Gentle from the Night

by Meagan McKinney

Left penniless after her father's death, Alexandra Benjamin strikes an unusual bargain with John Damien Newell, the darkly seductive master of Cairncross Castle. Hired to teach his troubled younger brother, Samuel, to speak, she soon discovers the castle harbors many terrible secrets. Secrets that lead Alexandra through a labyrinth of twisted lies and ancient mysteries, to where the answers lie waiting in the innermost chambers of the heart.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Gothic, Paranormal, Dark, Dark Romance

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Ruth Leslie Goodman Roberson (1961), well-known as Meagan McKinney gave up a thriving career as a biologist to become a full-time romance writer. She is author of over 20 critically acclaimed novels. Divorced, she lives with her two children in in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Reviews

[edith · Rating 5 out of 5]

OHHHH LORDDD🤤 This is the best dark gothic romance that I've ever read. The suspense, the whole atmosphere, the WRITING was top notch and absolutely delicious.


Alexandra goes to a dark and gloomy mansion to take care of a deaf kid, or at least that is what she thought.

It turns out, the "kid" she was supposed to care for is a man called Sam that can not speak due to mental problems. The one that hires her is the brother, Damien.


But, the story of this mansion, within the story of tongue-tied Sam is far more darker than Alexandra thought, even I did not expect some of the things.


"She sat, not speaking, her gaze slowly wandering to his hand that had captured her own. It grasped hers in a brutal, viselike grip. The emotion it represented was truth—the truth of fear and malevolence—even though his words, his voice, lied."


Damien is a DISTURBED man, he is no way in hell your normal "tortured" hero, he doesn't do warm feelings, due to his terrible past. Now you might think, "oh, cliche dark past trope🥱" but no, this man has been through HELL.


He was the PERFECT villian, the perfect hero. His mind games, his words, his actions was like dopamine to my soul. He was so addicting.


“You must think I’m a madman, Alexandra,” he said, shoving aside a blackened oak armchair, “and you know what? I am. Because I’m not going to let you leave, not tomorrow, not ever. You will stay by my side, and if it takes a madman to keep you here, then a madman I’ll be.”

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read: 11/4/22
2.5 stars

This book just wasn't my cup of tea. The paranoid went on for way too bloody long and to be honest, I didn't care about the mysterious ghost/evil spirit haunting the castle. It didn't help that I throughly disliked the MC. The only character I liked was Sam, the H's brother.

Conclusion: mystery wasn't well executed or fleshed out well and the romance made no sense.

[Clarice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was Crimson Peak, but better. I don't have anything negative to say about this entire book. Can someone please make this into a movie? I was scared, intrigued, and in love with the entire plot.

I think the best part of this book for me was wondering if Ursula Poole, what a name, was a ghost or not. Also the mystery of what truly happened to her kept me on the edge of my seat.

John Damien will now and forever be one of my favorite villainous love interests, right up there with Sebastian Gravier from Monique Edenwood's Black Oak series (I simp for him pretty hard), and Tom Riddle/Voldemort from Ginnyruin's "Altered State". This guy doesn't do anything by halves, the build-up alone to his and Alex's "romance" was just **chef's kiss** for me. There are just so many great quotes from his evil/lustful monologues that I wanted to write down, but I was tearing through this book so quickly I didn't get a chance too, and there's just so many.

This is the best dark-gothic romance that I've read, period. Especially with the ending, I was happy with it, but also still scared. (I don't want to ruin it, it was that good).

I also think it was really ironic that my hardcover edition of this book was bright pink and covered with flowers when this book is so dark and spooky. I almost wonder if McKinney did that intentionally to get a good laugh.

I've read only one other of McKinney's books "When Angels Fall", and I wasn't super impressed with it. I think part of the reason for that is I'm not super into revenge, enemies to lovers type romances since I know for sure at the end there's an HEA. Also I'm not a fan of them unless the hero is a real b@stard (pun intended there), which for me Ivan was not. He loved Elizabeth too much to truly hate her. Hence, him being Aunt Sophie for all those years. To me, if you're set on revenge you need to commit, otherwise it comes off mute-warm.

