both the characters and reader alike.

Even though this is the third novel in a series I think it could be read as a stand-alone. With the first two novels; The Vampire Voss, I was so-so with. The Vampire Dimitri was better but the way the story was set up there for book three, and the pattern that those novels followed, I thought The Vam...more I was blown away by the third installment of the Regency Draculia series by Colleen Gleason. The Vampire Narcise was an emotional roller coaster through hell for both the characters and reader alike.

Even though this is the third novel in a series I think it could be read as a stand-alone. With the first two novels; The Vampire Voss, I was so-so with. The Vampire Dimitri was better but the way the story was set up there for book three, and the pattern that those novels followed, I thought The Vampire Narcise would be more of the same. Boy was I ever wrong and I am so glad that I stuck through the series! I loved Goirdan when he first graced the pages in the previous novels and was rooting for him, but I thought The Vampire Narcise was going to go in a very different direction and to say that I was pleasantly surprised by it’s dramatic turn would be an understatement; I was ecstatic! The plot was new and fresh centering on Narcise’s captivity by her evil brother, Cezar Moldavi, and meeting Goirdan Cale. There is an instant attraction between the two and they carry on a budding relationship in secret that is so lovely in such a dark atmosphere. Here is one quote from Goirdan to give you a bit of a tease; “It’s only you, Narcise. Sometimes a man just knows.” Eventually though, Cezar becomes aware of his sisters actions and puts Goirdan in a terrible position that ultimately leads to a horrible misunderstanding causing a decade of heartache.
I wanted to hate Narcise in some instances, for her quick accusations and her lack of understanding and listening but I could also see how she could of mistook the situation. There was no way I could hate such a strong character that survived so much. Instead of cowering down to her brother and the atrocities he set upon her she learns to defend herself making her almost invincible. Both main characters were exceptionally strong though, in strength and spirit, despite the horrible abuse wrought on them. And Goirdan Cale, well, we could only hope to find a man as good as him to spend eternity with. These characters will stick with you long after you’ve turned the last page, I promise you that.

Gleason has developed a unique world with the Draculia, steeped in major historical events that were weaved into the storyline masterfully. The plot was deep, intense and dark with the possibility of love, although in no way promised, being the only light.

The Vampire Narcise is a story of love, sacrifice, trust, action, determination, hope and forgiveness and I would recommend it to all. Even if you don’t read the rest of the series, you must read this book!

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Apr 24, 2011 Jenn rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: readers of the series

Recommended to Jenn by: Netgalley

I'm calling this a strong 3.269435

Maybe I should have waited longer between Dimitri and Narcise. Because Dimitri, oh Dimitri. It was by far the strongest book.

Maybe I would have preferred this more form Giordans POV. I have no idea. I liked Narcise. I understood her. I think the transitions were too jarring for me, the jumpy timeline was intrusive. it seemed every break was one week later. two weeks later, ten years later, etc. It just seemed choppy and was really a bit annoying to me. I really...more I'm calling this a strong 3.269435

Maybe I should have waited longer between Dimitri and Narcise. Because Dimitri, oh Dimitri. It was by far the strongest book.

Maybe I would have preferred this more form Giordans POV. I have no idea. I liked Narcise. I understood her. I think the transitions were too jarring for me, the jumpy timeline was intrusive. it seemed every break was one week later. two weeks later, ten years later, etc. It just seemed choppy and was really a bit annoying to me. I really felt like all these scenes were tossed in a blender and spit back out. Beyond that. I didn't understand what was happening. I *think* something was said about Giordan being special in the Voss book, but don't remember, whereas all other aspects that transcend the novels are repeated throughout.

Reading this one it seems that it was the last and most difficult to piece together from the existing timeline. I liked the interaction with the whatever it is that speaks to each of them, Voss' woman, Dimitri's bookseller. We were really left wondering with the cat and what was happening with Giordan and I would have liked more about that. I still feel very confused about what happened differently there and why. Sure sometimes there is no why, but the why was answered in that respect with the other two, this one is just. Missing. We don't have the Giordan story, it is just thrown in, like so many facts that we just have to accept. But the story was in the search and we missed that. I really didn't like that whole thing. The difference between them and Voss and Dimitri intrigues me, but the backstory really was lacking for me, the vintage and her dude came out of nowhere, and it really didn't sit well in my eyes.

I am frustrated. I guess that much is obvious. Dimitri was so well done, the build from the previous book was perfect, the tension in his book was palpable and spot on. It just really unravelled for me in this one. There was too much story for the book. So much that wasn't told, or was just glossed over. Suddenly they are back from Scotland. What? NO. sigh.

I received this book from Netgalley for review

Plus, why can't they go in through the armpit? Just saying.

I was stuck in this book from the beginning, waiting for it to get pulled together like the other two. I didn't throw my iPad across the room, but I did toss it on my pillow at the end because it was over, and I was all confused. WFTckry abounds in this one, my eyeballs are dizzy from rolling.

I want to say... something else. I don't know what. I love Gleason's writing, and her characters. I desperately wish the book was different, but for every one of me there will be a hundred of me who love it dearly without a doubt and that makes me smile. There was a beutiful story in there somewhere, I just couldn't get past the befuddlery to get to it.

As for the cover, it is just kinda meh. Dimitri should have the red cover. Aside from that, the dude is asleep on the cover. That is NOT hot.
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May 19, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, paranormal-romance, 2011-favorites, historical, read-in-2011

I think this series has been getting progressively better with each of the books. And that's saying something because I've enjoyed all of them in different ways. However, this one was the most emotionally charged of the bunch and the things that our main characters had to go through to end up where they did were equal parts hard to read about and completely captivating.

Giordan and Narcise's relationship was fraught with difficulties from the first. I loved how Giordan saw what he wanted and foun...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Fani rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-netgalley-to-review, romance-pnr, angsty, belle-of-the-ball, hero-is-besotted, hero-is-supposed-to-be-rake, heroine-i-wanna-shake-or-slap, heroine-is-feisty, holes-in-plot, in-love-before-first-half, lust-at-first-sight, melodrama, secrets-and-misunderstandings, she-did-a-bad-bad-thing, starcrossed-lovers, u-turn-midway, vampires, love-triangle, questions-my-intelligence, serious-lugging-midway

Ok, I'm not sure if I did a good thing by finishing this book or I should have put it in my DNF shelf and completely forget about it. What started as a slow, disappointing book, only managed to turn in a frustrating one and it's a pity because this was a series I loved:(

Vampire Narcise, the heroine, is the sister of Cesar Moldavi, the vilain of the trilogy. In the previous books we saw her as a couple with the vampir hunter Chas Woodmore but surprisingly in the second book, we learned that there...more Ok, I'm not sure if I did a good thing by finishing this book or I should have put it in my DNF shelf and completely forget about it. What started as a slow, disappointing book, only managed to turn in a frustrating one and it's a pity because this was a series I loved:(

Vampire Narcise, the heroine, is the sister of Cesar Moldavi, the vilain of the trilogy. In the previous books we saw her as a couple with the vampir hunter Chas Woodmore but surprisingly in the second book, we learned that there's a background story and much tension between her and Giordan Cale, another >i>vampir. So, we had to wait anxiously to find out who the real hero would be in this final book.

