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Dark Gothic
His Dark Kiss
Rumors of madness and murder lurk within the crumbling walls of isolated Manorbrier Castle. But Emma Parrish is not easily put off. She accepts a position no one else dares, as governess to the son of Lord Anthony Craven, the castle’s dark master. Her presence stirs up shadows and threat. She feels unseen eyes watching her. Eerie laughter haunts her. And the seductive pull of Anthony Craven lures her.
The mystery of Anthony Craven’s shadowy past lurk behind the locked doors of the estate’s forbidden Round Tower. Mysterious lights flash there in the night. The servants whisper warnings of death. And Anthony himself warns Emma that there is only danger to be found in his sensual embrace.
Powerfully drawn to the dangerously alluring Anthony, Emma finds herself unable to deny her deepest yearnings. But even as she succumbs to the master of Manorbrier, she is touched by the whisper of evil that rises from the secrets of his past.
"…deliciously gothic…"—Booklist
Read all Eve's gothic romances!
DARK DESIRES
HIS DARK KISS
DARK PRINCE
HIS WICKED SINS
SEDUCED BY A STRANGER
**re-release: originally released in 2006**
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2006
769 people are currently reading
1681 people want to read
About the author
Eve Silver
38 books1,568 followersNational bestselling author Eve Silver has been praised for her "edgy, steamy, action-packed" books, darkly sexy heroes and take-charge heroines. Her work won the OLA Forest of Reading White Pine Award 2015, was shortlisted for the Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy 2014, was listed as a 2013 American Bookseller's Association Best Book for Children and a Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens. She has garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Quill and Quire, two RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Awards, Library Journal's Best Genre Fiction Award, and she was nominated for the Romance Writers of America® RITA® Award.
Eve lives with her husband and two exuberant border collie/Australian shepherds.
Contact Eve through her website at http://www.evesilver.net
Eve lives with her husband and two exuberant border collie/Australian shepherds.
Contact Eve through her website at http://www.evesilver.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
June 23, 2017
This book is fine, it's more me than it. I just can't like a book where the heroine is so easily spooked by everything. It's the 1800's and all, but this chick is really too sheltered for me to read about. I finished the book and kept waiting for a more nefarious ending. I did like that the whodunit was equally casting suspicion on all.
There's insta-lust in this too. Maybe it's because the male mc is the first young & hot guy she's ever seen, but it felt odd that the sheltered & innocent girl is all the sudden panting over the male mc after knowing him seconds and hearing rumors he's a murderer. I bet she'd be one of those chicks that wrote to guys in prison. For a significant part of the book she's wondering about the male mc and if he's bad, but still panting over his body. Ridiculous.
The first book in this series was better.
There's insta-lust in this too. Maybe it's because the male mc is the first young & hot guy she's ever seen, but it felt odd that the sheltered & innocent girl is all the sudden panting over the male mc after knowing him seconds and hearing rumors he's a murderer. I bet she'd be one of those chicks that wrote to guys in prison. For a significant part of the book she's wondering about the male mc and if he's bad, but still panting over his body. Ridiculous.
The first book in this series was better.
February 14, 2018
Buddy read with Celestine in January!
REVIEW
I was looking forward to reading this because I enjoyed the first book in the series, Dark Desires. For the first few pages everything was fine, as the author established a gothic atmosphere, but as soon as the hero entered the picture, I knew I wasn't going to like it.
You see, Lord Anthony suffers from a condition that affects many gothic heroes. He's overly dramatic and Superdark™ He's all like "I'M SO DARK AND YOU SHOULDN'T LOVE ME AND BTW LOOK AT ALL THIS DEATH." He shows interest in the heroine while warning her away, and after several scenes like that, it becomes really tedious.
*rolls eyes*
Gothic heroes always disparage themselves in a sexy voice.
Relax, dude.
He also sucks in that even though he used to be a skilled doctor, he now refuses to help someone in danger because he'll definitely kill her. Even though the person has no other options. Like, okay? I guess it's better she die on her own than because he attempted to help her? Lord Anthony is so childish in this regard. UGH.
There's also a mysterious tower in this book (duh). And of course NO ONE will talk about what Lord Anthony does in this tower. The response to any inquiry about the tower?
DEATH.
"What's in the tower?"
"DEATH."
"What does he do up there?"
"Deals in DEATH."
"What does it smell like?"
"DEATH."
Like half this book could have been cut out if only the characters hadn't tried so hard to keep the tower mysterious. It was so dumb. There was no reason for this, and Emma's fear of it wouldn't have been an issue if Anthony took the time to explain. But no, he is a gothic hero, and so he must keep secrets.
The romance was forced, and I never once believed in it. Emma is the governess, so obviously Anthony's attention toward her is inappropriate. But this issue is mostly just brushed aside, even though a relationship between a governess and a lord of the manor is not the done thing. She's attracted to him, and they share a few words, and suddenly he's randomly caressing her face during conversations. While warning her away. His behavior just sucks.
Most of my enjoyment of this mostly came from making fun of it. But I thought the gothic atmosphere was well-done, which is why this gets an extra star.