[Izzah ꒰Duchess of Cabria ಇ ⭑✧ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴇᴏɴ ✧ ⋆꒱ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spooky, but confusing

I'm neither a skeptic nor a believer. If someone presented me with proof of the supernatural I would believe it. When I see proof that it's caused by other issues, I believe it too. Why? I don't care either way. If there's a supernatural, it's never bothered with my ordinary self and if there isn't, then my life remains exactly the same.

And still, this book made me shiver in parts. The suspense of the ifs and maybes was good.

My issues were with the more mundane aspects.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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[Birjis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gentle from the Night is a gothic victorian romance. There is an originality of the theme: the desolate remote setting, ghosts, gloom and mystery. The writing is precise, the plot was gloom and doom and I like the lines taken from poems at the beginning of every chapters, they just add the gothic effect. The tidbit inclusion of prejudicing the Jews and the infant giant who has a secret hidden for years are my favourite component in this book. The hero wasn't a good man, he is harsh and crazy and he stays like that till the end of the book. He also plays a major role in manipulating and scaring the heroine. The heroine isn't naive or stupid, she doesn't know how to deal with the rumors in the castle but that doesn't stop her, she attempts to figure out the truth and try to draw out the two brothers of their past and help them.
The ending has a suspense but it's a HEA.
This book can also be added as dark historical romance with a dark hero. While this book is not my favourite from Megan McKinney it was not bad.

[Nabilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book about eight months ago but never did a proper review. I remember loving the anti-hero trope; this angle was very much well-done. I don't remember much about the heroine; she could be bland. Anyway, I discovered I made a couple of notes on my phone, so here goes.

Things I liked:
1) The writing is beautiful
2) The setting is lovely; very haunting, gothic and spooky.

Things I did not quite like:
1) Plot plausibility. There is simply no way a lord would banish his heir just because the governess cried rape (even though the governess happens to be the lord's cousin).
2) Damien's blaseness towards Ms Pole's reappearance. It's not really clear whether she is a spectre or a human. I'm leaning towards spectre based on the epilogues.
3) Too many inner monologues on Damien's part stating that he is beyond redemption. I feel it's a matter of too much telling and not enough showing.
4) I loved Sam, Damien's simple-minded brother, but I wished his character was more fleshed out. I feel he was just there to add to the plot's sake. It would have added depth to the story.

I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy gothic, historical romance. This book was an enjoyable read.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddy read with Nenia!

By now, I've read quite a few of McKinney's books. Two of hers I adored, and others I couldn't believe came from the same author. This one falls somewhere in the middle: while I enjoyed it, and some parts were so well done, there were things I wish had turned out differently.

Alexandra was a strong heroine, staunch in her morality and dignity. She was also Jewish, and her identity played a huge part in the story. John Damien, as a hero, was much more difficult to know. For one thing, he was so bleak he didn't exactly leap off the pages with open arms. I thought he was very sexy in the beginning of the book, and then he had no personality or sex appeal at all, then I started warming up to him, and THEN he got so dark and harrowing it was actually pretty awesome (and sad). The side characters were all pretty distinct to me as well, which is always an accomplisment.

After reading this, I think McKinney was born to write gothic romance, because the atmosphere is outstanding. It's so dark and claustrophobic and tragic. I mean, a castle with weeping stone walls? With miles of unexplored catacombs beneath it? Secret passages? A ghost? A hot and tortured baron who lives there with the demons of his past? All of it integral to the plot? YES PLEASE.

I do wish there had been a little more explanation at the end, because I had my theories, and none of them quite panned out. I thought Ursula was still alive and making people believe she was a ghost, I thought the housekeeper did it, I thought Ursula had somehow given birth to a daughter who was avenging her mom. The only thing that made me think "ghost" was the mirage-like figure on the moors. But now I'm not sure what really happened—was Featherstone insane? And everyone else who "saw" Ursula was just seeing what they expected to see?

Overall, this was pretty much a success, but I didn't love it enough to call it a favorite. I'm not sure I'd read it again, but because of how good some of the book was, I don't think I want to donate it. I dislike ambiguity, so if there had been more details of certain things, the rating would definitely go up. For now, it's a solid three.

