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A Midnight Requiem: The Ghostly Hour
When doors creak in darkened chambers and eerie sounds echo through the corridors. When the distant sounds of church bells signal the midnight hour — that is the time when spirits dwell, singing their spectral requiem for lost loves and beckoning the living with ghostly fingers… join us, join us….
Welcome to A Midnight Requiem: The Ghostly Hour!
Love haunted houses, ghostly graveyards, and spooky fun? Sixteen of your favorite historical romance authors have come together to bring you a collection of ghastly delight and spectral passion. Enjoy haunting love stories that will have you reading them again… and again.
Enjoy stories from the following authors:
Kathryn Le Veque
Chasity Bowlin
Mary Lancaster
Elizabeth Johns
Maeve Greyson
Whitney Blake
Jillian Eaton
Mary Wine
Elisa Braden
Nicole Locke
Kathleen Ayers
Elizabeth Rose
Mia Pride
Sky Purington
Anna Bradley
And last but certainly not least...Celeste Barclay
Ghost stories have never been so fun – or so romantic! It’s a Halloween Treat from Dragonblade authors and friends!
Welcome to A Midnight Requiem: The Ghostly Hour!
Love haunted houses, ghostly graveyards, and spooky fun? Sixteen of your favorite historical romance authors have come together to bring you a collection of ghastly delight and spectral passion. Enjoy haunting love stories that will have you reading them again… and again.
Enjoy stories from the following authors:
Kathryn Le Veque
Chasity Bowlin
Mary Lancaster
Elizabeth Johns
Maeve Greyson
Whitney Blake
Jillian Eaton
Mary Wine
Elisa Braden
Nicole Locke
Kathleen Ayers
Elizabeth Rose
Mia Pride
Sky Purington
Anna Bradley
And last but certainly not least...Celeste Barclay
Ghost stories have never been so fun – or so romantic! It’s a Halloween Treat from Dragonblade authors and friends!
1054 pages, ebook
First published October 25, 2022
264 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Maeve Greyson
65 books651 followersMaeve Greyson is a USA TODAY bestselling author, Amazon Top 100 bestseller, Amazon All Star, multiple RONE Award winner, and a multiple HOLT Medallion Finalist.
Her mantra is this: No one has the power to shatter your dreams unless you give it to them.
She and her husband of over forty-five years traveled around the world while in the U.S. Air Force. Now they're settled in rural Kentucky where Maeve writes about her courageous heroes and the fearless women who tame them. Sometimes her stories are historical romances, time travel romances, or escapist romantasies, but the one thing they always have in common is a satisfying happily ever after. When she’s not plotting the perfect snare, she can be found herding cats, grandchildren, and her husband—not necessarily in that order.
To learn more about Maeve visit: https://linktr.ee/maevegreyson
Her mantra is this: No one has the power to shatter your dreams unless you give it to them.
She and her husband of over forty-five years traveled around the world while in the U.S. Air Force. Now they're settled in rural Kentucky where Maeve writes about her courageous heroes and the fearless women who tame them. Sometimes her stories are historical romances, time travel romances, or escapist romantasies, but the one thing they always have in common is a satisfying happily ever after. When she’s not plotting the perfect snare, she can be found herding cats, grandchildren, and her husband—not necessarily in that order.
To learn more about Maeve visit: https://linktr.ee/maevegreyson
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
November 27, 2022
Only read Elisa Braden’s but… meh
October 22, 2022
A spooky/gothic collection of stories full of myths and legends. This anthology is sure to cause things to go bump in the night if reading at night on at Halloween itself. This anthology contained a lot of my regular author's so I knew it was going to be good even though I don't often read paranormal types and I wasn't disappointed. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 25, 2022
Haunted houses, ghostly graveyards, and restless spirits, you know you are in for a treat when a group of historical romance authors come together to bring you a collection of ghastly delight and spectral passion.
Ghostly Lover - Mary Lancaster 5 Stars
Dragan & Grizel Tizsa travel to Cathlinn House to investigate the death of Richard Cathlinn’s fiancée. It was lovely to meet Griz & dragan again plus their young son. A well written murder mystery with a ghost only Griz seems to see
The Duke’s Bluestocking - Celeste Barclay 5 Stars
Lydia Abbington was best friends with Kelsey MacNeil until Kelsey died. Keith MacNeil left home to escape his horrid father the Duke of Dorset but secretly returns for Kelsey’s funeral where he sees Lydia & is struck by her beauty. Five years later Keith returns as the Duke of Dorset & meets Lydia again. A wonderful short story with a soul not at rest, pirates, a horrid villain & a toe curlingly lovely romance. I loved it & the epilogue completed it to a tee but the author does write the best epilogues
This anthology of over a dozen stories was a treat, some I liked more than others but they made for a collection I can dip into. I also loved that some of the authors featured characters who had appeared in some of their other books
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Ghostly Lover - Mary Lancaster 5 Stars
Dragan & Grizel Tizsa travel to Cathlinn House to investigate the death of Richard Cathlinn’s fiancée. It was lovely to meet Griz & dragan again plus their young son. A well written murder mystery with a ghost only Griz seems to see
The Duke’s Bluestocking - Celeste Barclay 5 Stars
Lydia Abbington was best friends with Kelsey MacNeil until Kelsey died. Keith MacNeil left home to escape his horrid father the Duke of Dorset but secretly returns for Kelsey’s funeral where he sees Lydia & is struck by her beauty. Five years later Keith returns as the Duke of Dorset & meets Lydia again. A wonderful short story with a soul not at rest, pirates, a horrid villain & a toe curlingly lovely romance. I loved it & the epilogue completed it to a tee but the author does write the best epilogues
This anthology of over a dozen stories was a treat, some I liked more than others but they made for a collection I can dip into. I also loved that some of the authors featured characters who had appeared in some of their other books
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
August 21, 2025
The first story was far and away the strongest, and a few of the others didn't quite seem to understand the assignment. But overall this was a fun anthology, albeit one that could've used a touch more editing.
November 4, 2022
'Muchas personas dijeron haberla visto. Algunos de ellos han venido aquí explícitamente para hacerlo. En verdad, hablar de ella podría conjurarla.'
•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers.
•Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen.
A Midnight Requiem de Kathryn Le Veque
Argumento:
Cuando las puertas crujen en las cámaras oscuras y los sonidos espeluznantes resuenan en los pasillos... cuando los sonidos distantes de las campanas de la iglesia señalan la hora de la medianoche... ese es el momento en que moran los espíritus, cantando su espectral réquiem por los amores perdidos y haciendo señas a los vivos con dedos fantasmales... únete a nosotros, únete a nosotros...'
¡Bienvenido a A Midnight Requiem: The Ghostly Hour!
¿Te encantan las casas embrujadas, los cementerios fantasmales y la diversión espeluznante? Dieciséis de sus autores de romance histórico favoritos se han unido para traerle una colección de deleite espantoso y pasión espectral. Disfruta de inquietantes historias de amor que te harán leerlas una y otra vez.
Las historias de fantasmas nunca han sido tan divertidas ni tan románticas.
Mi humilde opinión:
🎃The Phantom Bride, una historia corta Medieval de Kathryn Le Veque
'He estado aquí, desde entonces, con la esperanza de que pudiera regresar. Esperando que la noticia que recibí fuera una mentira. Esperando que cada viajero sea él. Tú no eres él, ¿verdad?'.
Una historia con ambientación gótica inspirada en una historia de Edgar Allan Poe.
Sir Lucas de Lar buscaba refugio de la tormenta y entra a un castillo en ruinas dónde conoce a una misteriosa dama.
Estaba completamente enganchada a este cuento de la Novia Fantasma. Lady Rosamunde era un fantasma que hizo un trato con el diablo para recolectar almas y así traer a su prometido de la muerte. Me encantan las leyendas de fantasmas y disfruté esta. La autora logró sumergirme en su historia y mantenerme expectante. Me dio mucha pena lord Lucas y luego las amigas en el presente. Y ese: El Fin? Me deja con ganas de saber más!
⭐⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento fantasmal maravillosamente escrito!
🎃When the Night Closes de Chasity Bowlin
'En resumen, lo convirtió en lo único a lo que nunca había podido resistirse en su vida. Lo convirtió en un misterio mientras insinuaba un peligro oculto. Lo convirtió en lo peor posible para ella... irresistible.'
