What do you think?
Rate this book
Rainshadow #1
The Lost Night
Realizing she fits into neither the Harmonic Enlightenment community in which she was raised nor Harmony's mainstream parapsychology world, aura healer Rachel Blake heads for sanctuary on Rainshadow Island to reopen her bookstore and café and regain her balance. Then shadow-aura Harry Sebastian barges into her life. Namesake of his legendary pirate great-grandfather and scion of the family who owns most of the island, Harry is on a mission to see what's wrong in the island's mysterious, dangerous Preserve. Rachel's senses go on high alert, and she knows without a doubt that her life is about to change. Harry knows it, too, because Rachel holds the key to the mystery. Unfortunately, he's not the only one who knows. VERDICT Overflowing with sassy dialog, psychically charged sex, and unexpected plot twists, this story of missing memories, hidden identities, shadowy monsters, and psychic vampires takes fans on a spirited, surreal journey, skillfully wrapping up one story while setting the stage for future adventures. Another irresistible futuristic sparkler. Castle (Canyons of Night) lives in the Seattle area.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 2012
About the author
Jayne Castle
50 books2,208 followersThe author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 385 reviews
May 20, 2017
Let me tell you all a story about Jilly's wild youth as a hip vegetarian girl who lived in Los Angeles in the 80's/90's. The patchouli-wearing, blonde-dreadlocks, surfer-hippy dudes would always have some sort of gimmick to pick-up girls. It might have been that they handed you a friendship bracelet, or talked to you about an upcoming PETA demonstration, or tried to impress you with their Greenpeace membership. And, that was fine with me if he was cute enough, but the one guy who would annoy the crap out of me at parties was Mr. Aura Cleaner. It was always some dude in tie-dye who would step in front of you when you were trying to get to the bathroom or the keg and would tell you that he can see your aura and needs to clean it for you right now. Ugh! I remember one of these aura cleaners getting me stuck on a front porch with him while he waved his hand in front of my face and acted like he was picking bugs out of the air in front of me. He then handed me little pieces of crystals and proceeded to explain how they would help me in life. I knew what would really help me in life - another beer, a more interesting companion, or a cock-blocker to show up at that moment. Because getting away from an aura-cleaner was like trying to get away from the IRS or a toddler. It just doesn't happen. You can run but you can't hide.
And so that man is now my husband.
Naah, just kidding! I escaped aura-guy. That party. Unfortunately, there were always more. I had to wonder just how often the aura-cleaning worked with the ladies. Was this guy's giant sale's pitch really paying off, or did he end each night with a pocketful of crystals and a sore throat from all of his blathering?
Luckily, he believes in reincarnation. Maybe in his next life, he will be cool.
Anywho, why this history lesson? Well, our heroine in this book, Rachel, is just like aura-dude. She reads auras and was raised in a commune type of place where they learn special "principles" to live harmonious lives. This makes her better than everyone else, of course, and she makes sure to spout these principles and the fact that she is one of these special people at least every page. That's right, she's more annoying than a new vegan, a Mormon at your doorstep, or a mom with a kid selling gift wrap paper for school.
Some annoyances are timeless.
But, apart from that, this story was pretty entertaining. There is a special magic-land called the Preserve where something has gone wrong and if the Preserve melts-down, the whole island where they live can blow up. Harry was called in to investigate because some sort of magic rocks (again with the crystals) were stolen and he thinks that may be why the land is getting unstable. Rachel can also work with rocks and crystals, along with the aura thing (same old same old), so she is his number one suspect. And, his number one "person of interest" for luurve.
CSI voice: YEAHHHH...
Now, I know what you're thinking. You know that I complain about the terrible sex scenes in these books and called the last guy Quick-Draw for his inadequacies in this department. So, you are wondering if Harry is any better than Quick-Draw. Well, to answer your question, I will tell you the nickname that I have given to Harry - Minute-Man. That tells you all you need to know.
Uh, yeah. Yes it does, in these books.
On the positive side, these ladies are going to have a really good night's sleep every night. Everyone feels better after a great sleep. So..... there's that...
See? There's always a bright side.
And so that man is now my husband.
Naah, just kidding! I escaped aura-guy. That party. Unfortunately, there were always more. I had to wonder just how often the aura-cleaning worked with the ladies. Was this guy's giant sale's pitch really paying off, or did he end each night with a pocketful of crystals and a sore throat from all of his blathering?
Luckily, he believes in reincarnation. Maybe in his next life, he will be cool.
Anywho, why this history lesson? Well, our heroine in this book, Rachel, is just like aura-dude. She reads auras and was raised in a commune type of place where they learn special "principles" to live harmonious lives. This makes her better than everyone else, of course, and she makes sure to spout these principles and the fact that she is one of these special people at least every page. That's right, she's more annoying than a new vegan, a Mormon at your doorstep, or a mom with a kid selling gift wrap paper for school.
Some annoyances are timeless.
But, apart from that, this story was pretty entertaining. There is a special magic-land called the Preserve where something has gone wrong and if the Preserve melts-down, the whole island where they live can blow up. Harry was called in to investigate because some sort of magic rocks (again with the crystals) were stolen and he thinks that may be why the land is getting unstable. Rachel can also work with rocks and crystals, along with the aura thing (same old same old), so she is his number one suspect. And, his number one "person of interest" for luurve.
CSI voice: YEAHHHH...
Now, I know what you're thinking. You know that I complain about the terrible sex scenes in these books and called the last guy Quick-Draw for his inadequacies in this department. So, you are wondering if Harry is any better than Quick-Draw. Well, to answer your question, I will tell you the nickname that I have given to Harry - Minute-Man. That tells you all you need to know.
Uh, yeah. Yes it does, in these books.
On the positive side, these ladies are going to have a really good night's sleep every night. Everyone feels better after a great sleep. So..... there's that...
See? There's always a bright side.
December 12, 2016
The Lost Night is 2nd book in the Rainshadow Series and we go back to and takes us back to the isolated Rainshadow Island, and its inhabitants.
Harry Sebastian, descendant of one of the original settlers of Rainshadow Island, has been asked by his family to find out what is happening at the island's mysterious Preserve. He meets up with Rachel Bonner, whose psychic power is that of recognizing evil auras in people. She has settled on the island with her dustbunny...naturally.............and runs her great-aunt's quirky bookstore and cafe......but strange things have been happening to her lately....and the two now have to work together to finding out what is going on.
Nice amount of suspense, romance, with great secondary characters and lots of twists and turns.............
Jayne Castle's vivid world building is absolutely amazing. What I like about this series is that is part sci-fi, paranormal but the characters and the world is very relatable...it could be another Earth planet.
I really like this series.
Harry Sebastian, descendant of one of the original settlers of Rainshadow Island, has been asked by his family to find out what is happening at the island's mysterious Preserve. He meets up with Rachel Bonner, whose psychic power is that of recognizing evil auras in people. She has settled on the island with her dustbunny...naturally.............and runs her great-aunt's quirky bookstore and cafe......but strange things have been happening to her lately....and the two now have to work together to finding out what is going on.
Nice amount of suspense, romance, with great secondary characters and lots of twists and turns.............
Jayne Castle's vivid world building is absolutely amazing. What I like about this series is that is part sci-fi, paranormal but the characters and the world is very relatable...it could be another Earth planet.
I really like this series.
December 13, 2016
Don’t worry; legends always survive the truth.”
This was my first book by Jayne Castle and its a promising start to The Rainbow series. The author incorporates sci fi and futuristic elements without confusing the reader. It's easy to grasp the parascience involved if you have read about stories featuring psychics.
She constructs an intriguing world, similar to Earth but with its own unique charm. Darwina, the dust bunny steals the show in this one.
"False memories are worse than no memories.”
Rachel was a likeable female lead. She was strong, loyal, sorted and self aware. She was dealing with amnesia, 12 missing hours and I like it when the title actually links to the story.
Harry Sebastian was here to investigate unstable energy in the Preserve but the residents won't open up to an outsider. He was protective, logical and thorough.
Both of them had some cool psychic powers and they team up to solve the mystery and keep each other alive. Throw in some explosions, psychic mosters, hidden Alien secrets and you are in for an entertaining read.
Jayne Castle likes to pair up unconventional characters and they are mostly viewed as offbeat or edgy.
The story has an uncertain, eerie tone but you know your mcs will solve this one.
I tested the waters with this one and am eager to read more about Rainbow Island.
This was my first book by Jayne Castle and its a promising start to The Rainbow series. The author incorporates sci fi and futuristic elements without confusing the reader. It's easy to grasp the parascience involved if you have read about stories featuring psychics.
She constructs an intriguing world, similar to Earth but with its own unique charm. Darwina, the dust bunny steals the show in this one.
"False memories are worse than no memories.”
