DEAD END DATING

Author: Kimberly Raye ISBN: 0345492161 9/2006 CONTEMP/PARANORMAL Publisher: BALLANTINE

BITING IS SO LAST SEASON. A vivacious vampire with a flair for accessorizing, Lil Marchette is unlike most of her kind. She prefers lively shades of pink to dismal black (soo not her color), plus she’s a hopeless romantic. In need of a steady paycheck to support a compulsive cosmetics habit, Lil starts Dead End Dating (DED), a Manhattan-based matchmaking service that helps smart, sophisticated singles like herself find eternity mates–and may even help her stake a claim to her very own Count Right! When Lil meets geeky vampire Francis Deville, she knows he’s the perfect first client. If she can hook up Francis–after a little revamping, of course–she will prove her skills to the vampire community and turn DED into the hottest dating service in the Big Apple. But just as her business takes off, Lil meets the (literally) drop-dead gorgeous bounty hunter Ty Bonner, who is hot on the chase of a serial killer. Instantly drawn to the luscious vamp stud, Lil really wants a taste. But as a made vampire, Ty can’t procreate–and Lil will settle for nothing less. Luckily, between “vampifying” Francis and helping Ty solve his murder mystery, Lil has no time for silly romantic entanglements . . . even if Ty is all that and a Bloody Mary chaser!

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

If you're in the mood for a downright funny book, then I suggest reading Kimberly Raye's DEAD END DATING. This book is hilarious from beginning to end. I had a great time reading it and I would like to think that you will, too.

Kimberly Raye created an amusing story that centers on a very chic vampire named Lilliana Arabella Guinevere du Marchette—better known as Lil and her dating service, called Dead End Dating. Lil, in my opinion, is a combination of all the women from Sex and the City. She is not only hoping to hook up single vampires, but also hopes to find her own eternity mate. When her business finally opens, all she has is just one client, but that's about to change when she encounters vampire Francis Deville.

Francis is completely lovable, extremely naive and quite lonely. Lil is determined to turn Francis into a babe magnet! Not only does she take on the challenge of the decade transforming Francis, but she also becomes entwined in a murder mystery with the sexy "made" vampire bounty hunter—Ty!

Ty arouses all of Lil's senses but he's a "made" vampire, and that means that he is perfect in every way except one—he's not able to procreate. A major bummer for Lil, whose mother is all about her finding her eternity mate and producing heirs. Lil is going to have to tame her inner beast if she's to work with him.

If the plot isn't interesting enough, the characters in DEAD END DATING are. Raye did a great job creating unique characters that are not only funny but are very likable, as well.

Kimberly Raye's DEAD END DATING is an entertaining combination of paranormal, comedy, and romance. If you find this book as enjoyable as I did, Ms. Snelling has a sequel in the works called DEAD AND DATELESS.

Julie Kornhausl