Fade To Midnight

McClouds & Friends #7

by Shannon McKenna

The "New York Times-"bestselling author of "Ultimate Weapon" and "Extreme Danger" introduces the long-lost sibling of her beloved McCloud brothers, in her steamiest and most riveting romantic suspense novel yet.

Beaten and tortured almost to death, Kev Larsen was found eighteen years earlier in a warehouse alley. He survived his brutal ordeal, but his memories before that night were completely erased, until brain surgery triggers fragmented, terrifying flashbacks. Now Kev is determined to unlock the secrets to his past. Edie Parrish has always been good at not letting anyone get too close to her. If someone were to learn of her unusual gift, her life would be immediately jeopardized. But when Kev Larsen discovers who she really is, Edie has to trust him. And soon, Edie can't resist her desire - even though she knows she'll have to pay a price for it. Now Kev and Edie must race against time and place their faith in each other to stop a deadly legacy.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, Erotic Romance

490 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Also wrote five category romances under the penname Shannon Anderson

::From The Author's Website::

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

I started writing my first romance novel in secret. I was working a temp job in an insurance office in Manhattan at the time, and the office manager had made it clear that even if there was nothing to do, I still had to look busy-- never one of my big talents. I felt bad about the wasted time, though, and I needed something to round out my other chosen career, which was singing. Yeah, that's right. Most artists choose a more practical Plan B to back up their improbable Plan A. Me? No way. "Long Shot" is my middle name.

So I sneakily set up a Document 1 and a Document 2 with a spreadsheet on it. If my Boss du Jour walked by I could quick-like-a-bunny switch screens, and whenever the coast was clear, I went back to my story. Not that I was slacking, mind you. If there was work to be done, I did it. The sneakiness felt familiar, though, because I've been teased about reading romances since I was a kid. I think the day I finally grew up was the day I stopped trying to cover up what I was reading on the bus, train or subway. Let people think whatever they like.

It wasn't until I moved to Italy (details of that Long Shot provided later on) that I got serious about writing, though. I found myself with many long, quiet days alone with nothing to do, so I slogged my way bravely to the end of the manuscript and sent it out. Everybody rejected it-except for Kensington. I wrote for them for a few years, and then made a bid for an erotic novella for the new Brava imprint, and oh joy, they accepted it. Then I wrote BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. And so on, and so forth.

That's how I started. I can't think of anything I'd rather do. I never knew it would be so scary, and so hard . . . all that solitude and silence, a blank computer screen, and no one to blame. But still. It's worth it. It's great.

Reviews

[Auntee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, there is no way my review is going to do this book justice, but I'll try.

****Possible spoilers if you haven't at least read Edge of Midnight, read no further.......................................

After a bit of a confusing start (maybe the first 50 pages) due to the fact that it's been almost three years since I read the book directly connected to this one (Edge of Midnight), everything sort of fell into place and I was able to figure out where this one was heading. Do yourself a favor (as I should have) and reacquaint yourself with Sean McCloud's story--at the very least read the chapters that lead up to the climax, or you'll be searching the cobwebs in your brain like I did trying to remember names and facts and just what happened when Sean and wife Liv fought off the evil Dr. Osterman and what his connection was to the missing (and presumed dead for the past 18 years) twin Kevin.

So if you're about to read this book, you know that in one of the past books (which one, I don't know) the McCloud brothers figured out that their missing brother Kevin may in fact be alive. Fade To Midnight is 40-ish Kevin's story. It tells what happened to him that day he got away from the evil mind control machinations of Dr. O, how he survived, who helped him, why he never made it back to his brothers (he's suffering from a type of amnesia, and doesn't remember anything past 18 years ago), and how he was living his life now. This part of the book made me very sad--Kevin went through a heck of a lot both physically and emotionally, and my heart ached for him. The book starts out with Kevin about to go over a waterfall after he heroically tried to save a couple of kids, and gives you a good idea about the man he has become as he relives the past 18 years of his life while he braces for his imminent death. Well miraculously, Kevin survives, but his body and brain take a beating. But the brain beating starts to jar loose some bad, bad memories...

Kevin's future lady love is a 29 year-old heiress named Edie Parrish. Edie can do no right in her family's eyes. She's clumsy, meek, a bit of a misfit, is psychic and is prone to blurting out warnings to people about their futures that no one takes seriously but irritates her uppity parents. Her father has all but disinherited her because she refuses to toe the line. She works as a graphic novelist and lives in a run down part of town which annoys her father to no end. Edie's novels focus on an heroic character named Fade Shadowseeker, whose adventures (and features) are strikingly similar to one Kevin Larsen (Kevin McCloud). Now how can that be since they've never met?

As Kevin starts to get fragments of his memory back, including his memories of Dr. O, he does some research with the help of his 'adopted' brother and business partner Bruno, and they link Dr. O to the wealthy Charles Parrish, whose foundation provided funding for evil Dr. O's mind control research, and who just happens to be Edie's father. More research on Parrish, who Kev now remembers as the person who he tried (without success) to get to help him stop Dr.O, turns up a picture of Edie. Hmm, she looks vaguely familiar. Kev figures he needs to speak with her and decides to attend her book signing at a local bookstore. What happens after that...oh my.

That's all I want to say about the plot. Just know that although Dr. O may be dead, he's left behind some minions who are determined to honor his legacy of mind control research in the most evil, despicible way, and Kevin and Edie are their targets. There's a scorching hot, and I mean hot romance between the two outsiders, Edie and Kevin, there's plenty of I-can't-believe-this-is-happening action and brutal violence; there's wonderful drama as Kevin slowly regains his memories and his brothers realize that he's alive and come looking for him, and there's plenty of tears (both happiness and sorrow) as Kevin and Edie try to figure out if their relationship can make it through all the roadblocks put in their way.