REVIEW
I was looking forward to reading this because I enjoyed the first book in the series, Dark Desires. For the first few pages everything was fine, as the author established a gothic atmosphere, but as soon as the hero entered the picture, I knew I wasn't going to like it.
You see, Lord Anthony suffers from a condition that affects many gothic heroes. He's overly dramatic and Superdark™ He's all like "I'M SO DARK AND YOU SHOULDN'T LOVE ME AND BTW LOOK AT ALL THIS DEATH." He shows interest in the heroine while warning her away, and after several scenes like that, it becomes really tedious.
"Will you flee with the morning light, Miss Parrish? Run from this place?" He cocked a brow. "From me?"
*rolls eyes*
"I am not kind, Miss Parrish. Never mistake me for a man who is kind." Lord Anthony's voice was a whisper, the tone caressing her, though the words made her shiver.
Gothic heroes always disparage themselves in a sexy voice.
"I must offer my heart on a platter, offer it to be shredded, betrayed." He looked back at her, watching her, eyes narrowed and unblinking. "That I will not do a second time."
Relax, dude.
He also sucks in that even though he used to be a skilled doctor, he now refuses to help someone in danger because he'll definitely kill her. Even though the person has no other options. Like, okay? I guess it's better she die on her own than because he attempted to help her? Lord Anthony is so childish in this regard. UGH.
There's also a mysterious tower in this book (duh). And of course NO ONE will talk about what Lord Anthony does in this tower. The response to any inquiry about the tower?
DEATH.
"What's in the tower?"
"DEATH."
"What does he do up there?"
"Deals in DEATH."
"What does it smell like?"
"DEATH."
Like half this book could have been cut out if only the characters hadn't tried so hard to keep the tower mysterious. It was so dumb. There was no reason for this, and Emma's fear of it wouldn't have been an issue if Anthony took the time to explain. But no, he is a gothic hero, and so he must keep secrets.
The romance was forced, and I never once believed in it. Emma is the governess, so obviously Anthony's attention toward her is inappropriate. But this issue is mostly just brushed aside, even though a relationship between a governess and a lord of the manor is not the done thing. She's attracted to him, and they share a few words, and suddenly he's randomly caressing her face during conversations. While warning her away. His behavior just sucks.
Most of my enjoyment of this mostly came from making fun of it. But I thought the gothic atmosphere was well-done, which is why this gets an extra star.
January 10, 2014
I loved this author's two post-apocalyptic/urban fantasy books as Eve Kenin, so I figured I'd give one of her Gothic romances a try. I think Gothic romance is not for me. It's too overwrought and inner thought-laden. There's insta-love as well with no real chemistry that I felt for a long time.
I didn't love the hero. Lord Anthony was too secretive so it seemed like he was trying to give the impression that he was sinister. Emma overcomes her initial reaction (the only reaction a sane person could come to) and falls head over heels for him. I could see that later on, but it just didn't work for me when it happened in the story.
It's well written for what it is, but, as I say, it's really the Gothic elements that I don't actually like. So I guess I'm not going to continue with this series. Someone who likes Gothic romance might really love it, so that's why I'm not giving it a bad rating. I appreciate her writing, I just don't love this genre.
I didn't love the hero. Lord Anthony was too secretive so it seemed like he was trying to give the impression that he was sinister. Emma overcomes her initial reaction (the only reaction a sane person could come to) and falls head over heels for him. I could see that later on, but it just didn't work for me when it happened in the story.
It's well written for what it is, but, as I say, it's really the Gothic elements that I don't actually like. So I guess I'm not going to continue with this series. Someone who likes Gothic romance might really love it, so that's why I'm not giving it a bad rating. I appreciate her writing, I just don't love this genre.
October 23, 2025
REVIEW
Rating: 3/5
POV: 3rd; single (FMC)
Tropes: Class Difference; Single Father/Nanny; Gothic HR; Suspense HR;
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Kinks: N/A
Likes:
* Even though the FMC deserves a stay in horny jail I still enjoyed her character. She had bad hearing but I felt like she was still pretty astute.
* The MMC's son, Nicky, 6 years old and the sweetest little boy ever. This is when I don't mind that a child has a big part in a love story lol
Dislikes:
* The instalust took away from the romance. The romance never moved past surface level
Conclusion:
This book gave me all the gothic mystery feels that I've been looking for. You get people getting pushed down stairs, dead bodies being lugged into a tower, only 1 candle to see your way, an extra bonus of a human head in a pickle jar, and more. :D lol
What actually made this story not a perfect gothic was the romance! As I said above it was very surface level. There was instalust and it didn't quite move past that phase until when the MC's are of course declaring their love. So you get a little whiplash since there wasn't much relationship building.
I'll definitely continue to read Eve Silver's gothics. Overall I have been enjoying them even if I just read them once.
Thank you for buddy reading with me Lori and taking part in my gothtober reading :D
3/5
Rating: 3/5
POV: 3rd; single (FMC)
Tropes: Class Difference; Single Father/Nanny; Gothic HR; Suspense HR;
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Kinks: N/A
Likes:
* Even though the FMC deserves a stay in horny jail I still enjoyed her character. She had bad hearing but I felt like she was still pretty astute.
