Hunting Diana
by Doreen Orsini
Vampire
Romantic Suspense with Chills and Humor
Publisher:
Triskelion Publishing (February 2007)
Doreen
Orsini's Hunting Diana is a
cutting edge paranormal erotic vampire romance. The romance is intense,
the characters classic and modern at the same time, and the plot is
fast-paced yet complex enough to interest vampire romance enthusiasts.
Hunting Diana
is an intense paranormal vampire romance. The love between hero and
heroine, though not any more graphic than many steamy romance novels,
does involve vampire love and an exchange of blood. This romance
contains more adult themes than tender family romances. Fortunately for
the reader, just when the action becomes at its most intense and dark,
Orsini relieves the reader with humorous, comical scenes. Personally,
the imagery on some of prime-time television, especially crime shows
like CSI: Criminal Scene
Investigation, is more shocking and graphic than this novel to
me, but the potential reader should know of the graphic details before
purchase. This is not a novel for young readers or anyone searching for
a light, frivolous vampire read but, as a part of the vampire canon and
as literature, Hunting Diana
ranks in my top reads this year.
Diana, a 25 year old woman with spunk, desire and innocence, saved her
virginity and her love for her soul mate. A vision from her grandmother
Nina Lina foretells of her destined mate but when he turns out to be
less than human, Diana must untangle the prophecy. Diana's father, the
local vampire slayer, kills the beloved vampire Marek and the elders of
Mina Cove hand down their judgment. The hunter will pay through his
daughter. Lucian is ordered to carry out the sentence, but first, as a
Guardian and protector of the innocents, he must first determine
whether Diana is the lure that Frank Nostrum uses to entice the
vampires into his deadly pen where the dawn rays of sunlight can burn
their flesh. The discovery that Diana is Lucian's destined soul mate
sets him on a complicated path to protect his mate, the community and
also to discover the hidden dark forces behind the elders'
judgment. As Doreen Orsini's romance unfolds, family histories
and hidden vengeances heighten the suspense and he emotional depth of
this novel. Secrets slowly emerge and family relationships untangle
within the Mina Cove clan. Choosing loyalty to one can mean a danger
for another. The complexity of family dynamics is written with superb
skill, heightening the suspense and depth of characters.
Doreen Orsini dares to tackle the issues of vampire paranormal romance
in places where few authors tread. Whereas most sanitize or gloss over
the blood issue, Hunting Diana,
is a passionate romance both from the human and vampire viewpoint.
Doreen Orsini's true skill shines just when the vampire element gets to
the brink-of-no-return dark intensity for humans. At that exact moment,
she brings the reader back into the modern human world with an almost
Buffy the Vampire Slayer mode (but more risque, eclectic and fun) with
the perfect light humorous touch. Brava!
The author alternates between the vampire legends (complete with some
shattering of traditional vampire lore) and shifts to the human modern
world with amazing dexterity. The plot captivates and inspires late
night reading sessions. The characters, both primary and secondary,
linger in the imagination long after the last page. Hunting Diana is an intense family
drama playing out like a Greek tragedy where the ramifications of a
family relationships reverberate beyond the nuclear family....but of
course this is a romance, not a tragedy, which is all the better with a
novel this intense and this memorable. Just the right timbre!
This bold cutting edge paranormal vampire romance is destined to be a
classic in the vampire canon. A must read for both vampire enthusiasts
and vampire authors. Doreen Orsini has just raised the bar on the
genre! This book is reviewed on account of its literary merit, not the
breadth of its audience suitability. For adult vampire romance
enthusiasts, Hunting Diana is
a magnificent read. For younger readers or those not
wanting to read a book with graphic details, this erotic romance is not
appropriate.
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