| Genre | Paranormal / Vampires/Werewolves / Historical (18th Century) / Gay Erotic Romance |
| Reviewed by | Alex on 04-February-2015 |
Book Blurb
The story of William and Merrick continues in this sequel to the spellbinding bestseller Merrick. In the summer of 1799, young William Lacy watched his carefree life go up in smoke when a night of mischief landed him in shackles. Beaten, jailed, and sentenced to a long apprenticeship in the dreary woods of upstate New York, William was braced for the worst.
But he wasn’t prepared to fall in love with his master, a renowned and reclusive apothecary — a man — by the name of Silas Merrick. And he damn well never expected Merrick to be a blasted vampire.
Now, nearly one year after that summer of mystery, longing and unspeakable pleasure, William is still waiting to begin the future with Merrick he was promised. But it’s not easy becoming a vampire. Not only has Merrick become more secretive than ever about his nature and his past, but his feud with the beautiful and ruthless vampire Theo raises ever more troubling questions about the dark world William is about to enter.
William is determined to unravel the mysteries and find his happily ever after. But to do it, he must resolve Merrick’s doubts for himself. Can there be love and joy in this life of death and darkness? And will Merrick ever learn to open his heart?
Set in New York and Boston several months after the events of Merrick, William is a haunting, sensual story of love and desire in the shadows…and the adaptability of the human spirit.
Book Review
I loved ‘Merrick’, the predecessor to this book, so I actually squealed when I discovered 'William' hidden in my Kindle Unlimited membership list. I squealed, downloaded, and devoured its story and am ecstatic to report that ‘William’ is a mesmerizing and glorious tale! Like in ‘Merrick’, the writing in ‘William’ is very atmospheric and sets an exquisite tone reminiscent of classic Victorian Gothic novels. Enchanting glimpses of an early 19th century New York with its dingy waterfronts, assorted alehouses, and fabulous turn-of-the-century clothing were revealed in an ever widening lens that appeared covered with a gossamer spider-web gauze. This lent an appealing fly-on-the-wall feel to my read and captured the wistful longing of William, poised on the precipice of change, perfectly.
Nineteen-year-old William’s story continues almost a year after the ending of the previous tale, but he is adrift, as Merrick has deserted him. Merrick keeps his reasons for their time-out private, but William fears his lover’s conscience may have made the vampire forswear his promise to turn William. Determined to prevent that fate, William turns to the annoying Theo, the French vampire with whom he reluctantly conspired in the previous book, to try to understand Merrick’s delays. What other dark secrets does his lover hold? Will the rift between him and Merrick grow wider? Who is Theo to Merrick? And why does the French vampire answer William’s questions with wily riddles?
This enthralling and passionate romance of devotion builds in ambiance and charm with each page turned. Rich with yearning and the vibrancy of true love, the sensuality of the story mounts with each meet of the two men. I fell in love again and again with each tavern and clothiers visit, with each conversation between the two leads, and each husky declaration of need. Subsequent events transform the delicious getting-to-know-you period into a mouthwatering, passionate ode to both love and love of life, and make the entire book the most scrumptious of honeymoons.
Merrick is incredibly hot, as the tall, dark, and handsome-with-a-conscience figure of immortality, and William is simply stunning as his impatient, capricious, and besotted lover. Seeing the world through William’s “new” eyes brought a tremble of awe from my own and I adored wearing his skin. The pair of them have my vote for inclusion in the visual dictionary of romance, next to the words “Made for each other.”
Plucky passages between William and captivating supporting characters—Jeremy, his best friend, and Theo, Merrick’s oldest friend—had me crossing my fingers that Jeremy and Theo might make a love connection. Those two would make for a tempestuous couple to say the least. I daresay I shall hold my breath, for as complete and wonderful as ‘William’ is, the ghostly imprint of its pages will not leave me until I find out what happens next. So it is only with the best intentions that I selfishly say, I hope Claire Cray is locked in her workspace, sitting at her desk penning more of this marvelous series…and if a special someone can deliver her meals that would be excellent. Love begets love after all.
Thank you, Claire Cray, for this deeply satisfying nouveau Gothic tale, which I readily place under “Classics“ in my Kindle…next to my beloved copy of ‘Merrick’.
“Evocative, Romantic, Wondrous!”
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been purchased by the reviewer.
Additional Information
| Format | ebook |
| Length | Novel, 164 pages |
| Publication Date | 11-January-2015 |
| Price | $4.98 ebook (Kindle) |
| Buy Link | http://www.amazon.com/William-Sequel-Merrick-Claire-Cray-ebook/dp/B00S5FNQFI/ |
