Early Review: Hunting Daylight by Piper Maitland
Hunting Daylight by Piper Maitland
Acquainted With the Night #2
For more than a decade, Caro Barrett has had doubts about the death of her husband, who disappeared while looking for a tribe of day-walking vampires in an African rainforest. Now, their daughter is struggling through her teenage years without a father. Waiting in the wings is an ancient vampire ready to possess Caro's heart--and to protect them both from harm. And, with her husband declared legally dead, Caro feels it is finally time to move on...
A hemisphere away in a windowless compound, an Ottoman vampire lies dying from a rare blood disease, which has made him vulnerable to the faintest bit of light. Yet he is determined to vanquish its power over him--to feel the sun on his face one last time. And in Caro's darkest fears he will be lifted into the light of day...
Losing a spouse is hard enough, but not knowing what really happened is a crushing weight that Caro has dealt with for the past ten years after her husband disappeared somewhere in the African Rainforest. Left alone to raise their young daughter, Vivi, Caro hadn't so much as looked another man. Not that she would have had the time as they are still on the run from those who would seek to exploit Vivi's uniqueness. Yet, all that changes when Caro starts to realize that the vampire she has come to rely on over the past decade may actually mean more to her than just a friend. Yet time is precious as the vultures tracking them are circling, and this time escape may not be an option.
One of the most amazing things about HUNTING DAYLIGHT was the way it blended so many different elements together into a perfect balance. There was plenty of action, to the point where I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. The character development was astounding, and I really felt thoroughly connected to all of them. There wasn't a two dimensional character in the bunch, only fully realized ones that kept you ensnared by the heart strings. And oh! The romance was incredibly sweet yet also so hot, it practically steamed right off the page. It is very rare for an author to not only have that sort of blend in a novel, but also be able to pull it all together seamlessly, and yet in HUNTING DAYLIGHT Piper Maitland seemed to do it effortlessly.
Despite my love of this book and the series as a whole, there was one issue that just about burst my bubble. I was fully and utterly immersed in this HUNTING DAYLIGHT, no small feat considering the hefty length, right up until about the last hundred pages when a twist wrenched its way into the middle of things. But despite that twist I held out hope that it wouldn't irrevocably change things in the romance department. Unfortunately, my worst fears were realized, and in all honestly I felt absolutely miserable after finishing this book. I was literally heartsick. In fact I had to wait several days before writing this review to gain a little bit of detachment from things so I could look at it a bit more objectively. Granted, I have a feeling a lot of people will actually really enjoy that twist, but for me it was devastating. I can only hope that the next book will somehow pick up the pieces and give me the outcome I had hoped for, even if it probably wasn't the "right" one.
I am still amazed at Piper Maitland's ability to craft such a lengthy, yet utterly engrossing story. Just like in ACQUAINTED WITH THE NIGHT, five hundred plus pages went by in just a blink of an eye, to the point where once I was finished, I just couldn't believe the book was over already. In my opinion, that shows true talent. I'm not saying it is easy to write a compelling two to three hundred page book, as I surely couldn't. But to be able to tell a story that never once falters or starts to drag after reaching the five hundred pages mark, is incredibly impressive in my opinion. I cannot wait to see what Piper has in store for us next! HUNTING DAYLIGHT was an incredible follow up, and a rare treat that is not to be missed!
(Received a copy from the publisher)
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