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The Bite Before Christmas
In this extraordinary collection of holiday novellas, vampires turn to Angelina Ricci--vampire matchmaker extraordinaire--to help them find that special someone to curl up with under the mistletoe. . .
"All I Vant For Christmas"
Connor loves trimming the Christmas tree, baking gingerbread cookies, and hanging the mistletoe. But his vampire siblings won't help. His friend Angelina sends party planner Jillian to the rescue. But when Jillian, who's mortal, discovers she's decking the halls for a family of vampires, she must decide between running for her life--or putting Connor's mistletoe to good use. . .
"A Vampire in Her Stocking"
When Vivian learns that her secret crush Sean is terminally ill, she's heartbroken. Confiding in Angelina, Vivian refuses to turn Sean into a vampire. Deciding to play Santa, Angelina changes Sean and leaves him wrapped in a red bow on Vivian's doorstep. . .
"It's A Wonderful Bite"
Although Angelina is happy with her boyfriend Ian, she's ready for a commitment. After drinking eggnog and watching It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, Angelina falls into a dream where she is mortal and Ian isn't interested in her. Talk about the nightmare before Christmas! But Santa must have checked his list twice because this Christmas Angelina's wishes are coming true. . .
"All I Vant For Christmas"
Connor loves trimming the Christmas tree, baking gingerbread cookies, and hanging the mistletoe. But his vampire siblings won't help. His friend Angelina sends party planner Jillian to the rescue. But when Jillian, who's mortal, discovers she's decking the halls for a family of vampires, she must decide between running for her life--or putting Connor's mistletoe to good use. . .
"A Vampire in Her Stocking"
When Vivian learns that her secret crush Sean is terminally ill, she's heartbroken. Confiding in Angelina, Vivian refuses to turn Sean into a vampire. Deciding to play Santa, Angelina changes Sean and leaves him wrapped in a red bow on Vivian's doorstep. . .
"It's A Wonderful Bite"
Although Angelina is happy with her boyfriend Ian, she's ready for a commitment. After drinking eggnog and watching It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, Angelina falls into a dream where she is mortal and Ian isn't interested in her. Talk about the nightmare before Christmas! But Santa must have checked his list twice because this Christmas Angelina's wishes are coming true. . .
357 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 27, 2010
18 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Betts
184 books376 followersUSA Today bestselling author Heidi Betts is the daughter of an Arabian sheik and a Las Vegas showgirl, as well as the heiress to the Chocolate is Better Than Sex Candy Company fortune. Because of this, she eats chocolate in all its many delicious forms for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in-between snacks . . . without ever gaining an ounce on her perfect five-foot-nine, size zero figure.
Each and every one of her breathtaking, award-winning novels has been adapted to film and gone on to become a phenomenal box office smash, featuring such mega-stars as Hugh Jackman and Sandra Bullock, Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts, and Harrison Ford and Charlize Theron.
Heidi readily admits that she is only able to write such passionate love stories because of her real-life happily-ever-after romance with superstar actor Dwayne Johnson, who makes every day a fairy tale. When she’s not writing or making hot, toe-curling love with her “Rock” of a husband, Heidi can often be found riding naked on horseback (a la Lady Godiva) along the beaches of Malibu or hobnobbing with the rich and famous on Martha’s Vineyard.
If you’d like to experience your own perfect, idyllic life just like Heidi Betts, be sure to take the little purple pill. (Not the red one. Never the red one.)
Read more about Heidi's current and upcoming releases at her website: www.HeidiBetts.com
Chat with Heidi at her "WIPs and Chains" blog: www.HeidiBetts.com/WIPsandChains
And visit Heidi on Twitter (@HeidiBetts), Facebook (/FansofHeidiBetts), & Pinterest (/TheHeidiBetts)
Each and every one of her breathtaking, award-winning novels has been adapted to film and gone on to become a phenomenal box office smash, featuring such mega-stars as Hugh Jackman and Sandra Bullock, Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts, and Harrison Ford and Charlize Theron.
Heidi readily admits that she is only able to write such passionate love stories because of her real-life happily-ever-after romance with superstar actor Dwayne Johnson, who makes every day a fairy tale. When she’s not writing or making hot, toe-curling love with her “Rock” of a husband, Heidi can often be found riding naked on horseback (a la Lady Godiva) along the beaches of Malibu or hobnobbing with the rich and famous on Martha’s Vineyard.
If you’d like to experience your own perfect, idyllic life just like Heidi Betts, be sure to take the little purple pill. (Not the red one. Never the red one.)
Read more about Heidi's current and upcoming releases at her website: www.HeidiBetts.com
Chat with Heidi at her "WIPs and Chains" blog: www.HeidiBetts.com/WIPsandChains
And visit Heidi on Twitter (@HeidiBetts), Facebook (/FansofHeidiBetts), & Pinterest (/TheHeidiBetts)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
November 28, 2017
This was surprisingly good!
The description on Goodreads isn't right. The back cover of the book has the wrong names on it. The guy on the cover doesn't match any of the characters in the book. Basically it's a hot mess on the outside.
On the inside you'll find 3 vampire romances, all from the same author. They all tie together nicely. Only the first is really Christmasy, the other 2 take place around Christmas but don't really have anything to do with the holiday. That's the main reason I'm giving this 4 stars instead of 5.
The description on Goodreads isn't right. The back cover of the book has the wrong names on it. The guy on the cover doesn't match any of the characters in the book. Basically it's a hot mess on the outside.
On the inside you'll find 3 vampire romances, all from the same author. They all tie together nicely. Only the first is really Christmasy, the other 2 take place around Christmas but don't really have anything to do with the holiday. That's the main reason I'm giving this 4 stars instead of 5.
December 17, 2017
Predictable, but it's exactly what I wanted to read.
December 12, 2012
This one has been in my TBR FOREVER,...There are three separate stories that are all connected, the last two more so then the first one but they were all pretty good.
Of the three I think I liked the first one best and wish there had been a bit more to it....the second one...Sean was an asshat...and I think Vivian should have really made him work to get her after what he pulled (you will need to read to find out)...and the last one was the vampire version of Its a Wonderful Life...entertaining....
