The night tales series is made up of 5 books.
Night Shift
Night Shadow
Nightshade
Nightsmoke
Nightshield
The five books are all linked by a family etc as all of Nora's series and trilogies tend to but these ones are a little different. These books are a little darker with a more violent twist than her other books. She focuses all of the books characters meeting etc at night.
I throughly enjoyed these books and cannot decide which one i like the most!
Night Shift
Cilla O'Rourke is a beautiful young woman with a voice that could melt a thousand mens hearts. She is the voice of a radio show in Denver 10pm-2am. She is sexy and sultry on air and is a massive hit with the listeners. So much so that she is being stalked and threatened by a man.
The threats become a little more serious and violent in nature so the radio call in the cops.
In walks the sexy strong and somewhat moody Boyd Fletcher. Ahhhhhhhh sexy is what you feel from this man he is just pure MAN!
His partner is Althea Grayson who we meet later in another book, she is cool and composed and very in control.
Boyd has been facinated by Cilla's voice on the radio for some time and after meeting her he sees she is not what he expected, she is better!
Passion and feelings of wanting are immediately in effect on both sides but as Cilla's mother was a detective and her father a public defender who both got killed in action in the same room by the same man is too much for Cilla and she immediately refuses any and all advances.
BUT and there is always a but i think.....
Cilla cant help but need and be drawn to Boyd, he is hers and he fits and they both fall madly in love. In the meantime the psycho steps up his game and eventually has Cilla on the ropes. He attacks at the station and Boyd gets stabbed badly, Cilla fights with the psycho and Althea shoots him dead.
Boyd is critical in hospital and the usual fear and worry ensue. Deborah O'Rourke is Cilla's sister and in college she and Cilla are all each other have, we see more of the stunningly beautiful Deborah in the next book.
After much confusion and heart ache from Cilla and a very lovely proposal from Boyd the way she answers him is lovely and totally fits the characters. I will let you read that for yourseleves.
Night Shadow
This book is a little more on the dark and supernatural side. I will let you decide if you like it or not but in my opinion its pretty good and interesting.
The completly straight by the book asisstant district attorney Deborah O'Rourke takes no prisoners in the court room and she rarely looses. She is strong and confident and she believes wholeheartedly in what she is doing. On her way to her car in a very dangerous part of Urbana she gets attacked and dragged into an alley. The dark mysterious renegade the tabloids call Nemesis saves her just before she attempts to save herself. She is grateful but doesnt entirely believe in why he does what he does but she is physically attracted to him and he to her.
Gage Guthrie is a very powerful man, he has so much money he lives in a castle! He was a cop but on his last undercover sting it all went wrong, his best friend and partner got killed and he ended up in a coma fighting for his life.
When he came to 9 months later he had a special 'gift' for making himself disappear.... interesting??
Deborah meets Gage and is a little taken with him, he knows who she is but she doesnt know who he is... She gives in and dates him becoming more involved and falling in love but she is also falling in love with Nemesis who is repeatingly saving her life. She turns down sleeping with Gage but cannot refuse Nemesis, she gives in and when he kisses her for the first time she knows who he is.
Its terribly heart breaking and so emotional and she is torn between her beliefs and her love for Gage/Nemesis.
She moves into his castle and discovers that he is not exactly just nemesis, he has a kind of bat cave i suppose you could call it.
After her current case get very detailed and her life is put in danger, Gage helps her and together they work out who is behind it all and who killed his partner and almost him all those years before.
After a very violent showdown they get the bad guy and its all happy endings again. Another dark book with mystery and suspence intertwined with a little sex and passion to liven it up a little. Nora always stays true to her characters and underlying power of 'meant to be together' she still focuses on their passion and love and how good there are for each other.
An enjoyable book and you get to see Cilla and Boyd a little too, married with three kids.
Nightshade
Althea Grayson is a very tough cop, she was Boyd Fletchers partner and a friend. She now works alone and Boyd is the Captain. She is on a terrible date with a terrible man and she gets beeped to a scene. She is all dressed up but its her job.
