Name: Lord of Darkness
ISBN: 9781455508303

Elizabeth Hoyt

Margaret St. John comes to London determined to get revenge on the Ghost of St. Giles, the mysterious masked man whom she blames for the death of her lover, unaware that her estranged husband, Godric, is the Ghost.

Lord of Darkness

Lover of Romance 

When This first came out, I hesitated in the beginning to read Lord of Darkness. I had heard some positive and a few negative things. In the past I have enjoyed this series, quite a bit. So I was feeling a bit apprehensive but no worries once I got into the story, with no problem. I enjoyed seeing how this story started off though. As the fifth in the Maiden Lane Series, it does continue on with the "Ghost of St Giles", but I liked how it played out in the end and I have to say I can hardly wait for the next in the series.

It starts out when Margaret has decided to come to London to get familiar with her husband, whom she has only had a marriage of convenience with. She wants more than just living in the country side alone, she wants a child, and her plan is to Seduce her husband, she just has no way of going about it. But she has another motive for coming to London, find the man who murdered her love before she married Godric. Godric also once was married before and madly in love with his wife, until she died very slowly from a disease. He now is the "Ghost of St. Giles" which makes him feel more alive than he has ever felt since his wife's death. But when Margaret suddenly appears on his doorstep, rearranging his life, and turning his world Topsy turvy, he doesn't have a clue how to proceed. Godric is determined to keep his life separate from Margaret's, however he starts to feel again, and knows that she is the last person he wants to let go of.

I found Lord of Darkness a breathtakingly and emotional ride of passion and adventure. I have grown to like this Ghost of St. Giles, and its in this book, that we see the true history behind him. Or maybe I just wasn't paying that much attention in the previous book. However I found the story to be intense and at times too much I was at the edge of my seat in tension. I enjoyed seeing Godric and Margaret together. Both have suffered loss and grief, but it was interesting to see how the author put this couple together and made them come alive through the story. There was also such a beautiful sensuality to Lord of Darkness, that won me over from the start. A action packed filled historical romance that will take your breath away!! Guaranteed to make you fall in love. Another fabulous addition to a thrilling series.

b.andherbooks

"The night Godric St. John saw his wife for the first time since their marriage two years previously, she was aiming a pistol at his head."

I've come to expect great first sentences from the Maiden Lane series, so be careful opening one up "just to take a peek" because you won't be able to put it down once you start.

CW: on page violence, medical gore, child endangerment, complications of pregnancy (in past discussion of miscarriage, fears).

Margaret has decided to get pregnant, so must seduce Godric who she quickly married 2yrs ago after her true love was murdered by the Ghost, leaving her pregnant. She miscarried the day after the wedding and hasn't seen Godric since & he has a SECRET (he's the Ghost). She also wants to avenger her true love's death by finding the Ghost. DUN DUN DUN.

Godric is a salt & peppered and secretly jacked cinnamon roll who also lost his wife years ago to a devastating and long drawn out illness. He married Margaret because well, why not, and because her brother threatened to expose his secret identity. Margaret has been living with his family in the country since their wedding.

Now he's flabbergasted to have her, his sister, his stepmother, and all their people move into his shabby old estate house. And she wants a baby! Godric believes his heart will never feel again but it also seems to be having some strange palpitations around his wife. Who thinks he murdered her dead lover.

Such a delicious romance, with both Megs and Godric learning how to love again, that love can change and not be a betrayal of those who are no longer with us. I loved that Megs took matters into her own hands and made things happen, despite her sex and station. And lord Godric is h-o-t.

But, how in the heck do I keep reading romances with "get me pregnant but please no pleasure in the trying" this year? I think this is the third with that niche trope (see also Cecilia Grant's A Lady Awakened and Lorraine Heath).

check out some more of my thoughts with #bMLread2020 on Twitter!

WHEN STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT He lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St. Giles, Godric St. John's only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless young lady pointing a pistol at his head-and realizes she is his wife . . . BECOME LOVERS . . . Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St. Giles-the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and to the man she hasn't seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognize the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding, and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St. Giles is everything she feared he would be-and so much more . . . DESIRE IS THE ULTIMATE DANGER When passion flares, these two intimate strangers can't keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth-that the Ghost is her husband-the game is up and the players must surrender . . . to the temptation that could destroy them both.

Kelsey Mcdaniel

"He lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St. Giles, Godric St. John's only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless young lady pointing a pistol at his head--and realizes she is his wife ... Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St. Giles--the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and to the man she hasn't seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognize the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding, and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St. Giles is everything she feared he would be--and so much more ... When passion flares, these two intimate strangers can't keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth--that the Ghost is her husband--the game is up and the players must surrender ... to the temptation that could destroy them both."--Page 4 of cover.