Night Falls Darkly: A Novel of the Shadow Guard

I loved this book. It was very entertaining and fun to read. I am not an expert or a writer, I just love to read, so my review is very simple. This is a great book with a cool new twist on the typical romance novel. The paranormal aspect is very intriguing, and Kim Lenox flavored this story with just enough to make it an excellent read, not over-the-top bizarre or lackluster boring. I am very anxious for the second book in May 09, and hope there are many more to come.

Elena Whitney wants to be a medical student and volunteers as a nurse at a London hospital for the poor. Unfortunately, Jack the Ripper is roaming the streets of London, threatening Elena and the indigent women who are her patients. Enter Archer, Lord Black, who is her guardian. He's also secretly one of the immortal Shadow Guards, beings whose tasks include removing souls have gone far to the "evil" side of the good/bad spectrum. He wants Elena safely married off and far outside the Ripper's grasp. She just wants to get on with her medical duties, and sparks fly. Lenox has a good interpersonal conflict, an intriguing premise, and interesting characters. I like her touches of London history and the scenes in the British Museum have just the right amount of detail. I'm looking forward to seeing how Lenox's world develops.

What if there was more to the most famous serial killer in history than we ever imagined? What if it was 1888, and Jack the Ripper's atrocious crimes were about to usher in an unprecedented age of evil? What if Archer, the gorgeous immortal hunter who came to slay him, found Jack as elusive as he was deadly, and what if the intrepid woman that Archer couldn't resist loving was about to become Jack's next target? Kim Lenox's first story in the Shadow Guard series will leave you breathless. Night Falls Darkly is an amazingly smooth blend of history, romance, and supernatural suspense. Sensual, elegantly written, and very original, it contains cameos from historical characters that will delight you. The writing is so evocative, you will find yourself standing in elegant ballrooms and dark alleyways with these characters. Elena Whitney is a wonderful heroine that you'll love. She's intelligent and ambitious, while also being compassionate and charitable. She is the perfect match for Archer, the hardened dark hero who so fascinates her. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel, So Still the Night, because Kim Lenox's books are not to be missed!

In 1887 Shadow Guard Archer Black reclaims the marked soul of Mr. Winslow, but in spite of his caution, collateral damage occurs when the deviant brings an innocent young woman into the fray. After completing his mission, to save the female's life and keep her safe, Archer erases the memory of Miss Elena Whitney and vows to be her protector. Elena thinks that the accident caused her amnesia. She appreciates her unknown benefactor who has arranged for her to work as a nurse in Whitechapel and has done so much more for her include giving her hope she might one day become a doctor. Almost two years later, Queen Victoria orders Archer to London to end Jack the Ripper's reign of terror. He becomes mortified when he observes Elena walking the unsafe streets of Whitechapel where the Ripper kills his victims. To the Guardian's chagrin, he finds focusing on the Ripper difficult because of his attraction to Elena; he knows he must put her out of his head so he can concentrate on the deadly East End psychopath. NIGHT FALLS DARKLY is a supernatural Victorian romantic suspense thriller that grips the audience with the opening sequence when Archer goes to collect the marked soul and never slows down as he struggles to do likewise with the Ripper. The story line is filled with action and the right amount of romance; however it is the vivid time and place that anchors the novel and makes the "urban" fantasy elements seem genuine. With a fascinating underlying paranormal concept, this Shadow Guard saga opens with a refreshing new look at stopping Jack. Harriet Klausner

Due to an accident, Elena Whitney is unable to remember anything significant about her past. The ward of Lord Black, Elena does not even know if she has ever met him before. Living day to day helping out in the mews of London's poorest of the poor, Elena wants more than anything to become a doctor, even going so far as to apply to schools. When it seems as if her wish is about to come true, Elena arrives home to find Archer, Lord Black, has arrived with his entourage. Mysterious and aloof, he is darkly handsome and Elena is intrigued. That is, until she finds out that Archer has never before met her and never desired to. It seems that Lord Black paid a minion to provide for Elena, and while the servant thought he was doing the right thing, Elena was never supposed to be living in Lord Black's home. Archer won't hear of her leaving and so they compromise - and they fall in love much to the consternation of Archer's fellow Shadow Guards. Jack the Ripper is demoralizing and terrifying all of London. As a member of the immortal Shadow Guards, Archer is given the duty to rid London of this foul evil. It is an order that he takes very seriously. As a Shadow Guard, Archer knows that time is not to be manipulated and fate is not to be messed with. He knows this but two years ago he refused to allow Elena to die at the hands of a madman so he interfered. With his interference comes another thought - Elena might be the one weakness in his otherwise sturdy outer shell. When Jack the Ripper targets Elena, Archer knows that being distracted is not wise but one thing is for certain. The vile stench that is Jack the Ripper will not harm his beloved Elena. He would swear on it. I love discovering new authors and new series. NIGHT FALLS DARKLY is such a novel. Set in the late 1800's in London, the storyline of Jack the Ripper intrigued me because I was curious to how Ms. Lenox would pull off the plot. I am happy to report that NIGHT FALLS DARKLY is well written and beautiful prosaic at times. Archer is a prime alpha male and his dark countenance and erotic sensuality held me spellbound. Did I mention he is sexy as well? I found myself cheering Archer and Elena from the sidelines and thought Elena a worthy heroine. Archer's protection of his love made me feel tingly inside and I loved every word. NIGHT FALLS DARKLY is amazing. I found it to be highly suspenseful and deeply moving. I am desperate to read the next book of this series and am gathering bribes as I type! NIGHT FALLS DARKLY releases in October. Don't miss it!