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was recently asked about gothic romance books written by more modern authors, and this is one that I thought of. It's still a historical romance, but the dark and lonely castle combined with the gamma, slightly crazy hero definitely gives it a "Jane Eyre" feel. The heroine is fairly innocent and naive, but she is also strong willed and not apt to leave her fate completely up to chance. I would most definitely understand some hesitation for readers that are sensitive to abuse...this one lives up to the bodice ripper idea. That's not to say there is rape, but this hero is most definitely one who uses his physical power to outdo anyone around him. He still has a tender side, but he's never really a nice guy, imo.

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Negli anni a seguire, si sarebbe ricordata che era stato il suo nome ad attrarla per primo.
John Damien Newell.
Soltanto una firma in calce a una lettera; tre parole scritte con una grafia nitida e arrogante, senza alcun presentimento di ciò che sarebbe avvenuto.

4.5 - Ero molto curiosa di leggere questo "Introvabile", perchè si tratta di un'opera uscita ben 25 anni fa e che non sono mai uscita a recuperare nell'usato.
Me ne avevano sempre parlato come una sorta di "dark romance" in ambiente storico, che però veniva ben prima del trend recente di romanzi con corredo di bad boy, mafia boy e miliardari "guastati" da traumi infantili.

Devo dire che, in effetti, qui gli elementi del dark ci sono quasi tutti e sono ben dosati a creare un romanzo di tensione costante, immerso in atmosfere volutamente gotiche e paranormal, con una lenta decadenza di cose, persone e anime di fronte agli effetti corruttivi del tempo.

L'elemento più interessante è che nessuno dei protagonisti parte in un ruolo salvifico preconfezionato, ma, anzi, entrambi sono messi in scena da subito con un notevole bagaglio di ombre, dolore e insicurezze.
Alexandra è figlia di un ebreo ed è rimasta orfana del padre, senza più protezioni sociali e senza la possibilità di poter accedere alla carriera medica, lei che per tutta la vita ha studiato e fatto pratica nel campo delle prime terapie per sordomuti. Per anni si è sempre aggrappata all'idea che l'uomo che amava l'avrebbe sposata, ma lui si è poi ben guardato dal violare rigide convenzioni sociali soltanto per lei. Dunque il destino le offre una scappatoia: fuggire da Londra in un maniero vicino a York presentandosi come un terapeuta di nome "Alex".

La sua nuova vita inizia con una menzogna, seppur a fine di bene, e in una specie di contrappasso anche il suo nuovo posto di lavoro si rivela pregno di bugie e misteri, decisamente più gravi dei suoi. Il castello è costruito su cunicoli, ha centinaia di stanze e di ali disabitate, è abitato da domestici terrorizzati da presenze e manifestazioni.
Inoltre il datore di lavoro è un neobarone, bellissimo quanto lacerato, saltuariamente gentile quanto scostante, incapace di rapportarsi con le persone e di amare in modo "normale". Tanto Alexandra entra in modalità "dobbiamo agire", tanto lui si sottrae, ne ha paura, paura di contaminarla, avendo già deciso di non avere possibilità di redenzione.

Non aggiungo altro: la trama è intricata, in un continuo svilupparsi di accadimenti e di rivelazioni, e tiene avvinti sino al gran finale.
Personalmente, l'ho letto in un giorno, stando alzata fino a tardi per terminare la lettura. Ci sono pagine molto belle, squarci struggenti, Damien non è un eroe puro, ma paga sino all'ultimo traumi mai rimossi e una grande solitudine.

Consigliato per un genere diverso.

[Melluvsbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the gothic aspect of this book. There were a few good scenes, but overall not much of a romance. I enjoyed overall but not nearly as much as my GR friends. I felt like there were too many plot points without resolution. I think it’s a flavor thing. I felt similarly about other books I’ve tried by this author. Entertaining but not quite my flavor. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Nenia Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think it's any secret to anyone who follows me that Meagan McKinney is one of my favorite historical romance writers. Like Anne Stuart, she doesn't always quite get it right, but when she does, she really does-- and also like Anne Stuart, she has a type: gamma AF. Of my two favorites of hers, there is Ivan Tramore from WHEN ANGELS FALL, who is pure, dark, animal passion; and Trevor Sheridan from LIONS AND LACE, who is icy control leashed in vengeance and restraint.

