Lawson’s review of The Renegade Hunter (Argeneau Vampires, Book 12) by Lynsay Sands
Paranormal Romance published by Avon 29 Sep 09

Here is another installment in the Immortals series by Lynsay Sands. Sure, they’re called vampires since they drink blood and have fangs, but blood-sucking fiends they’re not. At least that’s what they’ll say. There are times when these vampires go rogue, eat “off the hoof” and break the few rules laid down by the Council. This book starts where the Immortal Hunter ends, though it’s back with the Willians, from The Rogue Hunter.

Jo and Alex Willian don’t understand why their sister Sam and her fiancee Mortimer keep bringing strange men around. They’re at a party at Mortimer’s work and though the men are all hot, they don’t mingle with anyone. Jo decides to go out for some air and instead is attacked by a guy who manages to escape while some other guy kisses her. Though Jo is confused, she does go home after the incident.

Nicholas Argeneau has been a rogue for the last fifty years. He still tracks down other rogues to be turned over to the council, but he’s kept a low profile to keep himself from punishment. That changes when a group he’s been tracking takes too many hostages and he gets involved again with the Hunters (in the Immortal Hunter). Tracking one to the HQ, Nicholas saves Jo, then kisses her. He knows he can’t read her since he couldn’t make her go back into the building.

Nicholas then goes to check on Jo, but she’s been tracked by the rogue and Nicholas saves Jo again, and they go on the run. Nicholas must escape the Hunters after him while trying to lead them to the rogue after Jo. While this sounds a bit complicated, it does work pretty well and the action does take place over a few days, rather than 24 hours like the Immortal Hunter.

Both Nicholas and Jo are good together, but at this point there’s little use for story because once that “I can’t read him/her, they’re my lifemate” moment sort of overtakes the rest of the action. The reader knows what’s going to happen and it’s all just action to liven up the parts in between when the new lifemates get busy between the sheets (or wherever they are). The writing in this book did make things a bit easier to bear, as opposed to Rogue Hunter and Immortal Hunter, which seemed to be more like placeholders in the story to get to the next book, which is Armand and Eshe’s story.

Perhaps the mythology is getting too big, or it’s just too many books, but I’ll keep reading, I know. I just hope that the stories have a bit more plot and character development before the “we’re lifemates” moment and then they jump in the sack. Let’s have a little time to get to know people before the horizontal mambo.

Grade: C+

Summary:

The Argeneau family has a secret…one of their own is a rogue vampire!

Nicholas Argeneau was once a successful hunter who went after rogue vampires who break the immortal law. Except no one has mentioned his name in the last fifty years, not since he turned into a rogue himself. But once a hunter, always a hunter. When Nicholas sees a bloodthirsty sucker terrifying a woman, it’s second nature for him to come to her rescue. He had no idea he would also want to kiss her senseless…

One minute Josephine Willan is taking in a breath of fresh air, and the next sharp fangs are heading straight for her neck! Luckily a gorgeous stranger saves her life . . . and gets locked up for his troubles. Can a man who kisses so lovingly and passionately really have committed the crime he’s accused of? Jo isn’t so sure…and she’s determined to prove that this renegade hunter is worth fighting for.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Gwen’s review of The Rogue Hunter (Argeneau Vampires Book 10 or Rogue Hunters Book 1) by Lynsay Sands
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Avon 30 Sep 08

This is the first book of a new vampire series by Sands and is connected to her Argeneau Vampires books, but will apparently be a unique series.  I have never cared for the Argeneau books, to be honest, so I was hoping that a fresh series would lend a fresh voice to what I found to be good, but oh-so-deliberately paced writing.  However, after reading this first book, I’m not sure if I’ll be reading the next.

Unfortunately, I found that the same bones I have to pick with the Argeneau’s exist with the Rogue Hunters. I’m not saying that Sands’s writing isn’t good – it’s quite good if very deliberate.  Reading it is a bit like walking with a great aunt who believes that a nice, long walk after dinner is the key to her long life. You always see her at the same time, same place, in the same sweater.  You see her every day, same time, same place, walking with the same old friends.  This deliberateness is probably comforting to Sands’s fans, but I prefer more dynamic environments.  Again, not saying it’s bad – just not my bag.

Because of this seemingly strict adherence to Sands’s “model,” I didn’t care for The Rogue Hunter.  It was readable but I didn’t connect with the characters. I felt like the women weren’t developed enough – not enough angst or conflict was expressed when describing them almost as if they’re an archetype the reader should already know about.  I also felt like the men in the book were also similarly underdeveloped, particularly the hero.  Again, perhaps it’s a case of the reader should know what these characters are about before we pick up the book.

The Rogue Hunter is also heavy on interaction between the hero and heroine.  I don’t necessarily mean heavy on development of the relationship, but heavy on interaction.  Despite the heavy interaction, I didn’t feel like there was a very believable development of the hero and heroine’s romance.  And, considering why I’m reading the book (romance, HEA, and all that), kind of left me cold.

