Her Vampire Husband by Michele Hauf

Publisher:  HQN / Harlequin Enterprises
Pages:  368

(Release Date:  4/1/10)

From the Cover: 

An arranged marriage between a werewolf and a vampire.

There will be blood.

She may resist his bite, but she can't resist his charms...

Werewolf princess Blu Masterson won't allow her seductive vampire husband to consummate their marriage with his bite, marking her forever. Alone in a secluded estate with her sworn enemy, Blu curses the marriage arranged to bring their rival nations together, especially since Creed Saint-Pierre calls out to her most feral desires.

When Blu uncovers her pack's secret plot to destroy the vampire nation—and Creed—she is forced to confront her growing feelings for her sexy undead husband. Will she choose the only life she's ever known or accept his vampire bite? 

Blu Masterson, werewolf princess and the only female of the northern pack, has been promised in marriage to a longtooth, the elder tribe leader, Creed Saint-Pierre.  This is a move between the governing Council and her conniving father, Amandus Masteron to bring peace to the struggle between the vampires and the werewolves.  But Amandus is always scheming in the background, more than his beautiful and mistreated daughter can ever know.

Creed Saint-Pierre, 900 year old vampire, has seen more than most even in his own kind.  He accepts this sham of a marriage because the Council wants it to be so, and if he's in control, he can orchestrate his own plans behind the farce marriage.  What Creed doesn't expect to happen are the feelings he thought long dead that the saucy werewolf princess evokes.

What can one vampire and werewolf hope to accomplish, the battle between wolf and vampire has raged for centuries.  Even if they fall in love, even if she accepts his bite, even if it means his death.

Her Vampire Husband by Michele Hauf is a very quick, very sexy, very fun read.  I loved Michele Hauf's sense of humor, her struggle to right the wrongs, and do it all with a playful sexuality, almost like dark little sexy romp.  I fell in love with Blu Masterson, her outrageous little stunts hiding secrets.  I fell in love with Creed because he could wait out the princess, give what she needed and only took what was offered freely.

Blu Masterson should have had it all, the only werewolf princess, hell, the only female in her pack.  She should have been revered.  But the dynamics of her pack are as sick as her father's misguided beliefs.  Creed Saint-Pierre, centuries old vampire, was turned against his will because of his ability to wield a deadly sword, one that the ancient vampire society sought to use against the wolves.  He's hunted werewolves and killed indiscriminately for more than a few of those centuries.  And still the wolves and the vampires are deadly enemies.  If only the marriage could accomplish what it set out to achieve, peace between the battling nations.  But each faction schemes against the other, unknowingly at first, but as Creed and Blu become closer, the secrets are revealed.  The creep out factor has to go to Amandus Masterson, a supremely evil creature that at the beginning of the book, had outlived his usefulness, if his miserable soul ever had a use.  His ability to use and abuse his daughter made Blu's story that much more poignant and heart breaking.  And along with her outrageous stunts, wigs, outfits and sensuality, this vulnerability is what draws Creed to her, into her, to become part of her.  It's Creed's ability to calm the beast, love the beast, and see passed the scars that draws Blu back again and again, each time revealing more.

Her Vampire Husband, part of her Wicked Games Series, brings back some of the characters from her previous books, The Highwayman (WG #1), Moon Kissed (WG #2), and After the Kiss (WG #2.5), most notably the sexy and tortured werewolf, Severo.  Her Vampire Husband (WG #3) has a prequel with Alexandre and Veronica's story in Vampire's Tango (WG #2.5).  All of these books and short stories could easily be read as stand alone books or if you'd like as a series, but the enjoyment of the books are not depended upon each other.  All have a magical quality, fae beings (Michele like the faery dust, but not your usual faeries), as well as other paranormal beings as supporting characters.  If you enjoy paranormal romance, urban fantasy, or just a hot little read, try Her Vampire Husband.  I was able to read from cover to cover in a single day, it was hard to put down.  I very much enjoyed this quick read and hope others give it.  With each book Ms. Hauf grows as an author, her voice clearer and keener.  I'll hoping that this series continues, I've been enjoying it and I wait to see what else Michele Hauf has to offer her readers.

I received this book from the publisher, Harlequin, and Net Galley for review.  All opinions expressed are my own.