* The MMC's son, Nicky, 6 years old and the sweetest little boy ever. This is when I don't mind that a child has a big part in a love story lol
Dislikes:
* The instalust took away from the romance. The romance never moved past surface level
Conclusion:
This book gave me all the gothic mystery feels that I've been looking for. You get people getting pushed down stairs, dead bodies being lugged into a tower, only 1 candle to see your way, an extra bonus of a human head in a pickle jar, and more. :D lol
What actually made this story not a perfect gothic was the romance! As I said above it was very surface level. There was instalust and it didn't quite move past that phase until when the MC's are of course declaring their love. So you get a little whiplash since there wasn't much relationship building.
I'll definitely continue to read Eve Silver's gothics. Overall I have been enjoying them even if I just read them once.
Thank you for buddy reading with me Lori and taking part in my gothtober reading :D
3/5
January 29, 2018
See comments on the feed with buddy read with Heather.
September 11, 2025
Eerily simpler to book 1.
August 21, 2019
His Dark Kiss
4 Stars
The Jane Eyre-like overtones in this book are striking. Similar to Jane, Emma Parrish is a young, unloved orphan who travels to the wilds of Wales to take up the position of governess to a small motherless boy. She becomes caught up in the mysteries of the dilapidated castle and its enigmatic yet seductive master, Lord Anthony Craven.
A wonderfully atmospheric gothic romance highly recommended for lovers of Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece.
Although not as amoral as Edward Rochester, Anthony Craven is the epitome of the dark, moody and arrogant Byronic hero. The sexual chemistry he shares with Emma is palpable and their scenes together are intimate and intense.
Emma is endearing and her love for Craven's sweet son, Nicholas, is heartwarming. The main problem is her skittish nature and tendency to faint at the slightest provocation. My preference is for heroines with more backbone.
The mystery is intriguing with a very well written red-herring and a surprising twist at the end. The identity of the culprit caught me completely by surprise.
All in all, a quick and engaging romance.
4 Stars
The Jane Eyre-like overtones in this book are striking. Similar to Jane, Emma Parrish is a young, unloved orphan who travels to the wilds of Wales to take up the position of governess to a small motherless boy. She becomes caught up in the mysteries of the dilapidated castle and its enigmatic yet seductive master, Lord Anthony Craven.
A wonderfully atmospheric gothic romance highly recommended for lovers of Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece.
Although not as amoral as Edward Rochester, Anthony Craven is the epitome of the dark, moody and arrogant Byronic hero. The sexual chemistry he shares with Emma is palpable and their scenes together are intimate and intense.
Emma is endearing and her love for Craven's sweet son, Nicholas, is heartwarming. The main problem is her skittish nature and tendency to faint at the slightest provocation. My preference is for heroines with more backbone.
The mystery is intriguing with a very well written red-herring and a surprising twist at the end. The identity of the culprit caught me completely by surprise.
All in all, a quick and engaging romance.
February 1, 2022
Re-read, still 3 stars, not good enough
Too much dark and macabre for me. Really gothic, macabre read.
The heroine wasn't strong enough.
I skipped a lot.
Safe read
I liked much more the first book from this series.
Too much dark and macabre for me. Really gothic, macabre read.
The heroine wasn't strong enough.
I skipped a lot.
Safe read
I liked much more the first book from this series.
October 22, 2015
Eve Silver is becoming a star in the gothic romance arena. "His Dark Kiss" is a perfect novel that channels a classic- "Jane Eyre". This dark story is seductive, mysterious and everything in between. All that it was missing was the typical, dark and stormy night approach. (No clichés here!)
Fans of sexually charged scenes, suspense and of course mystery will enjoy this gothic tale.
Fans of sexually charged scenes, suspense and of course mystery will enjoy this gothic tale.
July 18, 2018
Emma Parrish can best be described as an incontinent balloon, as evident by the author’s incessant use of the phrase “escaped her” when referring to Emma’s respiration-heavy communications. But don’t take my word for it! Here are some selections from a span of 32 pages:
“She could not stop the soft cry of denial that escaped her as he pulled away.” pg 114
“A sharp hiss of air escaped her.” pg 118
A choked sound of dismay escaped her” pg 122
“A rush of air escaped her.” pg 123
“A choked sound escaped her.” pg 124
“A laugh escaped her.” pg 137
“A low moan of distress escaped her.” pg 143
“The words escaped her on a breathy gasp” pg 146
Someone get this woman some Mighty Putty--she’s got a hole, and I have a feeling Lord Anthony’s “hard ridge” isn’t going to fill this one.
Just for fun, let’s list all 21 things that escape Emma over the course of His Dark Kiss:
Long, slow breath
Single drop [of tears]
Soft sound of frustration
Soft cry of denial
Sharp hiss of air
Choked sound of dismay
Rush of air
Choked sound [unclear if also of dismay]
A laugh
Low moan of distress
Words
Soft cry [no denial specified here]
Squeak of dismay
Murmur of protest
A low sound
Soft sound of distress
A gasp
Sigh of relief
Soft sound of denial
An involuntary sound [isn’t this redundant?]
