This contemporary vampire romance may lack the violence, intensity and eroticism typical of the subgenre, but bestseller Ashley (After Sundown
) still delivers an exciting plot and a heroine who can kick ass with the best of them. A killer is draining green-eyed redheads of their blood in the Midwestern town of Pear Blossom Creek, and 22-year-old Victoria Cavendish knows she should be leery of mysterious men like Antonio Battista, who orders food he never eats at the diner where she waitresses, then disappears into thin air. In fact, Antonio is a 600-year-old vampire. While an obsessive, yellow-eyed vampire stalks Vicki and a vampire hunter remains convinced Antonio's the killer, the innocent smalltown girl and Antonio fall in love. Even if they can survive the danger, what will happen to their love? A ghost living in Antonio's isolated Spanish castle provides additional paranormal flair, and a secondary romance between the vampire hunter ready to retire his stake and Vicki's best friend round out the story. (Feb.)
