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Hotel Marchand #1
In the Dark
The most beautiful hotel in New Orleans, and someone's out to destroy it.
The party at the Hotel Marchand is in full swing when all the lights suddenly go out. What does head of security Mac Jensen do first? He's torn between two jobs — protecting the guests at Hotel Marchand and keeping Julie Sullivan safe.
Mac knows Julie has no idea that he took the job at the hotel in order to act as her bodyguard. But now he feels a loyalty to both the hotel and the Marchand women who run it. As for Julie, she's being harassed by someone from her past...and what Mac feels for her is anything but professional.
A woman to protect. A hotel to secure. And no idea who's determined to harm them.
The party at the Hotel Marchand is in full swing when all the lights suddenly go out. What does head of security Mac Jensen do first? He's torn between two jobs — protecting the guests at Hotel Marchand and keeping Julie Sullivan safe.
Mac knows Julie has no idea that he took the job at the hotel in order to act as her bodyguard. But now he feels a loyalty to both the hotel and the Marchand women who run it. As for Julie, she's being harassed by someone from her past...and what Mac feels for her is anything but professional.
A woman to protect. A hotel to secure. And no idea who's determined to harm them.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
About the author
Judith Arnold
183 books171 followersBarbara Keiler
aka Ariel Berk, Thea Frederick, Judith Arnold
Barbara Keiler was born on April 7th. She started telling stories before shecould write. She was four when her sister, Carolyn, stuffed a crayon intoher hand and taught her the alphabet, and she's been writing ever since.
Barbara is a graduate of Smith College, where she learned to aim for thestars, and she received a master's degree in creative writing from BrownUniversity, where she took aim at a good-looking graduate student in thechemistry department and wound up marrying him. She says: "Before myhusband and I were married, I had a job in California and he was working onhis Ph.D. in Rhode Island. I became ill, and he hopped on a plane and flewacross the country to be with me. Neither of us had any money, but he saidhe simply couldn't concentrate on his research, knowing I was three thousandmiles away and facing a serious health problem all by myself. He stayed fortwo weeks, until I was pretty well recovered. That he would just drop whathe was doing, put his life on hold and race to my side told me how much heloved me. After that, I knew this was the man I wanted to marry."
Barbara has received writing fellowships from the Shubert Foundation and theNational Endowment for the Arts, and has taught at colleges and universitiesaround the country. She has also written several plays that have beenprofessionally staged at regional theaters in San Francisco, Washington, D.C.,Connecticut and off-off-Broadway.
Since her first romance novel's publication in 1983 as Ariel Berk. Shewrote one novel as Thea Frederick, and since 1985 she writes asJudith Arnold. Barbara has sold more than 70 novels, with eight millioncopies in print worldwide. She has recently signed a contract with MIRABooks. Her first MIRA novel will appear in 2001. She has received severalawards from Romantic Times Magazine, including awards for the Best HarlequinAmerican Romance of the Year, Best Harlequin Superromance of the Year, BestSeries Romantic Novel of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Certificate ofMerit for Innovative Series Romance. She has also been a finalist for theGolden Medallion Award and the RITA Award for Romance Writer of America. Hernovel Barefoot in the Grass has appeared on the recommended reading listsdistributed by cancer support services at several hospitals.
Barbara lives in a small town not far from Boston, Massachusetts, New England with her husband, two teenage sons, and a guinea pig named Wilbur. Her sister Carolyn died of breast cancer in 1998.
aka Ariel Berk, Thea Frederick, Judith Arnold
Barbara Keiler was born on April 7th. She started telling stories before shecould write. She was four when her sister, Carolyn, stuffed a crayon intoher hand and taught her the alphabet, and she's been writing ever since.
Barbara is a graduate of Smith College, where she learned to aim for thestars, and she received a master's degree in creative writing from BrownUniversity, where she took aim at a good-looking graduate student in thechemistry department and wound up marrying him. She says: "Before myhusband and I were married, I had a job in California and he was working onhis Ph.D. in Rhode Island. I became ill, and he hopped on a plane and flewacross the country to be with me. Neither of us had any money, but he saidhe simply couldn't concentrate on his research, knowing I was three thousandmiles away and facing a serious health problem all by myself. He stayed fortwo weeks, until I was pretty well recovered. That he would just drop whathe was doing, put his life on hold and race to my side told me how much heloved me. After that, I knew this was the man I wanted to marry."
Barbara has received writing fellowships from the Shubert Foundation and theNational Endowment for the Arts, and has taught at colleges and universitiesaround the country. She has also written several plays that have beenprofessionally staged at regional theaters in San Francisco, Washington, D.C.,Connecticut and off-off-Broadway.
Since her first romance novel's publication in 1983 as Ariel Berk. Shewrote one novel as Thea Frederick, and since 1985 she writes asJudith Arnold. Barbara has sold more than 70 novels, with eight millioncopies in print worldwide. She has recently signed a contract with MIRABooks. Her first MIRA novel will appear in 2001. She has received severalawards from Romantic Times Magazine, including awards for the Best HarlequinAmerican Romance of the Year, Best Harlequin Superromance of the Year, BestSeries Romantic Novel of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Certificate ofMerit for Innovative Series Romance. She has also been a finalist for theGolden Medallion Award and the RITA Award for Romance Writer of America. Hernovel Barefoot in the Grass has appeared on the recommended reading listsdistributed by cancer support services at several hospitals.