Rachel was a likeable female lead. She was strong, loyal, sorted and self aware. She was dealing with amnesia, 12 missing hours and I like it when the title actually links to the story.
Harry Sebastian was here to investigate unstable energy in the Preserve but the residents won't open up to an outsider. He was protective, logical and thorough.
Both of them had some cool psychic powers and they team up to solve the mystery and keep each other alive. Throw in some explosions, psychic mosters, hidden Alien secrets and you are in for an entertaining read.
Jayne Castle likes to pair up unconventional characters and they are mostly viewed as offbeat or edgy.
The story has an uncertain, eerie tone but you know your mcs will solve this one.
I tested the waters with this one and am eager to read more about Rainbow Island.
September 16, 2012
It was ok but I must admit I don't find it very memorable at all. It's still linked loosely with the Arcane series in that it's linked to Canyons of Night. I believe there's going to be another 2 books set in Rain-shadow, I hope they'll get more interesting because JAK is still one of my favorite authors.
October 6, 2012
FYI – This review is written by a huge Jayne Castle (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) fan. I have been reading her books for over 15 years now and I have no plans on stopping!
Rachel Blake has an unusual psychic talent as an aura healer, and an unusual childhood. After trying to fit in with the mainstream community and finding that it isn’t working for her, she moves to Rainshadow Island. There she reopen’s her Aunts bookstore and sells not only books she also sells her very own specially blended just for you teas. Soon she meets Harry Sebastian who has been to Rainshadow Island to check on the unusual paranormal activity happening in the Preserve, his family’s private woods.
Harry is drawn to Rachel and thinks she might be the key in helping find out what is going on at the Preserve. After all, she is the only person who has ever gone missing in the Preserve and lived even though she doesn’t remember it.
Big surprise – I loved The Lost Night. I always feel like Jayne Castle’s characters are people I wish I knew in real life. They have such personalities and interesting psychic abilities. Then we have the dust bunnies. I want one so bad!! Darwina always seem to steal the show in whatever scene she was in. The plot didn’t have any big surprises in it but it was a nice mystery/romance. All in all it is a book I can see myself rereading and enjoying again.
The Lost Night is the first book the Rainshadow series, a spinoff of the Harmony series. It can be read as a standalone. This is an adult paranormal romance with a suspenseful mystery set in a futuristic world.
Rachel Blake has an unusual psychic talent as an aura healer, and an unusual childhood. After trying to fit in with the mainstream community and finding that it isn’t working for her, she moves to Rainshadow Island. There she reopen’s her Aunts bookstore and sells not only books she also sells her very own specially blended just for you teas. Soon she meets Harry Sebastian who has been to Rainshadow Island to check on the unusual paranormal activity happening in the Preserve, his family’s private woods.
Harry is drawn to Rachel and thinks she might be the key in helping find out what is going on at the Preserve. After all, she is the only person who has ever gone missing in the Preserve and lived even though she doesn’t remember it.
Big surprise – I loved The Lost Night. I always feel like Jayne Castle’s characters are people I wish I knew in real life. They have such personalities and interesting psychic abilities. Then we have the dust bunnies. I want one so bad!! Darwina always seem to steal the show in whatever scene she was in. The plot didn’t have any big surprises in it but it was a nice mystery/romance. All in all it is a book I can see myself rereading and enjoying again.
The Lost Night is the first book the Rainshadow series, a spinoff of the Harmony series. It can be read as a standalone. This is an adult paranormal romance with a suspenseful mystery set in a futuristic world.
February 26, 2018
Darwina was awesome, glad to see the sub-tropes (harmonic communities and zen etc.) started in the older Orchid and the inability to fit into mainstream society from Hidden Talents grow up here.
I liked this one, loved Amberella and Darwina was adorable, the little adrenaline junkie. The romance is par for JAK, she is like really cheesy mac and triple fudge brownies, always a good comfort read. Rex and Darwina were adorable together too, we need more dust bunny romance.
I liked this one, loved Amberella and Darwina was adorable, the little adrenaline junkie. The romance is par for JAK, she is like really cheesy mac and triple fudge brownies, always a good comfort read. Rex and Darwina were adorable together too, we need more dust bunny romance.
August 31, 2015
This was a serviceable entry in the series. I liked both protagonists well enough, but there wasn't anything there to really grab me. I think I kind of like the little twists Castle is coming up with for the talents. That could be a crutch meant to disguise lack of differentiation in the characters' personalities, but I think it works as it's own expectation for the individuality of the characters. Castle is creative enough that it doesn't feel strained and I kind of enjoy finding out what is unique and new each time.
I do wish we had seen more of Rachel being badass, though. I feel like that was all setup and skimped on delivery.
A note about Steamy: This was on the low end of standard for this series. There were two explicit sex scenes, but the second was almost brief.
I do wish we had seen more of Rachel being badass, though. I feel like that was all setup and skimped on delivery.
A note about Steamy: This was on the low end of standard for this series. There were two explicit sex scenes, but the second was almost brief.
November 5, 2012
Jayne Ann Krentz, present, Amanda Quick, past and Jayne Castle, future. I love these books and look forward to each one. I like the paranormal activities and the family ties through the ages. The future takes place on Harmony, where there is a long lost alien civilization, whic some people from long ago earth can use psychic abilities that resonate through alien artifacts. There is always a love story and a mystery. I loved the hero Harry and also the heroine, Rachel. The charcters of the previous book, show up and I assume Harry's bother will be the protagonist in the next Castle book! I hope so.
February 6, 2017
Very good!
November 20, 2021
The Lost Night
2 Stars
JAK is one of my favorite authors and her writing has withstood the test of time as my tastes have matured. Unfortunately, this particular book lacks the charm and wit of some of her other works and is the weakest installment in the Ghost Hunters series.
While the story starts out well with the potential for an intense and exciting stalker-based plotline, it all fizzles once the focus shifts the Rainshadow Island and the vague and amorphous events surrounding the mysterious Preserve.
In terms of the romance, Rachel Blake and Harry Sebastian have very little chemistry and their relationship feels forced rather than a natural progression of their interactions.
Despite the problems with the book, I am invested in the series and there are some intriguing hints at a love-hate relationship between Drake Sebastian and Alice North, the descendants of two rival pirates from the early days of Rainshadow. It will be interesting to see how this develops.
2 Stars
JAK is one of my favorite authors and her writing has withstood the test of time as my tastes have matured. Unfortunately, this particular book lacks the charm and wit of some of her other works and is the weakest installment in the Ghost Hunters series.
While the story starts out well with the potential for an intense and exciting stalker-based plotline, it all fizzles once the focus shifts the Rainshadow Island and the vague and amorphous events surrounding the mysterious Preserve.
In terms of the romance, Rachel Blake and Harry Sebastian have very little chemistry and their relationship feels forced rather than a natural progression of their interactions.
Despite the problems with the book, I am invested in the series and there are some intriguing hints at a love-hate relationship between Drake Sebastian and Alice North, the descendants of two rival pirates from the early days of Rainshadow. It will be interesting to see how this develops.
September 17, 2012
This novel was an absolute pre-order for me. I love the Harmony and Arcane series. All of the books are designed to be read as a standalone, but I have read them in order since book one. The Lost Night offers up a suspenseful paranormal mystery with a healthy side dish of romance. Every time I open a Castle novel I find a delicious escape.
The novel centers on Rachel Blake an aura healer who was raised in a Harmonic Enlightenment community. Rachel doesn’t quite fit in and after trying life in the big city; she chooses to reopen her Aunt’s bookstore and café on Rainshadow Island. There has been a lot of unexplained paranormal activity near the Preserves and Harry Sebastian is sent in to take a look. The Preserves is a dangerous sanctuary filled with psi-energy. Despite safeguards and warnings, would be treasure hunters and explorers enter and never return. When Harry shows up on the island and asks for Rachel’s help, she had no idea how much her life is about to change. The tale that unfolds is filled with suspense, monsters, romance and enough twists to keep me turning the pages.
Castle always provides delightful characters that I can connected with. Rachel is sweet, caring and trying to find her way. She is confident in who she is, but very unsure how others perceive her. She has a remarkable gift, and a unique outlook based on her upbringing. Harry is of course completely swoon-worthy and an all out hero. He is however flawed. He is a powerful para-hunter and his skill level is off the chart. He sees himself as a monster, and tries to keep control of his abilities. The chemistry between Harry and Rachel was intense. They were both leery and the dance they performed was delicious. Castle gave us a creepy villain, a para-vampire who gave me the chills. I loved going back to Rainshadow Island and seeing some of the characters from the previous novels.