Of the three I think I liked the first one best and wish there had been a bit more to it....the second one...Sean was an asshat...and I think Vivian should have really made him work to get her after what he pulled (you will need to read to find out)...and the last one was the vampire version of Its a Wonderful Life...entertaining....
December 27, 2010
A fun read, but noticed something... the names of the men on the back of the book, are completely different than the men in the actual stories! And the guy on the front, really doesn't match any of the characters I don't think, so who's he supposed to be? They should have had Angelina in a nice red vampy satin dress or something!
December 25, 2017
what a fun Christmas find - the first story had all the bells and whistles - a vamp / bodice ripper (literally)/ happy holiday romp with laugh-aloud parts. Loved it.
Story number two - meh - but you might love it more than I did.
Story number three - totally redeemed number two ;-)
If you're looking for a lighthearted fun read, you've found it.
Story number two - meh - but you might love it more than I did.
Story number three - totally redeemed number two ;-)
If you're looking for a lighthearted fun read, you've found it.
October 22, 2023
I remember reading this about the time it first came out and absolutely loving it. I’m not quite as glowing about it this time around, but I was in the mood for something light, fun and holiday-themed, and this fit that bill absolutely perfectly. It’s also got comedy that appeals to my quirky, off-beat sense of humor, so that’s always a win for me.
October 25, 2011
I read this book because of the title alone, it just made me laugh. The Bite Before Christmas is 3 different short stories....they were all very cute stories and makes me want to check out Heidi Betts other stories! Definitely some VERY hot moments and some very sweet romantic moments :)
will-never-read
August 17, 2012"All I Van for Christmas"
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!
October 24, 2010
Meh, three rather mediocre love stories with poorly developed plots and characters, who weren't made any more interesting just by making them vampires.
November 13, 2010
ok. Kind of cheezy but a fun quick read. 3 short stories with loosly connected characters.
January 5, 2012
First off, the title of this book clearly makes this a light read so I'm putting away the long knives. I tried to read this book as a lighthearted romantic story, and it succeeded. I found the three stories All I Vant For Christmas, A Vampire In Her Stocking, and It's A Wonderful Bite to be entertaining. On the hotness scale, this book does have sizzling explicit scenes. But in places I did slap myself in the forehead and did my best Homer Simpson impersonation, "DOH!" I'll share some of my favorites with you.
"'Holy razor blades, Batman,' she breathed..."
"...he could feel the dampness between her legs just from where they pressed together like Twinkies inside their cellophane wrapper."
"She yipped, actually yipped like a puppy with its tail caught in a door."
"Vivian yipped...actually yipped like some frou-frou pocket Chihuahua...and spun around to find Sean standing in front of the fireplace."
Now to the book, I'm going to break down the book and ask a series of questions and give each section a number rating with the best being 100%.
Opening Scene: 14/15 points
1) Does the opening pull you into the story?
The stories are short and compact. They hook you right from the get go.
2) Is the opening bogged down with back story?
There's not much back story. The stories are crammed together with a vampire matchmaker as the character tying them all together.
3) Does the first scene prompt you to read more?
I think they do their job.
4) Do you have a sense of time and place?
Yes, everything felt right with time and place.
Plot: 10/15 points
5) Is the plot fresh and appealing even if it contains familiar romantic ingredients?
They feel like they were reworks of previously published plots. The It's A Wonderful Life Plot was fine for what it was, but I feel that the stories were too short to develop their own uniqueness.
6) Is the story problem evident?
Yes, the author gets to the crux of the matter quickly.
7) Can you see an initial hint of external conflict in these first pages?
Due to the story format the external conflicts are in the forefront.
8) Is the pacing effective?
It works for this multistory format.
9) Are transitions smooth an easy-to-follow?
I did not have any problems with the transitions.
10) Does the chapter end so you would want to turn the page?
I did not feel the hooks, but I keep turning the pages.
Narrative/Dialogue: 10/20 points
11) Is the narrative compelling with vivid descriptions and pertinent details?
The descriptions were fine, but the inconstantly marked, sometimes parentheses sometimes italics, internal dialogue threw me off.
12) Are the five senses used to enhance the setting/emotions of the characters?
The five sense were used, but some of the similes and metaphors popped me out of the book.
13) Is the setting recognizable?
Yes, the were all very concrete descriptions.
14) Is the narrative intrusive?
I would say it was occasionally intrusive. I could ofter hear the author's voice.
15) Are narrative and dialogue balanced?
I felt the narrative and dialogue could have used more polish.
16) Is the dialogue natural for the character?
This was a big one for me. In the first story, the Heroine had a quirky, pop reference, voice that I felt reflected her personality. Then the serious Hero started having the pop references, and then it continued through the whole book with each Heroine. I felt it was the author's voice trying to add a little levity to the characters but by doing so removed their unique voices that we only had a short time to get to know.
17) Does each character have a distinctive voice?
No.
18) Does the dialogue move the story forward or is it used as a back story/information dump?
Heidi does a good job with only including the information we need to move the plot along.
19) Is action interspersed with dialogue so that characters aren't "talking heads"?
No talking heads everything moves along quite nicely.
Writing Technique: 10/20 points
20) Is the book presented professionally with few typos and generally accepted punctuation?
I did not find any typos, but the use of parentheses and italics for internal dialogue confused me. Honestly, I kept thinking the parenthetical statements were from the author. Also, the overuse of EM dashes reduced their impact in the sentences where they were most needed. In the first story, there was a few instances of head hopping (page 34 & 48) but the rest of the book seemed fine.
21) Does the author have a unique voice that makes this book stand out?
Yes, but it often interfered with the characters voice.
22) Is the writing easy-to-read with varied sentence length and structure?
Yes, there was good variation.
23) Is action shown, not told?
The action was solid and quick.
24) Is the point of view handled appropriately?
As mentioned, there were a few stumbles in the first story.
25) Are transitions of time and setting logical and smooth?
I did not have any problems with them.