Now, fans of this series will want to know that of course those wonderful, crazy McCloud brothers make an appearance in this book, with Sean (and wife Liv) probably having the largest roles. Besides Davy, Connor, and Sean, we also get Miles (who has some humorous scenes), mentions of Seth and Nick and Val, the brother's wives, the cute offspring, and how could I forget Tam! Tam has a very pivotal role in the exciting, exhausting conclusion. Go Tam! There was a very heartbreaking scene involving Kev's 'adopted' family, where one of the members makes a huge sacrifice that had me whispering "no...", and this was all part of a nail biting finale that must have taken over 100 pages to tell, but moved at a break-neck pace. And just when I thought all the harrowing action was over, there was more! My heart almost couldn't stand it!

Fortunately, there was a HEA, but if I had one teeny tiny complaint with this book, it would be that I thought it needed an epilogue of some sort. There was a sweet epilogue between Edie and Kev that took place 6 weeks after all the mayhem died down, but I sure could have read a couple of more pages that included the entire McCloud family. Maybe I'm being greedy, but I can't get enough of that crazy family. I just love the way the brothers are with their women. They're alphas, sometimes arrogant, bone-headed and stubborn, but ultra-protective, possessive, sexy, loving, and can be down-right sweet. You know that they'd do anything for their woman, and they let them know that their woman has their heart. Love these guys.

There's plenty of set-the-sheets-on-fire sex in this book, as well as romance (with brother Bruno offering his expertise), and some humor (the brothers interacting with each other and their wives, Kev's adoptive family--especially his 'Aunt') and you'll be rooting hard for Edie and Kevin's relationship. I loved how the character of Edie grew from a sort of afraid-to-say-the-wrong thing girl to almost a kick-ass get-out-of-my-way heroine--Nice! Both Kevin and Edie were so likable, and had been through so much before they even met, and they were put through the wringer in this book, so anything less than a big, fat HEA would have been a major disappointment.

Fans of this series this is a must read--you'll truly enjoy it! Sadly, it seems like this is the finale of the series. There's no more McClouds to write about, and as for their friends...? I suppose Shannon McKenna can come up with a story about Bruno, or perhaps a character she added late to the story, former Army Ranger Alex Aaro will get his story told? I don't know, but if SMcK's writing it, I'm reading it! 5 stars

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

** This review contains spoilers about the previous books in the series, so if you haven't read at least the 1st 4 books (Behind Closed Doors, Standing In The Shadows, Out Of Control and Edge of Midnight), read this review at your own risk. **

I'm a big fan of Ms. McKenna's books, even though I didn't love all of them - hey, every author has the right to write a "bad" book now and then, right? I love her stalkerific heroes, her OTT wacky villains and the intensity of her stories. Her heroines are hit-or-miss, some are borderline TSTL, but I don't read romances for the heroines anyway, LOL.

Fade To Midnight is the long-awaited story of Kevin McCloud, whose "death" had haunted his brothers' lives until they found out he might be alive somehwere, somehow. But if he's alive, what's happened to him? Why hasn't he ever contacted his brothers? Has he staged his own death or is he held prisoner somewhere? So many questions! Naturally, all of them are answered in this book. I'm not going to write a plot summary because the book description says what's important and, let's face it, I wouldn't know where to begin since Kev's story isn't fully contained in this book - hence the need to read the previous books in the series to understand this one.

As I've come to expect from Ms. McKenna's stories, this book was packed with thrilling and suspenseful action scenes. The bad guys were really bad: vicious, cruel and completely amoral. Their actions were cringe-worthy and I hated them with a vengeance, but... I must be out of my mind, but I ended up feeling sorry for Ava, the most twisted and perverted of them all. Kudos to Ms. McKenna for making me care for such an evil creature.

Now, Kev and Edie... They were a nice surprise to me. Ms. McKenna's H/h usually follow the pattern I mentioned above, but she broke the mold with Kev and Edie. He was still a strong, protective, dominant alpha male, but he wasn't as keen on playing power games in the bedroom as his brothers. That made him sweeter - as sweet as a McCloud can be, that is - and I liked that. As for Edie, she was stronger and overall smarter than the previous heroines in the series, even though she had a couple of unavoidable TSTL moments. She really annoyed me when she decided to seduce "poor" Kev at the worst possible moment, but I guess a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do - whenever, wherever. ;)

Two things prevented me from giving this book 5 stars:

1. Kev's reunion with his long-lost brothers was anticlimactic. Come on, you guys haven't seen each other for 18 years! So you've found each other again in the middle of a "war zone" with bullets flying everywhere and I agree that that wasn't the best time to "play the violins", but there was almost nothing afterwards either. Big disappointment there.

2. The ending was too abrupt. The last chapter ends with Kev and Edie fighting bad and good guys altogether, the police shooting at Kev and Evie's life hanging by a thread. Cut scene, and there's the epilogue, where we are told what happened in the 6 weeks between the last scene in the last chapter and the epilogue. Okay, Kev and Edie's encounter in the epilogue was sweet and sigh-worthy, but I still felt kind of lost there.

All in all, I really enjoyed this read and I wish there were more McCloud brothers to keep this series going. I don't know what Ms. McKenna's plans are, but I hope she considers writing Kev's "brother" Bruno's book next. I mean, he's an honorary McCloud brother now, isn't he? :D

[Miss Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! Since I finished Edge of Midnight, I’ve been dying to know what happened to Kev. Where has he been? How bad is the brain damage? Does he know he has 3 brothers?

18 years ago, Kev was a victim of the sickening mind control experiments of a crazy doctor. He was dumped and presumed dead, but he was found by a man that took him in and let him live with him. Kev is badly scarred, is and mute for years. Little by little, he begins to talk again, and realizes there is so much missing from his brain that he cannot remember. He doesn’t know who he is.