On the scene is Colt Nightshade, he was speaking to the dead man when a drive by happened. He dived for cover and the other guy didnt.
Colt is a very good and old friend of Boyds and when he finds out Colt is there is drags him in to find out whats happeneing.
Althea in her dress sits in and he immediately likes what he sees. She on the other hand doesnt, sure he is really hot and has a great body but his attitude stinks.
A friends daughter ran away and now she is missing, a letter from another girl told her parents she was being held by some men so they asked Colt to help find her. He of course helps and ends up in Denver and working with Boyd and Althea.
As they get deeper and deeper into the case he is a loose cannon and she tries to be calm and hold restraint. they soon realise that they like each other and that they have a little spark. The case is looking into sex tapes and young women which is hard but has to be done.
Althea has a past and not a good one growing up in the foster system, it touches her this case and Colt doesnt hear why until the end but he grew up with a great childhood and has got a harvard degree in law, has been in the airforce and been on serect missions. An all rounder you might say?
After a funny night stuck in the mountains they find where the girl is and Althea goes in to distract the three men while Colt gets her out. Thea can really handle herself and he goes back to help her and she has it all under control.
After she talks to the girl and helps her through the ordeal and explains that if she can do it then anyone can.
After a very emotional scene and a lot of thinking and understanding on her part she finally gives in to Colt. He wants to marry her on new years eve but she has other ideas.
She shocks him in saying yes to start with but no to new years eve, she wants it at thanksgiving at Boyd and Cillas home.
You see her marry Colt at the end of the book with Cilla and Boyd, Deborah and Gage (and baby) and a few friends and family. A really lovely story and ending i think!
Nightsmoke
This book follows Natalie Fletcher (Boyds sister) who runs the family business and is extremely sucessful. After a really late night she gets a call one of her buildings is on fire. After she gets there the arson investigator arrives. Ryan is moody and mean and really really fit!!
She really doesnt like him especially when he almost accuses her of fraud and he really doesnt like her and thinks she has far to much money and doesnt really get the whole poor thing.
They clash and fight and he falls in love, she does eventually too. As they work together to find out who set the fire, more happen and it starts to look like someone is after her.
After a very emotional and horrible fight, he breaks it off because he doesnt think that they could ever belong together and live in the same world however after she storms off telling him that she loved him and immediately leaves the city he goes after her. Following her around trying to apologise.
She eventually comes back after a heart to heart with Thea (a very pregnant and in labour Thea) and he mets her at the airport. They argue and he tries and tries to apologise, she goes ot her office and just as they are sorting out how they feel an explosion in the office and a fire breaks out. They are trapped on the 42 floor and the exit is blocked by fire.
He knows there isnt much time so endagers his own life to save hers.
They get out and into hospital and after a touch 24 hours Nat is fine and he is mending. After a touching heart to heart in the hospital as she is discharged he agrees that maybe they could start by living together and she refuses only to tell him she wants marriage and kids.
A really happy moment that makes you heart swell and go arrrrrrrrr.
Nightshield
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and i think this one is probably my favourite. I think its my favourite because i felt more drawn to the bad boy character?
Allison Fletcher is a detective like her dad Boyd was, he is now the commisioner and she is in his old precinct. Due to recent break in's and their link to a local club the owner is asked to help. He has known Boyd a long time and owes him his life.
Jonah is a once upon a time crook as a child and really horrible childhood until Boyd helped him. When he meets Ally he is a little taken with her and he decides nothing can happen because of Boyd.
They rub each other up the wrong way alot and they begin to have a little steam and passion.
After she has worked in the bar undercover for a week they get a break and find the people responsiblefor the break in's. She goes off with her team to arest them and it goes a little wrong. An officer is shot and she is shot at so has to shoot a woman dead.
Jonah goes to her at the hospital and takes her home, he feels protective of her and they start to get closer. He stops whats happening with no reason and she finds the challenge exciting.
Once she has cracked most of the case and is interviewing the workers at the bar she seduces Jonah. He has no choice and is totally taken in by her and they finally have their time.
