Lawson’s review of Demon Night (The Guardians, Book 5) by Meljean Brook
Paranormal romance released February 5, 2008 by Berkley Sensation
The world that Meljean Brook has created is all encompassing, and Demon Night is no different. Both Demon Angel and Demon Moon were spectacular examples of a great story, with great characters in an imaginative world and how a series should be. The story of the Guardians fighting the demons and other creatures of Hell on the earth continues well with Ethan McCabe, also called Drifter, and Charlie Newcomb.
Demon Night, like Angel and Moon, deal with some history as well as the paranormal present. Though instead of England this time we have a Western. Ethan McCabe was a man of the West, a lawyer turned hunted man due to injustice against his family. After his death and training as a Guardian his Old West accent, voice and cadence haven’t changed, which he uses to sometimes sucker in those who think he’s slow. When he’s assigned to protect Charlie he falls hard.
As much as Charlie has overcome, it’s no wonder she’s pretty insecure and afraid of strong emotions. A recovering alcoholic she’s thrust into a world she doesn’t know and really doesn’t want because of the schemes of demons and vampires for her sister, who they hope and help with a blood issue. Charlie seems to handle a lot of this well, but what she doesn’t, she internalizes so that she can work out how she feels in her own time.
Ethan is a great hero, and he keeps the western feel in a modern world very well and Charlie, though insecure and sometimes annoying with it, doesn’t ever do anything TSTL and works well with Ethan in many different situations. Not to give away spoilers there was one plot device that’s part of the world Brook has built that involved Charlie that seemed forced. It felt as though it was put in more to fit with the world rather than as a valid plot device. I’m not entirely sure, but it’s not a major point to quibble over since Brook’s Guardian world is so well built, even if it’s so, it wasn’t distracting from the story, both the love story and the secondary story.
I wasn’t expecting Drifter to get his story because before he seemed like a secondary, but minor character. I’m glad he got a great story though and I’m looking foreword to the next journey into the world of the Guardians. And I hope it’s another surprise who gets their own HEA.
Grade: A-
Backcover copy:
Charlie Newcomb worked hard to get her life back together. But all that is shaken when she’s set upon by three vampires desperate to transform her beauty into something evil. Because Charlie is the vital link to something they want — and need: Charlie’s flesh-and-blood sister, a medical scientist whose knowledge could be invaluable to the predators.
But to get to her, they must first get to Charlie, who’s now under the intimate protection of Ethan McCabe. As her Guardian, Ethan is attracted to her vulnerabilities — as well as her strengths. The closer he gets, the more protecting her becomes not just his duty, but his desire. Will it be enough to save Charlie when the demon night falls?
Read the excerpt and TGTBTU’s exclusive excerpt, and the Guardian World Primer.
Other books in this series:
Do you think my gyno can replace my uterus so that I can have that cover model’s babies?
Seriously, it would be worth the hassle of having a functioning baby-maker again just for a crack at him.
And do my eyes deceive me? Did they actually let him retain all his glorious, man-titty fur?! Hallelujah!
Bev, LOL, if you like that cover, check out the cover on the book Guardian’s Keep here: http://paranormalromanceblog.wordpress.com/
Whohoo Doggie!
Ohhhh, this was my first Meljean Brook and I gave it a glowing A-, too. Loved it to pieces … and that comes from a person who usually avoids everything with fangs, fur and “other worldliness”. I won the first two books in the series (the full length novels I mean) from Dear Author, so I will definitely catch up and be ready for the next release. YEHAAAAH!
mm…mmm… MMMMM! Why thank you, Jill. I do luvs me some manly fur. Although, apparently, it was quite chilly during his photo shoot. *g*
I think — I’m not sure, but I think — they painted the manly fur in.
I love this book. Love that Charlie Girl. And love Meljean. (fangirl squeeeeee)
🙂
That gave me a mind-pic of Austin Powers and all his glued on chest hair.
Off to find my box of Brain Brillo now.
uh… thanks, Meljean. 😉
I cannot wait to get this one – Demon Moon was one of my favourite books of 2007 and I have very high hopes for this one after reading the extract!
BTW I am also a fan of the manly fur, it’s so much more masculine than a chest that’s been freshly waxed.
I’m so psyched for this one!!! *bouncing in place*
The plot device that seemed forced? Is this the part in the car when Charlie has to, um, choose…
Okay, I have no idea how to describe what happens without spoilers, but if it’s the same thing I’m thinking of, that was also my biggest problem with the book. I had a really hard time getting past it. I was loving the book, totally savoring it as I read, until I hit that point, and while I ultimately finished and enjoyed the book, it never completely recovered. At least from my perspective. I just know that what happened won’t bother most others.
So Demon Night ended up in B/B+ territory for me, instead of the A-range of the first third or so of the book. Then again, B/B+ is a lot better than most romances I’ve read the last couple of years.