Caressed by Moonlight (Rulers of Darkness, #1) by Amanda J. Greene

Aug 18, 2012 Bookie | The BookChick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 3-star-read, hist-myth-elements, romance

Book Description:
Dorian Vlakhos is no ordinary aristocrat. He is a vampire king, who will do anything to save his clan from complete annihilation, before an ancient curse can claim his immortal life.

Penniless and orphaned, Victoria Kingston has nothing to bring to a marriage, yet she must shackle an unsuspecting gentleman into marriage by the end of the month or forfeit her rights as guardian of her younger sister. With the help of her dearest friend, Victoria begins her hunt, and vows to stay f...more

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May 24, 2011 jD rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2_kindle_own, romance_vamps, 6_new-series, must-read-seq, 2011-read

This is the first book in the Masters of Darkness series by Amanda Greene. It is indeed an impressive work for a new author and first book. The story is a paranormal adult romance with vampires as the primary characters but not the only supernatural beings. We also have shifters and witches.
The story begins with our heroine, Victoria Kingston. Her parents have died and left her without enough money to raise her sister. She turns to an aunt that lives in London with the hope she would provide fo...more This is the first book in the Masters of Darkness series by Amanda Greene. It is indeed an impressive work for a new author and first book. The story is a paranormal adult romance with vampires as the primary characters but not the only supernatural beings. We also have shifters and witches.
The story begins with our heroine, Victoria Kingston. Her parents have died and left her without enough money to raise her sister. She turns to an aunt that lives in London with the hope she would provide for them until Victoria can get on her feet. The aunt is evil and hates Victoria because she looks like her mother, the woman her aunt believes was trash. The first half of the book involves Victoria attempting to fulfill an impossible deal made with her aunt. She must find a suitable, titled, and wealthy husband within 30 days or she can never see her sister again. The aunt is willing to raise the younger sister, Margaret, with the clear understanding that Victoria would not be part of the girl’s life. Victoria turns to a privileged friend, Lana, to introduce her to London society and to identify a man who meets the criteria. The story takes place in 1814 so we have all the Regency period sensibilities and social restrictions. Our hero, Dorian Vlakhos, is a handsome and wealthy foreign Prince who has been labeled by polite society as a rake. A woman’s reputation is ruined for spending five minutes in his company. In reality he is a vampire King who is actually in London on the downlow to draw hunters away from his people who are being slaughtered to extinction. He eyes Victoria at a ball and decides he would like to have a taste because he is a bit of a rake at heart. The two have an instant attraction but Victoria is no fool, she knows he only wants to bed her so she continues her search as time and options run out. The back and forth courtship that is not a courtship is entertaining and sexy. I really liked this couple and wanted them to have their HEA.

After Victoria has a particularly nasty fight with her evil aunt, she is thrown out on the street in the rain with no place to go and without her sister. In desperation, she turns to Dorian for help thinking he could advise he on who she could turn to for a quick marriage. Dorian decides that he cares for her and that he would give her what she needs. She agrees to the marriage because she has no choice. This is where the problems begin to mount. First of all, she does not know that he is a vampire. Secondly, she also does not know that the hunters are actually witches. Lastly, she does not know he is slowing going insane and will die soon unless he finds his mate. I know that is a familiar storyline but the presentation is unique and I found it creative and well conceived.

The second half of the book dealt with the love story and the dangers presented by the witches along with a vampire named Kal who wants to take over Dorian’s clan and territory. Dorian finds out how serious his problems have become back home and decides he must return to save his people – without Victoria. She was not having that, so they embark on a journey to his homeland during which much is revealed and new friendships are formed. There are many supporting characters, mostly vampires, that I hope will get their own books in time.

This book had only one weakness for me – the lack of magic. The witches did not do one single magical thing. They pretty much would pop up in a scene and make some mouthy treats. There are some magical artifacts that come into the story but we never see the witches do battle. Granted, this story had a lot to say and some things, I believe, will be revealed in future books. But witches should be throwing fireballs or something when fighting vamps not just talking smack. These are supposed to be powerful beings but we don’t see what the hype is about. I am going to hope that gets rectified in future installments. Or they need to be written out of the story. They are useless.

I highly recommend this book to vampire romance fans. The series has everything you could need – interesting characters, unique vampire elements, rivalries, violence, and amazing sex. Bravo Ms. Greene! You done good.(less)

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Jul 09, 2011 Natalia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vampire, own, signed, 5-stars, read-in-2011, pnr

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Won a copy from http://www.amandajgreene.com

Okay so W-O-W. I absolutely loved this book. Now be prepared, I am not so good at writing reviews on books I like, so this could be painful for those who read...I am a more 'kick-'em-where-it-hurts' kinda girl.