The book starts by telling us Narcise's story and the abuse she's suffered in her brother's hands until she meets Giordan Cale. Narcise is so beautiful that every man -or vampire- who sees her lusts for her, and Giordan is no exception. But Giordan can also see the strong, proud woman underneath and it doesn't take him long to fall in love with her. However, freeing her from her brother's clatches, proves to be a very difficult task. Equally difficult, is the task of gaining Narcise's trust. Narcise who knows her effect on men, has been abused all her life and has trouble seeing that one of them could want something more from her than to simply bed her, even if she's tempted by the handsome Giordan. But Giordan swears that he wants to set her free and she wants so much to believe that...

What follows is a series of meetings -either clandestine or public- between Narcise and Giordan where he tries to entice her and gain her trust while trying to convince her brother that he doesn't care about her. What made me so angry that I dropped the book at that point, is that Giordan, a man who's described as dangerous, was too cautious and refused to actually take the risk of trying to save Narcise despite the opportunities that appeared, but tried to come up with a foulproof plan. It made him seem like a man of too many words and little action or decisiveness and frankly, I gave up on him as a hero after that. Of course, the window of opportunity didn't last forever and when Giordan finally decided to make a move, it was to find out that her brother had tightened the leash on Narcise once more. So, he came up with a more "diplomatic" approach.

This is the point where my interest came to life again, only to suffer the most hideous disappointment. Due to a huge misunderstanding, and despite his doing everything he could to save her, Narcise thinks Giordan left her to fend of for heself and starts to hate him. This is the point where the heroine was ruined for me. It didn't help that soon after that and for a very long while, the hero and heroine are apart, while the heroine starts a romantic relationship with another man, who also becomes her savior from her brother's prison. If the previous scenes hadn't killed my romantic mood, the following chapters thoroughly did, as I read pages after pages about her and Chas making love together and how she came to care for him, even if she didn't love him.

Finally, she and the hero(?) meet again, there's dislike and tension between them and each hasn't forgotten the other. The heroine still feels betrayed by him, and can't see the truth of the matter until someone else points it out to her. I could say I felt angry at her blindness, but I think that at that point I didn't much care except how they'd catch the bad guy. And how do they catch the bad guy? By giving in to him demands, going blindly back to him with no plan whatsoever. It was by sheer luck that they managed to vanquish him and if I didn't hate him so much, I'd laugh at their stupidness.

A most disappointing ending to a most interesting series. I had come to expect so much more from Ms Gleason:(

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Aug 09, 2012 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-list-of-read-books

3.5 Stars kind of

I want to start this review by saying that despite the average rating I did enjoy this book. I enjoyed it rather thoroughly actually. The romance was sweet, tugged at my heart strings in all the right places, and the characters/storyline kept me interested all the way. The villain was wickedly evil and easily despicable. You loved to hate him. Narcise made me smile several times and all the other characters involved breathed life into the atmosphere of this book.

Unfortunately, t...more

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May 13, 2012 Serena rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Terzo volume della serie Regency Draculia. Basato stavolta su di una donna,Narcise Moldavi,conosciuta in precedenza. Lei è la sorella di Cesar Moldavi,un altro Draculiano feroce e privo di scrupoli. Una sorta di vero e proprio mostro. Lei è una giovane donna, bellissima e spregiudicata. Sembra nata per affascinare tutti e proprio per questa sua capacità è sempre stata un'arma letale nelle mani del fratello. Finché si innamora di Giordan Cale. Ma questi,dopo averle giurato amore eterno, la tradis...more Terzo volume della serie Regency Draculia. Basato stavolta su di una donna,Narcise Moldavi,conosciuta in precedenza. Lei è la sorella di Cesar Moldavi,un altro Draculiano feroce e privo di scrupoli. Una sorta di vero e proprio mostro. Lei è una giovane donna, bellissima e spregiudicata. Sembra nata per affascinare tutti e proprio per questa sua capacità è sempre stata un'arma letale nelle mani del fratello. Finché si innamora di Giordan Cale. Ma questi,dopo averle giurato amore eterno, la tradisce nel più crudele dei modi(lo sorprenderà insieme al fratello Cesar). Da quel momento Narcise vivrà solo per la vendetta. Così, quando incontra Chas Woodmore(fratello di Maia e Angelica), un cacciatore di vampiri, capisce che lui è lo strumento indispensabile per saziare la sua sete: quell'uomo la vuole, l'adora, sarebbe disposto a uccidere per lei. E Narcise non è una donna che dimentica o che perdona. Ma è una trappola in cui finirà lei stessa perché alla passione(quella vera) non c’è scampo,non ci si può sottrarre. Come il precedente è un buon libro. Devo ammettere che la Gleason ci propone un Ottocento con tutti i crismi. Sono rimasta sorpresa dalla competenza con cui descrive le varie parti dei vestiti dell’epoca e dalla perfetta ed efficace ambientazione. Soprattutto i classici balli in maschera e le usanze tipiche del tempo. Narcise è un personaggio ambizioso da rappresentare. Forte e al tempo stesso debole,sfacciata ed ingenua. Una miscela esplosiva che unita ad un altro Draculiano crea una storia davvero intrigante. Obbligata alla promiscuità,tuttavia Narcise ha rispetto per se stessa e cede ad un Jordan solo per sentimento. Il romanzo è diviso in tre parti:
1- Troviamo la descrizione della vita a cui Narcise è sottoposta dal fratello,i combattimenti che è costretta ad affrontare(solo vincendo non dovrà prostituirsi per dilettare Cesar grande voyer),la nascita del sentimento fra Jordan e Narcise e il tradimento(in realtà è un sacrificio) dell’uomo che sembra averle cambiato la vita e concesso un po’ di rispetto.
2- Nella seconda parte c’è la fuga di Narcise ad opera di Chas Woodmore e il rapporto ambiguo che si crea fra di loro. Una sorta di amore da parte di lui e condiscendenza da parte di lei. Irrompe di nuovo sulla scena Jordan dopo dieci anni di lontananza.
3- Narcise realizza cosa significa essere liberi e per amore della propria terra torna da Cesar per impedire un attacco di Napoleone. Si scopre cosa ha fatto in realtà Jordan e ovviamente c’è un finale diverso ancora dai precedenti.
La cattiveria insita nel personaggio di Cesar è fuori dal comune,non solo si nutre di bambini e li uccide,ma obbliga la sorella a prostituirsi distruggendone l’esistenza. Jordan invece è forse ciò che di meglio Narcise possa incontrare,malgrado una vita passata di dolore e crudeltà. È un personaggio fin troppo buono che pur ferito da Narcise,saprà perdonarla. Come per il precedente direi tre stelline.
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Jan 28, 2012 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read

Received from NetGalley
Overall Rating: 3.50
Story Rating: 3.25
Character Rating: 3.75

Note: I enjoyed this series from Colleen Gleason. It was a nice mix of Historical and Paranormal Romance. The important thing to note if you pick up the series: the timelines overlap so you get some stories from different POV's in different books. I think it actually worked well but unless you know you might feel a little lost.

