Lord of Darkness (Maiden Lane, #5) in Fans of Eloisa James & Julia Quinn

Nov 23, 2013 Kym rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, audio, reviewed, reviewed-at-audible, georgian, mystery, series, historical, repeat-read

Setting: London, England 1740
Genre: Romance
Margaret Reading’s brother arranged her marriage to Godric St. John after her lover was murdered and she needed a husband for her unborn child. At that time she retreated to Godric’s country estate, but she subsequently miscarried. She has lived in the country contentedly for 2 years, but has decided she needs a baby, so she returns to London to get Godric to do the deed. She also wants to bring the Ghost of St. Giles to justice for the murder of her lo Setting: London, England 1740
Genre: Romance
Margaret Reading’s brother arranged her marriage to Godric St. John after her lover was murdered and she needed a husband for her unborn child. At that time she retreated to Godric’s country estate, but she subsequently miscarried. She has lived in the country contentedly for 2 years, but has decided she needs a baby, so she returns to London to get Godric to do the deed. She also wants to bring the Ghost of St. Giles to justice for the murder of her lover. For his part, Godric had married Megs under the condition that it would be in name only. He is still mourning the death of his wife of 10 years, even though he has now been widowed for 3. He is also one iteration of the Ghost, and he knows that Roger was killed by someone else. He agrees that he will impregnate Megs, but then she has to return to the country and leave finding Roger’s murderer to him. So that makes two aspects of this story, but there is a third. As the Ghost, Godric is hunting for the “lassie snatchers” who have been kidnapping little girls and using them to make clocked stockings, often working them to death.
The plot of this story is good, both the romance and the interlinking mystery/adventure of the Ghost of St. Giles. The characters are well-rounded, the action is dynamic, and the dialogue is believable and moves the story along. Even the sex senes, while graphic, are tastefully written. Overall, this is a wonderful story. Definitely 4 - 4 1/2 stars. However...
While Emma Taylor isn’t the worst narrator I’ve ever heard, this particular performance comes close. Though she doesn’t do a bad job of differentiating genders, her accent overall is just horrible. A very fake sounding accent. Out of curiosity I checked her other work, and the majority is contemporary romance and she uses a North American accent. I don’t know where she is from, but her reading of this book is horrible. For instance, every time she said a word ending with Y was comical. It reminded me of Mike Myers playing Fat Bastard in the Austin Powers movie - “get in my bell-ay”. Baby is beb-ay. Lady is led-ay. Etc. Where was Ashford McNab, who read all but one other of the books in this series? Really, they should re-record this with her. Or just about anyone. ...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Tin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2013

In which I describe the experience of reading Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt:

The tightness in my chest began after Chapter 2, when, after two years of living apart, Megs and her coterie invade London and Godric's house. By page 76, after a volatile encounter between Godric and Megs, I was crying. Tears blurred the words -- but I kept reading -- and the tightness never leaves and I realize it is me feeling the painful poignancy of Godric and Megs' situation. And the tears never stop because I ...more

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