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Lord of Darkness
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Lord of Darkness
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Lord of Darkness
Audiobook12 hours

Lord of Darkness

Written by Elizabeth Hoyt

Narrated by Emma Taylor

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Three men who made a sacred pact years before: to defend and protect the innocent of St. Giles – no matter the cost to themselves...

Since the death of his first wife, Godric St. John has devoted his nights to protecting the innocent of London disguised as the notorious Ghost of St. Giles. When Lord Griffin Reading discovers Godric's secret double life he presents him with an offer he can't refuse, and Godric finds himself married to a young – and pregnant – stranger.

Two years ago Lady Margaret "Megs" Reading lost both her lover and her unborn child – but not before being forced into a marriage of convenience with Godric St. John, an older, dour gentleman she barely knew. No longer content to spend her days at her husband's country estate, Megs leaves for London to get the two things she wants most: to find and bring to justice the man who murdered Roger, her lover, and to have a child of her own. But in order to conceive a baby, she's going to have to seduce the husband she hasn't seen since their marriage breakfast.

A Hachette Audio production.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 26, 2013
ISBN9781619693869
Unavailable
Lord of Darkness

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Reviews for Lord of Darkness

Rating: 4.00000007183908 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I am pretty new to the Maiden Lane series and became a fan of Elizabeth Hoyt after reading Thief of Shadows last year. Full of mystery, adventure, and passionate romance, this has quickly become one of my favorite historical romance series. As such, I was very excited to receive an e-galley of the newest book Lord of Darkness.Fans will recognize Megs and Godric from Thief of Shadows, where Meg's secret lover was killed - supposedly by the Ghost of St. Giles. In the wake of that tragedy, Godric marries Megs to save her from scandal. Megs has remained in the country for the past couple of years but now returns to London with two goals in mind. One, she must seduce her husband and get with child and second, she must get vengeance for her lover's death.While I enjoyed Lord of Darkness, it didn't grab me like the other books in the series. Megs and Godric were both admirable, if somewhat stubborn characters. Both have felt love before and have felt its terrible loss. And both are determined never to betray that love by feeling it again with each other. I wanted to shake both of them at times because they kept pushing each other away. I think Godric came around quicker than Megs though and I was somewhat annoyed at her for waiting until the last possible moment to tell her she loved him.Once they started coming around though, I really enjoyed their romance. Hoyt definitely knows how to write a steamy love scene and Megs and Godric are quite a passionate pair once they let down their guard. I also liked that this wasn't a conventional romance. It was hard watching Godric and Megs struggle with the guilt over their new feelings. This book is about second chances and embracing life. I think Godric's wife and Megs's lover would have been happy that they found love again.Though this wasn't my favorite Maiden Lane book, Lord of Darkness is a solid entry in the series and is an engaging and entertaining read. I enjoyed getting to know Megs and Godric and was glad that these two found their happy ending. The book can be read as a standalone though you'll probably enjoy it a bit more if you have some back story on the series. Or you can be like me and start in the middle and then go back and read everything else (because you'll want to). Lord of Darkness also includes a brief excerpt from Duke of Midnight, the next book in the Maiden Lane series. It stars Artemis Greaves and the Duke of Wakefield and sounds fantastic. I am already looking forward to it. :)*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Godric and Megs: my second favourite. Well-plotted and I liked both the leads.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed this Historical Romance. I received this book for free and I voluntarily chose to review it. This is not suitable for the under 18 readers. There was a lot of action and danger in this with a splash of romance here and there. There was humor and animals as well. It was so hard to put down so I lost a little sleep, but it was worth it. I've given it a 4.5* rating and look forward to the next in this Maiden Lane series.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Audio-book: Narrator - Emma Taylor

    Narration was okay but I didn’t feel the connection with the characters this time around as I did in earlier books. It wasn’t all bad, it just wasn’t my favorite.