A tear
I kind of wonder if Eve Silver has a set of those sexy dice, but instead of “kiss neck” they combine one adjective and a sound.
I’d like to point out that the Kindle edition I had of His Dark Kiss was a mere 316 pages. With that in mind, here are some more word counts:
Whisper - 118
Breath - 117
Hard - 77
Soft - 55
Gasp - 46
Cried - 38
So, to put this into perspective, this means that every two and a half pages, you will encounter the words “whisper” and “breath.”
While we’re on the subject of diction, I really hate it when authors use the phrase “her feminine core” or “the core of her femininity” because they are inevitably conflating femininity with sexual desire. It just doesn’t make sense, and it’s cliched. I don’t know about you, but my vagina does not make me feminine, nor does my femininity give me a lady boner.
I’m not even going to get started about how stupid the overall plot is. Dark Desires was overall somewhat silly yet mostly enjoyable, but His Dark Kiss is significantly more stupid. The author basically rehashed the same plot from the first installment and didn’t even bother changing the love interest’s profession to pretend this wasn’t a copy/paste job. We have doctor types, innocent females trapped by their socioeconomic status, secret rooms with dead bodies delivered by mysterious men, etc etc. All in all, if you’re looking for a poorly written Gothic romance, read Dark Desires instead. If you’re sexually aroused by asthmatic ingenues, pick up His Dark Kiss and have your inhaler ready.
“She could not stop the soft cry of denial that escaped her as he pulled away.” pg 114
“A sharp hiss of air escaped her.” pg 118
A choked sound of dismay escaped her” pg 122
“A rush of air escaped her.” pg 123
“A choked sound escaped her.” pg 124
“A laugh escaped her.” pg 137
“A low moan of distress escaped her.” pg 143
“The words escaped her on a breathy gasp” pg 146
Someone get this woman some Mighty Putty--she’s got a hole, and I have a feeling Lord Anthony’s “hard ridge” isn’t going to fill this one.
Just for fun, let’s list all 21 things that escape Emma over the course of His Dark Kiss:
Long, slow breath
Single drop [of tears]
Soft sound of frustration
Soft cry of denial
Sharp hiss of air
Choked sound of dismay
Rush of air
Choked sound [unclear if also of dismay]
A laugh
Low moan of distress
Words
Soft cry [no denial specified here]
Squeak of dismay
Murmur of protest
A low sound
Soft sound of distress
A gasp
Sigh of relief
Soft sound of denial
An involuntary sound [isn’t this redundant?]
A tear
I kind of wonder if Eve Silver has a set of those sexy dice, but instead of “kiss neck” they combine one adjective and a sound.
I’d like to point out that the Kindle edition I had of His Dark Kiss was a mere 316 pages. With that in mind, here are some more word counts:
Whisper - 118
Breath - 117
Hard - 77
Soft - 55
Gasp - 46
Cried - 38
So, to put this into perspective, this means that every two and a half pages, you will encounter the words “whisper” and “breath.”
While we’re on the subject of diction, I really hate it when authors use the phrase “her feminine core” or “the core of her femininity” because they are inevitably conflating femininity with sexual desire. It just doesn’t make sense, and it’s cliched. I don’t know about you, but my vagina does not make me feminine, nor does my femininity give me a lady boner.
I’m not even going to get started about how stupid the overall plot is. Dark Desires was overall somewhat silly yet mostly enjoyable, but His Dark Kiss is significantly more stupid. The author basically rehashed the same plot from the first installment and didn’t even bother changing the love interest’s profession to pretend this wasn’t a copy/paste job. We have doctor types, innocent females trapped by their socioeconomic status, secret rooms with dead bodies delivered by mysterious men, etc etc. All in all, if you’re looking for a poorly written Gothic romance, read Dark Desires instead. If you’re sexually aroused by asthmatic ingenues, pick up His Dark Kiss and have your inhaler ready.
April 5, 2016
This story didn't work for me. Although Eve Silver's writing is lovely and draws me in, there are certain aspects of this story I could not get on board with and lead to me skimming over large sections of the book. Let's start by saying that I adore gothic romance and His Dark Kiss has many wonderful gothic romance elements.
There were two main issues I had with this story and I'll try to cover them without giving away the story:
(1) Once I learned the 'big secret' about the tower, it seemed completely against Anthony's character to have guarded the secret when he knew it could lead to Emma's death. One of the difficult aspects of gothic romance is keeping the dark hero shrouded in mystery. But his actions still need to be true to his character and I don't think he would have risked Emma's life after what happened with two curious governesses before her. That simply felt wrong and off.
(2) I really despise it when the H/h don't talk openly about an issue in the heat of the moment and it feels like the author only avoided the conversation to make the story longer. Grrrrrr..... I'm sorry, but there better be a valid, plausible reason why irrational behavior occurs. And, IMHO, there were too many times where there was a lack of immediate confrontration that didn't make sense to me. When the author does that, I skim the subsequent pages because it's boring filler about the H/h coming to the conclusion that they have to confront the other.