Characterization: 10/15 points
26)Are the hero/heroine introduced in a timely manner or their meeting foreshadowed?
Yes, very quickly.
27) Are the characters well developed with believable strengths and flaws?
The strengths and flaws were clear, but the characters did not have time to develop fully.
28) Is the relationship between the hero/heroine emotional as well as physical?
Oh, yes.
29) Do you believe these characters will achieve happily-ever-after?
All had H.E.A. endings.
30) Are the secondary characters appropriate to the story?
They were fine.
31) Are the heroine's goals/conflicts identifiable?
Yes, they got straight to the point that's for sure.
32) Does her motivation make her actions believable?
Their motivations were fair.
33) Are the hero's goals/conflicts identifiable?
Yep, as I said straight to the point.
33) Does his motivation make his actions believable?
They were all convincing. I would have liked to see more depth, but that was not possible in this format.
Romance: 14/15 points
34) Are the romance elements present?
They were sizzling!
35) Is the romance elements woven into the story appropriately?
They worked.
36) Is the romance element integral to the story?
Yes, like a bow on a present.
So for The Bite Before Christmas I give a total of: 68% or 3.4 stars.
If you would like a light read for the holidays, with some sizzling sex scenes, I would recommend it.
"'Holy razor blades, Batman,' she breathed..."
"...he could feel the dampness between her legs just from where they pressed together like Twinkies inside their cellophane wrapper."
"She yipped, actually yipped like a puppy with its tail caught in a door."
"Vivian yipped...actually yipped like some frou-frou pocket Chihuahua...and spun around to find Sean standing in front of the fireplace."
Now to the book, I'm going to break down the book and ask a series of questions and give each section a number rating with the best being 100%.
Opening Scene: 14/15 points
1) Does the opening pull you into the story?
The stories are short and compact. They hook you right from the get go.
2) Is the opening bogged down with back story?
There's not much back story. The stories are crammed together with a vampire matchmaker as the character tying them all together.
3) Does the first scene prompt you to read more?
I think they do their job.
4) Do you have a sense of time and place?
Yes, everything felt right with time and place.
Plot: 10/15 points
5) Is the plot fresh and appealing even if it contains familiar romantic ingredients?
They feel like they were reworks of previously published plots. The It's A Wonderful Life Plot was fine for what it was, but I feel that the stories were too short to develop their own uniqueness.
6) Is the story problem evident?
Yes, the author gets to the crux of the matter quickly.
7) Can you see an initial hint of external conflict in these first pages?
Due to the story format the external conflicts are in the forefront.
8) Is the pacing effective?
It works for this multistory format.
9) Are transitions smooth an easy-to-follow?
I did not have any problems with the transitions.
10) Does the chapter end so you would want to turn the page?
I did not feel the hooks, but I keep turning the pages.
Narrative/Dialogue: 10/20 points
11) Is the narrative compelling with vivid descriptions and pertinent details?
The descriptions were fine, but the inconstantly marked, sometimes parentheses sometimes italics, internal dialogue threw me off.
12) Are the five senses used to enhance the setting/emotions of the characters?
The five sense were used, but some of the similes and metaphors popped me out of the book.
13) Is the setting recognizable?
Yes, the were all very concrete descriptions.
14) Is the narrative intrusive?
I would say it was occasionally intrusive. I could ofter hear the author's voice.
15) Are narrative and dialogue balanced?
I felt the narrative and dialogue could have used more polish.
16) Is the dialogue natural for the character?
This was a big one for me. In the first story, the Heroine had a quirky, pop reference, voice that I felt reflected her personality. Then the serious Hero started having the pop references, and then it continued through the whole book with each Heroine. I felt it was the author's voice trying to add a little levity to the characters but by doing so removed their unique voices that we only had a short time to get to know.
17) Does each character have a distinctive voice?
No.
18) Does the dialogue move the story forward or is it used as a back story/information dump?
Heidi does a good job with only including the information we need to move the plot along.
19) Is action interspersed with dialogue so that characters aren't "talking heads"?
No talking heads everything moves along quite nicely.
Writing Technique: 10/20 points
20) Is the book presented professionally with few typos and generally accepted punctuation?
I did not find any typos, but the use of parentheses and italics for internal dialogue confused me. Honestly, I kept thinking the parenthetical statements were from the author. Also, the overuse of EM dashes reduced their impact in the sentences where they were most needed. In the first story, there was a few instances of head hopping (page 34 & 48) but the rest of the book seemed fine.
21) Does the author have a unique voice that makes this book stand out?
Yes, but it often interfered with the characters voice.
22) Is the writing easy-to-read with varied sentence length and structure?
Yes, there was good variation.
23) Is action shown, not told?
The action was solid and quick.
24) Is the point of view handled appropriately?
As mentioned, there were a few stumbles in the first story.
25) Are transitions of time and setting logical and smooth?
I did not have any problems with them.
Characterization: 10/15 points
26)Are the hero/heroine introduced in a timely manner or their meeting foreshadowed?
Yes, very quickly.
27) Are the characters well developed with believable strengths and flaws?
The strengths and flaws were clear, but the characters did not have time to develop fully.
28) Is the relationship between the hero/heroine emotional as well as physical?
Oh, yes.
29) Do you believe these characters will achieve happily-ever-after?
All had H.E.A. endings.
30) Are the secondary characters appropriate to the story?
They were fine.
31) Are the heroine's goals/conflicts identifiable?
Yes, they got straight to the point that's for sure.
32) Does her motivation make her actions believable?
Their motivations were fair.
33) Are the hero's goals/conflicts identifiable?
Yep, as I said straight to the point.
33) Does his motivation make his actions believable?
They were all convincing. I would have liked to see more depth, but that was not possible in this format.
Romance: 14/15 points
34) Are the romance elements present?
They were sizzling!
35) Is the romance elements woven into the story appropriately?
They worked.
36) Is the romance element integral to the story?
Yes, like a bow on a present.
So for The Bite Before Christmas I give a total of: 68% or 3.4 stars.
If you would like a light read for the holidays, with some sizzling sex scenes, I would recommend it.