The sex and passion is really intense and probably the best out of all in this series. The ring leader of the burglaries heads for her and her apartment gets trashed, she moves in with Jonah in the meantime.
The bad ultimately comes to a head and a bloody violent one where Jonah jumps infront of a bullet to save Ally.
After much heat and arguing she tells him she lvoes him and wants to marry him which shocks him.
The book jumps to them arguing about a sports event and have been married for 18 months, when she comes in from the kitchen he is gone.
He is in the bedroom holding their 2 week old baby daughter.......
Really good series and i enjoyed them a lot, not what i expected but i was plesantly suprised. I believe i am yet to find one of her books i dont like. maybe i never will?
my score for the series 8/10.
Friday, 16 March 2012
Friday, 2 March 2012
The Stanislaski series by Nora Roberts
The stanislaski series consists of 6 books focusing around the Ukranian family.
Taming Natasha- Natasha and Spencer Kimball
Luring a Lady- Mikhail and Sydney Hayward
Falling for Rachel- Rachel and Zack Muldoon
Convincing Alex- Alexi and Bess McKnee
Waiting for Nick- Nick LeBeck (Zack's brother) and Freddie Kimball (Natasha and Spence daughter)
Considering Kate- Kate Kimball and Brody O'Connell
A really lovely series that i have to say thoroughly enjoyed reading. The wonderful story of how the Ukranian family came to settle in America.
I was unsure if i would like this series because the titles didnt really stand out to me and i didnt think i would enjoy them that much.
I was wrong again and did infact really enjoy them.
Taming Natasha
Natasha is a wonderfully energetic and loving character and i was a little taken by her in this book. She lives in West Virginia and owns a toy store. She has a past and a history, coming to America at a young age and sruggling the first few years of her life there. The moe from the war torn Ukraine was difficult and frightening but her parents wanted what was best for them.
Natasha and her two siblings came into the country and made a life for themselves. Her youngest sister was born in America.
Spence Kimball is a widow with a 5 year old daughter Freddie. He moves to the small town to give his daughter the best life possible. He is a world famous composer and one that Natasha knows about and has danced to when she was prima ballerina.
Natasha and Spence hit it off and become entangled with each other. Natasha falls in love with Freddie and struggles with her feelings for Spence. She once was in love and fell pregnant following that she quit ballet and had the baby. Shortly after birth the baby dies and leaves Natasha distraught.
Natasha has to relive and come to terms with her past in order to make a future for herself.
Her family make their debut in this book, brothers Mikhail and Alexi and sister Rachel and the brilliant Nadia and Yuri her parents.
Yuri is the centre of this family and Nadia is the heart of that centre, strong characters that reminded me a little of The MacGreggors.
I really enjoyed this book and couldnt wait to start on the next. As you know i have OCD when it come to reading and if i start a series/trilogy etc i have to finish the whole lot in sequence and one after the other while the last is still in my mind.
Luring a Lady
Mikhail is a very strong and huge man. He exerts power and stregnth and makes women weak at the knees. He has an accent and can melt away any fears or thoughts with his gentle words. He is of course very good looking as all of Nora's men are!
He is a carpenter and artist. He works with his father on contruction but indulges in art and sculpting with wood.
Sydney Haywood is a business woman and just taken over her grandfather property business that she has no idea how to run. Mikhail lives in a building she owns and has issues with maintanence etc and after no help or contact for 18 months he charges head first into her office demanding answers.
She explains her grandfather died and she has recently taken over. She promises to start repairs immediately.
Both of them however feel the passion and sizzle when they were near each other and they found themselves interested. She goes to the building to help and get to know Mikhail and he finds himself more and more infatuated with her.
She was married before so of course there lies the issue that is going to comeback and bite them in the ass come the time they say 'I love you'.
True to form the story involves the rest of the family and the relationship crashes, after a heartfelt one to one with her ex husband Sydney realises she needs Mikhail and him her.
Happy happy ending of course.......
