A pair of alpha Irish vampires find their holidays disrupted when they rescue a young woman who tempts them to love again… From their earliest days as young Irish vampires, Ian and Connor have shared everything, including women. What they won’t share is their hearts. At least until a cold night brings them a chance to nurse back to health more than stray kittens. Connor swore never to let … stray kittens.
Connor swore never to let another mortal woman pay the price for loving him and Ian. He won’t risk more than a single night’s lustful conquest. That is until he sees…and kisses Zoey. With a heart of gold and a stubbornness to rival his own, she’s just the sort of woman to make him break his vow to keep his darkest desires restrained.
Ian didn’t ask for a holiday surprise, but he’s finally met the one person that makes Connor willing to take a chance again. And not just to make her their lustful plaything. This time, Ian sees a chance for love. He doesn’t realize that for Zoey, that’s the problem. She’s lost enough people over the years, and so have they.
But one bite sparks lust between the three of them that demands to be satisfied. Soon they’re caught in a holiday menage of historic proportions, one that will test their desire for the promise of forever.
Warning: This book contains two scorching-hot Irish vampires, one lady with plenty of pluck but zero luck, naughty lingerie, and enough Christmas cheer to redeem even the darkest creatures.
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The Bite of Winter was an interesting read for me. Not quite your typical vampire read while still maintaining most of the vampire ‘norms’.
Ian and Conner are best friends who were turned against their will during the Irish famine in the 1840s. They are slowly slipping to their own kind of madness due to not only a life as something they never wanted to be, but also the events that transpired throughout their bloody history. The concept of truly depressed vampires is somewhat unique and I found that quite interesting (most of the time vampires are brooding, or tortured, but never so clearly depressed as this). Their kinship with one another (they are not romantically involved so don’t worry or get your hopes up, whichever suits you) is possibly my favorite part of the book-they are brothers in everything but mothers and closer than most who share that.
Zoey is a truly tortured character and it hurt me some to read her story. She’s broken but still fighting; gotta give props for that. I liked seeing her heal and how she made a good contrast for her two vampires.
I enjoyed the plot and storyline, but I have to admit that I didn’t feel like the approach came across all that smoothly. It felt a tad forced in places and moderately disjointed for that. Perhaps making it a bit longer (book world-wise, not so much length) would have felt more natural. But overall, I enjoyed it and liked getting to see the three get a happy ending. Worth a read if you get the chance and reading the second book in the series will get a little more time with the trio along with a true closure and reconciliation of the past (though the author went to long between books and fudged a few details-their maker in this was a he, but in the next is very much a she, but nothing too awful).
Zoey Blake is about as far down on her luck as she can get. Her parents died in a car crash when the car Zoey was driving skidded off the road, leaving her destitute and on the street. When she’s attacked by another homeless person, her lifeblood drains away as her fading vision is filled with the face of a handsome stranger.
Ian Kennedy, a centuries old Irish vampire, never could resist rescuing a stray. As a few drops of his blood heals Zoey’s wounds, he realizes she’s a sweet, tempting, flesh-and-blood woman. But there’s one problem. Connorwho is like a brother to Ian & who made Ian promise decades ago: no more mortal lovers.
After another vampire murdered his soulmate Lara, Connor O’Shea swore never to let a mortal woman pay the price for loving him. Until he feels Zoey’s skin and tastes her lips. She makes him want to break that vow.
This isn’t my normal genre of book to read but I love the author’s other books. I found I loved this too. I found it more a story of loneliness & of finding love. The vampires are gorgeous & Zoey soon realised that she loved both of them. A short read – I wished it was longer, but a very good introduction to the series. I look forward to the rest of the series
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book
The Bite Of Winter by Lauren Smith is a paranormal romance. This is a fairly short read, perfect for those with limited reading time. It is a M/F/M menage book though, so it may not be for everyone. Ms. Smith has delivered a well-written book. The characters are fantastic. Zoey has lost everything, she’s homeless, jobless and broke. Ian and Connor are best friends…and vampires. Their story is loaded with drama, humor and melt your e-reader heat. I enjoyed reading The Bite Of Winter and look forward to reading more from Lauren Smith in the future. The Bite Of Winter is book 1 of the Love Bites Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.