High Stakes: A Tale of Vegas Vampires

by Erin McCarthy

Book Overview

From the USA Today bestselling author of Bled Dry comes a vampire-meets-girl story about lust and love in the city that never sleeps--except during daylight--Las Vegas.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425210138
• ISBN13: 9780425210130
• Release Date: August 2006
• Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
• Length: 298 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.6" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Fantastic!

I love Erin McCarthy. Even if you don't like Vampire Fiction, you will like this book. It has Erin's typical laugh out loud humor. Fun and intriguing characters that make this book a real page turner. I didn't want to set it down. Ethan is a vampire seeking Vampire public office. He feels he needs a wife to seal the deal. He sets his sights on his Dentist, Brittany. She's the stereotypical girl next door. He takes her to his hotel/casino for a few days to woo her. When Brittany's sister Alexis gets wind of whats going on she charges in ready to get her sister back. Ethan has already begun to think Brittany is to straight for his tastes. Brittany knows what he is and is there to save the vampires from damnation. Alexis thinks everyone has lost their minds. This is a fun, funny story that leaves you hanging and wanting more, as it is the first in a series of 3 so far. I am looking forward to all of them.

Sink your teeth into this wonderful book

Erin McCarthy takes a bite out of the vampire world in her story High Stakes. Master Vampire Ethan Carrick thought he found the perfect first lady to be in the demure dentist Brittany Baldizzi. But when her tough as nails, take no prisoners sister Alexis appears on the scene, Ethan's blood really starts to simmer. Prosecutor Alexis Baldizzi lets no one get in her way when she is on a mission. She is determined to save her gullible sister from the evil clutches of Ethan Carrick. However there is something about Ethan that is charming her to her toes. Their relationship set the vampire society on its ear. When a political rival steps up his subterfuge, Alexis is caught in the crossfire. Ethan will let no one hurt what is his. High Stakes has Ms. McCarthy's wicked sense of humor and wonderfully sensual characters. Ethan and Alexis had me laughing and sighing as they tumble into romance. I would highly recommend this book.

amusing often biting vampire romance

Las Vegas casino owner Ethan Carrick is running for reelection as the President of theVampire Nation, but his chances don't look good. His campaign manger suggests he needs to show family values to the voters because the casino and being a sexy bachelor does not provide the proper image; he needs a mate at least through the election. For over nine centuries, Ethan has had a thing about clean teeth and his dentist is sweet (not just her blood), pretty and intelligent so he decides that Dr. Brittany Baldizzi is perfect. However, to his chagrin he finds he is attracted to her thorny abrasive sibling Alexis the prosecutor who happened to not only save his life (make that save his undead), but seems willing for a one night coffin though she has doubts beyond that tryst. This amusing often biting vampire romance stars a likable hero and an aggressive in your face heroine. Sub-genre fans will relish the humorous story line as Ethan decides sour supersedes sweet as he enjoys the sassy retorts of Alexis. The reelection campaign takes a real bite at American politics with its get reelected at all cost philosophy. HIGH STAKES is a fun lighthearted supernatural romantic romp worth reading. Harriet Klausner

Fun and sexy adventure with Vamps in the City of Sin

In Ethan's world, vampires are civilized beings who have wealth, power, and their own chosen leaders, voted on by their peers. This year, Ethan is up for re-election, and he knows one way to clinch the win is to have a lovely, biddable wife at his side. He believes he's found her in Brittany Baldizzi. She is a sweet-tempered dentist with a soft heart and a fabulous figure - the perfect political wife. He sets out to woo her as his bride, and the taste of victory is within reach....but not if fiery-tempered Alexis has anything to say about it. Alexis will do anything to protect Brittany, even sacrifice herself to the blood-sucking monster out to trap her innocent and naive sister. Ethan is instantly attracted to Alexis. He adores her outspoken ways, and lush, womanly figure. For an undead guy, he's never felt so alive in all his 900+ years. However she wants nothing to do with him. He is a politican, after all. But his hot kisses tempt Alexis to the dark side, and Ethan knows he wants nothing more than to make this woman his - forever. Erin McCarthy uses her trademark humor to ramp up the heat in this vamp tale located right in the heart of the city of sin. Vegas becomes the center of political scandal in the Vampire Nation as jealousy mixes with blood and lust in one opponent's bid for the presidency, and politics never looked so good, or so forbidden, as Ethan tries desperately to protect the woman he loves from danger and the uglier side of his world. All is not what it seems in Sin City, and even Brittany is tempted by the seductive vampire world. McCarthy fans will rejoice at yet another delicious tale from her repertoire and definitely want another installment. In the ever-increasing trend of solemn and tragic vampire tales, it is a bit of a relief to find humor and romance amongst the undead, and you get that and more in this engaging new series. Nobody does sexy, humorous stories better.

Vampire fun from Erin McCarthy!

When tough as nails prosecuting attorney Alexis Baldizzi rescues her sister from the clutches of vampire Ethan Carrick by agreeing to stand in as his pretend girlfriend, she quickly realizes that she is in for an interesting battle, but just this once she seems destined to lose . . . her heart. When Alexis Baldizzi learns that her sister, Brittany, has left behind her dental practice and moved into a suite at a luxury casino owned by Ethan Carrick, she is determined to get her out. She is humored when Brittany tells her that Ethan, his friends and employees are all vampires, further disbelieving when Ethan tries to explain that he is a candidate for the vampire presidency and is in need of a temporary, intelligent, non-vampire girlfriend, to soften his image. Alexis agrees to play the part and is eventually shown evidence to support Ethan's vampire defense. Ethan is the most gorgeous man that Alexis has ever known, and once she stops fighting both him and her attraction to him, she discovers that the saying "Bite Me" has taken on an entirely new meaning. Ethan Carrick has been around for nine hundred years and not once in that time has he met a woman who fascinates him the way Alexis Baldizzi does. He thought his dentist, Brittany Baldizzi, was perfect to play the part of his girlfriend; she's tall, beautiful and perfectly sweet. That thought quickly evaporated once he met her sister, Alexis, a cute little pixie of a woman with the tenacity of a pit bull and handfuls of luscious curves. Ethan finds her to be a refreshing challenge and enjoys her company as he has no other woman in centuries. When attempts on Ethan's life escalate into threats against Alexis, there is nothing in the world he won't do to protect her. Erin McCarthy repeatedly shows her gift of incredible talent by writing stories with creative wit and humor, while maintaining those character qualities that we all want in a great romance. HIGH STAKES gives readers just that with characters who, despite one being a vampire, have the most simplistic wants and needs; whose emotions and desires are shared by everyone. Ethan and Alexis are both self-assuredly aggressive and determined to have their way; the banter between the two of them is cleverly written and will have readers laughing, just as their passions will make your heart beat just a little bit faster. This is not a book to be missed whether you are a long-time vampire reader or just cutting your vampiric teeth; you won't be disappointed.