One of the elements in this book that I enjoyed the most was how there was a development of the relationship between Dorian and Victoria. So many time we see how characters just get together and then that's it!!! Hey presto they're in love from t...more Won a copy from http://www.amandajgreene.com

Okay so W-O-W. I absolutely loved this book. Now be prepared, I am not so good at writing reviews on books I like, so this could be painful for those who read...I am a more 'kick-'em-where-it-hurts' kinda girl.

One of the elements in this book that I enjoyed the most was how there was a development of the relationship between Dorian and Victoria. So many time we see how characters just get together and then that's it!!! Hey presto they're in love from their first second. Even though later on Victoria does admit to loving Dorian from the start, there is still this development that I thoroughly enjoyed - it made it better because you were able to fall in love with them both as they were to each other. Dorian starts out as only wanting Victoria to warm his bed - you get what I mean - and she ends up being oh so much more.

Usually I get the feeling that authors put characters into time settings just because they like them, which I despise, I believe that the time should also dictate the plot. You can't be set somewhere and totally ignore what was going on in that era, sure the characters can also dictate but it needs to be a nice melding of those factors that produce a great story. In Caressed by Moonlight you do see that throughout. Victoria is forced to live with her aunt because both her parents have recently died and she cannot afford to keep their family house because of their fathers debt. Then, forced by her aunt to marry within a month to be able to see her sister Margaret, she ends up with Dorian Vlakhos - a sexy and intriguing prince from Europe. I enjoy the forcing of the relationship (that sounds mean but it is oh, so good) because it allows the characters to have those moments of intimacy - which don't necessarily mean the physical kind - to strengthen their new relationship. You get to know their past and see their faults and strengths when they allow each other to do so.

Because there have been countless books about vampires and such, it is hard to come up with something that is original without it trying to be original for the sake of it...get me??? So although I did find this book with that original sense, it didn't seem pushy. Amanda J. Greene has managed to manipulate the conventions of the vampire genre without making them annoying, or as I said before, making them original for the sake of it. There was definite purpose in there, and she didn't change very convention as to make it ridiculous--which can happen.

The fact that every character was unique makes me fall in love with this book even more. Now that might sound stupid, but how many books have you read where the main characters best friend or brother, whatever is basically a replica of the main man himself??? The only difference being their physical description...so I was really happy when a new character was introduced that they were in their own right, themselves. You are then able to like/love certain characters more because you can relate to them.

My only fault is very small. Forgive me, I like food analogies. With Caressed by Moonlight you got the whole meal - entree, fish, meat, and even a big ol' serving of dessert. I do feel like the story ended a tad abrupt though maybe that was because I just really wanted to get to know Dorian and Victoria more. So what I a saying is that I might have wanted that naughty-after-everyone-else-is-asleep snack that no one knows about. Though this book did give me more than I deserve already, I felt I needed some said closure as to what path Victoria and Dorian were on.

We also see a cheeky ending that does leave us wanting more -- not necessarily about Victoria and Dorian either...yeah, I'll leave you hanging on that one.

Amanda J. Greene has a superb book on her hands and I cannot wait to see what this debut author has in store for us next. I believe there is another book in the works and I will read it as fast as I did this one. I love it!!!(less)

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Feb 14, 2012 Paranormal Reads rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amanda J. Greene has written a book that took my breath away. I loved this book so much and could not put it down. The characters are well written and pull you into their world. This is my first historical romance (set in 1814 England) it has paranormal in it and Amanda makes the vampires her own with a great twist.

Victoria is left orphaned and penniless with her little sister. They have to go to England to live with their aunt who detests Victoria and gives her an ultimatum to wed in 30 days o...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Sabrina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amanda J. Greene has written a book that took my breath away. I loved this book so much and could not put it down. The characters are well written and pull you into their world. This is my first historical romance (set in 1814 England) it has paranormal in it and Amanda makes the vampires her own with a great twist.

Victoria is left orphaned and penniless with her little sister. They have to go to England to live with their aunt who detests Victoria and gives her an ultimatum to wed in 30 days o...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Lissette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Orphaned and left penniless after she ends up having to sell everything she owns to cover her father’s debts, Victoria Kingston finds herself traveling to London with her little sister in tow. She ends up on her aunt’s doorstep, detested by the very woman because of the fact that she resembles the woman whom, by her standards, bewitched her brother and caused him to leave everything he’d ever known behind.

Her aunt makes it clear that she’s not welcome, but she’s more than willing to take her sis...more Orphaned and left penniless after she ends up having to sell everything she owns to cover her father’s debts, Victoria Kingston finds herself traveling to London with her little sister in tow. She ends up on her aunt’s doorstep, detested by the very woman because of the fact that she resembles the woman whom, by her standards, bewitched her brother and caused him to leave everything he’d ever known behind.

