Princess Angelica Shelton Belanov would much rather be hiding away in the library of her family's English country estate than mingling with London society. But she needs to find a husband fast, so she reluctantly attends balls and other society gatherings, a chore made more difficult because of her ability to hear the thoughts of others. She thinks she is unique until she meets Prince Alexander Kourakin who can also read minds. There is an immediate attraction between the two, but Alexander has no time for love - he is the leader of a vampire clan and is hunting both a rogue vampire and a vampire slayer. Angelica and Alexander seem to be made for each other, but will circumstances keep them apart?
"Under the Blood Red Moon" is a historical romance novel with a nice twist. Set in the Victorian era, author Mina Hepsen does a nice job of capturing that era - a period of time when the only goal for women was to find a husband and produce an heir. Angelica is a strong heroine - intelligent, tormented by her ability to read people's minds, and very protective of her brother Mikhail who is not healthy. Alexander is a strong hero - as leader of the vampire clan he knows his love for Angelica is forbidden since he must marry another vampire and have a vampire baby in order for his clan to continue. He is still torn by the death of his sister years ago and determined to save his people from the slayer. The paranormal elements are well done with Hepsen doing some tweaking of the vampire myth -I loved her explanation of how vampires have been able to live among humans and escape detection all these years. There are some genuine thrilling moments in the book, especially towards the end, that will keep readers turning the pages to find out what happens next.
For the most part "Under the Blood Red Moon" is a well-written and engrossing novel. However, there were a few things I didn't like about the book. Angelica habit of quoting authors while talking to people got old fast. While trying to figure out the identity of the slayer is one of the fun parts of the book for readers, there is a major red herring about one of the characters that is never fully resolved. Angelica's Aunt tells her an important piece of information that, while crucial to the plot, comes far too late in the book and is awkwardly inserted - it should have been foreshadowed more. Finally, the ending seemed abrupt to me.
Despite some flaws, "Under the Blood Red Moon" is a nicely done historical romance with a unique twist.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