I did read the story to the end, and the final twist was really great and unexpected. It's sad that the author lost me in the middle of the story and I was pulled out of it because the character's actions just didn't make sense to me. Also, I think I would have enjoyed the story more from the beginning if the hero's 'wound' had been revealed earlier in the story. If the hero truly believes his actions led to some horrific deed, then I want to know it from the beginning. There was a lot of 'conjecture' on whether the hero was truly dark or not. In gothic romance, I like it when my hero believes he is sinister from the get go - even if we conclude by the end that he is not.
Now, with all that being said, I will keep giving Eve Silver a try, because she nailed it with Dark Prince and her writing is beautiful.
There were two main issues I had with this story and I'll try to cover them without giving away the story:
(1) Once I learned the 'big secret' about the tower, it seemed completely against Anthony's character to have guarded the secret when he knew it could lead to Emma's death. One of the difficult aspects of gothic romance is keeping the dark hero shrouded in mystery. But his actions still need to be true to his character and I don't think he would have risked Emma's life after what happened with two curious governesses before her. That simply felt wrong and off.
(2) I really despise it when the H/h don't talk openly about an issue in the heat of the moment and it feels like the author only avoided the conversation to make the story longer. Grrrrrr..... I'm sorry, but there better be a valid, plausible reason why irrational behavior occurs. And, IMHO, there were too many times where there was a lack of immediate confrontration that didn't make sense to me. When the author does that, I skim the subsequent pages because it's boring filler about the H/h coming to the conclusion that they have to confront the other.
I did read the story to the end, and the final twist was really great and unexpected. It's sad that the author lost me in the middle of the story and I was pulled out of it because the character's actions just didn't make sense to me. Also, I think I would have enjoyed the story more from the beginning if the hero's 'wound' had been revealed earlier in the story. If the hero truly believes his actions led to some horrific deed, then I want to know it from the beginning. There was a lot of 'conjecture' on whether the hero was truly dark or not. In gothic romance, I like it when my hero believes he is sinister from the get go - even if we conclude by the end that he is not.
Now, with all that being said, I will keep giving Eve Silver a try, because she nailed it with Dark Prince and her writing is beautiful.
December 5, 2015
One of my first Gothic romances. I may have read others but was unaware if they were of the Gothic genre. This one I have no doubt about. Being new to the genre, I am skeptical on giving this a 5 star rating because I have little to compare it to. So I guess my reason for 1 less star is that there is not enough sex scenes to my liking. I also felt the love making scenes could have been more elaborate.
I felt the story was good and left me hanging on the edge of my seat. The characters were well developed and likable in their own peculiar way.
I love stories of tomented heros, and that I certainly got here. The heroine was also tomented, but not nearly as much as the H.
The POV is seen through the eyes of the h (Emma) and you never see inside the H's (Anthony) head. This works well here because not knowing his thoughts adds to the mystery and suspense.
Emma is likable, not at all weak or whinny but she does have some faults attributed to her past which prevent her from taking certain actions. Nevertheless, all that she does, as well as all the other characters, are reasonable and justifyable.
The romance has a nice steady build up as the two main characters slowly begin to trust one another..yes there is that first sight butterfly feelings and warm tingles but these do not come across as love at first sight, but as attraction.
++A bit of a Spoiler+++
The romantic tension is strong, and I was happy to see a HEA and ILY's at the end. I have put other books by this author on my Amazon wish list and plan to read them in the future.
I felt the story was good and left me hanging on the edge of my seat. The characters were well developed and likable in their own peculiar way.
I love stories of tomented heros, and that I certainly got here. The heroine was also tomented, but not nearly as much as the H.
The POV is seen through the eyes of the h (Emma) and you never see inside the H's (Anthony) head. This works well here because not knowing his thoughts adds to the mystery and suspense.
Emma is likable, not at all weak or whinny but she does have some faults attributed to her past which prevent her from taking certain actions. Nevertheless, all that she does, as well as all the other characters, are reasonable and justifyable.
The romance has a nice steady build up as the two main characters slowly begin to trust one another..yes there is that first sight butterfly feelings and warm tingles but these do not come across as love at first sight, but as attraction.
++A bit of a Spoiler+++
The romantic tension is strong, and I was happy to see a HEA and ILY's at the end. I have put other books by this author on my Amazon wish list and plan to read them in the future.
December 12, 2016
I had a hard time rating this one. While I read it within two days and enjoyed it, mostly, I was also let down. I might rate it a 3.5? I love Eve Silver's books, and this one sounded SO intriguing, and parts of it were, but I struggled with it, too. The intrigue was there, the beautiful prose and dynamic characters. It definitely had a Beauty and the Beast feel to it without being a replica of the fairytale. I definitely wanted answers that I was willing to read the story all day long for, even if Emma's character fell short for me.
My issues with this book was how repetitive Emma's internal dialogue was. Her lust was so over the top and so often referenced from the very beginning, it was too much. I found myself skimming over it most of the time. I got that Anthony's muscled thighs and broad shoulders and his green and gold eyes and white teeth turned her on, but I feel like subtly in this story would've gone a lot further in my book. I did love Anthony's character, and there were questions that kept me gripped from the beginning. I enjoyed parts of Emma's character, and she did seem to be intelligent and not simply making decisions convenient for the storyline, which was refreshing. But again, the repetitiveness of her lust for him and her constant weeping... I half expected her to be under some spell it was so over the top for me. While I would read other Silver books over again, this one probably wouldn't be one of them.