December 31, 2018
3 🌟🌟🌟 - but only just! A predictable and ropey trilogy of loosely connected Vampire Christmas stories.
All I vant for Christmas wasn’t bad, but pretty predictable and not very steamy.
A Vampire in her Stocking was marginally more interesting, but I couldn’t get past the male protagonist being called ‘Sean Spicer’! I kept imagining Melissa McCarthy on her moving podium from this year’s SNL skits. This rather took me out of the story and made it hard to take the character seriously.
It’s a Wonderful Bite Just left me cold and I struggled to get through this one.
All I vant for Christmas wasn’t bad, but pretty predictable and not very steamy.
A Vampire in her Stocking was marginally more interesting, but I couldn’t get past the male protagonist being called ‘Sean Spicer’! I kept imagining Melissa McCarthy on her moving podium from this year’s SNL skits. This rather took me out of the story and made it hard to take the character seriously.
It’s a Wonderful Bite Just left me cold and I struggled to get through this one.
December 28, 2022
C’est un recueil de trois nouvelles, dont les personnages interagissent les uns avec les autres. et comme vous le savez les nouvelles et moi ça fait deux ! J’ai passé un bon moment sans pour autant trouvé le roman transcendant… J’ai quand même trouvé le moyen de faire durer le plaisir pendant 25 jours (jusqu’à Noël donc).
Ma chronique : https://mellecupofteabouquine.wordpre...
Ma chronique : https://mellecupofteabouquine.wordpre...
December 9, 2016
Three loosely interconnected vampire Christmas short stories. The first one was pretty good. The last one was just whiny. It tried to be a Christmas Story take off, but I just wanted it to be over
December 4, 2024
I actually had high hopes for this one and it really let me down. I wanted to put it down and never pick it up again several times, but I made myself power through. There just wasn’t enough about it and it was quite boring. I thought it would be more comedy… but I was apparently wrong.
December 12, 2025
It was okay. This is actually three novellas set in the same world with overlapping characters. The last one was…irritating. It was so obviously a copy of It’s A Wonderful Life. It was meh for me. I didn’t dislike the first two, but I wasn’t in love either.
December 2, 2019
3.5 stars
The second story was my favourite.
The second story was my favourite.
December 29, 2019
Do not judge the book by its cover. Lol. It was good
December 10, 2022
Really fun stories to read
November 13, 2023
So cheesy! Exactly what I was hoping for 😂
April 4, 2025
It was a me thing - I just could not get into and finish this book. I can say the first story was cute and fun.
April 17, 2011
Nice Set of PNR Holiday Novellas
All I Vant for Christmas: Connor Drake's deepest holiday wish is an old fashioned Christmas the likes of which he fondly remembers from his humanity, full of family and love. His reluctant and recalcitrant younger brother and sister, however, can hardly be bothered. As a favor for her good friend, vampire matchmaker Angelina Ricci sends him Jillian Parker, a young...and human...event coordinator starting to make a name for herself. Jillian understands intellectually that vampires aren't the bloodthirsty monsters of books and movies, but working for one, being in his house, makes her decidedly nervous...the fact that Connor is gorgeous, intelligent, kind, and gorgeous (it bears repeating), makes her feel something else entirely.
With Jillian, Connor may get a much happier holiday than he'd ever dreamed, but only if the young woman can become comfortable with his vampire nature.
A Vampire in Her Stocking: Vampire Vivian Harrison is heartbroken when her boss Sean Spicer tells her he's dying. She's been in love with him for years. The announcement spurs her into wild waters and before she knows it, she and Sean have shared a single desperate moment of passion. The gaping loss following their time together threatens to crush her, until one evening, an unconscious and bow-wrapped Sean Spicer shows up on her couch, sporting a couple of fang marks on his neck and a new undead status...with a card from best friend Angelina Ricci, matchmaker and meddler, wishing her a Merry Christmas.
He never knew she was a vampire; she had no doubt he didn't want to be one. He may be the best present she's ever received, but Vivian has no illusions that Sean will have any interest in decking her halls when he finds out what's happened to him.
It's a Wonderful Bite: Despite the holiday cheer and comfortable life, despite the love of her long time lover Ian, matchmaker Angelina Ricci felt a yearning for more, for the tinsel on the tree, so to speak. As friends around her have found their mates (thanks to her), she feels an odd sort of need to have Ian take their relationship to a new level. But the vampire cop isn't exactly a hearts and romance sort of guy, and he's got no use for human traditions like marriage.
Waking up on Christmas morning is a shock, though, when Angelina realizes that she's stuck in a nightmare. She's human, and so is Ian. They're partners...but not in life. They're cop partners and Ian is married with children - he's someone else's husband, someone else's father. She's his lover on the side. And from all indications, that was her own fault. When their job...and she shudders at the thought...puts Ian's life in the gravest danger at the fangs of a group of rogue vampires, Angelina has to rely on skills limited by her human shell to save them both. Hoping all the while that the horrific nightmare will soon be over.
These three heartwarming and solid novellas are loosely connected through the character of Angelina Ricci, and Heidi Betts has done a good job instilling her romances with holiday warmth and a sensual heat. Betts is deft with character definition and does reasonably well providing three complete, satisfying stories with a limiting length. None are terribly complex in plot, nor are the characters overly complicated, but they don't have to be to be lightly entertaining and romantic.
The second title, A Vampire in Her Stocking, was my least favorite of the three. I didn't like the beginning and it took me a long time to warm up to Vivian, who I found to be a bit whiney and drippy, and Sean, who I thought was a bit thoughtless in his treatment of Vivian. Still, it was the first title, All I Vant for Christmas, that I felt was the least complete within its own pages, ending rather abruptly with several questions and plot threads dangling, though there were some very pleasing resolution and wrap up provided in exposition in the final story.