Liv is a successful graphic artist, who was also a victim of the mind control. She however was not damaged like Kev. Instead, she came away with psychic abilities. This ‘gift’ causes nothing but more pain in her life.

I won’t go into the plot…there are other reviews much better than mine.

I liked Liv at first. She was shy and meek, very talented. She badly wants her father’s approval, but he is embarrassed of her. After she meets Kev, she turns into a different character and I didn’t like her as well. She became mouthy and at times—I hate to say this—TSTL.

I did get the closure I wanted in the McCloud series, but I was disappointed when they are finally reunited with Kev. It was just like ‘Hey you’re back. We’re pissed at you for being gone so long. Let’s kick some ass…’. There was not hugging, tears, etc that you’d expect after an 18 yr absence.


I also want to complain that McKenna over uses the word LUBE. I really didn't need a lube check update every time they got busy!

[willaful · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning: inevitable spoiler for Edge of Midnight. If you’ve read this book’s summary, you already know it.


Whew, this was a trip.

Kevin McCloud, brother of Davy, Connor and Sean, was long dead when their stories began. Though being a mystery reader, I knew from page 8 of Edge of Midnight, when we read that “Kev’s body had been charred beyond recognition,” that he wasn’t really dead. And sure enough, by the end of that book, the McCloud brothers know it too. Though fairly inexplicably, when this story begins three years later, they have yet to do anything about it.

The first feeling I had reading this was... well, perhaps “disappointment” isn’t the right word, because it was a disappointment I pretty much expected. Kev sounded like such an interesting, different character in the previous book -- though naturally he never actually appeared -- but here, sure enough, he’s pretty much just another incredibly skilled, hard-fighting, hard-lovin’ uxorious McCloud brother. He’s super-smart but we’re mostly told about that, we never really see how it affected him as a person.

I also found myself reluctant to keep reading. All of McKenna’s romantic suspense books are dark, but there’s usually a bit of distance to keep the reader from getting overwhelemed. Here, many horrible things had already happened to Kev and his love-interest Edie, and I strongly suspected more horrible things were going to happen. (I wasn't wrong.)

But I kept on and in the second half, things got... good? Well, they got something. There’s a lot going on with the Kev’s brothers as they slowly discover what’s been going on, a lot of feelings for them, and for Kev. That was powerful. And there’s some poignant sacrifice and redemption in the ending, especially for a character who had made some dubious decisions.

There was still a lot I didn’t much like. Edie’s family and everyone associated with them are just over-the-top awful. They’re not the super-villains of the piece, but they don’t seem to have a speck of humanity towards her. And we don't see enough of what happens between Kev and his brothers, after all the action is finished. That is so big, where did it go?

And saddest of all... this is Shannon McKenna and I didn’t like the sex scenes. That's like ordering a banana split and getting bad ice cream. They seemed out of place and out of character, especially Edie’s persistence and aggression. I was kind of relieved when the couple were mostly separated for the last half of the book.

Ultimately I guess I was glad to have read it and finished up the series. But it's well named, because the McClouds sort of fade away... not with a bang, but a whimper.

[Jane Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scary roller coaster ride. Excellent pulling me in emotionally. My frustration was how and why conflicts occurred.

I love this author. I eagerly pounce on every new book she writes. I’ve given 5 stars to many of her books, but this book gave me problems. Put an outline on the blackboard showing all the conflicts and how and why they occurred, and you get the following. Bad decisions by good people. People being told the truth and not believing it. Good guys knowing they are in danger but going off alone. Bad guys repeatedly lucky. Bad guys’ lies repeatedly believed by everyone. Edie’s truths repeatedly not believed by almost everyone, and their responses to Edie were abusive. I’ve read other books which used some of these conflict devices, and I was fine with it. Limited use is ok. My problem here is this particular “mix” and the “quantity” – way too much of it.

There are multiple conflicts where the bad guys get the good guys, the good guys get away, and then the bad guys get them again later. Getting out of conflicts was done well. But WHY the characters were put in danger was my problem.

A couple of times, the author used a “temporary cliffhanger” which I didn’t like. For example, Kev enters a room, sees bad guys coming in, Kev takes the first shot, and then the author switches to another scene with other characters for several pages before returning to Kev. I prefer logical endings to scenes. There is plenty of suspense due to content. I don’t need this “artificial suspense.” I’ll accept occasional use if it’s helpful to show other things going on, but that was not the case here.

Kev and Edie have some arguments along the way which I didn’t care for. They were based on each one thinking they were not good enough for the other.

Something important was missing. I needed a scene or two with all the brothers finally being together and having a heart to heart about the missing 18 years.

On the positive side, McKenna is great at pulling me in emotionally to the characters. In the first part of the book I hurt for Kev, and I was scared to death of Ava. When I read another book “Ecstasy Unveiled,” I did NOT hurt for the tortured hero, and I was NOT afraid of the bad guy. In my review of that book, I used “Fade to Midnight” as an example of how to pull readers in emotionally (to the characters). McKenna is great at doing that. She also writes excellent action scenes and events. She shows not tells.

As with several other McKenna books, this was a scary roller coaster ride. It was hard to put down. I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen. The suspense kept me awake at night. I enjoyed it a lot, even though I had the problems mentioned above.

DATA:
Story length: 490 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong, including rape. Number of sex scenes: 12. Approximate number of sex scene pages: 22. Setting: current day Oregon and Washington state. Copyright: 2010. Genre: romantic suspense thriller.

OTHER BOOKS:
Of her full length novels, I gave 5 stars to: Behind Closed Doors, Standing in the Shadows, Return to Me, Out of Control, Hot Night, Edge of Midnight, Extreme Danger, and Ultimate Weapon. I gave 4 stars to Tasting Fear and 3 stars to Fade to Midnight. She’s done some short stories in anthologies which I rated 3 stars and 5 stars. The 5 star short stories are in the following anthologies: All Through the Night and Bad Boys Next Exit.

