Hooray, I have found it! A vamp romance series that is set in Australia! Ok, Melbourne to be exact but not only is the setting familiar, the story is great!
The main character is Riley Jensen, who through a twist of fate was born half werewolf and half vampire so has a series of abilities that go beyond the norm of her species.
The series starts off with Riley working in an administrative capacity for the Directorate - a policing system set up for non-humans in the futuristic Australia. As the series continues, however and Riley has to help to solve a number of attempts on her life, she is convinced to become one of the Directorate's version of 'police'....a Guardian....and so continues her life of fighting the bad guys.
Riley is flanked in her escapades by a number of great characters....her brother Rhoan (also a Guardian), her vampire boss Jack, Sal, the woman who took over Riley's desk job (just love the witty banter with this character, too!), Kellen (wolf man and romantic interest), Liander (Rhoan's gay lover), Kade (horse-shifter and work colleague) and of course the delectable Quinn....the very old, very mysterious vampire who is also one of Riley's main love interests and whose appeal practically jumps off the page at you!
I really really enjoyed this series. The pace of the story is great and Keri Arthur, the author, includes little tempters throughout the plot to keep you reading. In fact, rarely a chapter went by when I didn't want to keep reading just to find out answers to the end of the previous chapter. Riley is such a great character, gutsy and fearless yet with a soft side. And the relationship between Quinn and her just works and kept me going back for more! My only complaint would be that the earlier books of the series were probably a bit too raunchy although I did notice that in the latter books, Arthur has backed off the sex scenes and has concentrated more on fantastic story lines.
I've now finished all six books in this series and am awaiting the release next year of the seventh. Hopefully, if Riley Jensen continues to be as appealing, there'll be a lot more to come!