What I Loved: The Vampire Narcise wrapped up the Regency Draculia trilogy very well by a...more

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Jun 11, 2011 cecilia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: pink-covers

Narcise has never known love – how can she when her brother Cezar controls her entire life? Where she goes, who she sees, when to eat, who she has to fight off next in swordplay or unwanted bedroom sport – for a vampire, this type of immortality is a nightmare. Enter the vampire Giordan Cale who promises to love her. Can he truly rescue her from Cezar’s terrible chains, or will he betray her even more unforgivably than her own brother?

I have never read a series where events intertwined with eac...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Pam rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Not impressed. I was very disappointed in it. I was expecting this amazing book with twist and turns like the other two, but this one fell very short.

Here is the synopsis:

Skilled in the seduction of men, both mortal and immortal, Narcise Moldavi is the greatest weapon in her twisted brother’s war among the Dracule. Until she falls for Giordan Cale.

Her first searing encounter with Giordan seals their fierce connection for their eternal lives. But Giordan’s vow to help Narcise escape her brother’...more

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May 06, 2012 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

A blogger friend, Jennifer, from “Abundance of Books” book blog, did a review of the Vampire Voss a few months ago, and after reading her review and chatting with her about the book, I was intrigued. I liked the idea of it being a Regency Romance (until I fell in love with UF/PNR, Regency was my favorite Genre), and a Vampire story. Just the mash-up of those two genre’s made my heart go pitty-pat. Gleason had written a series set in Regency London that was about Vampire Hunters and now had start...more A blogger friend, Jennifer, from “Abundance of Books” book blog, did a review of the Vampire Voss a few months ago, and after reading her review and chatting with her about the book, I was intrigued. I liked the idea of it being a Regency Romance (until I fell in love with UF/PNR, Regency was my favorite Genre), and a Vampire story. Just the mash-up of those two genre’s made my heart go pitty-pat. Gleason had written a series set in Regency London that was about Vampire Hunters and now had started a series set in the same time/world from the Vampire’s side of things which I thought was brilliant.

I read, reviewed and loved both VAMPIRE VOSS and VAMPIRE DMITRI, and I’ve been waiting for the third and final book in the series, VAMPIRE NARCISSE for some time. When I read it, I was stunned. Gleason is a master story teller and she threw a twist in book three I didn’t even come close to see coming. She wrote all the books to be almost exactly concurrent with each other, events overlapping over the trilogy, some of the same scenes told from a different person’s point of view in each book.

It reminds me a little of that Japanese movie ‘Rashomon’ by Akira Kurasawa, which has the same event told from three different people’s perspectives. It is also a darker book then the other two, the characterizations are more intense, the stakes are even higher. Parts of the book are frankly difficult to read.

In Voss and Dmitri we briefly met and were told about Narcise and her lover Chas Woodmore, who we logically believe is going to be the protagonist of this book, but wow did Gleason throw us a curve ball. It turns out the Hero in this book isn’t Chas, the Vampire Hunter and brother of the heroines of VAMPIRE VOSS and VAMPIRE DMITRI, Angelica and Maia Woodmore. It is instead Voss and Dmitri’s friend Giordan Cale. (I don’t think I’m doing anything too spoilerish here since this is obvious if you read the book description).

In the first two books we are led to believe that Giordan has done something so unforgivable that Naricise despises him, and frankly, I thought it likely he was going to be a villain and a traitor to his friends. Instead it turns out he sacrificed so much for Narcise and she tragically and predictably, misunderstood everything. Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t really believe there was no other option, I wasn’t comfortable with the belief that Giordan could do nothing other than what he has to do to try to free Narcise from her despicable and evil brother Cezar. However that is how the book is written and we have to take it on those terms.

Villain of the trilogy, Vampire Cezar Moldavi made a deal with the devil, and then tricked his sister into making the deal too, so he wouldn’t be alone, so they live their lives as Vampires. As children they were quite close but as adults it became clear to Narcise that Cezar was jealous of her beauty (Cezar is a weedy little guy with a deformed jaw that causes him to lisp) and more than a little crazy. He uses her beauty to entrap his enemies. Cezar tells these men if they beat Narcise in a fencing match, they get to sleep with her. Narcise is so gorgeous (think the bust of Nefertiti), and the men’s egos so large, they believe they can beat her and win the prize of a night in bed with her. And at first that did happen to some, however Narcise is highly motivated to win and has become one of the best fencer’s in the world. Many men die at the tip of her sword.

Giordan Cale hates Cezar and what he is doing to his sister. She is a prisoner, made to fight by large thuggish servants of Cezar’s who watch her like a hawk and drag her around to where ever her brother wants her to appear. If she isn’t being forced into sex with men she hates or forced to fight for her virtue, she is dressed like up like a doll and has to make appearances to make Cezar look good. Cezar goes so far as to weave her asenthia (each Vampire basically has their own Kryptonite) into some of her clothes so she is weakened to almost the point of death. Cezar isn’t going to win the Brother of the year award any time soon.

Giordan of course decides to try to fight her. Luckily he is one of the few to beat her and he wins a night with her, but instead of making her have sex with him, he talks to her and tries to help her escape. It takes time but eventually over several meetings Narcise falls in love with him and learns to trust him. Despite the fact that these two crazy kids are sneaking around, Cezar figures out what they are up to and puts into play one of the most disgusting and Machiavellian tricks I’ve ever read. Narcisse sees something that evil Cezar has set up that breaks her heart and turns her completely against Giordan.

Years later, Chas Woodmore comes to Kill Cezar and is captured. Narcise helps him escape on the condition he take her with him. Chas agrees and the two are on the lam, and become lovers but Chas can never get over the fact that she is a hated Vampire and she isn’t really over Giordan. Eventually their paths cross with Dmitri, Voss and Giordan Cales and this is where things really get interesting.

