I would like to thanks 1001 Dark Nights, Blue Box Press, and Rebecca Zanetti for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
A Vampire’s Mate is the next book in the Dark Protectors/Rebels series (Book 16.5) by Rebecca Zanetti. This book is about Leah Ferry and Jasper Maxwell who met when Leah almost died in an explosion during WWII. Leah was working as a spy, and agreed to be Jasper’s mate in order to survive and continue to help with the war against Germany. She did her best to evade him, but sent him regular shipments of her blood to ward off the Maxwell curse. Jasper had grown tired of living apart and tracked Leah down, but she wasn’t ready. It was up to Jasper to convince Leah that living a life together was better than having a cause apart. This author is an adept a writing a novella. They always are well written and paced, never rushed, and their conclusions are satisfying. Leah and Jasper’s story was fun, and I enjoyed the challenge that Leah presented for him. Their chemistry was pretty combustible and the novella deliciously spicy. I was routing for Jasper since I knew how much Leah would benefit from being a part of his extended family unit, especially as she was already close to his sister-in-law and his grandmother. In general, this novella left me feeling warm and happy and was fun to read. I recommend this to readers who enjoy contemporary paranormal romance. While part of a much larger series, 1001 Dark Nights novellas are written to work also as a stand-alone book, possible as a snack to get readers excited to read more. I have read some, but not all, of the Dark Protectors series and have found them all enjoyable, and I have always enjoyed this author’s work. If this is your genre, give it a try! If you want to catch up with the series, the first book is available in Kindle Unlimited and many are available through your local library.