    Another non maiden Maiden Lane book. Why is this bugging me so much? I just want a woman who I suspect is typical to the era and these heroines are not it. It’s a struggle to get past their pasts but I have enjoyed the drama and thrills that have risen up along the way. I actually was a bit excited at Meg’s story despite her history but what really got me going was Godric and his reversal of feelings. I’m not a fan of dead spouses or lovers and we had both of these from the hero and heroine and once I realized I was a bit reluctant to listen to this one, but it is part of a series and I’ve learned that each book lays clues for the next and/or future books so I didn’t want to miss anything. I actually ended up loving Godric for all his pain and yet his ability to throw himself into his relationship with Megs.

    Overall, this was much better than I anticipated despite the narration.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    what a lovely ending of the story. Yet another great book. love this very much keep my hitting fast until the end.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Diverting enough, but it was hard to understand what Megs found appealing about Godric for most of the book. Also, what's with all the banyan wearing. If I want to see a man in a highly stylized faintly oriental dress I will watch a YouTube video of whirling dervishes. Also, there is a weird random scene with Artemis (a barely glimpsed character who is the main character in the next book) visiting Bedlam that has nothing to do with anything except that she gifts a man a banyan, and that is in theme.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I gave this 3 stars on my first read, but after the second read, I think it actually deserves 4. It's pretty good. The heroine is a bit of a ninny for a good chunk of the book, but the story is entertaining, and the hero, though not particularly dashing to start, really becomes quite endearing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Move over, Mickey. I just got to know Godric, and then, you know, love him...(Who am I kidding, I couldn't choose)

    I'd read like 5 books about these two. I loved Megs vitality, and the way she brought her husband back to life. I loved Godric's composure, his intensity, and his tenderness.

    A wonderful, lovely, sweet journey into the relationship of these two.

    I was equally impressed that the cast of characters didn't seem to distract from the main couple, and the world-building was so solid & strong in this book. I wasn't annoyed by the disruption of seeing the prior couples, it enriched and advanced the story quite well. This is rarely the case for series romances for me.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    good story. little long.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    If the previous book is my favorite, then this is the second. This is #5 in this series, and I adored our hero as much as I did the heroine.

    Once more this story picks up where the last book left off and since we met both of these characters in those earlier books, you may as well read the whole series before you start on this one.

    I actually started reading it with book #9 and since I loved that one, now I’m trying to play catch up:)

    I loved the pace and action in this one as much as the wee bit of mystery in it.

    All in all, worthy read and highly recommending it and this whole series. Each book is filled with complex characters, entertaining plots with plenty of twists and turns, and a lot of romance with sensual love making.

    Melanie for b2b

    Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lord of Darkness
    4 Stars

    Lady Margaret Reading travels to London with plans to consummate her marriage of convenience to Godric St. John. After losing the love of his life, Godric has dedicated his life to serving the people of St. Giles and has no interest in his young wife until she arrives on his doorstep with seduction in mind.

    Readers expecting an historically accurate and intensely thrilling read are bound to be disappointed. However, if you are interested in an entertaining and steamy romance with well-developed characters and an engaging story then this is the book for you.

    Lets get the problems out of the way first. As with many of Hoyt’s books, it is necessary to suspend one’s disbelief when it comes to historical accuracy in terms of the female characters’ role in society. Not only does Megs engage in a sexual relationship outside of wedlock and become pregnant as a result, but she is also quite open about her behavior and even seeks to avenge the death of her lover - these things were simply not done in the 18th century.

    The Lassie Snatcher’s plot line is back and even though it has potential with some exciting action scenes, it is not particularly well developed or riveting. The same is true of the murder investigation, which is uninspired and predictable.

    In contrast, the romance between Megs and Godric is one of the best in the series. Both Megs and Godric are haunted by their past loves and struggle with the need to move on with their lives.The attraction between the two is tangible and their love for each other builds slowly but surely throughout the book.

    There are also intriguing glimpses into the lives of the hero and heroine in the next book, Artemis Greaves and Maximus Batton, and it will be interesting to see how two such dissimilar people find common ground.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    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.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Godric St. John hasn't seen his wife in the two years since their marriage, until he meets her in an alley as the Ghost of St. Giles and she's pointing a gun to his head. Suddenly, he must determine what exactly has brought his wife back from the country. Is avenging the death of her lover at the alleged hand of the Ghost of St. Giles really the only thing that consumes her or is something else lurking in that pretty head?I always enjoy Elizabeth Hoyt's historical romances. Strong female leads who capably stand toe to toe with the men in their life, plots that never feel like filler between more smutty scenes, and appearances from characters in previous books in the series means you can keep tabs on the happy endings that were so satisfying in previous books. Megs and Godric were yet another lovely pair and I loved watching the married couple brought together by convenience find a real relationship.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    3 ½ Stars - Review to come
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Superb is the only word I can think of to describe this latest chapter of the Maiden Lane stories. I loved Megs and Godric and savored every word of their love story. This is not like any other marriage-of-convenience plot out there, being a mixture of romance, adventure, and discovery. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    OK, this is an awful book. Honestly.