I’ll admit VAMPIRE NARCISE wasn’t my favorite of the series. I just loved VAMPIRE VOSS so much, he was such a scoundrel, so funny and sweet and such a jerk, it was fun watching him drive Dmitri crazy. Also it was my first introduction to this world. Compared to Narcise, Voss was a lighthearted party boy. This book is so dark. Cezar’s evil machinations were almost difficult to stomach. It was however, in my opinion the best written of the series. The twists and turns, the heartache and ultimately the salvation were more intense and so at times, more difficult to bear. Read the books in order and read the VAMPIRE NARCISE, just be prepared to feel a little beat up by the time you put the book down. It can wreck you.

*warning, this book has rape scenes (both female and male) and references child abuse. The topics are handled with discretion, however
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Jun 22, 2011 Fictional Bookshelf rated it 5 of 5 stars

I haven’t read the other two books in the series but don’t worry Colleen Gleason cleverly wrote a story that doesn’t make you feel like you are missing an important detail. However, because of the creative and dynamic tale she told in The Vampire Narcise I’m eagerly looking forward to purchasing the first two books in the series.

The story held me captive by well-developed characters that continually surprised me from beginning to end. The settings, the plot, character descriptions, plot solution...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Lori {Romancing the Dark Side} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2011, historical-romance, paranormal-romance, victorian-paranormal, vampires

Reviewed Romancing the Darkside:
http://romancingthedarkside.blogspot....

Colleen Gleason saved the best for last in this series! Being the only female Dracule in the series, Narcise's character had me intrigued from the moment she was mentioned so I knew her story was going to be exciting and emotional and as usual, Colleen Gleason delivers!

Turned vampire because of her brother Cezar's obsession with her, Narcise has since lived as a prisoner and as "entertainment" to his vile friends. She must f...more Reviewed Romancing the Darkside:
http://romancingthedarkside.blogspot....

Colleen Gleason saved the best for last in this series! Being the only female Dracule in the series, Narcise's character had me intrigued from the moment she was mentioned so I knew her story was going to be exciting and emotional and as usual, Colleen Gleason delivers!

Turned vampire because of her brother Cezar's obsession with her, Narcise has since lived as a prisoner and as "entertainment" to his vile friends. She must fight to keep what little privacy she has while constantly mistreated, and dreams of nothing but finding a way out of Cezar's home and being away from his power over her. When she meets fellow vampire, Giordan Cale, Narcise believes her prayers have been answered. Giordan isn't the usual company Cezar Moldavi keeps, he becomes enamoured with Narcise and vows to rescue her from her evil brother. To save her, Giordan will have to succumb to Cezar's vile games which could cost him the very thing he intends to rescue, Narcise.

In my opinion, this is the strongest book in the series with The Vampire Dimitri coming in as a close second. Narcise, although tortured is a very strong heroine. I love her determination to persevere after her captivity and betrayal, her ability to open her heart again after such heartache is admirable. I thought the romance was clearly defined in the first two books and was not expecting the passionate love triangle that ensues between Giordan, Narcise and Chas, two vampires and a vampire hunter, but enjoyed it immensely nonetheless. Any woman would be lucky to have these two chivalrous and sexy men for their choosing! Chas is charming and a protector but often struggles with his affections towards Narcise, but it's Giordan's passion and love for Narcise that won me over, he accepts and loves her unconditionally.

I found Colleen Gleason did a magnificent job with the development of the characters and story in The Vampire Narcise. The first two books have a few story lines and different perspectives which is not the case here, the main focus is on the main characters with a few mentions of secondary characters. The pacing was faster and easier to follow in this book but it's probably because the other two stories have already been told. The world of the Dracule is fascinating and unlike any other vampire myth you've read, this, along with a Victorian setting works perfectly.

I can't say more to praise this book for fear of giving anything away. The characters are profound, the romance is sultry and the action is intense. There's a great balance of action and romance throughout and the ending is exceptional! The Vampire Narcise is a splendid pairing of paranormal and historical romance whose impression will stay with you far beyond the last page!

{Received by NetGalley for review}
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May 26, 2011 Karyn Gerrard rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was so different in tone and narrative from Voss and Dimitri, it kind of threw me for a bit. But I soon got into the flow and time line of the story.

Probably my only complaint is the book stays exclusively in Narcis POV, which is correct, the book is titled with her name. I prefer the hero POV I admit, and was dying to know more of Giordan Cale's thoughts. Or of Chas, the vampire hunter.
Talk about your tragic hero, my gut clenched for Cale. It is hard to review without giving away too...more This book was so different in tone and narrative from Voss and Dimitri, it kind of threw me for a bit. But I soon got into the flow and time line of the story.

Probably my only complaint is the book stays exclusively in Narcis POV, which is correct, the book is titled with her name. I prefer the hero POV I admit, and was dying to know more of Giordan Cale's thoughts. Or of Chas, the vampire hunter.
Talk about your tragic hero, my gut clenched for Cale. It is hard to review without giving away too much of the plot, only Giordan sacrifices all, debases himself, all in the name of love. Tragic on so many levels.

This is not a light-hearted read, dark and disturbing in a lot of respects. Narcise is kept captive by the villain of this trilogy, her vampire brother Cezar Moldavi. a skinny, lisping, dangerous vampire who both loathes and adores his sister. He fights her in sword duels against opponents for his entertainment, if she loses, she is dragged off and sexually abused. Some heavy stuff in this. No wonder Narcise is damaged, closed off. She is also very dangerous.

Enter Giordan Cale. Handsome, passionate, and he falls for Narcise immediately, as she is quite beautiful. The way he approaches and ultimately woos this broken woman is wonderful. Narcise lets down her guard, and begins to feel. She has fallen in love with Cale. Now, how to get her away from the iron grip of her sick brother?

Cale enters into a bargain, and the whole thing blows apart. Narcise rejects Cale, misunderstandings abound, so much for love.

Ten years pass, and we find out how she met Chas Woodmore the dark, desirous human vampire hunter who ultimately rescues her from her brother. They enter into a physical relationship as shown in the previous books. The heat level was certainly ramped up in this book from the previous ones, fine with me! Chas is appealing on a lot of levels as well.
Cale and Narcise meet up again, and it is not pretty. She still carries her loathing over his supposed betrayal. A lot of tensions in this love triangle with a lot of messed up people.
An ultimate showdown is brewing between the Dracule and Moldavi, and it takes some twists you can't even imagine.
I am still scratching my head over the ending, I found it muddled, either that or I am thick. But ultimately this is about the sacrifice one makes for the one they love, and forgiveness. A searing, emotionally raw conclusion to this trilogy, I recommend all three books heartily!

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May 24, 2011 Natasja rated it 3 of 5 stars

Lucifer offered some men or woman a curse/gift in a dream, what they didn’t realizing is what they were signing up for until they woke up the next morning with a mark on their back, the need for blood and a personal Asthenia “an Achilles heel or vulnerability”.

