Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Dark Seduction by Brenda Joyce



(Paranormal Romance/Time Traveling)
Brenda Joyce website
3/5







I'm doing another reading together with Melody again. But this time Alice join us. It been a fun reading it with you two :)

I have read Brenda Joyce's books in the past and love them. Mostly her earliest historical books. And the one I read (The Rival, Captive, The Game, The Finer Things, Splendor, The Promises of the Rose and Beyond Scandal to name a few...) was really GOOD. A few years Later I read her Deadly Series: The Francesca Cahill, a historical mystery romance and like it. That was the only series I kept up with from Brenda Joyce novels.

When I saw that she wrote a new series of paranormal romance The Master of Time I was skeptical. Because it seem that lot of publisher are turning authors toward paranormals trend. Don't get me wrong, I like some of paranormal novels out there(except for vamps *grin*). Even I love reading time traveling. I brought the book and I find the book was...okay. I soon realized that Brenda Joyce is either miss or hit with me. And no, this does not mean I will stop reading her other genres book. Personally I think The Francesca Cahill series are good. So good that I forget that I don't read lot of historical now.

Since Claire have learn that her mother and cousin was victim of a pleasure crime, she have done everything she can to keep herself safe and secure life in the city where danger lurk and where the world can be in an ugly place. It turn into reality when late one night, an unexpected surprise visitor woman assaulted her with tremendous strength. Sibylla travel through time to demand Claire to give her the pages to the Cathach, an manuscripts predates the Cathach to established of St. Columba's monastery in Iona. But the book was written because the Ancients want it to. Later she got another surprise visitor who also time travel through her time and it was no other person but Malcolm of Dunroch, the same man she plan to take a trip to see the Dunroch!

Malcolm of Dunroch, an sexual medieval warrior who is chosen as a new Master with extraordinary powers, is sent forward through time to retrieve an important piece of paper to prevent it from landing into the wrong hands of the enemy. It took him to Claire who he discover is distraction that he doesn't need but he is drawn toward her beauty. Because he want to protect her from Moray and Sibylla he took her back through his times to ensure her safe.

Claire find herself sweeps back into his time and was frightening of the world. And she knew Malcolm can only keep her to survive the place where it is treacherous and dangerous. She knew Malcolm soul is at stake and need to keep far away from his sexual seduction of desire.

Dark Seduction was an okay read for me. The plot seem different then other paranormal with time traveling that I'm use to to reading. I LOVE stories with time traveling and or Highlander warrior. I have read lot of that. While the hero is sexy warrior and yummy, I find that sometime he can be bit strange. Usually I LOVE Scottish dialogues warrior but there is just something about the way Malcolm use them that just make me cringed. I'm not sure if maybe my mood is in the way, that it effect my feeling toward this book. More often, moods play a big part in my reading. But then again, I also been reading a few historical now these days too. But while I did enjoy the book, it not one of my favorite :)

I notice that Dark Seduction is the first book to the The Master of Time series. And the book 2 Dark Rival is coming out in October 2007. I'm not sure if I will continue with the series. We shall see...

But IMO, I think if reader want to try Brenda Joyce books than try her earliest work(see above for historical title I list here) and or try The Deadly Series: The Francesca Cahill, if you like historical mystery romance. They're all good. But my favorite was The Games. I hate to see readers miss Brenda Joyce good books. Lot of them are a keeper for me :)

4 comments:

Melody said...

Great review, Julia! I agree with you about most authors turn to writing paranormals because it's the "IN" genre, but only some stand out in a good way.

Brenda's historicals are great. And wow, I didn't know you read her Deadly Series, not that I do. LOL.

Julia said...

Thanks, Melody for compliments. Thanks goodness someone agree about paranormals, although am not saying paranormals is bad thing. As you said, some do stand out...and that is true for me too.

Yes I did read Deadly Series. I admit the first time I read it, I didn't enjoy it and it probably because I wasn't in the mood for it. As I said moods play big part for my reading. But when I read it second time, it got better.

Alice said...

Very nice review, Julia! It's like reading the book once again, but in its summary. *GRIN*

Looks like I'm the one bowled over by her work this time round. I must get more exposure in this genre. Hehehehe...

Thanks for all the other recommendations!

Julia said...

Alice - thanks for compliment. Truly yes, it felt like reading the reviews of same thing all over gain - three time the charms LOL

I do like Brenda Joyce books, but this one is not my favorite. And I don't think you the only one...there people who like it as much as you did :)