Her aunt makes it clear that she’s not welcome, but she’s more than willing to take her sister off of her hands. She gives the girl an ultimatum, citing that she’ll need to marry in order to see her sibling. She further rubs this fact in by telling Victoria that she must get this done by the end of the month or she will forfeit her right to be her sister’s guardian.

With no other course of action, she confides in her best friend and together they concoct a plan that might offer Victoria the success she needs to gain an end to her own means. Yet there’s one thing she hadn’t counted upon, Prince Dorian Vlahkos. Dark, tall, and handsome, he stirs her blood in ways that no one else ever has. Her attraction grows by the day, yet she does her best to resist his charms.

Thrown into the streets because of a stolen kiss with the man himself, she’s catapulted into a world she’s never really known. Dorian can’t deny that he cares for the lovely minx, although he doesn’t quite understand why. Refusing to leave her on the streets, he agrees to marry her, allowing her to retain her sister’s guardianship; something that she’s truly grateful for.

Although, she doesn’t exactly know what he is, at first, she soon comes to accept him as he is. Her heart refuses to believe that he’s anything but a good man, even if he is a vampire. Bound by love, they strive to make the best of the cards that life has dealt them while trying to protect those they love.

I enjoyed every moment of this story. The heat and the love that played out between both characters were truly endearing. Amanda painted such a vivid picture of their world that it wasn’t hard to get so engrossed and attached to it and the characters within it. I’m truly looking forward to more of Amanda’s work.
(less)

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Sep 30, 2011 Wendy Mitchell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-2-me-author, requested-review, regency

Normally I tend to stay away from Regency romances because the heroines are under such societal restrictions, it just makes my blood boil and the old left eye twitch. Victoria proved to be a wonderful exception. Although she understood the need for a possible loveless marriage, she went about it in a very intelligent and practical manner. She was no whimpering miss. Victoria took a lot of HARD knocks and handled them with grace, dignity and intelligence. I greatly admired her resilience and her...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Karla(Book Addict) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Karla(Book Addict) by: read2reaview.com

Shelves: adults-only, favorites, romantic, supernatural-men, vampires

deleting reviews if you want to take a look at them you can do so on my blog, link on my profile

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Jan 15, 2012 Mirely rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenge, 2012-reviews, adult-romance, mystical-pnr, vampires, witches, entered-in-giveaway-competition, 1800-s, england, pp-201-to-300, 2011-pub-read

SO! In my world authors are like celebrities and I got to go back and forth with this author when I won a giveaway of this book. It wasn't anything crazy but it was enough for me to know she was really nice and on top of things.

With that said I was really hoping to like this book. I TOTALLY DID! I read it in one night.

Victoria Kingston has just lost both of her parents within a few months time. She is left to care for her eight year old sister and is flat broke. Victoria heads over to her aunt...more SO! In my world authors are like celebrities and I got to go back and forth with this author when I won a giveaway of this book. It wasn't anything crazy but it was enough for me to know she was really nice and on top of things.

With that said I was really hoping to like this book. I TOTALLY DID! I read it in one night.

Victoria Kingston has just lost both of her parents within a few months time. She is left to care for her eight year old sister and is flat broke. Victoria heads over to her aunt, who hates her because she looks so much like her mother, and asks for her help. The aunt refuses to really help too much and tells Victoria that she has 30 days to find a husband before she is thrown out of her house and will never see her sister again. So Victoria does the only thing she can do in the 1800's... She finds herself a husband.

Dorian Vlakhos is a Vampire King! He comes to London from a far away land in hopes that the Witches who hunt his people will follow him and leave his clan alone.

Dorian definitely was a character! He had personality, he was funny, smart, elegant, passionate, warm but with a warrior mentality. He was a pretty cool character. Victoria was...English. :-) I found her funny at times, mostly when she would interact with Dorian at the social gatherings. I think what I most liked about Victoria was how she wanted a love like her parents and although her marriage started as one of convenience she was determined to end it as one of love. I loved how both Victoria and Dorian interacted with the little sister, Margaret.

Right away when you hear that the book will be about vampires you think of certain obvious characteristics a vampire should have. Nowadays, writers are trying to stand out and create unique vampire qualities in their own stories and not follow the norm. I think Amanda J Greene did this well. I think she found the perfect balance between a traditional vampire and a more evolved vampire. I haven't read anything yet with a Vampire King in it nor have I read anything about vampires in the 1800's and it worked well together. I believed in Dorian and Victoria's love. I could see it growing and it happened naturally. The story was easy to follow as well as the characters that were introduced along the way. I like how things changed dramatically when Dorian had to return to his native land and the ending was so unexpected.