[jenjn79 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, this was quite a book. After waiting many books and quite a few years waiting to find out what Kevin's story was, author Shannon McKenna sure delivered a doozy of a book!

Series Note:
I HIGHLY recommend reading this series in order. It would be particularly helpful to read Sean's book (Edge of Midnight) as close as possible to this one.

Summary:
Eighteen years ago, Kevin McCloud was assumed dead by his friends and family. It wasn't until a few years ago that Kev's brothers started to find out that something really bad had gone on, and then to wonder if Kev might actually still be alive somewhere out there. If he is, they'll find him, whatever it takes.

Kev has been alive...living with amnesia for eighteen years in Portland. After escaping the evil mind control of a crazed scientist, he's taken in by a Vietnam vet. Kev is severely scarred, brain damaged, can't speak, can't write, and can't remember a thing about himself. Eventually, he gets better and builds a meaningful life, though he still can't remember his past. But then an accident leads to brain surgery which unlocks a few memories and urges Kev to find out the truth about what happened to him.

During the course of his search, he meets Edie Parrish, a little angel from his past. Edie is the daughter of the man Kev begged for help and then assaulted while trying to escape Dr. O's clutches. Edie was there that day, and the encounter led her to later write a graphic novel series about a scarred, battered hero helping people in need. Now they meet again. But Edie has problems of her own as the black sheep of her family. She's a misfit who can never please her father. They all think she's crazy. When Edie meets Kev again, she's finally found someone who can accept her for who she is.

Unfortunately, even though evil scientist Dr. O. is dead...a few of his minions are still alive and secretly working on his legacy. Now they want both Kev and Edie to complete their experiments. The two have a lot to survive before they can have a future together.

(...sorry for the long summary, but this is a really complicated book...)

Review:
Where to start this review? There so much to say about this book. Most of it good, but I do have two main criticisms. I'll save those for last.

I think the first thing to comment on is the anticipation level of this book. It was off the charts. The book is a wild, edge-of-your-seat right that has you constantly waiting and anxiously wondering for what will happen next. And it's not just at certain part of the books, it's the entire book. I don't think I was relaxed while reading even once. The tension and anticipation is that thick. It was great. And it really keeps you reading and wanting to come back for more when you have to put it down.

For me, the middle-ish chunk of the book was my favorite part. It's where Edie and Kevin meet and instantly connect. These two are both such battered souls. Kev is scarred, brain damaged, suffering from severe amnesia. You just really feel bad for the guy. He's always trying to do the right thing and getting crapped on for it. Then there's Edie. She's a total misfit in her world and has no self-esteem because of it. And when these two get together, it's so sweet. I loved the early parts of their relationship in the book (before all the "bullets" started flying). It was just really great to read about two battered people finding solace in each other. And hey, there's hot sex, too!

The romance takes a little bit of a backseat as the book moves on because of the suspense plot. Plus, Kev gets an attack of Alpha dog syndrome, and Edie gets a little TSTL-ish. Which McKenna readers should be used too ;) But overall, I really enjoyed the romance between these two. I think they were perfect for each other.

The suspense plot of the book was fucked up. And I don't mean that in a bad way. Kinda gives you the creeps, reading it. Mind control, drugs, murder, rape. Ugh. Not pretty stuff. It was definitely a twisted storyline that kept me reading, wanting to know how it all worked out.

For those of you who have been reading the series, the other McClouds make an appearance in the book. Connor, Davy and Sean come riding to the rescue, along with Sean's pregnant wife Liv. Tam's also there...and she's got a great role in the book. Miles is along for the ride. And there are mentions of Seth, Nick Val and all the others. It's great to get to read them again.

Now, my two criticisms.

First deals with all the backstory built up in other books. Kev's story has been building since book 1 in this series, and things kinda came to a head in Sean's book....which I read two and a half years ago. Therein lies the problem. When I started reading this book, I was so damn confused, trying to remember all the details of this and that...what was Kev's situation, how did he initially disappear, etc. I read all the other books in this series mostly in early 2008 so by the time I read this one, everything was rather fuzzy. And unfortunately, this book doesn't do all that good a job at bringing you up to speed on Kevin's situation. I spent so much time wracking my brain for past details while reading the beginning of this book that it was annoying. I think McKenna could have found a way to refresh readers minds to make things a little clearer and less distracting. But either way, this is why you really have to read this series in order. And if you have time, skimming Sean's book or rereading it completely would probably be really helpful.

My second complaint was the ending and in particular the McCloud brothers reunion. This is what readers have been waiting and waiting for. Kev and his family finally reunite. And I was left less than dazzled by the reunion. The brothers meet again during a very tense time in the book and all their scenes together are life and death situations. ALL of them. I was anxiously waiting for a fluffy bunny scene between the brothers, something peaceful and happy, with them catching up together. Just something nice. But there was nothing like that. When I finished the book, it left me rather unsatisfied because this thing I'd been waiting for the whole series was left hanging a bit. I just really wanted a closing scene between these guys.

Hopefully McKenna will bring them back in the next book and gives up that clearer HEA for the brothers. And it looks like there will be another book. Her website intimates that either Bruno or Alex Aaro will be feature next. Can't wait!

[~V~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! I have thoroughly enjoyed this series SO MUCH! The intensity level is off the charts! I swear...every time i pick up one of these books i truly have a hard time putting them down and my stomach is in complete knots the entire time i'm reading them. The suspense and
the action, the romance, the SEX!?...WOW!