    Sometimes, I get tired of books that I read hurriedly, but I think this one taken by itself, is pretty damn bad.

    I couldn't relate to the characters. I read 400 odd pages about the hero and heroine, but still couldn't feel the chemistry between them, and how they suddenly fell in love, and honestly, the love making scenes were equally bad.

    This book fails on all levels. The characters don't make you care about their well being, the conversation is cliche', and worst of all, the villain of the story is practically non existent.

    ...When I found out that the villain was Lord Kershaw, I had to go back to read where he'd been mentioned. That was the extent to which the book had been compromised. Bahh.



    All in all, a disappointing book. I knew there was a reason I hadn't tried Hoyt before (her covers always put me off, and I have good intuition about these things), but I know for sure that I won't be reading another one of her books again.

    An epic fail on all levels.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow. I think this one is officially my favorite of the entire series so far. The depth of emotion between these two is just amazing. Both Megs and Godric are so damaged, both having lost what they considered the love of their lives previously--Megs in a sudden and violent attack, and Godric to a long and lingering illness. It felt like Hoyt was pulling my heart out and twisting it, over and over again. In a totally good way, of course. I kept looking for excuses to keep on listening. (Another load of laundry, maybe? Perhaps it's time to wash the bathroom floor? Rearrange the sock drawer again? ;))The only complaints I have--and really, they're minor, considering the story as a whole and how completely invested I felt in seeing these two get their HEA--is how suddenly the hero and heroine's part in this book ended and how much time was spent setting up book 6. After all of the drama those two had going on, both internal and external, it felt like they got to their "I love you"s much quicker than I was expecting. Keeping an eye on my progress in the book, I thought I had quite a bit more story to go, only to find that the prologue didn't have Megs and Godric in it at all and in fact the final audio "chapter" was actually a teaser for Artemis and Maximus's book. I really like Artemis's character, don't get me wrong (Poor girl, she breaks my heart. First her brother, then her ridiculous cousin, and then she has to overhear something not at all flattering about herself at the theater. How soon does her book come out, again?) but I wasn't at all ready to say goodbye to Megs and Godric yet. Honestly, though, that's my only issue. If I hadn't been expecting more Megs and Godric, it wouldn't have bothered me at all.Bring on book 6!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book had me at hello--more specifically, at the first scene in which the Ghost of St. Giles faces down the barrel of a pistol pointed by his, uh, wife. It is an equally badass and chuckle-inducing start and it only gets better from there.

    Elizabeth Hoyt’s latest has all the ingredients that I love in my romantic stories: the marriage of convenience trope; a staid hero and vivacious heroine; love that's not at first sight; passionate love scenes (I counted at least five in this book); adrenaline stoking action sequences; zippy dialogue. Bonus: cute dog and spunky orphans!

    Almost every time after I would turn a page, I’d glance at the page number, panicking that the story would be over too soon. This is not normal behavior, is it?

    Lord of Darkness is tied with Scandalous Desires as my favorite installment in the Maiden Lane series. On second thought, I’ve yet to revisit Silence and Charming Mickey’s great romance even as I’ve gone back to read Megs and Godric’s story a second time already. Lord of Darkness for the win then.

    It’s been two years since we last saw Lady Margaret Reading in book four reveal that she was expecting a child fathered by Roger, her murdered "fiancé;" two years since we suspected that her brother’s appearance in the home of the grave Godric St. John would help save her reputation but upend Godric’s life.

