Laney missed her aunt Lilly but was happy to be settling in with her BFF, Kiera, in their own apartment and starting her second year at the college for which her small Northern California town was famous Walking into her first class, the two of them were excited to start the year, but when Kiera suddenly took sick and the gorgeous boy who had caught her eye came to their aid and helped get Kiera to the nurse’s office, Laney knew that things were going to be much different this year. What she didn’t know was how different her life was going to be when she falls for a vampire and their lives get caught up in a feud that might destroy everything and everyone she had ever loved.

Oliver Knight was sent to watch Laney…and watch her he did. Not that it was a difficult task, but falling for her so hard and so fast was not what he had planned when he walked into her life. There were threats out there, threats that Laney had no idea about, but when Oliver could not stop himself from becoming more and more a part of her life, he drew on every ounce of power and skills he has to save her from an enemy that has more than a personal agenda at stake.

Was it a coincidence that the sexy new student happened to live in the same apartment complex that Laney and Kiera lived in and, on top of that, was the roommate of Carter, a good friend of hers and the boy Kiera had crushed on since kindergarten? The sudden illness her BFF had come down with was very strange to them; Kiera had never ever been sick in her life and the up and down symptoms were confusing to both but had one mark on the plus side: it made Carter aware of what was right in front of him and the two were now a couple. With this turn of events leaving Laney a lot more time to spend with the sexy Oliver, she had no complaints with the current situation between them. As the two begin to feel more and more for each other, Laney is increasingly more concerned when another woman seems to find a way to pull Oliver away from her. As the two try and work out their relationship, Laney finds herself attacked, and more honest answers are needed when she demands to know everything from the man who is stealing her heart. What she is told is pure fantasy; vampires do not exist, neither do werewolves or other paranormal creatures. But when she has to face the truth about the surrounding chaos, Laney finds a way to not only accept her fate but also prove that she is strong enough to face anything that comes at her—even if it is a vampire with a need for vengeance that will stop at nothing to get what he wants and make those who try to stop him pay.

I have to say, I really “hate” Young Adult books. I get it, I really do. You want the young readers to continue reading so you hook them with a fantastic story then boom, you leave said story with the most amazing cliffhanger so they will pick up the next book and read some more. Great for the young reader that is captivated and continues their love for books throughout their entire life but bad for those of us who just want more of the story. This is the case with Laney and is probably my biggest complaint with this new series. I loved this book (well, right up until the cliffhanger) and am being honest when I say I cannot wait for the next installment in the Brookhaven Vampire series. This book hooked me right from the start ,and the smart and at times sassy Laney was the perfect mate to the dark and sexy Oliver. Their chemistry popped from the pages, and I was unable to put the book down as I waited to find out the truth behind what really brought them together; some facts which still remain hidden make the wait for the next book even more excruciating.

I hope that the further books in this series bring to light more of Oliver’s and Laney’s pasts and more of the secrets hidden from Laney and the real reason she is so important to the vampires as well as focus on how Kiera, Carter and her other friends fit into the puzzle and into the paranormal world. Laney was a great first novel in the Brookhaven Vampire series and it has definitely made it a must read series for me in the future.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Brookehaven Publishing (December 14, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0984486712
• ISBN-13: 978-0984486717

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