Defy or Defend

I have to say that I enjoyed this a good deal more than the first novella in the series, so I'm glad that I stuck with it. Partly that's because, this time, the background plot that throws the two lovers together doesn't simply stop halfway through. Yes, the point of the story is the romance, but it feels better (to me) if there's something else to offset it against - and, here, it works.

But, honestly, the main reason is that this is just a lot more fun. That's largely because Dimity is easier to like than Preshea was in the previous novel, with her cheerful personality shining through and brightening things up - the background plot is about her trying to save a vampire hive through the power of interior decoration and fashion advice. It's light, it's humorous, and has plenty of nods to the main series, such as the presence of the always-entertaining Lord Akeldama. It's described as a comedy-romance, and manages to get the balance between the two parts of that right.