The world-building Castle has created in this futuristic world is fascinating. Harmony is actual another planet that Earth colonized. After a tragic event, it became shut off from Earth. Filled with alien artifacts it’s always a cool place to visit. Despite the strange landscapes, it has been colonized much like Earth, and the cities and towns are all unique. The Preserves on Rainshadow Island is fascinating and scary. I loved learning more about it and the owners who claim responsibility for it. In this tale, we have thieves trying to enter the preserves, and they are willing to use whatever means necessary. Something they are doing is affecting the weather. I quickly became swept up in the story and consumed this in a single evening.
I recommend The Lost Night and the Harmony series to fans of paranormal suspense and romance. Jayne Castle is a Pseudonym for author Jayne Anne Krentz. She is one of my favorite authors, and I have read almost everything she has published. I credit Krentz for introducing me to the world of paranormal woo-woo, with her novel Second Sight, the first book in the Arcane Society published under the pseudonym Amanda Quick.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The novel centers on Rachel Blake an aura healer who was raised in a Harmonic Enlightenment community. Rachel doesn’t quite fit in and after trying life in the big city; she chooses to reopen her Aunt’s bookstore and café on Rainshadow Island. There has been a lot of unexplained paranormal activity near the Preserves and Harry Sebastian is sent in to take a look. The Preserves is a dangerous sanctuary filled with psi-energy. Despite safeguards and warnings, would be treasure hunters and explorers enter and never return. When Harry shows up on the island and asks for Rachel’s help, she had no idea how much her life is about to change. The tale that unfolds is filled with suspense, monsters, romance and enough twists to keep me turning the pages.
Castle always provides delightful characters that I can connected with. Rachel is sweet, caring and trying to find her way. She is confident in who she is, but very unsure how others perceive her. She has a remarkable gift, and a unique outlook based on her upbringing. Harry is of course completely swoon-worthy and an all out hero. He is however flawed. He is a powerful para-hunter and his skill level is off the chart. He sees himself as a monster, and tries to keep control of his abilities. The chemistry between Harry and Rachel was intense. They were both leery and the dance they performed was delicious. Castle gave us a creepy villain, a para-vampire who gave me the chills. I loved going back to Rainshadow Island and seeing some of the characters from the previous novels.
The world-building Castle has created in this futuristic world is fascinating. Harmony is actual another planet that Earth colonized. After a tragic event, it became shut off from Earth. Filled with alien artifacts it’s always a cool place to visit. Despite the strange landscapes, it has been colonized much like Earth, and the cities and towns are all unique. The Preserves on Rainshadow Island is fascinating and scary. I loved learning more about it and the owners who claim responsibility for it. In this tale, we have thieves trying to enter the preserves, and they are willing to use whatever means necessary. Something they are doing is affecting the weather. I quickly became swept up in the story and consumed this in a single evening.
I recommend The Lost Night and the Harmony series to fans of paranormal suspense and romance. Jayne Castle is a Pseudonym for author Jayne Anne Krentz. She is one of my favorite authors, and I have read almost everything she has published. I credit Krentz for introducing me to the world of paranormal woo-woo, with her novel Second Sight, the first book in the Arcane Society published under the pseudonym Amanda Quick.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
January 4, 2026
Relisten 1/4/2026:
I completely agree with my 5-star review below. I have read this book many times and enjoyed it every time. The Joyce Bean audiobook performance is no longer commercially available, but it's worth seeking out in your local library in case they might have a copy.
Review from 1/10/2024:
An entertaining and adventurous second entry in the Rainshadow sub-series of the Harmony, futuristic, romantic-suspense series
Several years ago, in a manner similar to the Rumspringa of Amish youth, Rachel Blake, who is currently 30 years old, left the Harmonic Enlightenment (HE) community, a futuristic version of a New Age commune, which is as large as a medium-sized town. She did not feel that she was a good match for the HE lifestyle, and she hoped that she might make a place for herself in mainstream, Harmony Society, utilizing her extremely powerful, aura-reading/healing, psi talent to help others. She started out giving aura readings in a tea room in Frequency City, and was eventually spotted there by a parapsychologist, Dr Ian Oakford. He hired her to assist him in cutting-edge research at the Chapman Clinic, a residential facility that specializes in treating patients with severe parapsychological trauma. Unfortunately, the arrogant doctor refused to accept her statement that he was being scammed by one of his patients, Marcus Lancaster, a sociopath who was scarily obsessed with Rachel. She was able to see through the act that Lancaster, who has charisma/hypnotism talent, was putting on for the staff, because criminal tendencies show up quite clearly to her when she is reading a person's aura.
After Rachel was fired, she moved to Rainshadow Island (RI) and took over a bookshop that she was gifted, along with their small cabin, by two of her aunts, who have retired to a desert portion of Harmony, to get away from the frequent rain and fogs on RI. Rachel feels quite at home in the small town of Shadow Bay, because every permanent resident seems to be as alienated and quirky as she is. They all have apparently had the same issue she has had of failing to fit in anywhere else. Many of the locals also possess highly developed psychic talents, so Rachel's "off the chart" ability does not stand out as odd or intimidating.
In addition to selling books to tourists, Rachel has added a small cafe area to the bookshop, where she serves pastries, tea, and coffee. For a relatively nominal fee, she also brews individualized, healing, herbal tisanes, which act to stabilize a particular person's aura, and which have rapidly become quite popular with the locals. Other than the teas, in her new life outside the HE, she has not so far employed her ability to stabilize auras.
One of the most meaningful additions to Rachel's life since moving to RI is Darwina, an adorable dust bunny who has appointed herself as Rachel's loyal companion and diligent protector. Rachel has also reestablished a very close friendship with 30-year-old Charlotte Enright (the FMC of Book 1 of this trilogy), whom she first met 15 years ago. Charlotte owns an antique shop and is engaged to Slade Attridge, the local police chief.
There is only one troublesome issue that interferes with Rachel's enjoyment of her otherwise idyllic existence on RI--her lost night in the Preserve. This fenced-in region consists of the vast majority of RI. It is filled with extremely disorienting paranormal energy, as well as dangerous flora, fauna and bodies of water, which have been infused with and distorted by that energy. Rachel somehow wandered into the Preserve one night, and inexplicably found her way out of it, which is something that no one lacking very specific psychic talents, which she does not possess, have ever been able to do. Unfortunately, since she has absolutely no memory of any of the events that occurred that night, no explanation for them has yet been discovered. Ever since that night, Rachel has been regarded as psychically fragile by everyone in the Rainshadow community, who widely share the motto, "We take care of our own." While Rachel greatly appreciates the kindness intended by this emotional support, it is also rather frustrating, because other than her partial amnesia, she feels fine.
At the end of Book 1 of this trilogy, Slade Attridge contacted the owner of RI, the Sebastian family, whose privately owned corporation is called Sebastian, Inc. The great-grandfather of the Sebastian family established the Rainshadow Preserve Foundation, and it is legally and financially responsible for maintaining the psi-powered, invisible fence around the Preserve, as well as sending a team to rescue anyone who manages to get past the fence and wander into the Preserve. Recently, there has been an unexplained, dangerous "heating up" of the psi energy in the Preserve, which is causing great concern among leaders of Shadow Bay, and Slade has insisted that the Sebastians send someone to deal with it.
When tall, powerfully built, ruggedly attractive Harry Sebastian arrives on RI, his psi instinct, combined with years of experience as head of security for Sebastian, Inc, informs him that one of the most important connections he needs to make to solve the mystery of the dangerous changes in the Preserve is with lovely Rachel. It is immediately apparent to Harry that her psi talent is as strong, in its way, as his own. And amazingly, unlike most people, she is not at all frightened of his darkly dangerous psi power. But as attracted as he is to Rachel, both physically, mentally and psychically, Harry knows he must tread lightly with her on a personal level. Not only is she traumatized by her lost night in the Preserve, Harry himself has a secret in his past which makes it difficult for him to contemplate ever forming a serious romantic relationship.
This is another fun addition to the Harmony series. I really like the vividly drawn, unique setting of RI and the colorful denizens of the town of Shadow Bay.
Rachel and Harry are both highly sympathetic characters, and I greatly enjoyed their courtship. I liked how well matched they are as to the assertiveness of their personalities and strength of their paranormal abilities, which is something I can always count on with JAK. In addition, the setting and impetus of their first lovemaking scene make it one of the best JAK has ever written. As always, her sex scenes are never crude or grossly descriptive, and they are always tenderly sensual.
The action-adventure portion of this story is compelling, and the inclusion of a dust bunny has come to be expected by her fans in every book in the Harmony world. In this story, we get a cameo appearance of the dust bunny from Book 1 of this trilogy, and the new dust bunny, Darwina, is a joy.
I do have a few quibbles about this story:
JAK neglects to inform us how old either Rachel or Harry is. I only know that Rachel is 30 because that information is offered in Book 1. I can only guess how old Harry is, based on the fact that, every time JAK actually provides an age for one of her MMCs, his age is a minimum of 35, and typically between 37-39. Based on that, I estimate that Harry is around 37.
