Series: Maggie's Grove #1
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Published by: Carina Press on April 11, 2011
Format: eARC
Pages: 236
Source: NetGalley
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A seduction-gone-wrong leaves vampire Parker Hollis with a new vegetarian lifestyle and on the run from a vengeful witch. Moving to small-town Maggie's Grove, Parker meets a redheaded dryad with green, leafy blood that draws him in a way he hasn't experienced in decades. His new neighbor smells divine, and it isn't long before craving gives in to need.
In a unique community of supernaturals, tree-loving outcast Amara Schwedler has never quite fit in. She's scarred by a traumatic incident and feared by the local townsfolk. She's convinced Parker will look elsewhere for a mate once he discovers she's not one of the O-positive set, and can't believe it when Parker finds her irresistible.
When the witch who's been plaguing Parker's life discovers the newfound attraction between Parker and Amara, she takes out her anger on the town. Can the supernaturals of Maggie's Grove accept Amara and band together in time to withstand the assaults of the enraged witch?
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Vampire gone green…what’s next?!
Parker Hollis is a player vampire if there ever was one. He’s the love ’em and leave ’em type until a sexual encounter with a powerful and possessive witch named Terri leaves him with an unlikely curse that requires him to feed only on the blood of plants instead of feeding on human blood and therefore preventing him from “cheating” on her. Luckily, Parker’s best friend happens to be a witch who helps him with his new dietary needs. When Greg passes away years later and comes back as a ghost, Parker decides to start a new life by moving to the small town of Maggie’s Grove that just happens to be inhabited by all things paranormal. It’s here where he meets Amara, a woman who is just as unique as Parker and entices his senses from the moment he lays eyes on her.
Life in Maggie’s Grove looks promising for Parker, he’s got his roommate Greg, a “Renfield” assistant courtesty of the town and things with Amara are starting to heat up. Little does Parker know his world is about to be turned upside down when his crazy ex-lover comes to Maggie’s Grove with only one thing on her mind…vengeance. Terri will stop at nothing to have Parker by her side again, even if it means destroying Maggie’s Grove and all of its inhabitants.
I expected a paranormal romance when I started reading this book but soon realized it is more along the lines of paranormal erotica, not that that’s a bad thing! The story and characters are one of the most unique I have read in a long time, an outcast dryad falls in love with a vegetarian vampire whose best friend is a gay ghost and in a relationship with his “Renfield,” all in a town where witches, vampires and werewolves all co-exist. The humor was a little unexpected for this type of book but I found myself laughing out loud many times. Amara and Parker have great physical chemistry together and don’t waste any time in heating things up! There are plenty of sex scenes to satisfy those who like a little romance and more action in their books.
What didn’t work for me in this book was the addition of so many side characters, it was difficult to follow when so many new characters were introduced. I feel some of these characters could have been explored in the next installment rather than integrating all of them in the first book. The love scenes between Amara and Parker are very sultry and thoroughly enjoyed but I felt there was something missing…I didn’t feel the spark between these two characters, their romance felt rushed and is overshadowed by the sex. Greg and Brian’s secondary characters are funny, naughty and sometimes outshine the main couple in the story, I absolutely loved them!
I found this to be a sexy and fun read despite my confusion with the addition of characters. There was plenty of action in and out of the bedroom, well developed characters and sexiness for me not to like it. BLOOD OF THE MAPLE is a heck of a ride into a fun yet dangerous paranormal world of dryads, vampires, witches and werewolves! Be sure to add this to your list if you enjoy books such as the Sookie Stackhouse series.
*Note: This book contains explicit sexual content and situations that some readers may find objectionable: anal sex/play and light BDSM theme and elements.
I really likes the first few Sookie Stackhouse books, but now I’m a little tired of them. Maybe because I like True Blood more ;]
Sounds like a nice read, I shall give it a try!