I would not hesitate to recommend these books to anyone looking for one heck of a thrill ride, as long as you don't have a problem with quite a bit of sexual content...there is a LOT of sex in these, however, having said that...these are by no means books that have more sex than story..there is definitely a LOT of story...and really great story at that!! Her characters are just very sexual beings..I mean..really...when you're being chased down by psychotically scary villains who work for the Russian mob...or you're constantly on the run from evil, depraved scientists looking to experiment on you...who wouldn't need all that sex to release some tension! ;)

One thing that Shannon Mckenna does, that i recently mentioned loving about Shelly Laurenston's books..is that she brings back ALL her characters for each book, whether it's an actual McCloud brother, or one of their friends...everyone still plays major roles...with each release, we are kept up on everyone's on going lives and we get to meet all the new "little additions" to everyone's families...you're never left to wonder what ever became of a couple once they've gotten their HEA..it's really great!

I was a little bit sad when this book came out, thinking that it would wrap up this series, being as how it was about the last McCloud brother, but apparently Shannon McKenna is not done w/ this wonderfully dysfunctional group of characters! She continues to introduce us to new characters along with being able to keep each book from becoming a repeat of the previous ones..so far she's succeeded in keeping things fresh, interesting and very exciting! She has another book in this series coming out this fall and i can't wait! This is a series that will remain on my keeper shelf and one i'm hoping i will be able to keep adding to! :)

[Marishka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where the fuck was the reunion I've been waiting six books for. They meet in a shootout, then he went off with his brother's to save the day. We get a few words, but damn nothing happy/sappy really about it. It all just seemed really cold especially for them finding the brother who has been missing and presumed dead for freaking eighteen years.

What a letdown! I so excepted more in a book that was 400+ pages. Could have a at least added another chapter there at the end with them all together.

[Caro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me gusta leer a Shannon cada tanto, aunque no disfruté demasiado con estos protagonistas. Le tenía muchas ganas a esta novela más que nada por Kev, pero no llenó mis expectativas; costó terminarla por todo el rollo mental y bleh, la protagonista perfecta me aburrió sobremanera.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I had not read the previous novels in this series I got the jest of it. I will eventually read them and the ones after. If they are as good as this title was then I am gonna be in reading heaven. I think this is one of the best books I have read so far this year. It has everything...action, adventure, mystery, sex, humor, murder and tons of great reading. 5 stars for sure for this book and author!

[Jill Dunlop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fade to Midnight is the long awaited conclusion to Shannon McKenna's McCloud Brother series. It features the long lost missing brother Kev who is Sean's twin, whom they believed has been dead all these years. Sean troubled by nightmares believes his twin is still alive. Kev is alive but has no recollection of his former life. As a self protective mechanisim his brain has chosen to forget the torture Kev experienced at the hands of a mad scientist.

Fade to Midnight starts out with a fairly intriguing premise. Kev McCloud can't remember is past but for some reason he continually pictures a beautiful girl, whom he deems his "angel". He discovers that his angel is actually a real person, Edie Parrish. She has made him the main character in her popular graphic novel. Edie had horrible experiments done on her as a child. These experiments eventually lead to her psychic abilities which come out through her drawings. Edie has always been shy and a disappointment to her father.

The best part of Fade to Midnight is in the beginning when Kev and Edie first meet. They come together in an emotional and fiery explosion. If you have read McKenna before than you’ll know what I am talking about. Kev immediately knows that Edie is the woman for him and he must have her and protect her at all costs. He struggles with wanting to keep Edie safe and do what is best for her, yet he can't seem to keep his hands off of her which places them in danger. Oh, what a conundrum.

Unfortunately, after Kev and Edie get separated from each other because of the bad guys, the book takes a downturn. I felt like things got dragged out too much. The bad guys are so completely over the top eeeevil. Actually, why we are on the subject, everything about this book is over the top. Which can be great in small doses, but in this book at close to 500 pages it got old after a while. In the beginning it is exciting and addictive but by the end of the book I was uninterested and ready for it to be over.

I think fans of the McCloud Brother series will not want to miss this conclusion. But do keep in mind that Fade to Midnight is not without its share of problems.

[Elaine Skinner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 7th installment in the McCloud series. Unfortunately it's a disappointment. Kev McCloud is the source of a massive mystery that really begins in book 4. To bad Kev's book is just jam packed with tortured internal monologues. Every book in this series has them but Kev's book takes the cake. Between Edie (Kev's love interest) and Kev's constant need to go on and on about their issues this book drags. The action doesn't even start until the very last 15% of the book. There's a scuffle here and their but they're short lived and insignificant.

I loved Edie. She was a pretty unique character as was Kev but they're personalities alone weren't able to carry the book. To top it off this book is extremely heavy in the "supernatural". I found it out of place and odd.

MINOR SPOILER!!!!!! STOP READING!!!!!


My favorite part is the reunion between Kev and his brothers. Unfortunately it takes forever to happen and it's over shadowed by all of the shooting and car chases. It would have been nice to see them hanging out or just catching up after the Big Bad was defeated. But that's all left out. It jumps months ahead and the book ends.

I enjoy the series as a whole but this is not a favorite by any means. I reread it so I can read the rest of the series.

[Zeek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kev's story was abit of a letdown- the baddies are completely eeeviel and I wanted to smack her family for being so selfish and rotten. (Totally cliched on both counts.)

BUT I loved Edie- smart, a bit backwards socially but oh so fierce and Kev's a McCloud- so of COURSE he's oversexed, uber alpha and extremely intense. (Kev is the epitome of tortured hero (literally) and exactly the kinda romance hero I adore. Yes he's finally reunited with the rest of his family but this story is all His and Edie's- which was my letdown- I wanted more of him with his brothers.)