Un lord de una casa embrujada se enamora de la dama de compañía de su abuela pero podrá ella aceptarlo con fantasma y todo o huirá como lo hizo una vez su prometida?
La historia de amor de Tess y Maxim fue pasión y dulzura con un toque de picardía. Me encantó la complicidad ente ellos. Con el primer encuentro las chispas saltaron y estaba entusiasmada por lo que sucedería con ellos.
Me gustó cómo lentamente se fue develando el secreto oscuro que guardaba Nightleigh House. El suspense fue genial.Y ese giro final fue impactante! Nunca me imaginé lo del mayordomo!
Quería más de Tess y Maxim, ojalá fuera un libro más extenso pero igualmente estuvo perfecto. Me encantó!
⭐⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento corto fantasmal maravillosamente escrito!
🎃Ghostly Lover de Mary Lancaster
'Y luego vio a la dama plateada y fantasmal, brillando como una elegante lámpara en la tormenta.'
Una esposa hace un largo viaje a Cathlinn House para reunirse con su esposo. El lugar esconde peligros y juntos investigarán la muerte de una mujer que ha sido envenenada. Una familia, un asesino entre ellos y una aparición que los acecha.
Me gustó la historia de Griz y Dragan. Eran una pareja que a pesar de su desacuerdo inicial se notaba que se amaban. Griz viajó para llevarse a su esposo de ese lugar porque temia por él. Pero decide quedarse y ayudarlo a resolver un asesinato indagando a los integrantes de la familia. Me encantó verlos en modo detectives y el giro final me sorprendió.
⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento corto fantasmal
🎃When the Midnight Bell Tolls de Maeve Greyson
'Si un hombre santo no puede expulsar la cosa, ¿qué puede?'.
Una entidad maligna en un castillo en las highlands y una familia unida para enfrentarla.
Me gustó la historia de Grant y Layla, me confundió un poco al comienzo porque pasaban muchas cosas. Al parecer Grant Lucha contra lo sobrenatural todo el tiempo? Quizás debería leer un libro anterior para entender mejor todo. El final fue lindo con la aparición de Avery para ayudar a su madre.
⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento corto fantasmal
🎃The Dauntless Girl de Whitney Blake
'E incluso si encuentro mis días repentinamente ocupados por un nuevo misterio, no voy a ceder las noches contigo a un fantasma'.
Ariadne y Francis, un matrimonio sin igual, se enfrentan a una figura oscura misteriosa. Un anillo y un amor perdido, podrán resolver las pistas y descubrir qué es lo que quiere el fantasma?
Este cuento corto era puramente detestivesco, me gustó cómo Ariadne resuelve el misterio del anillo.
⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento corto fantasmal
🎃Loved by the Laird de Jillian Eaton
'Cuidado con la Novia Negra, muchachos. ¡Está buscando un novio que se una a ella en una tumba de agua!'
Un castillo llamado Blackmoore y una dama en el limbo. Un escocés con una maldición de familia. ¿Podrá el amor romperla para ambos?
Me encantó la historia de Callum y Mara. Tuvieron una conexión instantánea pero el romance se fue dando de a poco, con risas y pasión. La leyenda de la Black Bride y todos los mitos eran interesantes. El final emocionante!
⭐⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento fantasmal maravillosamente escrito!
🎃The Midnight Flame de Mary Wine
'La noche era un momento de espíritus y magia antigua.'
El amo de Stonebriar ha salido a cabalgar y tiene aterrorizados a los aldeanos, una novia podría servir para aplacar a esta bestia? Alanna es entregada como en sacrificio y ella descubre que el lord no es ninguna bestia. Bastien es el hombre más honorable y no puede evitar darle su corazón.
Bastian y Alanna son muy dulces. El comienzo de este romance era pura tensión. No entendía porque todos pensaban que era una clase de demonio y después resultó ser un agente del rey en busca de un espía? Ooook. Me encantó la acción al final y ese fantasma dándoles una mano durante el peligro. Creo que esto fue añadido como para decir que era una historia de fantasma? Yo creo que no lo era totalmente pero disfruté igual de la historia.
⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento corto fantasmal
🎃The Secrets of a Moonlit Night de Elisa Braden
'Él cabalga por los páramos en las noches tormentosas, buscando reunirse con su amor perdido. Cuando no la encuentra, se enfurece y ataca a las sirvientas desprevenidas. Ganado también.'
El nuevo dueño de la abadía Northcliffe es apodado por los niños El media cara por las cicatrices que lo cubren de un lado del rostro. La señorita Nightingale, la gobernanta de los niños, se siente atraída por él en el primer encuentro cuando va a exigirle que los niños se mantengan alejados de su propiedad, es gruñón y el hombre con la voz más hermosa. El señor Warwick con cicatrices es el hombre perfecto. Él intenta ignorar la belleza que trata de esconder la señorita Nightingale pero cuando un fantasma los encierra en una habitación... No podrá mantener las manos para sí mismo y mucho menos cuando la mujer lo besa y le repite lo perfecto que es para ella.
Thomas y Elizabeth eran de verdad perfectos juntos. La escena del vino fue caliente y divertida. Me dio pena Mary pero Elizabeth le hizo ver qué podía descansar en paz porque Thomas cuidaría la abadía.
⭐⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento fantasmal maravillosamente escrito!
🎃A Lady’s Revenge de Nicole Locke
'Muchas personas dijeron haberla visto. Algunos de ellos han venido aquí explícitamente para hacerlo. En verdad, hablar de ella podría conjurarla.'
El señor Reginald Payne viaja por pedido de su amigo Charles, a entregar una carta a la prometida cancelando el contrato de matrimonio. Cuando él la ve por primera vez es amor a primera vista y se da cuenta que su amigo no merece a una mujer tan bella como buena. Y no tiene el corazón para darle la carta. En guerra consigo mismo le dice que la escoltará con su prometido. Quizás Charles se arrepienta de cancelar el compromiso pero durante el viaje se arrepiente a cada minuto porque él quiere a Siân como su esposa.
Un fantasma vengativo y la verdad de la carta empujan a Siân a tomar una decisión. Perdonará a Reginald por ocultarle la verdad o lo aceptará como esposo?
No me encantó pero no estuvo mal tampoco. Me gustaba Reginald aunque omitió la carta. Estaba enamorado! Me pareció exagerada la reacción de Siân cuando se entera la verdad. Lo acusó a Reginald de que la estaba convirtiendo en infiel? Fue demasiado. Y luego el fantasma tirándole piedras al pobre hombre que no tenía malas intenciones.
⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento corto fantasmal
🎃The Haunting of Rose Abbey de Kathleen Ayers
'Embrujada. Maldita. Alguien puede haber dicho incluso que la abadía estaba a las puertas del infierno.'
La abadía Rose está embrujada y esconde un tesoro en oro que nunca se encontró. Lady Renalda nunca reveló su ubicación y ahora después de muerta deambula por los rincones de la abadía pero hay quienes buscan el tesoro y ella nunca permitirá que lo encuentren.
Disfruté esta historia con suspenso y peligro. Bascomb y Edwina me encantaron como pareja, había tensión sexual y eran muy apasionados. Me quedé con ganas de más.
⭐⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento fantasmal maravillosamente escrito!
🎃Highland Ghost de Elizabeth Rose
'Si no estoy casado para la medianoche del día en que cumpla veinticinco años, moriré sin haberme casado nunca'.
Caitlin está preocupada y cómo no estarlo cuando estás a punto de casarte con un Highlander solitario al que llaman corazón negro y vive en un castillo embrujado? Lamentablemente ella no tiene palabra aquí, su matrimonio unirá a los clanes MacKeefe y MacBain.
Ian MacBain es el nuevo jefe del clan y los fantasmas están espantando la gente en su hogar. Casarse rápido es la única forma de conseguir esposa antes de que corra la voz y todos los clanes se enteren de que su hogar está embrujado. Los hombres de su familia tienen una maldición que solo el amor verdadero puede romper y liberarlo de los fantasmas. Logrará que Caitlin se enamore de él en dos años o ambos morirán trágicamente?