We are informed in the blurb for this book, and tangentially in the story itself, that Rachel is "schooled in an exotic form of martial arts." Unfortunately, she is never given a chance to demonstrate those skills in this story, making them a "Chekhov's Gun" that is never fired.
Throughout the Harmony series, the condoms that have been diligently included in every sex scene in contemporary romance novels since the 80s are noticeably absent. JAK has never bothered, other than one time that I have noticed in this entire Harmony series, to mention the fact that both men and women receive shots that provide ongoing protection against conception. Before sex, the FMC and MMC never say, "Can I assume your shots are up to date?" (And are we to assume that protection from STDs is something nobody cares about in Harmony?) This is an odd oversight, given the fact that JAK never fails to mention, in every single Harmony novel, that an unplanned pregnancy leads to an automatic legal conversion of a Marriage of Convenience, which can be immediately dissolved for any reason and has a built-in, prenup clause, to a Covenant Marriage, which is almost impossible to get out of.
Speaking of a CM, for the convenience of this plot, JAK has stated that, for the first time in 200 years, the legal requirements for a divorce from a CM have been recently expanded. Previously the only grounds were that one party is under the age of consent, mental illness, or bigamy. They now include, "intolerable, psychical incompatibility."
I have noticed that, in virtually every novel that JAK has ever written, she missuses the word, several. Its dictionary definition is, "more than two but not many." JAK consistently utilizes that word as if it means 10 or more. In this book and the first book of this trilogy, she employs it to refer to 15 years of time.
I own this book both in Kindle format and audiobook format. I have read it and listened to it multiple times over the years since it was first released, and I am sure I will experience it again many times in the future. It is a keeper for me.
I completely agree with my 5-star review below. I have read this book many times and enjoyed it every time. The Joyce Bean audiobook performance is no longer commercially available, but it's worth seeking out in your local library in case they might have a copy.
Review from 1/10/2024:
An entertaining and adventurous second entry in the Rainshadow sub-series of the Harmony, futuristic, romantic-suspense series
Several years ago, in a manner similar to the Rumspringa of Amish youth, Rachel Blake, who is currently 30 years old, left the Harmonic Enlightenment (HE) community, a futuristic version of a New Age commune, which is as large as a medium-sized town. She did not feel that she was a good match for the HE lifestyle, and she hoped that she might make a place for herself in mainstream, Harmony Society, utilizing her extremely powerful, aura-reading/healing, psi talent to help others. She started out giving aura readings in a tea room in Frequency City, and was eventually spotted there by a parapsychologist, Dr Ian Oakford. He hired her to assist him in cutting-edge research at the Chapman Clinic, a residential facility that specializes in treating patients with severe parapsychological trauma. Unfortunately, the arrogant doctor refused to accept her statement that he was being scammed by one of his patients, Marcus Lancaster, a sociopath who was scarily obsessed with Rachel. She was able to see through the act that Lancaster, who has charisma/hypnotism talent, was putting on for the staff, because criminal tendencies show up quite clearly to her when she is reading a person's aura.
After Rachel was fired, she moved to Rainshadow Island (RI) and took over a bookshop that she was gifted, along with their small cabin, by two of her aunts, who have retired to a desert portion of Harmony, to get away from the frequent rain and fogs on RI. Rachel feels quite at home in the small town of Shadow Bay, because every permanent resident seems to be as alienated and quirky as she is. They all have apparently had the same issue she has had of failing to fit in anywhere else. Many of the locals also possess highly developed psychic talents, so Rachel's "off the chart" ability does not stand out as odd or intimidating.
In addition to selling books to tourists, Rachel has added a small cafe area to the bookshop, where she serves pastries, tea, and coffee. For a relatively nominal fee, she also brews individualized, healing, herbal tisanes, which act to stabilize a particular person's aura, and which have rapidly become quite popular with the locals. Other than the teas, in her new life outside the HE, she has not so far employed her ability to stabilize auras.
One of the most meaningful additions to Rachel's life since moving to RI is Darwina, an adorable dust bunny who has appointed herself as Rachel's loyal companion and diligent protector. Rachel has also reestablished a very close friendship with 30-year-old Charlotte Enright (the FMC of Book 1 of this trilogy), whom she first met 15 years ago. Charlotte owns an antique shop and is engaged to Slade Attridge, the local police chief.
There is only one troublesome issue that interferes with Rachel's enjoyment of her otherwise idyllic existence on RI--her lost night in the Preserve. This fenced-in region consists of the vast majority of RI. It is filled with extremely disorienting paranormal energy, as well as dangerous flora, fauna and bodies of water, which have been infused with and distorted by that energy. Rachel somehow wandered into the Preserve one night, and inexplicably found her way out of it, which is something that no one lacking very specific psychic talents, which she does not possess, have ever been able to do. Unfortunately, since she has absolutely no memory of any of the events that occurred that night, no explanation for them has yet been discovered. Ever since that night, Rachel has been regarded as psychically fragile by everyone in the Rainshadow community, who widely share the motto, "We take care of our own." While Rachel greatly appreciates the kindness intended by this emotional support, it is also rather frustrating, because other than her partial amnesia, she feels fine.
At the end of Book 1 of this trilogy, Slade Attridge contacted the owner of RI, the Sebastian family, whose privately owned corporation is called Sebastian, Inc. The great-grandfather of the Sebastian family established the Rainshadow Preserve Foundation, and it is legally and financially responsible for maintaining the psi-powered, invisible fence around the Preserve, as well as sending a team to rescue anyone who manages to get past the fence and wander into the Preserve. Recently, there has been an unexplained, dangerous "heating up" of the psi energy in the Preserve, which is causing great concern among leaders of Shadow Bay, and Slade has insisted that the Sebastians send someone to deal with it.
When tall, powerfully built, ruggedly attractive Harry Sebastian arrives on RI, his psi instinct, combined with years of experience as head of security for Sebastian, Inc, informs him that one of the most important connections he needs to make to solve the mystery of the dangerous changes in the Preserve is with lovely Rachel. It is immediately apparent to Harry that her psi talent is as strong, in its way, as his own. And amazingly, unlike most people, she is not at all frightened of his darkly dangerous psi power. But as attracted as he is to Rachel, both physically, mentally and psychically, Harry knows he must tread lightly with her on a personal level. Not only is she traumatized by her lost night in the Preserve, Harry himself has a secret in his past which makes it difficult for him to contemplate ever forming a serious romantic relationship.
This is another fun addition to the Harmony series. I really like the vividly drawn, unique setting of RI and the colorful denizens of the town of Shadow Bay.
Rachel and Harry are both highly sympathetic characters, and I greatly enjoyed their courtship. I liked how well matched they are as to the assertiveness of their personalities and strength of their paranormal abilities, which is something I can always count on with JAK. In addition, the setting and impetus of their first lovemaking scene make it one of the best JAK has ever written. As always, her sex scenes are never crude or grossly descriptive, and they are always tenderly sensual.
The action-adventure portion of this story is compelling, and the inclusion of a dust bunny has come to be expected by her fans in every book in the Harmony world. In this story, we get a cameo appearance of the dust bunny from Book 1 of this trilogy, and the new dust bunny, Darwina, is a joy.
I do have a few quibbles about this story:
JAK neglects to inform us how old either Rachel or Harry is. I only know that Rachel is 30 because that information is offered in Book 1. I can only guess how old Harry is, based on the fact that, every time JAK actually provides an age for one of her MMCs, his age is a minimum of 35, and typically between 37-39. Based on that, I estimate that Harry is around 37.
We are informed in the blurb for this book, and tangentially in the story itself, that Rachel is "schooled in an exotic form of martial arts." Unfortunately, she is never given a chance to demonstrate those skills in this story, making them a "Chekhov's Gun" that is never fired.
Throughout the Harmony series, the condoms that have been diligently included in every sex scene in contemporary romance novels since the 80s are noticeably absent. JAK has never bothered, other than one time that I have noticed in this entire Harmony series, to mention the fact that both men and women receive shots that provide ongoing protection against conception. Before sex, the FMC and MMC never say, "Can I assume your shots are up to date?" (And are we to assume that protection from STDs is something nobody cares about in Harmony?) This is an odd oversight, given the fact that JAK never fails to mention, in every single Harmony novel, that an unplanned pregnancy leads to an automatic legal conversion of a Marriage of Convenience, which can be immediately dissolved for any reason and has a built-in, prenup clause, to a Covenant Marriage, which is almost impossible to get out of.
Speaking of a CM, for the convenience of this plot, JAK has stated that, for the first time in 200 years, the legal requirements for a divorce from a CM have been recently expanded. Previously the only grounds were that one party is under the age of consent, mental illness, or bigamy. They now include, "intolerable, psychical incompatibility."