(More review to come)

[Little Butterfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
It's been a while since I've read a book of this great series. While I enjoyed this one- what's not to love about Kev the tortured hero who happens to be an artist and overall genius- I was a bit disappointed of the reunion with his brothers. There was just so much anger they couldn't seem to leave behind. I hope Sean will bond with Kev again.
I bet Edie is already pregnant- that's how this series works lol

[Dekaydreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate this higher except for a few annoyances that detracted from what was quite an exciting story/series:
-Never thought I would find myself saying this, but - too much sex. It's like seasoning; a touch is nice, but this is like chili with a quadruple helping of heat, hold the other ingredients.
-I'm also rather offended by the word choices involved - a little too low-rent for me. Occasionally calling a breast a tit, okay. Employing "tits" at every turn is like listening to an adolescent boy.
-Overuse of one adjective to the point of ridiculous: "puffy" - add "pink", and after awhile it gets gag-some. Puffy pink lips, puffy pink eyes, puffy pink hands, puffy pink jacket...

If McKenna had edited out about half the sex scenes and upscaled the rest out of the gutter porn zone, and made use of a thesaurus, this would have been 4- even 5-star worthy.

[Sonia Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 estrelas
Não consigo arredondar para as 5* porque acho que faltou qualquer coisa especial.
Depois de "Edge of Midnight", o livro de Sean McCloud, foi-me impossível não ir espreitar os livros seguintes para saber se o seu gémeo, Kevin, estava mesmo vivo. Desde que soube que sim, Kevin estava vivo, entrei em euforia para chegar ao seu livro.

É, sem dúvida, um livro espetacular. O momento mais aguardado, o reencontro dos irmãos McCloud, foi uma cena espetacular, cheia de ação, euforia, emoção.

Gostava que o final tivesse um pouco mais de qualquer coisa com os 4 irmãos, as suas esposas e filhos, acho que foi o que faltou.

[Melissa Levine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the beginning of this book to be very confusing. I didn't totally understand what the hell was even going on. So the first...eighth? haha was hard to get in to. There were also several errors throughout the book, I can't help but notice. Most involved repeating words or forgetting a letter in the word/using the wrong word.

The story itself was sorta interesting. I felt like the author could have shorten the story, (my version was 619 pages long)...there were way too many descriptions of things aka fluff, that I didn't really need to be said or repeated multiple times.

Questions/Comments:

I couldn't stand Edie. It's like she wants to have more sex than Kev does...especially during inappropriate times. I get she feels what Kev is feeling or something when they have sex, but at the same time, why must she continue with the crying during and afterwards? Something about her just annoyed. She didn't seem all that smart either.

I wasn't a fan of how long it took before we got a somewhat good description of Kev. (Page 76)

Ava? Complete psycho. She sounds like a completely fake person, I'm surprised people still fall for her crap.

There was a part at the beginning where Ava is reminiscing about Dr. O. "Even when it broke your bones, and hacked off your limbs and sucked your blood." I get bad things happen when controlling another person, but hacking off limbs?

'Thugs' came for Bruno when he was younger, while eating at his Uncle's diner. After Kev fought them and whatnot, how were there tons of dirty dishes to clean? Hadn't they just opened basically?

When Kev shows up at the book signing, how did none of Edie's fans notice him? That part didn't make sense at all.

Ava knocks Keira out, she forces her to sit down... "Ava accompanied her body down (Keira) into the chair, forcing her to bend at the waist. Thud, she landed heavily." Is Ava sitting on Keira at this point?

When Tom arrives at the lab, what exactly does he end up testing? Ava was in control of Keira while what? She allowed the one guard guy to fuck Keira? What was with the juggling? So Tom wears the crown...hence being in control of Keira while what? Having his goon fuck Keira again while he experienced it too?

Prior to Edie and Kev having sex, why did she get so mad at him? I was clueless there.

After all Kev tells Edie about how his life is like her book series, how can she still play it off like it's just a coincidence? I didn't get that.

What was with Edie always demanding something? Couldn't she just ask?

I didn't understand how there didn't seem to be anything Edie could have done to get her father to leave her alone? I mean, if he's embarrassed of her and whatnot, she's not inheriting any money...why didn't he just walk away? Was it all for show?

At the ceremony for her father, we're told that Aunt Evelyn and Tanya kept pushing Edie down every time she went to stand up. Making me think they were on either side of Edie. Yet, Edie was able to pass her cell phone sim-card to her sister, who sounded like she was sitting right next to her.

Edie ends up putting the wine soaked napkin into her purse, then leaves it under the table. Did she seriously think the waiter wouldn't come back for it? Very stupid!

Kev and Edie are getting busy in the car. At one point, Edie ends up between Kev's legs...while kneeling in front of his seat. Um, how was that possible? I get some cars have more leg room than others, but yeah...

When they get to the motel, why was Edie surprised that Kev didn't want to have sex with her?

When they're in the cabin, Bruno arrives with breakfast. He ends up talking about how Edie is crazy for Kev. Kev seems unsure though. Why? I mean she's already told him that she loves him, wants to stay with him, yadda, yadda, yadda...what more could he want?

Kev arrives to go through the archives. "Twenty-five, thirty big boxes..." Huh?

What was with the huge age gap between Edie and Ronnie?

Who refers to a text message on a phone as an 'sms message'?

So the shot that Ava had given Charles caused his blood vessels to burst. Why would she be glad that his brain was mush? Making it seem as though there wouldn't have been any evidence of the burst blood vessels? The blood vessels are throughout the body.

How did Kev end up with Dr. O?

"The only person whose opinion mattered was dead." That was Edie's thought after finding out her father was dead. I didn't get it. He was horrible to her most of her life, why would she care?

How did Bruno, Tony or his Bruno's aunt not recognize Kev's brothers? Especially his twin brother?

What was the point of the jewelry?

I could understand if Edie ended up going crazy, killing her father and handcuffing her family and whatnot...but when Ava pulls a chunk of Edie's hair and sprinkles it on the family....um? That just seemed weird. Was she suppose to be so stressed her hair is just falling out?

