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St. James Family #2
Nightfire
NOBLE BLOOD ABLAZE WITH PASSION
Raised by a London seamstress, summoned as dressmaker to Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, beautiful Simonne Carlisle crossed wild snowy borders to enter a world of violent beauty and savage love. Although she was swept off her feet by the seductive elegance of Trevelyan de Gwynn, it was his brother, Prince Alexi, who would torment Simonne with the elusive promise of love.
From the lavish Russian court to the war-torn opulence of Marie Antoinette's Versailles, to the harsh challenge of the New World, she held fast-to a memory and a dream, her heart burning with the unquenchable power of .. .NIGHTFIRE
Raised by a London seamstress, summoned as dressmaker to Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, beautiful Simonne Carlisle crossed wild snowy borders to enter a world of violent beauty and savage love. Although she was swept off her feet by the seductive elegance of Trevelyan de Gwynn, it was his brother, Prince Alexi, who would torment Simonne with the elusive promise of love.
From the lavish Russian court to the war-torn opulence of Marie Antoinette's Versailles, to the harsh challenge of the New World, she held fast-to a memory and a dream, her heart burning with the unquenchable power of .. .NIGHTFIRE
330 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1986
155 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Vayle
5 books13 followersA pseudonym used by Jean Brooks-Janowiak and Janice Young Brooks writing together. It was later used exclusively by Jean Brooks-Janowiak after obtaining the legal rights to the name.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 22, 2022
In the late 18th century, Nightfire means two things to Simonne Carlisle, the young dressmaker whose work has caught the interest of nobility. The first is love and joy, the fireworks of Catherine the Great’s court as Russia celebrates an esteemed wedding. Her lover tells her Nightfire has more color than the real thing, but it won’t last as long or burn as hard.
But later it becomes the real thing, because Marie Antoinette needs dresses too.
Backing up, Simonne is the daughter of an esteemed London dressmaker and a French aristocrat, illegitimate but ambitious. She takes a commission to make wedding dresses for Russian royalty, and quickly catches the eye of two brothers. Prince Alexi, or Sasha, and his younger brother Trevelyan.
Sasha is also a doctor, has just escaped from two years in Turkish prison, returning to find that his wife and children have died of disease. His ice-blonde hair, gaunt frame, and heterochromia make him an imposing figure, and his temperament doesn’t help. He's standoffish, taking an instant dislike to Simonne, likely because of her relationship with Trevelyan.
Trevelyan, on the other hand, is handsome, charismatic, and vain. He takes a shine to Simonne right away and courts her in a near-smothering way that is somewhat flattering to Simonne, who hasn't had a lover yet. Simonne has no illusions of marriage or commitment. She’s illegitimate herself, and wants to experience what it’s liked to be loved by someone so dashing.
But there’s a darkness beneath Trevelyan’s rakish charm, a brutal sense of self-preservation that scorches friend and foe alike. By the time Simonne realizes this, she’s already pregnant with his child.
Simmone isn’t totally alone at this point. Her antipathy towards Sasha first evolved to a grudging respect, and then finally into a deep friendship. She tells Sasha of her pregnancy, and he helps her plan her next steps: he could potentially give her an abortion, but he only knows how to do it surgically, and he's not keen on her likelihood of survival. Instead, he tells her to give birth at her artistractic father's house in France, where she'll be well-cared for. It's clear at this point that Sasha loves Simonne. It's a quiet affection that runs deep, and it pains him that she's still somewhat attached to his miserable brother.
Once the baby comes, Simmone gets restless. Her father hooks her up with a new position: this time as a dressmaker for Marie Antoinette. What happens next shouldn’t be shocking: how many ways can we recount this violence and this terror? But Sasha comes to rescue Simonne, she realizes she loves him, and Nightfire comes for them all.
This is a very moving “I’ll come back for you!” romance that spans three countries in just shy of a decade. You know that the main characters will be somewhat safe, but that doesn't mean they get their happily ever after unscathed. After the fire burns, they rebuild. I loved it.
But later it becomes the real thing, because Marie Antoinette needs dresses too.
Backing up, Simonne is the daughter of an esteemed London dressmaker and a French aristocrat, illegitimate but ambitious. She takes a commission to make wedding dresses for Russian royalty, and quickly catches the eye of two brothers. Prince Alexi, or Sasha, and his younger brother Trevelyan.
