AFTER THE MUSIC by CHRISTINE FEEHAN Terrified by mysterious threats, Jessica Fitzpatrick spirits away her twin wards, Tara and Trevor, to the remote island mansion of their estranged father, world-famous musician Dillon Wentworth. Ever since the fire that claimed his troubled wife's life and left him horribly disfigured, Dillon has shut out the world. With Christmas approaching, the spark between him and Jessica might light the future, but there are those who shared Dillon's wife's love of the occult . . . and their evil machinations may plunge the family into darkness -- unless a Christmas miracle occurs. . . .
LADY OF THE LOCKET by MELANIE GEORGE The echoes of history and romance lure Rachel Hudson to Glengarren, the Scottish castle where her parents met many Christmases ago. But it is the portrait of fierce Highlander Duncan MacGregor that sparks an inexplicable yearning inside her. On a storm-tossed night, as lightning cracks across the castle's turrets, Rachel finds herself face-to-face with MacGregor himself, astride a mighty stallion. Now, stepping into Rachel's time -- and her heart -- the warrior from the past is pursued by an ancient, evil enemy. . . .
Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 100 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, GhostWalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series, Shadow Riders, Torpedo Ink and her Romantic Suspense novels. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince. Her series include: The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb... The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost... The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa... The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado... Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...
IN HER WORDS: I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)
Dnf the first one, and finished the second one. Maybe I'm just not used to the writing style of the early 2000s? But it was just very cringey for me. I did not care very much for the characters in the first novella, although maybe it was the way they were written. The kids were described more like 8 year olds, than 13. The second novella was fine, probably more of a 2.5-3 star. Not great, but also definitely not terrible.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book with two stories in one. While this is a Gothic, paranormal book, "After the Music" I felt was more believable in the romantic aspects than "Lady of the Locket". Maybe as I have gotten older and understand real love better than I did in my late teens and early 20's, I find the idea of falling in love with someone practically the second you see him/her a little "out there".
"After the Music" by Christine Feehan was a beautiful, mysterious, creepy story that had me on the edge of my seat most of the time. The romance scenes could have been a little less lengthy, but my personal preference is not reading much in the way of sex scenes. The plot was astronomical, in my opinion, and I wish there would have been a bit more to the backstories and less rushed ending. I did mostly love that first novella and happily give it an easy 4.5 stars.
"Lady of the Locket" by Melanie George was very interesting with the time travel aspect, and I enjoyed how the characters tied together in the end. I did wonder how the time traveling would be "fixed", so to speak, but honestly much of that second story felt a little predictable. 3 stars for that one.
1st not so Gothic as fantasies of an injured rock star regarding his children's nanny. takes place in USA 2nd is a ghost story in Scotland. Only a few characters, lots of passion and Scottish brogue!
In After the Music, Jessica arrives on a remote island in the midst of a horrible storm with the twins who have been practically her own since their birth 13 years ago. Tara and Trevor haven't seen their father for many years, since a terrible fire that changed all of their lives irrevocably. But now, for reasons that soon come clear, Jessica has brought them to the island unannounced, knowing that their father will protect them when she can't.
I don't know that I would have necessarily called this "gothic" in the traditional sense, but I very much enjoyed the novella. Sometimes novellas can be too short to allow you to become full invested in the characters, but I did not find this to be true with this story. I was able to feel for Jessica from the opening scene and for the twins throughout the story. There were many twists and turns and I was kept guessing until the very end; the suspense kept me on the edge throughout the novella. A quick read that I would recommend, especially for the holidays.
In Lady of the Locket, Rachel arrives at Glengarren broken in spirit. Having had a traumatic year, she has come to Scotland to fulfill the last wishes of her parents. Glengarren was the place where her parents met and fell in love and it is where she must finally let go of them and say goodbye. The castle is rumored to be haunted and Rachel's life is changed forever when she meets the Highlander who was the first Lord of Glengarren, centuries earlier.
Of the two novellas, this second one was unexpectedly heartwrenching to me. Rachel's pain was almost palpable and I found myself feeling her sadness. There was scene towards the end of such despair that I was in tears reading it. It was romantic and lovely and had a fairy tale ending, everything you want in a romance novel!
