Review & Contest: NIGHT WALKER by Lisa Kessler

Before I move on to today’s vampalicious book review, just a quick "yahoo!" Tor Books has bought the third in my upcoming urban fantasy series that kicks off April 10, 2012, with Royal Street. Number two is River Road, which will come out in fall 2012. The new one, which exists only in the twinkle of an eye and a few rough notes, will be Elysian Fields. AND, in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, I hope to have a new free read up around Sept. 19. Stay tuned!

Now, on to more immediate matters....Dark, brooding immortal who gives up his soul for another chance with the woman taken from him more than two centuries ago...well, cripes. What’s not to love about that? Today, we’re looking at Night Walker, from author Lisa Kessler—and a chance to win a copy! *ahem* and how hot IS that cover?

THE OFFICIAL BLURB:
He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her…Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life. She’s haunted by dreams of her own death…After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she’s drawn to him in ways she doesn’t understand. They’ve waited in the shadows for centuries…Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he’s ever loved again.

MY THOUGHTS:

Crazed, secretive monks, vampires, Native American lore, 18th-cenury San Diego, vampires. Sheesh. Can you really ask any more of a book? Oh yeah, well. Sinister conspiracies and a hot Spanish immortal. You can add those.

            Seriously, though, this is a terrific love story that jumps effortlessly between modern-day California and the San Diego missions of 250 years ago as we follow the story of Calisto, a monk who made the mistake of falling in love with a Native American woman and then trusting the wrong friend. A betrayal results in her death, and he’ll do anything for another chance to be with her—and anything turns out to be a tough choice indeed.

            It’s high stakes drama and a soul-satisfying escape for these hot, miserable days of summer. A good book to just get lost in for a while, and the first in a new series.

Want to win a copy of Night Walker? You know you do :-) It’s the usual the drill: +1 for comment, +1 for blog follow, +1 for Twitter follow @Suzanne_Johnson, and +1 for Tweet or Retweet.