I enjoyed this set of holiday PNR romances. Each story had a very unique flavor and the plots were different enough to provide genuine variety, even with the thread of loose connection through them all. Overall, I found myself impressed with Betts, who I'd not read before, and interested in what she could create within the broader scope of a full length novel. She showed off a nice talent for plot creation and pacing, smooth narrative, sensual romance, and heated sexuality that would really shine in a longer-length format.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
All I Vant for Christmas: Connor Drake's deepest holiday wish is an old fashioned Christmas the likes of which he fondly remembers from his humanity, full of family and love. His reluctant and recalcitrant younger brother and sister, however, can hardly be bothered. As a favor for her good friend, vampire matchmaker Angelina Ricci sends him Jillian Parker, a young...and human...event coordinator starting to make a name for herself. Jillian understands intellectually that vampires aren't the bloodthirsty monsters of books and movies, but working for one, being in his house, makes her decidedly nervous...the fact that Connor is gorgeous, intelligent, kind, and gorgeous (it bears repeating), makes her feel something else entirely.
With Jillian, Connor may get a much happier holiday than he'd ever dreamed, but only if the young woman can become comfortable with his vampire nature.
A Vampire in Her Stocking: Vampire Vivian Harrison is heartbroken when her boss Sean Spicer tells her he's dying. She's been in love with him for years. The announcement spurs her into wild waters and before she knows it, she and Sean have shared a single desperate moment of passion. The gaping loss following their time together threatens to crush her, until one evening, an unconscious and bow-wrapped Sean Spicer shows up on her couch, sporting a couple of fang marks on his neck and a new undead status...with a card from best friend Angelina Ricci, matchmaker and meddler, wishing her a Merry Christmas.
He never knew she was a vampire; she had no doubt he didn't want to be one. He may be the best present she's ever received, but Vivian has no illusions that Sean will have any interest in decking her halls when he finds out what's happened to him.
It's a Wonderful Bite: Despite the holiday cheer and comfortable life, despite the love of her long time lover Ian, matchmaker Angelina Ricci felt a yearning for more, for the tinsel on the tree, so to speak. As friends around her have found their mates (thanks to her), she feels an odd sort of need to have Ian take their relationship to a new level. But the vampire cop isn't exactly a hearts and romance sort of guy, and he's got no use for human traditions like marriage.
Waking up on Christmas morning is a shock, though, when Angelina realizes that she's stuck in a nightmare. She's human, and so is Ian. They're partners...but not in life. They're cop partners and Ian is married with children - he's someone else's husband, someone else's father. She's his lover on the side. And from all indications, that was her own fault. When their job...and she shudders at the thought...puts Ian's life in the gravest danger at the fangs of a group of rogue vampires, Angelina has to rely on skills limited by her human shell to save them both. Hoping all the while that the horrific nightmare will soon be over.
These three heartwarming and solid novellas are loosely connected through the character of Angelina Ricci, and Heidi Betts has done a good job instilling her romances with holiday warmth and a sensual heat. Betts is deft with character definition and does reasonably well providing three complete, satisfying stories with a limiting length. None are terribly complex in plot, nor are the characters overly complicated, but they don't have to be to be lightly entertaining and romantic.
The second title, A Vampire in Her Stocking, was my least favorite of the three. I didn't like the beginning and it took me a long time to warm up to Vivian, who I found to be a bit whiney and drippy, and Sean, who I thought was a bit thoughtless in his treatment of Vivian. Still, it was the first title, All I Vant for Christmas, that I felt was the least complete within its own pages, ending rather abruptly with several questions and plot threads dangling, though there were some very pleasing resolution and wrap up provided in exposition in the final story.
I enjoyed this set of holiday PNR romances. Each story had a very unique flavor and the plots were different enough to provide genuine variety, even with the thread of loose connection through them all. Overall, I found myself impressed with Betts, who I'd not read before, and interested in what she could create within the broader scope of a full length novel. She showed off a nice talent for plot creation and pacing, smooth narrative, sensual romance, and heated sexuality that would really shine in a longer-length format.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
April 17, 2014
When you think of Christmas do you think of Vampires? Do you wonder if Vampires celebrate Christmas? I honestly don't tend to. Paranormal folks are all the range right now, but I wouldn't judge that trend by this collection however.
"All I Vant for Christmas"
I'm not a stranger to navigating prickly relatives during the holiday (just ask me how many serving platters we go through each year), but my family has nothing on Connor's perpetually college-age brother and sister. Jillian's handling of them was believable--reverse psychology for the win every time. The instant attraction between Jillian and Connor was amusing, as was their 'frank discussion' about the mechanics of human/vampire sex.
The inclusion of why Jillian's ex-boyfriend broke up with her felt unnecessary however and just tacked on to give her a reason to 'seduce' Connor. The ending was refreshing as it felt more 'realistic' than a lot of vampire romances; no eternal pledges of love, just acknowledgement that what they have is special and worth pursuing.
"A Vampire in her Stocking"
I had one major problem with this story, no wait actually two major problems. One was the manner in which Nick becomes a vampire and two is his reaction, not too long after, said change. I find it highly suspect that Angelina would do such a thing, even if it was in the best interests of Vivian and Nick. Since she seems more like one of the vampires who wishes to blend in and not create a stir. I give Vivian props for being so adamantly upset with Angelina for what she did, but what she did was just this side of ghoulish.
And then Nick's response wasn't much better. His initial response was called for and understandable, but a couple weeks later? When he learns that being a vampire might not be so bad if he gets to have rocking sex with Vivian whenever? Yeah. I'd think there would be more consequences of Angelina's actions, at the very least with his family? His coworkers? None of that is really explored, instead we get an angst filled tale of guilt and sex.
"It's a Wonderful Bite"
I'll be honest, I mostly skimmed this tale. I have nothing against the movie for which this is loosely based around, but this re-invented version was maudlin and needlessly dramatic. Add to it that Angelina as a mortal seemed stripped of all her common sense and this made for a forgetable, lamentable read.
Angelina mourns the fact that her lover of 80 years, Ian Hart, hasn't asked her to marry him. Its pretty obvious that until she approaches the subject with him (during sex) that its not a topic they've discussed before nor did she really seem to care until recently. We don't really get a good handle on Ian in this story either. Ian as a vampire only makes appearances at the very beginning and very end, and Ian as a mortal has some highly questionable moral issues to work on.
