Gwen’s Review of Pleasures of the Night (Dream Guardians, Book 1) by Sylvia Day
Paranormal romance published 24 Apr 07 by Avon Red

This trade-size novel by Day is the first of what will presumably be a series about the Dream Guardians – a paranormal race who guard humans from Nightmares. The hero, Aidan Cross, the Captain of the Elite Warriors, is a Guardian charged with breaching the formidable mental defenses of a particular Dreamer, our heroine Dr. Lyssa Bates, veterinarian, all around nice girl, and, supposedly, the bringer of Armageddon to Aidan’s world. Side note – isn’t this cover hot?! 

This is the second of Day’s novels for me. I’ve found the following things common with both, unrelated books: raw sexuality, beautifully described emotions, heroes that are heroic, and some top-notch writing. While I didn’t like this book quite as much as I did Passion For the Game, I still liked it plenty.

The beginning of this novel finds Lyssa a sickly, lonely vet who doesn’t let herself get overly involved in anyone’s life, including her own. She begins dreaming about a lover who teaches her how to control her dreams. This is all apparently new ground for Aidan – he’s the consummate lover, a ladies man par excellence, a warrior to surpass all other warriors. Then he meets slight but strong Lyssa and falls in love.

The story introduces us to an alternate stream of reality called Twilight and an alien species, the Guardians. It touches on alternate mythology related to ones we all know. It will be interesting to see how Day continues to differentiate this alternate world from all the other “alternates” out there. This was different enough to keep me from being bored. And Day’s writing is just excellent. Her emotional development is among the best I’ve read. The next book should be even more fun since Day should get more into the backstory of the Guardians.

If you’re a series fan, get this book. The next in the Dream Guardian series comes out in Jan 2008, Heat of the Night.

Grade: B

In the Twilight between sleep and consciousness, a battle rages between Dream Guardians and Nightmares. Captain Aidan Cross is a legend, as skilled in fulfilling erotic dreams as he is with the glaive that kills his enemies. Women see Aidan as part of their fantasies, except Lyssa Bates. Exquisite, desirable, enigmatic Lyssa perplexes this immortal seducer because she sees him as he really is. And as he attempts to unravel her secrets the unthinkable occurs: Aidan Cross falls in love.

Lyssa has been having the most incredible dreams about a man whose blue eyes hold the promise of decadent pleasures and tempting intimacies. And then he appears on her doorstep! This intoxicating stranger is just as irresistible as the man of her dreams but with her surrender there is also grave danger.

Because Aidan is on a mission, and the passion that consumes them body and soul could have dire consequences. Loving the mortal woman prophesied to destroy Aidan’s world is not only impossible,it is forbidden.

Read an excerpt, and another excerpt.