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AN ENERGY VAMPIRE HUNGRY FOR LOVE MEETS THE WISECRACKING WOMAN OF HIS PARENTS’ NIGHTMARES

Before meeting my cinnamon roll hero with the vampire edge, you’ve got to know starting over is a theme in all my books. If you think it’s easy to begin again, ask Dante, the hero of my first paranormal romance. He’s all twisted up like a pretzel trying to please his parents, especially his mother when he wants to please Sophie. Only problem? She’s not a vampire. But hey, the way he sees it, that’s a good thing.

Blurb for Revamped

Vampire Dante Allegretti hates his sucky life. Born into a family of energy siphoners, he’s desperate to reinvent himself as a fun-loving normal guy rather than a crowdsourcing parasite. To stop the draining urges, Dante resorts to grinding alternative meds in an ancient Mortar & Pestle, not knowing it contains magical properties.

Enter wisecracking thirty-year-old Sophie Arley, who lives with her clingy parents. Working three jobs and craving independence, she’s come back strong after a breakdown crashed her cozy world. So when the weird, hot guy she just met-cute asks Sophie to the movies, she agrees.

Sophie won’t spoil their magical connection by mentioning her heartbreak. And Dante dreads telling Sophie about his dark side. Will the power from the Mortar & Pestle guide them to their happily ever after despite the secrets and lies?

**Review of Revamped by N.N. Light**

Looking for a complete original vampire rom com? Revamped is one of the most unique romantic comedies dealing with vampires I’ve ever read. Yes, it has a socially awkward vampire and a sassy heroine but trust me, you’ve never read anything like Dante and Sophie. Their attraction is immediate, but both are unsure of the other. Between the world-building, character growth, humorous dialogue, family drama, and the awkwardness of dating, Revamped is a breath of fresh air.

Like I always say, it all starts with the world-building. Shirley Goldberg has created a world that is both similar and different. The vampires are energy vampires, that suck energy instead of blood. Lifeforce is lifeforce and makes complete sense. Humans are foodies (love this). So much of Dante’s vampire ways are classic but have a fun twist. The world-building is sublime, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading.

The characters, especially Dane and Sophie, are relatable, fun, and full of emotion. I truly appreciated seeing life through the eyes of Dante as he transitions from energy vampire to foodie. The discomfort these two share is comical yet authentic. Dating can be hard, especially after loss, but also rewarding when you find a connection.

I’ve read all of Shirley Goldberg’s women’s fiction books so this is a new genre for her. Her writing makes everything come alive. Her comedic timing is flawless as is her world-building. I want more paranormal rom coms from this author.

Revamped is one of my favorite books this year. Go on and grab your copy. You’ll become a Revamped groupie!

My Rating: 5++ stars

Grab your e-copy on sale for 99 cents or free to read on Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRYS5159

Creepy Excerpt from Revamped

Dante, the vamp, takes Sophie, his crush, to his mom’s birthday party to meet his parents and his two brothers. Not your usual family nor your usual home in many ways.

Sophie wanders into the kitchen, looking for a glass for a drink of water.

“So glad you came.” Mona, Dante’s mom, stood behind me. “It’s pretty, isn’t it? Would you mind doing the honors?”

“Cut the cake? Sure, of course. Aren’t we singing “Happy Birthday” first?”

She looked confused. “How silly of me.” She shook her head. “Everybody,” she twirled around facing her family, “so I have to take charge of my own party?”

There was a rush and much commotion as Kirkus, his father and his two brothers gathered around us. Adryan went in search of matches and lit the candles. Garret shut off the lights and Dante started the song in a surprisingly in-tune alto. I sang along, feeling more at ease than I had all evening.

I tittered and took another sip of champagne.

The cake turned out to be chocolate, and I ate two pieces, prompting a comment from Mona.

“For a slim girl, you sure can pack it away.” Mona had a minuscule sliver and the rest of the family ate sparingly. I watched. Dante ate half a piece of cake and wrapped up a large chunk to take home, saying it was for my parents and my grandma.

I wandered into the kitchen to get a glass of water and opened the fridge, hoping for a pitcher. Nothing, so I searched the cabinet closest to the sink for a water glass. Empty. Who had empty cabinets in the kitchen? I opened the next one over. That one was empty, too.

“Looking for something?” Garret stopped when he saw me.

“A glass for water, please.” The kitchen was spotless. When I had a party there were bakery boxes, bottles of beer and wine and bags of chips everywhere, and if I’d cooked, every counter overflowed with plates and bowls.

Garret disappeared and came back with a paper cup. “Use this.” He wandered back toward the living room.

“Thanks.” I filled the cup from the tap and drank it standing at the sink, looking out at the back garden, a tangle of mysterious and huge bushes and a cactus the size of Oklahoma.

I must have taken a different route back to the party room because I ended up in a hallway that was unfamiliar. Mona’s voice drifted toward me. Something made me stop.

“Oh, sweetie, she’s lovely. And so energetic.”

“Energetic?”

An impatient sigh. “Dante, don’t be obtuse. You know what I mean.” A pause. “Lovely skin, have you noticed?”

Something in her tone made me shiver.

“Stop,” Dante growled.

“She’s wearing that stone, the obsidian. Keeping negative energies at bay, do you think?”

“That’s enough, mother. She’s your guest.”

“Yes, dear. Don’t be so protective. You hardly know her.” Her voice dropped and I strained to hear her next words. “Are you sure I couldn’t take a tiny––”

“Don’t go there. If I even see you sidling up to her––”

“Sidling? Hardly. I’m talking about a sniff, a little sniff.” She honked out a laugh. “I would never. I love meeting your friends.”

I froze, my mouth dry, my heart rate elevated. I backed up and tiptoed back toward the kitchen. A little sniff? What did that mean?

Since I asked the other authors in the series to share answers to three fantasy questions, I thought I should do the same.

What would you do if…?

You had three hours alone. Sometimes, authors are super busy with kids and family. In this scenario, money and kid-sitting are not a worry.

Since alone time is not my problem, I’d probably invite a bunch of women friends over for a pot-luck dinner. Writers have to fight the old solitary work ethic and there’s no better way than good food, a little wine, and great company.

You won a cool million (still a respectable sum these days) what would you spend it on? You are NOT allowed to buy necessities/fund the kids’ college tuition. Spend it all. No investing.

I’d probably spend some to visit my family. I’d take dancing lessons and hire a driver since driving isn’t my fave thing.

With the wave of a magic wand, where would you go for dinner? Anywhere in the world?

I’d go to Crete, Greece to visit my friends and have dinner downtown at a small Greek restaurant. We’d drink local wine and eat a selection of mezedes, appetizers. And a Greek salad. And the bread, I love the bread. Never with butter, we dip it in oil.

Shirley’s Bio

I write romantic women’s fiction, stories about men and women both in their thirties and of a certain age starting over. That so many folks these days go on to new and different jobs and a new love is a tribute to our strength and resilience. Human beings are amazeballs, as those younger than I might say. (There. I said it too.)

I’m a former ESL and French teacher who’s lived in Paris, France; Crete, the largest island in Greece, and Casablanca, Morocco, where I served in the Peace Corps.

If I had a favorite saying it would be: Never leave home without your sense of humor. My website https://shirleygoldberg.com offers a humorous look at living single and dating in midlife.

By the way, my friends nag me to spill my secrets. Which dating stories are true and which are fiction? Did I date twenty-five guys like my character, Sunny? Read more on my website, link below.