As a collection this was a letdown. The stories went downhill as they progressed and with the exception of the first one I didn't even buy into the romance.
"All I Vant for Christmas"
I'm not a stranger to navigating prickly relatives during the holiday (just ask me how many serving platters we go through each year), but my family has nothing on Connor's perpetually college-age brother and sister. Jillian's handling of them was believable--reverse psychology for the win every time. The instant attraction between Jillian and Connor was amusing, as was their 'frank discussion' about the mechanics of human/vampire sex.
The inclusion of why Jillian's ex-boyfriend broke up with her felt unnecessary however and just tacked on to give her a reason to 'seduce' Connor. The ending was refreshing as it felt more 'realistic' than a lot of vampire romances; no eternal pledges of love, just acknowledgement that what they have is special and worth pursuing.
"A Vampire in her Stocking"
I had one major problem with this story, no wait actually two major problems. One was the manner in which Nick becomes a vampire and two is his reaction, not too long after, said change. I find it highly suspect that Angelina would do such a thing, even if it was in the best interests of Vivian and Nick. Since she seems more like one of the vampires who wishes to blend in and not create a stir. I give Vivian props for being so adamantly upset with Angelina for what she did, but what she did was just this side of ghoulish.
And then Nick's response wasn't much better. His initial response was called for and understandable, but a couple weeks later? When he learns that being a vampire might not be so bad if he gets to have rocking sex with Vivian whenever? Yeah. I'd think there would be more consequences of Angelina's actions, at the very least with his family? His coworkers? None of that is really explored, instead we get an angst filled tale of guilt and sex.
"It's a Wonderful Bite"
I'll be honest, I mostly skimmed this tale. I have nothing against the movie for which this is loosely based around, but this re-invented version was maudlin and needlessly dramatic. Add to it that Angelina as a mortal seemed stripped of all her common sense and this made for a forgetable, lamentable read.
Angelina mourns the fact that her lover of 80 years, Ian Hart, hasn't asked her to marry him. Its pretty obvious that until she approaches the subject with him (during sex) that its not a topic they've discussed before nor did she really seem to care until recently. We don't really get a good handle on Ian in this story either. Ian as a vampire only makes appearances at the very beginning and very end, and Ian as a mortal has some highly questionable moral issues to work on.
As a collection this was a letdown. The stories went downhill as they progressed and with the exception of the first one I didn't even buy into the romance.
October 5, 2010
Hunter’s Review
This a wonderful book filled with three short stories that follow the matchmaking of a vampire named Angelina, whose clientele are the rich and famous vampires in her area. In this book, the idea is that vampires have come out to humans as existing and are not productive members of society although humans are still wary of them and prejudice does exist.
The first story, “All I Vant for Christmas,” is about Connor and Jillian. Connor is a very rich vampire who wants to celebrate the Christmas season. His teenage brother and sister (apparently whatever age you are turned into a vampire is the one you stay at emotionally and mentally too.) are too cool to care about the holiday season. Angelina sends the very human party planner to Connor to help with his planning. He is immediately taken with her but she is nervous about vampires.
Connor is a wonderful hero and reminds me of some of the old-fashioned heroes often found in romance novels of the past—only he’s a vampire. Its really a wonderful story about family coming together as much as anything else.
The next story “A Vampire in Her Stocking” is about Vivian who is a friend of Angelina. Vivian has been in love with her boss Nick for some time. Nick has no idea she’s a vampire and she’s never told him because she knows he is prejudiced against them. When she finds out he is dying, she is so distraught that Angelina turns him into a vampire and leaves him wrapped in a bow on Vivian’s couch.
Nick is a harder hero to like because he is so prejudiced against characters you have already grown to love. But Ms. Betts does a great job with this story and I think it feels very real.
“It’s a Wonderful Bite” is the most heart wrenching of all the stories. It is about Angelina herself. She wants to marry her boyfriend of a hundred years, Ian. She loves him and one night wishes they were both human instead of vampires so she could know what that would be like. In a ‘Christmas Story’ tribute, she gets a glimpse of that life.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed the heck out of this book but it doesn’t feel paranormal, not really, the vampires are all nice people. They can drop fang occasionally but not to hurt anybody and they basically want to be accepted and loved. Their fun, wonderful Christmas stories but I think she could have told them in a purely contemporary way. The vampirism felt more like an afterthought that a real plot point. Having said that, I read this very fast and I enjoyed it. I think it’s a fun read.
4 1/2 Tea Cups!
This a wonderful book filled with three short stories that follow the matchmaking of a vampire named Angelina, whose clientele are the rich and famous vampires in her area. In this book, the idea is that vampires have come out to humans as existing and are not productive members of society although humans are still wary of them and prejudice does exist.
The first story, “All I Vant for Christmas,” is about Connor and Jillian. Connor is a very rich vampire who wants to celebrate the Christmas season. His teenage brother and sister (apparently whatever age you are turned into a vampire is the one you stay at emotionally and mentally too.) are too cool to care about the holiday season. Angelina sends the very human party planner to Connor to help with his planning. He is immediately taken with her but she is nervous about vampires.
Connor is a wonderful hero and reminds me of some of the old-fashioned heroes often found in romance novels of the past—only he’s a vampire. Its really a wonderful story about family coming together as much as anything else.
The next story “A Vampire in Her Stocking” is about Vivian who is a friend of Angelina. Vivian has been in love with her boss Nick for some time. Nick has no idea she’s a vampire and she’s never told him because she knows he is prejudiced against them. When she finds out he is dying, she is so distraught that Angelina turns him into a vampire and leaves him wrapped in a bow on Vivian’s couch.
Nick is a harder hero to like because he is so prejudiced against characters you have already grown to love. But Ms. Betts does a great job with this story and I think it feels very real.