I think the only bad things I have to say is that the book needed light editing. There were a few misspelled words or words in general that didn't belong but not terribly bad. There was one inconsistency but again it wasn't horribly bad. (I won't say... let's see if you catch it.) The last thing I found weird was a line that I know would not have been said in the 1800's.

Overall it was written nicely and I look forward to the next book. I'm just sad that it's not featuring two characters I would have loved to see their story told.

On to the next one folks!! (less)

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Sep 24, 2011 Lori {Romancing the Dark Side} rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, vampires, magic, my-ebooks, books-read-in-2011, historical-romance, my-reviews, blog-tour-review

Romancing the Dark Side Review:

Two worlds collide for a sizzling historical romance with a paranormal twist!

Victorian Kingston is a young woman who has become orphaned and left with a younger sister in her care. When she moves in with her spinster aunt, Victoria is given one month to find a suitable husband if she is to see her sister Margaret again. She enlists the help of her good friend Lana in her quest for a husband, who introduces her to fancy balls and London society. It's there where sh...more Romancing the Dark Side Review:

Two worlds collide for a sizzling historical romance with a paranormal twist!

Victorian Kingston is a young woman who has become orphaned and left with a younger sister in her care. When she moves in with her spinster aunt, Victoria is given one month to find a suitable husband if she is to see her sister Margaret again. She enlists the help of her good friend Lana in her quest for a husband, who introduces her to fancy balls and London society. It's there where she meets the mysterious and alluring Prince Vlakhos, a man she knows is nothing but trouble. Dorian is known as an aristocrat with a reputation of being a ladies' man. When he sees Victoria he is determined to have her in his bed but never dreamed she would also steal his heart, which could prove quite dangerous for the immortal prince.

Victoria is an unconventional heroine for her time. She is smart, opinionated and determined in a world where women are meant to look pretty and marry young. Victoria deals with a difficult situation and her character tugs at your heart string from the very beginning. She's a risk taker which I love, never played the damsel in distress and is willing to fight for what she believes in, including her man!

Dorian is ever the sexy and mysterious vampire. He's dark, brooding and full of charisma. We learn he's far from the rake everyone claims him to be, he's an ancient vampire king with a dark past and a kind heart. Dorian is the perfect gentleman but also has a wild side that makes him irresistible. Victoria awakens long lost desires in Dorian that allow him to open up about his well kept secret and past, something that comes as a surprise to him. It's refreshing to see the hero fall for the heroine first and having him express his feelings before she does is truly romantic!

This is above all a romance. Victoria and Dorian are a sexy couple who are brought together due to unique circumstances but their romance slowly develops and keeps you on the edge of your seat in anticipation. Their relationship is beyond steamy and I couldn't get enough of these two whenever they were left alone! The story has an original paranormal plot (I don't want to give it away!) and also introduces us to some appealing supporting characters that stand out throughout the story, my personal faves: Falcon and Sonya. I hope my suspicious are correct and that we'll get more of these two in the upcoming installments. Caressed by Moonlight is a spectacular historical romance with strong elements of paranormal and erotic romance that will captivate readers with its fluid writing style, action, sexual tension and romance. A great read you'll want to sink your teeth into!

{ebook courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours for review}(less)

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Jun 02, 2011 Heather Book Savvy Babe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, review-on-blog, vamped-out, historical-romance

Review also on my blog http://booksavvybabe.blogspot.com
3.5 of 5 stars
I commend the author, Amanda J Greene for her work, Caressed By Moonlight. This is great work for a debut novel. Caressed by Moonlight combines historical romance with paranormal, for a new spin on a vampire romance novel. The story is set in Regency England, with the main character, Dorian, visiting London to throw off hunters, witches, who seek to kill Dorian’s clan. Victoria is a lovely heroine, literally and figuratively....more

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Aug 17, 2011 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, for-review, from-author

Every now and then you come across a book that is the first in the series and it’s so good you want to kick yourself for reading it. Not because it wasn’t good, because you think to yourself well damn now I have to wait a whole year to read about these characters again. Caressed by Moonlight is one of those books for me.

Amanda J. Greene has created a world in Caressed by Moonlight that you can really sink your teeth into. Set in 1814 England for most of the book, I honestly could envision all o...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Ivy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I loved this book....I wanted it to last but coulbn't stop reading. This book was so romanitic an sweet. I loved the way Dorian an Tory connected with each other. The love felt real not forced and the action was great. Can't wait to read the next book.

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Mar 16, 2012 Becca {{Lady Kilt Chaser}} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, kindle-owned, paranormal, romance

I love love loved this book!

This book combined my love of historical romance AND vampires AND Alpha-male AND a strong, determined woman.

