Shadows of the Night

Lydia Joyce's books generally have an "edge" to them and this one is no exception. She takes the standard innocent marrying a cold nobleman premise and adds some spice. In the first half of the book the innocent bride finds herself confused by her sexual awakening. Her cold spouse finds himself aware of his bride in a manner he never intended. Consequently, the pair journey to a remote estate owned by the groom, but never visited by the family. The estate is abandoned and literally tumbling down before their eyes. An interesting, but rushed horror flavored back story is reveled. For those who are particularly squeamish, be aware that the storyline features a bit of erotic S & M. A well written read which stands above most of the genre.

Set in Victorian England (no year is specified, but based on the descriptions, I am guessing this takes place somewhere around 1850s-1860s), Shadows of the Night tells the story of the Honorable Mr. Colin Radcliffe, heir to a vicounty, and his marriage to the perfect woman -- someone quiet and resilient to have children and live a quiet life with. He will continue to have mistresses and live his somewhat passionless, stoic life on the side. But Fern isn't the woman he had thought she was. She seems demure and proper enough, but underneath her primness lies an independent, passionate woman with secret desires and a wantonness even she hadn't been aware of possessing. Colin is appalled but strangely drawn to his wife. She makes him feel alive, especially when she gets rough on him. Erotic encounters beyond his wildest dreams ensue, and Fern turns out to be not just the perfect bed partner, but also -- could it be possible? -- a good friend. But things may be destroyed when he and Fern travel to an old estate in need of restoration. The Restons are responsible for the repairs, but instead of using the funds to fix up the place, they have been keeping the money for themselves. They have been doing this to the Radcliffes for centuries. They hold a secret that has kept the Radcliffe dynasty in their power for many generations. What could this big secret be? Lydia Joyce has written quite a vivid gothic romance novel. Shadows of the Night is beautifully written. Having read and enjoyed Music of the Night, I see that Joyce's eye for historical detail is dead on. There are some modern words and expressions sprinkled here and there, but other than that the descriptions of Victorian England are quite accurate. The erotic scenes are wonderful as well. The switch from indifference to sexual tension to intense love are nicely shown. My one complaint is that the book is too short and the story is sort of rushed in certain areas. The whole thing with the mystery surrounding the estate and the Restons confused me at first, and things didn't make sense until the book's final pages. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book. Well-written and fascinating historical romance novels are few and far in between. Most of them are nothing more than 21st century characters in period costume. I am glad to see that Joyce is not the author of one of those books.

Shadows of the Night starts out as light bdsm femdom erotica, then about a third of the way through turns into a gothic novel about real estate fraud. While this is initially jarring, Joyce's writing is good, & after a short while I started enjoying the gothic/mystery (with occasional lovemaking) just as much. I'd love to see more of the characters (or see one or two more details wrapped up at the end - ex. the cell with writing & the fate of the natural child)! The romance/sex part was quite nice. Neither the bride or groom know what they're doing, but the way they figure it out seems decently realistic. Fern is made realistically independent without being portrayed as some kind of radical suffragette (I like radical sufragettes, but it would have been out of place). I like the way Joyce phrases things, especially when Fern speaks.

During the courtship Colin and Fern behaved as expected of aristocrats by Victorian society. Both expected a normal somewhat boring relationship as neither showed a tendency to break out of the mold. Then came their wedding night in which Fern displays sass, boldness, and desire, which makes Colin hot for her and dream perhaps they can have an ardent loving marriage that breaks sexual taboos with some safe S & M. They go on their honeymoon to his most remote estate where she wants independence and he desires more of what they had on their wedding night. They fall in love and enjoy their isolation until Joseph Reston from Colin's past arrives with demands that shake apart the newlyweds as she realizes he has hidden things from her while he insists they no longer matter as love has changed him from what he was. SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT is an engaging Victorian romantic suspense in which the peril comes later in the plot, but enhances the story line by causing a major rift between the lead couple who struggle to understand their sexual appetites. Fans will enjoy this heated historical because the conflict comes from within the relationship between Colin and Fern even before Reston arrives and amplifies the already existing issues. Harriet Klausner