Review: A Vampire's Unlikely Alliance

A Vampire's Unlikely Alliance by Tena Stetler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What does it take to let a former vampire assassin enjoy a quiet and peaceful life? Stefan is one of the very few, less than a handful who retired from the Vampire Council with his head intact. He is living a quiet unassuming life in Montana working the night shift at a radio station. He's sort of lost his way and not sure what he wants to do. He is just relieved he no longer needs to kill. Still, he struggles with his blood lust and mourns the separation from his people, especially his grandfather.

When he trips over a gorgeous feisty red head (are there any other kind?) he falls for her. The romance between Stefan and Brandy is best described as YA. There is drama and and a severe lack of maturity on Brandy's part. Both characters are likeable, Brandy just comes across as a bit immature and overly emotional. Take this with a grain of salt because I'm a jaded old woman who goes by facts and logic, not my "feelings". Brandy's drama aside, Stefan is the stereotypical guy who was burned before and now he can't ever want to be with a woman without getting some kind of emotional PTSD.

Fortunately, the plot of this story is more interesting than their romance. I liked the concept of the demon gates and what is needed to close them. I did not read the first two books and was able to easily pick up what happened previously. Ms. Stetler does a nice job of recapping previous events with the right amount of detail. She doesn't overshare; she highlights and moves on. I appreciated this writing style and it makes me want to read the first two books to see more of this world she's built.

The world building is nicely done with the weaving of warlocks, demons, shifters and vampires. I am a big fan of gryphons which is why I picked up the book. I liked how Ms. Stetler used an uncommon shifter and blended it with Irish background and a wee bit of fae mythology. Clever. One of the secondary characters nearly stole the show for me in this book. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for mischievous fae with a twinkle in their eye.

The pace of this story is a bit slow and the build up to the climax takes a while. When the big event happens, the story moves fast and concludes quickly. Just when I think it's the end, there is a little hook for the next book in the series. I like series which take secondary characters and make them the protagonist in a latter book. Looking forward to seeing what is in store for Brandy's sibling. This paranormal romance is recommended for readers who enjoy Irish lore with a mix of deadly warlocks, hair dressing demons and DJ vampires.

* Review copy provided via Reading Alley for an honest review.