Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Akio is a newly embraced (turned) vampire. He’s totally in love with his husband, Vincente, a much older vampire. It’s still a major adjustment…he hates sleeping in a coffin on his “home soil” because he feels bugs crawling on him. Akio and Vincente have been living in a large mansion with his best friend, Templeton, the skunk shifter; his husband, Mikel, a wolf shifter; and a whole mess of other shifters, and they need their own space.

Finally finding a house that’s perfect for them, Akio and Vincente settle in for some newlywed bliss, but they need to find someone who can take care of the house and any errands they may need. Enter handsome, sexy, and all around nice guy, Ian. Akio and Vincente enjoy his company, and there’s something else. Akio doesn’t care for hunting. He knows he needs to feed, but he gets upset when he and Vincente have to go out and pick someone up in order to sate his hunger. So, it doesn’t take long for Ian to volunteer himself to feed not just Akio, but Vincente too.

Soon, the three men begin to acknowledge their attraction to each other, and the feedings turn into some extremely sexy sexytimes. Love follows, and Akio, Vincente, and Ian form a blood bond. Everything is great, but there’s a teeny tiny problem. A strange discovery in the attic of the house leads to a dangerous situation that puts all three of them in peril. Will Akio, Vincente, and Ian be able to escape the horror and live happily ever after? Only time will tell…and they all have lots of time…centuries in fact.

Oh how I loved this! Akio and Vincente played a role in one of my favorite series, An Erie CollectionThose stories were funny, and Nightside is the perfect spinoff. It’s also funny, and the vamps are excellent characters. Throwing Ian into the mix is a super great addition. Along with the humor, there is some great sex, and the mystery is particularly interesting. In fact, I was so pleased with it, I admit to writing a sequel in my head, deciding how it may turn out in the long run.

The story starts with a hilarious bang, and it never slows down. I was instantly charmed, interested, and captured. The author has a knack for creating a world that’s unique and mysteries that are compelling. I especially liked this one. As expected, it involves the paranormal. Beginning with an accidental discovery, everything takes off at a nicely paced and full on roller coaster ride.

A big part of Nightside is the humor. Once again, V.L. Locey has a real talent with this. There’s a bit of slapstick, and some running jokes that make me laugh every time. In one particular scene, Akio gets drunk on whiskey and hilarity ensues. I’ll tell you I laughed until tears ran down my face. I mean it when I say this scene alone is worth the price of admission.

I’d like to take a minute to talk about the sex. Akio and Vincente were hot in An Erie Collection, but here in Nightside, it’s taken up, not just a notch, but by ten notches. This is because this book is solely theirs. While there are a few background characters thrown in, Akio and Vincente (and later Ian) are the focus. The scenes push all my buttons…a menage, dirty talking, intense foreplay, and huge orgasms that leave them dizzy and exhausted. However, as smoking hot as it is, there’s passion, tenderness, and a genuine love between the three, and I think that’s the best part of it all.

Speaking of background characters, while not being a huge part of the story, they do fulfill their roles. Akio’s best friend, Templeton the skunk, is around, and there are a few mentions of Temp’s husband and his wolf pack. There’s a really funny scene with Barbara, a black bear shifter who’s just come out of hibernation and is extremely hungry. Also, there’s the house staff, and oh my goodness! I love them all so much! Most of these characters cross over from An Erie Collection, but I don’t think you need to read those stories to know what’s going on here in Nightside. However, I’m going to give a quick recommendation…those stories are awesome, and deserve to be read simply for the enjoyment.

The mystery is solidly written and is interesting. It’s as paranormal as the rest of the book, and that held my attention because I’m all about the paranormal. While Nightside is funny and sexy, there’s a bit of violence and some blood. They’re not overwhelming, but they are there. I don’t mind that at all, and I think it really added to the story as a whole.

The end was quite satisfying, and it leaves the door open for an ongoing series. This leaves me excited beyond measure. I’ve fallen hard for Akio, Vincente, and Ian…just as hard as they’ve fallen for each other. I have no problem recommending Nightside. It’s a smartly written, sexy, funny book with a lot of excitement and charm. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.