GENTLE FROM THE NIGHT is a totally different beast: a dark Gothic filled with themes of revenge, obsession, and despair. Alexandra Benjamin is the daughter of a Jewish doctor who has just been spurned by her lover. Penniless and desperate, she engages to employ herself to Damien Newell, lord of Cairncross Castle, who needs someone to help his developmentally disabled brother learn how to speak again after a traumatic, but unspecified incident.

Damien is displeased when he finds out that Alex, as she introduced herself in the letter, is actually female, but her determination and intelligence end up persuading him to keep her on as a sort of governess despite his reservations. Damien is a cold and cruel man, and a little bit mad. It's obvious from the first time we meet him that he is severely depressed and traumatized in some way by something that happened in his past, and as Alexandra learns more about the brothers, she realizes that the darkness lurking in the castle extends far deeper than the shadowy catacombs that run beneath, perhaps into the very hearts of all who dwell within.

In some ways, this reminded me of a slightly toned-down version of BLEDDING SORROW, which remains one of the darkest Gothic novels I've ever read to date. The hero's mental torture and anguish also reminded me a little bit of THE PORTRAIT, especially since both feature strong heroines who are surprisingly immune to their lovers' cruelty and darkness, sometimes to the point of putting their own personal safety at risk. This is especially true of GENTLE FROM THE NIGHT, where the hero is incredibly cruel to the heroine in the last act, even, at one point, forcing himself upon her. To put it bluntly, in a game of fuck, marry, kill, you'd fuck Ivan, marry Trevor, and probably kill Damien before he kills you first by dragging you by the hand into hell at gunpoint while swearing his eternal love.

I buddy-read this book with Heather and Nut Meg, and my thoughts are pretty close to theirs. McKinney is usually very fond of dark heroes so it was interesting to see her write such a dark romance with a blonde, glasses-wearing hero who looked like a schoolboy. I also think the book would have been better if the line between the potentially supernatural and the real were more clearly drawn. While reading, I had several theories about what was really going on and I'm not entirely sure I liked the one the author ended up going with. I also felt like the ending felt too neat and too happy considering what the hero put her through. I was expecting more of a grovel.

Overall, I ended up loving this one and I think it's a keeper I would love to revisit, but Ivan Tramore continues to be Bae #1 in my McKinney Romance Canon.

4.5 stars

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The heroine had a neglectful childhood. Her father was so focused on his studies and his patients that she knew the only way to get any attention was to develop the same passion and she did. Now, after his death, the young mousy and break hearted heroine has a chance to escape London and the violent betrayal she's suffered at the hands of a man she loved. She knows it's wrong to pretend to be a man but it was the only way she thought to be taken seriously in her field of helping deaf people speak.

Upon her arrival to the entirely gloomy and suffocating castle, she's greeted with more than just anger but open horror and disgust. The servants plead and beg for her to leave and though she's unnerved by the evil presence she feels inhabits the keep, she's determined to say. She's determined to help the slow adult male who's mute from terror and the horrors of his childhood and more than that, she's determined to help his horrible tortured elder brother. The hero has survived the horrors of his childhood at the hands of his governess, a cruel sadistic maniac who became obsessed with a boy not yet 15. But it's made him into a cold, distant and cruel man himself. He's learned to take pleasure in the discomfort and sometimes pain in others. It's made clear from the beginning that he truly is a spiteful and mean master but the heroine sees a light within him, no matter how small and dim. She knows that deep down he has the potential to be a decent man. He has love in him, though he doesn't know it. She sees it with his treatment of his simple-minded brother. But she's not stupid or naïve. Life has made her distrustful of pretty men and she knows that he's just a harsh and cruel as the man she loved back in London, just is different ways.

