Title: Nightside

Series: An Eerie Vampire Tale 01

Author: V.L. Locey

Genre: Paranormal, Vampires

Length: Novella (128 pages)

ASIN: B07ZFKPJ19

Publisher: Self Published (21 Oct 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Being a new member of the undead sect has its ups and downs, something that newly embraced Akio Lee is finding out first hand. Being able to spend eternity with his beloved Vincente, the man who introduced him to life in the nightside, is a definite up. Having to feed on strangers? That’s one of the downsides, and something that Akio is finding difficult to swallow. But what other option is there for a recently wed vampire couple who need blood to survive?

Finding a new donor perhaps? One who comes into the lifestyle willingly, as Akio had done, and is open to the unique and sensual relationship that develops when three men have a blood bond. A man who can exist in both the nightside and the dayside worlds. A man like Ian O’Keeffe, the handsome caretaker of the manse Akio and Vincente now call home? Ian seems to tick every box Akio and Vincente have—he’s comfortable around vampires, he’s obviously into men, he’s drop-dead gorgeous, he’s more than a little mischievous, and he’s human. Mostly.

But will the outgoing handyman be willing to offer two vampires his vein, his body, and his heart?

Purchase Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Nightside, An Eerie Vampire Tale is a novella by VL Locey, and is from the same world as her Shifters of Lake Eerie series, although this is fine as a standalone. Its been a long while since I’ve read the Lake Eeries stories and my memory of them is quite sketchy and even so I had no issues with this novella. Although there were a number of fun call backs that did trigger my memories of the previous Eerie Tales.

Generally, I love VL Locey and everything she writes. And while I did enjoy Nightside, I have to admit that I didn’t get the usual thrill of excitement and chemistry that I’ve come to expect from Locey’s writing. I suppose I shouldn’t always expect to just connect and a love a book, because it found that it took me approximately 40% of the book to really get on board with the characters. I’m not sure what it was that was missing for me because the characters worked really well together, and I found their romance worked well. All I can say is that there was something missing for me personally. This is a little odd, because on top of loving many of Locey’s books, I also happen to love paranormal stories and I also love to read a menage romance on occasion as well.

The story starts off with Akio Lee. He has only recently become a vampire, after being turned by his beloved Vincente, so that they can spend the rest of their existence together. However, life as a vampire isn’t always simple. In Locey’s world, the vampires are truly the undead as in the old school vampire stories, this means that Akio and Vincente need a human blood donor. They want to find a human who is not only a willing donor, but is also willing to be open to the sexual pleasures that can also come about from the intimate act of feeding. Vincente wants the best for his beloved Akio, and while he is more cautious being the older, mature vampire of the two, he and Akio are on the same page in terms of what they want and need both emotionally and physically.

I think this is where things fall apart for a bit for me, because Akio had once been Vincente’s blood donor when he was human and now the couple want to find another human to not only be a donor but is also open to the possibility being a third member in their relationship. To me it becomes something of a vicious cycle.

If nothing else the paranormal community of the Eerie shifters and vampires is quite quirky. There is something about it that is almost Gothic about the world that Locey has created which has left me intrigued. Despite my thoughts on this novella (because it’s impossible to love everything), I’m definitely keen for more.