Why were the cops shooting at Kev when he'd already put his gun down? This was when him, Edie and Ava were on the roof.

[Bookaholics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fade To Midnight (Mccloud Brothers) by Shannon McKenna
Contemporary Romance - June 1, 2010
4 stars

Fade to Midnight is an intriguing and suspenseful read. I was quickly drawn to the deeply scarred and vunerable main characters. Fans will enjoy the conclusion of this story. But new readers will want to read Edge of Midnight first to better understand the complexity of this fascinating novel, since the author immediately jumps into an involving plot.

Kev is the eccentric, rich and brilliant mind behind many innovative children’s toys. His skills surpass the normal man but his history is clouded in mystery, even to himself. But his past is suddenly revealed when a concussion opens up a memory of an evil scientist named Dr. Osterman. (Dr. Osterman performed highly dangerous and experimental research on him and other children.) Kev is also haunted by an angel whose memory gives him strength. When he discovers a graphic novel whose hero bears a striking resemblance to him and his life he is determined to hunt the author down. Only to discover that she is the guardian angel he has dreamed of all of these years.

Edie is an heiress without money, shunned by her parents. Due to her strange behavior and gifts since she was experimented on by Dr. Osterman. She has powers that enable her to read strong emotions and the future. She is also haunted by a scarred boy who she writes in her graphic novels. When she suddenly meets a man who bears an uncanny resemblance to her hero she can’t stop the sudden connection and passion she feels to be near him.

In Fade to Midnight Shannon McKenna introduces her most emotionally charged main characters yet! Both are misfits and long for a sense of belonging that is immediately recognized when they find each other again.

This was a stirring romance. I loved how the 2 main characters finally found each other and compliment one another. They finally found a person would could completely acceptance and understand them. Even though their relationship progresses very quickly I felt their relationship was destined. The scenes between them were very touching and HOT. This book is a little different from the author’s previous novels. The hero is not the supreme alpha male that she is known for writing due to his past but his is also not a pushover. He is definitely more sensitive and sympathetic.

This couple belonged together and is a romance to savor.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

[Cate Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should preface this by saying I love Shannon McKenna's books. I've read all of them, and I plan to continue reading them. That said, I want my money back for this book.

Before I get to the substantive stuff, I'll point out that McKenna is in dire need of an editor. This book had typos all over the place. "Lights shown from his eyes." "He as dead." "Have gave." "Incounter". Are you effing kidding me? I paid $8 for this book - I expect it to be a little more polished than your average internet rant. Also, my version of the book isn't listed on Goodreads - this was a mass market and it was 616 pages, about 200 pages too long.

Unfortunately the bad presentation could not be assuaged by an amazing book. The premise was wonderful and I loved the "idea" of the book. But the execution failed. There was a weird lack of heat between Edie and Kev. Normally McKenna's sex scenes are scorching. Not so in this book. What really drove me crazy was the inconsistent characterization. Kev was an amazing character at first . He was gentler and more relaxed than his brothers from the other books. Not an alpha asshole hero. But then one time, he pulls that "I don't want to have sex with you because I won't be able to stop" crap and it just ruined it for me.

Their fights were ridiculous and stupid.

Ugh, I'm just so frustrated with this book. What happened to Shannon McKenna? Where is the Shannon McKenna of the almost perfect prose? The Shannon McKenna who grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go? The Shannon McKenna who makes you swoon? Where ever she is, it isn't present in this book at all.

I have Blood and Fire, the book after this, in my TBR pile and frankly I'm afraid to pick it up.

[Schnuppi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kev, the lost McCloud brother, starts to remember stuff from his past after a headinjury. He remembers Dr. Osterman, the villian from Edge of Midnight, and comes across Charles Parrish who is a former associate of Osterman and his daughter Edie. Edie is also a former victim of Dr. O and Kev and Edie have this insane, wild chemestry that is so typical for Shannon McKenna's books.

Shannon McKenna delivers exactly what she is known for: A very fast-paced, sometimes ugly plot; a hero that is very intense and sometimes borderline a$$hole; a heroine who needs to get tougher and tougher as the plot thickens; the chemestry between the hero and the heroine with sex-scenes that burn up the pages; and of course a very creepy villian!

I thought that Kev was the softest of the heroes, he was almost vulnerable without turning into a wuss. That was something I really liked because with some of the former heroes in SMKs books I had a hard time believing that they could have a relationship and shouldn't be locked up (*cough*Seth*cough*). I thought that she could have done that whole "Meeting the lost brother" thing out a little more. They haven't seen each other in 18 years and there wasn't any emotional "We missed you" or even "You jerk, where have you been" and that annoyed me a little. I got over it quickly but if you expect a big family reunion you will be disappointed by the book.
It also took me a little bit to get into the book because I was so creeped out by the villian but as soon as I made it past the 5th chapter I couldn't put the book down anymore.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Kevin's story!!!!! I am a big fan of the books from Shannon McKenna. This book had suspense, action, romance, confused alpha male, and evil psychopaths who must be stopped. My kind of story. I have been so busy lately that reading is taking longer than usual. I stayed up last night to finish the book and was not disappointed. I am sorry that it is over.

In my excitment I do not want to post spoilers so the following is from the book cover: Beaten and torured almost to death, Kev Larson was found eighteen years earlier in a warehouse alley. When he nearly dies (again) from trying to save someone from drowning, the brain surgery he has to save his life triggers fragmented, terrifying memories. Edie Parrish has always been good at not letting anyone get clise to her. If someone were to learn of her unusual gift, her life would be immediately jeopardized.

Kev and Edie go on quite a ride. The McCloud brothers make an appearance and I would have liked the reunion to be fleshed out more but overall I thought the story was awesome. I was wondering how Ms. McKenna would be able to tell the story of a brother missing for 18 years and she did not disapoint me.