From their first meeting, the whole atmosphere in the setting is dark and suspenseful and everything is unsettled. The ghost of the previous governess, the woman whom is to blame for every single painful memory in both brothers’ minds, is said to haunt the keep. She will not rest until she has her obsessed dead and cold as she is. But the author was very good as putting you off. Sometimes you think she's a ghost, sometimes she thinks she's alive and sneaking around the castle. You were always on the edge of your seat and just as horrible confused as the heroine. I really and truly felt bad for her. From the jump she's plagued with having to deal with mental instability from both brothers as well as someone playing cruel tricks on her and making her question her own sanity. And she loves a man she admits she doesn't like and who frightens her on occasion.

I absolutely LOVED this book. This was so beautifully written-the words flowed by water and carried me away as I got lost in the story. My god it was dramatic but it was heaven for me. There couldn't possibly be a more tortured and beaten down hero than this one and I loved that though finally he was able to find peace he was still the tense stern master he always was. I like it when a character stays true to who they are but are able to grow and evolve over the course of the story. He wasn't a good man, even towards the end he did things that made me question if he was fitting of salvation. But there were those times when as the reader I could feel his pain and suffering leap out at me and I couldn't possible find it in me to turn my back on him. It must be how the heroine felt. She had to use all her goodness and everything in her to pull him out of the darkness. I also loved the villain, strange as it is to like a character so evil. But I didn't like her as a person, of course not, but she was perfect as the villain. Because she was present but absent at the same time. She was hanging over the lives of all these people and it's not even clear until the end whether she's alive or not! I was disturbed by what she did to those boys and disgusted by how her actions changed the lives of the hero and his brother forever. They can never be the same after met her. This book was one hell of a rollercoaster ride and I'm exhausted mentally from reading it, it was so focus on mental issues and the psychological. But I know this book will stay with me for some time until I read it again.

[Regan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling and Suspenseful—a classic Gothic Romance!

It has all the elements of a great Gothic romance: a castle on the moors near York, a “brooding, melancholy and emotionally distant” British lord, and a mysterious ghost that may not be a ghost at all.

Set in 1858, this is the story of Alexandra Benjamin, whose Jewish father left her with little in worldly goods but a love of science and an ability to help the deaf hear. Under the ruse of being her dead father, she travels to York to accept a position with John Damien Newell at Cairncross Castle. Damien has lived in darkness for a very long time, haunted by an evil governess who at one point scared his younger brother, Samuel, speechless. He is not pleased to discover “Alex Benjamin” is actually a woman. But he keeps Alexandra on thinking she may be their last hope to restore Samuel’s speech.

Alexandra spent five years loving a man who didn’t love her and the fact her new employer looks a lot like that golden man from her past makes her wary. She is undeniably attracted to Damien but sees the darkness in his eyes. She has heard the talks of he evil governess who tormented the brothers and perversely desired the older Damien. But she cannot bring herself to believe the woman she has seen appearing at odd times is actually a ghost.

This is a well-written, suspenseful story that draws you in and won’t let you go. Damien is a dark hero albeit he is a blond who wears spectacles. He is torn between wanting to seduce and destroy Alexandra and wanting to claim her as his redemption. To add to her great story, McKinney has used snippets from IVANHOE, the book Alexandra treasures, to bring to mind the lovely Jewish woman Rebecca from that tale.

The mystery persists until nearly the end…

[Nastassja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really messes with one’s head. So, was there a ghost or not?

To be honest, when I dived into this book I did not know what I was signing for. Megan McKinney is one of the old guard romance authors who knows how to write complex tortured characters. Also, I have to admit I love to dive into old books sometimes because they are more ruthless than modern ones. Heroines are subjected to dubious trials and moral stands on a very thin line between grey and black. But if the psychological part is done superbly, one can find true gems among old dusty tomes.

Gentle from the Night is that kind of book. It's gothic, haunting, bordering on paranormal with a really creepy ghost story which serves as the main mystery and torture. Was there a ghost or was it just their imagination? This book scared me. A lot. No wonder the heroine's favorite story is Ivanhoe by Walter Scott. The old castle, insane baron, and a violent ghost of the former governess who used to torture two young masters, and now roams the secret passages under the castle terrifying the newcomers.

