Title: Tall, Dark, and Dead (Garnet Lacey #1)

Author: Tate Hallaway

Publisher: Berkley Books 2006

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 295

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library: Summer Romance - Paranormal

How I Got It: from the library

A delightful new comedy about witches, vampires, and the search for the perfect man.
Recovering witch Garnet Lacey manages Wisconsin's premier occult bookstore. And a fringe benefit of the job is getting customers like Sebastian Von Traum-piercing brown eyes, a sexy accent, and a killer body. The only thing missing is an aura. Which means he's dead. And that means trouble.
So what's a girl to do if she's hot for a dead man walking? Run like hell-and take full advantage of the nights

After starting two failed books, I needed a little pick-me-up in the fun sector. And this book delivers. A great, fast-paced paranormal romance with some mystery. Who is Sebastian Von Traum? Why are Vatican agents in Madison? How is Garnet going to deal with Lilith? Why is Parrish on her doorstep? And most importantly, what is she going to wear?

I really liked the main character, Garnet Lacey. She has enough no-nonsense spunk but still slightly insecure. She felt real to me. I wanted to be her best friend. (Well, maybe not since she has Vatican agents trailing her and likes to date vampires.) Sebastian was the right amount of sexy, but not cardboard sexy. He had his own personality and motives. Thanks goodness. I hate romances where the two characters only see each other like they have blinders on. There is a whole world out there, remember?

The action was fast-paced and fun. I figured I knew how the book would end, but it was still fun to ride the roller coaster. It definitely leaves it open to the continuation of the series.

And I am looking forward to reading the rest of it. Now if only the second book would come off hold at the library. I have the third, but wouldn't dream of skipping around in a series. Alas, I must wait and choose another book in between.

Garnet Lacey

#1 Tall, Dark and Dead
#2 Dead Sexy
#3 Romancing the Dead
#4 Dead If I Do
#5 Honeymoon of the Dead