An M/M vampire romance in which a scholar specializing in historical erotica gets in over his head when he finds a journal of love letters and erotic drawings that belonged to a vampire--a vampire who wants his journal back. The story is by turns lush and exciting, with world building that sucks (ha!) you in. The backstory for Donte (our vampire) adds dimension to the story, and the supporting characters flesh the whole thing out nicely. If you like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing you'll like. ( )

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Adin Tredeger is a scholar who loves to find old books and manuscripts. Donte Fedelta is a 500-year-old vampire who wrote/drew the book Adin just won in an auction. Of course, it doesn't go the way it was all planned in Adin's mind and he finds himself thrown into the world of vampires and danger. Lots of danger. Poor Adin sure got himself into a number of jams. Thank goodness for Boaz and Adin's friends or who knows where he would be today.

The book Adin had was the love story of Donte (when he Niccolo so many years ago) and Auselmo. The journal writings within the book were beautiful and breathtaking and was such a heartbreaking story all around. It captured me deep in the heart. It was interesting to see this back story of Donte and it explained so much of why he was the way he was. He constantly told Adin he was dangerous and not to trust him. He was so entrenched in the pain of losing Auselmo (even so many years later), that he wasn't ever thinking he could love again and sully the memory of Auselmo.

I never did fully grasp what it was that made Adin fall in love with Donte. He seemed to fall in love with the love story of Niccolo and Auselmo. Whenever Donte was around, he fell right into him, but I always wondered if it was real or just more vampire tricks. Was he in love with Donte or with the love story of the past? Either way, he loved Donte and showed him that loving Adin wouldn't erase the memory of Auselmo and that Adin respected what they had together.

The book did end beautifully, although I would love to see just a few more pages about how it all worked out. Overall, this was a beautiful story. I really enjoyed it. ( )

... ( )

Notturno by Z. A. Maxfield is a 210-page paranormal novel. Adin is an expert on antique erotic literature. He has acquired Notturno, the journal of a sixteenth century Italian nobleman, Donte, detailing a homoerotic love affair. What Adin doesn’t realize is that Donte is a vampire determined to reclaim his stolen property.

Adin finds this out on an international flight. Early in the morning, he’s in the tiny bathroom shaving when Donte breaks in, ravishes Adin, and drinks his blood. It’s so bizarre that Adin doubts his memory as he awakens later in his seat, overcome with fatigue and surrounded by concerned flight attendants. Then he sees that his carry-on bag has been stolen. Fortunately, he stashed Notturno in his other bag!

This starts a cat-and-mouse game between Adin and Donte in the glitzy setting of upper-crust Los Angeles and San Francisco. Their relationship gets complicated when Donte begins to court Adin who grows obsessed with holding onto Notturno at least long enough to read the full story of Donte’s tragic love affair. Meanwhile, a sinister third party arises to claim the manuscript and threaten both Donte and Adin.

If you’re looking for a new take on the vampire myth, you won’t find it in Notturno. Donte is very much the classic vampire with his beauty, sophistication, ruthlessness, and hypnotic charm. He’s a nobleman who continues to live in modern-day luxury while displaying a world-weary ennui. He avoids sunlight and he must be invited to cross a threshold.

However, even though the author chose to stay within the standard vampire myth, her flawless writing puts Notturno at the very top of its crowded sub-genre. Stylistically, it’s beautifully told.

It’s also strongly plotted and Adin and Donte are appealing characters – especially when they run counter to the myth for a few mischievous intervals in which Adin mocks Donte as on page 205 when he says, “I am Donte, the apex of the food chain in your world, allow me to lure you into my very safe Swedish automobile with its side curtain airbags …”

Notturno is a lush erotic masterpiece that draws the reader, especially the vampire fan, under its spell. It is my top m/m romance pick for this month.

Val for AReCafe ( )

I have only one thing to complain about this book: the happy ending, as it is. Believe me, nobody is more surprised at that statement than I am. When reading romantic stories I feel utterly betrayed when there's no HEA, I'm so emotionally invested. It's just that, Donte was so passionate about his eternal love and devotion to Auselmo and his incapability to love anyone else in 99% of the book to the point that, at the end of the story, the reconciliation felt almost too rushed. I really think I'd have preferred in this case a bittersweet ending with more development on Donte's feelings for Adin in the next book. Nonetheless I loveeeed it. I've been reading like a maniac lately, but I honestly can't remember the last book that made me feel so emotional, aka I cried like a baby. ( )