The Lady is a Vamp

Book: The Lady is a Vamp (Argeneau Vampires)
Author:Lynsay Sands
Genre: Paranormal Romance

If you have not read any of this series and area romance fan, then you are missing out. I would not suggest starting with this book, though they are all stand alone. If you start from the first books in the series you will pick up on the world more easily. This one just came out this month, and I was happy to buy it at the grocery store, as you get 25% off the bestselling authors!

Background: In the world of Sands vampires, - they prefer to be called immortals - vampirism is actually the result of science. Immortals originate on Atlantis - yes, Atlantis - as a result of advanced medical technology. The Atlanteans developed nano robots that lived in the blood stream and repairs damage. They reproduced themselves and used blood as fuel - given through transfusions. It was meant as a cure to diseases like cancer or internal injuries, but the nanos saw the environmental and age damage done to the body as something to fix, so they never went away. They constantly repair the body and so never shut down. This of course gives the immortals un-ending life and healing. Of course they can be burned or beheaded - apparently sprouting a new head is beyond even nanos. After the fall of Atlantis, the immortals had no way to get blood transfusions due to the primitive culture of the rest of the world, so the nanos gave them fangs, speed, and mind control among other things in order to be able to get blood to fuel themselves. The stay out of the sun as it forces them to need more blood due to the UV damage.

The Argeneau family is one of the most prominent families in the immortal world, and the series focuses on different members of the family finding life mates - the one person they cannot control or mind read. The are rules in this world - such as only one child every hundred years, and only turning one person for each immortal. This latter rule of course causes issues in every book in one way or another.

The Story: In this installment of the series, our characters are Jeanne Louise Argeneau and Paul Jones. Both are scientists workings for Argeneau Industries, which deals in bagged blood, and researches solutions to various immortal problems. Paul Jones is human, but knows about the immortals as he works on projects for them. Jeannie has worked there for 75 years on an immortal medical issue she is trying to cure. Paul, a widower and single father, kidnaps Jeannie in order to convince her to turn his daughter into an immortal, knowing nothing about the rules, because she is dying of cancer. Jeanne Louise cannot read Paul and realizes he must be her lifemate, so she decides to stick around for a while. This is complicated by the fact that the immortal police force - the Enforcers - are hunting for them and will most likely kill Paul for kidnapping one of their own. The story follows the development of their relationship on the run, with Paul's daughter and dog along for the ride.

The Good and the Bad: The world in Sands' series is more interesting and believable than any other vampire series that I have read. Her characters are strong and well developed. Most of her books have wonderful plots in which romance is important, but other issues are in the forefront, keeping the book from getting boring. I would have to say that this is my least favorite of her books so far. While there is the issue of the cancer, the romance takes the front seat, and the end is rather predictable of course. I was not sucked into this one as much as the others, nor did I feel so strongly about the main female character. The main male character is more interesting and likeable in this book, as we really just don't know too much about the heroine. We don't know much about her past, her interests beyond science, her friends, or her relationship with her family. All those aspects are what has contributed to her better characters in the past. This story lacks the action and excitement of her other books. There is only one moment that provided that, and that is in the last fourth of the book. I feel like this book is stretching to continue her series focusing on the family. Maybe it is time for her to move away from the family and bring up some of the side characters or go to a new family entirely. I would like to read more in the world, and I hope that the subsequent books are not a disappointment like this one.

Overall Opinion: I would suggest Sands' Argeneau series highly, but start from the beginning and don't feel too rushed to go out and get this one. Maybe check it out from the library or borrow it from a friend. I am one of those people who likes to have  complete series, so I am glad I read and own it, but it will not be one I am eager to re-read for quite some time.