Somewhere along the line Laurel K. Hamilton completely changed her writing style. I’ve been a fan of hers since the first Anita Blake book, but unfortunately, I don’t think the recent change has been positive. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the previous Meredith Gentry books and continue to read Anita Blake’s antics, but when I found myself wading through pages of erotica to find this book’s wafer-thin plot, I began to wonder just what happened to this author. I will give a strong warning up front: those familiar with Hamilton’s new style know the sex is scorching hot, but she takes it to new levels here; and those who aren’t fans of same-sex partners, you’re advised to skip pages or avoid this book altogether. Also, this book cannot be read as a stand alone novel; the previous Meredith Gentry books should be read first. They were both better than this one.

Since the course of this book takes place over a period no longer than three days, the plot summary is fairly short. Meredith Gentry, half-Sidhe, heir to the throne of the Unseelie court (if she can get pregnant), is under constant threat from her cousin Prince Cel. Cel remains in the torture chamber, but manages to send assassins even from that location. Merry is having strange dreams about the ancient goddess, Danu, whom the faerie had to leave behind when they came to America and gave up a large portion of their powers. In the dreams, Danu gives Merry a chalice, which manifests itself in reality. The chalice is a sacred relic of the Seelie, and performs a number of magical feats. It also increases Merry’s powers, and she in turn gives different powers to her consorts.

Her uncle Taranis, king of the Seelie court, is also up to something, but readers won’t learn what yet because of a cliffhanger ending. There are more negotiations with the goblins, which inevitably result in Merry adding yet more sexual partners to her repertoire, as does her visit to the Unseelie court to visit her Aunt, Queen Andais. Andais seems even less stable than usual and those with weak stomachs are strongly advised to avoid the pages where Andais “welcomes” her old guards back.

The good news is that we are treated to more information about each of Merry’s main guards, Doyle, Frost, and Rhys. Merry dreams about their origins and previous powers, and this was fascinating. Each one of them is compelling in his own way. Also interesting were Merry’s new gifts from the goddess, which may mean she can hold her own in the dangerous Unseelie court.

I’ve never had problems with the number of sexual partners Merry has, partly because it’s explained as part of her culture, so to speak. That was set out in the very beginning, and it worked for me. However, the “ick factor” definitely kicked in during this installment in the series after I counted up the sheer number of people/creatures Merry has had sex with so far. Obviously her job as a P.I. has taken a back burner (it’s not even mentioned here), because she has to spend all her time having sex. All of the new sexual partners take valuable story time away from her older, more compelling sexual partners. I want more story about Doyle, Frost and Rhys, not less.

It’s not an exaggeration to tell you that the first half of the book is literally one long erotic scene with a tiny smattering of plot added for good measure. The second half is the gory half, with a little less sex, and a tad more plot. If this is an example of two or three days in Merry’s life, I’m terrified.

Even though this book was a disappointment in comparison with the previous two in the series, I’m not ready to give up on it yet. I began the series very excited, but it seems the author doesn’t know where to take her heroines and just adds more men to the mix instead. Another frustration I experienced reading this book was that there were glimpses of the forces against Merry and her men in the Unseelie court but they were overshadowed by all the sex. And yet, those glimpses were enought to keep me turning the pages.

If you’re already a fan, maybe you’ll want to buy Seduced by Moonlight hardcover, but I’d recommend checking it out from the library or waiting until the paperback next year, when the next hardcover presumably will be released so you can see if there’s an improvement. Or, if you can’t wait, read Cerulean Sins and picture Merry in Anita’s place, because the books are similar. I know this author can do better, I have books on my keeper shelf to prove it. I’m not quite ready to write her off, but the clock’s ticking.