Me encantaron Bernard and Sylvia, estos dos lograron hacer correr a todos los MacBain del castillo. Hubo momentos de risa pero el romance no me gustó. No le creí el amor eterno que se confesaron después. Ian hizo mal al mentirle a Caitlin, se equivocó y lo reconoció, también admitió que se estaba enamorándose de ella pero la dejaba ir. Caitlin me pareció una llorona, lo siento pero no me gustó que fuera asustadiza. Encima le dice a Ian que puede casarse con otra? Cuando sabe que morirá en dos años si lo hace? Egoísta mal! Y no deja de darle puñaladas cuando le dice que siente algo pero no llega a ser amor!? La odié! Un poco de corazón mujer!
⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento corto fantasmal
🎃Where the Wolf Howls de Mia Pride
'Y cada vez que hay tormenta, sus espíritus se levantan una vez más, buscándose unos a otros. Merecen que los dejen en paz.'
El alma de Edwin había permanecido atrapada durante cientos de años, esperando el día en que su amor regresaría a él. Entonces Anya libera su alma. Después de siglos de separación, finalmente se reunieron.
Me gustó la pequeña historia sobre un amor trágico y una pareja que vuelve a encontrarse una y otra vez en el tiempo.
⭐⭐⭐Para este cuento corto fantasmal
✨Me quedaron dos o tres cuentos sin leer... Pero en general disfruté todos los cuentos de fantasmas que leí. Muy pero muy buena recopilación paranormal histórica.
October 27, 2022
Dragonblade has put together a collection of wonderfully scary stories by some very talented authors. All the stories have all the elements of Hallowe’en and a dash of romance. All are great reading!
The Phantom Bride by Katherine Le Veque – Sir Lucas de Lara discovers a ghostly curse when he stops to rest at a crumbling manor. Is the young woman a ghost? Maybe, maybe not. At any rate, he continues his travels, or does he? Spooky story with a spookier epilogue.
When the Night Closes by Chasity Bowlin – Tess is sent from the Darrow School to be companion to Maxim’s grandmother. There is something not quite right on the estate. She decides that the best thing for everyone is to discover who the ghost is, and what she needs. A scary adventure ensues.
The Secrets of a Moonlit Night by Elisa Braden – Thomas is a bit grumpy and likes to be left alone. Elizabeth is governess to the children at the estate neighboring his. When the curious children invade his space, Elizabeth comes to find them. The resident ghost seems to like Thomas and Elizabeth, so she tries a bit of ghostly matchmaking. This one is a bit scary, but has a lot of humor.
Highland Ghost by Elizabeth Rose – Caitlin came to the MacKeefe clan when her sister Kellina married Nash. As part of an alliance, Caitlin is to marry Laird Ian MacBain. Ian failed to tell her he is under a curse, that will include her. Her reaction and their story is a little unpredictable. Will Caitlin stay? Will the curse be broken? Ghosts, curses, bonfires, celebrations MacKeefes, and Moutain Magic make this a great Hallowe’en story.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.
The Phantom Bride by Katherine Le Veque – Sir Lucas de Lara discovers a ghostly curse when he stops to rest at a crumbling manor. Is the young woman a ghost? Maybe, maybe not. At any rate, he continues his travels, or does he? Spooky story with a spookier epilogue.
When the Night Closes by Chasity Bowlin – Tess is sent from the Darrow School to be companion to Maxim’s grandmother. There is something not quite right on the estate. She decides that the best thing for everyone is to discover who the ghost is, and what she needs. A scary adventure ensues.
The Secrets of a Moonlit Night by Elisa Braden – Thomas is a bit grumpy and likes to be left alone. Elizabeth is governess to the children at the estate neighboring his. When the curious children invade his space, Elizabeth comes to find them. The resident ghost seems to like Thomas and Elizabeth, so she tries a bit of ghostly matchmaking. This one is a bit scary, but has a lot of humor.
Highland Ghost by Elizabeth Rose – Caitlin came to the MacKeefe clan when her sister Kellina married Nash. As part of an alliance, Caitlin is to marry Laird Ian MacBain. Ian failed to tell her he is under a curse, that will include her. Her reaction and their story is a little unpredictable. Will Caitlin stay? Will the curse be broken? Ghosts, curses, bonfires, celebrations MacKeefes, and Moutain Magic make this a great Hallowe’en story.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.
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October 23, 2022Special thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A Midnight Requiem: The Ghostly Hour: An Historical Romance Collection is a spooky, fun anthology from some of my favorite historical authors. The collection is released on October 25th so grab your copy! There are sixteen different novellas from authors like Celeste Barclay, Chasity Bowlin, Elizabeth Rose, and more! My favorite story was The Secrets of a Moonlit Night by Elisa Braden. I love Elisa Braden and this short ghostly romance was lovely and had such an interesting secret identity!
A Midnight Requiem: The Ghostly Hour: An Historical Romance Collection is a spooky, fun anthology from some of my favorite historical authors. The collection is released on October 25th so grab your copy! There are sixteen different novellas from authors like Celeste Barclay, Chasity Bowlin, Elizabeth Rose, and more! My favorite story was The Secrets of a Moonlit Night by Elisa Braden. I love Elisa Braden and this short ghostly romance was lovely and had such an interesting secret identity!
November 18, 2022
An anthology is both good and bad. Good because it brings authors and series to your attention that you may not be familiar with and bad because it also can add to the daunting 'to-be-read' you have going. That is what this anthology did to me.
Sixteen authors bring us these well written and thought out novellas that were easy and fun to read. Filled with the typical historical romance feels with the added gothic romance lures of fear, sorrow, eerie feelings, creepy shadows and bumps in the night.
While most of these seem to be tied to ongoing series the authors gave me enough background that I didn't feel lost just curious to get more of the backstory for the side characters.
Overall it was a fun collection to read, I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology from the first page until the very last.
I received this ARC from Dragonblade Publishing & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you.
#AMidnightRequiemTheGhostlyHour #NetGalley
Sixteen authors bring us these well written and thought out novellas that were easy and fun to read. Filled with the typical historical romance feels with the added gothic romance lures of fear, sorrow, eerie feelings, creepy shadows and bumps in the night.
While most of these seem to be tied to ongoing series the authors gave me enough background that I didn't feel lost just curious to get more of the backstory for the side characters.
Overall it was a fun collection to read, I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology from the first page until the very last.
I received this ARC from Dragonblade Publishing & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you.
#AMidnightRequiemTheGhostlyHour #NetGalley
March 7, 2024
What a spooky collection of stories. Legends, myths, vengeful, benevolent, malevolent, tragic, funny, and so much more. This anthology is sure to give a few days’ worth of ‘haunted’ reading! Much recommended!
I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily
I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily
November 1, 2022
I enjoyed this Halloween anthology as it has the perfect blend of historical/paranormal romances. Great for the Halloween spooky season. All have a similar ghost or haunting theme but plenty of a variety. This was a nice refresher for me for the historical paranormal genre, because I don't really read too many ghost stories or maybe I just don't come across enough of them. This is a pretty cover.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
October 31, 2022
Only read one
I've only read the Elisa Braden book so far - 5 stars!! She's one of my autobuy authors so no surprise really
I've only read the Elisa Braden book so far - 5 stars!! She's one of my autobuy authors so no surprise really
February 16, 2023
Only read Anna Bradley's cute and sweet.
December 3, 2022
This was a varied anthology in terms of how striking the "gothic" feel was, the level of romance and the ghost. I personally enjoy the spookier ambience and a bit of romance (doesn't have to be steamy but that's fine, too). What I noticed as I went through the anthology was more and more errors, particularly the last 2 stories -- the worst mistakes were using "his" when "her" was clearly meant in one of the stories. I agree with one reviewer that a brief synopsis of each story would have been nice especially as the tones of each one were so varied but it wasn't a deal breaker. There were a few stories that weren't great in my eyes and 2 I really didn't like but overall it was a good collection and I found a few more authors I'd read more from. Below are my thoughts on each story and my star rating out of 5 (others have given synopses so I'll avoid that).
The Phantom Bride by Kathryn Le Veque - In the past I haven't really liked her novellas that much but this one I really liked. It felt like a traditional haunted house story and spooky myth with a little bit of a love story so it was a perfect combo for me. My only thing was the story got a little convoluted at the end combining multiple legends. One of my favorites 3.5 stars
When the Night Closes by Chasity Bowlin - I like a lot of this author's work but this one just felt a bit rushed to me, which is disappointing because it started out well and had a very good Gothic ambiance. So overall I found it only ok. I also felt the scene of them making out in the hall was ridiculous (feeling more like a scene from a modern movie than a historical romance). 3 stars
Ghostly Lover by Mary Lancaster - This was another one that captured a good spooky feel in the beginning but somewhere along the way it kind of floundered for me. I think it was mostly that these characters felt like I should have already known their story (as if they had their own story in another book). My favorite thing about romances is the tension as a couple eventually gets together but the main characters here already were married. This felt more like a mystery than a romance so it was 2.5 stars for me.
