"Night Falls Darkly," by Kim Lenox

From Amazon.com:  Ever since an accident took away her memory, Miss Elena Whitney can’t recall the secrets of her own past. All she knows is that with her mysterious benefactor Archer, Lord Black, returning to London at the behest of Queen Victoria, she should seize the chance to get some answers.

A member of the immortal Shadow Guard, Archer has been summoned to London to eliminate the soul of an evil demon—Jack the Ripper. Archer feels not only bound to protect the women of the night, but also his beautiful young ward, Elena, whom he spared from death two years before. But with a wave of panic spreading across London, Archer fears that Elena is his weakness—a distraction he can’t afford, especially since she’s likely to become the Ripper’s next target...

***

This was a very interesting novel; well-written, interesting characters, and more over, a very good plot. I liked both Archer and Elena very much, in that each had a compelling history, and each had reasons for their decisions as they moved through the story. The secondary characters, Leeson, Mark, and Selene, were also unique and compelling.

Having said all of that, at the end of the book, I wasn't sure I had read a romance novel or a very good paranormal mystery. (I love paranormal mysteries, for I'm a big fan of the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse books.) I think that Ms. Lenox could easily allow Archer and Elena to star in their own series of books, and I would look forward to each  new adventure. She has built enough "story stuff" into her world that she could easily do this, and with her writing skill, I am certain that each new installment would be equally compelling.

The romance in this story, while a vital part of the tale, was not as large a part as found in other romance books. This wasn't bad, not at all, as the attraction between the two protagonists was very convincing. Yet, I found that I wanted to follow their tale after the end of the book; I wanted to see Archer and Elena actually get to "romance" each other a little more, rather than just long for each other. If Elena and Archer play sizable roles in the next book in this series, then I will be satisfied. I suspect they do not, however, relegated to more minor roles.

I will certainly read Ms. Lenox's next book, for she is a wonderful writer. I do hope we see more tales of Archer and Elena in the future. If not, then I'll have to imagine my own.

Rating: 5 stars

"After Midnight," by Teresa Medeiros

From Amazon.com: When the ever practical Caroline Cabot first hears the words, "Our sister is marrying a vampire," from the lips of her fanciful youngest sister, she accuses Portia of having a wild imagination.

But when she discovers their sister Vivienne is actually being courted by Adrian Kane, the mysterious viscount rumored to be a vampire, she decides to accept his invitation to a midnight supper and do some sleuthing of her own. To both her delight and her dismay, she soon finds herself falling under Kane's bewitching spell.
After all, what's a proper young lady to do when her sister's suitor arouses more than just her suspicions?

I've read a couple of Ms. Medeiros' books previous to this one--"Yours Until Dawn" and "Thief of Hearts." "Thief of Hearts" is one for my keeper shelf, as I think that particular story is practically perfect in every way. "After Midnight," while not quite the keeper that "Thief of Hearts" is, the book gives us vampires, and Gothic settings, and lots of romance, in addition to a very good plot involving some well-drawn characters. This book has a fairly large cast of characters, and while some authors relegate their secondary characters to more minor roles, Ms. Medeiros allows hers to shine here, each with their own moment on the stage. This was a enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading the sequel, "The Vampire Who Loves Me."

Rating: 4 stars

"The Mad, Bad Duke" by Jennifer Ashley

From Amazon.com: Meagan Tavistock could easily see how Alexander had earned the nickname Mad, Bad Duke. His deep blue eyes promised sinful pleasure, his touch burned through the silk of her dress, and his rich voice intimated that as soon as they were skin to skin, he’d fulfill desires she didn’t even know she had. When a love spell missed its intended target, Meagan could no longer resist the temptation...until the magic wore off, leaving the pair in a most compromising position. Their only option was a marriage that thrust Meagan into a new world of high danger, dark secrets, and a passion so intense she couldn’t help wondering: Was it the lingering power of the spell or true love at last?

I adored this book, the second book I've read by Jennifer Ashley, the other being "The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. I adored "Ian Mackenze," and it's a toss up as to which book I loved more.

Ms. Ashley writes a very convincing love story, in that she lets the reader "see" the two protagonists fall in love. Her story is also never predictable, which is  is very refreshing. This is a historical story, set in Regency England, yet it also contains a bit of the paranormal, giving it a unique flavor among romance tales. Her primary characters--the hero and heroine--are interesting, as are the secondary characters, who are well-drawn, giving the story additional depth. As I said, I loved this story, and I will certainly read more by this author.

