A VAMPIRE’S FATE (Order of the Black Oak-Vampires 4) by Marie-Claude Bourque-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 25, 2023

Meet the Order of the Black Oak: a powerful order of modern-day warriors fighting evil to protect the ones they love.

When wolf shifter and dedicated nurse Rosalie Gauthier returns to her town to take on the leadership of her pack after her father’s illness, her birthright is challenged a tyrannic rival, and marriage to a powerful vampire is her only option to save her family’s legacy.

Bound by honor to his lifetime oath to protect the alpha of the Domaine-Lassalle pack, Mount-Royal Immortal Renaud St-Amand’s duty turns out a whole lot more complicated when he is hit with love at first sight for the future female leader on the day of their arranged marriage.

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REVIEW: A VAMPIRE’S FATE is the fourth instalment in Marie-Claude Bourque’s contemporary, adult ORDER OF THE BLACK OAK-VAMPIRES erotic, paranormal romance series. This is new wolf pack alpha /registered practical nurse Rosalie Gauthier, and warrior vampire/ Mont-Royal Immortal guardian Renaud ‘Ren’ St. Amand’s story line. A VAMPIRE’S FATE can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading the series in order as the author/characters reference previous events throughout.

Told from omniscient dual third person perspectives (Rosalie and Ren) A VAMPIRE’S FATE follows in the wake of the arranged marriage between new wolf pack alpha /registered practical nurse Rosalie Gauthier, and warrior vampire/guardian Renaud ‘Ren’ St. Amand. With her father and alpha, Alcide Gauthier’s health failing, Rosalie must step up and take the position that has been linked to her family for hundreds of years but there are some wolves who do not want a female in charge, and by marrying Rosalie to her vampire protector Renaud ‘Ren’ St. Amand, Alicide is hoping his daughter will be powerful enough to face what is coming. Another powerful wolf has challenged Rosalie for the top position but Rosalie is about to face a fight to the death in an effort to keep the power in her family’s line. What ensues is the arranged marriage, and building relationship between Ren and Rosalie, and the potential fall-out as the challenger fights dirty threatening the lives of everyone Rosalie loves.

The world building focuses on the accension to the proverbial throne. Rosalie’s brother is too young to take command, and by declaring his daughter the new alpha, Alcide Gauthier has brought both fight and fire to his peaceful pack. Rosalie is struggling with her marriage to Renaud, a marriage she believes is nothing more than a piece of paper until she ascends into power.

The relationship between Ren and Rosalie is one of an arranged marriage between two people who barely know one another but one has found himself falling for the woman in charge. Rosalie believes her time with Ren is only temporary until they both realize that fate has something more in the plan for our story line couple. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and supernatural secondary and supporting characters including many references to characters found in the previous story lines. We are introduced to Rosalie’s younger brother Liam, their sister Delphine, and their father Alcide, as well as supernatural healer Caro Mercier, Old Simon, Ren’s brothers rock star Cass St. Amand, Griff and Justin. The requisite evil has many faces including wolf shifter Charles Bouchard, and Rosalie’s ex boyfriend Francois.

A VAMPIRE’S FATE is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, obsession and madness, acceptance and love. The fast paced, character driven premise is edgy and dramatic; the characters are animated and spirited; the romance is fated and seductive.

Reviewed by Sandy