When the Midnight Bell Tolls by Maeve Greyson - Another story about characters that seem to have had their own story in another book. So if you'd read that book maybe you would enjoy this one more. I felt the end was a bit weird for me with the spirit (don't want to say more and give it away) and the way it talked. 2.5 stars
The Dauntless Girl by Whitney Blake - I'd read the Dauntless Boy by this author and liked it. This was the same characters, now married. It was nice to see them again but the story overall was just ok for me. The setting and writing was good so 3 stars.
Loved by the Laird by Jillian Eaton - I've read a lot of this author and mostly like a lot of her work. This one, like the Phantom Bride, was like the typical haunted house and ghostly legend rolled into one. This one had good atmosphere, a good story and romance. This was one of the more steamy ones but not graphic or anything. One of my favorites 3.5-4 stars
The Midnight Flame by Mary Wine - This one was an interesting combo of something like the Legend of Sleepy Hollow (to me anyway) and Beauty and the Beast - with a "ghostly" evil rider. The ghost in this one was less prevalent in other stories but this had a good spooky feel and a good dose of romance and some adventure. 3.5-4 stars
The Secrets of a Moonlit Night by Elisa Braden - This one started out good and had a great atmosphere - rainy night, spooky stranger, ghostly legends. However, it just felt rushed - especially the romance part (she fell in love with him after less than 24 hours and speaking a handful of sentences, and he was rude to her). I also have an issue with the guy having sex with the woman who was clearly drunk (he mentioned it more than once but still did it). 3 stars
A Lady's Revenge by Nicole Locke- This had some interesting tension between the two and a decent ghost and atmosphere but it was bogged down by WAY too much repetitive inner dialogue from both characters. 3 stars
The Haunting of Rose Abbey by Kathleen Ayers- This one had good atmosphere, very good tension between the hero and heroine and a little bit of a mystery thrown in. I just felt that the hero's change toward the heroine was a little too abrupt. 3.5 stars
Highland Ghost by Elizabeth Rose - I really didn't like this story and almost didn't finish it. It was my least favorite of all of them. It started with a very annoying and whiny heroine and she acts childish later only to turn around and be instantly in love with the hero. The hero's plan didn't make any sense: If you think you need to fall in love to break a curse why would you wait and then marry someone sight unseen? I felt like the author was going for more comedy with the hero's reactions and the ghosts but it just wasn't funny to me. But my biggest issue was the story feels like a medieval story - at best a story before 1800 but the characters sometimes use modern phrases, the worst one being the word "cooties." I'd give it 1.5 stars because it had potential.
Where the Wolf Howls by Mia Pride - This was one of the few more unique stories with a touch of fantasy and time travel along with a decent ghostly legend. I don't get the title in relation to the story but not a huge deal. It did feel a little rushed at the end but it was intriguing and appears to be a kind of prequel for an upcoming series that I will be interested in checking out. 3 stars.
Harrowing Hall by Sky Purington- I am ambivalent about this one. I liked the characters and the atmosphere but the writing sometimes bothered me. The interactions between some of the characters seemed stiff and the plot seemed to move very slowly at times. It was among the stories with more descriptive sex scenes, which some might like and others not. This was one of the longer stories with 16 chapters and I felt it could have lost a few chapters and been a better story. 3 stars
The Witching Hour by Anna Bradley - Besides the time travel one, this one was also one of the most unique stories. It reminded me a little of a Poe story in the feeling of love lost. It was very poignant but also very romantic. I really liked this story and was among my favorites, but it was so different from the others I could see some people not liking it. 4 stars
The Duke's Bluestocking by Celeste Barclay - Others seemed to really like this story. I found it to be my 2nd least favorite. It was very jarring in the beginning with so many characters thrown in and trying to get a picture of who is who and why they're important. Most of them aren't and just clog the narrative. Why did we need to know about Lydia's cousin AND his wife AND their cousin Jemima (sometimes called Jemmie) AND her new husband Ben? Cutting out half those people would not have changed the story at all but would have made it easier to read. The dialogue and some description were very awkward in a lot of places. And there were plot holes: such as a point being made of Lydia having armed guards - until she didn't, with no explanation. And the father is so protective but lets his daughter go around with a guy he doesn't trust with just a maid? (again she had armed guards before but suddenly not?) The whole narrative is overshadowed by the horribly tragic life and death of the hero's sister. Ghost stories often have tragic backgrounds but this one was just too horrific and detailed and it overwhelms the romance and detracted from my enjoyment of the story overall. So for me, this story had too many issues for me to like it. 2 stars.
The Phantom Bride by Kathryn Le Veque - In the past I haven't really liked her novellas that much but this one I really liked. It felt like a traditional haunted house story and spooky myth with a little bit of a love story so it was a perfect combo for me. My only thing was the story got a little convoluted at the end combining multiple legends. One of my favorites 3.5 stars
When the Night Closes by Chasity Bowlin - I like a lot of this author's work but this one just felt a bit rushed to me, which is disappointing because it started out well and had a very good Gothic ambiance. So overall I found it only ok. I also felt the scene of them making out in the hall was ridiculous (feeling more like a scene from a modern movie than a historical romance). 3 stars
Ghostly Lover by Mary Lancaster - This was another one that captured a good spooky feel in the beginning but somewhere along the way it kind of floundered for me. I think it was mostly that these characters felt like I should have already known their story (as if they had their own story in another book). My favorite thing about romances is the tension as a couple eventually gets together but the main characters here already were married. This felt more like a mystery than a romance so it was 2.5 stars for me.
When the Midnight Bell Tolls by Maeve Greyson - Another story about characters that seem to have had their own story in another book. So if you'd read that book maybe you would enjoy this one more. I felt the end was a bit weird for me with the spirit (don't want to say more and give it away) and the way it talked. 2.5 stars
The Dauntless Girl by Whitney Blake - I'd read the Dauntless Boy by this author and liked it. This was the same characters, now married. It was nice to see them again but the story overall was just ok for me. The setting and writing was good so 3 stars.
Loved by the Laird by Jillian Eaton - I've read a lot of this author and mostly like a lot of her work. This one, like the Phantom Bride, was like the typical haunted house and ghostly legend rolled into one. This one had good atmosphere, a good story and romance. This was one of the more steamy ones but not graphic or anything. One of my favorites 3.5-4 stars
The Midnight Flame by Mary Wine - This one was an interesting combo of something like the Legend of Sleepy Hollow (to me anyway) and Beauty and the Beast - with a "ghostly" evil rider. The ghost in this one was less prevalent in other stories but this had a good spooky feel and a good dose of romance and some adventure. 3.5-4 stars
The Secrets of a Moonlit Night by Elisa Braden - This one started out good and had a great atmosphere - rainy night, spooky stranger, ghostly legends. However, it just felt rushed - especially the romance part (she fell in love with him after less than 24 hours and speaking a handful of sentences, and he was rude to her). I also have an issue with the guy having sex with the woman who was clearly drunk (he mentioned it more than once but still did it). 3 stars
A Lady's Revenge by Nicole Locke- This had some interesting tension between the two and a decent ghost and atmosphere but it was bogged down by WAY too much repetitive inner dialogue from both characters. 3 stars
The Haunting of Rose Abbey by Kathleen Ayers- This one had good atmosphere, very good tension between the hero and heroine and a little bit of a mystery thrown in. I just felt that the hero's change toward the heroine was a little too abrupt. 3.5 stars
Highland Ghost by Elizabeth Rose - I really didn't like this story and almost didn't finish it. It was my least favorite of all of them. It started with a very annoying and whiny heroine and she acts childish later only to turn around and be instantly in love with the hero. The hero's plan didn't make any sense: If you think you need to fall in love to break a curse why would you wait and then marry someone sight unseen? I felt like the author was going for more comedy with the hero's reactions and the ghosts but it just wasn't funny to me. But my biggest issue was the story feels like a medieval story - at best a story before 1800 but the characters sometimes use modern phrases, the worst one being the word "cooties." I'd give it 1.5 stars because it had potential.