Sasha is also a doctor, has just escaped from two years in Turkish prison, returning to find that his wife and children have died of disease. His ice-blonde hair, gaunt frame, and heterochromia make him an imposing figure, and his temperament doesn’t help. He's standoffish, taking an instant dislike to Simonne, likely because of her relationship with Trevelyan.
Trevelyan, on the other hand, is handsome, charismatic, and vain. He takes a shine to Simonne right away and courts her in a near-smothering way that is somewhat flattering to Simonne, who hasn't had a lover yet. Simonne has no illusions of marriage or commitment. She’s illegitimate herself, and wants to experience what it’s liked to be loved by someone so dashing.
But there’s a darkness beneath Trevelyan’s rakish charm, a brutal sense of self-preservation that scorches friend and foe alike. By the time Simonne realizes this, she’s already pregnant with his child.
Simmone isn’t totally alone at this point. Her antipathy towards Sasha first evolved to a grudging respect, and then finally into a deep friendship. She tells Sasha of her pregnancy, and he helps her plan her next steps: he could potentially give her an abortion, but he only knows how to do it surgically, and he's not keen on her likelihood of survival. Instead, he tells her to give birth at her artistractic father's house in France, where she'll be well-cared for. It's clear at this point that Sasha loves Simonne. It's a quiet affection that runs deep, and it pains him that she's still somewhat attached to his miserable brother.
Once the baby comes, Simmone gets restless. Her father hooks her up with a new position: this time as a dressmaker for Marie Antoinette. What happens next shouldn’t be shocking: how many ways can we recount this violence and this terror? But Sasha comes to rescue Simonne, she realizes she loves him, and Nightfire comes for them all.
This is a very moving “I’ll come back for you!” romance that spans three countries in just shy of a decade. You know that the main characters will be somewhat safe, but that doesn't mean they get their happily ever after unscathed. After the fire burns, they rebuild. I loved it.
June 23, 2025
A terribly hard-won and satisfying romance set against a whirlwind tour of the end of the 18th century. Genuinely difficult to put down!
July 4, 2015
At 12:30 this morning I said to myself, "I'll just read for an hour and finish this in the morning." Seemed logical. Was I ever surprised to find myself closing the cover at 3:57 having finished the novel.
Why I love this book:
Sasaha, aka Prince Alexi Grigorivitch. When Simonne first encounters Sasha, he is ultra white blonde, skeletally thin, cadaverously pale, with mismatched eyes, and a skeptical, curmudgeonly demeanor. Oh, and he has a wolf for a companion! Simonne and the reader later learn that this appearance was the result of captivity in a Turkish prison and his attitude stems from the recent deaths of his wife and children. We also discover that Sasha is learned in the ways of both western and eastern medicine, radical in his beliefs, educated, eloquent, thoughtful, sensitive, fiercely loyal, and a surprisingly good friend. He is the ultimate Beta-Hero. His character occupies one of the top spaces in my list of hero-crushes. While not as prominent as James Fraser of Outlander fame, Sasha was one of the first, making the list in 1986--10 years before Jamie even entered the scene.
Why everyone should love this book:
This is a radical novel for it's time. It's more about second love than first love. Oh, Simonne falls for the handsomer brother--Trevellyan, with his beautiful red hair, manly physique, witty charm, and easy way with the ladies. She is swept away by first love and blind to all his faults (of which there are MANY) and his secrets (all of which are DARK). It's not until halfway through the novel, when the reader is entirely rooting for Sasha, that Simonne realizes her mistake. AND INSTEAD OF BEING A NINNY, she goes for it without another thought for that scum bucket Trevellyan.
Which brings me to the even more radical heroine, Simonne. While she is physically innocent, this is no simpering, daydreaming miss. Illegitimate daughter of one of the most renown seamstresses of England, she aspires to have her own shop and design and clothe royalty. Simonne cold-heartedly rejects her suitor's advances explaining that she has no desire to be a brood mare to a farmer she wants to make a name for herself. Thus, she finds her self headed to the wilds of Russia where her adventures begin. Even though she's in love with Trevellyan, titled lord, she never aspires to marry him, only to catch the eye of Catherine the Great so that she can become dressmaker to the Tsarina. When she falls pregnant, she asks Sasha for an abortion, not wanting to be a slave to motherhood, acknowledging that children are a hindrance to success. In the end, Sasha refuses, not because of moral outrage but because medical technology make the procedure too dangerous and he's afraid of killing Simonne.