Rating: 5 stars

"Archangel's Kiss," by Nalini Singh

From Amazon.com:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find that she has become an angel-and that her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, likes having her under his control. But almost immediately, Raphael must ready Elena for a flight to Beijing, to attend a ball thrown by the archangel Lijuan. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan's power lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena... 

I only recently read "Angel's Blood," by Nalini Singh, and I found myself wondering why I hadn't read any of her books before. Well, I thoroughly enjoyed "Angel's Blood," and so I snapped up "Archangel's Kiss" the moment it was released.

All I can say is that "Archangel's Kiss" was a very satisfying continuation of the story of Elena and her archangel, Raphael. Not only must they face off against Lijuan and her growing army of reborn, but they must contend with the threat posed by murderous power-play of an unknown, but powerful angel.

I love the characters and world that Ms. Singh has created here. I think I actually liked the second book better than the first one, as Elena and Raphael are past many of the "where are the relationship boundaries?" part of of their relationship, and now present a united front against their enemies.

I also very much enjoy the cast of secondary characters. In addition to Dimitri, Venom, and Illium, we now have Galen, Jason, and Aodhan. All of them have pasts that beg to be explored, and I look forward to learning more about them all. I suspect that we'll also explore more of Raphael's past, and I am anticipating a future visit from his absent mother.

I'm starting in on Ms. Singh's Psy-Changeling series shortly. I am grateful to have discovered Mr. Singh's wonderful work.

Rating: 5 stars

"Lessons in French," by Laura Kinsale

From Amazon.com: 

Trevelyan and Callie are childhood sweethearts with a taste for adventure, until the fateful day her father discovers them embracing in the carriage house and, in a furious frenzy, drives Trevelyan away in disgrace. Nine long, lonely years later, Trevelyan returns. Callie discovers that he can still make her blood race and fill her life with excitement, but he can't give her the one thing she wants more than anything—himself.
For Trevelyan, Callie is a spark of light in a world of darkness and deceit. Before he can bear to say his last goodbyes, he's determined to sweep her into one last, fateful adventure, just for the two of them.

I cannot tell you how much I anticipated this book, since it's been a number of years since Laura Kinsale published a book, and I adore her work. And I must say that I was not disappointed--the book was a wonder.

The story's hero, Trevelyan, has a come home to see his dying mother. The heroine, Callie, has a sister soon to marry, is event is about to leave her in her cousin's home, unwanted. Her prize bull, Hubert, is, however, very much wanted, and it is Hubert, inevitably, who provides reason to bring our hero and heroine together over and over again. 

This was a marvelous tale of family, love, and livestock. (I continue to worry about the fat pig, and hope that her owner takes care to provide her a healthier diet.) Being a country girl at heart, I was overjoyed to read of a heroine in a Regency tale wearing muck out boots on a regular basis...I suspect it will be years, if ever, that I read of such a refreshing woman again. Truly, I loved this book. I hope that Ms. Kinsale does not take a break from her writing again any time soon. (But if she does, I will patiently wait for her new work, and buy it on the spot.)

If you haven't read any of Laura Kinsale's work, this is a fine book to start with. Then, of course, you must read all her other works without delay. If you are like me, then Trev and Callie will long remain in your heart.

Rating: 5 stars

"Veil of Lies: A Medieval Noir" by Jeri Westerson

From Amazon.com and Booklist: 

What is a disgraced knight qualified to do? Westerson answers this pressing question in a promising debut featuring reluctant sleuth Crispin Guest. After Guest is accused of treason and stripped of his rank, he uses his considerable powers of deduction to earn a meager living as a “tracker.” Desperate to pay his rent and his long overdue tavern bill, he accepts a less than savory offer to spy on the wife of a prosperous merchant. When his client is discovered dead in a locked room, Guest must unravel an intricate plot involving a missing religious relic in order to save himself. This authentically detailed medieval mystery has an intriguingly dark edge that will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and noir. --Margaret Flanagan --

I read this on a whim--I'm typically more of a Regency or Victorian era mystery fan, and haven't read many placed in medieval times. But the premise intrigued me...a disgraced knight becomes a detective. How can you go wrong with a tale about a knight? 

The answer: You can't! I loved the character of Crispin Guest, and I very much enjoyed the stories secondary characters. The mystery was well-plotted and interesting. I look forward to reading the second book of the series, and hope that Crispin Guest solves many more mysteries in the future.


Btw, I like the paperback cover much better than the hardback cover. While I purchased the ebook copy from Amazon.com, I do look at the cover images when I purchase. Just my two cents, but I'll more readily pick up a book cover with a person on it, rather than a more abstract cover. And I love the artist's rendition of Crispin against the Gothic-styled background.

Here's the paperback cover:

Rating: 4 stars