This is the only Christmas themed novel I've read and overall I enjoyed it. The two stories that comprise the book are light on the Christmas, heavy on the mystery and romance. The first story After the Music by Christine Feehan started out interesting, but I found it repetitive. The characters kept thinking the same things over and over again and clues to the mystery were cast aside momentarily due to the main character's ADD thinking habits. The story was still good though and the mystery was decent for a short story.
The second story was Lady of the Locket by Melanie George and I really enjoyed it. It has a little bit of time travel and it actually reminded me quite a bit of A Knight in Shining Armor which I just recently read. It definitely tugs at your heartstrings. Overall, I liked the romance in both stories and that they were light on the Christmas sap.
I only read the first short story in this pairing, "After The Music." It just wasn't the type of thing I enjoy. The writing was very tell, not show, repetitively telling how the characters felt, how they saw watch other, while the POV hopped from character to character. The "romantic" scenes didn't read as sexy to me -- he was constantly thinking about how he knew her as a little girl, and I couldn't shake that when he was then woohooing her -- although I understand that's part of the whole "Gothic" thing. The main mystery was interesting enough to keep my reading. I thought I had figured it out when the character was first introduced -- and I had.
I only read After the Music by Christine Feehan Dillon was burned trying to save his children from a fire. Jessica has helped raise his children away from Dillon for the last seven years. After her mother was killed and several mysterious accidents Jessica brings the children to Dillon for Christmas. Once there the attraction Dillon and Jessica had for one another blooms, even while more and more accidents happen. The love story and the blooming relationship Dillon has with his kids were good. The ghost towards the end really didn't fit, even though the author tried to explain it away, given his dead wife's history.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Two short stories. One where a family is torn apart and someone doesn't want them getting back together. The other a time traveler comes forward but can't leave his lands. He's torn between staying and returning.
I'm a fan of Christine Feehan's Sisters of the Hearts series. When I saw this one at the library with holiday romances featuring a story by Feehan, I grabbed it! Feehan writes the first novella in the book, After the Music, while Melanie George (a new-to-me author) writes the second novella, Lady of the Locket.
After the Music is about a former rock star, Dillon, who has lived in seclusion for the past seven years after a fire burned down his home on his private island, which killed his wife and six other people. Dillon thought his six year old twins, Tara and Trevor, were still inside the house and he rushed back in to save them. Unbeknownst to him, the twins had already been safely ushered out of the house by the nanny's daughter, Jessica. As a result, Dillon was burned horribly and lived for a year in the hospital undergoing treatment for his burns and skin grafts. Simultaneously, he was also on trial for the murder of his wife who apparently was shot before the fire started. However, he was cleared of the crime. Dillon left his twins in the care of the nanny, Rita, and Jessica.
Now, seven years later, after Rita was killed in an automobile accident, Jessica returns to the island with the twins so that they can spend Christmas with their father. Jessica is hoping for a Christmas miracle and that the family can become united. She and Dillon had always had a close relationship, and the twins look to Jessica as a mother.
I have to say that it was a little strange, with Dillon having feelings of unrequited love over Jessica who was his nanny's daughter, who was just 18 years old at the time. It was almost like a bit of a taboo relationship. However, now that seven years have passed and Jessica is now 25 years old, the relationship works because of the role that she is to the twins. Dillon is touched by her love and protectiveness towards his children, and he envies that and wants to be part of it. Feehan's couples are always very passionate, and Dillon & Jessica are no exception. There is also a bit of a paranormal aspect to the story.
Lady of the Locket is about a 27-year-old woman named Rachel Hudson, whose parents had the type of romantic love that most people dream about. Tragically, they die within six months of each other just shy of their 30th wedding anniversary. Rachel is bereft at the loss of both of her parents, but she is determined to carry out their dying wish. They were planning to celebrate their 30th anniversary at the place where they met, Glengarren Castle in Inverness, Scotland. The castle was once owned by her father's friend, and it is now owned by his son. She intends to release her parents' ashes at the castle on her parents' anniversary. When she arrives at Glengarren, she is awe-struck at the gorgeous Highlander featured in the portrait hung over the stairs. The name at the bottom of the painting indicates that the man is Duncan MacGregor from 1745. The caretaker, Fergus, tries to convince Rachel to rent a room in town and hints that there are strange goings-on at the castle and is concerned that she will be staying there alone. She assures him that she'll be fine. However, one evening during a storm, she is awakened by shouts and the sounds of fighting. She comes face to face with the warrior from the painting, Duncan MacGregor!
