I read the first book in The Darkest London Series last year and fell in love with the world and the writing. I HAD to read book two. I mean, look at the covers. They’re gorgeous!

Title: Moonglow (Darkest London)

Author: Kristen Callihan

Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Forever

Release date: July 2012

Pages: 432

ISBN-10: 1455508586

ISBN-13: 978-1455508587

Rating:  

DESCRIPTION:
Once the seeds of desire are sown . . .
 
Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that have long been denied her. Yet her new-found freedom is short lived. A string of unexplained murders has brought danger to Daisy’s door, forcing her to turn to the most unlikely of saviors . . .
 
 
Their growing passion knows no bounds . . .
 
Ian Ranulf, the Marquis of Northrup, has spent lifetimes hiding his primal nature from London society. But now a vicious killer threatens to expose his secrets. Ian must step out of the shadows and protect the beautiful, fearless Daisy, who awakens in him desires he thought long dead. As their quest to unmask the villain draws them closer together, Daisy has no choice but to reveal her own startling secret, and Ian must face the undeniable truth: Losing his heart to Daisy may be the only way to save his soul.
 
 
 
REVIEW:

I’m a huge fan of Kristen Callihan and couldn’t wait to read this book. Ian did an about-face from the first book. He so wanted to be in love, that I immediately empathized with him and his fight to be normal. Daisy came off a little different for me. She was brash and stubborn and determined to find a place for herself in the world. Unfortunately, she didn’t always come off as favorable. She never really softened or changed enough for me. The last scene in the book proved that…what she did to Ian wrenched my heart and could’ve been solved by talking.

Although I enjoyed the writing, there were significant flaws in the story (the results of Daisy being bitten, anyone?) and world-building that were never answered. The flow of the story came in fits and starts, the last thirty pages rushed and very one-sided. Kristen Callihan has some serious talent. With a little more work, this book could have been as good as the first.

Previous books in the series:

Prequel is only available as a digital book.

Title: Firelight

Author: Kristen Callihan

Series: The Darkest London Series

Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Release date: February 2012

Pages: 372

ISBN: 10: 1455508594

ISBN: 978-1455508594

Rating:  

DESCRIPTION:

Once the flames are ignited . . .

Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented.  Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire  life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but  irreversible mistake has left her family’s fortune decimated and forced  her to wed London’s most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .

Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary  man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it’s selfish to take Miranda  as his bride. Yet he can’t help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose  touch sparks a passion he hasn’t felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of  a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought  so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied.  Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker  intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

REVIEW:

It’s been a while since I’ve read a historical romance, and I wasn’t sure how I would like it after being away from the genre so long. What immediately drew me to the book was the gorgeous cover. I’m so glad I picked up Firelight! Talk about falling in love with a book and the characters. Miranda Ellis is a compelling character, doing her best to make good of a bad situation. Not only is her family destitute, it’s because of her. Now, guilt will make her do anything to get the money back. The only problem is she’s not a normal debutant, she has a devastating secret that could destroy her, which leads her to seek other avenues to gain a fortune. Until the oh-too-tempting Lord Benjamin Archer bursts into her life.

Archer is determined to ruin the man who cost him the one thing that he wanted most. That was before he met Miranda clashing swords outside her home. The home of the very man he wanted to kill. Instead of seeking vengeance, he wants her and will do anything he can to have her in his life. Too bad an accident many years ago has left him unsuitable, even for a hoyden like Miranda. But that doesn’t stop him from offering her a deal she can’t refuse.

Oh my gosh, talk about a luscious man. You immediately feel for Archer and his situation. Yes, he’s brooding and arrogant at times (love it!), but he also goes all gooey inside at the thought of Miranda. Who doesn’t want a hero like that! Talk about steamy attraction between them. I love the first scene when they meet! I adored that Miranda wasn’t weak, that she could match Archer step for step. She was also strong enough to grab for what she wanted…Archer. Yummy! Their relationship is one you don’t want to miss!

If you love magic, forbidden love, mystery and mayhem, you won’t want to miss this first full length book in The Darkest London Series. There is an edge, a type of grittiness to the writing that kept me turning the pages. This book gets 4.5 stars from me, only because I thought Archer should’ve had a bigger part in the last scene. I will definitely be reading the next in the series, Moonglow, scheduled to be released in July.

Previous books in the series (prequel):

Only available as a digital book.