Tempted in the Night    by Robin T. Popp Order:  USA  Can Warner, 2007 (2007) Paperback     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Detective John Boehler is already in hot water with his superiors for threatening Simon Brody. John knows he's a cold-blooded killer, but his prominence in Washington society helps him beat a murder rap. John is in no mood for more trouble, but runs into it head on when he arrests a fiery, sword-wielding brunette who's attacking a man in a local park. After her mother was brutally slain by a vampire, Jessica Winslow has made it her life's quest to destroy any vampires who cross her path. She isn't impressed when she's arrested and forced to cool her heels in the local lockup. She also knows she's failed in her duty to deliver a special sword to her cousin, Charles Winslow, head of the American Night Slayers. John has had past dealings with Charles Winslow and his team of Night Slayers but up until his run-in with Jessica was never aware of their unique vampire hunting skills. Once he understands that Simon Brody is also a vampire whose taste for blood and death is escalating, he's more determined than ever to bring the man to justice. He does however, have a problem with Jessica's equally determined and often reckless quest to stop Brody, who seems to have developed a fascination for the British beauty. Their hunt takes them from Washington to an abandoned New Orleans estate, where John falls victim to a chupacapra attack. The venom turns him into a changeling, (half vampire half-human) thereby endowing him with the same special skills as Winslow's other Night Slayers - skills he'll need as Brody's lust for blood - and for Jessica - becomes unstoppable. Popp has a real knack for creating winning characters, particularly her Night Slayer heroes, including John. Unfortunately Jessica's development was disappointing; as a self-proclaimed vampire slayer, she definitely does not shine. She continually makes bad decisions, blindly walking into unknown situations without thought to her safety or that of others, which left me wondering if those moments weren't simply plot devices to spur John into charging to her rescue. Her defensiveness and animosity towards his protectiveness also left little time for the pair to develop a believable relationship. But despite this current heroine's disappointing showing, Popp has a real knack for telling a good story and continues expanding her nifty el chupacapra twist. Tempted in the Night succeeds in adding a few more intriguing layers to her Night Slayer series. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews