Review: Caressed by a Crimson Moon by Amanda J. Greene

Caressed by a Crimson Moon

Amanda J. Greene

Rulers of Darkness #3

388 pgs

Consumed by madness and tormented by dark memories of blood and death, Hadrian Lucretius, King of the Validus Clan, has returned after living in self-imposed exile for nearly three hundred and fifty years.

To maintain peace with the vampires, Eva Maldonado is offered as a sacrifice to the crazed vampire king by her father, the alpha of the Silveria Shifter Pack. Hadrian’s reputation is both legendary and lethal; he is ruthless, bloodthirsty, lusty, and soulless. When Eva arrives at the ancient fortress high in the Carpathian Mountains, she is shocked to find a ravaged man with dark burning eyes filled with loneliness and dangerous desire.

Would she be his lover…or his prey? His savior…or his victim? Would Hadrian lure her into madness or would their perilous passion be their redemption?

                I love Amanda J. Greene and her Rulers of Darkness series.  When I read the first book, Caressed by Moonlight which was Dorian and Victoria’s story I was a little skeptical because of the historical setting with paranormal elements.  I didn't know whether I was going to keep reading on.  But when I started Caressed by Night, which was Dimitri and Kerstyn’s story I was put back on track so to speak with the timeline.  Now, I’m kind of thrown off again with Caressed by a Crimson Moon which is Hadrian and Eva’s story. 

                Don’t get me wrong, I really did enjoy reading through their sexual chemistry and Hadrian’s angst to commit to Eva, but that’s all there was.  Ok, yes there were also issues with Eva and Hadrian relating to both of their families but we really did not delve into that as much as I would have liked.  And maybe that was a big part of why I couldn’t finish the book in the time allotted me, I really kept having to take breaks partly to separate myself from all the sexual tension that was going on page after page (there’s only so much you can take in the span of an hour).  And I really do love sexual tension.

                Eva is made Hadrian’s ward through a centuries old pact between a jungle shifter clan and his vampire clan, through this pact he is to receive as a ward a purebred shifter but he is tricked and gets Eva instead who is only a half breed and therefore disposable.  The instant Hadrian and Eva meet they both know they were meant for one another even though Hadrian attempts through half the book to not have sex with Eva.

                When they finally do have sex, Hadrian still tries to push Eva away.  The night of Eva’s change, changes nothing in Hadrian’s eyes.

                    I really did love reading Caressed by a Crimson Moon, the only part I hated was that there didn't seem to be any real depth into the subplot.  Now, I really hate to admit this; but I’m not even finished with the book.  Granted, I had more than enough time to read the entire thing but I just could not get into it like I did the previous book; Caressed by Night.  I can’t wait to read the rest of the story (I only have a couple pages left), and I can’t wait for the next book in this spellbinding series.