Where the Wolf Howls by Mia Pride - This was one of the few more unique stories with a touch of fantasy and time travel along with a decent ghostly legend. I don't get the title in relation to the story but not a huge deal. It did feel a little rushed at the end but it was intriguing and appears to be a kind of prequel for an upcoming series that I will be interested in checking out. 3 stars.
Harrowing Hall by Sky Purington- I am ambivalent about this one. I liked the characters and the atmosphere but the writing sometimes bothered me. The interactions between some of the characters seemed stiff and the plot seemed to move very slowly at times. It was among the stories with more descriptive sex scenes, which some might like and others not. This was one of the longer stories with 16 chapters and I felt it could have lost a few chapters and been a better story. 3 stars
The Witching Hour by Anna Bradley - Besides the time travel one, this one was also one of the most unique stories. It reminded me a little of a Poe story in the feeling of love lost. It was very poignant but also very romantic. I really liked this story and was among my favorites, but it was so different from the others I could see some people not liking it. 4 stars
The Duke's Bluestocking by Celeste Barclay - Others seemed to really like this story. I found it to be my 2nd least favorite. It was very jarring in the beginning with so many characters thrown in and trying to get a picture of who is who and why they're important. Most of them aren't and just clog the narrative. Why did we need to know about Lydia's cousin AND his wife AND their cousin Jemima (sometimes called Jemmie) AND her new husband Ben? Cutting out half those people would not have changed the story at all but would have made it easier to read. The dialogue and some description were very awkward in a lot of places. And there were plot holes: such as a point being made of Lydia having armed guards - until she didn't, with no explanation. And the father is so protective but lets his daughter go around with a guy he doesn't trust with just a maid? (again she had armed guards before but suddenly not?) The whole narrative is overshadowed by the horribly tragic life and death of the hero's sister. Ghost stories often have tragic backgrounds but this one was just too horrific and detailed and it overwhelms the romance and detracted from my enjoyment of the story overall. So for me, this story had too many issues for me to like it. 2 stars.
October 22, 2022
This historical romance anthology is for your Halloween enjoyment--ghosts and spooky tales abound in a variety of different eras.
As with many anthologies, this one is something of a mixed bag, and it takes on challenging subject matter. Romance has a hard time corresponding with horror and ghost stories. It's obviously worked in paranormal romance, which is largely in contemporary settings... But most of these are not what I'd call true paranormal romance, and some of them aren't exactly romance at all.
With that being said, it's a fun time, and while some stories hit and some missed, I'd recommend the collection if you're looking for something a bit different from the norm. Plus, this is a huge anthology, so it's a great way to discover new authors over time.
My favorite is actually the first--The Phantom Bride by Kathryn Le Veque read like a ghost story you'd tell over candlelight. It might not be a genre romance, exactly... but it's a fun time.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dragonblade for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2022
I rarely read anthologies as I find some of the stories wonderful and a goodly number of the rest of them in about the three-star range. (Of course, this is from my point of view as are all reviews and ratings). Without going on about each story: the ghost stories' ghosts are quite different from story to story; some ghosts are involved a lot; some ghosts are merely phantoms and legends; some stories are romantic; some stories are romantic and steamy; some ghosts are pretty unpleasant. I wished throughout the anthology for a twenty-word summary prior to reading each story. Sometimes I did not want to read a ghoulish plot. Conclusion: as with just about any book (except for my favorite authors who never go wrong -smile) I take my chances and walk away delighted or neutral or wanting to stomp on my eReader (okay, never that violent).
October 23, 2022
*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
Over the past year Dragonblade has become one of my favorite publishers and collections like this one are a big reason why. I love reading new works from authors I have read before as well as getting introduced to new authors. I don't think there's a weak story in the bunch and I found I really enjoyed all of them (which is impressive when there are so many). Here's a quick rundown the of the stories in this collection:
The Phantom Bride (K. Le Veque) - Of all the stories in the collection this is probably the one you don't want to read right before you go to bed. It might be the shortest (I don't know for sure) but it packs a lot of creepiness in to so few pages. The ending is what really stuck with me even days after I finished it.
When the Night Closes (C. Bowlin) - This is a pretty traditional ghost story. Creepy old house, kind of creepy butler, and secrets from the past. Luckily for Maxim, the dowager likes to meddle and Tess is not the kind of woman to let a mystery stay a mystery.
Ghostly Lover (M. Lancaster) - I had read another book featuring Griz and Dragan so I was excited to see what these crime solvers had in store for me this time. I would describe this story as a whodunit with a ghostly aspect.
When the Midnight Bell Tolls (M. Greyson) - This story features characters from a series. I had read one of the books in that series, so I had a basic understanding of the time travel part of the story. One thought I had a couple of times while reading this was, since Lyla is from present day had she never watched an episode of Supernatural? You salt and burn the body of the evil entity! Other than that, this is pretty good vengeful spirit story.
The Dauntless Girl (W. Blake) - This is a follow-up to a previous novella. Although it might give you more backstory for Ariadne and Francis, it is not necessary to have read the first story. A ghost mystery with a bit of a twist. And I loved watching Ariadne and Francis as a ghosthunters kind of team.
Loved by the Laird (J. Eaton) - I loved Mara's initial annoyance with Callum for making the trek up to her castle. Everything between these two was great - their banter, their chemistry, just everything.
The Midnight Flame (M. Wine) - Not so much a ghost story as a legend and a bunch of superstitious townsfolk. Poor Alanna, she did have some really terrible luck. Kidnapped from her bed, tied up and left in the cold, locked in a tower, attacked by a spy, and dumped into a freezing cold river. But by the end you get the sense that maybe her luck is turning around.
The Secrets of a Moonlit Night (E. Braden) - Ghost as matchmaker. Thomas and Elizabeth are obviously perfect for one another, they just needed a little nudge (in the form of being locked in a cellar together) from a ghost. Elizabeth's charges add a nice bit of humor to the story too.
A Lady's Revenge (N. Locke) - I'm sure a lot of us wish we could have an angry ghost whip things at men who upset us. Lucky for Reggie, Sian was willing to hear him out before letting the ghost do too much damage.
The Haunting of Rose Abbey (K. Ayers) - You've got to respect a woman that lies about being a woman to a future employer and then feels no remorse for having done so. And then you have to love the way she stands up to her grumpy employer. And if that's not enough, how could you not like a ghost who looks out for our heroine when she is in danger? I liked that Edwina wasn't easily scared off and was ultimately able to solve the mystery surrounding Rose Abbey.
Highland Ghost (E. Rose) - It's funny, when I read Kellina's story I was frustrated with Caitlin for not listening to her and in Caitlin's story I was frustrated with Kellina for brushing off her siter's fears of being wed off to a man she had never met. This was more of a family curse story than a straight up ghost story, but the ghosts do make a few appearances. Lucky for Ian, Caitlin was not the type of woman who could wait 24 hours to read a note.
Where the Wolf Howls (M. Pride) - This is the start of a new series coming out soon which I will most definitely be checking out. Part ghost story, part time travel, part soulmates. This is probably the saddest story in the collection. And the time travel aspect may give you a headache if you spend too much time trying to figure it all out (hopefully it will all make more sense in the series).
Harrowing Hall (S. Purington) - This is a follow-up to a Lyon's Den story (which I will be reading because I would love to see how Maude and Blake met) and a prelude to another series (which I can't wait to read). Maude is definitely the type of woman you want to have as a friend. There's a nice little twist involving the ghost that I did not see coming.
The Witching Hour (A. Bradley) - You could call this one the story of the kind-of ghost. Having Sylvie take on a ghostly form during the witching hour was a clever take on a ghost story. I loved the scenes with her and James, especially the one where she finds herself stuck on the bridge during the storm.
The Duke's Bluestocking (C. Barclay) - The love story is a good one, but the ghost part of the story was a little weak. I would have liked Kelsie's ghost to having played more of a role in everything that was going on.
Over the past year Dragonblade has become one of my favorite publishers and collections like this one are a big reason why. I love reading new works from authors I have read before as well as getting introduced to new authors. I don't think there's a weak story in the bunch and I found I really enjoyed all of them (which is impressive when there are so many). Here's a quick rundown the of the stories in this collection:
The Phantom Bride (K. Le Veque) - Of all the stories in the collection this is probably the one you don't want to read right before you go to bed. It might be the shortest (I don't know for sure) but it packs a lot of creepiness in to so few pages. The ending is what really stuck with me even days after I finished it.