Gentle from the Night reminded me a little bit of Rebecca and Jane Eyre, a slightly heavier on the erotic side, but nonetheless the same in the topic of corruption of innocence. Alexandra finds herself surrounded by madness and seduction while trying to solve the mystery of Cairncross Castle. And this book sets a really high standard when it comes to anti-heroes. The hero literally drags the heroine to death while confessing his undying love to her. Until almost the very end we are not sure if he is going to marry or kill her, as the heroine does not know it as well. I don't know how I feel about Damien Newell but he is definitely one of the darkest and most complex heroes I've encountered... and I am not sure it was a nice encounter.

The hero is tortured by his past that molded him into an unfeeling cruel person. He is cruel, there's no 'he is bad but not really' vibe. He is no good. Period. When he was 14 y.o. he and his younger brother were assigned to care of a governess - a distant relative their parents allowed under the roof. The parents were absent and didn't care for their children, so the governess ruled the day. She corrupted not with passion but with hatred. She managed to damage both boys so thoroughly that even now 20 years later her ghost keeps haunting the place and people who live here. To be honest, if you thought that Christian Grey from 50 Shades of Grey was corrupted by an older woman, reconsider. The level of degradation the governess puts the hero through is a new level of evil. She is definitely going to my top villains' list.

"She was evil. She could never forgive the boy for his rejection of her. She wanted his attention even if it were acquired in the most hateful way. Years ago, John Damien had a favorite hound as a boy and one day the poor old thing just up and died— very mysteriously. She gave John Damien all the false consolation she could muster for the boy's grief. Then one day, she appeared in the schoolroom with a most unusual pair of gloves. Green leather, they were, with orange trim, but they weren't made out of cowhide, or lambskin, you understand. They were made out of a unique leather. They were, as I said, a most unusual pair of gloves. Do you know what that woman did? That creature, Miss Pole, told John Damien that she'd had his old hound's body taken to the tannery and herself made up that pair of gloves. She told the boy that, and if you think about it, Miss Benjamin, you'll see that the cruelty of the story was that it didn't matter whether it was true or not. The only thing that did matter is that she wore those every day, and it was to make John Damien never forget what she told him.
She did unspeakable things. Unspeakable things."

All in all, Gently from the Night is not an easy romantic read. It's dark and vile but the allure of getting to the bottom of the story and unrevealing what really happened 20 years ago is too strong not to be pulled by it. I finished the story late at night and I still can't shake the feeling - even in the daylight - of looking behind my shoulder searching for bright red hair of the person lurking in the shadows of underground catacombs. *Shivers*

[Susan (the other Susan) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a few years, but I recall this nicely crafted Gothic as a welcome exception to the author's relentlessly cruel heroes and anguish-addicted heroines. Maybe it's the presence of the hero's child in the story, his genuine need for the heroine's help, along with the necessity of circling the wagons against unknown threats, that tempers our man's temper. Not completely, mind you. This isn't Tom Hanks to the rescue. He's dark, he has a mean streak, he's gamma. He's Not Nice. But he isn't an irredeemable asshole like some of Meagan McKinney's heroes. I was able to enjoy the read without throwing the book.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meagan McKinney is one of my top authors, but I think she has some emotional damage because her heroes are all crazy people...annnnnd because I have emotional damage, I love every one of them!

Damien takes the cake, however. He will club you over the head and drag you up the aisle for some wedded bliss. Sigh.

[aedor ୨ৎ (busy till next yr) · Rating 5 out of 5]

《5 ♡》
Enchanting, tension, longing

"There was beauty within the grotesque. There was new life even within a crushed rose. It made her wonder if a gentle heart could seek out his and tame the ferocity he’d always needed to protect himself.”

These songs are matching the theme for me:
• Lust for life - lana del rey
• Born to die - bruno mars & lady gaga

“For every vile hint of Damien’s darker side, she was only drawn in more, as a moth to a flame, convinced that there was a goodness inside him as well.”