From the moment Narcise has been tricked into turning Draculia, she has been under her brother’s Cezar control and held captive to serve her brother’s needs. In order to be free from the men around her brother who force themselves on her,...more Lucifer offered some men or woman a curse/gift in a dream, what they didn’t realizing is what they were signing up for until they woke up the next morning with a mark on their back, the need for blood and a personal Asthenia “an Achilles heel or vulnerability”.

From the moment Narcise has been tricked into turning Draculia, she has been under her brother’s Cezar control and held captive to serve her brother’s needs. In order to be free from the men around her brother who force themselves on her, she has to win the sword fights. Luckily for Narcise she’s been thought well and only lost the battle once or twice in the last couple of decades. She has promise herself to never let a man capture her heart and take control over her, but that all change when Giordan Cale walks into her life.

Giordan Cale has had a rough life on the street when he was young, but luck was on his side and growing up fast made him a very wealthy man. Then Lucifer appears in his dream and he accepts his fate as a vampire, a draculia. During a meeting with evil Cezar Moldavi, he meets his sister Narcise and knows his life will never be the same again. He soon discovers that she’s being held by her brother and he vows to save her, but not everything goes according plan.

The Vampire Narcise by Colleen Gleason is the third novel in the Regency Draculia Series and a total surprise. I think I have the same opinion as many others have, about not being sure how I feel about Narcise.

We meet Narcise briefly in the previous two books, where she just escape her brother’s prison and is travelling with Chas Woodmore, the brother of Angelica and Maia. We see the tension between Giordan and Narcise when they meet at Dimitri’s house, but cannot figure out why. I’m glad that the whole situation is cleared in this book.

This book is set back into the past, so that you can read about the meeting between Giordan and Narcise, how they fall for each other, the way Giordan is trying to save her from her brother and how she sees it as a betrayal. I really thought this book would be about Narcise and her relationship with Chas Woodwore, well I was in for a surprise, a very pleasant surprise when it turned out to be Giordan.

I have to admire Narcise for her strength, because she was still standing, not matter what her twisted brother had in mind for her. There was a time I could smack her in the head for not seeing the truth about Giordan, but she catch up for that in the end. I already knew that Giordan was a strong man, but reading what he went through only made him more like a man in my eyes.

This book was definitely different if you compare it with the previous novel, but definitely a great addition to this series. The ending was clearly different then with Voss and Dimitri, but I can live with the solution.

Miss Colleen Gleason has written a fabulous new vampire series and I hope to see more of her books in the near future.(less)

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May 21, 2011 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in Gleason’s Regency Vampire series, but it differs dramatically from the first two. This one is much darker, more violent and emotionally wrenching than the first two. For someone like me, lover of dark UF, this was a good thing . This book can be read as a stand alone.

I love the unique world Gleason has created. The Dracule are descendants of Vlad Tepes, who made a deal with Lucifer for immorality. This deal allowed Lucifer to visit any descendant of Vlad’s in their drea...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Laurielu Book Savvy Babes rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 18 and over paranormal romance lovers who like their stories dark

Shelves: historical, netgalley, 2011-reads, paranormal, vampire, series, romance

The Vampire Narcise by Colleen Gleason was a hard book for me to finish because I have had to put it down many times and take a break from the story. This novel is darker than the first two books in this series. The villain, Cezar Moldavi, is the epitome of evil in this novel. He truly made me emotionally upset when it came to his injurious plans he uses to manipulate those around him for his own stygian purposes. He has the true mind of a miscreant. Add Ceazar’s distorted physique and personal...more The Vampire Narcise by Colleen Gleason was a hard book for me to finish because I have had to put it down many times and take a break from the story. This novel is darker than the first two books in this series. The villain, Cezar Moldavi, is the epitome of evil in this novel. He truly made me emotionally upset when it came to his injurious plans he uses to manipulate those around him for his own stygian purposes. He has the true mind of a miscreant. Add Ceazar’s distorted physique and personal blood preferences and Ms. Gleason has created the perfect recipe for one of the most gruesome villains I have ever read about.

Colleen Gleason out did her self in her writing of this novel. The plot of the book is exhilarating which in and of itself makes the book worth reading. But, Colleeen has written a tale where the reader becomes completely invested in the lives and welfare of Narcise Moldavi and Giordan Cale, the hero and heroine of this novel.

Narcise and Giordan are creatures descended from Lucifer himself (a.k.a. Draculae or vampires) and therefore tend toward egomaniacal and debauched behavior. But, despite this and the past abuse they suffered at the hands of others, they both hold on to facets of their humanity despite the odds against them.

The investment the author entices the reader to feel toward these characters is uncanny. She takes you on an unforgettable emotional journey through their lives and relationships that spans time and a gauntlet of emotions such as hurt, love, despondency, betrayal, hope, hate, sacrifice, and triumph. You cannot help but want to cry, kill, cheer, and swoon when you are reading. Another “hook” that ties the reader to Giordan and Narcise is the bond and strength of feeling the two feel for each other in addition to their fight to find the courage to trust again.

There is not one part of this book that felt contrived. The Vampire Narcise by Colleen Gleason is not just a truly good vampire story that is masterfully portrayed. If you like excitement, adventure, and love with a dark cast to it, this book should not be overlooked.

Happy Reading from Bona Fide Reflections!!
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May 05, 2011 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review

Narcise has been captive since her brother tricked her into turning Dracule. She's been subjected to horrors and constantly has to win sword battles for the right to sleep free of the men who force themselves on her. She's kept her heart in an impenetrable fortress, but all that changes when Giordan Cale wins her over. He vows to save her from her fate, but complications ensue causing a heart breaking betrayal that leaves Narcise in shambles. When Chas Woodmore falls into her lap, she knows she...more Narcise has been captive since her brother tricked her into turning Dracule. She's been subjected to horrors and constantly has to win sword battles for the right to sleep free of the men who force themselves on her. She's kept her heart in an impenetrable fortress, but all that changes when Giordan Cale wins her over. He vows to save her from her fate, but complications ensue causing a heart breaking betrayal that leaves Narcise in shambles. When Chas Woodmore falls into her lap, she knows she must convince him to help as he is her only hope at escape. He falls quickly for Narcise, but her heart has turned black and she'll never be able to let anyone in again. Or so she thinks.

I'll be honest that I wasn't sure about how I felt about Narcise in the last books. From the outside perspective, she just seemed to be using Chas rather than actually caring for him. However, even if that were the case, I couldn't really fault her for it when I took her past into account. I probably would have used anyone I could in that situation just to escape. Her inner strength is amazing, simply due to the fact that she kept her sanity all those years. The things she lived through were nothing short of horrific and it just proved how twisted her brother actually was. I couldn't wait for that slime ball to finally get his, even if I knew that may just never happen.

