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Night Tales #5
Night Shield
NOT TO BE TRUSTED?
Even though he agreed to protect her cover — even though her own dad vouched for him — Allison Fletcher refused to be seduced by Jonah Blackhawk's smooth charm and good looks. She was too much of a cop to fall for a shady character like Jonah...even if her pulse did race at his touch.
... EVEN BY HIMSELF?
If only she didn't have eyes like prime whiskey and a smile that melted his insides. If only she weren't Boyd Fletcher's daughter. Jonah had never cared much for cops — until now. But Ally was definitely off-limits to a guy like him. If only he could stop wanting her....
Even though he agreed to protect her cover — even though her own dad vouched for him — Allison Fletcher refused to be seduced by Jonah Blackhawk's smooth charm and good looks. She was too much of a cop to fall for a shady character like Jonah...even if her pulse did race at his touch.
... EVEN BY HIMSELF?
If only she didn't have eyes like prime whiskey and a smile that melted his insides. If only she weren't Boyd Fletcher's daughter. Jonah had never cared much for cops — until now. But Ally was definitely off-limits to a guy like him. If only he could stop wanting her....
244 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
479 people are currently reading
2352 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,209 books59.6k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
September 4, 2015
Club owner, Jonah Blackhawk, is asked by an old (cop) friend, Boyd Fletcher, to help him out. There has been a series of burglaries in the area, and most of them had a connection to Jonah's club. Jonah agrees to help since he really owes Boyd a favor. After Jonah got busted by the police when he was young, cop Boyd helped Jonah straighten his life out.
Jonah then meets one of the cops assigned to the case, Boyd's daughter, Allison. She is to work in Jonah's club, undercover, as a waitress. As time goes by, Jonah and Allison are attracted to each other as they try to figure out who is responsible for the burglaries.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Jonah and Allison, they made a good couple. Allison had a jealous ex-boyfriend who kept showing up--at the club, at her home, who added some extra suspense to the story. I liked the club setting and the people who worked at the club. I felt bad for Allison when, for the first time, she had to shoot and kill someone in self-defense. She was pretty broken up over this. Jonah was kind to her and helped her through the night. I enjoyed Jonah and Allison's banter, and they had great chemistry. This was an enjoyable, exciting, and fast-paced read.
Jonah then meets one of the cops assigned to the case, Boyd's daughter, Allison. She is to work in Jonah's club, undercover, as a waitress. As time goes by, Jonah and Allison are attracted to each other as they try to figure out who is responsible for the burglaries.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Jonah and Allison, they made a good couple. Allison had a jealous ex-boyfriend who kept showing up--at the club, at her home, who added some extra suspense to the story. I liked the club setting and the people who worked at the club. I felt bad for Allison when, for the first time, she had to shoot and kill someone in self-defense. She was pretty broken up over this. Jonah was kind to her and helped her through the night. I enjoyed Jonah and Allison's banter, and they had great chemistry. This was an enjoyable, exciting, and fast-paced read.
January 3, 2024
"Despair and hope. Life is full of both."
This was such a beautiful love story. I loved every second of it.
I think I'm just a sucker for love stories without a big blow out fight over miscommunication. This is one of the most realistic, loving, kind budding relationships I've ever read about. And knowing Miss Ally came from the sweetest Boyd and Cilla from the first book. Gosh, to see this family come full circle like this is so special to my hopeless romantic heart.
I adored every moment of Ally and Jonah's relationship. Right from the start they fit so seamlessly into each other's lives, and seeing both of them just ease into what they were feeling felt so right. The fact that they both had connections to Boyd as a father and father figure only made it sweeter. I really loved this book.
It's going to easily be a Nora comfort book. Nothing truly heavy, everything easy and fun. I can't wait to get my hands on this actual book and read it over and over and over.
Another five star rating for my favorite author.
This was such a beautiful love story. I loved every second of it.
I think I'm just a sucker for love stories without a big blow out fight over miscommunication. This is one of the most realistic, loving, kind budding relationships I've ever read about. And knowing Miss Ally came from the sweetest Boyd and Cilla from the first book. Gosh, to see this family come full circle like this is so special to my hopeless romantic heart.
I adored every moment of Ally and Jonah's relationship. Right from the start they fit so seamlessly into each other's lives, and seeing both of them just ease into what they were feeling felt so right. The fact that they both had connections to Boyd as a father and father figure only made it sweeter. I really loved this book.
It's going to easily be a Nora comfort book. Nothing truly heavy, everything easy and fun. I can't wait to get my hands on this actual book and read it over and over and over.
Another five star rating for my favorite author.
March 4, 2024
Nora Roberts has been writing Eve and Roark in different variations since she wrote her first romance. This is yet another iteration. But that doesn't distract from a really wonderful story at all. I love this series and now we are around to the daughter of the first couple, Allison, and her delinquent turned respectable businessman, Jonah.
Ally is a cop and there have been a series of burglaries and a lot of the couples his are well to do and have just been on a night on the town at Jonah's nightclub, Blackhawk. Ally knows Jonah and her father go way back, and she goes undercover, against Jonah's wishes. But Jonah can't seem to keep from getting involved with either the case or with Ally. Johah Blackhawk is no friend to the police and only tolerated the police commissioner, Boyd Fletcher, because he saved him from a life of crime. But his daughter, Allison Fletcher, is another matter, one he can't quite seem to resolve.
When the bust goes sideways and the mastermind comes after Ally, Jonah will do everything he can to protect her. But Ally has more than one angry man after her and Jonah will need to be very careful.
Ally is a cop and there have been a series of burglaries and a lot of the couples his are well to do and have just been on a night on the town at Jonah's nightclub, Blackhawk. Ally knows Jonah and her father go way back, and she goes undercover, against Jonah's wishes. But Jonah can't seem to keep from getting involved with either the case or with Ally. Johah Blackhawk is no friend to the police and only tolerated the police commissioner, Boyd Fletcher, because he saved him from a life of crime. But his daughter, Allison Fletcher, is another matter, one he can't quite seem to resolve.
When the bust goes sideways and the mastermind comes after Ally, Jonah will do everything he can to protect her. But Ally has more than one angry man after her and Jonah will need to be very careful.
November 5, 2025
Aside from some "of its time" cringe moments, a really great short romantic suspense from La Nora
June 6, 2020
"Night Shield" is the story of Allison and Jonah.
In this conclusion to the Night tales series, we have a next generation love story. Allison is a rookie detective, and Boyd Fletcher's daughter. She is assigned a case, and goes undercover to work with Jonah Blackhawk, a renegade who is forever indebted to Boyd for changing his life. They embark on a dangerous mission, fighting not just the evil they face but also an intense but forbidden attraction for each other!
Overall, this was an average book with loads of drama, suspense and a little romance. The characters were *almost* likable, but not really. The heroine could have been stronger, I mean her being unable to ward off her ex despite being a cop was kinda weird. The hero was silent and broody. The one thing I absolutely adored was the epilogue, otherwise this was just OK!
Safe for me/SWE for some
3/5
In this conclusion to the Night tales series, we have a next generation love story. Allison is a rookie detective, and Boyd Fletcher's daughter. She is assigned a case, and goes undercover to work with Jonah Blackhawk, a renegade who is forever indebted to Boyd for changing his life. They embark on a dangerous mission, fighting not just the evil they face but also an intense but forbidden attraction for each other!
Overall, this was an average book with loads of drama, suspense and a little romance. The characters were *almost* likable, but not really. The heroine could have been stronger, I mean her being unable to ward off her ex despite being a cop was kinda weird. The hero was silent and broody. The one thing I absolutely adored was the epilogue, otherwise this was just OK!
Safe for me/SWE for some
3/5
January 9, 2017
I really enjoyed Night Shield. -Thank you, Luli, for the recommendation!- It had the flavor of a 1990's contemporary romance with the misunderstood alpha male. You know, the guy who started out from nothing but made himself a name and a bucketload of money. Think early Sandra Brown, Linda Howard or better yet, Jayne Krentz. In real life I am not sure any one woman could tolerate a man like this for very long, let alone a lifetime.
Jonah Blackhawk was tall and rangy with a sprinkling of Apache. Once upon a time, his Native American ancestor kidnapped a white woman; they had several sons. Unfortunately, his father was no-good. Jonah had a lonely, difficult childhood but came under the watchful eye of then-cop but now commissioner, Boyd Fletcher. The man had a favor to ask.
Allison Fletcher realized there were some people who thought she made detective because of her father's important position. But she and her dad knew different. She put in long hours and took her job seriously.
I enjoyed the sparks between Ally and Jonah. There were plenty of pushes and pulls. The camaraderie between the two of them with his employees and her family added to their dimension. I savored the suspense but I especially liked the epilogue.
*The story was part of a series but I had no problem reading it alone.*
Jonah Blackhawk was tall and rangy with a sprinkling of Apache. Once upon a time, his Native American ancestor kidnapped a white woman; they had several sons. Unfortunately, his father was no-good. Jonah had a lonely, difficult childhood but came under the watchful eye of then-cop but now commissioner, Boyd Fletcher. The man had a favor to ask.
Allison Fletcher realized there were some people who thought she made detective because of her father's important position. But she and her dad knew different. She put in long hours and took her job seriously.
I enjoyed the sparks between Ally and Jonah. There were plenty of pushes and pulls. The camaraderie between the two of them with his employees and her family added to their dimension. I savored the suspense but I especially liked the epilogue.
*The story was part of a series but I had no problem reading it alone.*
April 12, 2022
Me ha decepcionado bastante, máxime cuando la pluma es de quien es.
Una historia corta, pero llena de defectos. Personajes frágiles y un final que estaba sonado.
No puedo destacar nada de valor. Una pena.
Una historia corta, pero llena de defectos. Personajes frágiles y un final que estaba sonado.
No puedo destacar nada de valor. Una pena.
August 1, 2023
You can find this review in English below.
Creo que esta vez he empezado la casa por el tejado ;) Este es el quinto, y último, libro de la serie, aunque definitivamente se puede leer como una historia propia.
A medida que pasan los días, mejor gusto me deja esta historia. No ha sido perfecta, ni de lejos, pero sí me ha recordado a la Roberts de The Witness, mi Roberts favorita. Las únicas pegas que le he encontrado es que me ha parecido una historia muy corta (según GR 123 páginas…me han parecido menos) y he echado mucho de menos unos antecedentes más trabajados. Es más, si esta historia hubiese tenido un par de capítulos dejándonos ver el pasado del protagonista estaría ahí arriba, con 5 estrellas y en mi estantería de favoritos. Lo he echado realmente de menos, creo que eso de explicar el pasado de los personajes es el punto fuerte de la señora Roberts.
En cuanto a la historia tenemos a dos personajes de carácter fuerte, independientes y con las ideas muy claras.
Ally es una policía, como su padre, como su padrino, y encima su padre es su jefe con lo cual ha tenido que trabajar el doble que cualquiera para demostrar su valía.
Jonah ha tenido una infancia desastrosa y el padre de Ally, Boyd, ha sido su salvavidas. Él siente que tiene una deuda de gratitud hacia Boyd y eso condiciona muchísimo su relación con Ally.
Ya he comentado antes que la historia me ha parecido muy corta, pedía a gritos más tiempo, más espacio para desarrollar la relación, pero como no ha sido así, ha habido un poco de insta-lust. O casi. No estoy segura… Y aunque la relación entre ellos ha sido más física que otra cosa (por cierto, no me han gustado las escenas de sexo, me han resultado poco atractivas) sí que me ha gustado el “después de”, es de donde más información sobre los personajes he sacado. Pero al final la autora ha conseguido convencerme de los sentimientos de los protagonistas.
El suspense está muy bien. Decente. Sobre todo para lo condensada que está la historia.
Y el epílogo me ha gustado…mucho… *sigh*
:)
***
I think this time I put the cart before the horse ;) This is the fifth, and last, installment in the series, but it can definitely be read as a stand alone.
As the days go by, I like this story better. It has not been perfect, not at all, but it did remind me of the The Witness, my favorite by Roberts. The only faults I have found are that it has been a very short story (according to GR 123 pages ... I felt there were less) and I have really missed more background. What's more, if this story had a couple of chapters letting us see the hero's past it would be up there, with 5 stars and on my favorite shelf. I've really missed it, I think that explaining the past of her characters is Mrs. Roberts strong point.
As for the story, we have two people with strong personalities, independent and with their ideas very clear.
Ally is a cop, like her father, like her godfather, and her father is her boss, so she had had to work twice as hard as anyone to prove her worth.
Jonah had had a disastrous childhood and Ally's father, Boyd, has been his lifesaver. He feels he owes a debt of gratitude to Boyd, and that makes his relationship with Ally so tricky.
I have already commented above that the story had seemed very short, it was begging for more time, more space to develop the relationship, but as it has not been so, there has been a bit of insta-lust. Or almost. I'm not sure ... And although the relationship between them has been more physical than anything else (by the way, I have not cared for the sex scenes, they have been a bit...aggressive? ) I loved the "after-it", is from where more information about the characters I have drawn. And in the end, the author has managed to convince me of the feelings the MC´s have for each other.
The suspense was great. Interesting. Especially for such a condensed storyline.
And I loved the epilogue... a lot! ... *sigh*
:)
Creo que esta vez he empezado la casa por el tejado ;) Este es el quinto, y último, libro de la serie, aunque definitivamente se puede leer como una historia propia.
A medida que pasan los días, mejor gusto me deja esta historia. No ha sido perfecta, ni de lejos, pero sí me ha recordado a la Roberts de The Witness, mi Roberts favorita. Las únicas pegas que le he encontrado es que me ha parecido una historia muy corta (según GR 123 páginas…me han parecido menos) y he echado mucho de menos unos antecedentes más trabajados. Es más, si esta historia hubiese tenido un par de capítulos dejándonos ver el pasado del protagonista estaría ahí arriba, con 5 estrellas y en mi estantería de favoritos. Lo he echado realmente de menos, creo que eso de explicar el pasado de los personajes es el punto fuerte de la señora Roberts.
En cuanto a la historia tenemos a dos personajes de carácter fuerte, independientes y con las ideas muy claras.
Ally es una policía, como su padre, como su padrino, y encima su padre es su jefe con lo cual ha tenido que trabajar el doble que cualquiera para demostrar su valía.
Jonah ha tenido una infancia desastrosa y el padre de Ally, Boyd, ha sido su salvavidas. Él siente que tiene una deuda de gratitud hacia Boyd y eso condiciona muchísimo su relación con Ally.
Ya he comentado antes que la historia me ha parecido muy corta, pedía a gritos más tiempo, más espacio para desarrollar la relación, pero como no ha sido así, ha habido un poco de insta-lust. O casi. No estoy segura… Y aunque la relación entre ellos ha sido más física que otra cosa (por cierto, no me han gustado las escenas de sexo, me han resultado poco atractivas) sí que me ha gustado el “después de”, es de donde más información sobre los personajes he sacado. Pero al final la autora ha conseguido convencerme de los sentimientos de los protagonistas.
El suspense está muy bien. Decente. Sobre todo para lo condensada que está la historia.
Y el epílogo me ha gustado…mucho… *sigh*
:)
***
I think this time I put the cart before the horse ;) This is the fifth, and last, installment in the series, but it can definitely be read as a stand alone.
As the days go by, I like this story better. It has not been perfect, not at all, but it did remind me of the The Witness, my favorite by Roberts. The only faults I have found are that it has been a very short story (according to GR 123 pages ... I felt there were less) and I have really missed more background. What's more, if this story had a couple of chapters letting us see the hero's past it would be up there, with 5 stars and on my favorite shelf. I've really missed it, I think that explaining the past of her characters is Mrs. Roberts strong point.
As for the story, we have two people with strong personalities, independent and with their ideas very clear.
Ally is a cop, like her father, like her godfather, and her father is her boss, so she had had to work twice as hard as anyone to prove her worth.
Jonah had had a disastrous childhood and Ally's father, Boyd, has been his lifesaver. He feels he owes a debt of gratitude to Boyd, and that makes his relationship with Ally so tricky.
I have already commented above that the story had seemed very short, it was begging for more time, more space to develop the relationship, but as it has not been so, there has been a bit of insta-lust. Or almost. I'm not sure ... And although the relationship between them has been more physical than anything else (by the way, I have not cared for the sex scenes, they have been a bit...aggressive? ) I loved the "after-it", is from where more information about the characters I have drawn. And in the end, the author has managed to convince me of the feelings the MC´s have for each other.
The suspense was great. Interesting. Especially for such a condensed storyline.
And I loved the epilogue... a lot! ... *sigh*
:)
December 24, 2011
This is one of the best books in the series because I love the hero and heroine, their whole relationship, the family talk and time, the epilogue, everything, it was I guess the way it was written.
Ally's father Boyd(hero of the first book in the series), helped mentor and make Jonah when he was a kid, on the street getting involved in crime, so even though Jonah doesn't like cops he agrees to do Boyd a favor and have his daughter Ally and other cops go undercover at one of his clubs.
The case robbery, and all the victims went to clubs. When Ally meets Jonah she doesn't like him much, she knows about his past escapades, but soon she sees his soft side.
There were many favorite scenes for me in the book, when Jonah takes a tired Ally home and refuses to sleep with her, the seduction Ally does in his office, even the time when Ally takes him home, all moments were awesome, especially the end when they both angrily confess their feelings.
Allison was an awesome heroine, fun, modern and I loved how she teased Jonah. She made him see things like family, togetherness.
Ally's father Boyd(hero of the first book in the series), helped mentor and make Jonah when he was a kid, on the street getting involved in crime, so even though Jonah doesn't like cops he agrees to do Boyd a favor and have his daughter Ally and other cops go undercover at one of his clubs.
The case robbery, and all the victims went to clubs. When Ally meets Jonah she doesn't like him much, she knows about his past escapades, but soon she sees his soft side.
There were many favorite scenes for me in the book, when Jonah takes a tired Ally home and refuses to sleep with her, the seduction Ally does in his office, even the time when Ally takes him home, all moments were awesome, especially the end when they both angrily confess their feelings.
Allison was an awesome heroine, fun, modern and I loved how she teased Jonah. She made him see things like family, togetherness.
February 18, 2019
I forgot how much I enjoy this final book in the Night Tales series.
In this book we get detective Alison (Ally) Fletcher (the daughter of the main characters from book 1) and wealthy, smooth talking club owner Jonah Blackhawk.
The chemistry between the two was ace and the story well paced.
It was also nice catching up with some of the characters from the previous books in the series.
A lovely cosy read and re-read.
In this book we get detective Alison (Ally) Fletcher (the daughter of the main characters from book 1) and wealthy, smooth talking club owner Jonah Blackhawk.
The chemistry between the two was ace and the story well paced.
It was also nice catching up with some of the characters from the previous books in the series.
A lovely cosy read and re-read.
August 28, 2023
Give me all the romantic suspense stories
October 17, 2014
Allison'a bayıldım yaa kesinlikle babasına çekmiş :D Jonah'ın üzerine gittiği sahnelere bayıldım çok cüretkardı gerçekten :D Boyd'un da kızının ilişkisini öğrendiğinde verdiği tepkilere bayıldım yaa "Ben babalık krizi geçirirken sırıtma" :D onu kıskanç ve koruyucu bir baba olarak okumak çok güzeldi :)Serinin son kitabı olunca tabi serideki diğer tüm karakterleri de bir araya getirmişler hepsinin bulunduğu Boyd ve Cilla'nın düzenlediği barbekü partisini okurken çok eğlendim.. Seri bütünüyle güzeldi ama en çok bu kitabı sevdim sanırım ;)
August 21, 2017
Jonah Blackhawk is a former juvenile delinquent whose life got on the right track with the help of Boyd Fletcher, the man who eventually became Denver’s police commissioner. He loves Boyd like a father and feels like he owes him a debt he’ll never be able to repay, which is why he agrees to Boyd’s latest request: work with the investigating team looking into a string of robberies committed by people who seem to be using Jonah’s clubs to scope out their victims. Specifically, he’d like Jonah to allow the detective in charge to work undercover at his newest place.
What Boyd doesn’t immediately mention is that the detective in charge is Ally Fletcher, his daughter. There’s an immediate spark between the two of them, but Ally’s a professional and Jonah isn’t really a fan of cops (other than Boyd) and secretly feels that his past makes him unworthy of someone like Boyd’s daughter. Still, Ally’s undercover work puts her and Jonah in frequent contact, and it isn’t long before Jonah’s employees put two and two together and decide they must be dating.
Funny story: I bought this book thinking it was Night Shadow, the one with the hero who’s a superhero. I didn’t realize my mistake until much later, even after reading the description on the back. I still need to track that book down.
Every time I read a Nora Roberts book with a cop heroine I find myself looking for hints of her In Death series. I could see some of that here, in the way Jonah and Ally interacted, but there were a lot of differences too.
Ally had a good childhood and a huge and happy family. If she wasn’t wealthy she was at least really well off. As a result, although parts of the way she lived her life reminded me of Eve Dallas, she tended to be a lot better at self-care and letting Jonah help her. She also didn’t seem to have nearly as much of a chip on her shoulder where Jonah was concerned. Jonah, meanwhile, has a lot of Roarke’s confidence and arrogance, but also moments of insecurity. Whereas it was Roarke who primarily pursued Eve at first, here Jonah started things off but then Ally had to do more of the pursuing, because Jonah didn’t feel he should date or sleep with Boyd’s daughter.
Although I enjoyed the romance overall, things progressed a little quickly for my tastes. I snickered a bit when Jonah said he liked Ally for more than just her looks. He barely knew her! And I laughed when Jonah lamented that it was “over for him” - apparently just sleeping with Ally was enough to push Jonah past being attracted to Ally and straight to being head over heels in love with her. The bit where Jonah met Ally’s family was cute, though.
One thing that bothered me: both characters did things that might be considered sexual assault. The reader knew that both of them were saying “no” when they really wanted to say “yes,” but it wasn’t like the characters themselves were mind readers. Jonah kissed Ally right after she told him to back off. “He felt her body jerk against his. Protest or invitation, he didn’t care.” (74) Yeah, he should care. And later Ally came onto him strong and licked the side of his neck while he kept trying to turn her down. Both scenes were relatively mild - the second one, for sure, was probably supposed to be sexy, with the heroine taking charge - but I still found myself wishing they’d been written differently or removed.
The suspense aspect wasn’t very good, little more than a device to put Ally and Jonah in close contact long enough for them to fall in love.
All in all, this was okay. Not great, but not bad either. My favorite aspects were the way Ally’s family interacted and Boyd’s fatherly discussion with Jonah (so sweet!). Best line: "Don't grin at me when I'm having a paternal crisis." (170)
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
What Boyd doesn’t immediately mention is that the detective in charge is Ally Fletcher, his daughter. There’s an immediate spark between the two of them, but Ally’s a professional and Jonah isn’t really a fan of cops (other than Boyd) and secretly feels that his past makes him unworthy of someone like Boyd’s daughter. Still, Ally’s undercover work puts her and Jonah in frequent contact, and it isn’t long before Jonah’s employees put two and two together and decide they must be dating.
Funny story: I bought this book thinking it was Night Shadow, the one with the hero who’s a superhero. I didn’t realize my mistake until much later, even after reading the description on the back. I still need to track that book down.
Every time I read a Nora Roberts book with a cop heroine I find myself looking for hints of her In Death series. I could see some of that here, in the way Jonah and Ally interacted, but there were a lot of differences too.
Ally had a good childhood and a huge and happy family. If she wasn’t wealthy she was at least really well off. As a result, although parts of the way she lived her life reminded me of Eve Dallas, she tended to be a lot better at self-care and letting Jonah help her. She also didn’t seem to have nearly as much of a chip on her shoulder where Jonah was concerned. Jonah, meanwhile, has a lot of Roarke’s confidence and arrogance, but also moments of insecurity. Whereas it was Roarke who primarily pursued Eve at first, here Jonah started things off but then Ally had to do more of the pursuing, because Jonah didn’t feel he should date or sleep with Boyd’s daughter.
Although I enjoyed the romance overall, things progressed a little quickly for my tastes. I snickered a bit when Jonah said he liked Ally for more than just her looks. He barely knew her! And I laughed when Jonah lamented that it was “over for him” - apparently just sleeping with Ally was enough to push Jonah past being attracted to Ally and straight to being head over heels in love with her. The bit where Jonah met Ally’s family was cute, though.
One thing that bothered me: both characters did things that might be considered sexual assault. The reader knew that both of them were saying “no” when they really wanted to say “yes,” but it wasn’t like the characters themselves were mind readers. Jonah kissed Ally right after she told him to back off. “He felt her body jerk against his. Protest or invitation, he didn’t care.” (74) Yeah, he should care. And later Ally came onto him strong and licked the side of his neck while he kept trying to turn her down. Both scenes were relatively mild - the second one, for sure, was probably supposed to be sexy, with the heroine taking charge - but I still found myself wishing they’d been written differently or removed.
The suspense aspect wasn’t very good, little more than a device to put Ally and Jonah in close contact long enough for them to fall in love.
All in all, this was okay. Not great, but not bad either. My favorite aspects were the way Ally’s family interacted and Boyd’s fatherly discussion with Jonah (so sweet!). Best line: "Don't grin at me when I'm having a paternal crisis." (170)
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
March 10, 2018
Alison Fletcher thinks she's got everything under control. Though her stalker-ish ex-boyfriend is trying to erase the "ex", her case is progressing rather smoothly, if you forget her father's drop-dead gorgeous former protégé's infuriatingly arousing presence. Then, she shoots a woman in self-defense and everything goes up the chimney with the dead woman's crazy brother coming after Alison with a vengeance, her father's gorgeous former protégé getting under her skin, and the stalker ex-boyfriend escalating.
What is a gal to do?
This was by far the best book in this series. Alas, it was also the last, but I'll definitely come back to it at a later occasion. A reviewer mentioned Alison and Jonah were the prototype for Eve and Roark in In Death series, and though I haven't read one book out of it, that piece of information was quite an incentive.
Anyway, I loved this story. Great characters, wonderful, explosive chemistry, believable situations, good suspense, great pacing...And it was wonderful to see the Night Tales family reunion in one of the funniest barbecue scenes I've read in a while.
A 5-star keeper!
What is a gal to do?
This was by far the best book in this series. Alas, it was also the last, but I'll definitely come back to it at a later occasion. A reviewer mentioned Alison and Jonah were the prototype for Eve and Roark in In Death series, and though I haven't read one book out of it, that piece of information was quite an incentive.
Anyway, I loved this story. Great characters, wonderful, explosive chemistry, believable situations, good suspense, great pacing...And it was wonderful to see the Night Tales family reunion in one of the funniest barbecue scenes I've read in a while.
A 5-star keeper!
July 30, 2019
Ally Fletcher (Boyd's oldest daughter) is investigating a string of robberies which lead to Blackhawk's Nightclub, where the robbers presumably choose their marks. Boyd has known Jonah Blackhawk since he was busted as a teenager and has been a guiding influence ever since. He calls in a favor and gets Ally undercover at Jonah's club. Jonah and Ally are attracted to each other and ruffle each other's feathers plenty. They enter into a sexual relationship while Ally is investigating, but once the robbers have been caught and Ally's life is in danger from the leader, Jonah starts to realize how emotionally invested he is...but he brings Ally to stay with him to protect her (and she agrees so she can protect him). Ally wants more than just a sexual relationship with Jonah, but he doesn't seem to believe he deserves it. While she tries to track down the last robber and protect her man, she'll do what she can to convince him they deserve each other.
So this was, again, exactly like reading an early "In Death" story with the push and pull between the hero and heroine, the Jonah's dark criminal past, Ally's tenacious dedication to police work and the engaging and enjoyable suspense/investigation plot. But honestly, every time Jonah spoke, I imagined Roarke's Irish accent - that's how close the character is. This was short and very easy to read and went faster than I expected. For the most part, I liked the characters and the chemistry between Jonah and Ally. This is the first in this series where it was the heroine who was basically the aggressor and I was even somewhat uncomfortable during the first sex scene when Jonah is saying no in pretty clear terms and Ally keeps pushing him beyond the limits of his control. I didn't like that really. I really wanted Jonah to walk away from her for a bit after that, so Ally might feel bad about pushing someone into sex when they're not read. But after all that, Jonah pretty much settles into the sexual relationship without issue and the whole thing is forgotten. But I didn't like that. I did like that Jonah evidently had hidden self-esteem issues and how that played out in the relationship...it made him a little less perfect perhaps.
So this was, again, exactly like reading an early "In Death" story with the push and pull between the hero and heroine, the Jonah's dark criminal past, Ally's tenacious dedication to police work and the engaging and enjoyable suspense/investigation plot. But honestly, every time Jonah spoke, I imagined Roarke's Irish accent - that's how close the character is. This was short and very easy to read and went faster than I expected. For the most part, I liked the characters and the chemistry between Jonah and Ally. This is the first in this series where it was the heroine who was basically the aggressor and I was even somewhat uncomfortable during the first sex scene when Jonah is saying no in pretty clear terms and Ally keeps pushing him beyond the limits of his control. I didn't like that really. I really wanted Jonah to walk away from her for a bit after that, so Ally might feel bad about pushing someone into sex when they're not read. But after all that, Jonah pretty much settles into the sexual relationship without issue and the whole thing is forgotten. But I didn't like that. I did like that Jonah evidently had hidden self-esteem issues and how that played out in the relationship...it made him a little less perfect perhaps.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2025
This was a quick read that hit the spot. It’s a typical Nora Roberts romantic suspense nothing groundbreaking but was enjoyable and an easy read. I read it in a few hours and it does what it says on the tin.
Cop Alison Fletcher (Ally) works undercover as a waitress at Jonah Blackhawks establishment in an attempt to apprehend a team that is using his business to scope out marks for theft and sparks fly between the two.
Both Jonah and Ally were easy to warm to but their relationship did have a bit of a weird dynamic that wasn’t my vibe. I like my men to be fairly alpha but I found Jonah to be rather indecisive and Ally to be more of the aggressor out of the two so the romance portion of this just wasn’t vibing for me. The suspense aspect of this was a better fit it was fairly predictable but worked.
Overall this was a decent enough read nothing majorly stand out but I enjoyed the story and it kept my interest. I would also have no problem picking up other books from this series in the future. They also don’t need to be read in any order.
Cop Alison Fletcher (Ally) works undercover as a waitress at Jonah Blackhawks establishment in an attempt to apprehend a team that is using his business to scope out marks for theft and sparks fly between the two.
Both Jonah and Ally were easy to warm to but their relationship did have a bit of a weird dynamic that wasn’t my vibe. I like my men to be fairly alpha but I found Jonah to be rather indecisive and Ally to be more of the aggressor out of the two so the romance portion of this just wasn’t vibing for me. The suspense aspect of this was a better fit it was fairly predictable but worked.
Overall this was a decent enough read nothing majorly stand out but I enjoyed the story and it kept my interest. I would also have no problem picking up other books from this series in the future. They also don’t need to be read in any order.
July 4, 2021
I saw this book in my hotel and as soon as I read her name on the spine I knew it was going to be a good vacation read.
Nothing fancy or out of the ordinary. Just romance.
Nora Roberts always delivers. :)
Nothing fancy or out of the ordinary. Just romance.
Nora Roberts always delivers. :)
June 14, 2024
All I can think of is Angela Basset’s character in 911. Such a steamy and cute book!!!
February 2, 2019
Since reading ‘Night Shield’, the 5th and apparently last story in the ‘Night Tales’ series (published back in 2000) and doing a little more research, I have discovered that this is a second generation book for the characters of Boyd and his wife Cilla (Allison’s mother and father), who appeared previously as the main protagonists in ‘Night Shift’, the 1st book in the series. Luckily, ‘Night Shield’ works great as a stand alone novel, as yet again I enter a series completely out of sequence!
This book is billed in the genre of ‘romantic supense’, which just about summed it up as the high calibre mix which Nora Roberts is so expert at achieving, although mixing the elements of romance and thriller together, in what is a relatively short book, meant that for me, the plot was suspenseful, but a little predictable and I got to know who the perpetrator was before the book was even half way through. Obviously the sex was pretty hot, steamy and very much inevitable, however I did think that there might have been a little more tension and desire between Ally and Jonah, rather than it being a purely physical attraction, albeit a distinctly chemically explosive attraction!
One of the most seamless and for me, interesting aspects of the story, was the consummately professional way in which the author re-introduces the characters of Boyd and Cilla to the equation, after such a lengthy absence, without the need for long explanations about past events, making it appear that they had simply stepped outside and had never really gone far away.
The characters are believable and well drawn, the plot suspenseful and fluid, giving the definition and focus necessary for the length of the book. The two main protagonists in the story, Jonah and Allison, are tough, egotistical, complex and career focused, although basically all of this bombast is simply covering up their searching for a sense of place and belonging, their unspoken vulnerability and their reticence at admitting their underlying and growing feelings for one another.
Jonah definitely still has issues with having the police around him, despite the fact that his life was turned around at a very early age by Allison’s father Boyd, at that time a police officer, but now risen up the ranks to commissioner. He feels that, although he still keeps in touch with Boyd from time to time, it would be unprincipled and disrespectful of him to impinge too much on the Fletcher hospitality, and especially not to become involved with their daughter Allison, who has followed in her fathers footsteps, joined the police and is now a detective.
Jonah is recognizably grateful that his childhood life of crime on the streets was curtailed and he is now able to pursue a legitimate career as a club owner, even to the point that he now takes people who are down on their luck or have fallen foul of the law and gives them the break that can make the difference to them, although we only discover this about him as Allison starts to peel back the tough veneer he has built around himself, to reveal some of his weaknesses and the softer and more humble side to his personality.
Allison is very much aware of the volatility of both the relationship that is growing between herself and Jonah and the explosive chemistry which she is fighting so hard to contain, as she strives to remain professional whilst working undercover at Jonah’s club, yet still snare her man, who is so vulnerable in many ways.
She is determined to prove to him that he is as good as any member of her family and that he should feel no embarrassment at mixing with them as equals, a scheme which is helped along by her mother with whom Allison has a loyal and loving bond; although she maybe isn’t as demonstrative with her mother as with her father, with whom there is an unspoken and unshakeable work/life shared bond, unique to themselves.
Despite Allisons belief that she has control over her life and work and that she is able to keep the two separate, when Jonah is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for her, the time for pretence is over and true feelings must be revealed.
When two such strong willed, highly charged, and emotional characters come together, sparks are bound to fly!!!
This book is billed in the genre of ‘romantic supense’, which just about summed it up as the high calibre mix which Nora Roberts is so expert at achieving, although mixing the elements of romance and thriller together, in what is a relatively short book, meant that for me, the plot was suspenseful, but a little predictable and I got to know who the perpetrator was before the book was even half way through. Obviously the sex was pretty hot, steamy and very much inevitable, however I did think that there might have been a little more tension and desire between Ally and Jonah, rather than it being a purely physical attraction, albeit a distinctly chemically explosive attraction!
One of the most seamless and for me, interesting aspects of the story, was the consummately professional way in which the author re-introduces the characters of Boyd and Cilla to the equation, after such a lengthy absence, without the need for long explanations about past events, making it appear that they had simply stepped outside and had never really gone far away.
The characters are believable and well drawn, the plot suspenseful and fluid, giving the definition and focus necessary for the length of the book. The two main protagonists in the story, Jonah and Allison, are tough, egotistical, complex and career focused, although basically all of this bombast is simply covering up their searching for a sense of place and belonging, their unspoken vulnerability and their reticence at admitting their underlying and growing feelings for one another.
Jonah definitely still has issues with having the police around him, despite the fact that his life was turned around at a very early age by Allison’s father Boyd, at that time a police officer, but now risen up the ranks to commissioner. He feels that, although he still keeps in touch with Boyd from time to time, it would be unprincipled and disrespectful of him to impinge too much on the Fletcher hospitality, and especially not to become involved with their daughter Allison, who has followed in her fathers footsteps, joined the police and is now a detective.
Jonah is recognizably grateful that his childhood life of crime on the streets was curtailed and he is now able to pursue a legitimate career as a club owner, even to the point that he now takes people who are down on their luck or have fallen foul of the law and gives them the break that can make the difference to them, although we only discover this about him as Allison starts to peel back the tough veneer he has built around himself, to reveal some of his weaknesses and the softer and more humble side to his personality.
Allison is very much aware of the volatility of both the relationship that is growing between herself and Jonah and the explosive chemistry which she is fighting so hard to contain, as she strives to remain professional whilst working undercover at Jonah’s club, yet still snare her man, who is so vulnerable in many ways.
She is determined to prove to him that he is as good as any member of her family and that he should feel no embarrassment at mixing with them as equals, a scheme which is helped along by her mother with whom Allison has a loyal and loving bond; although she maybe isn’t as demonstrative with her mother as with her father, with whom there is an unspoken and unshakeable work/life shared bond, unique to themselves.
Despite Allisons belief that she has control over her life and work and that she is able to keep the two separate, when Jonah is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for her, the time for pretence is over and true feelings must be revealed.
When two such strong willed, highly charged, and emotional characters come together, sparks are bound to fly!!!
July 19, 2021
My first book by Nora Roberts and I enjoyed it so much. I really liked the romance even though was not a huge fan of mystery. A short read and it was fun.
August 27, 2015
Boyd's daughter Allison is now all grown up and a detective going undercover as a waitress at a bar/restaurant owned by Jonah, looking for a B&E gang. Jonah reminds me of Roarke - street kid turned businessman, maybe not as rich or powerful, but his protective instincts towards Allison were very similar.
Great addition to the original Night Tales series.
Great addition to the original Night Tales series.
June 15, 2016
Çocukların büyüyüp böyle sevimli hikayelerle karşıma çıkmasına bayılıyorum...
September 22, 2016
Meh, it was ok. Some of the bickering and drama felt a little contrived, the epilogue was unnecessary; those are the kind of complaints I have about this book. All in all, perfectly acceptable.
February 7, 2017
Author: Nora Roberts
First published: 2000
Length: 215 pages
Setting: Contemporary. Denver, USA.
Sex: Reasonably explicit, explicit.
Hero: Club owner
Heroine: Police Detective
Trigger: Allison has a stalker.
Trigger: Allison shoots an escaping felon.
Cilla and Boyd’s little girl is all grown up.
Really enjoyed this (standalone) addition to the Night Tales series. Good female cop character who accepts and embraces her profession. Jonah is a little flat but I didn’t care. It was a fun writing style and I was completely engaged. Could have been longer. Could have had more depth. But overall hits the mark.
3.5 stars rounded up. I had fun.
Night Tales:
Night Shift - Cilla O’Roarke and Boyd Fletcher
Night Shadow - Deborah O’Roarke and Gage Guthrie
Nightshade - Colt Nightshade and Althea Grayson
Night Smoke - Natalie Fletcher and Ryan Piasecki
Night Shield - Allison Fletcher and Jonah Blackhawk
Night Moves - Maggie Fitzgerald and Cliff Delaney
References:
Author's website: http://noraroberts.com
(Read in Night Tales ISBN 978037328588)
-CR-
First published: 2000
Length: 215 pages
Setting: Contemporary. Denver, USA.
Sex: Reasonably explicit, explicit.
Hero: Club owner
Heroine: Police Detective
Trigger: Allison has a stalker.
Trigger: Allison shoots an escaping felon.
Cilla and Boyd’s little girl is all grown up.
Really enjoyed this (standalone) addition to the Night Tales series. Good female cop character who accepts and embraces her profession. Jonah is a little flat but I didn’t care. It was a fun writing style and I was completely engaged. Could have been longer. Could have had more depth. But overall hits the mark.
3.5 stars rounded up. I had fun.
Night Tales:
Night Shift - Cilla O’Roarke and Boyd Fletcher
Night Shadow - Deborah O’Roarke and Gage Guthrie
Nightshade - Colt Nightshade and Althea Grayson
Night Smoke - Natalie Fletcher and Ryan Piasecki
Night Shield - Allison Fletcher and Jonah Blackhawk
Night Moves - Maggie Fitzgerald and Cliff Delaney
References:
Author's website: http://noraroberts.com
(Read in Night Tales ISBN 978037328588)
-CR-
April 22, 2025
4.5 stars ⭐️ Jonah Blackhawk owns a night club whose patrons are being targeted in a burglary ring. He asks his friend, Boyd Fletcher, for help. Ally Fletcher is a detective that is assigned to find the burglars by going undercover at a night club as a favor to her dad. Immediately, Jonah and Ally are intrigued by each other. Jonah doesn’t like cops, and Ally has a stalkerish ex-boyfriend. They do act on their mutual attraction despite the case, Jonah’s mistrust of police, and Ally’s ex who just was unhinged enough to give her trouble.
Night Shield is my favorite in the series! I love the romance, the suspense plot, and there was enough drama and spice to keep me going. Ally is a badass and Jonah is just possessive enough to be swoony but not enough to be creepy. I liked the push and pull between them.
Night Shield is my favorite in the series! I love the romance, the suspense plot, and there was enough drama and spice to keep me going. Ally is a badass and Jonah is just possessive enough to be swoony but not enough to be creepy. I liked the push and pull between them.
January 17, 2020
Such a cute story. Very reminiscent of Rourke and Eve with The JD Robb "In death" series. Was very enjoyable to read
April 12, 2021
And to think I wasn’t into the romance genre... I tore through this book and was sad to be done with it so quickly. Glad to have more Nora Roberts books sitting on my shelf waiting to be read :)
November 18, 2023
Thank goodness for Nora Roberts. She is always reliable. All of her stories are good, well written, not cringey and have a good well built romance.
October 7, 2020
Rating: 5 Stars!! (Wish i could rate it 10 Stars!!)
Review:
This was my first time read this book in this series by Nora and i loved it so much!! Reminded me alot of Shades of Blue, Law & Order SVU and Blue Bloods Tv Shows.
The characters were funny at times and the storyline was so enjoyable to read!! Can't wait to read more books by Nora in the future!!
Review:
This was my first time read this book in this series by Nora and i loved it so much!! Reminded me alot of Shades of Blue, Law & Order SVU and Blue Bloods Tv Shows.
The characters were funny at times and the storyline was so enjoyable to read!! Can't wait to read more books by Nora in the future!!
May 19, 2016
Every so often I need to take a short break from the deep, dark thrillers that I normally read. One of my favorite go-to people for something entertaining, with some mystery, but won't give me nightmares is Nora Roberts.
In Night Shield, Allison Fletcher is the daughter of Police Commissioner Boyd Fletcher. Jonah Blackhawk is a man who was once a boy on the streets and owes all he has to the Commissioner. Jonah looks on him as the father he never had.
He owns several upscale nightclubs. Visitors to his clubs are being targeted ... while they're having a wonderful night out, their homes are being plundered.
Allison is going undercover as a waitress at Blackhawk's. Jonah himself will tell you that he doesn't like most cops ... but there's something about Allison that he can't ignore.
There's nothing about this book that I don't absolutely love. The characters are great. Allison and Jonah are a dynamite couple ... I love all the humorous interaction between them. Jonah's employees ... all being given second chances .. there's just nothing any of them would not do for him. The relationships among Allison's family is a hoot.
The suspense is not off the charts ... there is a bit, but this is really a character driven read. As I said ... one of my favorites .. that I read once or twice a year.
In Night Shield, Allison Fletcher is the daughter of Police Commissioner Boyd Fletcher. Jonah Blackhawk is a man who was once a boy on the streets and owes all he has to the Commissioner. Jonah looks on him as the father he never had.
He owns several upscale nightclubs. Visitors to his clubs are being targeted ... while they're having a wonderful night out, their homes are being plundered.
Allison is going undercover as a waitress at Blackhawk's. Jonah himself will tell you that he doesn't like most cops ... but there's something about Allison that he can't ignore.
There's nothing about this book that I don't absolutely love. The characters are great. Allison and Jonah are a dynamite couple ... I love all the humorous interaction between them. Jonah's employees ... all being given second chances .. there's just nothing any of them would not do for him. The relationships among Allison's family is a hoot.
The suspense is not off the charts ... there is a bit, but this is really a character driven read. As I said ... one of my favorites .. that I read once or twice a year.
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