"I'm trying to hang on to you," Kev said starkly. "I want to, so badly. But you're like a curl of smoke, Edie. I can't get hold of you."

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The long anticipated book of the missing McCloud brother. There are a few things I really liked about this book, some I did not. For one, I liked the transition from fighter to warrior (of Kevin) and how him and Edie never forgot each other even though they didn't know one another - never met. I also admired Edie and the fact that she was very different from a lot of heroines. She was geeky and artistic, but highly intelligent just like Kevin. What I didn't like was the fact that the reunion with his brothers did not appease me. I was waiting for that moment but when it came, it left me unsatisfied. His reunion with his long lost family kept me anxious and impatient but they barely had time to really talk and get to know each other, much less the rest of his family back home. There was so much attention on Edie and Kevin, and their sexcapades, but not enough time devoted to any of the other characters, even though there were almost 500 pages to this book. Their coming together also held no sparks or excitement for me; it seemed pretty similar to his brother's happy endings. This also raises the question of who exactly will be featured in the next story? The ending also felt very quick and brief. Also, the entire story was not wrapped up as thoroughly as I would have liked (Bruno, Aaro, Edie's own family, etc.). 3/5 stars.

[Marleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

As always you can’t go wrong with Shannon McKenna when you are looking for steamy romance combined with action-packed adventure. Again here, with her 7th McCloud brothers installment, McKenna delivers just that. Unfortunately there were aspects of this story that bothered me to no end; mainly the villains. They get more and more grotesque with each book! I couldn’t believe how vile and empty the O Club members were – ok they are ex-lab rats, but gosh, they were so unrealistic and devoid of all humanity it got on my nerves - and - there were too many of them and too many pages dedicated to them.

I've enjoyed the McCloud brothers series so far because I like stories about families (and brothers) that stick together. Here, Kevin (Kev) McCloud, the long lost twin of Sean is finally reunited with his brothers, and I would have liked many (many!) more pages of dialogues between the brothers in order to get a better sense of this particular “reunion” dynamic. Their search for their lost brother has been such a driving force for them; and then they found him and it goes "pfftt" (imagine short deflating sound).
As for Edie Parrish, she’s an okay female lead, nothing note-worthy, but not annoying either. Overall, this is an okay in-between read when you're not expecting too much depth, which can be relaxing now and then.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to admit, I kind of cheated on this one. Normally, I figure if I'm going to put it up on Goodreads, I have to read every word. Only, I found the ick-factor on this book a little too high for my taste. I got it -- sadistic mad scientists like to torture people in new and shudder-inducing ways. Once, OK. Twice, OK. Three times, enh. Four, five, six times. These were like the teflon bad guys. Just push 'em over a cliff already and let's get on with things. Every time the plot seemed to be moving forward, we'd have to shift over to The Lair for more torturing. So by the time I was half way through, I started skimming through the torture-y parts.

I also come away from books like this with the bad feeling that I would not be one of the characters who survives. If someone yelled "snakebot" at me over "a com device," I would be too busy asking "What? Hunh?" and would end up getting blown up.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are reading this review without having read the prior books in the series, be informed now that you MUST read the series in order, and that this is Book 7. The series is awesome, but you cannot start with book 7.

Loved reading the story of Kevin, the once thought dead McCloud brother. As with the other brothers, he is a very complex character, but because he was lacking some of the history with them, he often had a different approach, making things fun when they all finally met up.

I also enjoyed the heroine Edie, how her character was developed.

The twists and turns in this story were classic Shannon McKenna, and she brought back the characters from the previous books, so series fans could get their updates- thanks!

To summarize- you'll get your action, adventure, romance, sex, explosions, car chases, shootouts, villains, kidnappings, and rescues. All in one book. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Sandra Valente · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin McCloud who everyone believes has been dead for 18 years is back. After recovering from near death and saved by Tony Ranieri, Kevin is desperate to remember where he came from or who he is and break loose from the amnesia after his traumatic experience. With the help of his "adoptive little brother Bruno Ranieri", they stumble across Edie Parrish's name. Edie is a graphic novelist who has a psychic power (an inner eye) which enables her to see what's inside a person or what their future holds for them if she happens to be drawing them. She also unfortunately has a history with Dr. O. The hunt for all the answers begins. Edie's family is no help and they tend to stand in Edie's way with the exception of her little sister, Ronnie whose life could also hand in the balance.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book to me was F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C! My favorite book of the year to date. The action in this book blew me away. How in the world did Shannon come up with the idea's in this book, I'll never know.
I don't think there was a thing that I did not love about this book. The H&H, The secondary charters, The bad guy's/girl, the plot, the action, the love scenes, the ending, The whole darn book was fabulous.
I'm sorry to see this series end but I'm sure that whatever Shannon write's next will be just as great as this series was and I will be waiting very impatiently for it to be released.

[Wminbc · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I was soo happy to have the brother united again, I just didn't get the anger????

They never gave up hope, well, Sean never gave up hope and belief deep down that Kev was out there.

That said, it took some of my love for Kev away when he was less than thrilled that he was back with his brothers.

The story was good, but I would have loved even more Tam (what can I say, I lovers her...my lesbian crush, I think).

Enjoy...this series rocks (every book before this one was amazing for different reasons each time...not a protype kind of series.)

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

The seventh book in Shannon McKenna's McCloud & Friends series. Finally, Kev's story. I've waited way too long to be able to read it. I probably would have enjoyed more if I had reread the previous books to get my memory refreshed on certain issues but I got rid of them so I couldn't. Nevertheless, I was able to follow the story fairly well without the reread. Great balance of suspense and romance with the emphasis on romance. Very entertaining.

[Abha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite of the series. Took way too long for the McCloud brother's to get into the mix.