Like The Vampire Dimitri, this book is also set back in past events, with this one starting back well before Chas first went "missing." However, The Vampire Narcise was a completely different perspective, so there was a lot of things going on that we didn't know about. I was completely surprised to learn what the horrible betrayal was that Giordan had committed. The whole thing was one giant misunderstanding that caused things to go wrong. This instantly changed my opinion of Giordan, taking him from a man I thought was uncaring to someone willing to sacrifice a whole lot, yet still ended up with the short end of the stick.

The Vampire Narcise really wasn't what I was expecting. I had thought it would be mostly about Narcise and Chas and how they fell in love as well as their happy ever after. Instead, it was just as much about her history (and present) with Giordan as it was her relationship with Chas. It wasn't a love triangle in the strictest sense, but there definitely was some tension between the three. This book was also much steamier than the first two books, but in no way was it overdone. I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending. There was a happy ever after, but it was much different than the ones that Dimitri and Voss had. I guess I'm just a little confused as to what the "change" means, as it wasn't really clear cut what the future would hold. Regardless of that fact, it did leave me satisfied with a smile on my face. The Vampire Narcise was another impressive installment in The Regency Draculia series that is sure not to disappoint.
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May 07, 2011 Kristyn Hammond rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full disclosure, just right off, I loved this book! By the end, I loved it almost as much as I'd loved The Vampire Dimitri... almost. It's well written, better than the other two, I'd say, and the story is well developed. Considering, that their story is partly told, from other points of view, before the book even begins because it's a trilogy, it could not have been better. I would say, however, that even if you've not read the first two books, you could read this one (or any of them, really) a...more Full disclosure, just right off, I loved this book! By the end, I loved it almost as much as I'd loved The Vampire Dimitri... almost. It's well written, better than the other two, I'd say, and the story is well developed. Considering, that their story is partly told, from other points of view, before the book even begins because it's a trilogy, it could not have been better. I would say, however, that even if you've not read the first two books, you could read this one (or any of them, really) as stand alones, and you wouldn't be confused. You would miss the beauty of seeing it from other perspectives, and you would certainly miss the well-roundedness of the whole saga, but you would understand what was going on.

As for the characters, I began this book somewhat skeptical. Narcise, Cale, and Chas are all somewhat marginal characters in the other books. They're there, they're mentioned, they even make appearances, but I wasn't certain I'd care about them one way or the other. Now that I've read it, I freely admit that I could not have been more wrong. I love them all. First Narcise, despite having the whole "she's the most beautiful woman on the planet" stereotype going on, she's remarkably strong. She also has flaws, which is important because she could so easily have fallen into the Mary Sue category. As is, she's a great character and I really liked her.

I liked Giordan Cale better than Chas Woodmore, but I felt bad for both of them to varying degrees throughout. This isn't to say that I didn't like Chas, I did, but I loved Cale! Cale is so remarkable, he's strong and handsome, he has a heart. The men in this story are the kind of men women want in a historical paranormal romance. They're perfect. They're not Dimitri (who is near the top of my fictional boyfriend list!!), but I loved Giordan Cale nearly as much, and that's saying something.

By the end of the story, I was happy that I had the whole story, but sad that it was over. I now when I really, really enjoyed a book because when it's over, I instantly mourn for having gotten to the end. That's how I felt about this book, but it might also be that it's the last book in the trilogy. It's the last one, there're no more, which I really regret. She could easily have made this a whole series and I'd have read every one of them. Pretty strong end for a trilogy that began with a book I didn't initially enjoy.(less)

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May 09, 2011 Kristina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley-reviews, own

What I Liked
Answered Questions
In the third and final book to this trilogy all the questions you have are finally answered. What prompted Chas to runaway or steal Narcise in the first place in effect leaving his sisters at the mercy of sexy alluring tempting vampires? Who is Narcise anyways? Is she just a spoiled selfish brat who cares nothing for herself like the rest of her kind. Why is her brother so obsessed with possessing her and will do anything to get her back? Giordan? He has only been i...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Cleffairy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Library of Lights
Review link: http://mykindaland.com/?p=188

I’ve been reading and following Colleen Gleason’s Regency Vampire series for quite some time now, and therefore, when i saw this book, Vampire Narcise up for review in Netgalley, I knew that I have to snatch it up immediately. I enjoyed the predecessor of this book, Vampire Dimitri and Vampire Voss very much, and I couldn’t wait to read Vampire Narcise.

Vampire Narcise hurled me into plenty of surprises. It’s a gripping tale...more

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Jun 01, 2011 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review will be a first for me because I usually go out of my way to avoid spoilers, and in this case I absolutely cannot help myself, but it's all in a good way. I certainly won't reveal the main plot twists or ruin the book for anyone but I wanted to give fair warning that I might discuss areas that I usually avoid. If you want to avoid these details in any way then I will now provide a quick and to the point review: The Vampire Narcise is by far the best of the Regency Draculia and I'm in...more This review will be a first for me because I usually go out of my way to avoid spoilers, and in this case I absolutely cannot help myself, but it's all in a good way. I certainly won't reveal the main plot twists or ruin the book for anyone but I wanted to give fair warning that I might discuss areas that I usually avoid. If you want to avoid these details in any way then I will now provide a quick and to the point review: The Vampire Narcise is by far the best of the Regency Draculia and I'm including this book on my best of list for 2011!

To start, I want to let readers know that each book always contains just enough information to be read as a stand alone, although reading Dimitri's book might be confusing for those that read out of order. I'm not recommending that you try that because I have liked each book more and more, and each is worthy of your time. And while each book repeats the basic lore it's more like a quick refresher course and doesn't come across like a waste of time.

Giordan and Narcise have been slowly building since they were introduced in book 1 so at times I felt like this was a series of puzzle pieces coming together as we were finally being given the entire story about their shared past. They have kept my interest on overdrive from he very beginning, but at one point in this story they absolutely broke my heart. Here's a brief SPOILERY snippet (one that made me sad just to type):

"By the Devil, you can't truly believe-"

"I don't have to believe. I saw. You." Her voice broke and she felt herself falling back into that chasm of desolation ad grief, a whirlwind of blackness. Disbelief and pain. Such pain. She had to get away from him. A roaring filled her ears, the deep, dark roar of hatred and agony. "Get away from me."

He stepped toward her, grabbing her arm. "Do you have any idea what I've done for you?" His voice raw, his face, terrible, was close to hers. She hardly heard the words, for they were lost in the horrible swirling scent of blood on his breath, the smells of depravity and sweat and other darkness. She talked over him, the roaring in her mind and heart blocking his words as she spewed her pain onto him. "You've completely destroyed me. Something even my brother wasn't able to do, in decades."

