BOUND BY BLOOD (Bound #2) by Amanda Ashley-a review

BOUND BY BLOOD (Bound #2) by Amanda Ashley

BOUND BY BLOOD is the second novel (released in October 2011) in Amanda Ashley’s Bound series. Drake and Elena’s daughter is all grown up and living in the city of sin. Half vampire-half human, Kaitlyn Sherrad is the only child and heir to full vampire and Carpathian Coven Master Drake Sherrad and his human wife Elena. But as her 21st birthday approaches Kaitlyn is restless and her vampire half craves blood. Living alone in a secluded cabin (a gift from her parents), Kaitlyn is surprised when she finds a gorgeous man outside and she is instantly attracted.

Zackery Ravenscroft is a made vampire. Sired over 600 years earlier, Zack is a successful casino and hotel owner in Las Vegas. Money and women are no object, but finding the mysterious Kaitlyn Sherrad in the once empty cabin, peaks his curiousity.

Kaitlyn’s family of vampires has long been at war with the ‘Others’-the made vampires. Liking them to vermin, the made vampires are stereotyped and discriminated to the point of death. And Kaitlyn knows her relationship with Zack will never be accepted by her family especially her father and his kin. But when a threat against his daughter by his extended family moves Drake to bring Kaitlyn home to Romania, Zack takes it upon himself to search for the woman who has stolen his heart.

Nadiya is one of Drake’s father’s wives. Following the death of her husband and one of her son’s, Nadiya seeks revenge. And the only course of action is to take from Drake what he took from her-a child. Targeting Kaitlyn is easy, but gaining access is harder. Several failed attempts resulting in the death of more of her sons, Nadiya finds a common foe in Lucien. Lucien has always wanted control of the Carpathian coven and it was a risk he was slightly reluctant to take. Knowing he would have to stand up to Drake, Lucien accepts Drake’s challenge, but soon realizes that he is involved in something far more dangerous than a Coven coup.

As Zack and Kaitlyn’s relationship progresses, Drake’s unease about the made vampire tempers. Zack’s love for Kaitlyn is obvious, but made-vampires have always been the enemy-the Others-and not accepted by Drake’s kind. When Zack and Kaitlyn announce their engagement, it is Elena who will remind her husband, that he too fell in love with an ‘outsider’-a human.

Nadiya’s continued attempts to exact revenge against her husband’s family, places Kaitlyn, and the others on constant alert. But a phone call from Vegas telling him his casino and hotel have been destroyed in a deliberate fire, finds Zack back in the USA trying to discover who was responsible for the destruction. Suspecting it was one of Nadiya’s sons, Drake and Zack must take extra precautions while preparing for the wedding. And knowing that Nadiya will never stop until Kaitlyn is dead, nothing would surprise Zack leading up to their wedding day. And in the end, there will be a newly-made vampire that will have to be accepted –because love does conquer all.

BOUND BY BLOOD is a romantic tale between a vampire and his mate. The attraction is instant but I had concerns that these characters were not able to identify each other as vampires. With their heightened senses, I would have thought that identification would have been immediate as was the attraction, but in the end, it didn’t matter. The writing is simple and the plot was easy to follow. The relationship and story progress without the use of foul language or graphic sex. I am looking forward to the next story-perhaps Uncle Stefan has found love-afterall.

LINKS to purchase:
B&N Nook
B&N Books
KOBO
KOBO-Bound Bundle (2pack Bound by Blood/Night)
Amazon Books
Amazon Kindle
The Book Depository

Reviewed by Sandy