The genuine friendship and respect between Sasha and Simonne combined with the exotic settings of the Russian courts, the Revolution in France, and the wilds of the American colonies make this novel a perennial favorite on my historical romance shelf.
Why I love this book:
Sasaha, aka Prince Alexi Grigorivitch. When Simonne first encounters Sasha, he is ultra white blonde, skeletally thin, cadaverously pale, with mismatched eyes, and a skeptical, curmudgeonly demeanor. Oh, and he has a wolf for a companion! Simonne and the reader later learn that this appearance was the result of captivity in a Turkish prison and his attitude stems from the recent deaths of his wife and children. We also discover that Sasha is learned in the ways of both western and eastern medicine, radical in his beliefs, educated, eloquent, thoughtful, sensitive, fiercely loyal, and a surprisingly good friend. He is the ultimate Beta-Hero. His character occupies one of the top spaces in my list of hero-crushes. While not as prominent as James Fraser of Outlander fame, Sasha was one of the first, making the list in 1986--10 years before Jamie even entered the scene.
Why everyone should love this book:
This is a radical novel for it's time. It's more about second love than first love. Oh, Simonne falls for the handsomer brother--Trevellyan, with his beautiful red hair, manly physique, witty charm, and easy way with the ladies. She is swept away by first love and blind to all his faults (of which there are MANY) and his secrets (all of which are DARK). It's not until halfway through the novel, when the reader is entirely rooting for Sasha, that Simonne realizes her mistake. AND INSTEAD OF BEING A NINNY, she goes for it without another thought for that scum bucket Trevellyan.
Which brings me to the even more radical heroine, Simonne. While she is physically innocent, this is no simpering, daydreaming miss. Illegitimate daughter of one of the most renown seamstresses of England, she aspires to have her own shop and design and clothe royalty. Simonne cold-heartedly rejects her suitor's advances explaining that she has no desire to be a brood mare to a farmer she wants to make a name for herself. Thus, she finds her self headed to the wilds of Russia where her adventures begin. Even though she's in love with Trevellyan, titled lord, she never aspires to marry him, only to catch the eye of Catherine the Great so that she can become dressmaker to the Tsarina. When she falls pregnant, she asks Sasha for an abortion, not wanting to be a slave to motherhood, acknowledging that children are a hindrance to success. In the end, Sasha refuses, not because of moral outrage but because medical technology make the procedure too dangerous and he's afraid of killing Simonne.
The genuine friendship and respect between Sasha and Simonne combined with the exotic settings of the Russian courts, the Revolution in France, and the wilds of the American colonies make this novel a perennial favorite on my historical romance shelf.
October 14, 2024
I first learned about Nightfire from The Reformed Rakes Podcast. This book is out of print however I was able to find a used copy.
Nightfire begins in England with Simonne Carlisle, illegitimate daughter of a French Viscomte and an English dressmaker, who was mistress to the Viscomte (aside: I loved the relationship Simonne had with both her parents, such an interesting choice by Vayle! this entire book is full of bold authorial choices) Simonne becomes renowned for her work with her mother and they receive commission from an aristocratic Russian family to outfit a wedding for the daughter of a duke (or something, so many titles and countries I made pages notes but I also confuse myself!) Simmone, her mother, and several workers from her mother's shop take off for Russia. Along the way, Simonne's mother becomes seriously ill and later finds out she is pregnant before they make it to Russia. Due to her frail health and her pregnancy, Simonne's mother must stay behind.
Once Simonne arrives in Russia the action really takes off and barely lets up: Love! Labor! Stakes! this book somehow fit everything into 330, perfectly-paced pages that left me feeling invigorated, excited, all the things!
Another reviewer mentioned that Nightfire is available at the Internet Archive
"Can he be right? Can there really be no God? Can we really be so responsible for the world? All the good, all the bad? How terrifying."
Nightfire begins in England with Simonne Carlisle, illegitimate daughter of a French Viscomte and an English dressmaker, who was mistress to the Viscomte (aside: I loved the relationship Simonne had with both her parents, such an interesting choice by Vayle! this entire book is full of bold authorial choices) Simonne becomes renowned for her work with her mother and they receive commission from an aristocratic Russian family to outfit a wedding for the daughter of a duke (or something, so many titles and countries I made pages notes but I also confuse myself!) Simmone, her mother, and several workers from her mother's shop take off for Russia. Along the way, Simonne's mother becomes seriously ill and later finds out she is pregnant before they make it to Russia. Due to her frail health and her pregnancy, Simonne's mother must stay behind.
Once Simonne arrives in Russia the action really takes off and barely lets up: Love! Labor! Stakes! this book somehow fit everything into 330, perfectly-paced pages that left me feeling invigorated, excited, all the things!
"People can make miracles too. Remember that."
Another reviewer mentioned that Nightfire is available at the Internet Archive
November 20, 2024
3.5 stars
Very epic (spanning years and crossing countries) in the way of older historicals. Interesting and stressful and unique.
Very epic (spanning years and crossing countries) in the way of older historicals. Interesting and stressful and unique.
October 2, 2023
Since this book is so hard to find, this review will include spoilers and details. I found my copy at a used bookstore, but the PDF is also available on Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/nightfire...). I came to this book via chels_ebooks' TikTok review (https://www.tiktok.com/@chels_ebooks/...)
Tropes: Unrequited love, friends to lovers, "I thought you were dead", "I thought I lost you", crossing continents to reunite, secret baby / couldn't tell him in time baby
CWs: death of family members, off-page incest (not involving the two main characters), lots of FRENCH REVOLUTION gore though it's less graphic than the Wikipedia page (see September Massacres), miscarriage, imprisonment, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI being very silly, dog with unknown fate that probably dies off page, discussion of abortions and abortion-related deaths that occur off-page (involves Alexi but not Simmone), cheating (not involving the two main characters)
Notes:
*Can be read standalone from the series, I did not read Mistress of the Night and the only overlap appears to be that one of the characters is very distantly related to another character from the previous book, who makes a brief appearance near the end.
*Despite the occasional classification of Nightfire as a bodice ripper, everything is consensual including Simmone's relationship with Trevelyan that predates her romance with Alexi. If the prior relationship bothers you, don't read this because the contrast of Simmone's relationship with Trevelyan vs Alexi, and the characters' growth is a big part of this book. Interestingly, the Elaine Duillo cover appears to show Simmone with Trevelyan rather than Alexi. Also, the wolf-dog on the cover survives til the end of the book so it's safe to love her.
Cons
*First half of the book is less gripping until they get to France, since a lot of it is setting up the relationships between the four main characters (Simonne, Alexi, and to a lesser extent Trevelyan and Katrinka) and the writing here also feels a bit flat.
*Last part of the book has a bit of filler and bonus suffering once they get to their final destination, which didn't really add much.
Pros
*Simmone starts the book off rejecting a marriage proposal and reaming out her suitor verbally to filth and continues being badass throughout. By Chapter 2, she's fighting off wolves single handedly with a broken axe and a pistol. Simmone could survive anything through sheer grit and would walk through glass for her family.
*Overall, Nightfire has kind of this big sweeping historical epic feel to it that reminded me of Zemindar and Gone With the Wind (minus the racism) in the cross-country journey, war setting, gritty tough heroines in survival mode, and a lot of romantic suffering and separation.
*Interestingly, Simmone has one of the healthiest, most loving and supportive families of historical romance though they aren't present much. Her mom was a comte's mistress and now lives with her gay business partner/co-parent. The comte is in France and has a good relationship with both parents. All are loving parents who give Simonne a lot of independence and support her dreams.
*The unexpected redemption of Katrinka from her early jealous villainy.
*The use of single POV (Simonne) up until the moment Alexi falls in love with Simmone is really lovely.
*Alexi is fairly radical for a historical romance hero - his story arc from bitter crank, to supportive friend, to a man with unrequited love, to doctor with PTSD, to being on the path to healing again was sweet. Also he's an atheist.