My issues with this book was how repetitive Emma's internal dialogue was. Her lust was so over the top and so often referenced from the very beginning, it was too much. I found myself skimming over it most of the time. I got that Anthony's muscled thighs and broad shoulders and his green and gold eyes and white teeth turned her on, but I feel like subtly in this story would've gone a lot further in my book. I did love Anthony's character, and there were questions that kept me gripped from the beginning. I enjoyed parts of Emma's character, and she did seem to be intelligent and not simply making decisions convenient for the storyline, which was refreshing. But again, the repetitiveness of her lust for him and her constant weeping... I half expected her to be under some spell it was so over the top for me. While I would read other Silver books over again, this one probably wouldn't be one of them.
June 2, 2015
I absolutely LOVE this book! It's a historical romantic suspense that grips me every time I read it (have read it numerous times). Emma Parish is a shy poor woman with no prospects. When the position of governess appears, she jumps at the chance to escape her aunts (who only see her as a burden).
Whispers of death surround Emma but she's determined to be the best governess to young Nicky. Strange occurrences and rumors of Lord Craven being a murderer surround Emma. She's attracted to the man who is rumored to have murdered her own kin. It's madness and yet Emma melts whenever Lord Craven is near.
To say this book is seductive is an understatement. Filled with twists and turns, I was drawn into Emma's world and swooned at the mere sight of Lord Craven. I highly recommend this book!
5+ stars
Whispers of death surround Emma but she's determined to be the best governess to young Nicky. Strange occurrences and rumors of Lord Craven being a murderer surround Emma. She's attracted to the man who is rumored to have murdered her own kin. It's madness and yet Emma melts whenever Lord Craven is near.
To say this book is seductive is an understatement. Filled with twists and turns, I was drawn into Emma's world and swooned at the mere sight of Lord Craven. I highly recommend this book!
5+ stars
October 27, 2019
Emma is a sheltered orphan who takes a job as a governess to a young boy. She is desperate to escape her aunts her plan to sell her to the highest bidder (they see her as less because she is illegitimate). Lord Anthony Craven is a doctor and also happens to be dark and broody (this is a gothic after all). It's rumored dark things happen in the tower and he is a murderer.
I really liked the gothic atmosphere, but the whole tower plot (there is death in the tower!) was so meh. A simple conversation regarding the tower and all question/conflict would have been fixed. I really, really wish there was more focus on the mystery, because that was a good plot-line. It could have been explored much more and wasn't because of the (dark) tower.
I also didn't quite get on board with the romance in this one. Emma was focused on the suspicions of possible murder, but look how attractive he is! Anthony was frustrating due to his woe-is-me attitude. Yes, you lost a patient. That's sad, but you are a doctor and shit happens. Get over it please.
First book was better.
I really liked the gothic atmosphere, but the whole tower plot (there is death in the tower!) was so meh. A simple conversation regarding the tower and all question/conflict would have been fixed. I really, really wish there was more focus on the mystery, because that was a good plot-line. It could have been explored much more and wasn't because of the (dark) tower.
I also didn't quite get on board with the romance in this one. Emma was focused on the suspicions of possible murder, but look how attractive he is! Anthony was frustrating due to his woe-is-me attitude. Yes, you lost a patient. That's sad, but you are a doctor and shit happens. Get over it please.
First book was better.
April 10, 2019
See my review of #1 in the series.
Replace anatomist with diagnostician who specializes in the study of disease and other pathogens.
Replace sister with first wife.
Add in a charming son.
Add in the fact that the sinister activities are not only undertaken in the dead of night, but also at the top of a bonus sinister tower.
Add the caveat that this one is genuinely three stars (as opposed to rounding up) as the pacing is actually somewhat better in this one, as is the relationship development (it seems to rely somewhat less on straight-up attraction), and a less obvious villain.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
(Except that this one actually did work better; some of the suspicions are better justified, some are dealt with in a sensible fashion (contributing to the improved pacing of this), and it was more entertaining to me.)
Replace anatomist with diagnostician who specializes in the study of disease and other pathogens.
Replace sister with first wife.
Add in a charming son.
Add in the fact that the sinister activities are not only undertaken in the dead of night, but also at the top of a bonus sinister tower.
Add the caveat that this one is genuinely three stars (as opposed to rounding up) as the pacing is actually somewhat better in this one, as is the relationship development (it seems to rely somewhat less on straight-up attraction), and a less obvious villain.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
(Except that this one actually did work better; some of the suspicions are better justified, some are dealt with in a sensible fashion (contributing to the improved pacing of this), and it was more entertaining to me.)
August 24, 2018
3.5*** book. I really enjoyed this one. It's more Gothic light, than Gothic Romance. Both H and H
are tortured souls, the hero lives on a large estate with a creepy tower that no one is allowed in but him. I guess what I liked most about this book was Emma. She's caring, to the point and not annoyingly dumb.