Falling for Rachel
Rachel was born in America and resents it always, not having the history of walking through the mountains to America to a better life. She was born into that better life.
She is a lawyer, public defender to be exact and loves her job.
Nick LeBeck is arrested by Alexi, Rachels brother and Rachel is his PD. Messed up in a gang and a load of crap that goes along with it.
Zack Muldoon is Nick's older step brother who was in the Navy for year, returning when his father died 2 years before.
After court Zack and Rachel are appointed legal guardians of Nick and have to work together to help him.
As you can imagine the story goes into the whole history of Nick and Zack and Rachel trying to get through to him. He gives in a little and she takes them to meet her family and Nick slowly melts. Freddie falls in love with Nick then at the age of 13 (watch this space!).
After much love and passion and plenty of sex the end blow and final woosh is Nicks old gang trying to rob Zack's bar and shoot him. Nick jumps infront of the bullet and nearly dies.
Is there a happy ending???
OF COURSE there is, Nora wouldnt dissapoint!
Convincing Alex
Alexi is a cop and a good one. He is working on the case of prostitutes being murdered. He arrests 2 women he believes are working girls and wants to question them about the murders. Once he gets them to the station he finds out that the cute blonde is actually not a hooker but a writer for a popular soap and is in fact a red head.
There is immediate annoyance on his part and some attraction. She is very happy and enthusiastic about life and the show.
After much resistance Alex finally gives in to his needs and desires and the finally admit they have feelings for each other.
There again is the emotional deal of Bess easily falling in love and dealing with the fact that this time it is real love and Alex cant accept that. Alex has issues with trust and jealousy and he hates to not be in control.
Bess inadvertantly helps Alex solve the case and finally things become better, and a happy ending happens.
I liked Alex's character and Bess is a brilliant and vibrant person. She fits in well with the family and its great to once again see the family and how they have all changed and grown. Natasha has had children and so has Mikhail and his Sydney is preggers again and Rachel is about to pop and goes into labour at the dinner table!
Its a great read and again i enjoyed it.
Waiting for Nick
This book follows Nick (Zack's brother) and Freddie (Natasha and Spence's daughter). Now she is 24 and moving to New York to follow her dream of being a lyricist. As Nick is a composer and a good one about to write the score for a new musical it is a perfect time for her to start her career and also get him to fall in love with her like she has been with him for the last 10 years.
Zack is dealing with his past and still has it interferring with his life. After seeing that Freddie is set on helping he lets her try and while they do they slowly fall in love and fall into bed.
The musical is being funded by Reed Valentine and Maddy O'Hurley is starring, YES YOU HEARD IT RIGHT!!! This is a fabulous twist and i very much enjoyed the fact that we get to meet all of the O'Hurley's again. I was shocked and totally excited when i got to read all about them again.
Abby and Dylan had 4 kids, Maddy and Reed had 3 (1 twins) and Chantel and Quinn had triplet boys. It was lovely to see how their characters have developed.
After a violent and heart breaking scene there is a happy ending at the end!
Considering Kate
Kate Kimball is a strong and confident woman who knows exactly what she wants. She is a prima ballerina and had success all over the world.
She moves back to West Virginia now wanting to settle down. She opens a dance school and hires Brody O'Connell to do the rehab. He has a small boy and is a widow, the story has a similar ring to Natasha and Spence's story.
They hit it off and after much getting in his way she finally wears him down and they get jiggy!
Kate goes to New York for a one off performance and gets Brody and Jack to go with her to see her dance.
The principle dancer and choreographer for the dance is Davidof (from Reflections and Dreams book, not yet blogged) I loved that again Nora has connected her books and feel that this is something she will continue to do over the list.
After an emotional finale they finally admit they want to be together forever and want to get married and the cutest bit is when Jack asks Kate to marry hima dn his father. Its too cute.
Again the rest of the Stanislaski gang is in the story and all of the generations, Nick and Freddie have 2 kids in this book which is great and the progression of all of the characters is relative.
