That's What I'm Talking About

My rating: 4.5 stars: Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy received from Edelweiss/Publisher

Nicole Martin had always thought kindly of vampires, and she was very close with her vampire nanny, Terese. Then Terese and her unborn child were murdered by her mate, Riker, and Nicole would never forget Riker's face or what he did. And then the unimaginable happened... Nicole was eight when the vampire servants at her parents’ home rebelled, killing almost everyone. Nicole had her throat gnawed, and she was left for dead.

The book then fast-forwards 20 years to current day, where Riker is an important warrior in the MoonBound vampire clan. We learn how vampires are hunted by humans to be exterminated, experimented on, and/or enslaved, while free vampires live in clans hidden from humans. Riker is tasked with the job of rescuing a rival clan’s female vampire from the evil Daedalus Corporation - a company owned and run by Nicole Martin and her brother, Charles.

Of course, the rescue mission doesn’t go as planned, and Nicole is taken captive by Riker. The two recall clearly the pain the other caused twenty years ago. Riker blames Nicole and her family for his mate’s death while Nicole has had reoccurring nightmares over Riker holding a knife to Terese. Now the pair must decide if they can work together to uncover the truth and rescue the innocent.

As the first book in a new series, Bound By Night provides a lot of detail in order to create this new world. While vampire stories are numerous these days, I felt that the world of the MoonBound Clan Vampires is unique enough to stand out as a worthy read. The idea of vampires as strong creatures being persecuted and used as slaves and lab rats is not a version of vampires I’ve read before. Of course there will be comparisons with our own human history, but the book is not preachy or condescending. The world is what it is, and as readers, we are invited to join in the exciting ride!

One of the things that I found fascinating with this story, and Nicole’s character, is the discussion of the science and biology of vampires. As a science geek and engineer, I love learning how things work. Ms. Ione piqued my interest with Nicole, who is a vampire physiologist. I was completely absorbed with the concept of “vampirism” and how their biology worked. The science plays a large roll in the story, for which I am grateful. It made for engrossing reading.

But that is just one part of why I loved Bound By Night. Yes... this is a romance, and WOW is it a good one! Riker and Nicole are immediately attracted to one another, drawn in by something undefinable, even though each knows it isn’t a good idea. I enjoyed watching the pair break down preconceived notions and stereotypes as they accepted their undeniable pull. I loved their journey. I was emotionally invested in the pair, and shed more than a few tears as Nicole put her heart and soul out there for a man who is haunted by the ghosts of his past (not literally).

The relationship between Nicole and Riker was touching and sexy. They needed each other to heal from past trauma and horrors. I loved how Nicole wouldn't settle for being second to a dead woman. They had intense passion - and the steamy smex scenes were par for the course for Ms. Ione.

The story is also filled with tension and suspense caused from a couple different story lines. First there is the need to rescue the female vampire that hails from the ShadowSpawn clan, a rival clan that believes in a more brutal way of life. MoonBound was responsible for her well-being when she was kidnapped. And unless they return her to ShadowSpawn, savage war is imminent, and there is little chance that MoonBound will survive. The search for the vampire leads Nicole and Riker through some intense situations, but also allows for discovery over the true nature of Daedalus Corporation and Nicole’s brother. The journey was action-filled and exciting. The end results lead to an even more tension-filled situation, equally as enjoyable to read. The entire story kept me deeply engrossed, and I was unable to put down the book.

Overall, Bound By Night is a fantastic start to a promising new series from Ms. Ione. I was immediately drawn in and could not put down the book. The story has a classic paranormal romance feel, but the mythology is unique and different enough to capture my imagination. I enjoyed how the vampires didn’t fit into the "undead" stereotype as they fight to survive among humans who want to enslave and use them. The love story between Nicole and Riker was moving and heart-felt, yet full of steamy attraction that played well throughout the tale. The story left off with an interesting epilogue, and I for one cannot wait to read more from the MoonBound Clan Vampire series.