I will continue to read the rest of the books in this series. Plus I think this was a freebie book or .99 cents. I didn't realize that it was originally released in 2006 when I got it. The rebranding of the new covers is a huge step up from the old ones.
are tortured souls, the hero lives on a large estate with a creepy tower that no one is allowed in but him. I guess what I liked most about this book was Emma. She's caring, to the point and not annoyingly dumb.
I will continue to read the rest of the books in this series. Plus I think this was a freebie book or .99 cents. I didn't realize that it was originally released in 2006 when I got it. The rebranding of the new covers is a huge step up from the old ones.
May 30, 2014
This is my second read -- I recall the terror of the Round Tower.
This is really a great story, and the ending is terribly bloody and surprising.
I love Lord Anthony Craven, his son Nicholas, and Emma hired by Lord Anthony to be his son's governess.
Emma arrives on a rainy night, perfect for the beginning spookiness. She meets Lord Anthony, and that meeting awakens such sinful feeling within her. However, there is a strong romance here and the author builds it beautifully while keeping the reader on the edge of their seat for the suspense.
Lord Anthony is rumoured to be an unethical doctor, and a murderer, but when Emma sees Anthony and Nicholas together she realises there must be something more than just flimsy rumour. Even so, her beliefs are stretched to the breaking limit, but love is stronger than doubt, and that is what Emma must hold onto in order to forgive Lord Anthony his dark past.
This is really a great story, and the ending is terribly bloody and surprising.
I love Lord Anthony Craven, his son Nicholas, and Emma hired by Lord Anthony to be his son's governess.
Emma arrives on a rainy night, perfect for the beginning spookiness. She meets Lord Anthony, and that meeting awakens such sinful feeling within her. However, there is a strong romance here and the author builds it beautifully while keeping the reader on the edge of their seat for the suspense.
Lord Anthony is rumoured to be an unethical doctor, and a murderer, but when Emma sees Anthony and Nicholas together she realises there must be something more than just flimsy rumour. Even so, her beliefs are stretched to the breaking limit, but love is stronger than doubt, and that is what Emma must hold onto in order to forgive Lord Anthony his dark past.
July 12, 2010
Atmospheric castle in Wales, mysterious voices, peril in the night, sexy haunted hero, brave and giving heroine. What isn't there to like? An engrossing gothic, almost a cross between Jane Eyre and Rebecca. Great characters, good storyline with just enough sexual tension between the leads. There were a few times when the hero wouldn't necessarily lie, but would often hold back some of the facts. I found this a bit maddening and also his 'poor me' attitude. Aside from this, a great way to spend a few reading hours, would recommend.
August 30, 2025
Emma Parrish accepts a position as governess, to the son of Lord Anthony Craven, at Manorbrier Castle. Lord Anthony was married to a cousin of Emma's. There is the mystery of her cousin's death and rumors that Lord Anthony may have murdered her and then there are the strange occurances happening at the castle. I have enjoyed Eve Silver's Gothic style romances but this one wasn't up to par with the others I've read.
April 8, 2020
I've read a few by this author before so I knew what to expect. So my rating is low, because there was no attempt to stretch, it was just the same characters regurgitated. A shame because the author writes well, and can create suspense. Unfortunately I found myself skipping pages very quickly, so this is likely to be my last Gothic purchase.
December 29, 2019
I enjoyed the book, however, it was very similar to the first one, so I didn't like it as much as I could have, had this been a one-off. I really hope that not every book in this series is of the "is the man I'm in love with a murderer or not?!" variety, because boy, you can do so much more with that gothic premise...
November 5, 2017
3.5 STARS
I enjoyed this installment but missed the forensic aspect that was prevalent in the first installment. This time period is fascinating, and I wanted more focus on the Dr's research. Overall, it was a good read, and I look forward to reading the third book of the series.
I enjoyed this installment but missed the forensic aspect that was prevalent in the first installment. This time period is fascinating, and I wanted more focus on the Dr's research. Overall, it was a good read, and I look forward to reading the third book of the series.
September 14, 2018
This one I did not enjoy as much - not as well written as the first in the series with the main characters too caught up in the lust of the moment to make me care about either of them. I thought it reduced the book to a poor parody of a Dark Gothic.
January 5, 2019
It’s a shame. Great story, strong writing but the writer let her words lead. I skipped large chunks that didn’t add to the plot. Make every sentence count.
April 29, 2024
A quick, easy, light romance read.
Compared to the first book I read in this series, I felt the author tried too much to play up the "gothicness" of the setting, rather than dig into character development or expanding on the plot.
Compared to the first book I read in this series, I felt the author tried too much to play up the "gothicness" of the setting, rather than dig into character development or expanding on the plot.
September 5, 2024
I didn’t have high hopes for this book but man I couldn’t put it down and the haunting and twist and turns kept me from putting it down!!
December 18, 2018
I enjoyed this, and really liked the characters. I like Gothic style romances.