I have noticed that, in virtually every novel that JAK has ever written, she missuses the word, several. Its dictionary definition is, "more than two but not many." JAK consistently utilizes that word as if it means 10 or more. In this book and the first book of this trilogy, she employs it to refer to 15 years of time.
I own this book both in Kindle format and audiobook format. I have read it and listened to it multiple times over the years since it was first released, and I am sure I will experience it again many times in the future. It is a keeper for me.
June 7, 2020
Loved it.
September 2, 2012
3.5 stars
Another good book in the Arcane series.
This review and more on Fiction Vixen Book Reviews
Jayne Castle also writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and Amanda Quick. I enjoy all of Arcane series books no matter what name they are written under. She has a fun way of writing with Amanda Quick being the historical book, Jayne Ann Krentz the present day book and then Jayne Castle following up with the futuristic book. It makes for some clever and interesting trilogies. She also has series that are standalone under each author. I don’t know how she keeps track of all the Arcane series but it never fails to impress me that she does. Her books are not part of an ongoing arc however they are all connected by terms and by the overall storyline of the Arcane Society so if you are not familiar with the her writing you might be a little lost just starting out with this book.
The Lost Night is the first book in a new series set in a place called Rainshadow Island. Rainshadow Island is a place for people who just don’t quite fit in anywhere else. It is a collection of the misfits and rejects of society. It is also place of strong psi energy particularly in a place called The Preserve. The island is owned by the Sebastian family and The Preserve is closely guarded. People generally do not go into The Preserve because they usually do not come out alive.
Rachel Blake is one of very people to go into The Preserve and make it out alive however she has no memory of what happened the 12 hours she was lost in the area. All she remembers is coming out of The Preserve and finding the closest house for help. She has been termed to have been in a fugue state and everyone treats her very carefully thinking she might have some trauma from her lost time. Rachel is used to being treated differently because she was raised in a Harmonic Enlightenment family. The outside world has some very interesting views on Harmonic Enlightenment one of those ideas being they are a very promiscuous group. That idea happens to be false.
Harry Sebastian has been sent to the island to figure out why the energies of the are are out of whack. Everything is going crazy causing major storms and fog to take over the area. He suspects it has something to do with The Preserve and when he investigates he finds out he is correct. Many years ago his grandfather hid three stones in The Preserve. They are some sort of beacon or energy holder for the area. Upon arriving Harry finds out the stones have been stolen and knows only a powerful psi personality could have survived entering The Preserve and taking the stones. It is up to him to find the stones or he will evacuate the island to save everyone from what is coming.
Harry’s first suspect is Rachel simply because of her 12 hours lost. After meeting her he feels an instant connection and knows she cannot have possibly taken the stones on purpose. There has to be another reason she would have done it, if she is the one, – whether to help a friend or blackmail. Harry enlists Rachel’s help and talent as an aura reader to interview the town and find out who could have done the crime.
I am always a little bit in love with the heroes in these books. Krentz/Castle writes the most brooding, angsty men you can read about. They feel they are beyond redemption and are usually high end talents. I have to giggle because each of her heroes are also generously endowed. Can you go wrong with generously endowed and brooding all wrapped up into the same package? Harry Sebastian is just such a man. He has recently had a CM (covenant marriage) dissolved, an normally impossible task, because his wife was afraid of his talent. He ran too hot one night and scared her off. Now he feels he is a walking nightmare and not something any woman would want to be with.
Good thing for him Rachel is an aura talent and is able to withstand the full force of his hunter abilities. She is also able to calm him after he burns too much of his talent. This is a huge help for Harry because he cannot normally be around anyone during his burn off time. Harry is convinced Rachel is the true woman for him because she matches him perfectly.
The villain is the book is pretty straightforward. He is someone we are introduced to fairly early in the book and they do not hide the fact it is him. He does have a partner on Rainshadow Island that we do not know about. I wouldn’t say figuring out who the partner is was too tricky but I have never thought these books were really about the suspense but more so about the world and the relationships.
The ending is left open with Harry and Rachel only finding one of the three stones and Drake, Harry’s brother, off to find a woman who might know where the other stones are. I assume with three stones this might be another trilogy in the making. Overall this was a good book for Krentz/Castle. It was a quick read with some engaging characters. I look forward to the next in the series. Final grade- B-
Favorite Quote:
“I sensed almost from the start of this thing that you’re the key. Until I find out exactly what lock you can open, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
She winced. “Always nice to feel needed.”
His eyes heated a little. “I need you, Rachel. Don’t ever doubt that.”
Another good book in the Arcane series.
This review and more on Fiction Vixen Book Reviews
Jayne Castle also writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and Amanda Quick. I enjoy all of Arcane series books no matter what name they are written under. She has a fun way of writing with Amanda Quick being the historical book, Jayne Ann Krentz the present day book and then Jayne Castle following up with the futuristic book. It makes for some clever and interesting trilogies. She also has series that are standalone under each author. I don’t know how she keeps track of all the Arcane series but it never fails to impress me that she does. Her books are not part of an ongoing arc however they are all connected by terms and by the overall storyline of the Arcane Society so if you are not familiar with the her writing you might be a little lost just starting out with this book.
The Lost Night is the first book in a new series set in a place called Rainshadow Island. Rainshadow Island is a place for people who just don’t quite fit in anywhere else. It is a collection of the misfits and rejects of society. It is also place of strong psi energy particularly in a place called The Preserve. The island is owned by the Sebastian family and The Preserve is closely guarded. People generally do not go into The Preserve because they usually do not come out alive.
Rachel Blake is one of very people to go into The Preserve and make it out alive however she has no memory of what happened the 12 hours she was lost in the area. All she remembers is coming out of The Preserve and finding the closest house for help. She has been termed to have been in a fugue state and everyone treats her very carefully thinking she might have some trauma from her lost time. Rachel is used to being treated differently because she was raised in a Harmonic Enlightenment family. The outside world has some very interesting views on Harmonic Enlightenment one of those ideas being they are a very promiscuous group. That idea happens to be false.
Harry Sebastian has been sent to the island to figure out why the energies of the are are out of whack. Everything is going crazy causing major storms and fog to take over the area. He suspects it has something to do with The Preserve and when he investigates he finds out he is correct. Many years ago his grandfather hid three stones in The Preserve. They are some sort of beacon or energy holder for the area. Upon arriving Harry finds out the stones have been stolen and knows only a powerful psi personality could have survived entering The Preserve and taking the stones. It is up to him to find the stones or he will evacuate the island to save everyone from what is coming.
Harry’s first suspect is Rachel simply because of her 12 hours lost. After meeting her he feels an instant connection and knows she cannot have possibly taken the stones on purpose. There has to be another reason she would have done it, if she is the one, – whether to help a friend or blackmail. Harry enlists Rachel’s help and talent as an aura reader to interview the town and find out who could have done the crime.
I am always a little bit in love with the heroes in these books. Krentz/Castle writes the most brooding, angsty men you can read about. They feel they are beyond redemption and are usually high end talents. I have to giggle because each of her heroes are also generously endowed. Can you go wrong with generously endowed and brooding all wrapped up into the same package? Harry Sebastian is just such a man. He has recently had a CM (covenant marriage) dissolved, an normally impossible task, because his wife was afraid of his talent. He ran too hot one night and scared her off. Now he feels he is a walking nightmare and not something any woman would want to be with.
Good thing for him Rachel is an aura talent and is able to withstand the full force of his hunter abilities. She is also able to calm him after he burns too much of his talent. This is a huge help for Harry because he cannot normally be around anyone during his burn off time. Harry is convinced Rachel is the true woman for him because she matches him perfectly.
The villain is the book is pretty straightforward. He is someone we are introduced to fairly early in the book and they do not hide the fact it is him. He does have a partner on Rainshadow Island that we do not know about. I wouldn’t say figuring out who the partner is was too tricky but I have never thought these books were really about the suspense but more so about the world and the relationships.
The ending is left open with Harry and Rachel only finding one of the three stones and Drake, Harry’s brother, off to find a woman who might know where the other stones are. I assume with three stones this might be another trilogy in the making. Overall this was a good book for Krentz/Castle. It was a quick read with some engaging characters. I look forward to the next in the series. Final grade- B-
Favorite Quote:
“I sensed almost from the start of this thing that you’re the key. Until I find out exactly what lock you can open, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
She winced. “Always nice to feel needed.”
His eyes heated a little. “I need you, Rachel. Don’t ever doubt that.”
October 14, 2021
3.5 stars I'm very curious about the Preserve; didn't completely buy the HEA, it was too fast. Good story overall.
August 27, 2026
Something insidious is happening in the alien Preserve on Rainshadow Island and a contrasting pair must solve the mystery as danger escalates around them. Jayne Castle’s world of Harmony expands to include further alien landscape, romance, and exciting suspense.
The Lost Night is listed as the first in the Rainshadow sub-series, but is also the ninth of the Ghost Hunters and also the ninth of the Harmony series. And, while it is considered the first of the Rainshadow series, it is also closely tied to the Harmony book that came before it, Canyons of Night, and is the romance of a pair who are side characters in The Lost Night.
Also of note, The Lost Night is also called Midnight Crystal and is listed in one location as book #7 in the Harmony series.
The Lost Night opens with Rachel working for a psychic mental health therapy center and one of her clients is a psychopath pretending to need treatment for his own secret reasons. Rachel goes to her boss about this which she discovered from reading her client’s aura. He dismisses her concerns and chooses to let her go. She was already having a rough time acclimating to the world outside the commune where she was raised so is not too cut up about being fired. She never felt the commune life was a good fit and neither is the ordinary world out there, but she has a fall-back. Her aunt left her a small book store on Rainshadow Island.
If only her last time being on Rainshadow was not indelibly marked in her. That time, she became locally famous as the one person who entered the Preserve and somehow survived and got out on her own- the lost night that she can’t remember.
Now, Harry Sebastian, a descendent of the legendary piratical Sebastian who, with his partner, supposedly hid their treasure in the Preserve has come to investigate the psychic readings coming from the Preserve. Local police officer called it in out of concern. Harry needs Rachel’s help because her gift of reading auras will help him investigate the locals to see who is causing things to alter in the Preserve and who has been messing with his ancestor’s secret legacy which is not the actual treasure people think it is. Rachel is reluctant to rat on her neighbors, but sees that her help is needed before it becomes too dangerous for anyone to live on Rainshadow. That was before someone tried to kill them one stormy night.
The Lost Night introduced a new setting in the Harmony series, but I loved that the psychic gifts of the people, the mysterious alien artifacts, and suspense plots were still a strong part of the story. This pair have very different psychic gifts. Rachel is in harmony with hers and is a caregiver at heart. Harry’s investigation job and darker gift have already destroyed one romance and people fear what he can do so he is wary about letting Rachel get close even though they are strongly attracted. She’s wary of him for professional reasons, thinking he only wants to use her and will move on once he has what he came for. This took a bit for them to untangle even as they learned to work together using their psychic abilities in tandem.
Raven Wildewood was a new to me narrator, but I slid easily into her narration work and her voicing of the characters. She had good range for male and female voices and also good emotional range. I was engaged more easily with The Lost Night as a result.
All in all, The Lost Night was a solid blend of sci-fi, paranormal and romantic suspense. I enjoy visiting the alien world of Harmony, seeing a contrary romance pair figure it out, and look forward to the next installment in the series.
I rec'd a digital audio from Tantor Audio to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 8.26.26.
The Lost Night is listed as the first in the Rainshadow sub-series, but is also the ninth of the Ghost Hunters and also the ninth of the Harmony series. And, while it is considered the first of the Rainshadow series, it is also closely tied to the Harmony book that came before it, Canyons of Night, and is the romance of a pair who are side characters in The Lost Night.
Also of note, The Lost Night is also called Midnight Crystal and is listed in one location as book #7 in the Harmony series.
The Lost Night opens with Rachel working for a psychic mental health therapy center and one of her clients is a psychopath pretending to need treatment for his own secret reasons. Rachel goes to her boss about this which she discovered from reading her client’s aura. He dismisses her concerns and chooses to let her go. She was already having a rough time acclimating to the world outside the commune where she was raised so is not too cut up about being fired. She never felt the commune life was a good fit and neither is the ordinary world out there, but she has a fall-back. Her aunt left her a small book store on Rainshadow Island.
If only her last time being on Rainshadow was not indelibly marked in her. That time, she became locally famous as the one person who entered the Preserve and somehow survived and got out on her own- the lost night that she can’t remember.
Now, Harry Sebastian, a descendent of the legendary piratical Sebastian who, with his partner, supposedly hid their treasure in the Preserve has come to investigate the psychic readings coming from the Preserve. Local police officer called it in out of concern. Harry needs Rachel’s help because her gift of reading auras will help him investigate the locals to see who is causing things to alter in the Preserve and who has been messing with his ancestor’s secret legacy which is not the actual treasure people think it is. Rachel is reluctant to rat on her neighbors, but sees that her help is needed before it becomes too dangerous for anyone to live on Rainshadow. That was before someone tried to kill them one stormy night.
The Lost Night introduced a new setting in the Harmony series, but I loved that the psychic gifts of the people, the mysterious alien artifacts, and suspense plots were still a strong part of the story. This pair have very different psychic gifts. Rachel is in harmony with hers and is a caregiver at heart. Harry’s investigation job and darker gift have already destroyed one romance and people fear what he can do so he is wary about letting Rachel get close even though they are strongly attracted. She’s wary of him for professional reasons, thinking he only wants to use her and will move on once he has what he came for. This took a bit for them to untangle even as they learned to work together using their psychic abilities in tandem.
Raven Wildewood was a new to me narrator, but I slid easily into her narration work and her voicing of the characters. She had good range for male and female voices and also good emotional range. I was engaged more easily with The Lost Night as a result.
All in all, The Lost Night was a solid blend of sci-fi, paranormal and romantic suspense. I enjoy visiting the alien world of Harmony, seeing a contrary romance pair figure it out, and look forward to the next installment in the series.
I rec'd a digital audio from Tantor Audio to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 8.26.26.
July 25, 2013
4.5 Stars
The Blurb
With the ability to detect the auras of dangerous psychic criminals, Rachel Bonner has found peace and quiet on Rainshadow Island with her dust bunny companion. Then Harry Sebastian, the descendant of a notorious pirate, arrives to investigate strange developments in the privately owned woods known as the Preserve. Rachel can sense the heart of darkness within him— and the stirrings of desire within her own soul...
As per usual Jayne Ann Krentz succeed to suck me into the amazing Harmony World and the world of her fantastic Dust Bunnies.
The Lost Night is the 9th book in the Harmony series and the first book in the Rainshadow series. As we are used to by now, with almost all her works, this book it's so well written and you can get so easy into it and don't even realized that you got to the end. I have to admit the PNR books from J.A.K. are some of my fave PNR reads cause they seem so real when you read them, and I personally loved to have some of they "talent" and be able to live in that world.
Full review to be posted soon.
The Blurb
With the ability to detect the auras of dangerous psychic criminals, Rachel Bonner has found peace and quiet on Rainshadow Island with her dust bunny companion. Then Harry Sebastian, the descendant of a notorious pirate, arrives to investigate strange developments in the privately owned woods known as the Preserve. Rachel can sense the heart of darkness within him— and the stirrings of desire within her own soul...
As per usual Jayne Ann Krentz succeed to suck me into the amazing Harmony World and the world of her fantastic Dust Bunnies.
The Lost Night is the 9th book in the Harmony series and the first book in the Rainshadow series. As we are used to by now, with almost all her works, this book it's so well written and you can get so easy into it and don't even realized that you got to the end. I have to admit the PNR books from J.A.K. are some of my fave PNR reads cause they seem so real when you read them, and I personally loved to have some of they "talent" and be able to live in that world.
Full review to be posted soon.
September 28, 2018
I remember when I discovered Amanda Quick's historical romances at the local library. Then I discovered her romantic suspense novels she writes as Jayne Ann Krentz and devoured her Arcane series. Then I finally turned to her strange futuristic/paranormal series that she writes as Jayne Castle. At first, I wasn't sure .... but they're getting quite good.
This one was no exception. The heroine was spunky, the hero larger than life and all alpha male.
It's a fun series and I can't wait for the next one.
This one was no exception. The heroine was spunky, the hero larger than life and all alpha male.
It's a fun series and I can't wait for the next one.
February 8, 2025
Apparently I read this book when it first came out over 10 years ago but have no memory of it. Anyway, it's fun to revisit the world of Harmony (futuristic, other world). As with others in the series, we get a lot of paranormal aspects, romance, and an adorable dust bunny called Darwina.
As the book opens, psychic aura reader Rachel is dealing with a man she terms a “psychic vampire” (a form of psychical talent others say doesn’t exist). However, within a few pages she’s fired from the clinic. Apparently Rachel has an unorthodox upbringing being raised in a Harmonic Enlightenment Community and trained at their Academy (think counter-culture, hippies type of setting). The clinic seemed to be her chance to enter into the mainstream. She decides to leave the mainstream and head to Rainshadow Island and run the bookstore she inherited from an aunt.
While Rainshadow Island is her “Plan B,” Rachel is nervous about going there. The last time she was on the island she went into a psychic fugue and lost 12 hours of her life spent wandering in a forbidden part of the island.
