Review of Caressed by a Crimson Moon

That's What I'm Talking About - VampBard 4 of 5 Stars to Caressed by a Crimson Moon (Rulers of Darkness #3)

Review:  
Caressed by a Crimson Moon brings the reader a fabulous continuation of the Rulers of Darkness series.  Ms. Greene brings her characters to life, and allows the reader access to the inner thoughts in a way that respects both the reader and characters.  Hadrian, the hero, is DEFINITELY on the list of favorite heroes for 2013!

     I think one of my favorite aspects of Caressed by a Crimson Moon is the utter self-loathing both Eva and Hadrian have for themselves.  I mean, -zero- self-esteem for these two!  The transformation of each character, while incomplete by the end of the title, was a fabulous glimpse at mending a wounded psyche. I think that I enjoyed watching the inner turmoil of each character change and morph as much as I enjoyed the interaction between the characters.  HEAT INDEX:  4.5 out of 5.  However, this is because anticipation and the ‘pre-game show’ is extremely erotic.

     One of the things that I felt was interesting about Caressed by a Crimson Moon was the sparse cast of characters.  Seriously.  We had Falcon, Hadrian’s friend and second-in-command.  There was a chef and a butler.  We caught glimpses of Dorian and Dmitri, as well as their mates, as well as Sonya, and the Shaw Healer-in-Training.  Not a lot of characters.  There was no movement for the other characters, except at the end – Sonya and Falcon – I’m guessing they’ll be the axis for the next title.  And… I. Can’t. WAIT!!!  I adore Falcon almost as much as I do Hadrian.  Fans of Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series, Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld, and J.R. Ward’s BDB are in for a treat – this Rulers of Darkness title seems to blend them together in a manner that is simply delicious!

     Eva is a truly interesting character.  Raised to believe that she was half jaguar shifter and half human, Eva has always felt like an outcast to her jaguar clan.  When her mom died, Eva was immersed in the world of her father, and their pack didn’t have any use for remaining current & relevant in technology.  She was also treated as though she were an abomination, and says so in Caressed by a Crimson Moon.  She endured nine years of abuse-by-neglect, at the hands of her father.  On the other side, Eva called herself a half-breed, and dismissed her thoughts as unimportant.  She felt she wasn’t deserving of happiness because she had been made to believe so for many years.  This was totally evident in the way she thought of herself, and the way she didn’t believe that there was any way that Hadrian would want her.  I found it interesting, after a major event for her character, that she still didn’t believe that Hadrian felt anything for her.  I must admit, there were several times I wanted to tell her, “Suck it up, Buttercup.  The self-pity thing isn’t working for you.” Fortunately, it seems as though she hopped off the Pity Train by the end of the title, when Hadrian needed her support.  Yay, you!

     Hadrian.  Rawr!  He’s awake and ready to lead his clan through rebuilding and keep the peace.  Since he was in self-imposed exile for 350-ish years, Hadrian is a bit behind the times when it comes to technology and social trends and norms.  However, he’s ready to kick-ass and take names later, if that is what needs to happen!  When I found out **why** Hadrian is so morose, my heart broke for him.  Feeling responsible for someone’s death is never easy.  Much more difficult when that someone is your TWIN BROTHER!  I’m glad I felt like that was resolved by the time we reached the end of the story.  I don’t think I could have handled the continuation of that storyline.  What I’m not entirely cool with is the demon which is Hadrian’s vampire.  Previously, vamps were created by a bite.  Although, Hadrian is possessed by a demon, and it was implied that the demon caused the vampirism.  That part of the plot confused me a little, but it was easy to take the leap of faith and simply go with it.  **VampBard, shut up the constant analysis and enjoy the damn book!**  Long story short, the demon played nice, and Hadrian got his anger issues under control.  As matter of fact, his middle name should be CONTROL.

     The compassion I had for Hadrian throughout the title was immense.  I cried, people.  Giant, crocodile tears, when I found out why Hadrian hated himself so much.  Another round of tears when Hadrian ‘said goodbye’ to his brother.  Seriously.  I’ve warned you.  Have tissues at-the-ready.  Ultimately, this vamp who felt himself unworthy of love discovered that the true meaning of love is to accept someone as they are, and not expect change as a condition of a relationship.  This is one of the reasons I fell in total lurve with Hadrian.

     Caressed by a Crimson Moon is my favorite Rulers of Darkness title to-date.  The third book in the series has me chomping at the bit for the next installment.

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Description:

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?

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