"Love is not a weakness, Dorian, but a strength. It can give you more pleasure, more sorrow, more power, and more pain than anything on this earth." - Dimitri

Once I started, I could not put it down. I actually finished while I was working out and had 10 minutes left of cardio and argued with myself the entire time. "Stop now, start the next book NOW......No, ke...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Rjsmommy rated it 4 of 5 stars

A good start to a new series. I enjoyed the historical setting and the main characters were both extremely likable. I was hoping to see more of an ending epilogue for Victoria and Dorian...but instead got the lead in to the next book. There just seemed to be a lot of loose ends with secondary characters like Lana/Howland, Margaret, Jacque, etc. Hoping these characters aren't totally forgotten in the next book. Again, I was hoping for possibly Falcon's or Raphael's book but we jump forward and ge...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Talina Perkins rated it 4 of 5 stars

(4.5 star - Top Pick, review written by Talina Perkins for Night Owl Reviews)
Plot:

Before reading Caressed by Moonlight I had forgotten how much I love historical romance. Amanda J. Greene has returned my love for bodices and dancing while giving me so much more. I have a strong love for paranormal romance that has spice sprinkled throughout the entire story and Ms. Greene added the right amount of vampires with a strong sex appeal and an alpha male...how could resist! This book is definitely one...more (4.5 star - Top Pick, review written by Talina Perkins for Night Owl Reviews)
Plot:

Before reading Caressed by Moonlight I had forgotten how much I love historical romance. Amanda J. Greene has returned my love for bodices and dancing while giving me so much more. I have a strong love for paranormal romance that has spice sprinkled throughout the entire story and Ms. Greene added the right amount of vampires with a strong sex appeal and an alpha male...how could resist! This book is definitely one of those stories that lacks nothing when it comes to the sizzling connection between the hero and heroine, Dorian and Victoria. I still can't stop thinking about the chemistry they shared on the dance floor. A little of that is shared in the teaser section above. I also found the unique paranormal world for Ms. Greene new series fabulous and thrilling to step into. Her vampires are as powerful as they are alluring and sexy. She has a great take on her world and her characters and allows the setting a place in her story instead of using it just a prop.
Layered with suspense, desire, and a sense of family in equal quantity there was not a moment in this story that didn't speak to me. The theme of family and loyalty was well balanced by the villain's need for revenge. Threaded together, it all made an exciting story that I couldn't put down and in fact finished in less than a day. The author took a vampire king and a mortal woman, threw them together and allowed their characters and surroundings to push them through finding their footing and their place at each others side. All secondary characters added a depth to the story I feel was spot on; not to much and definitely not to little. While the story is about Victoria and Dorian finding their way through needing one another, whether they want to accept it or not, it is also about Dorian regaining his control over his clan and territory. Their is blood shed and broken hearts as well as moments I thought all would be lost. When I came to the end and found that moment when all was not lost I smiled and sighed in relief only to be teased with a prologue of how the second book in the series will be started. I CAN"T WAIT!

Writing:

Amanda J. Greene is a debut author that readers will take notice of and fast. She knows how to give readers what they want and exactly how they want it. She has a very smooth hand in delivering romance and passion while giving the right amount of suspense and thrills. She writes with great description and is destined to make the bestsellers list once readers find out just how talented she really is. I had to verify three times that she is in fact and Indie Author. Publishers would love this author!

Characters:

Victoria is the best friend I never had and wanted. Strong determined and loyal to those she loves this heroine was perfect for this story. Stubborn and at times pushy she endeared me to her from page one. She is a character that did what had to be done and refused to leave her mates side once she knew what she was facing. Come to think about it, even when she didn't know what she was facing she was still there willing to fight for what she believed in and darn determined to make sure she was never left out of the going-ons. I liked that. To many heroines are push overs allowing the hero to decide what is good for them. Victoria is not one of those! Dorian, he is definitely the kind of hero that would and did try to tell Victoria what to do. I loved watching him falling under the spell of love and his animalistic tendency to take Victoria by surprise each time he couldn't control the feelings inside him any more. Sexy, strong and powerful this vampire king stole my heart the moment he told Victoria to look into his eyes while they were dancing. A perfect gentleman yet daring and such a seducer. Two characters you loved watching fall in love!

Last Thoughts:

This author, this story, this series, is a must read for all paranormal romance lovers! Amanda J. Greene is an author I will not forget! I am anxiously awaiting the second installment to this series aimed to come out in February 2012 titled, Caressed by Night. (less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Eli Yanti rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Dorian.”

Her voice brushed chills down his spine. He was afraid to turn around, to look upon her. His muscles clenched as he stood perfectly still.

“Yes?” he asked, his throat dry. His cold heart tightened as he listened to her cross the floor. She stood behind him, he could feel her, smell her, taste her. She placed a warm, small, thin hand on his shoulder and he shuddered.