Emensly enjoyed this series and was a little sad they ended, they had fantasy and romance and dance and violence and lots of heart ache. Brilliant writing and wonderful insight into really dreadful things that happen to people in the real world.
The tug at your heart strings and ou find yourself aching along with the characters and you find crying and laughing with them too.
I was actually on the train and reading one of the books and there was a really funny part that i laughed at forgetting i was on the train and not sitting ina quiet room, i was that engrossed in the story.
Quite simply LOVED IT! 10/10.
Taming Natasha- Natasha and Spencer Kimball
Luring a Lady- Mikhail and Sydney Hayward
Falling for Rachel- Rachel and Zack Muldoon
Convincing Alex- Alexi and Bess McKnee
Waiting for Nick- Nick LeBeck (Zack's brother) and Freddie Kimball (Natasha and Spence daughter)
Considering Kate- Kate Kimball and Brody O'Connell
A really lovely series that i have to say thoroughly enjoyed reading. The wonderful story of how the Ukranian family came to settle in America.
I was unsure if i would like this series because the titles didnt really stand out to me and i didnt think i would enjoy them that much.
I was wrong again and did infact really enjoy them.
Taming Natasha
Natasha is a wonderfully energetic and loving character and i was a little taken by her in this book. She lives in West Virginia and owns a toy store. She has a past and a history, coming to America at a young age and sruggling the first few years of her life there. The moe from the war torn Ukraine was difficult and frightening but her parents wanted what was best for them.
Natasha and her two siblings came into the country and made a life for themselves. Her youngest sister was born in America.
Spence Kimball is a widow with a 5 year old daughter Freddie. He moves to the small town to give his daughter the best life possible. He is a world famous composer and one that Natasha knows about and has danced to when she was prima ballerina.
Natasha and Spence hit it off and become entangled with each other. Natasha falls in love with Freddie and struggles with her feelings for Spence. She once was in love and fell pregnant following that she quit ballet and had the baby. Shortly after birth the baby dies and leaves Natasha distraught.
Natasha has to relive and come to terms with her past in order to make a future for herself.
Her family make their debut in this book, brothers Mikhail and Alexi and sister Rachel and the brilliant Nadia and Yuri her parents.
Yuri is the centre of this family and Nadia is the heart of that centre, strong characters that reminded me a little of The MacGreggors.
I really enjoyed this book and couldnt wait to start on the next. As you know i have OCD when it come to reading and if i start a series/trilogy etc i have to finish the whole lot in sequence and one after the other while the last is still in my mind.
Luring a Lady
Mikhail is a very strong and huge man. He exerts power and stregnth and makes women weak at the knees. He has an accent and can melt away any fears or thoughts with his gentle words. He is of course very good looking as all of Nora's men are!
He is a carpenter and artist. He works with his father on contruction but indulges in art and sculpting with wood.
Sydney Haywood is a business woman and just taken over her grandfather property business that she has no idea how to run. Mikhail lives in a building she owns and has issues with maintanence etc and after no help or contact for 18 months he charges head first into her office demanding answers.
She explains her grandfather died and she has recently taken over. She promises to start repairs immediately.
Both of them however feel the passion and sizzle when they were near each other and they found themselves interested. She goes to the building to help and get to know Mikhail and he finds himself more and more infatuated with her.
She was married before so of course there lies the issue that is going to comeback and bite them in the ass come the time they say 'I love you'.
True to form the story involves the rest of the family and the relationship crashes, after a heartfelt one to one with her ex husband Sydney realises she needs Mikhail and him her.
Happy happy ending of course.......
Falling for Rachel
Rachel was born in America and resents it always, not having the history of walking through the mountains to America to a better life. She was born into that better life.
She is a lawyer, public defender to be exact and loves her job.
Nick LeBeck is arrested by Alexi, Rachels brother and Rachel is his PD. Messed up in a gang and a load of crap that goes along with it.
Zack Muldoon is Nick's older step brother who was in the Navy for year, returning when his father died 2 years before.