Harry Sebastian is also on Rainshadow Island to investigate some mysterious occurrences there, all linked to the forbidden part of the island. Harry and Rachel quickly meet, become involved, and investigate the occurrences together.
Rachel and Harry are pretty standard Krentz/Castle/Quick characters (smart, honorable, a bit quirky), but I liked them. There’s also a particularly nasty villain who may or may not be the one behind everything. I look forward to reading (or rereading) more in the series.
As the book opens, psychic aura reader Rachel is dealing with a man she terms a “psychic vampire” (a form of psychical talent others say doesn’t exist). However, within a few pages she’s fired from the clinic. Apparently Rachel has an unorthodox upbringing being raised in a Harmonic Enlightenment Community and trained at their Academy (think counter-culture, hippies type of setting). The clinic seemed to be her chance to enter into the mainstream. She decides to leave the mainstream and head to Rainshadow Island and run the bookstore she inherited from an aunt.
While Rainshadow Island is her “Plan B,” Rachel is nervous about going there. The last time she was on the island she went into a psychic fugue and lost 12 hours of her life spent wandering in a forbidden part of the island.
Harry Sebastian is also on Rainshadow Island to investigate some mysterious occurrences there, all linked to the forbidden part of the island. Harry and Rachel quickly meet, become involved, and investigate the occurrences together.
Rachel and Harry are pretty standard Krentz/Castle/Quick characters (smart, honorable, a bit quirky), but I liked them. There’s also a particularly nasty villain who may or may not be the one behind everything. I look forward to reading (or rereading) more in the series.
September 20, 2019
This story is set on Rainshadow island. The main characters are Rachel Blake who can read auras and Harry Sebastian who is a shadow seeker. They are both powerful talents who have had problems in other locations. Here on Rainshadow they are on a mission to find out is happening in the Preserve. Rachel has a dust bunny named Darwina who carries around a plastic doll. The book was a very quick easy read.
August 14, 2014
I'd Rate This One a 4.25
I'd Rate This One a 4.25
THE LOST NIGHT is the first book in the Rainshadow series (although CANYONS OF NIGHT introduces the island and operates as prequel to the series). Rainshadow Island is on the planet of Harmony (this book is also the ninth book about that earth colony) and has an intense paranormal energy about it.
Harry Sebastian has a frightening paranormal talent that caused his wife to leave him after only three weeks of marriage. He comes to Rainshadow Island because something is going wrong on the island. There is an area known as the Preserve where strange things are happening. Harry is the descendant of a pirate and one of the first explorers of the island. His family is responsible for the Preserve and so he has come to see what is going on.
Rachel Blake has come to Rainshadow because she was being stalked by a psychic vampire. Although she feels a bit of misfit in the outside world, she has found a place operating the bookstore and cafe on the island. She had an incident where she was in the Preserve and lost 12 hours of her life. That has made her afraid of herself in some ways. When Harry arrives on the island, she is his prime suspect and being an aura talent she is strong armed by Harry into helping with his investigation.
This book is a futuristic paranormal romantic suspense. There is a nice balance between the suspense aspects of the story dealing with the mystery in the Preserve and the man stalking Rachel and the romance between Rachel and Harry.
Rachel and Harry are an interesting match. They have a great adventure together and it brings out their personal insecurities. I like stories when the characters have weaknesses that are softened by their relationship. I really liked Harry because he is a strong man with personal demons because of his talent. Rachel is strong despite her fear that she is not. Their romance is intense and happens quickly.
There is nice humor in the book added by the dust bunny Darwina. As with all dust bunnies, she plays an important role in the story as a companion to Rachel.
Good addition to the series.
I'd Rate This One a 4.25
THE LOST NIGHT is the first book in the Rainshadow series (although CANYONS OF NIGHT introduces the island and operates as prequel to the series). Rainshadow Island is on the planet of Harmony (this book is also the ninth book about that earth colony) and has an intense paranormal energy about it.
Harry Sebastian has a frightening paranormal talent that caused his wife to leave him after only three weeks of marriage. He comes to Rainshadow Island because something is going wrong on the island. There is an area known as the Preserve where strange things are happening. Harry is the descendant of a pirate and one of the first explorers of the island. His family is responsible for the Preserve and so he has come to see what is going on.
Rachel Blake has come to Rainshadow because she was being stalked by a psychic vampire. Although she feels a bit of misfit in the outside world, she has found a place operating the bookstore and cafe on the island. She had an incident where she was in the Preserve and lost 12 hours of her life. That has made her afraid of herself in some ways. When Harry arrives on the island, she is his prime suspect and being an aura talent she is strong armed by Harry into helping with his investigation.
This book is a futuristic paranormal romantic suspense. There is a nice balance between the suspense aspects of the story dealing with the mystery in the Preserve and the man stalking Rachel and the romance between Rachel and Harry.
Rachel and Harry are an interesting match. They have a great adventure together and it brings out their personal insecurities. I like stories when the characters have weaknesses that are softened by their relationship. I really liked Harry because he is a strong man with personal demons because of his talent. Rachel is strong despite her fear that she is not. Their romance is intense and happens quickly.
There is nice humor in the book added by the dust bunny Darwina. As with all dust bunnies, she plays an important role in the story as a companion to Rachel.
Good addition to the series.
July 20, 2026
2026: Still zipping along in my series relisten. Rainshadow is such an interesting place with such interesting characters. Fun times. Harry and Rachel are a perfect match and Darwina is such a "girly-girl." 😉2022 listen: I enjoy Joyce Bean's narration of this series. I don't have much else to add. The plot thickens and I love the hint at the next couple. Speaking of, on to that one!
2021 re-re-listen in prep for the new release. Harry and Rachel are a great couple. Still fun. And yay for Joyce Bean's narration!
2021: The fun continues as I zip through a marathon relisten of this series. Harry and Rachel are definitely a pair of wild cards to draw to. I love the humor JC/JAK inserts with "Old World" references. One even made my DH chuckle as I walked past his office while listening. This is good solid writing (well, JAK so d'uh!) with great worldbuilding and awesome characters.
2018 reread: The fun continues. Joyce Bean's narration is spot on. Things are stirring on Rainshadow and two misfits find they fit together. I do enjoy JC's HEAs.
Original review: Rachel Blake has a talent for reading the rainbow auras of people. After inheriting her aunts' bookstore on Rainshadow Island, she's getting by. Things are stirring within the Preserve, a dangerous area on the island. Rachel was found emerging through the psychic fence after a black out. Harry Sebastian, whose family owns the Preserve, arrives on the island to figure out what's going on. The chemistry between him and Rachel sizzles as they battle a stalker, thieves, and the psychic elements within the Preserve. Another fun one.
March 21, 2015
2.5 stars.
I really think that Jayne Ann Krentz, and her pseudonyms, have been phoning it in lately.
What happened to the snappy dialogue, great plots, and tension-filled romances of the past?
I liked The Lost Night, but I didn't love it. I thought it was a bit better than Canyons of Night, but still not fantastic.
Our hero and heroine, Rachel and Harry, were both great characters, but there was no tension between them. There were also much fewer first-person descriptions of their feelings for one another, which made the entire "I love you forever" scene a bit of a stretch.
There was too much external dialogue between them.
I think that, Darwina, the dust bunny was the best character.
The plotline and 'mystery' were thin and seemed to have been added in as an afterthought.
Do I still love the world of Harmony that Castle has created? Yes.
Will I read the next one in the series? Yes.
Do I wish they picked up a bit on plot, tension and characterization? Oh, yes.
First read in September 2012.
Re-read August 2014.
re-read March 2015
I really think that Jayne Ann Krentz, and her pseudonyms, have been phoning it in lately.
What happened to the snappy dialogue, great plots, and tension-filled romances of the past?
I liked The Lost Night, but I didn't love it. I thought it was a bit better than Canyons of Night, but still not fantastic.
Our hero and heroine, Rachel and Harry, were both great characters, but there was no tension between them. There were also much fewer first-person descriptions of their feelings for one another, which made the entire "I love you forever" scene a bit of a stretch.
There was too much external dialogue between them.
I think that, Darwina, the dust bunny was the best character.
The plotline and 'mystery' were thin and seemed to have been added in as an afterthought.
Do I still love the world of Harmony that Castle has created? Yes.
Will I read the next one in the series? Yes.
Do I wish they picked up a bit on plot, tension and characterization? Oh, yes.
First read in September 2012.