Captivated by the slow burn of tension and uncertainty, unsure if what you are seeing is real or shadows playing tricks on you. The plot twist will keep you guessing and questioning the very nature of reality. This isn't your typical love story; it's a sinister mix of mystery, terror, and a poignant longing that will haunt you long after you finish reading.

“No other man will worship you as I worship you. No other man will need you as I need you,” he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.”

As I was reading this book, I was struck by an overwhelming desire to experience the feeling of being loved and cared for by someone. Every moment spent with this book was incredibly enjoyable, and I knew right from the start that I was going to fall in love with it.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesmerizing, creepy and romantic, "Gentle from the Night" pays homage to "Jane Eyre" as well as to "The Turn of the Screw" and "Rebecca." After her father's death, Alexandra Benjamin goes in his stead to answer the call for help of Damien Newell, Lord Cairncross, who has wanted to hire the audiologist to help his younger brother. From this set up, Meagan McKinney spins an absorbing tale of attraction vs. convention, love vs. lust, good vs. evil, and life vs. death, with an exceptionally appealing heroine. Highly recommended.

[Stephanie Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

It've found this book very interesting. I've already kept it for about 13 years and still reading it.Very nice story and a very Happy ending. All the books Meagan McKinney wrote was amazing! All her stories made me want to read all of her books all over again! I've just finished reading this books yeasterday, hope to see more exciting books to read.

[Nikki (⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Book was beyond my expectations, first 2-3 chapters I was forcing myself to read but afterwards I can't seem to stop. I like the Gothic and mysterious vibes which kept me going on and on and hence I finished it in one sitting.

🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️🧟‍♀️
🌶️
❤️❤️❤️(romantic)

Writing could be better because at starting I was confused whose POV I was reading, It was all mixed up maybe I have read epub version that's why. Ending was little disappointment and there were a lots of mystery that was still remained to solve maybe that was author intentions to remain mysterious.

I really like the FMC Alexandra's character she is so brave girl, intelligent, takes and give NO fuck in good manners .

Even a vile, abusive governess couldn’t be as evil as the history of Cairncross—all the battles fought, all the men who died to protect its boundaries.

[Linathebookaddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this was so good! Like, gothic romance but make it completely unhinged.
The hero was spectacularly dark, and he gave me whiplash!
Loved the heroine, I would have run for the hills with everything going on on Cairncross.
Sam was such a sweetheart!!!
Ahhh, I am gonna read more books from this author asap.
Also, people were saying this is too dark and that the hero was awful to the heroine...Well, read Stormfire and then come talk to me.
Damien was a teddy bear compared to the hero in that one.
Pshhh, he is blonde too.

[PineappleJelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 'I wish she stuck the landing' stars.

This started out SO STRONG and up until the 90% mark or so I was sure this was going to be a 4 star rating, but everything seems to unravel at the very end and I was left sitting there thinking '....really????' so let's get into it.

Our heroine is Alex, the daughter of a recently deceased well known doctor who specialized in treating the deaf and mute. She's not only dealing with his death, but also with being set aside by her longtime love whom she finally thought would offer for her, only to be rebuffed because she is Jewish. Devastated, she receives a letter in the mail from a one Lord John Damien Newell, asking for her fathers' expertise in helping his brother, who cannot speak. Desperate to escape London, Alex offers her services instead as she was her fathers' assistant for many years, but does not disclose that she is a woman. She and her maid trundle off to York to the foreboding Cairncross castle and...well, suffice it to say, the deception doesn't go over very well.

The entire staff seems horrified at the prospect of having a young lady in the house, and Alex starts to get the feeling that something is very wrong at Cairncross. She meets with the cold and foreboding Damien who almost tells her to pack it up and get out, but Alex's earnest desire to help his brother saves her at the last moment. This is when Alex realizes she was also deceived. For Damien's brother Sam is not a young deaf boy who cannot speak - he is a grown man, slow in the mind, who stopped speaking years ago due to an unknown trauma relating to a previous Governess who lived at the Castle - Ursula Pole.