After court Zack and Rachel are appointed legal guardians of Nick and have to work together to help him.
As you can imagine the story goes into the whole history of Nick and Zack and Rachel trying to get through to him. He gives in a little and she takes them to meet her family and Nick slowly melts. Freddie falls in love with Nick then at the age of 13 (watch this space!).
After much love and passion and plenty of sex the end blow and final woosh is Nicks old gang trying to rob Zack's bar and shoot him. Nick jumps infront of the bullet and nearly dies.
Is there a happy ending???
OF COURSE there is, Nora wouldnt dissapoint!
Convincing Alex
Alexi is a cop and a good one. He is working on the case of prostitutes being murdered. He arrests 2 women he believes are working girls and wants to question them about the murders. Once he gets them to the station he finds out that the cute blonde is actually not a hooker but a writer for a popular soap and is in fact a red head.
There is immediate annoyance on his part and some attraction. She is very happy and enthusiastic about life and the show.
After much resistance Alex finally gives in to his needs and desires and the finally admit they have feelings for each other.
There again is the emotional deal of Bess easily falling in love and dealing with the fact that this time it is real love and Alex cant accept that. Alex has issues with trust and jealousy and he hates to not be in control.
Bess inadvertantly helps Alex solve the case and finally things become better, and a happy ending happens.
I liked Alex's character and Bess is a brilliant and vibrant person. She fits in well with the family and its great to once again see the family and how they have all changed and grown. Natasha has had children and so has Mikhail and his Sydney is preggers again and Rachel is about to pop and goes into labour at the dinner table!
Its a great read and again i enjoyed it.
Waiting for Nick
This book follows Nick (Zack's brother) and Freddie (Natasha and Spence's daughter). Now she is 24 and moving to New York to follow her dream of being a lyricist. As Nick is a composer and a good one about to write the score for a new musical it is a perfect time for her to start her career and also get him to fall in love with her like she has been with him for the last 10 years.
Zack is dealing with his past and still has it interferring with his life. After seeing that Freddie is set on helping he lets her try and while they do they slowly fall in love and fall into bed.
The musical is being funded by Reed Valentine and Maddy O'Hurley is starring, YES YOU HEARD IT RIGHT!!! This is a fabulous twist and i very much enjoyed the fact that we get to meet all of the O'Hurley's again. I was shocked and totally excited when i got to read all about them again.
Abby and Dylan had 4 kids, Maddy and Reed had 3 (1 twins) and Chantel and Quinn had triplet boys. It was lovely to see how their characters have developed.
After a violent and heart breaking scene there is a happy ending at the end!
Considering Kate
Kate Kimball is a strong and confident woman who knows exactly what she wants. She is a prima ballerina and had success all over the world.
She moves back to West Virginia now wanting to settle down. She opens a dance school and hires Brody O'Connell to do the rehab. He has a small boy and is a widow, the story has a similar ring to Natasha and Spence's story.
They hit it off and after much getting in his way she finally wears him down and they get jiggy!
Kate goes to New York for a one off performance and gets Brody and Jack to go with her to see her dance.
The principle dancer and choreographer for the dance is Davidof (from Reflections and Dreams book, not yet blogged) I loved that again Nora has connected her books and feel that this is something she will continue to do over the list.
After an emotional finale they finally admit they want to be together forever and want to get married and the cutest bit is when Jack asks Kate to marry hima dn his father. Its too cute.
Again the rest of the Stanislaski gang is in the story and all of the generations, Nick and Freddie have 2 kids in this book which is great and the progression of all of the characters is relative.
Emensly enjoyed this series and was a little sad they ended, they had fantasy and romance and dance and violence and lots of heart ache. Brilliant writing and wonderful insight into really dreadful things that happen to people in the real world.
The tug at your heart strings and ou find yourself aching along with the characters and you find crying and laughing with them too.
I was actually on the train and reading one of the books and there was a really funny part that i laughed at forgetting i was on the train and not sitting ina quiet room, i was that engrossed in the story.
Quite simply LOVED IT! 10/10.
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