Night's Pleasure is the first part of this series by Amanda Ashley that I've read. She does, however, provide the reader with enough information to always know what’s going on without force-feeding acres of backstory in one go. In this book we meet vampire Rane Cordova, who has cut himself off from his family and makes his living as a magician. When he realizes that the same young woman has been coming to his magic performances for years, he strikes up a conversation with her - which eventually leads to more.

Savanah Gentry might think she's just a trainee journalist out to get a story on the amazing magician, but a few of her own family’s secrets will soon come out. When Savanah discovers that not only do vampires exist but may be trying to kill her, she has to decide if she will take up her family's mantle against the evil creatures or if she and Rane can make something together.

The few elements of danger in the plot are generally resolved within a couple of pages. There isn’t nail-biting tension as we wait to see if Savanah will survive; instead, Night's Pleasure appears to aim for the gradual unfolding of a love story between mortal and vampire. Unfortunately, the author's skill with characterization and pacing isn't enough to lift this book above the mediocre. Rane and Savanah feel like ciphers - we understand their fears and confusions but never really feel with them. Amanda Ashley's writing style is also fairly plain, and the paucity of subclauses in her writing makes it disjointed at times. While the premise of the story is fairly good, the execution is a disappointment.