The Veil of Night

Night #1

by Lydia Joyce

Under Cover of Night, He Awaits Her....

Byron Stratford, Duke of Raeburn, walks in shadow. Spoken of only in whispers, he lives alone in his crumbling manor, a cold, enigmatic recluse. Rarely appearing by the light of day, he moves as a wraith in the night, answering to no man. He cares little for those who dwell outside and does not abide the intrusion of others, lest they discover his secret shame....

Lord Raeburn is the sinister man Lady Victoria Wakefield must confront if she is to save herself from her family's ruin. Little does she suspect that she will become his shining star--or that the passion radiating between them will be their only defense against the true darkness threatening to destroy them both....

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Beauty and The Beast, Gothic, Fiction, Historical Fiction

302 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Lydia Joyce holds degrees in English and Spanish language from Purdue University, where she started in engineering before realizing there was a difference between being good at something and liking it. She lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband and son.

Reviews

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. At first when you start reading, it has a 1860's Gothic/Victorian feel about it. It does come off as dark and creepy at first as well and it is all deliberate. Maybe like a Beauty and the Beast on the dark side. The servants also talk strange and I never really understood why.

Victoria has come to Byron to ask him not to demand payment from her brother, as he has none. But Byron is a madman, at least that is what society whispers. Victoria is beginning to believe it as well when she sees his house and has her first contact with the Lord of the Dark and Creepy Manor. He advises her that there is only one way he will be willing to hold off any further action against her brother and that is for her to spend a week with him.

So that is the time-frame of the book and where Ms. Joyce shines, it felt much longer than that. She didn't cheat with short love scenes and then long instances of talking about nothing. Most every love scene was very long and where we really got to know our h/h. (The peach crumble night was oh so delicious!) During this time, we learned that they are two like souls. They have both been hurt by life and hide behind their respective shields. The love scenes weren't graphic, but lush and surprisingly detailed, for you never knew what kind of sexual hi-jinks Byron was going to go for each night.

I did eventually get irritated with him, because he didn't want to tell Victoria about his condition, but wanted to know every little thing about her. It was unbalanced in that way, until the point that they both got hurt, then he revealed all.

The only little niggling thing for me was a small detail at the end of the book. I wish it could have been the opposite of what it was. If you read it, you will know what I mean by that. It was his dream and I wanted it to happen for them both. Going to go pick up the next book in the series as I have since found out that LB and LV are in the next book.

[♥ Rebecca ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found on my blog: A Match Made in Heaven

I really enjoyed this book. Despite the strong and almost instant sexual content, it was actually a sweet romance. Victoria and Byron met when she went to him hoping to settle her brother's debts, but they have an instant attraction. Byron finds himself asking for a week with her instead, and Victoria finds herself accepting.

It was unexpected, impulsive, and just so appealing that neither of them could help themselves. So they made this deal and Victoria stays in Byron's old manor for 6 days, with no one but the servants. They spend quiet days there, going riding, talking in the library, but they have sex together every night. Their physical attraction to each other was instant and undeniable. But it took them the length of the book to develop, recognize, and admit their feelings for each other go beyond physical. And that is what the story is really about. Despite their sexual relationship, we still got to see two lonely people falling in love.

I enjoyed their time together and their chemistry. They had a great, deeper connection and I was just waiting for them to see and understand it. They both had secrets and painful pasts that were keeping them back. Victoria had been in love before but he died. It had caused her to hide behind her spinster facade, avoiding new pain or rejection. But she had a wild spirit that was fighting to get out. I loved how she couldn't help but laugh when it rained.

And Byron had a severe photosensitivity which had driven away friends and lovers in the past because of their fear of what they didn't understand. I felt a lot of sympathy for Byron because despite his dark reputation, his circumstances hadn't changed him too much. It made him sad and lonely but it hadn't made him mean as it could have. And the fact that he was building a huge, beautiful house with rooms for a wife and children was just the sweetest thing. He still had this amazing dream for his future despite the fact that he hadn't yet found a woman who could accept him and his disability. Not until Victoria. It was obvious that they belonged together and I didn't understand why they couldn't instantly see it too. But luckily it didn't take them too long. The whole book took place over a span of only 6 days. I look forward to the rest of this series, despite it's low ratings. I didn't see anything in this book to keep me away.

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad for a debut novel.

I personally found Byron's... problem... to be obvious from pretty much the beginning, but then again I approached it from a modern reader's POV rather than as someone from that time period.

This story does have a bit of a Beauty and the Beast feel to it, but Byron's "beastliness" isn't immediately apparent, and doesn't become explicitly illustrated until late in the novel (er.. as in the author coming out and saying exactly what his problem is, not the other kind of "explicitly" lol)

Our heroine gets both the "plain heroine" and "beautiful heroine" shelves because she's really a lovely woman but hides herself behind ugly clothes and unfashionable hairstyles.

