Stay the Night (Darkyn, Book 7)

Spurned on to catch an international art thief after her partner's recent death in Chicago, FBI Agent Chris Renshaw is setting up a major sting operation with a new partner in Atlanta. Surely the chance of stealing the famed and priceless prize of The Maiden's Book of Hours, a medieval illuminated manuscript would tempt the infamously named Magician or as Chris calls him Magic Man. Once he was Robin of Locksley or Robin Hood but that was over 700 years ago. These days Robin is a semi reclusive brilliant businessman, highly successful international art thief and Kyn. As Kyn, Robin is a leader and controls the lives of hundreds of his fellow immortals at his Atlanta jardin or stronghold. While Chris and Robin's adventure is unfolding, Lord Michael Cyprien and his sygkenis Dr. Alexandra Keller travel to London for a meeting with the other Darkyn lords as well as the High Lord Richard. They need to find a way to stop the brutal Bretheran who are systematically burning and destroying Darkyn jardins across Europe. Left unchecked, High Lord Richard and the others fear that the Kyn will face certain extinction. The Maiden's Book of Hours once belonged to Robin, reminding him of poignant and precious memories of his first love, Marian. Robin will do just about anything to possess the manuscript again. Meanwhile, Chris and her team are charged with protecting the book and using it as bait to nab the Magician once and for all. Robin and Chris are unaware that several others covet the book as well and will stop at nothing including murder to possess it. Fighting immediate attraction proves as difficult as holding onto the book for the couple. As they chase across Europe to reclaim the manuscript they will have to decide on where their loyalties truly lie; with humans, Kyn or each other. As a rabid fan of this series please forgive me if I seem to go overboard with praise but Stay the Night is exactly the kind of fantastic story we have come to expect from author Lynn Viehl. The plotline is engrossing and entertaining while the characters are witty, sexy and smart. The pace slowly builds in the beginning but as it gathers steam it takes readers on amazing twists and turns until the powerful climax with some great spins at the end. Stay the Night is intense and totally enchanting from start to finish! Lisa Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Lynn Viehl does not disappoint this book keeps with the series going and a wonderful series it is can not wait for more to come out.

This series is one of my favorites and definitly on my keeper pile. Some are stronger than others, but always great characterization, setting and plot. At first I was a little annoyed because of the "Kyn" politics that I originally thought was interrupting a great love story. If you hang in there though, it nicely works its way through the details. Be forwarned though, although well done, very sensual and emotionally connected there is a lot of sensuality in this book and not all of it traditional. For adults, recommended but do read the book in series order for clarity.

Since previous reviewers have done such a great job summarizing the plot I will stick to my own impressions of the book: an excellent and engrossing story. I loved Robin's easy-going character. My personal preference is for characters who don't wear all their tortured pain on their sleeves for the world to see. Whereas Michael hides his steel under soft-spoken diplomacy, and Lucan hides his good heart under ruthless depravity, Robin hides his inner self under a flippant and flirtatious attitude. An attitude that the heroine, of course, can see right through. I also enjoyed the continuation of Alex and Michael's story - the fact that their story weaves through the entire series is one of my favorite aspects. Although probably not meant to be funny, Alex's completely awful bedside manner keeps me laughing at odd moments through the dark and creepy series. Dark and creepy is another thing that makes me love these books so much (although Robin's book "felt" a lot less creepy than normal to me). Viehl definitely leans closer to the "horror" aspect of vampires than most paranormal romance authors. A lot of the violence is implied or threatened (or happens in dreams). At the end of the books the villain is just as likely to get sealed behind a wall for all eternity as he/she is to get killed off by the hero/heroine. Creeeepy. I find it refreshing, but it is definitely not for everyone. Also a little different in Viehl's novels are the Happily Ever After (HEA). HEA is hard work for Viehl's characters. Even after all these books we are not sure if Michael and Alex are going to make it. Are they going to be a love story? Or a tragedy? For me their love story is more powerful in that it keeps getting challenged and reaffirmed. Every time it is reaffirmed I remember, oh, wow, yeah. They love each other. And always have. And always will. Again, it's something I enjoyed, but it is not for everyone! I wasn't actually aware that this was the "end" of the series until after I finished the book. Like one of the reviewers I found the end to be... not anticlimactic, but definitely a touch melancholy (Alex's final scene). The whole 'curling her hand around emptiness' was too strong a metaphor to easily shrug off. However, the it was also exciting as a loose end to be tied up in future books -- not to mention the loose end in Guy's final scene! I was looking forward to the next book... only to find that this was the end! But not really. In the back of the book is a teaser for Viehl's new series on the Kyndred set in the same "universe" (to coin a sci-fi term) as the Darkyn. I am quite sure we'll be seeing cameos of many of our favorites... especially John. And on her blog Viehl declared her intensions to continue to write ebook novellas about the Darkyn, which should add an interesting dimension to both the Darkyn series and the new Kyndred series. If you do like the Viehl's stories I highly recommend her sci-fi series, starting with "Stardoc."

Still an outlaw after seven centuries of first being declared as such by King John's merry losers, immortal Darkyn Lord Robin of Locksley knows he must intercede when the ancient mythical tome Maiden's Book of Hours is stolen and not by him; he waited for over five hundred years for this book that contains the only picture of his long lost love Marian to surface. Undercover FBI agent Christina Renshaw is appalled with the theft since she is the one who dangled the priceless book to catch a brilliant art thief. Since the thieves also have takes hostages, the FBI is even more involved. Christina and Robin meet and are instantly attracted and conflicted as to what to do; that is on recovering the Maiden's Book of Hours and saving the captives. Robin's long time enemy Nottingham has joined forces with an obsessed deadly Kyn female. His adversary's diabolical scheme leaves Robin with little choice, but to yank a stunned Chris into the Darkyn realm. Soon the pair is in Europe where Darkyn lords are meeting as all hell in breaking out. The overarching Darkyn saga moves forward (see TWILIGHT FALLS, NIGHT LOST and IF ANGELS BURN) while also telling the romantic suspense tale of Robin the Prince of Thieves, Lynn Viehl provides an interesting entry in her wonderful urban fantasy saga. The story line focuses on the lead couple's search for the Renaissance Era book while also continuing the war between the Darkyn and the Brethren. With a couple of late stunning spins and a reference to Coleridge, the powerful riveting Darkyn chronicles will have sub-genre fans anxious to learn what the author will unveil next. Harriet Klausner