I quite enjoyed this reverse time-travel romance. In other time travel romances that I've read, it's the woman who is thrown back hundreds of years. This time around, it's the man who is brought into the present. Poor Duncan is so confused. He recognizes that he is in his home, yet it is not his home as he knew it because of modern conveniences like electricity and appliances. He thinks that Rachel is a witch and has someone put a spell on him, and he is rather enchanted by her as well. Rachel finds with Duncan the kind of rare love that her parents had, but how can it last when they are from two different worlds?
I read Lady of the Locket in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down! I will definitely read more from this author!
After The Music by Christine Feehan has Jessica Fitzpatrick taking the children of her employer to see him after many years apart. Dillon Wentworth had left his twins, Tara and Trevor, in the hands of Jessica'a mother. With her death, Jessica had assumed the duties. Severely burned in a fire that killed his wife, Dillon first spent years in the hospital and in rehabilitation, followed by an investigation to see if he had murdered his wife. He is not read to face his children. Or the woman he had always wanted.
Mysterious happenings, the occult, and evil inhabits the home as well as music and the beginings of a family coming together.
A real nice story.
Lady of the Locket by Melanie George has Rachel Hudson making the journey to grant her parents final wishes. To spread their ashes at the Scottish castle, Glengarren where they met. Duncan MacGregor was the man she found herself wanting. A chance to step back in time takes her to fall for Duncan. But time stands for no one, and back in her own time, she finds herself with the ancestor in her time. Also named Duncan.
Not real thrilled with the story. Found it bland, and the ending is just plain odd.
The first story was intriguing and unsettling just like how a good horror is supposed to be. I love the opening scene with the storm and the castle. The events that unfold left something to be desired but the satanic rituals made up for less than captivating story, though I did picture beauty and the beast when I was reading it which is guess is what really made me like this story by Christine Feehan. On the other hand the second story set in an old Scottish highland castle was everything I did not know I needed to read. I love the way the sentences are written, the entire eerie feel of story with the evil spirit and glitch in time transporting the Scottish warrior. I must read more Melanie George if this is the way she writes.
Giving this book four stars overall. Neither story gives you much gothic or Christmas in the sense most people would be expecting. They could have taken place at any time of the year.
"After The Music" by Christine Feehan gets the bulk of the book at around 250 pages. A former rock star, a fire, estranged children, bandmates, murdered wife, Satan worshipping, secluded island, rambling mansion. Lots of characters to juggle and multiple explicit sex scenes.
"Lady Of The Locket" by Melanie George gets 161 pages. Time traveling Highlander, castle, ghost, some sex.
I do miss reading a good authors novel. I have been a follower of Christine storytelling for many years. She was one of my first authors I started to read after my retirement in 2000. Her series Dark Carpathian what in dear me to her worthy reads. Followed by Sea Haven, Shadow Riders and I hope for you to keep up with this newer series. Yes, I have read other series. MS. Feehan pulls you into everyone novel and bring you back into her world of storytelling.
To be clear I knew exactly what I was getting into, and I would normally rate a book based on how it compares to other books of the same type, but I had expected this drugstore, checkout-line romance to be about... Christmas. Both stories just ended on Christmas Day and replaced "happily ever after" with "it was a true Christmas miracle." There now, this review has more Christmas flavor than either novella.
This is the third time that I have read A Very Gothic Christmas and I loved it as much as the first. A hero who was critically burned when he attempted to save his twins from a house fire and the young woman who has raised them during his recovery. Many twists and turns as only Christine Feehan can so adeptly manage. The second book reminds me of A Knight in Shining Armor. Really enjoyed it.
After The Music is a romance like beauty and the beast if I have ever seen one with some Christmas mixed in. The Lady of the Locket is a mysterious romance that keeps ur heart aching to read more. Recommended for anyone that loves Christmas and romance.
What a great and wonderful story so well written and it touched me so deeply. I’ve always been a Gothic Novel fan but I believe this has been the best I’ve read so far. A must read for all gothic novel fans and historical romantics as well.