Victoria came up to her tiptoes; leaned against his hard back, and lightly whispered, “Make love to me.”

A tremor of exciteme...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books

Victoria has nothing left in this world but her little sister Margaret. Unfortunately, their guardian, Aunt Nelly, is threatening to take even that away from her. Aunt Nelly despises Victoria and tells her that unless she is able to find and marry a rich man by the end of the month, Margaret will be taken from her. So Victoria begins her search, only to find that she is frustrated. She meets Prince Dorian who seems to want her, but she wants nothing to do with him. One night Aunt Nelly sees the...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Pat aka Tygyr rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The Adobe format took a little getting used to for me, but I finally got it to a more manageable view. Dorian is King of a Clan of Vampires and his 2nd in command is trying to take over. The battles are killing the Clan. So in hopes of sparing lives of the Clan he leaves his homeland. Victoria is a young woman (early 20's) whose parents recently died. After paying off debts with the sale of their home, Victoria and her young 8 yr old sister are without financial means...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Leilani Lopez rated it 4 of 5 stars

I simply adore vampire kings. I love to read how different authors see their vampires in their world but when it comes to the King of the Vampire's I always love to see if the author sees them as total anarchs, or secretly sensitive. And Dorian Vlakhos is one... well you'll have to read it to find out.

Dorian Vlakhos is one amazing Vampire King. He not only want to do everything to protect his people but when he sees Victoria Kingston, he can't help but want to help her. The fact that he's attra...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Annette M Guerriero Nishimoto rated it 3 of 5 stars

Today's review is on Caressed by Moonlight by Amanda J Greene

Caressed by Moonlight is the first installment in Amanda Greene's Rulers of Darkness series and was a really nice read. There were however many, many errors throughout.

Victoria and her little sister Margaret have to leave the comfort of their country home to live with their horrid aunt after the death of their father. He had become despondent after the death of his wife and had taken his own life with little Margaret finding his body.

B...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Niina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolute-favorites

Amazing debut by Amanda J. Greene! Supernatural Romance readers will find a new vampire to swoon over, Dorian Vlakhos, the King of the Mylonas Clan!

1814. Victoria and her little sister Margaret arrive in London after their mother died of illness and their father took his own life after losing his wife. They are homeless and penniless, and in the mercy of their Aunt who despises Victoria and her mother - which is why she has her own terms for their stay, Margaret will stay with her and Victoria h...more Amazing debut by Amanda J. Greene! Supernatural Romance readers will find a new vampire to swoon over, Dorian Vlakhos, the King of the Mylonas Clan!

1814. Victoria and her little sister Margaret arrive in London after their mother died of illness and their father took his own life after losing his wife. They are homeless and penniless, and in the mercy of their Aunt who despises Victoria and her mother - which is why she has her own terms for their stay, Margaret will stay with her and Victoria has one month to find a husband before she is kicked out of her aunt's home. If these terms are not met Victoria will never see her sister again. Assigning her friends help she enters the balls of London society to snare a wealthy man with a title to keep her sister with her and manage to provide for them.

In the London society Dorian Vlakhos is known as the Prince, but he is not a womanizing aristocrat that his reputation paints him as, but a Vampire King, and he has his eyes set on the stunningly gorgeous Victoria, who is doing her very best to avoid the scandal that follows Prince Vlakhos and gain a respectable marriage, and rights to her sister. She cannot afford to fall for Prince Vlakhos, which is why as much frustration and anger as he makes her feel she is doomed by the other feelings he stirs within her. One sweet stolen kiss though makes it clear to Victoria she cannot spend any more time with the Prince and his openly forward courting her into his bed.

Not all is well back home with Dorian's Clan and hate and war spills even to the streets of London and now that Dorian's attention is on Victoria - so is the Hunter's.

Wonderful book! Ah, I can't quite explain it, it's the suppressed women of 1800's and mixed with Vampires, Hunters and seduction it is a potent mix that makes you want to devour the book at one go. There is a delicious amount of sexual tension, hate, aggravation and attraction with Victoria and Dorian, and it keeps boiling over to the readers. In an age where appearances are everything and keeping your composure is critical a lot sure bubbles under the surface.

I loved the character of Victoria, she's strong and capable, but not in the 21st century girl in 1800's London kind of way, but strong within her limits in the society she lives in. She also warm and has a little spitfire attitude when it comes to Dorian which is so enjoyable to read. As is Dorian who grew on me immediately, he's over confident, cocky and possessive in the best possible way, he's the kind of vampire you dream at night, little wicked, sexy as hell and one who doesn't take no for an answer and keeps circling you until you give into his charm.

