Reviewer: Holly Night's Surrender by Amanda Ashley
Series: Children of the Night #5
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: August 25th 2015
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 348
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“A master of her craft.” —Maggie Shayne
“Amanda Ashley is a master storyteller.”—Christine Feehan
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Aspiring actress Abbey Marie Cordova knows more than most people do about vampires—she was born among them, the only human child in a centuries-old family of the undead, and determined to stay that way. But a chance encounter with dark, mysterious Niccola Desanto rocks her to the core. Nick is a vampire, and he’s the only man who has ever made her feel so beautiful, so cherished, and so passionately desired …
Nick has spent hundreds of years on his own, and the decadent pleasures of the world have lost their appeal. Rumor has it the vampire who made him has regained her humanity—the temptation to find her and demand to know the secret is overwhelming. But one glance at innocently alluring Abbey changes everything. Drawn to her with dangerous, consuming passion, Nick will need more than a lifetime to love her…
More Children of the Night
Abbey grew up with vampires. Her mother began dating one when she was a small girl and eventually he adopted her. Once Abbey was 18 her mother was converted to one. Now Abbey is the only one her family who is still mortal. She’s been living in New York, pursuing a career as an actress, but she’s finally accepted she just isn’t cut out to make it in the industry. She has the talent, but not the drive. The night she decides to give up her dream she meets the darkly handsome Nick. They have two wonderful dates before her father arrives to offer her a job and she decides to go home.
Unbeknownst to her, Nick is also a vampire. He took a bit of her blood, which allows him to track her, and it isn’t long before he shows up in California to continue courting her. He was at the end of his rope when he met Abbey, ready to find mortality again or end it all. She lights up his life again, and gives back something he didn’t realize he’d been missing.
Abbey is pretty freaked out when she realizes he took her blood without permission, but she’s drawn to him in a way she can’t ignore. She wants Nick, even though he’s a vampire and she never wants to become one. As time goes by Nick realizes he can’t be with Abbey as a vampire and takes a potion that’s supposed to make him mortal again. But does he really want to give up all the comes with being a vampire? When Abbey begins to experience preternatural powers as well, he begins to wonder if he made a grave mistake.
There was a lot going on in this book. I didn’t realize it was part of a series until I’d already started it. I felt lost a couple of times when things from previous books were referenced, but I didn’t struggle too much. Abbey made some questionable decisions in the beginning of the book in regards to Nick (being alone with him when she didn’t feel comfortable, forgiving him too quickly for taking her blood, etc). It made her difficult to like. As the story – and their relationship progressed – I came to like her more, mainly, I think, because I accepted she was young and a bit on the immature side. Nick also seemed a bit immature, especially considering he was almost 2000 years old.
The story was a bit disjointed in spots, with choppy writing and a lot of the story assumed from previous books. I liked the world and enjoyed the overall premise, however. The romance wasn’t the best, but the background stories were interesting and kept me reading. I may go back and read the rest of the series now. I have a feeling parts of this may be more enjoyable once I’ve read the other books.
3 out of 5