Capture the Night

by Geralyn Dawson, Emily March

Joined together in a hasty marriage of convenience with a handsome stranger, Madeline Christophe and her new husband head for Texas with a band of colonists, and along the way, they discover true passion. Original.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Marriage Of Convenience, Westerns, Fiction

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 1993

About the author

Geralyn Dawson is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels. She is a three-time finalist for the prestigious Romance Writers' of America's RITA award and a recipient of their Top Ten Favorite Books of the Year award. She received Romantic Times magazine's Career Achievement award and its Reviewer's Choice award. In 2009, the American Library Association named her romantic suspense novel, ALWAYS LOOK TWICE, as one of the top ten romances of the year.

Reviews

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once a reader takes up this book, it is hard to set it aside. There’s adventure, kidnappings, lots of travel and a wide assortment of characters. It will be hard to synthesize this plot in a few sentences.

Madeline Christophe was dumped at a children’s home while she was still very young. She thought her mother did not want her and no one ever came to see her. Figuring she would have to fend for herself, Maddie learned to be a pickpocket and an all-around thief.

Now, Maddie is trying to get on board a ship to go from Antwerp to Texas with a baby she has stolen. Because the leaders will not allow a single woman to travel alone, she enters into a marriage of convenience with a Texan, Brazos Sinclair. Maddie plans to join a utopian society near Dallas after she gets an annulment from Brazos. That’s fine with Brazos; he never wanted to marry anyway.

Maddie soon learns that her new husband has horrible nightmares; they come to the surface because of Sinclair’s fear of dark, enclosed areas. On board ship, there are plenty of dark, enclosed places and Sinclair’s demons come to the fore. Fortunately, Maddie is able to help him escape his terrors for a time.

There are lots of things going on in this book yet the author brings things full-circle to a rousing conclusion. 4.5 stars

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Desperate to get herself and Baby Rose out of France before the baby's father can track them down, Madeline Cristophe agrees to a marriage of convenience to Brazos Sinclair in order to secure passage on a ship to Texas. Brazos just wants to get to Texas where he plans to have the marriage annulled. He knows he isn't husband material, especially when the nightmares of two years trapped in a Mexican prison comes back to haunt him.

I've read a couple books by this author which were fun reads, but this one just didn't do much for me. The books just seemed to drag for me. I was bored from the beginning. Way too many descriptions and too many scenes from the villain's point-of-view. I believe this is one of the first of Dawson's published books. Thankfully her writing has improved in recent years. My rating: 2 Stars.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fourerist philosophy (Charles Fourier). The Phalansterians (another name of Fourier's follower) are the free-thinkers, libertarians who thought of living in a society that judged women as equal to men was seductive. That's when Madeline Christophe decided to join the group heading towards the colony of Galveston, Texas.

Madeline fled from France state, Chateau St. Germaine with an assumed name to escape from the evil Julliane Desseau whose charged her for kidnapping baby Rose. In desparation of getting away she out smarted the Consederant that was in charge the steamboat, upon joining the Fourier by marrying a stranger Brazo Sinclair in exchage both of their freedom towards the colony of Texas.

A very good story, and full of surprises. And described the wild Texas colony vividly..

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and well thought out. Brazos is a tormented alpha male but at the same time very vulnerable and sweet. He seemed to me to have the depth that a lot of characters lack.
Madeline was one of the few female characters that I like, maybe because of the kleptomania. She seemed to be strong but not as irritating and headstrong as most female characters.
Overall I enjoyed the characters more than the plot, but it was still a good book.

[Beckey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historical Romance.
Madeline leaves France with an assumed name and a baby. Madeline is desparately forced into a marriage just to gain passage. The man she marries, Brazo Sinclair, has his own reasons and demons to conquer.
So-so alright story, that had me wanting to dish out "brain-dusters" to some of characters in the story.
PS I agree with one of the reviewers, the "bestie" could have been eliminated.

[Mercy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes the book was free, so I shouldn't be complaining. But the story had so much potential and it ended being just very disappointed. The way everything just tied up nicely in the end, the laughable story behind the Beast. Just a badly told Beauty and the Beast, with a baby and some schizophrenia thrown in to spice it all up.

[Michelle [Helen Geek]]

Free on Amazon 08/15/2012.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked Maddie's character but really disliked the "bestia" storyline

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical romance novel set in Europe, Texas and Mexico. Interesting read!

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8