Read the steamy Excerpt below the rating for a little peak at "Caressed by Moonlight". @ http://niinas-reading-and-reviewing.b...

Can't wait till February 2012 when Greene releases the second book in the Rulers of Darkness series Caressed by Night!(less)

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Feb 07, 2012 Vickie Dold rated it 5 of 5 stars

Caressed by Moonlight is Amanda J. Greene’s first novel. It is also the first in a series called Rulers of Darkness. I love reading new authors and finding a new series to fall in love with. This first book sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I found myself on the edge of my seat at times, angry at the bad guys at others, weeping like a baby, and of course I fell helplessly in love with Dorian the hero.
I have a love for paranormal romance that has action sprinkled throughout the entire stor...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, paranormal-romance, vampires, first-in-series

Generally I try not to judge a book by it's cover. But I find myself adoring the cover of this book. The beautiful outfits, the tender embrace of the hero and heroine and the gorgeous colours. It all makes for an extremely attractive book cover and one that I was eager to devour. But I find myself asking, "Where's the paranormal on this cover? Where are the hints to his vampire nature?"

The novel starts off with a beautiful, recently orphaned woman, Miss Victoria Kingston, who is now penniless an...more

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Jun 15, 2011 texxie-prufreads.blogspot.com rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

"The little kitten has claws," Dorian said intrigued. "I like that."~Dorian Vlakhos

I am so in love with this book. I will admit, the cover gave me pause. I'm just glad I did'nt allow me to miss out on such an amazing book. I have found yet another "sex in motion" type of male lead in Dorian Vlakhos. He is perfectly written, perfect within his flaws. He is a cursed Vampire King who is on a mission to save his people. Around town, however, he's known as the aristocrat with a very naughty reputati...more "The little kitten has claws," Dorian said intrigued. "I like that."~Dorian Vlakhos

I am so in love with this book. I will admit, the cover gave me pause. I'm just glad I did'nt allow me to miss out on such an amazing book. I have found yet another "sex in motion" type of male lead in Dorian Vlakhos. He is perfectly written, perfect within his flaws. He is a cursed Vampire King who is on a mission to save his people. Around town, however, he's known as the aristocrat with a very naughty reputation and the ability to turn every female head in his vicinity. Why he can ruin a ladies reputation with just one dance. Again....sex in motion.

Tragedy strikes, leading Victoria Kingston and her little sister Margaret on the doorstep of their bitter old Aunt Nelly. Victoria is a disgrace to the family name and Aunt Nelly wants her gone. She must marry within 30 days or never see her little sister again. With little Margaret being Victoria's whole world, she sets out on a mission to find a husband.

The two worlds collide when Dorian spies Victoria for the first time at a social event. It was lust at first sight and he was determined to get her into his bed. He was'nt prepared to be challenged and met toe to toe by this fiesty lovely. She knew the rumors and told him as much. She was on a mission and could'nt be bothered with his sexual conquests. Even though he stirred feelings in her that she never knew existed.

I would best describe Caressed by Moonlight as an erotic, historical, paranormal romance. For me, this equalls win/win. The author really brought the chemistry off the page. The battle of the wits made for such an entertaining read. This book has some exceptionally hot and steamy sex scenes while at the same time, building on such a raw, romantic love story, it was so easy to get lost in this book. It has everything, sexy vamps, strong women, romance, action and a great supporting cast. Ms. Greene's take on Dorian's history, how he was changed was just...perfect.

I cannot wait for Caressed by Night to be released!! Brilliant.(less)

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Dec 05, 2012 Addictive rated it 4 of 5 stars

Victoria Kingston and her little sister Margaret are penniless and alone after their father dies of a broken heart. Selling the house they grew up in, Victoria and Margaret have no choice but to move into town with a reluctant aunt who hated their mother for taking her beloved brother away from his first family.
Their Aunt takes in Margaret but grudgingly gives Victoria a condition for staying under the same roof as her-her aunt cannot stand the sight of Victoria because she looks so much like...more Victoria Kingston and her little sister Margaret are penniless and alone after their father dies of a broken heart. Selling the house they grew up in, Victoria and Margaret have no choice but to move into town with a reluctant aunt who hated their mother for taking her beloved brother away from his first family.
Their Aunt takes in Margaret but grudgingly gives Victoria a condition for staying under the same roof as her-her aunt cannot stand the sight of Victoria because she looks so much like her mother-one month in her house. One month to find a husband, or else she leaves Margaret behind when she is forced to leave the household. With nowhere else to turn, Victoria takes solace with her best friend Lana and together they devise a list of eligible suitors. That very night they both attend a ball; it is there that Victoria meets Prince Dorian Vlakhos. But Dorian is no prince; he is actually a vampire king.