I won't give away the details but in this one pivotal scene everything changes and lives are forever changed. Gleason carefully and meticulously sets this up so that you have no choice but to weep for the depth of love that Giordan gives and Narcise throws away. And the shocking part is that I never saw it coming. That sense of foreboding was there and I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, but when it did I was... shellshocked. I haven't cared about characters like this in awhile so it was refreshing to have that emotional connection stretch over multiple books, always feeling genuine and real, and not feel cheated at the end. Do my kids think I'm strange for being weepy over a vampire book? Yep. Do I regret the tears? Nope.

This is a must read for summer and I actually like The Regency Draculia more than I liked the Gardella series...and that's saying a lot because Venators rock! In fact, Gleason is a must read author for me, even under her pen name, Joss Ware.

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Jul 21, 2012 Nicki Markus rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another wonderful book in the Regency Draculia series. I enjoyed this book much as I did the others (though The Vampire Dimitri was my favourite of them all!), not least because the reader at last got a proper look at Narcise's background and found out exactly what had happened between her and Cale.

The story started strongly and I was really hooked - happy to be back with characters I have come to know so well over the last few weeks. There was plenty of action and I was on the edge of my seat r...more

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Jul 04, 2011 Wenj rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, read-2011

Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:

The Vampire Narcise is the third installment in the Regency Draculia series by Colleen Gleason, a series that has had some very notable up and downs for me. While this left me hesitant to actually read this novel, I felt that after coming so far with the characters and the author I needed to see how this final chapter ended. Thankfully, I was glad that I did as this novel steps away slightly from the lives of the familiar Voss and Dimitri from the previous...more Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:

The Vampire Narcise is the third installment in the Regency Draculia series by Colleen Gleason, a series that has had some very notable up and downs for me. While this left me hesitant to actually read this novel, I felt that after coming so far with the characters and the author I needed to see how this final chapter ended. Thankfully, I was glad that I did as this novel steps away slightly from the lives of the familiar Voss and Dimitri from the previous novels. Once again, Gleason created a novel that was fresh with interesting characters and great insight into the lives of vampires we had seen but gotten to know very little about in the past. A great novel that once more made me love this interesting world of the Draculia.

To begin with, I especially loved the fact that this novel focused on characters that we hadn't gotten to know before. In past novels we were inundated with information, often the same information, over and over again, as well as being revisited time and again by the same story lines. This novel, however, was once more fresh and interesting making Narcise more three dimensional. In truth, in the past I honestly thought that I would rather detest Narcise. She seemed, well, I don't know how to describe it other then by saying I didn't think that I would be interested in her or her life in the slightest. And yet, I decided to persist simply because once I start a series, it seems like such a waste to not continue. In the end, I rather liked Narcise coming to sympathize with her captivity by her vile and often creepy brother, Cezar Moldavi. Honestly, if you didn't think he was icky in the previous novels, you will in this one. But, I was most surprised that this novel picked up with Narcise and Giordian, a character that I had loved in previous novels, and not Chas Woodmore. I was actually expecting it to begin there, but I have to say I'm thrilled that it didn't because frankly, I am so not a fan. While there is a bit of rehashing, it was in no way as detailed as previous novels and I found myself loving the relationship between these two. It was more dramatic with a darker atmosphere that I rather enjoyed. Of course, it is in this aspect that I found myself wanting to hate Narcise again as Giordian goes to extraordinary lengths for her offering up unexpected sacrifices and she...well, lets just say there was a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions.

The romance is intense and often times surprising, far surpassing the other novels. This aspect was instantly alluring as the connection between Narcise and Giordian is set up from the start. It was interesting seeing this relationship develop, however, I feel that I must warn readers that this is one of those novels that is best not to get too involved with or else it will definitely be a bit of a sucker punch. That's not to say that the ride isn't a complete roller coaster that is fun as hell. But, there is definitely a sting that needs to be recognized to readers easily engrossed in the relationships that characters develop. Of course this leads to something of a triangle as Chas comes in to the picture utterly enamored of Narcise creating some even more deadly intensity to the plot line.

The story itself was well written and interesting bringing to life a new facet of the historical world of the Draculia. The lore is once again wonderful, I completely adore this take on vampirism, and was nicely explored with a story that takes place before and after The Vampire Dimitri. There was plenty of gripping action and suspense throughout to keep you on your toes which is paired nicely with the romantic aspect of the novel often leading to some great and some not so great surprises. Without a doubt, this novel will keep you on your toes eagerly turning pages to know what happens next.

In the end, this novel provided a lot wider range of emotions for me, mostly of the darker variety. And while the characterization was wonderful, I often found myself torn between liking and hating the characters, something you would expect to be annoying, but in truth I rather enjoyed the ambiguity of my feelings toward them. It was, different. In truth, this novel really surpassed my expectations and once again showcased what it was that I loved about the first installment. A great read that will have you gritting your teeth in both frustration and anticipation!

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May 23, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this E-ARC courtesy of NetGalley for review
Colleen Gleason's The Vampire Narcise was probably my favorite out of the Regency Draculia series. Narcise being the only female vamp that we've come to know through the other books had quite an interesting story and the overall story arc that was weaving through the first two is resolved by its end. Which was surprising, yet gratifying.

Narcise is under her evil brother's thumb and has been for some time. He uses and abuses her in the most cr...more I received this E-ARC courtesy of NetGalley for review
Colleen Gleason's The Vampire Narcise was probably my favorite out of the Regency Draculia series. Narcise being the only female vamp that we've come to know through the other books had quite an interesting story and the overall story arc that was weaving through the first two is resolved by its end. Which was surprising, yet gratifying.

Narcise is under her evil brother's thumb and has been for some time. He uses and abuses her in the most cruel ways imaginable and just when she thinks she might be able to find love and salvation through Giordan, she is betrayed yet again. Although there is more to the betrayal than she realizes.

Then in comes Chas Woodmore and we get to see how the two met and started their relationship, what truly brought them together. And we get to see threads of the past two books occurring here again as well, like Narcise's first appearance when Angelica was visited by Voss and the sisters met her, the dealings with Voss and Dimitri after they regained their humanity and the story continues. Chas is still determined to end Cezar.

The pacing was much like the previous books, in that there were plenty of exciting moments, but then there was a slight lapse past the halfway point in where I was forcing myself to read on. It wasn't that it was boring, I guess I was just eager for something bigger to happen than what was happening. And I'm so glad I finished it!

The action and romance were very well balanced! There was plenty of swordplay, most of it done by Narcise! Girl power! ;) And the romance that happened throughout was steamy and wasn't overdone to be too much or whatever. It was just very romantic and fit its scene in a proper way so it didn't feel like it was there just to have a sex scene.