September 22, 2024
Hm. I enjoyed the romance aspects of this story but it all felt slightly disjointed. I think we needed more insight on Delia's story and Emma's history. It also seems strange to me that after finding out Smythe was the father of his children, he was all fine and dandy with him also knocking up Meg, which was seemingly non consensual. I really think this could have benefited from being in first person as well. That said, I really enjoyed Anthony's character. So often characters of his nature rarely show humor or joy, but Anthony does both sprinkled into his brooding and I very much appropriated that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2017
well, I tried really hard to like this book, and while I didn't like it, I also didn't hate it either. it's probably one that I won't ever revisit.
things that were successful about this book:
1) the characters were actually really well written, each one with a distinct personality and voice.
2) The book actually kept me invested until the end, despite what I feel were it's many flaws.
3) Great back stories and a good attention to detail.
that being said there were a lot of issues with this book.
1) the main villain in the book was treated more as an after thought/filler than an actual plot device. We're introduced to a mysterious villain fairly early on in the book, but by the end not only had I guessed the identity, but they were treated more as an afterthought then a final reveal/showdown. I would have liked for this to be the main focus of the book with more clues, mystery, and even occurrences then just being mere filler.
2) the tower and its secrets were boring.
we're introduced to Lord Cravens tower and the fact that death lies in it right off the bat. For some reason this was treated as a huge secret when in reality it really shouldn't have been. anyone with half a brain will have the secrets uncovered long before Emma gets investigative about it. for the time period I guess I can see how it's a big to do, but as for a modern woman reading this book you'll be anything but intrigued. I found myself rolling my eyes at the passages and just wishing they'd get the reveal over with and back to the mysterious villain from the ice house.
3) the romance.
it may seem weird that since I'm reading a romance novel that I don't want a bunch of romance off the bat. I felt a lot of it was ingenuine, as Emma was already infatuated before she even has a proper face to face with this guy. the author does use a "few weeks pass" time gap to try and make it more believable, but I just didn't bite. the actual H/h deciding to give a relationship a try is actually in the last half of the book, but the whole thing just didn't make me feel mushy or anything and I actually skipped over most of those intimate passages because it felt untrue.
3) miscommunication
the whole book revolves around miscommunication or lack thereof. quite often things that were used as plot devices or added drama just ended up hindering my ability to sympathize with the H/h. I kept thinking "just talk already!" a good case in point is the dreaded tower. whole plot point, should have been a two page conversation at the very most. but also there were more serious things that happened that warranted immediate communication but was pushed off for two chapters because of "ego" whatever.
4) I hate the fact that Emma accuses his lordship of some horrible unspeakable act, then sits there and says she trusts him. sorry honey, that's not trust. trust is believing in someone even when everything says not to.
So while this isn't the worst book I've ever read, it's also far from good. it's also pretty light read that'll keep you away from boredom. I do recommend the first book in this series as that was a much better and successful read for me. I'll still read the other books in this series as well.
things that were successful about this book:
1) the characters were actually really well written, each one with a distinct personality and voice.
2) The book actually kept me invested until the end, despite what I feel were it's many flaws.
3) Great back stories and a good attention to detail.
that being said there were a lot of issues with this book.
1) the main villain in the book was treated more as an after thought/filler than an actual plot device. We're introduced to a mysterious villain fairly early on in the book, but by the end not only had I guessed the identity, but they were treated more as an afterthought then a final reveal/showdown. I would have liked for this to be the main focus of the book with more clues, mystery, and even occurrences then just being mere filler.
2) the tower and its secrets were boring.
we're introduced to Lord Cravens tower and the fact that death lies in it right off the bat. For some reason this was treated as a huge secret when in reality it really shouldn't have been. anyone with half a brain will have the secrets uncovered long before Emma gets investigative about it. for the time period I guess I can see how it's a big to do, but as for a modern woman reading this book you'll be anything but intrigued. I found myself rolling my eyes at the passages and just wishing they'd get the reveal over with and back to the mysterious villain from the ice house.
3) the romance.
it may seem weird that since I'm reading a romance novel that I don't want a bunch of romance off the bat. I felt a lot of it was ingenuine, as Emma was already infatuated before she even has a proper face to face with this guy. the author does use a "few weeks pass" time gap to try and make it more believable, but I just didn't bite. the actual H/h deciding to give a relationship a try is actually in the last half of the book, but the whole thing just didn't make me feel mushy or anything and I actually skipped over most of those intimate passages because it felt untrue.
3) miscommunication
the whole book revolves around miscommunication or lack thereof. quite often things that were used as plot devices or added drama just ended up hindering my ability to sympathize with the H/h. I kept thinking "just talk already!" a good case in point is the dreaded tower. whole plot point, should have been a two page conversation at the very most. but also there were more serious things that happened that warranted immediate communication but was pushed off for two chapters because of "ego" whatever.
4) I hate the fact that Emma accuses his lordship of some horrible unspeakable act, then sits there and says she trusts him. sorry honey, that's not trust. trust is believing in someone even when everything says not to.
So while this isn't the worst book I've ever read, it's also far from good. it's also pretty light read that'll keep you away from boredom. I do recommend the first book in this series as that was a much better and successful read for me. I'll still read the other books in this series as well.
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