When the Night Closes (C. Bowlin) - This is a pretty traditional ghost story. Creepy old house, kind of creepy butler, and secrets from the past. Luckily for Maxim, the dowager likes to meddle and Tess is not the kind of woman to let a mystery stay a mystery.
Ghostly Lover (M. Lancaster) - I had read another book featuring Griz and Dragan so I was excited to see what these crime solvers had in store for me this time. I would describe this story as a whodunit with a ghostly aspect.
When the Midnight Bell Tolls (M. Greyson) - This story features characters from a series. I had read one of the books in that series, so I had a basic understanding of the time travel part of the story. One thought I had a couple of times while reading this was, since Lyla is from present day had she never watched an episode of Supernatural? You salt and burn the body of the evil entity! Other than that, this is pretty good vengeful spirit story.
The Dauntless Girl (W. Blake) - This is a follow-up to a previous novella. Although it might give you more backstory for Ariadne and Francis, it is not necessary to have read the first story. A ghost mystery with a bit of a twist. And I loved watching Ariadne and Francis as a ghosthunters kind of team.
Loved by the Laird (J. Eaton) - I loved Mara's initial annoyance with Callum for making the trek up to her castle. Everything between these two was great - their banter, their chemistry, just everything.
The Midnight Flame (M. Wine) - Not so much a ghost story as a legend and a bunch of superstitious townsfolk. Poor Alanna, she did have some really terrible luck. Kidnapped from her bed, tied up and left in the cold, locked in a tower, attacked by a spy, and dumped into a freezing cold river. But by the end you get the sense that maybe her luck is turning around.
The Secrets of a Moonlit Night (E. Braden) - Ghost as matchmaker. Thomas and Elizabeth are obviously perfect for one another, they just needed a little nudge (in the form of being locked in a cellar together) from a ghost. Elizabeth's charges add a nice bit of humor to the story too.
A Lady's Revenge (N. Locke) - I'm sure a lot of us wish we could have an angry ghost whip things at men who upset us. Lucky for Reggie, Sian was willing to hear him out before letting the ghost do too much damage.
The Haunting of Rose Abbey (K. Ayers) - You've got to respect a woman that lies about being a woman to a future employer and then feels no remorse for having done so. And then you have to love the way she stands up to her grumpy employer. And if that's not enough, how could you not like a ghost who looks out for our heroine when she is in danger? I liked that Edwina wasn't easily scared off and was ultimately able to solve the mystery surrounding Rose Abbey.
Highland Ghost (E. Rose) - It's funny, when I read Kellina's story I was frustrated with Caitlin for not listening to her and in Caitlin's story I was frustrated with Kellina for brushing off her siter's fears of being wed off to a man she had never met. This was more of a family curse story than a straight up ghost story, but the ghosts do make a few appearances. Lucky for Ian, Caitlin was not the type of woman who could wait 24 hours to read a note.
Where the Wolf Howls (M. Pride) - This is the start of a new series coming out soon which I will most definitely be checking out. Part ghost story, part time travel, part soulmates. This is probably the saddest story in the collection. And the time travel aspect may give you a headache if you spend too much time trying to figure it all out (hopefully it will all make more sense in the series).
Harrowing Hall (S. Purington) - This is a follow-up to a Lyon's Den story (which I will be reading because I would love to see how Maude and Blake met) and a prelude to another series (which I can't wait to read). Maude is definitely the type of woman you want to have as a friend. There's a nice little twist involving the ghost that I did not see coming.
The Witching Hour (A. Bradley) - You could call this one the story of the kind-of ghost. Having Sylvie take on a ghostly form during the witching hour was a clever take on a ghost story. I loved the scenes with her and James, especially the one where she finds herself stuck on the bridge during the storm.
The Duke's Bluestocking (C. Barclay) - The love story is a good one, but the ghost part of the story was a little weak. I would have liked Kelsie's ghost to having played more of a role in everything that was going on.
June 30, 2023
I used to consume historical fiction of this ilk quite often in my college year, but it has been a while since I read so many of them in one go. Each of the stories has a short introduction of sorts; many are part of a larger collection/series. They each have a basic introduction to the author and to the other books that one can pick up written by them. I would have paid closer attention to the ones that I did enjoy if I did not already have a bursting TBR in that regard. Also, all stories have a ghostly presence as the central plot point.
The Phantom Bride By Kathryn Le Veque
This is a more general sort of haunting. There is an abandoned area and a weary traveller. The ending is left hanging for maximum effect. The writing explains everything atmospherically. 3 stars
When The Night Closes By Chasity Bowlin
This is a more romantic, forced proximity kind of story. There is a background that is waiting to be uncovered and a relationship to build. There are also a meddling grandmother and a vengeful ghost. – 4 stars
Ghostly Lover By Mary Lancaster
This story feels like a smaller section of a bigger narrative. The couple is an already established one. The husband is known for his logic and is invited to get to the root of a death and a haunting. Both are seemingly unrelated till the very end. Even though we do not know of their pasts, the story does not leave the reader feeling left out. 3 stars
When The Midnight Bell Tolls By Maeve Greyson
Time travel has resulted in the current couple, and there are multiple people who have made their life in 1600s Scotland. The dead wife of the chieftain wants to have her voice heard, and the story is all about figuring things out to put her to rest. I would have liked it more if I had met the people from before they got to this stage to establish the characters. 2 stars
The Dauntless Girl By Whitney Blake
The title of this story refers more to the lady who tries to communicate with restless spirits than the spirit’s story itself. It was an involved investigation that uncovers some misunderstandings. 3 stars
Loved By The Laird By Jillian Eaton
There are more romantic interludes here than in several of the previous stories. A curse has bound a spirit for years, and she has to make a choice when a man who does not expect to meet her crosses her path. 3 stars
The Midnight Flame By Mary Wine
A woman is offered up as a sacrifice to the man who wields some power over the supernatural (or so the sayings go). Her presence may just change his life for the better. 3 stars
The Secrets Of A Moonlit Night By Elisa Braden
A woman who is trying to straighten her path ends up locked in a room by a ghost. The fact that a man is locked in with her does not escape her. 3 stars
A Lady’s Revenge By Nicole Locke
A man who brings a letter from another’s fiance does not feel ready to hand it over to her when he sees her. He ends up wanting to keep her happy and around. Only the presence of a ghost accelerates their story. 3 stars
The Haunting Of Rose Abbey By Kathleen Ayers
A woman who uses a more ambiguous name talks her way into becoming a secretary to a brusque man. There is more treachery in the old Abbey, now home, than is immediately apparent. This had a mix of everything, from romance to adventure. 4 stars
Highland Ghost By Elizabeth Rose
A woman does not want to marry the man she has been fixed up with. She hopes things will prevent this from happening. Without her knowledge, there are even bigger hurdles that her groom is trying to jump over to get to her. 4 stars
Where The Wolf Howls By Mia Pride
The time slip story has reincarnation and something further along those lines. I liked the more current timeline than the entire concept. Although it did feel like a foundational chapter as the author confirms at the end. 2 stars
Harrowing Hall By Sky Purington
The story here has a hint of deception than actual haunting, but the questions are all answered by the end. There are a couple who end up married as they try to decipher clues left behind by an earlier bride. 3 stars
The Witching Hour By Anna Bradley
This was a pretty emotional story. It begins with a love match that sours due to a lack of communication. The space between life and death plays a bigger role in getting the happily ever after back on track than an actual ghost. 4 stars
The Duke’s Bluestocking By Celeste Barclay
This story had a slightly adventurous spin. Some of the plot points were a little darker than many of the previous stories. I thought it could have been slightly shorter, given the speed of progression between different events. 2 stars
Each story has a romantic focus, some more explicit than others, but it is part of the narrative as a whole. I liked my reading experience. It is a pretty full volume. Some novellas are longer than the other short stories, and the book as a whole is one I would recommend to fans of the genre.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
The Phantom Bride By Kathryn Le Veque
This is a more general sort of haunting. There is an abandoned area and a weary traveller. The ending is left hanging for maximum effect. The writing explains everything atmospherically. 3 stars
When The Night Closes By Chasity Bowlin
This is a more romantic, forced proximity kind of story. There is a background that is waiting to be uncovered and a relationship to build. There are also a meddling grandmother and a vengeful ghost. – 4 stars
Ghostly Lover By Mary Lancaster
This story feels like a smaller section of a bigger narrative. The couple is an already established one. The husband is known for his logic and is invited to get to the root of a death and a haunting. Both are seemingly unrelated till the very end. Even though we do not know of their pasts, the story does not leave the reader feeling left out. 3 stars