While I didn't like the heroine at first, I did start to warm up to her towards the end, and I really liked how LJ didn't go the clichéd and obvious route for the explanation of why our heroine acted the way she did. It was a perfectly reasonable reason to me, given the time period, but even the Hero thinks that it seemed rather anticlimactic. I, for one, simply enjoyed the fact that it was simple -- no evil villain hiding in the wings, no dastardly deeds were committed against her person, but rather a small series of unfortunate events coupled with a youthful indiscretion made it necessary to become a spinster.

While LJ certainly gets credit for the unusual affliction of the Hero, and the uncommon (if rather mundane) history of the heroine, the rating does slip a bit because at points the writing dragged a bit, the stubbornness of both the Hero and Heroine get annoying at times, and the ending/epilogue (while happy) weren't really to my tastes.

3 1/2 Stars

[Angels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was a pretty good book. You could not help but love the characters. Victoria goes to the Duke of Raeburn to see about what to do to save face and her family name because of her brothers reckless adventures and compounding debt. She strikes a bargain with the Duke to be his mistress for a week to save her families good name.The affair sparks a budding romance between the Duke and Victoria. The more time Victoria spends with the duke she wants to unearth his secrets.Raeburn is hiding a secret that has made him and odd ball to society her only is seen from dusk to dawn. But during and accident The Duke risks his life in order to care for the wounded Victoria. After recovering from her injury Victoria now finds out the secret to the Dukes affliction he is allergic to the sunlight and has burns all over his face making him look horrid.But Victoria's loving and caring nature lures the Duke who is slowly coming out of the shadows and into the light in Victoria awaiting arms.This was a cute gothic novel and a nice romance story. Lydia is a new author to me and I can say i will be looking forward to some of her other books.The book had a elusive plot that kept you wondering once Raeburn's secret was revealed if he was a vampire or supernatural or not the plot kept you guessing all the way through...

[Cherry's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro ligero que me ha dejado con ganas de leer más de esta autora. Aunque el romance tiene que ser "fugaz" a causa de las circunstancias en las que sucede la historia, no me ha resultado un enamoramiento express, si no que todo a quedado equilibrado. No es un gran novelon, pero es muy amena y la autora tiene un estilo de escribir que me ha encantado, en ocasiones recordándole a Robin Schone. El es un escacharradito (los adoro) y ella es una protagonista con carácter que se niega a dejarse avasallar por el carácter fuerte que también tiene el protagonista. Tienen unos diálogos intensos, con discusiones que echan chispas y un final de novela muy romántico. Una pena que ni haya más de esta autora en español.

[Netanella · Rating 5 out of 5]

As you can tell from my 5-star nod, I liked this book. A lot. There was something mysteriously compelling about both characters - neither are the perfectly beautiful, young caricatures that tend to typify many historical romances. Victoria is cold, brittle, not a beauty; Byron suffers from a disfiguring disease that keeps him out of direct sunlight. The whole piece has a dark, gothic feel, with creepy staircases and strange servants who speak with odd accents. A beautiful piece, and I look forward to more by Joyce.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Night series by Lydia Joyce. Lady Victoria Wakefield travels to Raeburn Court to meet with Byron Stratford, Duke of Raeburn, regarding her brother's debts. In an effort to protect her family's name and reputation, Lady Victoria agrees to a week with the Duke.

A dark gothic style romance but it isn't too dark. I quite liked it!

[Emerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this- it was steamy and oh my gods the peach scene was marvelous. But I thought it was going to be vampires. And it wasn't. It wasn't even remotely vampires.

[melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

This is the only thing my quarantine-shattered brain could focus on for the first time in like a week. It’s your standard Beauty and the Beast Victorian gothic, but I was expecting more plot than what’s essentially a week of sex and conversations. The heroine is 32! The hero is 34! They’re adults! I loved that!

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

In the shadowy world of Regency-era London, Byron Stratford, the enigmatic Duke of Raeburn, is a recluse known only through hushed whispers. He resides in his decaying manor, shrouded in mystery and solitude. Preferring the cover of darkness, he avoids the public eye and remains an elusive figure, a man of secrets. He guards his privacy fiercely and cares little for the outside world, fearing that others might uncover his hidden shame.

Lady Victoria Wakefield, on the other hand, finds herself entangled with Lord Raeburn as she faces the dire threat of her family's financial ruin. Little does she know that she will be drawn into his world, becoming a shining light in his life. Their passionate connection, an unexpected spark, becomes their only defense against the lurking darkness that threatens to consume them both.

Amidst the intrigue and secrecy of their society, Lady Victoria and Lord Raeburn's relationship becomes a beacon of hope and desire, offering them a chance to confront the shadows that haunt them.