    And now in Lord of Darkness, we find out that Godric and Megs had indeed agreed to a marriage of convenience, after which Megs decamped to the countryside and Godric continued his solitary life. It’s a life that includes taking on the guise of the Ghost of St. Giles to protect the innocent in the mean streets of a godforsaken corner of London. We see that Godric continues to be just a shadow of a man, only half alive after the death of his first wife. But then, Megs and relatives sweep back into Godric’s house. Here’s someone whose sunshiny, fighting attitude to life threatens to force him out of the darkness—whether he likes it or not.

    Megs has returned to London with two objectives. She wants to avenge the death of Roger and her target is the Ghost of St. Giles, who’s the accused murderer…and her husband. Delicious twist. Oh, and she wants to (ahem) consummate her marriage to Godric so that she can get pregnant. No emotions needed or wanted, thank you very much, just mechanical sex to have a baby of her own after which she’ll return to the countryside. In the meantime, Godric will just continue with his Ghostly duties and wait out this whirlwind so that he can resume his half living. So very easy, so very practical…so not going to be as simple as either had planned.

    Just recapping the main plot points doesn’t do justice to how wonderful the book is. The whole story is as great as it is because it’s made up of tons of small interactions and conversations full of sweetness, yearning, and thrills—and I am so not going to ruin your discovery of them! In my favorite stories, I often like to revisit swoonworthy scenes; there aren’t ever that many though …maybe two or three per book, if I’m lucky. But how do I do this with Lord of Darkness when it’s filled with delightful scenes, one after the other?

    There are lots of comical and tender moments between the two as Megs tries to seduce Godric and as Godric is pulled out of his ordered, lonely world into a flurry of family activity and emotions. Megs engages him in ways that he hasn’t experienced for a while, triggering strong feelings of tenderness, jealousy, and protectiveness. The two opposites grow to care for each other more and more, even as they have to work out the emotional baggage of losing their loved ones. How do they push forward, find love, and make life worth living without betraying the memory of their beloved who are gone? And how does Godric’s Ghostly role figure into all of this?

    The story’s pacing is perfect without any extra fat; there is no belaboring of a point or scene just for the sake of it. The plot revelations help to peel back layer after layer of the characters, providing us with insight into their hang-ups and guiding us through their emotional growth, all while advancing the action. And yet instead of losing steam after each reveal, each subsequent twist and turn is even better than the last one. The characters’ inner lives are authentic and their actions believable (for the most part). And most significant in a romance novel, their obstacles to love aren’t silly, artificial concerns that could be easily swept aside.

    Now that I’ve wrapped up book five and the sixth book won’t be out until late 2013, let me wax poetic about this series for a minute. Lord of Darkness is another excellent example of really standout work by Elizabeth Hoyt. In general, there’s a richness to her novels that I don’t often find in the romance genre, not even in some of my other favorite titles. (I think I might be spoiled and expect this to be the standard for all authors now.) Her Maiden Lane series, in particular, has benefited from all her strengths: characters that seem to really be made of flesh and blood; vivid settings that make both the grittiness of the hard-knock streets of St. Giles and the sparkling luxury of the aristocratic ballrooms come alive; intricate plotting (pretty commanding ability to manage multiple threads of action in each book and across several books, plus set up future storylines); and reliably smooth prose (I usually just ask that romance writing not “get in the way” of the story by being distractingly awful, but Hoyt’s isn’t just okay—it’s actually good).

    After reading ten (!) Hoyt novels *in a row* before Lord of Darkness, I also have to say that her storylines and characterizations are impressive in their variety. You’d think that somewhere along the way, I’d find some repeating and recycling, but nope, that retreading of characters and plots was nowhere to be found. Just look at this one: the secret identity plot in Lord of Darkness hits totally different notes from those in the Thief of Shadows’ secret identity plot.

    Now I'm eagerly awaiting book six. The story of Maximus and Artemis can’t come soon enough! I might expire from impatience, so I’ll just have to read Lord of Darkness repeatedly to tide me over for a while.

