His Dark Embrace by Amanda Ashley

AAshley-His Dark EmbraceYears ago I found a book by Amanda Ashley called Midnight Embrace.  It was one of the first vampire books I’d ever read.  I didn’t love it but I did enjoy it enough to keep.  So when I saw that her latest novel, His Dark Embrace, needed a review, I jumped on it. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy His Dark Embrace.

Tall, dark, mysterious – and with a faint scar on his cheek that only makes him more gorgeous – Kaiden Thorne is one schoolgirl obsession Skylynn never forgot. Now, returning to her childhood home is after eight years, she can’t believe her reclusive neighbour is still living across the street – and is hotter than ever. Skylynn doesn’t know how Kaiden manages to stay so young, virile, and impossibly attractive. But she knows she wants him …even if he harbours a fearful secret he refuses to tell her. When Kaiden sees the beautiful young woman Skylynn has become, he can no longer control the bloodlust that is his true nature. Once he pulls Skylynn into his arms, presses his lips against hers – and accidentally draws blood – he longs for more. Only she possesses what he wants and what he needs. Only she can save him or destroy him. But once Skylynn agrees to help Kaiden battle his darkest desires, there is no turning back.

The reason I didn’t enjoy His Dark Embrace was because the characters were typical, nothing to stand out and make them extra special or stick in my head.  I didn’t connect or get involved with them at all.  I hate that.  I want to love the character, they deserve some love you know, but I never felt it. They had no life or extra pizazz to make them unique or stand out for me. The characters lacked conviction of who they were.  They are basic, so there’s no umph to make them stand out at all. Honestly, it’s been awhile since I’ve read His Dark Embrace and I can barely remember. The one thing that has stuck out is the characters just have no umph to make them believable.  There’s nothing special about them.

The more I think about it, typical is not the word I mean. They were very stereotypical.  Just after a few pages, I looked to my husband and said ‘A girl comes home after her grandpa dies because she’s inherited everything.  There’s this broody, mysterious hot neighbor she’s had a crush on for years living next door.  He’s had a thing for her since she was little.  Tell me what happens next?’  And he told me the story: he’s a vampire and she’s a naive human, who doesn’t see the signs at first, then she does and oh it’s ok, I love you, let’s get married tomorrow.  His Dark Embrace is full of cliché’s, with corny dialogue and everything was predictable.

It was really hard to continue reading but I pushed through it.  I held out hope that something would happen that I wouldn’t see.  I was wrong.  The only thing that stands out, that I thought was cool about the whole plot, was that a guy creates a formula to make vampires more mortal.  They can go out in the sun, eat food, don’t need as much blood if any to survive, etc. but they are still immortal.  The concept of the formula was interesting, but little else was.

His Dark Embrace was a fast read, I’ll give it that.  But I need more action, scarier vampires, more romance, more complex characters, and this book had none of those things.  If you want an easy, doesn’t make you think, and G rated romance kind of book, this one is for you.

About Nikki R 120 Articles
SAHM of 2, happily married bookworm, blogger and aspiring author. If I could read/write all day, every day, I would. Luckily I have a very understanding, and patient, husband who lets me get away with it as much as possible. Now if only the kids would understand my obsession, and the house would clean itself, then I'd be all set.

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