Devon’s Review of Demon Night (The Guardians, Book 5) by Meljean Brook
Paranormal romance released 5 Feb 08 by Berkeley Sensation

Demon Night, the fifth installment in The Guardians series (and third full length novel) features the interesting characters, complex plotting and wonderful relationship development I have quickly come to associate with Ms Brook. If you enjoy any of the above elements in your romance (and who doesn’t), I definitely recommend the story of recovering alcoholic turned bartender, Charlotte “Charlie” Newcomb, and wild west outlaw turned Guardian Angel, Ethan “Drifter” McCabe.

The hero and heroine are great, flawed yet heroic, and vivid. Ethan McCabe, a.k.a. Drifter, is a well-bred Boston boy turned outlaw, who has done a lot of good and bad in his lifetime. He is huge and gorgeous and has this “aw shucks, Ma’am” demeanor, while being tough as nails. He’s the best kind of alpha, wanting to do everything for his heroine, yet always respectful of what she wants. I just loved his quiet strength and deliberate manner of speaking.

His heroine, Charlie, is a former opera singer whose career ended when she drunkenly drove her car through a restaurant window. She works as a bartender now, a tough job for a recovering alcoholic, but that’s the kind of person she is. Charlie is a very needy person, craving love and affirmation, as well as alcohol and cigarettes, but she fights those needs by facing them head-on. I wasn’t sure if I would like such a flawed heroine, but she won me over with her strength, dignity and ability to tell tall tales.

There is crazy hot chemistry and sexual tension between Charlie and Drifter. They are instantly attracted to each other even when they’ve only heard each others’ voices. They both fall hard, but Ethan is uncomfortable with the neediness he senses in Charlie, and Charlie doesn’t want to need him. Then all sorts of other crazy crap happens. And when they finally get together, hot!

The world of the Guardians is fully developed and interesting. There are a number of characters, races, and factions to follow, and sometimes it is confusing. I did find it less so in Demon Night. Information about the world was woven in well, and I think you could read it without having read the others. There was one development (trying not to be spoilery, but it has to do with a new ability of Charlie’s) that I just didn’t get. The plot kept moving and definitely kept my interest. [Ed.: read Meljean's Guardian Primer here.]

I did feel that some of the stuff at the end was unneeded. Not to be spoilery but I feel that Charlie was kind of tormenting Ethan a bit unnecessarily. However, the final resolution was very satisfying. Sigh.

In the three novels I have read by Meljean Brook the heroes and heroines have all been very vivid, and also very different from each other, which I like. She doesn’t stick to type. Demon Night also features some great secondary characters—Old Matthew, Jake, and my favorite (weirdly) Sammael. After three books, I have quickly become a Meljean Brook fangirl. She has created an engrossing world full of real “characters.” Worth a try by any paranormal fan.

Grade: A-

From the backcover.

     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. It’s 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, 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. But will it be enough to save Charlie when the demon night falls?

     Read an excerpt and TGTBTU’s exclusive excerpt here.

Read Lawson’s review here.

Other books in this series:

And read more from Devon at Is That a Stake in Your Pocket?

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:

THE PRIMER:

This primer is designed to bring readers coming into the series after the first book the background they need. However, it might be useful for current readers to refresh their memory about the story arc and players involved when a new book is released.

Please note: the primer includes SPOILERS, but in most cases, only minor ones, and only through the latest release. It might include the resolution of a novel’s conflict, but not the action that led to it…after all, reading how our heroes overcome their difficulties is where the real fun lies, and the result of their actions just icing.

Every novel will contain the background information you need to understand and enjoy that story woven into the narrative. This is simply a more straightforward presentation of that information.

This primer includes an overview of the story arc for each novel (The Story So Far); biographies of main characters, secondary characters, and villains; a

glossary; and a timeline (both the glossary and the timeline are still under construction; they will be completed soon). Scroll down to find each heading, and links to each page. I will continue to link and cross-reference as time allows.

I will update this primer just before each new release.

::giggle:: anyone want to take bets on that: “before each new release” part . Meljean is also working putting it all together in a nifty PDF. We will let you know when it goes live.

If you have never read the series go check it out. If you are lucky enough to have read teh series from the beginning, go check it out and read the excerpt for Demon Night, which comes out February 5th! If you hate demons ::looks at Bev:: go check it out. If you are over paranormal… really Go. Check. It. Out. [on Feb 5th when you get Demon Night, pick up The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne and If His Kiss Is Wicked by Jo Goodman too so if you don't agree you have some historicals to fall back on. And do come tell us if you do/don't like it!]

There are a few books that if I could put them in every readers hands and have them read them I would (see above) Meljean Brook is one of them. Try it, you can thank me later .

**Lawson’s Review of Demon Night**

Demon Night by Meljean Brook

**February 5, 2008**

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. It’s 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, 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. But will it be enough to save Charlie when the demon night falls?

Next up from Meljean! A paranormal cowboy romance… ’tis enough to bring tears to my eyes I tell ya. WoOT! Now lets just hope she gets it in under 100000 pages. 

Chapter One

“So this cowboy walks into a bar…”

To Charlie Newcomb’s relief, a chorus of male groans drowned out the rest and her automatic please God, kill me now response died after please God. There were days she’d rather stab a cocktail umbrella through her eardrum than hear another “walked into a bar” joke.

Thanks to the group of bachelors roosting at the end of her counter in Cole’s Hard Time Bar and Grill, this had just become one of those days.

“No, wait. Wait!” Her tormentor’s voice was abnormally loud, but Charlie knew it wasn’t just the drink. He’d been obnoxious before she’d set the first reduced-calorie beer in front of him. “It’s a good one.”

“Stevens, you dumbshit, there’s no such thing as a good one,” someone said as Charlie began unloading the small dishwasher beneath the bar, and she felt an instant of hope. A possible ally existed among the assholes. “Yo, bartender lady!”

wanna read more….