    *I received an ARC of Lord of Darkness through Goodreads’ First Reads program, but the giveaway did not influence my opinions or review of this book.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    How have I never read a book by Ms. Hoyt before is beyond me. I simply loved this book. The characters were great and plot was very entertaining. The way Megs and Godric go from married strangers to a true loving married couple was a very emotional journey for both of them and I'm glad I was along for their second chance to find love. With both of them having former loves the push and pull of their relationship was a great way to reintroduce them to each other after being separated for two years. Add in the mystery of the Ghost of St. Giles and this was just a perfect example of what the historical romance genre is all about.I read this book without having read the previous books in the series and didn't feel as if I missed out on too much, though reading in order would help in the introduction of certain key characters in this book. I will be going back and reading the series from the beginning including this one again. Recommend to lovers of the historical romance genre.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    With another Georgian setting, this next installment of Hoyt's Maiden Lane series features Godric St. John as the Ghost of St. Giles. His wife, Megs, whom he married two years earlier in an arranged marriage - and hasn't seen since - has come to town to get pregnant - by him! She also is bent on killing the Ghost for she's convinced he killed her former love two years earlier. Godric, having been a widower doesn't feel like he can erase the memory of his dead wife. Still, Margaret is determined and after a few awkward attempts they get into the swing of things of consummating their marriage. I found the whole scenario a teensy bit uncomfortable and I didn't find myself becoming overly attached to either one of them, though I did like the hidden identity theme overall. Still, I'm waiting for The Duke of Wakefield's story, frankly. Hoyt is a favorite and an auto-buy, so even though I didn't love this one, it's a big step up from the average historical.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    ***********************Spoiler Alert**********************Review contain spoilers for the Maiden Lane series. Lord of Darkness is the third perfect read in a row for me from Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series. I'm not sure if I can do this superbly written book justice with my review, but I'm going to try. This story was intense, passionate, romantic, emotional, and absolutely smokin' hot. The hero is positively to die for. The heroine is a ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air all rolled into one. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with all of the previous couples from the series, except one who wasn't present. The other secondary characters are fun and intriguing, and will have me waiting with bated breath for the next book of the series. What more could a girl ask for in a romance novel?The last two heroes in the Maiden Lane series (Mickey and Winter) were so incredible, I have a hard time playing favorites, but Godric is certainly giving them a run for their money. Not only is he one of Elizabeth Hoyt's best heroes, he's also near the top of my all-time favorites. I instinctively knew when he was only a secondary character in Wicked Intentions that he would make a great hero, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. Godric is a deeply lonely man who began his self-isolation long before his beloved first wife died following a lengthy illness. When the story opens, his sole reason for living is protecting the helpless as the Ghost of St. Giles, but even that has turned into something of a death wish as he recklessly pursues the human filth of the slum. When Margaret arrives unexpectedly, he wants her visit to be over quickly so that he can focus on his mission, but at the same time, she stirs emotions in him that he hasn't felt in a very long time. Still, Godric is so completely broken-hearted, he doesn't think he can or even wants to love again. He's been living half a life since Clara died, perhaps even before that, but Megs brings a spark back into his darkened corner of the world. (I love how the apple tree in his garden was a metaphor for his reawakening.) It's sweet how Godric is jealous of the mere idea of Megs possibly getting the baby she wants from an affair with another man, and how those feelings confuse him. He's intent on protecting Megs no matter what. To this ends, he denies her nothing and would literally do anything and everything to make her happy. I love the way he notices every little thing about Megs and each one makes him fall more deeply in love with her. Aside from his committed sense of justice to the down-trodden, the thing I love most about Godric is that he is a tender, considerate and passionate lover who is fiercely loyal. I'm incredibly curious as to how a long-celibate man like him who doesn't seem like the type to sleep around learned to be such an amazing lover. Perhaps it was natural instinct born out of his sensitive, sensual side, or perhaps it was something he learned from the books he is so fond of. Either way, he's off the charts with his bedroom prowess. And speaking of books, I also loved his scholarly air. Call me crazy, but in my opinion, those half-moon