The Darkest Gift - Handeland, Len

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Résumé :
Two worlds colliding, one man, the other a vampire-who form a strong bond and eventually, bound by a blood covenant known as the dark gift, are destined to create a world of their own until their love is violently ripped apart by jealousy and rage. Love eventually triumphs over despair and misery, only in a different place and time, but are they destined to be together?! Laurent Richelieu is a 250-year-old vampire whose lover and vampire maker Fabien Levesque is murdered in front of him in a jealous fit of rage by his vampire maker Stefan, exacting revenge for Fabien's rejection of him. Laurent narrowly escapes-leaving Paris to settle in the New World and seek shelter and refuge in the newly established city of New Orleans. He is assisted by his trusted servant Barthelme sworn to Laurent's secret. Cloaked in darkness, Laurent struggles with modern times and, in deep despair, haunts the French Quarter's jazz bars-listening to beautiful music and seeking out dark tables in the back to hide his blood-soaked tears to mourn the loss of his long-lost love Fabien. Deep isolation and loneliness consume another: Jack Devereaux, a man's man, and a self-loathing gay man. Jack recently came out as gay after a ten-year failed marriage to a woman. Jack feels estranged from connecting with his gay community-his Catholic faith forbids it. He feels as if he's unable to exist as either straight or gay. His reluctance to accept his true sexuality leads him from one disastrous sexual encounter to another. Swearing off his same-sex attraction leads Jack back into a straight jazz bar where, unknowingly-he meets a refined and elegant gentleman that entices, attracts, and, oddly, disturbs Jack. Are they destined to be together?-does Laurent honestly care for Jack? Or is there a more sinister plot involving two other vampires from Laurent's past, Stefan and Fabien? Does Queen Raphaella, a self-described Voodoo High Priestess, have the power to change Jack's fate?...

Biographie:
I wrote The Darkest Gift as I felt no other author had written an enthralling vampire romance novel since Anne Rice, which was a breakthrough in featuring two vampires of the same gender as a couple. Being a lifelong fan of vampires starting when I was a small child and into my adult years, I wanted to write a compelling and enthralling book where my characters are complicated (both the humans and the vampires) and that the same-sex couples are far less ambiguous about their sexual orientation than in vampire books of the last century. Where the emphasis is on love, whether human and vampire or two vampires (of the same gender), it was vital for me to avoid anything graphically sexual, but instead, the focus is on the sensual aspect of two men together. Also noteworthy was addressing stereotypes regarding vampires and some of the gay men in my book. That all vampires are evil and unfeeling creatures, that all gay men are effeminate, couldn't be further from the truth. I utilized the classic tale of good versus evil (in this case, vampire against vampire) and how one of the human characters, Jack, despite his struggles with sexual orientation, finally learns to accept and embrace who he truly is. The message I'm trying to deliver is: do what is right and be true to yourself. In my novel, that applies not only to humans but vampires alike. The locations in my book are places I have an affinity for, having spent time in each over the years. They are rich in history and culture, and each has an exquisite beauty of its own. The settings include Paris, Haiti, and New Orleans, which all share a French connection. I feel my work stands out from other Gay vampire books that may be too graphic sexually and reduced to being dismissed by most by being just that. At the same time, writing about the same-sex couple, whether that be two vampires or a human and a vampire, I wanted the focus on each character, feeling as if they had met their soulmate and were meant to be together forever. I would like to thank my amazing graphic artist Robin Vuchnich for creating such an exquisite book cover, as well as all of you Vampire fans, some of you have left some reviews, I'm humbled and honored. You can learn more about me on my website which is LenHandelandauthor.com I'm also on Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/len.handeland.1 https://twitter.com/HandelandLen