Re-read August 2014.
re-read March 2015
January 8, 2024
I liked the opening of this book particularly. Usually JAK introduces you to both protoganists right away so it took a few pages to realize that Marcus Lancaster was actually a villain, not the hero in disguise. In fact, I was busy making excuses for Marcus in Chapter 1 until Harry showed up in Chapter 2. Good start. Harry and Rachel make an effective team, as is usual in JAK's fiction. Both are unusual talents that don't mesh well with others but do really well with each other. You can't help but cheer for the misfits who finally fit. Also, Rainshadow takes on more definition as the second in this series unfolds and it becomes a theme park of horrors. I have been through several glass tunnels under water, one with sharks and the other with seals, so the tunnel through the underwater monsters made me shudder at the very thought and produced a visual that still sticks with me. There is a huge octopus in the Seattle Aquarium that keeps springing to mind. Along with its tentacles. Urp, slurp! My sympathies are all for Darwina and Rachel on that score. This is a thoroughly enjoyable addition to the Harmony books and Rainshadow is just enough different from the "Cities" to pique the interest all over again.
October 24, 2012
Okay…this is a bit complicated—Jayne Castle writes fantasy fiction, Amanda Quick writes historical fiction and the “real” Jayne Ann Krentz writes contemporary fiction–all with a dash of romance and most with lots of mystery. Her latest The Lost Night takes us to Rainshadow Island where there are lots of secrets.
Schooled in an exotic form of martial arts, and with the ability to detect the auras of dangerous psychic criminals, Rachel Bonner and her dust bunny companion(yep, though I am not exactly sure what one is) have found peace and quiet on Rainshadow Island, operating a bookstore and café.
But her tranquil new life is thrown into chaos when Harry Sebastian, the descendant of a notorious pirate, arrives to investigate strange developments in the privately owned woods known as the Preserve.
Immediately drawn to the amber-eyed woman, Harry must tread carefully. While Rachel’s special talents can help him track down dangerous rogues who have violated the Preserve, they can also sense the heart of darkness within him.
There is enough paranormal to keep this novel going and interesting and of course, the romance heats up between Harry and Rachel as they both struggle against their own secrets.
~ Debbie
Schooled in an exotic form of martial arts, and with the ability to detect the auras of dangerous psychic criminals, Rachel Bonner and her dust bunny companion(yep, though I am not exactly sure what one is) have found peace and quiet on Rainshadow Island, operating a bookstore and café.
But her tranquil new life is thrown into chaos when Harry Sebastian, the descendant of a notorious pirate, arrives to investigate strange developments in the privately owned woods known as the Preserve.
Immediately drawn to the amber-eyed woman, Harry must tread carefully. While Rachel’s special talents can help him track down dangerous rogues who have violated the Preserve, they can also sense the heart of darkness within him.
There is enough paranormal to keep this novel going and interesting and of course, the romance heats up between Harry and Rachel as they both struggle against their own secrets.
~ Debbie
April 28, 2017
Rachael Blake, who had the ability to detect the auras of psychic criminals, had been raised in the protected Harmony Colony and had attended Harmonic Enlightment School of Inner Balance. As an adult, she wanted to blend into the mainstream world so she went to work for Dr. Ian Oakford in his mental health hospital. He hired her to use her talent to balance his patients’ aura. When Rachel was asked to balance Marquis Lancastle’s aura, Rachel sensed something so evil that she quit the therapy and told Dr. Oakford that Lancastle’s aura didn’t need balancing. Dr. Oakford fired her.
Rachael left for Rainshadow Island to run the bookstore that her aunts had left her. She meets Harry Sebastian who arrived on the island to investigate the unusual disturbances in his family’s privately owned forest called The Preserve. Though they were attractive to one another they were hesitant to act upon their emotions because of their abilities. The adventure began when psychic criminals tried to use the technology the original inhabitants of the planet left to control the planet.
The Lost Night was a fun read enhanced with Joyce Bean’s storytelling.
Rachael left for Rainshadow Island to run the bookstore that her aunts had left her. She meets Harry Sebastian who arrived on the island to investigate the unusual disturbances in his family’s privately owned forest called The Preserve. Though they were attractive to one another they were hesitant to act upon their emotions because of their abilities. The adventure began when psychic criminals tried to use the technology the original inhabitants of the planet left to control the planet.
The Lost Night was a fun read enhanced with Joyce Bean’s storytelling.
May 13, 2015
***Contains minor spoilers***
I really enjoyed reading this book. It had a good hook at the beginning to draw me into it. The mystery and action of the main part of the book moved at a good pace and kept me interested.
The two main characters were very interesting - I especially liked Rachel and her blend of hippy and practical.
While I did enjoy this book and look forward to the next book there were two things that didn't quite work for me.
One, the romance jumped straight from "maybe we like eachother, maybe this is just sex" to "we're totally in love and of course we're moving in together and getting married". It was a bit abrupt and some more time spent on the transition from one to the other would have been good.
Two, while this book was billed as book 1 in a series, it's a spin off of a previous series, and was clearly written with the assumption that people would have read the previous series first. Since it was listed as book 1, I didn't go looking for any previous books. I was able to make decent guesses at history and terminology based on context, but given that it's book 1, a little more world building/world explanation would have been nice.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It had a good hook at the beginning to draw me into it. The mystery and action of the main part of the book moved at a good pace and kept me interested.
The two main characters were very interesting - I especially liked Rachel and her blend of hippy and practical.
While I did enjoy this book and look forward to the next book there were two things that didn't quite work for me.
One, the romance jumped straight from "maybe we like eachother, maybe this is just sex" to "we're totally in love and of course we're moving in together and getting married". It was a bit abrupt and some more time spent on the transition from one to the other would have been good.
Two, while this book was billed as book 1 in a series, it's a spin off of a previous series, and was clearly written with the assumption that people would have read the previous series first. Since it was listed as book 1, I didn't go looking for any previous books. I was able to make decent guesses at history and terminology based on context, but given that it's book 1, a little more world building/world explanation would have been nice.
September 10, 2012
Not one of Jayne's better outings. It just seemed like a pale imitation of of her earlier work.
Nothing wrong with it--but...
The adventure itself is fun and we learn more about the mysterious Preserve that is at the heart of Rainshadow Island. The romance is okay, but it doesn't sparkle. Our hero and heroine, Harry and Rachel, spend a lot of time talking, but those conversations are more expository than romantic. There's no real sexual tension.
The bad guys are interesting and there is one plot twist that surprised me.
And there is a dust bunny. Darwina steals the show.
There are at least two more Rainshadow books to come. Let's do the math: there were three missing artifacts at the start of this story. Only one was found. I figure that works out to two books to come (at one artifact per book).
Nothing wrong with it--but...
The adventure itself is fun and we learn more about the mysterious Preserve that is at the heart of Rainshadow Island. The romance is okay, but it doesn't sparkle. Our hero and heroine, Harry and Rachel, spend a lot of time talking, but those conversations are more expository than romantic. There's no real sexual tension.
The bad guys are interesting and there is one plot twist that surprised me.
And there is a dust bunny. Darwina steals the show.
There are at least two more Rainshadow books to come. Let's do the math: there were three missing artifacts at the start of this story. Only one was found. I figure that works out to two books to come (at one artifact per book).
October 12, 2015
Stopped at Page 30.
Page 30, yes I know. It's like, I didn't even give it a chance. I like to wade into at least the first 100 pages but I can tell already I won't like this one. It says its the first in one series and the ninth in another which is frustrating. Page 30 and I'm already confused as to what the hell is going on. Writing style is elementary and lacking in description which isn't helping me feel informed and in-tune with what is happening. Harry Sebastian quite literally just materialized into the story. There is nothing special about him, nothing in the least that is mysterious or intriguing. Our female lead has been quite a disappointment already in the story...a quitter and a runner who is easily intimidated, not someone I want to read about.
I'm going to have to set this one down and move onto something more worth my time.
Page 30, yes I know. It's like, I didn't even give it a chance. I like to wade into at least the first 100 pages but I can tell already I won't like this one. It says its the first in one series and the ninth in another which is frustrating. Page 30 and I'm already confused as to what the hell is going on. Writing style is elementary and lacking in description which isn't helping me feel informed and in-tune with what is happening. Harry Sebastian quite literally just materialized into the story. There is nothing special about him, nothing in the least that is mysterious or intriguing. Our female lead has been quite a disappointment already in the story...a quitter and a runner who is easily intimidated, not someone I want to read about.
I'm going to have to set this one down and move onto something more worth my time.
September 21, 2013
It's no secret that I am a big fan of Jayne Ann Krentz's writing. THE LOST NIGHT written under her Jayne Castle nom de plume is a wonderful, thrilling read. Essentially, this novel is sci-fi, fantasy romantic suspense. The author is quite creative in the invention of Rainshadow Island. Rachel Blake feels at home on the strange island until she passes into a fugue state and disappears into the Preserve for. When she returns, Rachel has no memory of the time spent there. Meanwhile the island is ominously heating with a form of psi radiation. Harry Sebastian is sent to investigate the mystery. He and Rachel connect emotionally, sexually, and mentally, discovering secrets of the Preserve and dealing with some very bad people. Excellent escape fiction.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 385 reviews