"Arousing vampire romance"

After teaming up with his enemy, Grigori Chiavari to kill a rogue vampire, hunter Edward Ramsey is now one of the undead complements of his former ally for saving his life. Ramseys for centuries have hunted vampires so Edward has deep psychological problems with the change and prefers death. Still, he saves the life of a mortal, Kelly Anderson who jumped into the river because she has nothing to live for.

Meanwhile the oldest known living vampire Khira arrives in the Los Angeles area seeking her former lover Grigori for the first time in two centuries. When Grigori saw Khira sucking the blood of a child, he left her. Now Khira plans to dominate the region with only Grigori and Edward powerful enough, if they can team up again, to stop her. For stop her they must as Khira plans to eliminate the beloved two mortals that Grigori and Edward now respectively love above their own lives.

The sequel to SHADES OF GRAY is an arousing vampire romance that readers who enjoy a bite in their novels will want to read. Though the story line seems somewhat repetitive with Edward's constant whining that he wants to die, he is a powerful character struggling between his heritage and his dark future until he realizes how much he love Kelly. Grigori and his wife Marisa retain their cherished relationship that is being challenged by the villainess Khira while the audience wonders will she or will she not. Amanda Ashley provides an enjoyable supernatural romance that those who enjoy the AFTER SUNDOWN nightlife will want to peruse.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted January 10, 2003