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Dead Perfect | 
 enlarge | Manufacturer: Zebra
Category: EBooks
List Price: $5.99
Buy New: $4.00
You Save: $1.99 (33%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 30987
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
ASIN: B0013MTIY8
Publication Date: February 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR! Only a woman with nothing left to lose knocks on a vampire's door and asks for help. Shannah Davis is convinced that the mysterious dark-haired man she's followed for months can save her life if he doesn't kill her first. But though Ronan insists he can't give her what she needs, his kiss unleashes a primal hunger that makes her feel truly alive for the first time. After centuries of existence, Ronan has done the unthinkable. He has fallen in love with a mortall and one with only weeks to live. Sensing the fear and reluctance beneath Shannah's request, he offers her a different bargain that will keep her near him during the time she has left. Every hour spent together leaves him craving her touch, her scent, her life's essence. Soon, only Shannah can satisfy his thirst. But if he saves her from death, will she love him for it or spend eternity regretting what she has become?
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 Not perfect, but worth the read October 31, 2008
I love paranormals and have been reading them for years, but I've become soured on them recently because every one I pick up is full of soft porn, characters with attitude and rude behaviors and graphic, foul language. The elegance of writing seems to have disappeared. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I picked this book up. I'd read a short story by Ms Ashley in a paranormal anthology and liked her style there so I took a chance on a full length novel.
I was pleasantly surprised. This book is generally sweet, even the 'vampire hunter' isn't all that bad. I've read the gamat from urban fantasy to Dark Hunter books and while many of them are enjoyable, sometimes I just want a vintage romance-one that is plain and simply about two people falling in love. this is one of those. There's really no big challenge or danger for the two of them and I liked that.
Both characters are likeable and while there were a few mistakes the author made (Ronan's supposed to be streetsmart, brave and mean and yet both Shannah and the hunter are able to breach his house by avoiding the locked gate and climbing over the fence. If he survive this long by 'being smart', wouldn't he have at least put in a security system??). Over all though, Ronan is strong and caring, Shannah is likeable and attempting to be strong even though she's facing death.
Plot-wise, well, again this is plain and simply a girl meets vampire and falls in love. If you're wanting a deep and angst filled story-this isn't it. If you want something to curl up with in front of a fire with a cup of chocolate and a couple of free hours-this is it.
Also, be aware that this book is pretty clean-of langugage, violence and sex. The author does something refreshing in my opinion, and makes a point of having both characters wait until they're married before making love. It's pretty rare to find that nowadays when most authors have their characters jump into bed within the first hour and then start thinking about love. It felt more meaningful to me for the two characters that they waiting and wanted it to be special. (Lynn Kurland writes time travel/ghost stories and has a similar motto. Her characters wait for marriage and for me, it just heightens the intimacy and shows the talent of the writer if they can heighten that tension without actually giving details.). to those reviewers complaining because there aren't any graphic love scenes...well, try using your imagination. I like it better that way.
The book is not perfect, by any stretch and there are a few inconsistencies here and there, I kept wanting to hit Ronan and Shannah when it never occured to either of them to DO something about the security around the house when they new the hunter was after them, and the writing style can be a little too sweet sometimes (again think vintage romances from the 80's).
And finally, though it's really a little thing...I love to eat so when I read that even the smell of food makes vampires sick, it palled things a bit for me. No more See's chocolate? Too sad.
So...overall the book was worth my time and will be yours too as long as you know what kind of book your opening. A nice vampire romance between two likeable people.
(As to the reviewer who complained that AA's books were 'all the same', that may be true...but it's also true of almost every author out there who writes more than one book. S. Kenyon, C Feehan, P Briggs, even L Kurland all have the same characters in the same situations. Expect it, enjoy it in authors you like and move on).
 Ok, but not recommended. Great beginning. Less interesting last half. September 13, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The story started out well. It was interesting, a little different, and my initial thoughts were of settling in for a nice long good read. The characters intrigued me. However, by the middle of the book, my feelings changed. It felt too long and drawn out. I was tired of waiting for Ronan to tell Shannah he was a vampire. I was also tired of waiting for them to get together. I lost interest and wanted it to be over.
Story brief: Shannah is dying of a blood disease. She is intrigued with Ronan's habits at night and follows him for several months. She believes he might be a vampire. She works up the nerve to go to his home to ask him to change her to a vampire since she is dying. In her heart, she really doesn't want to be changed, which he knows through his mind reading ability. He takes her in and has her drink a little of his blood, which temporarily halts her disease. He has to continue doing this periodically to keep her healthy. After each time, he removes her memory of drinking his blood. Ronan writes romance novels under the name Eva Black. His agent wants him to do book signings and interviews. He hires Shannah to pretend to be Eva Black and do the signings and interviews for him. She agrees. They fall in love with each other, but have no sex because he fears he might accidentally kill her. A subplot involves a vampire hunter and a reporter who believe Ronan is a vampire and follow him. One wants to kill him, the other wants an interview.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Some readers might be attracted to the story because the couple does not have sex until after they marry. They want her white wedding gown to have special meaning. The end-of-the-book sex scenes are tame and vague, possibly appropriate for young adults.
Story length: 340 pages. Sexual language: almost none. Number of sex scenes: 3. Length of sex scenes: , 1 and 2 pages. Setting: current day various cities U.S. Copyright: 2008. Genre: paranormal romance.
good plot, poorly written June 18, 2008
I read three quarters of the book and then had to stop. The book is very slow and took me the entire time reading it to become interested. It is a decent story, but there is no depth to the book. I thought the dialogue was awful and Shannon was naive and dumb. Not quite sure how the book ended, but could not take any more of this book. Not sure if I will read this author again. Don't waste your time.
 My Favorite! June 9, 2008
I have read all of Amanda Ashley's books, and I have to say this is one of the best of them! I thought is was a perfect love story and well done. I was completely captivated and couldn't put the book down!
 Predictable, but quick easy fun read May 22, 2008
This is actually the first book I have read by Amanda Ashley... I have recently fallen in love with paranormal romance and was instantly drawn to the plot as described on the back of this book.
I read this book in exactly eight hours (with a few breaks) and was fairly entertained throughout. Although I found the story a bit predictable, and the characters a little shallow, it was entertaining and made me want to see how it turned out. The story moved along at a good pace and, although the I completely foresaw where Ashley was taking the story, I was happy to follow her trail.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who has a limited amount of time to read... I mean, really, there are much grander books out there if you really want to budget your time wisely. However, if time is on your side and you quite literally just want a brain numbing bit of fun, pick this one up!
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