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Hunting
Diana
by Doreen
Orsini
A historical
romance of loss, opulence and detours
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.
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 for Diana, is a passionate romance both from the
human and vampire viewpoint. 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.
Bravo!
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. 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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