When The Midnight Bell Tolls By Maeve Greyson
Time travel has resulted in the current couple, and there are multiple people who have made their life in 1600s Scotland. The dead wife of the chieftain wants to have her voice heard, and the story is all about figuring things out to put her to rest. I would have liked it more if I had met the people from before they got to this stage to establish the characters. 2 stars
The Dauntless Girl By Whitney Blake
The title of this story refers more to the lady who tries to communicate with restless spirits than the spirit’s story itself. It was an involved investigation that uncovers some misunderstandings. 3 stars
Loved By The Laird By Jillian Eaton
There are more romantic interludes here than in several of the previous stories. A curse has bound a spirit for years, and she has to make a choice when a man who does not expect to meet her crosses her path. 3 stars
The Midnight Flame By Mary Wine
A woman is offered up as a sacrifice to the man who wields some power over the supernatural (or so the sayings go). Her presence may just change his life for the better. 3 stars
The Secrets Of A Moonlit Night By Elisa Braden
A woman who is trying to straighten her path ends up locked in a room by a ghost. The fact that a man is locked in with her does not escape her. 3 stars
A Lady’s Revenge By Nicole Locke
A man who brings a letter from another’s fiance does not feel ready to hand it over to her when he sees her. He ends up wanting to keep her happy and around. Only the presence of a ghost accelerates their story. 3 stars
The Haunting Of Rose Abbey By Kathleen Ayers
A woman who uses a more ambiguous name talks her way into becoming a secretary to a brusque man. There is more treachery in the old Abbey, now home, than is immediately apparent. This had a mix of everything, from romance to adventure. 4 stars
Highland Ghost By Elizabeth Rose
A woman does not want to marry the man she has been fixed up with. She hopes things will prevent this from happening. Without her knowledge, there are even bigger hurdles that her groom is trying to jump over to get to her. 4 stars
Where The Wolf Howls By Mia Pride
The time slip story has reincarnation and something further along those lines. I liked the more current timeline than the entire concept. Although it did feel like a foundational chapter as the author confirms at the end. 2 stars
Harrowing Hall By Sky Purington
The story here has a hint of deception than actual haunting, but the questions are all answered by the end. There are a couple who end up married as they try to decipher clues left behind by an earlier bride. 3 stars
The Witching Hour By Anna Bradley
This was a pretty emotional story. It begins with a love match that sours due to a lack of communication. The space between life and death plays a bigger role in getting the happily ever after back on track than an actual ghost. 4 stars
The Duke’s Bluestocking By Celeste Barclay
This story had a slightly adventurous spin. Some of the plot points were a little darker than many of the previous stories. I thought it could have been slightly shorter, given the speed of progression between different events. 2 stars
Each story has a romantic focus, some more explicit than others, but it is part of the narrative as a whole. I liked my reading experience. It is a pretty full volume. Some novellas are longer than the other short stories, and the book as a whole is one I would recommend to fans of the genre.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
October 31, 2022
A Midnight Requiem: The Ghostly Hour has 16 amazing authors, that write about haunted houses and spooky graveyards, but the central theme is love.
Kathryn Le Veque’s ‘The Phantom Bride’ - Sir Lucas de Lara stumbles across a young woman living in a crumbling manor, only to find his life forever changed.
Chasity Bowlin’s ‘When the Night closes’ – When Tess arrives to care for Maxim’s grandmother, she soon finds herself betrothed when she begins her search for the story behind the young female ghost.
Mary Lancaster ‘Ghostly Lover’ which explores Drag and Grizel Tizsa who investigate the death of Richard Cathlinn’s fiancée. The relationship between Drag and Grizel is strengthened as they explore the mystery behind the death.
Elisa Braden’s ‘The Secrets of a moonlight night’ – Elizabeth who is the governess to the children, living in the estate next door to the scarred Thomas. When the children begin to meddle in Thomas’ quiet life and Elizabeth intervenes, the resist ghost begins to do her matchmaking with them.
Other authors including Elizabeth Johns, Maeve Greyson, Whitney Blake, Jillian Eaton, Mary Wine, Nicole Locke, Kathleen Ayer, Elizabeth Rose, Mia Pride, Sky Purington and Anna Bradley, spin their magic and ghostly charms, to bring some great stories to light.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Kathryn Le Veque’s ‘The Phantom Bride’ - Sir Lucas de Lara stumbles across a young woman living in a crumbling manor, only to find his life forever changed.
Chasity Bowlin’s ‘When the Night closes’ – When Tess arrives to care for Maxim’s grandmother, she soon finds herself betrothed when she begins her search for the story behind the young female ghost.
Mary Lancaster ‘Ghostly Lover’ which explores Drag and Grizel Tizsa who investigate the death of Richard Cathlinn’s fiancée. The relationship between Drag and Grizel is strengthened as they explore the mystery behind the death.
Elisa Braden’s ‘The Secrets of a moonlight night’ – Elizabeth who is the governess to the children, living in the estate next door to the scarred Thomas. When the children begin to meddle in Thomas’ quiet life and Elizabeth intervenes, the resist ghost begins to do her matchmaking with them.
Other authors including Elizabeth Johns, Maeve Greyson, Whitney Blake, Jillian Eaton, Mary Wine, Nicole Locke, Kathleen Ayer, Elizabeth Rose, Mia Pride, Sky Purington and Anna Bradley, spin their magic and ghostly charms, to bring some great stories to light.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 23, 2022
A Midnight’s Requiem: The Ghostly Hour
An Historical Romance Collection
Excellent collection of stories by wonderful authors – some old friends and some new ones to add to my authors to read again. These can be read one after another or spread out over days to at Halloween or any time of the year. I am about halfway through the stories and will read them all but want to get this review up to let others know that it is definitely filled with interesting, varied, and intriguing stories.
* There are ghosts – malevolent and benign with most wanting something from those undead
* Love is in the air and often necessary to save the day
* There are second chances for some
* And no chances for others
* Some end up seeing the light…or perhaps going to the darker side
* There are culprits, killers, some pirates, and those that are saviorss
* Time travelers that show up in at least one story
* The feeling that some of these stories are part of series that I have not read
* Intriguing and thought provoking
* Happy endings for some
* A big of magic here and there
I remember last year’s anthology and loved it so definitely was eager to read this collection, too.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more books by these authors? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for the ARC – this is my honest review.
5 Stars
An Historical Romance Collection
Excellent collection of stories by wonderful authors – some old friends and some new ones to add to my authors to read again. These can be read one after another or spread out over days to at Halloween or any time of the year. I am about halfway through the stories and will read them all but want to get this review up to let others know that it is definitely filled with interesting, varied, and intriguing stories.
* There are ghosts – malevolent and benign with most wanting something from those undead
* Love is in the air and often necessary to save the day
* There are second chances for some
* And no chances for others
* Some end up seeing the light…or perhaps going to the darker side
* There are culprits, killers, some pirates, and those that are saviorss
* Time travelers that show up in at least one story
* The feeling that some of these stories are part of series that I have not read
* Intriguing and thought provoking
* Happy endings for some
* A big of magic here and there
I remember last year’s anthology and loved it so definitely was eager to read this collection, too.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more books by these authors? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade for the ARC – this is my honest review.
5 Stars
November 16, 2022
If you like reading spooky, gothic romances, then this is one collection you will definitely want to get your hands on. I don't often read paranormal stories, but I picked this up because it includes a few of the authors whose books I've enjoyed and I was looking forward to reading more of their stories. I have to tell you, all of the authors in this collection have put together a set of stories that will pull you right in and won't let go until you finish. Each one did a fantastic job with providing vivid descriptions and interesting plots. The storylines were all artfully crafted with well-defined characters and kept me hooked until I finished. I had to pace myself as I wanted to read all in one sitting! The stories are short, so if you like to binge read, you can breeze through quite a few of them at a time. The stories will captivate you, spook you, and keep you on the edge of your seat. An engaging and entertaining set that I am happy to have had the chance to read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dragonblade for providing a complimentary copy. This is my voluntary review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dragonblade for providing a complimentary copy. This is my voluntary review.
