Enchant the Dawn

Amanda Ashley brings danger and suspense to her second book in the Enchant series, Enchant the Dawn. Set mainly in and near New Orleans, Louisiana, readers meet Dominic Falconer who rescues Madison (Maddy) Bainbridge when she is attacked in her parents’ home.

Maddy recently lost her job and is staying at her childhood home while her parents are on an extended world vacation. Dominic is a young but strong vampire sent to New Orleans with his great-grandmother, a powerful witch, to learn where the new headquarters of the Brotherhood is. They wish to speak with the Elder Knight.

Both Maddy and Dominic are likeable, but flawed characters. While Maddy evolves during the course of the novel, Dominic doesn’t have quite as much growth and development as I expected. The chemistry between them is almost immediate and adds another dynamic to the story. I want to connect with the main characters in a book, and Maddy and Dominic were both relatable. However, I thought Maddy’s acceptance of the supernatural came too quickly. While other characters vary in depth, Claret actually had the most character growth over the course of the novel.

Despite this, there’s plenty to like in this urban fantasy and paranormal romantic suspense storyline. It has the right amount of romance and unique twists to the paranormal. I was quickly turning the pages to discover what was going to happen next. Readers learn early in the book who the antagonists are, so there isn’t a lot of mystery around that. The danger and suspense arise from their actions, and that is the plot driver along with the budding romance.

One thing that stood out to me was that Dominic was not always the rescuer. With his inexperience, he sometimes gets in over his head and needs help. This provides a different aspect to the normal alpha male narratives that are so common. I was surprised at several points in the story and this kept the tension level high throughout the book. I liked the plot development and the dialogue was engaging. This story is fast-paced and the writing flowed well. Other threads woven into the novel include death, family, right versus wrong, revenge, and the power of love and forgiveness.

Overall, this was an intense, action-packed novel with suspense, romance, and plenty of danger. If you desire an entertaining paranormal romantic suspense novel involving witches, humans, wizards, and vampires, then this series is one to check out.

Kensington Books and Amanda Ashley provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for August 23, 2022.