*Simmone and Alexi literally walking, crawling, riding mules, going into prison, and crossing oceans for each other.
*The Ukranian peasant shirt that keeps giving, all the way to the author notes. I cannot stop thinking about the Ukrainian peasant shirt, the scene where Simonne gifts it to Alexi, his love and care for it, and the way it protects him like a talisman through the rest of the story.
*Once the book gets to France, I couldn't put it down for the rest of the night - stayed up til 4am to finish. The parts in France are propulsive and shocking interspersed with Simonne and Alexi's romance.
*Love the recurring theme of nightfire that "has more color than the real thing, but it's artificial." The comparison of Trevelyan vs Alexi to fireworks and passion vs enduring love gives this romance a depth I really enjoyed and don't see often in this genre.
Tropes: Unrequited love, friends to lovers, "I thought you were dead", "I thought I lost you", crossing continents to reunite, secret baby / couldn't tell him in time baby
CWs: death of family members, off-page incest (not involving the two main characters), lots of FRENCH REVOLUTION gore though it's less graphic than the Wikipedia page (see September Massacres), miscarriage, imprisonment, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI being very silly, dog with unknown fate that probably dies off page, discussion of abortions and abortion-related deaths that occur off-page (involves Alexi but not Simmone), cheating (not involving the two main characters)
Notes:
*Can be read standalone from the series, I did not read Mistress of the Night and the only overlap appears to be that one of the characters is very distantly related to another character from the previous book, who makes a brief appearance near the end.
*Despite the occasional classification of Nightfire as a bodice ripper, everything is consensual including Simmone's relationship with Trevelyan that predates her romance with Alexi. If the prior relationship bothers you, don't read this because the contrast of Simmone's relationship with Trevelyan vs Alexi, and the characters' growth is a big part of this book. Interestingly, the Elaine Duillo cover appears to show Simmone with Trevelyan rather than Alexi. Also, the wolf-dog on the cover survives til the end of the book so it's safe to love her.
Cons
*First half of the book is less gripping until they get to France, since a lot of it is setting up the relationships between the four main characters (Simonne, Alexi, and to a lesser extent Trevelyan and Katrinka) and the writing here also feels a bit flat.
*Last part of the book has a bit of filler and bonus suffering once they get to their final destination, which didn't really add much.
Pros
*Simmone starts the book off rejecting a marriage proposal and reaming out her suitor verbally to filth and continues being badass throughout. By Chapter 2, she's fighting off wolves single handedly with a broken axe and a pistol. Simmone could survive anything through sheer grit and would walk through glass for her family.
*Overall, Nightfire has kind of this big sweeping historical epic feel to it that reminded me of Zemindar and Gone With the Wind (minus the racism) in the cross-country journey, war setting, gritty tough heroines in survival mode, and a lot of romantic suffering and separation.
*Interestingly, Simmone has one of the healthiest, most loving and supportive families of historical romance though they aren't present much. Her mom was a comte's mistress and now lives with her gay business partner/co-parent. The comte is in France and has a good relationship with both parents. All are loving parents who give Simonne a lot of independence and support her dreams.
*The unexpected redemption of Katrinka from her early jealous villainy.
*The use of single POV (Simonne) up until the moment Alexi falls in love with Simmone is really lovely.
*Alexi is fairly radical for a historical romance hero - his story arc from bitter crank, to supportive friend, to a man with unrequited love, to doctor with PTSD, to being on the path to healing again was sweet. Also he's an atheist.
*Simmone and Alexi literally walking, crawling, riding mules, going into prison, and crossing oceans for each other.
*The Ukranian peasant shirt that keeps giving, all the way to the author notes. I cannot stop thinking about the Ukrainian peasant shirt, the scene where Simonne gifts it to Alexi, his love and care for it, and the way it protects him like a talisman through the rest of the story.
*Once the book gets to France, I couldn't put it down for the rest of the night - stayed up til 4am to finish. The parts in France are propulsive and shocking interspersed with Simonne and Alexi's romance.
*Love the recurring theme of nightfire that "has more color than the real thing, but it's artificial." The comparison of Trevelyan vs Alexi to fireworks and passion vs enduring love gives this romance a depth I really enjoyed and don't see often in this genre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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