Review: Must Love Lycans

Posted September 8, 2011 by Jen in 3.5 stars, Paranormal Romance, Rating B Tags: , ,

Must Love Lycans
Release Date: September 6, 2011
Publisher: Signet
Broken Heart Vampires #8
ISBN: #978-0451234506
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (320 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
Since the moment he showed up—gloriously naked—I’ve been having a hard time keeping my relationship with the clinic’s newest amnesiac patient strictly professional. Damian might not remember his past, but sweet mamma jamma, he sure knows how to push all my buttons.
Even with my empathic abilities, I’m not sure I can get past Damian’s anger to find the cause of his delusions. After all, falling for a patient is bad enough, but falling for a patient who thinks he’s a werewolf is a whole other kind of crazy. Especially when said patient decides to mark me as his. Now I’m feeling a little bit funny, and not just because Damian sets my hormones raging….
What B is talking about:
Kelsey Morningstone has seen some strange things at the private clinic she’s in charge of, but nothing can beat her newest patient: a gorgeous, amnesic, naked man named Damian. And she’s having a hard time keeping her hands to herself. Especially when he decides she’s his mate.
Damian is not only a man without a memory; he’s a prince without a kingdom. He’s also just found his mate in the young psychotherapist who’s trying to help him. Of course, his bite might be the death of her, but nothing’s ever perfect. 
This was the eighth novel of the Broken Heart Vampire Series, but it never made me feel lost and was a lot of fun to read. Although it bordered on complete silliness several times, Must Love Lycans was sweet, quick, and just the right amount of naughty. 
Bardsley seems to thoroughly enjoy her characters, and while they are based on familiar archetypes, she manages to imbue them with unique undertones and perspectives. Kelsey is a fish-out-of water mortal in an immortal world who quickly embraces her new life. Damian is a wonderfully prickly alpha male whose fiery mate is quite capable of showing him who’s really in charge. 
As all of the characters were unfamiliar to me, and all use either German or Irish colloquialisms, the glossaries Bardsley includes at the end of the book came in handy. Her vampires and werewolves are thoroughly modern, however, and most have a good sense of humor and a mean competitive streak when it comes to playing Rock Band. 
As werewolf mates, Kelsey and Damian are uninhibited and the sex scenes are definitely steamy. He is dominant and primal, but takes proper alpha pride in his mate’s pleasure. She is largely inexperienced, but catches on fast, and quickly discovers the value of a good tease. The generous frequency of their interludes is a bonus.
Bardsley kindly makes Must Love Lycans a successful standalone within a long-standing series. While the novel didn’t offer a lot of surprises, it did make me feel welcome as a reader and curious about the other characters whose stories have come before it. Kelsey and Damian are likable characters, and watching their conflicts end pleasurably well was a treat. I’m definitely interested to know more about the series as a whole, and see what Bardsley has in mind next.
B’s Rating:
Liked it a lot – recommend (B+)





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