“It’s a Wonderful Bite” is the most heart wrenching of all the stories. It is about Angelina herself. She wants to marry her boyfriend of a hundred years, Ian. She loves him and one night wishes they were both human instead of vampires so she could know what that would be like. In a ‘Christmas Story’ tribute, she gets a glimpse of that life.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed the heck out of this book but it doesn’t feel paranormal, not really, the vampires are all nice people. They can drop fang occasionally but not to hurt anybody and they basically want to be accepted and loved. Their fun, wonderful Christmas stories but I think she could have told them in a purely contemporary way. The vampirism felt more like an afterthought that a real plot point. Having said that, I read this very fast and I enjoyed it. I think it’s a fun read.
4 1/2 Tea Cups!
November 5, 2011
I love Christmas stories, I like vampire stories and I like romance stories. I am a bigger fan of books that are a series rather then short stories, but short stories are fun, too! I bought this book based on the title and the cover, I am not familiar with this writer.
Lot of cliche phrases in this book...which don't really bother me much but if your looking for a deep and meaningful book this isn't it. It was fun, but best for a quick, fun, fluffy read.
Each story is based on a couple and all three couples are all related somehow, not in a family way just that they know each other or work together or something. The book itself wasn't really Christmasy, just that the stories seemed to be set in the Christmas season.
There are several sex scenes....fairly juicy ones. So if you don't like a book with lots of sexy scenes, pass this one by.
All I vant for Christmas is the first book and my favorite out of the three and the only one using a human and a vampire as the main characters. Cute story and the most Christmasy I think. I like Connor best out of all the main male characters.
A Vampire in her Stocking is the second story and I am not real fond of Sean in this story....he is kind of an ass. I get why he is angry and everything but not why he feels he has to take it out on Vivian who is his love interest. I guess I was wrong when I said the first story is the only one who has a human and vampire as the main characters, but Sean is only human for one sex scene, after that he is a vampire.
The last story is Its a Wonderful Bite...based loosely around the movie with Jimmy Stewart, Its a Wonderful Life. This story focuses on Angelina and Ian and a little dream travel into a different time frame. Its probably the best written of the three, with the most plot.
All three stories are cute, if I was looking for a quick easy read one afternoon I would pick this book up again.
Lot of cliche phrases in this book...which don't really bother me much but if your looking for a deep and meaningful book this isn't it. It was fun, but best for a quick, fun, fluffy read.
Each story is based on a couple and all three couples are all related somehow, not in a family way just that they know each other or work together or something. The book itself wasn't really Christmasy, just that the stories seemed to be set in the Christmas season.
There are several sex scenes....fairly juicy ones. So if you don't like a book with lots of sexy scenes, pass this one by.
All I vant for Christmas is the first book and my favorite out of the three and the only one using a human and a vampire as the main characters. Cute story and the most Christmasy I think. I like Connor best out of all the main male characters.
A Vampire in her Stocking is the second story and I am not real fond of Sean in this story....he is kind of an ass. I get why he is angry and everything but not why he feels he has to take it out on Vivian who is his love interest. I guess I was wrong when I said the first story is the only one who has a human and vampire as the main characters, but Sean is only human for one sex scene, after that he is a vampire.
The last story is Its a Wonderful Bite...based loosely around the movie with Jimmy Stewart, Its a Wonderful Life. This story focuses on Angelina and Ian and a little dream travel into a different time frame. Its probably the best written of the three, with the most plot.
All three stories are cute, if I was looking for a quick easy read one afternoon I would pick this book up again.
March 14, 2012
This collection of short stories actually reads more like a novel that has a shifting focus since the stories are all linked via characters in common. Angelina, the matchmaker, is the primary linking figure, though we only see her more or less in passing until the third story, which focuses on her. The first and second stories had premises that could easily have been developed out to novel length on their own and not suffered for it, though they also work fine as short stories and don't feel like the author rushed things too much to wrap it up. The third story, about Angelina and her lover Ian, is kind of strange, though interesting. I don't think the concept behind it could have been played out much longer than it was though without seeming forced. As it is, things come to a conclusion there just about the time you're starting to go "Ok, time for her to wake up or whatever's going to happen here cause this is going South fast." The mood throughout all three stories is fairly light, and there's plenty of sex thrown in to spice things up and keep the heat on. Probably only really gets 3 1/2 stars to me, but it's enough over that to go to 4. An enjoyable, light read when you want a feelgood read with some heat, particularly if you want a dash of holiday spirit thrown in for good measure. Reading this while seated next to a twinkling tree is optional (though might add to the fun-factor).
October 4, 2010
This is the first book that I've read from Heidi Betts, and from what I've heard, it's her first paranormal romance. This book is split into three sepreate stories where the hero from the first story Connor, and the heroine from the second story Vivian are both friends with the heroine from the third story Angelina. The vampires are out of the coffin so to speak in these stories and mortals know of their existance, but don't really know much about them. There are some information books to be found at the library, but for the most part, vampires are kind of out there in the mass public, but people aren't always aware of them unless the vampires want them aware of their existance. They survive on human blood from donors or synthetic blood. I had mixed feelings about the first and third stories in the book. The story was well written, but I wish there would of been more to the story and have the relationships explored a little more. The chemistry between the hero's and heroines were there, but I feel like it wasn't enough. My favorite story in the book was the second story with Sean and Vivian. I loved the storyline and I loved the chemistry and intereaction between them. Anthologies are hard for me. I like the stories, but feel like it needs more. More background information, more struggle between them so when they come out on top I'm more invested in the relationship. The second story, A vampire in her stocking stood out for me and was my favorite one in this book
November 1, 2011
I was not very impressed with these books, though I have enjoyed Heidi Betts novels in the past. It's possible I just don't like a novella length romance - I do not read them often. Also, these three books (especially the first two) were more erotica than romance, which I was not expecting.
I feel like the focus was too much on sex and not enough on the characters and forging a romance. The sex scenes were very long and drawn out, and the characters spent very little time interacting with each other outside of the sex. I am not prudish - I like my romance novels to have sexy time in them - but this just felt like those porno movies that try to have a plot but really shouldn't bother because people only watch them for the sex. There wasn't a lot of plot or character depth here.
