The Attraction

Summary of A Hidden Fire

In A Hidden Fire (2011) by Indie Author Elizabeth Hunter, we meet Dr. Giovanni Vecchio. Giovanni is a 500-year-old Italian vampire who enjoys a good hunt, whether it is for rare books or humans on a Friday night. He is fond of fine whiskey, as well as his peace and quiet. Thankfully, life is routine until his friend and fellow vampire, Tenzin, calls with a request.  She insists he translates a copy of an ancient Tibetan manuscript for her at Houston University’s library. When he enters the Special Collections reading room, he doesn’t meet Charlotte Martin as usual, but instead, he meets B, her assistant.

“’Oh wow, Char wasn’t lying,’” (Hunter, 2011, p. 7). B seems to murmur to herself.

Giovanni hears her quiet voice and peers around the corner. He smirks when he finds an attractive twenty-something librarian blushing behind a desk. B is decked out in a fitted skirted and knee-length Doc Marten boots, which he rather likes.

“‘What’s your real name?’” (Hunter, 2011, p. 9) Giovanni asks her. “‘…My real name is Beatrice,’” B says, “‘But I hate it, so please just call me B. Everyone does…’” (Hunter, 2011, p. 9).

“‘Of course,’ he said with a small smile. ‘I was simply curious. For the record, however, I think Beatrice is a lovely name.’ He made sure to pronounce her name with the softer Italian accent it deserved” (Hunter, 2011, p. 9).

Beatrice De Novo (a.k.a. B) is a college student, librarian, and fluent Spanish speaker. She is also beautiful, intelligent, observant, and kind of a loner. Unfortunately, she’s been through a lot in her short mortal life. First, her mother abandoned her as an infant, and then her father, Stephen, a renowned Dante scholar, was murdered while on a research trip in Italy. His murder was never solved. There was also no body to bury. Her grandparents raised her in Houston, Texas. Beatrice’s chance meeting with Giovanni launches her into a supernatural and mysterious world she never knew existed.

Book Review

A Hidden Fire is the first book in a series of vampire novels by Elizabeth Hunter, who is from Central California. This book is a paranormal romance and mystery novel, which I think is a great combination. To date, she has written more than 50 books. Hunter writes in the romance, contemporary fantasy, paranormal mystery, urban fantasy, and metaphysical fantasy genres. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College in English and a former English teacher. Additionally, Hunter is an international bestselling author and a USA Today Bestseller novelist.

Hunter creates an entertaining and believable work of fiction that tells a new tale of an alternate vampire underworld hidden in plain sight. For example, only ancient vampires can be day walkers yet still indoors, and each vampire has an elemental power such as fire, wind, water, or earth. The most shameful kind of vampire to sire is a fire vampire.

Another creative example is that vampires can’t handle electronics without shorting everything out, so they have to depend on day-people or humans to use computers, cell phones, or drive newer model cars. However, lower-tech gear doesn’t seem to be affected by their touch. Younger vampires have to sleep for at least 12-hours daily and usually in a secured, safe room for their protection.

At first, Houston, Texas, seems like a strange setting for a vampire novel, but it works for the story. Hunter does a great job describing the city’s ambiance and Spanish/Mexican culture. She weaves the vampire experience into the human world effortlessly. I felt like I was part of the festivities when Giovanni joined Beatrice and her grandmother for the Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead is an annual celebration also known as All Saints’ Day).

A Hidden Fire is a slow burn love story between Giovanni and Beatrice. No pun intended. Hunter examines themes of family, friendship, honesty, secrets, lies, loyalty, new love, corruption, and revenge. Giovanni and Beatrice spend a lot of time talking, flirting, and bantering. They enjoy one another’s companionship, and they share a few compelling, intimate moments. However, they spend most of their time dancing around their feelings for each other. To me, Giovanni and Beatrice’s stubbornness and inability to communicate is intolerable at times. Their so-called relationship in this book is one missed opportunity after another. I wanted to pull my hair out in frustration alongside their loved ones. By the end of the book, their issues still aren’t resolved. Hunter’s ending left me hanging and wanting more.

And so, I had to buy the next book, This Same Earth.

Score

On a scale of 1-10, I give this book a 9.

Melissa K. Cannell Copyright, 2020

Work Cited:

Hunter, E. (2011). A Hidden Fire, [Kindle version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com.