This book left me utterly disappointed. If you're seeking an overly erotic tale with no depth or plot to speak of, then perhaps this is the book for you. It seemed like every page was dedicated to explicit scenes, leaving no room for substance, character development, or genuine chemistry between the protagonists.

The quality of the intimate scenes themselves was lacking, failing to ignite the passion or excitement one might expect from such a narrative. It felt as though the author sacrificed storytelling for the sake of explicit content, and the result was underwhelming, to say the least.

This reading experience has left me with little desire to explore more of this author's work. A well-crafted story with engaging characters and a meaningful plot can be far more captivating than a book that relies solely on explicit content to hold the reader's attention. In this case, substance was sorely missed.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just had to give up reading this book, I just couldn’t take anymore. I wanted to LOVE this book, and I tried, but I couldn’t. First of all, I didn’t like the writing style, it felt very awkward (although some of this can be forgiven as it is her first published book, I plan on reading one more of hers before I decide to give up on her books). Second of all, I HATED the hero/heroine! And this is a Beauty and the Beast type romance, which I love, but the hero, although was older and a little weather beaten and not classically handsome, there was nothing “wrong” with him (Byron, a Duke) (granted I did only read the first 100 pages, so there could be something written later on in the book which I did not get to read). I didn’t like the heroine because she was dull, boring, and had little substance. Besides all that, it was a “spinster” story. Now, in the first 100 pages we don’t find out her age except that she is older and considered to be a “spinster.” I do not like spinster stories, but if that is what you like, then you’d probably like this book, or if not the book, at least Lady Victoria. And finally, Victoria and Byron had sex around page 50. So there goes all the sexual tension out the window- the reason why most people (myself included) read romances in the first place. I am planning on reading The Music of the Night sometime before I decide to swear of this author forever. I sincerely hope it is much better than this one.

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I started reading this book, I initially thought this was similar to most romance novels that I've read. Sure enough, Lydia Joyce also had the annoying habit of shifting perspectives without separating them in a different paragraph. Perhaps it's just me being fastidious to such details, but it really was irking, especially since it was written in third-person limited and not third-person omniscient. One moment you're listening to Victoria's thoughts, the next, you're already reading the perceptions of Raeburn. Can't it be more organized?

Further, the protagonists also had traces to what most romance characters are. Mysterious heroes, stubborn and strong-willed heroine... you get the gist.

But compared to most romance novels I've read (the ones that are not very popular), this is more erotic than most. It is reminiscent of Fifty Shades of Grey - from the contract to the personality of the characters.

It was well-written, and I'd like to commend Lydia Joyce for the fluidity of the prose. However, I wasn't very much pleased with the characters and the plot itself. Honestly, what normal woman would agree to a contract with a stranger that virtually allows the latter to do whatever he pleases with her? It's preposterous. And what of Raeburn, the hero? He wasn't very charming either.

There are cliches, and the plot is somewhat too fictitious that it seems rather distasteful. This has a "Beauty and the Beast" feel intermingled with Gothic literature.

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, amazing book that I couldn't put down. Unfortunately, the epilogue sucked big time:(

[LadyAileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il velo della notte è il primo romanzo della serie romance storica Night chiamata così perché i titoli in lingua originale hanno nel titolo la parola "night" (notte).
Il romanzo è ambientato in Inghilterra durante il periodo vittoriano e racconta la storia di Lady Victoria, una nobildonna che ha condotto per anni una vita irreprensibile per mantenere la propria reputazione intatta. Un giorno lo scapestrato fratello rischia la prigione perché contrae un forte debito con il misterioso duca di Raeburn.
Lady Victoria per evitare lo scandalo, decide di andare dal duca per trovare un soluzione, quest'ultimo però, non ha alcuna voglia di cedere a meno che Victoria non sia disposta a concedersi a lui per una settimana.
La cover non rende assolutamente l'idea del contenuto del libro, si tratta, infatti, di un romanzo gotico che in qualche modo fa pensare a la Bella e la Bestia. Lui non è sfigurato ma nasconde un segreto che gli impedisce di farsi vedere alla luce del sole (non ci sono elementi paranormali).
Il focus del libro è incentrato soprattutto sui protagonisti e sulla loro relazione decisamente bollente (il livello di sensualità è davvero molto alto). Ci sono alcuni dipendenti del castello con le loro storie personali ma hanno comunque una presenza molto marginale.
Ho trovato la storia piacevole nonostante ci siano degli elementi già visti: il castello decadente con il nobile che si nasconde dalla società, la donna capace di riportarlo alla vita.
E' scritto con uno stile abbastanza scorrevole (ci sono dei punti in cui è un po' lenta) e con dei protagonisti ben caratterizzati. Risultano un po' irritanti le scuse del duca nel non rivelare la verità sulla sua condizione a Victoria. Anche perché, la sua stessa condizione non mi è sembrata così sconvolgente da farlo ragionare in quel modo.
Mi è piaciuto molto come è stato gestito il rapporto tra i due protagonisti, raccontato soprattutto attraverso i pensieri più che dai dialoghi.
Vedremo cosa riserverà il secondo romanzo della serie.

[Jazzy Singh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hated this book. The heroine was trashy, jumps into bed with the hero right away as if she’s living in this century. And she had already let some other man crawl between her legs, slime over her and take her virginity. Why?!! This ain’t a contemporary romance where the females spread their legs and have meaningless losers grunt and heave and rut into them, where they throw their innocence away on losers and can never give the hero the connexion and satisfaction of being the one to claim them. That trash belongs in modern romance, not historical.

I won’t be reading this author again.

[penelopewanders]

It took me quite a while to open to this gothic novel... but eventually I began enjoying it. The beginning reminded me of the overly dramatic suspense music of B movies... what sort of monster is the hero??? but gradually the story settled down. Not quite Beauty and the beast but definitely that direction.

[bersabea giudice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sicuramente ultimamente sono sfortunata nelle letture e probabilmente questo non era il momento giusto per leggere un libro del genere ... ma davvero, esiste qualcosa di più noioso di un romanzo in cui i due protagonisti vanno perfettamente d'accordo e passano la maggior parte del tempo a scambiarsi frasi complimentose?

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Defiantly not for me. DNF

[Julie Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good! My favorite part is the peach cobbler lol and I’m really glad Raeburn realized he wanted to marry her before she got away.

[Marie Rusanen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro muy sensual, una historia novedosa y una narrativa encantadora.

[HistoricalHussy]

Not bad, not bad. Interesting protagonists.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amé el libro. Esta autora sabe escribir un buen romance. Necesito más libros de ella en español 10/10 super recomendado si eres amante de las novelas de época

[Elisa Vangelisti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Una noia mortale. Ho letto 30 pagine e poi non ce l’ho fatta più.

[Darla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book that I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. I was actually a little surprised by the storyline, thinking it was more of a beauty meets beast situation, but I realized that Lord Raeburn wasn't disfigured so much as he was suffering from an affliction of the skin that prevented him from being in the sunlight without burning and blistering badly. I felt so sorry for him, not pity, but just sad that this former little boy who wanted so bad to have a normal boy's life, but due to his condition he couldn't, and so as he grew up to a man and got his feelings hurt time and again, he shut down emotionally. Of course, until he made the "deal" with Victoria and then slowly, or very fast, depending on how you see it, all that changed, as they found something in each other that they didn't expect. This was a sweet story, a little slow, but as I read on and we really got a glimpse of what was ailing Lord Raeburn, I started to get into the story more. I liked Victoria too, though she tried to hide behind her stiff façade, she was lively and outspoken and passionate. Good story, worth the read.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially, I was going to give this book 3 stars, but went with 2. It's not a badly written book, but the characters just never came alive at all for me. I had to work at finishing it. However, the setting is beautifully and vividly described -- you can really feel the cold and damp,

Victoria, who has gone to ask Byron Raeburn to forgive her brother's gambling debts, agrees to spend a week with Raeburn as payment in lieu of the debts. Raeburn is a recluse who falls in love with Victoria during the days they spend together. There is, of course, lots of personal anguish and mysterious secrets to keep, but it is difficult to care whether they get resolved because even though the sex is steamy, the characters seem cold and dispassionate -- their dialogue dense....Nobody really speaks like this, not even in the 1860's!

So..I'll try one more Lydia Joyce book to see if maybe it's just this one that didn't appeal.

[Deanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is the second time I have read this novel , the first time I read this book was when I was 19,and enjoyed it so much that it was listed as one of my favourite novels in my book logs , but after re-reading it now I found the story draggingly long that it feels like I would never reach the end of the story, the characters seems interesting at the start but slowly lost their spark in the middle .

This story reminds me of my favourite fairy tale but instead of the light happy way it is usually written it has this eerie Gothic-romance feel to it that I now find I do not enjoy. I just happy that Byron and Victoria found their happy ending but other than that I am hesitant to read the rest of the books in this series.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this kind of as a test after not really liking Wicked Intentions. This was more enjoyable, if you are in the mood for the dark-secret-that-explains-everything type of story, which I sometimes am!

With both books, though, I found myself wishing for a postscript from the author discussing the historical context for the medical conditions that play central roles in the stories.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Veil of Night" reminded me of the Gothic Romances I used to devour in my younger days. Perfect for a weekend read, with a mysterious male character, and a feisty female. Reminded me in a pleasant way of the old "Had I but known" genre, as they used to be called. Not great literature, but enjoyable and entertaining.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good gothic romance. (Not your mother's gothic romance, mind...) ;)

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just an okay read, IMO. It kept my interest but the plot seemed very familiar to me. The use of 'thoo' instead of 'you' drove me insane. 3 Stars