Chained By Night (Moonbound Clan, #2) by Larissa Ione
PNR
400 pages
Releases: September 30, 2014
Pocket Books

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “Damn Samnult and his portal of bonding orgasms.”

Hunter, leader of the Moonbound Clan, made a deal with a rival clan leader to marry his daughter in order to stop the bloodshed between the clans and gain an ally in the coming war against the humans. But Hunter must first pass three dangerous tests to break an ancient curse that threatens his future and the future of his children. When his soon to be bride arrives, Hunter realises that it’s not his intended mate who stirs his blood but her twin sister. Can Hunter set aside his feelings and go through with the marriage or will he sacrifice everything and everyone to be with the woman he loves.

Larissa Ione’s Moonbound Clan Series is a dark sardonic PNR series based on the premise that vampires have been forced into slavery by the human race and free rogue vampires live in clans secreted around the world. Steady pacing, engaging characters and bold plotlines build an addictive read. Sensual, action packed, and wickedly humorous; Ione offers a healthy balance of laughter and angst in a supernatural setting that sets the old ways against the new. Ione’s use Native American legend on which to base her vampire mythology is a unique aspect of the story and allows for untold future storyline potential.

Chained By Night picks up not long after Bound By Night. Though Bound By Night spent a considerable amount of time on divulging background information and building the arc, book two is far more character driven and is written with the assumption that the reader is already knowledgeable of this world and the characters who inhabit it so. The storyline is a direct result of events that took place in book one. Hunter was forced to take a mate from a rival clan, the barbaric ShadowSpawns, in order to save his people and now the time has come for him to meet his soon to be bride. Hunter is shocked when the bridal party is attacked and he rescues who he thought was his bride to be only to learn it’s her twin sister, Aylin. Miscommunication and false assumptions make for an entertaining introduction to one another and sets the stage for the romantic conflict to follow.

“I thought your name was Roger.”
“Why the hell would you think that?”
“I heard Riker call you Roger.”
“Not Roger. Roger. As in affirmative. He was giving me a positive response to my order.”

Hunter and his enforcers get the women safely to Moonbound. As Hunter gets to know Rasha and her sister, he begins to see the differences between the women and finds himself standing at a crossroad. He must marry Rasha or the ShadowSpawn Clan will wipe the Moonbound Clan from the map but Rasha is not the woman he wants in his bed or in his clan.

“How was he going to spend a lifetime with her if he could barely tolerate spending an hour with her?”

The theme of racism, abuse, and civil rights are still strong underlying themes but seem to narrow their focus onto our protagonists, showing the personal toll those elements can take on an individual. The savagery of the races is highlighted by the modern sensibilities that some in each race hold true. It’s unusual when an author gives us three main protagonists. Each one a product of an abusive upbringing but only two choose to rise above it. Treated abominably by those by those who should have protected them, you gain a healthy appreciation for their fortitude as you learn of the trials and tribulations that have molded them into what they are today.

I loved Hunter in book one and that love only increased in here. A sexy modern alpha male, he’s a classic Ione hero. Strong, seductive, snarky, jealous, and a wee bit emo. His guilt over the past is what makes him the perfect leader for his people. He hates what he is being forced to do but he’ll do whatever is necessary to save them all. Even if that means binding himself to someone he despises.

Aylin, one of two heirs to the leader of ShadowSpawn, has spent her life alone and reviled due to her disability. Rumored to be hideous and horribly disfigured, this intelligent quick-witted woman is in possession of a bold spirit that shines brightly. She has never agreed with the ideology her father follows. Her twin sister, Rasha, is her complete opposite. Beautiful, brash, rude, narcissistic, and thoroughly brainwashed by the old ways, she offends while Aylin soothes.

Kudos to Ione for not dragging out the presumed love triangle, forcing us down an overly emo ridden path. Instead Ione chooses to focus her attention on the three protagonists, allowing Hunter to spend time with both women, showing us and him who is the more obvious choice rather quickly. The conflict comes into play as Hunter is pulled in a multitude of directions, forced to consider his people, their future, and his heart. The romance balances well with the main conflict, expanding the world and various sub plots.

Thick heavy sexual chemistry and tension permeates the story, leaving readers on the edge of their seat to the very end. Advancement in the arc is rather limited, the story is firmly focusing on the ongoing storyline and the people involved. Friends and foes come out of the woodwork as Ione gives us glimpses into what has happened behind the scenes, opening doors in which to eventually tell their stories.

The ending is an action packed affair of betrayal, violence, and revelations that resolve the main conflict but leave readers with some questions for the future. I look forward to the next in the series, title and release date to be announced.

RATING: B+

Prior Larissa Ione Reviews

Recent Reviews:
The Discriminating Fan Girl
Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews

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