November 10, 2022
A Midnight Requiem by various Dragonblade authors, including Kathryn Le Veque, Chasity Bowlin, Mary Lancaster, Maeve Greyson, Whitney Blake, Jillian Eaton, Mary Wine, Elisa Braden, Nicole Locke, Kathleen Ayers, Elizabeth Rose, Mia Pride, Sky Purington, Anna Bradley, and Celeste Barclay is the perfect Halloween read with these mostly Gothic romances. They are short and easy to read and could easily fit into more than one sitting if one so choose. They are spooky, romantic, and sexy. If you are a fan of Dragonblade or Gothic, this is the perfect choice for you.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Midnight Requiem by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts an opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #AMidnightRequiem #KathrynLeVeque #ChasityBowlin #MaryLancaster #MaeveGreyson #WhitneyBlake #JillianEaton #MaryWine #ElisaBraden #NicoleLocke #KathleenAyers #ElizabethRose #MiaPride #SkyPurington #AnnaBradley #CelesteBarclay
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Midnight Requiem by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts an opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #AMidnightRequiem #KathrynLeVeque #ChasityBowlin #MaryLancaster #MaeveGreyson #WhitneyBlake #JillianEaton #MaryWine #ElisaBraden #NicoleLocke #KathleenAyers #ElizabethRose #MiaPride #SkyPurington #AnnaBradley #CelesteBarclay
March 3, 2024
I can't make up my mind about this omnibus of ghost stories. I was looking forward to reading them, since I love a ghost story. Unfortunately, I found a great percentage of them were marred by the constant and explicit sex scenes. I found this distracting, especially since every story was only seven or eight chapters long and the sex scenes took up quite a few pages. I wanted to know more about the ghost than what the hero and heroine did in bed (sometimes within days of meeting each other). Added to this were errors of naming Cumbria as a county in England, which didn't actually come into being until the 197o's and in one story the hero's eyes turned from blue to hazel and then back to blue.
On the positive side, the story which included the married couple with a baby captured my interest and was much better. But the story which would get my top vote is Highland Ghost. It was a story, not spoiled by sex scenes and included love and sacrifice, which twanged at my heart.
On the positive side, the story which included the married couple with a baby captured my interest and was much better. But the story which would get my top vote is Highland Ghost. It was a story, not spoiled by sex scenes and included love and sacrifice, which twanged at my heart.
November 14, 2022
4.75 stars
This is a great anthology. There were just a couple of stories I didn't enjoy at the end, especially Celeste's offering as it seemed to be part of a convoluted series. She had to spend a lot of time explaining the back story and unfortunately I didn't buy it. Hence the 4.75 stars instead of the 5
Kathyrn's gruesome spooky start is very enjoyable. I really like Mary Lancaster's work so it was great to reacquaint myself with Griz and her handsome husband. In that story there's a mystery to solve as well as the ghost. There's something for everyone so I heartily recommend this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a great anthology. There were just a couple of stories I didn't enjoy at the end, especially Celeste's offering as it seemed to be part of a convoluted series. She had to spend a lot of time explaining the back story and unfortunately I didn't buy it. Hence the 4.75 stars instead of the 5
Kathyrn's gruesome spooky start is very enjoyable. I really like Mary Lancaster's work so it was great to reacquaint myself with Griz and her handsome husband. In that story there's a mystery to solve as well as the ghost. There's something for everyone so I heartily recommend this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 3, 2022
𝗔 𝗠𝗜𝗗𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗘𝗠: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗥 was my first experience reading these kinds of romance novels, historical or contemporary. To my surprise, I enjoyed them much more than I was expecting to.
These collections are becoming an absolute favorite of mine because they expose me to new and interesting reads.
I particularly enjoyed 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦'𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 by 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘺 and 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 by 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘯. I highly recommend reading 𝗔 𝗠𝗜𝗗𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗘𝗠: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗥 one story at a time in between longer, heavier reads. I’m giving it the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval TBR and Enjoy!
These collections are becoming an absolute favorite of mine because they expose me to new and interesting reads.
I particularly enjoyed 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦'𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 by 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘺 and 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 by 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘯. I highly recommend reading 𝗔 𝗠𝗜𝗗𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗘𝗠: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗥 one story at a time in between longer, heavier reads. I’m giving it the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval TBR and Enjoy!
October 24, 2022
Perfect To Read Anytime!
What a beautiful selection of ghost stories each with their own take on a Spooky and Haunting theme. The first one threw me as I didn’t expect such a haunting story and ending.
Each story had its own special appeal! I always love a great anthology it always includes stories from authors I follow and introduces you to new authors some of which I will be looking out for in the future.
An entertaining few days read, enjoy, I would definitely recommend.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What a beautiful selection of ghost stories each with their own take on a Spooky and Haunting theme. The first one threw me as I didn’t expect such a haunting story and ending.
Each story had its own special appeal! I always love a great anthology it always includes stories from authors I follow and introduces you to new authors some of which I will be looking out for in the future.
An entertaining few days read, enjoy, I would definitely recommend.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 25, 2022
A Midnight Requiem: The Ghostly Hour is a wonderful collection of romantic spooky stories you can read any time of the year. The collection is written a by a large swath of authors with different tastes so I love the variety. While I did enjoy some more than others, they are all good. I think my favorite is Loved by the Laird.
This collection would best be read by a fire with a nice cuppa. (with a light on)
Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley, and I’m reviewing it voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
This collection would best be read by a fire with a nice cuppa. (with a light on)
Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley, and I’m reviewing it voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
October 30, 2022
Not gonna lie, bought this book because of Elisa Braden, loved every minute of it. Too much is my favourite treat. All the authors have done extraordinary but the one that stood out to me was Elisa Braden's book. Read The secrets of a Moonlit night. I devoured it just like Arthur devours his cake. Only you can bring the character depth to each role in such a short span of a novella. Kids were adorable. Loved it! spooky, romantic and utterly butterly delicious. Must read. It was "Impreshive...err impressive...Elisa you know what I mean 😂😉😘
November 3, 2022
Great Collection of Hauntingly Good Stories!
I thoroughly enjoyed this ghostly hour collection. Some were a bit more intriguing than others. And I especially enjoyed reading the authors who used couples from previously written stories, allowing readers familiar with them to revisit and observe how they had evolved in their life together. Thank-you, Mary Lancaster. I loved reading more about Griz and Dragan. What a dark and tangled mystery! Kudos to all of the authors - loved the collection.
I thoroughly enjoyed this ghostly hour collection. Some were a bit more intriguing than others. And I especially enjoyed reading the authors who used couples from previously written stories, allowing readers familiar with them to revisit and observe how they had evolved in their life together. Thank-you, Mary Lancaster. I loved reading more about Griz and Dragan. What a dark and tangled mystery! Kudos to all of the authors - loved the collection.
November 19, 2022
The stories I loved most in this collection were:
The Ghostly Lover, by Mary Lancaster
Highland Ghost, by Elizabeth Rose
A Lady’s Revenge, by Nicole Locke
Other stories I enjoyed a lot:
When the Night Closes, by Chasity Bowlin
The Dauntless Girl, by Whitney Blake
The Duke’s Bluestocking, by Celeste Barclay
Loved by the Laird, by Jillian Eaton
Overall, another fun Halloween collection from Dragonblade. I hope they keep putting these out every year; it’s beginning to feel like a tradition for me to read them each fall 😊.
The Ghostly Lover, by Mary Lancaster
Highland Ghost, by Elizabeth Rose
A Lady’s Revenge, by Nicole Locke
Other stories I enjoyed a lot:
When the Night Closes, by Chasity Bowlin
The Dauntless Girl, by Whitney Blake
The Duke’s Bluestocking, by Celeste Barclay
Loved by the Laird, by Jillian Eaton
Overall, another fun Halloween collection from Dragonblade. I hope they keep putting these out every year; it’s beginning to feel like a tradition for me to read them each fall 😊.
October 28, 2022
Crumbling castles, ghostly spirits, dark and stormy nights abound in this collection of 16 spooky stories of historical romance. New and rekindled love are helped along by the spirit world. I can only imagine the fun the authors must have had writing these stories! Written by some of my favorites and a great chance to sample new-to-me authors. I enjoyed reading this in the days leading up to Halloween. I received an ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
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