Dorian is in London only to lead his enemy, the witches away from his clan. And his plan is working until he sets sights on Victoria Kingston. He has no intention of falling in love. But one look at Victoria, and he is captivated by her beauty. But Vampire King’s have been cursed with love for centuries, so it is with surprise that he finds himself wedded to a human within a fortnight of them meeting.
It is inevitable that Victoria learns who her husband really is; can she learn to live with her new husband knowing that he will live forever? And will Dorian’s enemies tear them apart after they have just found each other?

Caressed by Moonlight was a hit and miss for me. I loved the paranormal aspect mixed in with the historical setting, but I thought Victoria accepted Dorian’s true nature too readily. I try to picture myself back in the 1800’s. When confronted by a man with fangs, would I not freak out and run the other direction? Victoria seems to take it in stride after only freaking out a little; of course she is love with him at that point but wouldn’t you still faint at least?
Victoria, to me seemed to just go with the flow in a way. I believed she really loved Dorian but I didn’t really get an overwhelming passion coming off the page from Victoria towards Dorian. This is really okay. Not all romance books in the world are going to have grand sweeping passion; they’re just not.
I really enjoyed reading Caressed by Moonlight and I cannot wait to read the second in this series Caressed by Night even though the historical/paranormal is a new twist for me.
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Sep 30, 2011 Michelle (Reading Lark) (Reading Lark) rated it 3 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed this story. However, the editing was an absolutely nightmare - I'm not sure if it was solely the PDF I received, but I hope that isn't the copy that will be purchased. Unfortunately, I found it so distracting that I could only give Caressed by Moonlight 3 birdies.

On the characters:
I found Victoria a bit annoying, and a little underwritten. I could have done with a bit more of her thought processes - She just seemed rushed and sort of flat. Dorian on the other hand...more

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Oct 21, 2011 Pam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Victoria Kingston’s father killed himself, leaving her as the sole provider and caretaker for her eight year old sister, Margaret. Because Victoria had to sell almost everything to pay off her father’s debts, she has no choice but to go live with their only living relative, Aunt Nelly. Aunt Nelly loathed Victoria’s mother and seems to feel the same way about Victoria. Aunt Nelly tells Victoria that she has a month to get married so she can provide for her younger sister, or else she will never b...more Victoria Kingston’s father killed himself, leaving her as the sole provider and caretaker for her eight year old sister, Margaret. Because Victoria had to sell almost everything to pay off her father’s debts, she has no choice but to go live with their only living relative, Aunt Nelly. Aunt Nelly loathed Victoria’s mother and seems to feel the same way about Victoria. Aunt Nelly tells Victoria that she has a month to get married so she can provide for her younger sister, or else she will never be able to see Margaret. Victoria is determined to find a husband, and starts attending balls and such to do just that.

Dorian Vlakhos is a very old vampire and a king of his clan. He escapes to London to try to divert the attention of the witches that are attacking his people. Dorian must make sure that people see him in London; therefore he must attend the social gatherings of the Season. At one such gathering he meets a young lady, Victoria, and feelings that he doesn’t recognize slowly start to stir.

My thoughts:
This felt different than your typical vampire book, but in a good way. Victoria, as a woman who had an extremely difficult task set upon her to marry within a month, just took it in stride and decided that if that is what it would take to keep her younger sister with her, then that is what she would do. Her character is refreshingly strong, and in other circumstances which I can’t mention because of spoilers, she acts in the same way.

Dorian, for his extremely old age, wasn’t as hard, or emotionally unavailable, as would be expected. Honestly, although he was a vampire he seemed emotionally human to me most of the time. A vampire that Dorian looked up to did as well. Here is a quote that that vampire once told Dorian:

“Love is not a weakness, Dorian, but a strength. It can give you more pleasure, more sorrow, more power, and more pain than anything on this earth.” (p. 221)

The one thing I didn’t like so much in this book was the shifting of the point of view. I don’t mind so much if it shifts from one chapter to the next, but sometimes it gets confusing when it happens in the same chapter with no page break or anything to notify of the change.

This was a romantic adventure that kept me up late wondering what was going to happen, but in the end all my questions were answered and I was fulfilled. Because of the ending I believe another book is in the works, and I’m excited to read it when it becomes available.
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Oct 02, 2011 Carien rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr

Caressed by Moonlight mixes Historical Romance and Paranormal Romance and does it well.

It has all the charms of a good Regency Romance and all the excitement of a Paranormal Romance. The courtship that is usually the main part of a Regency Romance is sped up a bit to give room to the paranormal action storyline, but this is certainly not a bad thing as both the romance and the action are fun to read and they blend well together.

The world building is done really well without intruding on the sto...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Audrey02 rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Caressed by Moonlight (Rulers of Darkness #1)

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