This ending was so not what I expected! It was fabulous! I'm still eager to know if there would be more of these books with a different vampire or previous secondary character taking on the lead, such as the youngest Woodmore sister. Only time will tell I guess.

Overall rating 4/5 stars

This title will release one May 24, 2011(less)

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Apr 09, 2011 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, paranormal, review, covers-i-adore, romance, read-2011

My review is cross-posted from Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-r...

Since the moment she became Dracule, Narcise Moldavi has been imprisoned, used, and traded by her brother, Cezar. For years, she simply existed, forced to fight for the right to remain unmolested. Then Narcise met Giordan Cale, a Dracule unlike any other she met before. Yet, just as Narcise felt herself coming to life once more, Giordan betrayed her in the worst manner possible.

Ten years later, freedom is i...more My review is cross-posted from Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-r...

Since the moment she became Dracule, Narcise Moldavi has been imprisoned, used, and traded by her brother, Cezar. For years, she simply existed, forced to fight for the right to remain unmolested. Then Narcise met Giordan Cale, a Dracule unlike any other she met before. Yet, just as Narcise felt herself coming to life once more, Giordan betrayed her in the worst manner possible.

Ten years later, freedom is in Narcise’s grasp. When vampire hunter Chas Woodmore sneaks into Cezar’s place to kill the vampire, Narcise convinces him to help her escape. Chas hates most vampires, but he can’t seem to resist his attraction to her. And, to her surprise, Narcise desires Chas in return.

But nothing in life is ever simple. Cezar will stop at nothing to reclaim Narcise and Chas’s mission to slay her brother will bring Giordan back into Narcise’s life. Chas wants her. Giordan hates her. And Narcise will be forced to confront the worst horrors of her life if she hopes to truly live for the first time in her immortal life.

In a trio of wonderful books, The Vampire Narcise stands out. Colleen Gleason’s third Regency Draculia book is the one I’ve been waiting on and it’s fantastic. I admit, I normally loathe love triangles with a distaste generally reserved for spiders and computer viruses. In the case of the Regency Draculia books, I was on the edge of my seat, eager to see if Narcise would end up with the man I so wanted her to be with, for I couldn’t imagine any other pairing. To my immense relief, Ms. Gleason hadn’t steered me wrong with the hints she laid out in The Vampire Voss and The Vampire Dimitri; the romance in The Vampire Narcise is exquisite.

Narcise is everything I’d hoped she would be: she’s a survivor, one who has suffered numerous horrors and still retains a core strength that impressed me. The pain she’s gone through broke my heart and I practically devoured The Vampire Narcise because I so wanted her to get the happily ever after she deserved. As for Narcise’s hero…sorry, I won’t spoil the book by revealing who he is. Unfortunately, because I don’t want to provide spoilers, I can’t say much about him. I will say that I absolutely loved him. The sacrifices he makes for Narcise made me want to cry and truly, he earns every minute of happiness he can find. I loved them together, and because I did, I was thrilled by The Vampire Narcise.

For readers who haven’t yet enjoyed the first two Regency Draculia books (The Vampire Voss and The Vampire Dimitri), The Vampire Narcise can be read as a standalone, though there are some spoilers for the first two books. The Vampire Narcise is even faster-paced than its predecessors, which is generally a good thing. The only problem I had was that the climax of the book felt a bit rushed and choppy, which was a pity because, with a bit of expansion, it could have been perfect. Still, I can definitely say I finished The Vampire Narcise a jubilant reader and I can safely say that if you enjoyed the first two Regency Draculia books, you’re going to adore The Vampire Narcise!(less)

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May 05, 2011 Sonette rated it 5 of 5 stars

I feel like I should stand up and give this series a standing ovation! Reading the last book in the Regency Draculia leaves me feeling slightly conflicted. On the one hand the book was so good and I thoroughly enjoyed every second, and on the other hand I feel so bereft now that the series is finished.

SUMMARY

Another pre-release review so all you are unforuntately getting is the Goodreads summary: Regency England stands defiant against Napoleon. But battles among men mean little to those who liv...more I feel like I should stand up and give this series a standing ovation! Reading the last book in the Regency Draculia leaves me feeling slightly conflicted. On the one hand the book was so good and I thoroughly enjoyed every second, and on the other hand I feel so bereft now that the series is finished.

SUMMARY

Another pre-release review so all you are unforuntately getting is the Goodreads summary: Regency England stands defiant against Napoleon. But battles among men mean little to those who live forever – especially when the Dracule are waging their own war. Skilled in the seduction of men, both mortal and immortal, Narcise Moldavi is the greatest weapon in her twisted brother's war among the Dracule. Until she falls for Giordan Cale. Her first searing encounter with Giordan brands them with a passionate love. But Giordan's vow to help Narcise escape her brother's rule is followed by a betrayal more agonizing than sunlight. Wounded but determined, Narcise ensnares vampire hunter Chas Woodmore in her quest for revenge and to reclaim her life. He wants her, worships her, will kill for her. And the Dracule never forget a wrong – nor do they forgive.

WHAT I LIKED

I cannot say that there is anything that I did not like about this book, but I will try and regale you with some of my favourite aspects of this book. The story is dark and compelling and some points I could not believe the depth of depravity of the person whom was supposed to love Narcise best, especially when contrasted with the depth of emotion between Chas and his sisters. Narcise, whom was painted in the first two books as hard and cold and not very likeable, soon became one of my favourite characters of all time and her strength and resilience in the face of what was done to her is beyond anything I could imagine a person in her circumstances could possess. The book is once again well written and just descriptive enough to draw the reader in and make you feel the emotion of the characters but not to irritate and seem overworked. I found myself at some stages during the book tearing up and crying and then urging the characters on at other times. In my eyes this series is a great success and certainly will find a honorary spot on my bookshelf!

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

Despite the story once again overlapping at some points to the extent that you were reading certain parts of the overall story three times, I cannot say that there was anything that I did not like! Oh wait! I don't like the fact that there isn't more!

SO WHAT’S THE VERDICT?

I suppose I could say again that I LOVED this book, but I am sure that is apparent from my comments above. Go out! Buy it! And read it yourself! And then come and tell me whether you loved it just as much as I did.

WHAT’S NEXT?

As far as I am aware, The Vampire Narcise is the last instalment to the Regency Draculia series, but I will be picking up some more books from Colleen Gleason to keep me happy. Amongst others I have heard very good things about the Gardella Vampire Chronicles series by the same author and I am adding it to my "to read" list as I write this review! So look out for more reviews of Colleen Gleason's work in the near future.

Thank you once again to Harlequin Publishers through Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

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The Vampire Narcise (Regency Draculia #3)

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