Also, I found Betts' vampires to be extremely boring. It's like True Blood vampires Disneyfied. Her vampires are out in the open publicly and drink synthetic blood called "NuBlood" (hmmmmm). Other than that, they don't act like vampires at all. I like my vampires to have a little bit of bloodlust, a little edge... Eric Northman is sexy, these vampires were just BLAH. I would have preferred them to not even BE vampires and the stories would probably have been much better.
I wouldn't really recommend this book - her knitting romance trilogy was much better. This just fell flat for me.
I feel like the focus was too much on sex and not enough on the characters and forging a romance. The sex scenes were very long and drawn out, and the characters spent very little time interacting with each other outside of the sex. I am not prudish - I like my romance novels to have sexy time in them - but this just felt like those porno movies that try to have a plot but really shouldn't bother because people only watch them for the sex. There wasn't a lot of plot or character depth here.
Also, I found Betts' vampires to be extremely boring. It's like True Blood vampires Disneyfied. Her vampires are out in the open publicly and drink synthetic blood called "NuBlood" (hmmmmm). Other than that, they don't act like vampires at all. I like my vampires to have a little bit of bloodlust, a little edge... Eric Northman is sexy, these vampires were just BLAH. I would have preferred them to not even BE vampires and the stories would probably have been much better.
I wouldn't really recommend this book - her knitting romance trilogy was much better. This just fell flat for me.
October 19, 2011
Fun story about vampires, known to general society, who face some of the same challenges as their human friends. This is actually 3 shorter stories woven about a central theme: Christmas.
In the first: Connor Drake, millionaire vamp and restauranteur, wants nothing more than a traditional Christmas with his younger brother and sister, the vamps Liam and Maeve. Friend Angelina recommends a party planner, the very human Jillian. Jillian, a little down on herself since her boyfriend cheated on her with a vamp, and called Jillian boring, wonders what it would be like to have an affair with Connor.
In the second: Vivian is a secret vampire who has been in love with her human boss, Sean, for two years. When Sean announces that he is dying comforting a distraught Vivan is all he can think about. The inevitable occurs and they make love in his office. Vivian's friend, Angelina, suggests a way to fix Sean's problem - turning him.
In the third: Angelina herself is having romantic problems with her longtime lover, Ian. Having lived together for 80 years, and being very much in love, Angelina thinks she would like Ian to propose marriage. Ian is a little undemonstrative and, after watching his favorite movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," Angelina wonders what it would be like if she and Ian were not vampires.
Very well written with lots of funny dialogue. Enjoyed this very much.
In the first: Connor Drake, millionaire vamp and restauranteur, wants nothing more than a traditional Christmas with his younger brother and sister, the vamps Liam and Maeve. Friend Angelina recommends a party planner, the very human Jillian. Jillian, a little down on herself since her boyfriend cheated on her with a vamp, and called Jillian boring, wonders what it would be like to have an affair with Connor.
In the second: Vivian is a secret vampire who has been in love with her human boss, Sean, for two years. When Sean announces that he is dying comforting a distraught Vivan is all he can think about. The inevitable occurs and they make love in his office. Vivian's friend, Angelina, suggests a way to fix Sean's problem - turning him.
In the third: Angelina herself is having romantic problems with her longtime lover, Ian. Having lived together for 80 years, and being very much in love, Angelina thinks she would like Ian to propose marriage. Ian is a little undemonstrative and, after watching his favorite movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," Angelina wonders what it would be like if she and Ian were not vampires.
Very well written with lots of funny dialogue. Enjoyed this very much.
March 30, 2013
In Heidi Betts's collection of holiday novellas, vampires turn to Angelina Bertolli—vampire matchmaker extraordinaire—to help them find that special someone to curl up with under the mistletoe. . .
"All I Vant For Christmas"
Connor loves trimming the Christmas tree, baking gingerbread cookies, and hanging the mistletoe. But his vampire siblings won't help. His friend Angelina sends party planner Jillian to the rescue. But when Jillian, who's mortal, discovers she's decking the halls for a family of vampires, will she run—or will Connor have a beautiful woman to share the holidays with?
"A Vampire in Her Stocking"
When Vivian learns that her secret crush Nick is terminally ill, she's heartbroken. Confiding in Angelina, Vivian refuses to turn Nick into a vampire. Deciding to play Santa, Angelina changes Nick and leaves him wrapped in a red bow on Vivian's doorstep. . .
"It's A Wonderful Bite"
Although Angelina is happy with her boyfriend Ian, she's ready for a commitment. After drinking eggnog and watching It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, Angelina falls into a dream where she is mortal and Ian isn't interested in her. Talk about the nightmare before Christmas! But Santa must have checked his list twice because this Christmas Angelina's wishes are coming true. . .
This is a cute little book with 3 quick reads. Each related to the other, yet somehow separate. Just a bit of a change of pace. Not your typical 'Nocturnal' books, but very enjoyable. 4 star!
"All I Vant For Christmas"
Connor loves trimming the Christmas tree, baking gingerbread cookies, and hanging the mistletoe. But his vampire siblings won't help. His friend Angelina sends party planner Jillian to the rescue. But when Jillian, who's mortal, discovers she's decking the halls for a family of vampires, will she run—or will Connor have a beautiful woman to share the holidays with?
"A Vampire in Her Stocking"
When Vivian learns that her secret crush Nick is terminally ill, she's heartbroken. Confiding in Angelina, Vivian refuses to turn Nick into a vampire. Deciding to play Santa, Angelina changes Nick and leaves him wrapped in a red bow on Vivian's doorstep. . .
"It's A Wonderful Bite"
Although Angelina is happy with her boyfriend Ian, she's ready for a commitment. After drinking eggnog and watching It's a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, Angelina falls into a dream where she is mortal and Ian isn't interested in her. Talk about the nightmare before Christmas! But Santa must have checked his list twice because this Christmas Angelina's wishes are coming true. . .
This is a cute little book with 3 quick reads. Each related to the other, yet somehow separate. Just a bit of a change of pace. Not your typical 'Nocturnal' books, but very enjoyable. 4 star!
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