There was also a surprising lack of action – either the suspense/mystery or the secks kind.  The story kept promising on both fronts and but never quite delivers.  What results from this lack is a plot that meanders a bit and never really takes off.  Picture your great aunt walking around in circles for a while in the middle of the aforementioned walk.

To me, the book’s climax was a serious let down.  There was lots of set-up and plotting but no real villain, no real action.  All in all, this was a very anemic (heh) vampire tale, and just not my cuppa tea.

I can only recommend this book to fans of Sands’s Argeneau series.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Samantha Willan is a workaholic lawyer. She’s grateful for some rest and relaxation in cottage country, and after a recent breakup she wants to stay as far away from romance as possible. Then she meets her irresistible new neighbor. There’s something strange and mysterious about his eyes. Is it just her imagination, or are they locked on her neck?

Garrett Mortimer is a rogue hunter. His last assignment united Lucian Argeneau with his lifemate, and Mortimer is hoping this one will be less . . . adventurous. He’s here to track down a reported rogue, but fun in the sun is every bloodsucker’s nightmare. Worse, he can’t seem to get his mind off Samantha, especially when he spies her skinny-dipping in the lake. After eight hundred years as a bachelor, is he ready to turn a volatile attraction into a lasting love affair?

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Lawson’s review of The Rogue Hunter (Argeneau Vampires, Book 10) by Lynsay Sands
Paranormal romance released by Avon 26 Sept 08

Any book with the Argeneau Vampires is a must read for me. Though there are a couple in the series that aren’t as good, in general the books are all must haves. Though most of the main members of the Argeneau family have had their books, Sands is starting to branch out more into the secondary characters from previous novels, and I’m sure later on, the legion of cousins to the Argeneau.

This story follows a Rogue Hunter Garrett Mortimer. Hunters work as enforcers of a sort for the Council that governs North America for the immortals. Mortimer and his partner, Justin Bricker, come to cottage country to investigate a rash of bitings of mortals. For those not familiar with the series, the immortals (they like that better than vampire) have blood banks that supply them with blood so they don’t have to prey on the human population. Anyone who bites humans in other than emergencies are considered rogue and subject to justice.

Mortimer and Bricker are staying in a cottage with Decker Argeneau Pimms, another rogue hunter and the cottage owner. Next door are three sisters, Samantha, Alexandra and Josephine Willan. Sam is a lawyer, Alex is a chef and Jo is a bartender working her way to finish school. The sisters are interested in their new neighbors and are more than happy to show them around and take them to the nightlife around the lake.

Mortimer realizes that Sam is his lifemate, though he’s not too happy about it at first because she’s not his sexy brunette, stacked ideal and she’s clumsy due to an ear infection. While Mortimer is searching for the Rogue, Sam has to deal with demands of her job with a prestigious law firm that sends her on an assignment for a wealthy client. Alex and Jo see the sparks between Sam and Mortimer and do their best to start some matchmaking attempts.

Through the story there’s some humor, some slapstick and some plot points that work and some that don’t. Sam’s major issue is a lack of confidence in herself due to her ex-fiancee. As she falls for Mortimer, she looses confidence in herself, and she starts to become a bit whiney. Mortimer runs hot and cold because of various issues with his blood intake, which doesn’t help Sam at all. When they do finally manage to get together, it’s worth the wait through the various stops in the between the sheets action.

Though sent to hunt the rogue, there’s not much time spent on that in the story. There’s even a scene in the prologue that references something more sinister, but it’s never revisited in the rest of the book. Perhaps it’s a thread to go through the next in the series. So is more time with Sam and Mortimer, as they have an ending, but not in the style of the Argeneau books and it was a little bit of a let down. Understandable, but a let down all the same.

I’ll keep reading the series though, because Sands creates a realistic world with characters that are usually well written and a good sense of humor. There could be a little less of the slapstick in there, but it’s the humor and dialogue of the characters that helps the story in light of other over the top elements.

Grade: C

For other reviews see the Argeneau Vampire Series.

Samantha Willan is a workaholic lawyer. She’s grateful for some rest and relaxation in cottage country, and after a recent breakup she wants to stay as far away from romance as possible. Then she meets her irresistible new neighbor. There’s something strange and mysterious about his eyes. Is it just her imagination, or are they locked on her neck?

Garrett Mortimer is a rogue hunter. His last assignment united Lucian Argeneau with his lifemate, and Mortimer is hoping this one will be less . . . adventurous. He’s here to track down a reported rogue, but fun in the sun is every bloodsucker’s nightmare. Worse, he can’t seem to get his mind off Samantha, especially when he spies her skinny-dipping in the lake. After eight hundred years as a bachelor, is he ready to turn a volatile attraction into a lasting love affair?

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Other books in the series: