Meena Harper is an overworked, underappreciated writer on a long running soap opera, suddenly getting stuck with a vampire storyline. Meena, inconveniently cursed with the ability to see death in people’s near future, meets and falls in love with a man whose future she can’t see–an actual vampire. Only, learning that vampires really exist always seems to plunge one into the middle of wars and mortal danger…
The Good:
Meena is an active heroine. She’s supporting herself and her brother, she has work ambitions, and she isn’t necessarily just looking for a guy to take her away from it all. She has female friends and people who obviously care about her. She isn’t just passively waiting to be attacked.
The line between good and evil isn’t particularly clear–some characters fall on one side or the other but many of them cross back and forth.
The vampire theory presented is interesting though not particularly deep.
Mary Anne–the next door neighbor–is wonderful. Definitely my favorite of the supporting characters. I’ve met people like her.
Cabot seems to be poking fun even at her own book–focusing on how vampires and our obsession with them has become a very highly grossing industry. She points out much of the misogynist tendencies that a lot of the materials have. It comes off slightly tongue in cheek.
The Bad:
A huge emphasis in the preview information about this book was made on Meena’s job. And a number of characters were introduced surrounding it. But I couldn’t find it convincing. If she’s going to be working on scripts–could she follow through on them? She kept talking about how she was going to incorporate vampires but it never seemed to go anywhere….
The inconsistency of Meena’s precognition was remarkably spotty and strange and more of a convenient trick for the author rather than a truly inconvenient curse. (e.g. she can see long term consequences for deli guy but not for best friend)
Smooching scenes with more than one guy. Really? Was that necessary? You’ve just found the love of your life (with whom you also hopped into bed) let’s go smooch with someone else. I know, Manhattan is just littered with gorgeous men waiting to take the up until now incredibly abstinent/dateless heroine to bed, but couldn’t she say “no, I’m already smooching with someone else?”
I want to know where she found an apartment on Park she could afford payments and fees on with a writer’s salary. Apparently those soap writers are making a LOT more than I realized.
Ultimate thoughts:
An amusing quick read for those looking light paranormal chic and those who enjoy all things vampire. Cabot does keep things churning along and while there is excitement, it’s never too scary. Personally though, if you’re looking for light New York set paranormal I’d opt for Shanna Swendson’s Enchanted Inc series and if you’re looking for a more intense vampire tale, try Elizabeth Kosotova’s Historian.
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