If you love cowboys and vampires, then Kimberly Raye's Love at First Bite series is for you. This is also a 10th Anniversary Blaze collector's edition with a bonus story (which I did not include in this review) The Pleasure Principle.

Travis is one of the sexy Braddock Boys, Civil War era soldier/cowboy brothers. The boys became vampires after one fateful and tragic night one hundred and fifty years ago. By the time Travis and his three brothers rode into the ranch, it was aflame, killing their nephew, mother and six ranch hands. They also thought Rose, older brother Colton's wife perished in the fire. Evidence now points that Rose was behind this carnage. The brothers are attacked and left for dead, but a vampire comes across them, turning them all into vampires, along with Rose apparently, who promptly disappears.

The brothers have carried a grunge against each other all these years, each blaming the other for the tragedy. They should have been home, protecting the ranch, not off fighting for the Confederacy. When Travis hears there might be a lead on Rose's whereabouts, he show up to brother Cody's wedding in Skull Creek. Travis' life is filled with the thoughts of revenge.

Enter the sassy wedding planner, Holly Simms. This occupation seems to be the current one for heroines in Blaze books lately. Regardless, Holly has her hands full with various problems at Cody's wedding, like missing champagne. But nothing prepares her for the tall dark, handsome and brooding Travis Braddock.

Travis is a 'take you against the wall' kind of guy, and his attraction to Holly (and vice-versa) is immediate and potent. A sexy encounter in a storage closet at the wedding just fuels the fire. By his own description, Travis is a hard-ass. And he pretty much remains one to the end of the book. Whether he is dealing with his brothers, or his attraction for Holly.

Travis is only in town for a brief stop, and Holly doesn't want any long term relationship. Or so she tells herself. The rest of the book is these two fighting the pull between them. Holly's sassy, elder, gum snapping bingo playing Aunt Tootie was amusing. A sub plot concerning another wedding Holly was working on provided some level of entertaining filler.

Travis seems to be some vampire horse-whisperer, so it helps bridge some of those divides with his cowboy/vampire brothers to an extent. And Holly seemed to accept the purple glowing eyes and fangs aspect of Travis fairly easily. Maybe too easily.

 There is no resolution to the past tragedy, no doubt being carried over further in the series. Also I found the ending abrupt, it was a little jarring.

If you are looking for any deep, emotional depth, you won't find much here. However, this is a Blaze after all, enjoy it for what it is, a sexy, entertaining read.

~ Karyn