Barbara lives in a small town not far from Boston, Massachusetts, New England with her husband, two teenage sons, and a guinea pig named Wilbur. Her sister Carolyn died of breast cancer in 1998.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 25, 2013
Mac has taken on a job as head of security of the Hotel Marchand, but not because he wants the job per say, but because it puts him in a better position to do his main job he was hired to do as a Private Investigator. He was hired to protect and watch over Julie because the man she helped send to jail so many years ago is now out and may be carrying a grudge for her. Protecting her may be easier if he could tell her he was hired to do so and if she wasn't so darn beautiful and working her way into his heart. When Julie starts getting scary emails Mac is all about trying to find out who is sending them to her. When, at a party at the hotel, the lights go out and Julie turns up missing Mac is torn between two jobs. His job as security at the hotel requires him to help with the blackout and make sure things continue to run smoothly at the hotel. On the other hand his main job that he does of P.I. is to find Julie before any harm may come to her. Can he do both? Will he find Julie before whoever took her carries out a fatal plan for her? Is it a coincidence that the power went out at the hotel when it did? If he saves Julie, will she ever speak to him again if he tells her the truth of who he is? Could his heart take it if she cut him out of her life?
This was a quick and easy read for me. It had a good plot, that seemed to flow fairly well. I know there are more books to be read after this one, but I found it a bit disappointing when I finished the book and was left with some side plots unfinished. The main plot came to an end, but the side plots that came up throughout the book were unfinished. I understand this is to encourage the reader to read on, but personally I was a bit disappointed in that tactic. The writing was done wonderfully and the descriptions in this book were great and made me feel like I was watching the story pan out. The characters were very easy to come to love too. I did like the book all in all. The romantic suspense of it all was a bit like others, but I don't think there is much of a way to write a romantic suspense that isn't the same base theory. I did enjoy the books pace very much, there was not much in the way of lulls, the action pretty much kept moving along. If you are looking for a good romantic suspense then this may be a book you wish to check out.
4/5 Stars!
This was a quick and easy read for me. It had a good plot, that seemed to flow fairly well. I know there are more books to be read after this one, but I found it a bit disappointing when I finished the book and was left with some side plots unfinished. The main plot came to an end, but the side plots that came up throughout the book were unfinished. I understand this is to encourage the reader to read on, but personally I was a bit disappointed in that tactic. The writing was done wonderfully and the descriptions in this book were great and made me feel like I was watching the story pan out. The characters were very easy to come to love too. I did like the book all in all. The romantic suspense of it all was a bit like others, but I don't think there is much of a way to write a romantic suspense that isn't the same base theory. I did enjoy the books pace very much, there was not much in the way of lulls, the action pretty much kept moving along. If you are looking for a good romantic suspense then this may be a book you wish to check out.
4/5 Stars!
September 23, 2025
This was definitely of it's time but I'm not mad about that. really enjoyed the mystery and suspense and the chemistry between Mac and Julie was really good.
June 5, 2017
I hated this book. The only reason it got 2 stars is because the last 100 pages didn't suck
September 28, 2019
A good suspence /love story. Will read others in this series.
December 14, 2020
2.5
Me gustó, cumplió su papel como novela light y rosa.
Me gustó, cumplió su papel como novela light y rosa.
January 18, 2023
Loved this story about Mac and Julie. Looking forward to the next book all of the 12 book series.
June 22, 2016
The story is a great mix of romance and a light, suspenseful thriller. Both Mac and Julie are interesting characters and the Hotel Marchand gives sets a great atmosphere for most of their interactions.
The only thing that keeps this from being a 5 star book is that several mysteries get set up and go nowhere. I get that it's the beginning of a series, but it annoyed me to have threads tossed in there that go absolutely nowhere.
The only thing that keeps this from being a 5 star book is that several mysteries get set up and go nowhere. I get that it's the beginning of a series, but it annoyed me to have threads tossed in there that go absolutely nowhere.
October 17, 2011
Super Librarian TBR Challenge for October. Romantic Suspense or Paranormal
I picked Romantic Suspense.
The first book in the Hotel Marchand series.
I really enjoyed it to tell you the truth. Good story and likable characters. There is a mystery that is going to run through the series I think, which intrigues me enough to continue on with the series.
I picked Romantic Suspense.
The first book in the Hotel Marchand series.
I really enjoyed it to tell you the truth. Good story and likable characters. There is a mystery that is going to run through the series I think, which intrigues me enough to continue on with the series.
October 11, 2012
A little 'wordy' for my taste, but then if all of that was removed it would then be a short story. I do want to continue reading the series, since I'm now hooked on the back story. Thankfully, the next book is written by someone else.
July 30, 2009
This was an easy read. I liked the characters interaction. Could have been better without the bed scene. It made my opinion of Mac drop. I wanted him to be honest.
January 24, 2011
An above average intrigue romance. This was a fun enjoyable read. Very fun. =)
August 4, 2011
First book in this series. It was a good, quick read,that had me guessing.
Looking forward to reading the next books in the series.
Looking forward to reading the next books in the series.
May 28, 2016
it was a little slow at some points. in my opinion I will not read it again
September 5, 2016
Usual good book by Judith Arnold. A little suspense and a lot of romance. Good read for romance lovers.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews