DEVIL AT MIDNIGHT by Emma Holly

A novel of the Upyr
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Date published: November 2010
ISBN: 978-0425237816
Paranormal Romance
Paper
Reviewed by Pam
Needs amazon link
Obtained from publisher

(3 hearts)


Grace Gladwell has had a life filled with abuse from her father. When he intentionally throws her toward a wall twice, she finds herself flung from America in the 1950’s to the 1400’s in Switzerland as a ghost.

Looking around an amphitheatre she hears a voice, and a man called Michael tells her he’s the guide and she has a true love she meets, again and again.

Christian Durand has followed in some ways his father, Gregori Durand. Cruel in way possible, he’s found Christian’s dog Lucy chasing after him on a hunt. To save her, Christian offers himself but after twenty whip lashes, he’s now ordered to kill his dog. When Grace’s ghost comes to comfort him, things begin to change.

Soon their band of mercenary’s take on a protection job for an unusual woman, who makes them march at night. Nim Wei is a vampire queen or Upyr who hides behind a minstrel’s garb. She’s set her sights on Christian to become her lifelong companion. Knowing the abuse he and his friends will undergo if he doesn’t go, Christian is defeated.

As I hadn’t read the previous books in the Upyr series, I found this tale a little unbelievable at times. DEVIL AT MIDNIGHT is an interesting take on vampires and immortal lives, but it leaves the reader to believe in the concept or not. The part where Grace has become Christian’s lover, the fact she can walk thru walls and through him plus appears almost whole to him sometimes. The book has some interesting scenes, especially in the way it brings medieval times to life.

The sex scenes become very hot but a little monotonous and boring at times, as the scenes are repeated too often. Christian seems to become addicted to sex above most other things, especially when Grace is touching him. As they travel across Europe his father becomes even more unbearable, as he tries to cozy up to Nim Wei, realizing the men who spend a night with her become stronger.

The gory fight scenes are described in detail, so not a book for the faint hearted.
The characters are well drawn enough to make them come alive in the readers mind.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.