I got this book in a set of 12 Regencies; I plan on reading one a month. First, this is technically not a Regency as it is set prior to 1811. Second, there's not much of frothiness and little of the ton. Third, there are some mistakes about the period; carriages weren't all that common that you could expect to find one across the street. As for sex, there are a few passionate kisses and a bit of petting, but nothing terribly explicit. All of that said, it was a pleasant enough story.

Our leading lady, Tess Crawford, is in a spot of trouble and it is up to the the hero, Vincent Latimer, to help get her out of it. Vincent has been injured and widowed prior to the story; now it is rumored he is a vampire and going to raise his dead wife. There's a manageable cast of characters: teachers and students at Wiggons' School for Elegant Young Ladies along with a few staff members of Vincent's household. The story was more of a thriller with a hint of humorous Gothic.

If you like non-sexy historical romances with a touch of mystery (I'm thinking along the lines of Amanda Quick, minus the sex), you might well enjoy this book. It is the first in a series; I've added the second one to my "I'd like to read this someday" list, but I don't feel any urgency to do so quickly. ( )

This book had me hooked from the first page! The idea of a brooding viscount surrounded by the mystery of a young wife's death and his aversion to sunlight captured my interest at once. The entire town believes Vincent is a vampire, and the truth is, he does nothing to discourage them otherwise. He enjoys his privacy, and he admits that his dreary, dark home is off-putting to most. A disaster, however, changes his life drastically as a tornado rips through the area, destroying a prominent girls' school and leaving 36 girls and their teachers homeless. He is persuaded to take them all in until their school can be re-built. The girls' overactive imaginations create chaos as they speculate about living with a terrifying vampire. He stays awake all night and sleeps all day...what more proof do they need? Tessa, however, is not convinced. She doesn't believe in mythical creatures, and when Vincent presses his lips to hers, she knows for a fact that he is a warm-blooded man.

Adding to the romantic suspense is the plot line of Tessa's former fiancee, who has blackmailed and possibly killed before. Now, he's back, and the stakes are higher than ever as Tessa, Vincent, and the girls find themselves falling into the hands of a dangerous madman. ( )