Bound by Night by Amanda Ashley

Bound by Night

by 

Amanda Ashley

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Format:  Paperback and eBook

A Vampire's Kiss Is Forever. . . 

Once featured in a horror movie, the crumbling Wolfram estate is said to be haunted by ghosts, witches, and worse. But Elena doesn't believe a word of it—until she spends the night and wakes up in the arms of a compelling stranger. . . 

Tall, dark, and disturbingly handsome, Drake is the most beautiful man Elena has ever seen. For centuries, he has lived alone, and Elena is the first woman to enter his lair—and survive. And Drake is the first man to touch her heart and soul. By the time she discovers who he really is—and what he craves—it's too late. Blood lust has turned to love, and Elena is deeply under Drake's spell. But forever comes at a price for each of them. . .

"Bound by Night" is the first book in Amanda Ashley's new BOUND series.

It starts off with Drake going back to Wolfram Castle to hide out from his family.  Drake is the first born son of Rodin, Master Vampire of the Carpathian Fortress.  Drake does not like the rules and ways of his people.  Being the first born son to the Master Vampire, Drake is intended to take a seat on the Council and to marry a vampire woman of his father's choosing so he can breed and carry on the family line.  Drake has been defying his father's wishes for over 300 years and runs off to Wolfram Castle whenever he wants to get away from his family.

Emily Knightsbridge is currently living with her uncle, Tavian Dinescu.  Her parents both died and left her in the custody of her aunt and uncle and has resided with them and her cousin Jenica since.  After her aunt passed away, Jenica used to tell her horrible stories of how her father (Elena's uncle) raped and abused her.  One day Jenica disappeared and the uncle told Elena that Jenica ran off with one of the boys from town. Now, uncle Tavian has decided that he wants to marry Elena and constantly tries to make advances on her.  Elena, scared and horrfied runs away to Wolfram Vastle because she thinks it is abandoned and no one will think to look for her there.  In walks Drake and the story unfolds……

I really liked this story.  Elena is an innocent and very kind hearted.  She decides to put her trust in Drake because he is the only one who can stop her uncle from claiming and marrying her.  Even after learning that Drake is a vampire and Elena sees firsthand why Drake does not want a part of the Carpathian Coven, she still sticks by him.

Drake is bound by obligations to his father and his people that he wants no part of.  He is constantly trying to look for ways out of it.  He does not want to think of Elena and be with her but that's all he can think of anymore until he can't picture being without her.  Drake finds himself stuck right in the middle of the Carpathian Coven and has no way out of it.

There are so many things that happened in this story.  I can't get into it without spoiling it so you're going to have to read it to find out.  Everyone that has read Amanda's work before knows that there are no steamy and smutty sex scenes.  They are more romantically told and not as visual but still just as great.

I am definitely looking forward to the second book in the BOUND series, "Bound by Blood" which will be released on September 27, 2011.