My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Eve Silver’s Dark Gothic series has become my favorite for a variety of reasons and the foremost is that the author captures that blend of creepy mystery and heart galloping romance beautifully with a menacing gothic house adding to the thrill. His Dark Kiss is book #2 in the series and each book in the series can be easily read as a standalone.
Emma Parrish arrives at the Manobrier Castle intent on escaping the dreadful future planned out by her aunts and caring for the young son of her cousin was something she gladly accepted. His father Lord Anthony is of course another matter altogether. The attraction she feels towards him is instantaneous, and I loved how the author shows the heightened emotions in Anthony without him uttering a single word. The castle and its servants all of them with one form of deformity or another is a frightening place to be for sure but the creepy laughter and the weird warnings about the dreaded tower and seeing a dead body tumbling out is too much for the sheltered Emma.
All 3 books I have read so far have a medical connection which I think has been exceedingly well done by the author. Focussing on different aspects of medicine in her books gives the reader glimpses of the evolution of diseases and their cures. The secrecy surrounding the medical experiments adds to an aura of darkness and chilling intrigue. As the truth of her cousin’s death becomes murkier and as young Nicky talks about the fates of other governesses, Emma has to find the courage to let go of her fear and trust her heart.
The atmosphere created by the author is not as brooding as in the other books but I loved how Eve Silver piles up the suspicions in the reader’s minds and then throws a surprising twist at the end. Emma is not a strong character, in fact, it is sometimes her silly notions that cause more trouble than its worth but it does provide a sinister-ish vibe to the story. The innocent love between Emma and Nicholas was endearing but Anthony’s resistance to being a doctor wasn’t convincing enough as he is shown as this strong and dominating personality and that vulnerability and lack of confidence do not come thru.
4 stars for this superb gothic thriller highly recommended for fans of this genre.
Rumors of madness and murder lurk within the crumbling walls of isolated Manorbrier Castle. But Emma Parrish is not easily put off. She accepts a position no one else dares, as governess to the son of Lord Anthony Craven, the castle’s dark master. Her presence stirs up shadows and threat. She feels unseen eyes watching her. Eerie laughter haunts her. And the seductive pull of Anthony Craven lures her.
The mystery of Anthony Craven’s shadowy past lurk behind the locked doors of the estate’s forbidden Round Tower. Mysterious lights flash there in the night. The servants whisper warnings of death. And Anthony himself warns Emma that there is only danger to be found in his sensual embrace.
Powerfully drawn to the dangerously alluring Anthony, Emma finds herself unable to deny her deepest yearnings. But even as she succumbs to the master of Manorbrier, she is touched by the whisper of evil that rises from the secrets of his past.
“…deliciously gothic…”—Booklist
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Sounds intriguing, with an unusual twist for a Gothic romance!.
I will try to read the whole series Noelle, they are quite good:-)