Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Review Tour: Nightside by V.L. Locey #Review #Giveaway



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Length: 50,236 words

Erie Series

An Erie Collection - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb

Being a new member of the undead sect has its ups and downs, something that newly embraced Akio Lee is finding out first hand. Being able to spend eternity with his beloved Vincente, the man who introduced him to life in the nightside, is a definite up. Having to feed on strangers? That’s one of the downsides, and something that Akio is finding difficult to swallow. But what other option is there for a recently wed vampire couple who need blood to survive?

Finding a new donor perhaps? One who comes into the lifestyle willingly, as Akio had done, and is open to the unique and sensual relationship that develops when three men have a blood bond. A man who can exist in both the nightside and the dayside worlds. A man like Ian O’Keeffe, the handsome caretaker of the manse Akio and Vincente now call home? Ian seems to tick every box Akio and Vincente have—he’s comfortable around vampires, he’s obviously into men, he’s drop-dead gorgeous, he’s more than a little mischievous, and he’s human. Mostly.

But will the outgoing handyman be willing to offer two vampires his vein, his body, and his heart?


Review

Akio has gone from being a blood donor bonded to a vampire to marrying said vampire becoming one of the undead himself. Akio and Vincente are in love and working to change the minds of other magical beings about many things that have gone long unchecked in their society from half-bloods being viewed as lesser beings to vampires being scorned and feared. But while Akio loves Vincente and is adjusting to this new undead life, one thing he still grapples with is feeding from a human host. It is not only uncomfortable for Akio but often leaves him less than satisfied. So when Akio and Vincente move house and meet their new caretaker, Ian, both are drawn to the man and it’s not just the magical lure of his blood. But how can Akio justify loving two men and how will Vincente react? Will his husband feel betrayed or could he perhaps be harboring similar feelings for Ian as well?

I can assure you that only for one of my favorite writers, V.I. Locey, would I even entertain the idea of reading a ménage story, but if anyone can make me a fan of the trope then it would be this author and their latest novel, Nightside. Nightside is tied back to Locey’s Erie Collection but really can be read as a standalone. If you have read the other novellas then you will see that most of the characters in this one are familiar especially Akio and Vincente. It’s these two that are featured in this story and they are just delicious together and when Ian finally joins them this novel absolutely sizzles.

The book has a bit of a side mystery to it and I must admit that it was pretty shallow, in my opinion. I wish we had just stuck with the exploration of a polyamorous relationship and how the two vampires, especially Akio, would cope with this new twist early on in the marriage. It’s Akio who, because he is so new to living as a vampire, really still grapples with many issues from the mundane like still craving human food that now makes him sick to grappling with guilt about being attracted to someone other than his husband whom he adores. I liked how the author chose to explore those feelings and how Vincente assured him that he would love Akio no differently if they invited a third into their hearts and bedroom.

As for the mystery element, it was almost non-existent until the big climax near the end of the story which was pretty shocking. I felt like that portion of this book was thrown together at the end just in order to bring a rapid conclusion to the shocking surprise that they had uncovered earlier in the house. In the end, I was less invested in discovering more about that then watching the evolving relationship between the three men.

As a polyamorous romance I think Nightside was a definite hit. While the mystery portion of the novel seemed underdeveloped and too neatly resolved, I still enjoyed this story overall.
 



V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, Dr. Who, Torchwood, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, two Jersey steers and a flock of assorted domestic fowl.

When not writing lusty tales, she can be found enjoying her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.



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