Love Bites: Vampire Romances

Maintaining a relationship with a vampire has all sorts of complications: Where to live? Must be able to fit a casket, so scratch the studio apartment. What types of social occasions? Movies, yes; church weddings, no; having friends for dinner...maybe. How to introduce him/her to your family? And then there's the whole drinking blood thing.

Yet, what love story doesn't have a few obstacles? Whether you're in the mood for a lighthearted approach (George Hamilton) or something more serious (Gary Oldman) you can sink your teeth into one of these books:

Argeneau Series by Lynsey Sands: Although mere mortals would consider them vampires, the Argeneau are actually decedents of an advanced civilization from the lost isle of Atlantis. Set in contemporary times, these romances bring vampires to the modern day—they trade quips, get angry, fall in love and defend mortals against murderous rogues. If you want to start at the beginning, try A Quick Bite.

Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward: This series is all business, vampire business. Nobody comes out in the daylight, they drink human blood and their mission is to protect humanity against the "Lessers", desouled humans. Although they can be read out of order, the series gets more detailed as it goes on, so start with Dark Lover

Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill: A little bit of vampire, chick lit, mystery and set in Chicago; what's not to love?  A University of Chicago grad student, Merit, is attacked and her life is saved by being turned into a vampire. She's not grateful, not obedient, and there is definitely sizzling tension between Merit and Ethan Sullivan, the vampire master of the Cadogan House. Start at the beginning with Some Girls Bite.

Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore: The first in a comic trilogy that follows the misadventures of vampire Jody Stroud and her boyfriend (and eventual vampire) Tommy Flood in San Francisco. All the vampire cliches are played for laughs and the characters are foul-mouthed and irreverent. The second book is You Suck: A Love Story and the third is Bite Me: A Love Story (this one focuses more on Abby Normal and her boyfriend).