Dusk Before Dawn

An excellent follow up to the first book. It grabs your emotions and takes you for journey. I can not wait to read the third book.

I read Dusk Before Dawn to fill the yearning for Lachlan and Beth. Everlastin was an incredible story that left you feeling meloncholy...Although a little hard to get started, Dusk Before Dawn suddenly captured me and then I couldn't put it down. I laughed, and I cried at the masterful way the Author wrote this story. Please let Lachlan and Beth come back!

While Dusk Before Dawn was not as instantaneously engrossing as its predeccesor, Everlasting,it did become more compelling in the second half.The mystical denoument was tragic and memorable, although I did feel a bit cheated since the terminal sentence of Everlasting promised that Beth and Lachlan would be around for a "very long time." Ironically,I found Laura more intriguing when she was possessed by her demonic alter-ego Tessa. The deep friendship between Roan and Lachlan was touching and very moving.

I had read Everlastin' and expected the same story style in Dusk to Dawn. I was a bit disappointed that the romance was only touched upon, whereas the ghost and "hocus-pocus" was more prevalent. I was actually frightened at times and also slightly uncomfortable with how the story dealt so freely with fire and it's threat to the characters more than once. My only concern I have for Madden's writing style is that many things get left to hang and are never explained, such as the many fires that occur at this castle. It was confusing sometimes too when Madden had us dislike the main female, Laura and then have us love her. I never did relate to her or feel much for her. It was not like Beth in Everlastin' where her kindness made the reader care for her so quickly. Laura didn't have the depth or warmth that I felt Roan needed in a woman. I liked the way that the author had Roan's life almost mirror Laughlan's in that they were both betrayed by their first wives in some way. It made these strong men quite vulnerable. Lastly, I would have liked to have seen more romance and more of sexy Laughlan and Beth. Laura didn't" cut it". Although, the mysterious ghost apsect was beguiling and exciting to read, Madden only gave the reader a slight taste of reincarnation. I hope the next book has more on this subject and explains how a ghost can do that. Could this lead us to believe that now that Laughlan and Beth have gone on, they could come back as a part of the living??????