Seducing the Vampire by Michele Hauf

Publisher:  HQN/Harlequin
Pages:  384

(Released:  December 21, 2010)

From the Cover:

In Marie Antoinette's Paris, the beautiful vampire Viviane seeks a male patron who will allow her to live on her own terms. Courted by two feuding brothers, Viviane succumbs to the handsome rebel, Rhys. She's unaware that Rhys has other, darker, motives. He seeks vengeance against his brother, Constantine—by stealing Viviane and tainting her with his blood.

But just as Rhys is realizing the depth of his love for Viviane, his brother takes his revenge. By casting a spell on the woman they both desire, he condemns her to a living death inside a glass coffin.

Two centuries later, Rhys hears the legend of the Snow White vampiress, imprisoned deep in the tunnels under Paris. He must find her and set her free, but will he be able to save her from the evil still intent on destroying them?

Viviane LaMourette is an independent young vampiress, barely two centuries old, bloodborn, and patroned to Henri Chevalier. He took her under his patronage with the death of her parents, but has allowed her independence, demanding nothing of the young vampiress. When Constantine de Salignac proposes taking her patronage, possibly a match and marriage to create a line of bloodborn vampires, pure blood, creating a tribe of vampires to rival all of Paris, she balks, she will answer to no man, nor bow down, vampire or not.

Rhys Hawkes spies the young vampiress in the salons of Paris. He's been sent to investigate the murder of a vampire couple, Henri and Blanche Chevalier, the very same patron of Viviane. Was this deed committed by a crazed werewolf? Rhys has more secrets, he is a half breed, born half vampire half werewolf. When he scents Viviane, he realizes he has to have her as his own. Will she be able to accept his wolf? Will his vampire allow him to love the vampiress?

When Lord Salignac discovers the half breed's intentions, he reveals the well kept secret, and that Rhys Hawkes is his own half brother. Though, Viviane has been tempted by Rhys, she rejects the truths he has hidden. Can he win her back? Will Constantine de Salignac allow his brother to have what he demands as his own?

Seducing the Vampire by Michele Hauf tells the story of what happens to an independent woman, before her time. It's a time when vampires and werewolves shared the title as the Dark Ones. Women were subservient to men, even vampiresses. The male vampire was not demanded to seek out a female vampire for life, but the female of the species was depended upon the male for survival, forced to partake blood from the male or die. It is the same for Viviane, but her patron demands nothing more, Salignac demands submission, sex, and bloodborn children. She will be nothing more than a brood mare. She rails against his demands, refuses him. Then, suddenly Henri is gone, as will be her life if she does not take another patron. Salignac wants to fill that role. But Rhys discovers an awful secret, one that will bring Salignac to his knees, if he can nail the bastard down, how could his own brother commit such a dastardly deed? Viviane can see no one other than Rhys, even with his half blood, he is more of a man than Salignac can ever hope to be. When Salignac sees he is going to lose to the half blood abomination, he acts quickly and horrifically. While Rhys is sating his wolf, Salignac is committing a horrible crime.

Seducing the Vampire is historical paranormal romance, a story told in two different times, jumping from the past to the present to render a heart wrenching story of loss and hope. It is the retelling of the Snow White story with the vampiress as the poor maiden thrown into an aware paralyzed sleep by an evil Lord and his warlock underling for more than two centuries. When Snow White is awaken, she is near crazed with a bloodlust, lost to herself. It is only through love that she is able to find her way again. Michele Hauf was written wonderful retelling of the Snow White story, but it's not the Disney version, it's much more frightening and evil. It does take the handsome prince to bring his beauty back to life, to live once again within the society of humanity. If you're a fan of historical romances, this is an unique story with all the elements of a good historical. For all paranormal romance lovers, this one fills the bill, a love story to stand the test of the times. And urban fantasy fans will find this as a vivid imagining of the Snow White story where a dark world is created with the beginning of a light world to reveal witches, warlocks, familiars, faeries, vampires, and weres as well as the mortals who wander among them.  Ms. Hauf mentions some favorite characters from other stories to tie the series together. If you enjoy Michele Hauf storytelling, this is one not to be missed, she combines the past and present to create a excellently told tale, it was a page turner to the end. I very much enjoyed it as I have most of Ms. Hauf's books, and I'll be waiting for the next, Forever Vampire, May 2011. For more information about Ms. Hauf or her books, please visit her website.


I received this ebook from Net Galley and Harlequin for review.  All opinions expressed are my own.