spectacles of his made him even more sexy if that's possible.Sweet Megs is one of the best heroines I've read in quite a while. I initially couldn't help worrying that she had some scheme up her sleeve what with wanting a baby so urgently, but I shouldn't have been concerned. As it turned out, she simply missed the child she lost and desperately wanted a little one to love and hold and call her own. I loved that Megs was so understanding of Godric's grief and took a gentle approach to getting him to make love to her. She can relate, because she too is feeling rather adrift, still missing her beloved fiancé, while also harboring an insatiable desire for revenge against the man she believes is responsible for his death, namely the Ghost. In spite of that though, when she discovers her husband's secret identity, she instinctively knows that she can trust him, and that he couldn't possibly have done something so heinous. I thoroughly enjoyed Megs's letters that she wrote to Godric over the two years they were married but living apart. They showed that she was rather lonely herself and trying to reach out and connect with her stranger husband, albeit perhaps subconsciously. When Godric finally agrees to make love to her, she tries to make it an impersonal act but can't resist the feelings and sensations he arouses in her body. This gives her moments of confusion and doubt over desiring another man who isn't her dead fiancé, but it doesn't take long before she's giving herself freely to him. I think the best thing about Megs is how intuitive she is to see the lonely man inside Godric who sets himself apart from everyone. It's a beautiful thing that she not only sees that, but wants to do something about it. She made a deal with Godric to leave London when she gets pregnant, but she desperately doesn't want to leave, not for any selfish reasons, but because she simply can't bear the thought of this wonderful man being alone again. Megs was truly a ray of sunshine in Godric's life, bringing him back to life and making him happier than he'd been in a very long time.Together, Godric and Megs set the pages on fire. Starting with their first real kiss and the small intimacy in the carriage that followed, their relationship was explosively passionate while also being deeply romantic. Their first two love scenes are rather impersonal, as both of them try to hold onto the memory of their dead loves, while also feeling things for one another during the act that they cannot deny. Elizabeth Hoyt is so masterful at writing love scenes that even when they're impersonal, they're still unspeakably beautiful, but nothing compared to when this couple finally did it the right way. That scene was so incredible it took my breath away, so much so, that words fail me to explain how achingly romantic and sensual it was. I didn't think a love scene could possibly get any better than that, but each one that followed was equally as beautiful as the last. Even with Godric and Megs not saying the words until the very end, I could still tell just how much they truly loved one another. This pair was one of the most perfect, made-for-each-other couples I've ever read in a romance.Lord of Darkness boasts a huge cast of secondary characters, but despite their sheer number, each one stood out in his or her own way. All of the past heroes and heroines except Mickey and Silence put in an appearance. As Godric's best friend, Lazarus has some insights for Meg, and Temperance was there for the Foundling Home. Megs's brother, Griffin, finally tells her the truth about why he married her off to Godric, while Hero lends her support. As a former Ghost of St. Giles and manager of the Foundling Home, Winter offers his support for Godric's efforts, and Isabel is there too. I loved seeing all these characters and their growing families. Several supporting characters from previous books put in appearances and some new ones are introduced too. There are many of them I would love to see get their own book, particularly Hero's nearly blind, younger sister, Phoebe, and perhaps, Godric's sister, Sarah, who was a good friend to Megs. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Her Grace, Megs's great-aunt Elvina's funny little dog and her cute litter of puppies. We also get a little more insight into Maximus, the hero of the next book of the series, Duke of Midnight. He is Hero's brother and when I first met him in her book, he seemed pretty straight-laced and an ardent opposer of the gin trade. My initial impression didn't change here, but there were a few hints of a possible softer side as well as a big secret that's he's hiding. I've always thought that he could make a good hero with the right woman to loosen him up, and it looks like that lady is going to be Artemis, the poor relation and companion of the spoiled, aristocratic Penelope. I've liked her since the first time she appeared as well. Artemis had a few scenes of her own, including a cliffhanger epilogue, that have already begun to build her into an engaging character and have me dying for her book. We also briefly get to meet another new character, someone who is very special to Artemis. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that he already has me thoroughly intrigued and wanting to know more. Unfortunately, at present, Maximus thinks Artemis is completely boring and forgettable, so it will be interesting to see how she changes his mind.I may have already liked Godric and Megs going into Lord of Darkness, but their story still completely blew me away. It exceeded my wildest expectations, and I hated to see it end. Long-time Elizabeth Hoyt fans will be happy to know that she continues her tradition of a fairy tale that runs parallel to the main story. “The Legend of the Hellequin” was the perfect mirror for Godric and Megs's story and one of the best this author has written so far. Everything was superb: the hero, the heroine, the supporting players, the story and the fairy tale. It was absolute perfection, and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Now I'll be on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating the release of Duke of Midnight which is due out in October 2013. Can't wait!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Elizabeth Hoyt’s Lord of Darkness is the fifth book in her Maiden Lane series. For those not familiar with this particular series, Lord of Darkness can be read as a standalone if you don’t mind the back-story she fills in. Otherwise I recommend starting with the first book, Wicked Intentions.Godric St. John still grieves for the loss of his wife Clara. He decides to live the rest of his life as a widower and devoted to her memory; however, that changes when Griffin Reading blackmails him into marrying his sister Margaret. Margaret reluctantly agrees to the marriage when she finds out her fiancé has been murdered and fears what her family might do when they find out she’s expecting a child. Knowing Margaret will never want a real marriage and his secret will be safe, he agrees to marry her. The two live separately: Margaret in his country estate and Godric in London.Two years later, Margaret decides she wants a child and the only way to have one is to consummate her marriage. She surprises Godric by showing up at his London residence and explains she came to town for some shopping. When she confesses her real reason, he tells her he cannot betray Clara because consummating their marriage would be the ultimate betrayal. He doesn’t realize Margaret too grieves for her dead fiancé, Roger. When Margaret discovers Godric is the Ghost of St. Giles she confesses her reason for being in St. Giles: she’s looking for Roger’s killer. Godric takes the opportunity to explain how he came to be the Ghost and agrees to find the person responsible for Roger’s death. He also agrees to give her a child. The majority of the plot centers on the lassie snatchers and we first come across them in Thief of Shadows. I was a bit disappointed Hoyt was going to focus on this again, but in hindsight it makes sense. For readers not familiar with them, they are a group responsible for buying or kidnapping young girls for the sole purpose of making lace stockings. These lace stockings were highly sought after by the wealthy and the girls were often beaten and underfed. In Lord of Darkness, we finally get to put a name to the man behind the operation and we also find out how Roger’s death is connected to the lassie snatchers. The real story here is that of Godric and Margaret finding love. We have two people who loved deeply and are afraid to take that chance again. Hoyt does a remarkable job expressing their concerns. The moment Godric realizes he loves Margaret is bittersweet. She confesses how she can’t go on not knowing who murdered her beloved and yet at that moment, he’s willing to “walk the fires of hell” for her. There’s one particular scene where I thought Godric might fly off the deep end and that’s when he walks into his bedroom to find Margaret reading a letter she wrote to him. He realizes she was looking in his drawer and he could have easily given her the cold shoulder and thrown her out of his room, but instead he was honest and open with her. There are few unanswered questions. Godric tells Megs that Sir Stanley Gilpin trained him and two others. If Sir Stanley found it a lark to dress up as the Ghost who’s to say he didn’t train other men before Godric? And if Sir Stanely only trained three men, why did Captain Trevillion knowing Godric was the Ghost, let him go when he had the perfect opportunity to arrest him? Was it because Godric was saving children from the lassie snatchers or is there much more to this? I’m curious about Trevillion since he’s been featured before and I’m hoping Hoyt gives him his own book.Hoyt often includes a story within a story. All these of course take place in the chapter headings. Our treat this time is the Legend of the Hellequin and what a story it was! Every time she includes one of these in her books, it makes me wish she would publish them in their entirety. My favorite scene in Lord of Darkness involves Godric, his sister, and Margaret’s Great-Aunt Elvina discussing babies. Elvina believes they are troublesome especially those that bother her dog. Godric suggests they should be hung: “I cannot believe you would suggest tying a child to the wall.” “Oh, no, ma’am,” Godric said as he poured himself more wine. “You have me entirely wrong.” “Well, that’s a relief—” “I meant the child should hang on the wall.” He looked kindly at the elderly woman. “Like a picture, as it were.”Elizabeth Hoyt once again delivers and Lord of Darkness doesn’t disappoint. We’re given a preview of Duke of Midnight, the sixth book in the series. It will feature the Duke of Wakefield and Artemis Greaves and I have a feeling we have our third Ghost in Wakefield. It’s scheduled for an October release and October can’t come soon enough.