This is when things really start to get spooky ooky. We learn the young brothers' parents were absent and neglectful, leaving them in the care of Ursula who became obsessed with Damien. She was basically an evil predator who sexually harassed and tormented him even though he was only 13 years old. Very heavy stuff. We also learn that this evil woman who traumatized both boys for years, one day just mysteriously disappeared - and that the entirety of the castle's inhabitants believe not only that her ghost still haunts Cairncross 20 years after her disappearance...but that Damien killed her!

But Alex doesn't think it's a ghost - in fact, she doesn't even think Ursula is dead. She's convinced that Ursula is still alive, getting into the castle and tormenting the inhabitants. Super creepy things start happening to her - pages of Ursula's gross predator diary start showing up in her room. Her things are removed from her room and replaced with Ursula's old things. A dressmakers dummy is brought into her room and defaced, and she is also pushed down the stairs by a red-haired woman. In the midst of all of this, Alex is fighting an attraction to Damien, who is convinced he is basically warped and evil after surviving the horrors of Ursula's attention for so many years. He is definitely a dark character, and Alex is truly not sure whether he is part of this whole charade or out to harm or or if he did indeed kill Ursula, so....you know. THINGS ARE TENSE.

Things I really liked: The setting. McKinney does a fantastic job at setting the scene of the gigantic and ancient cairncross castle, with its hundreds of rooms and secret passageways that lead into the roman catacombs below, where many roman soldiers dared to explore but never returned. The mystery. It genuinely kept me on edge and truly was creepy throughout - I was riveted as I read along, wanting to find out what the answer was to everything. Lots of shades of Jane Eyre and even the turn of the screw. I also love love loved Alex - she felt so three dimensional and real. Strong and kind but also desperately searching for her place in the world and feeling especially vulnerable after the death of her father and being snubbed by her love for her Jewish heritage. She has a love of Ivanhoe and the character Rebecca from it (who was Jewish), and that threads through the story in a really neat way. I also loved the supporting cast of characters - Alex's staunch and loving maid, Mary, the sweet but deeply troubled Sam who she assists out of his trauma, the other household staff - they really added character and depth to the story.

Things I didn't like as much: our hero, John Damien Newell, was not as successful. The book makes it clear throughout that he is like...literally evil, which just feels overblown. The staff of the castle were all afraid of him because they thought he killed someone, which makes sense, but other than that I couldn't figure out what he did that was ever bad. like..okay, he has mistresses and sleeps with prostitutes and likes rough sex, that's not exactly evil incarnate. He was dealing with a lot of trauma from his abuse, of course, and he did have disturbing thoughts and a lot of self hatred because of it, but somehow the way that it was described in the book made it seem like he was DOING tons of evil things to people, when really he was just a very traumatized dude! I think it was just the way he was being described that felt too florid with all the 'evil' business, when it could have pared that back a bit and been a lot more successful with his characterization.

The romance between Alex and Damien also lost some of its lustre for me somehow - by the end of the book I was really more interested in just solving the mystery than I was in their love story. The build up was good, but the pay off was somehow not as satisfying. The back and forth of 'is he evil' 'we're getting married' 'no i'm leaving' 'wait i'm back' was drawn out a bit too long before things were resolved.

And then of course.....we have the ending. The mystery is solved through reading about it in an epilogue as opposed to us seeing it culminate in real time, which ALWAYS aggravates me, so I was already peeved. But then we do get to the answer, which is....that it really was a ghost!! the end!

.....

But....who was doing all those things in Alex's room??? Who was pushing her down the stairs and moving all her things and putting blood on her stuff and ripping out old pages of the diary and *interacting with one of the other servants*...all of it?? Guess what, it's NEVER resolved. It was all just a ghost, I guess! I feel like literally anything would have been better than that. It could have been a servant was doing it, or that Ursula really WASN'T dead and was still getting into the castle, or that Ursula had a secret daughter who came back to torment and avenge her mother...anything!! Any of those would have made this a 4 star review. I can't even say 3.5 stars because the ending pissed me off so much.

I enjoyed this gothic romance and will likely seek out others by McKinney to try, but I won't be re-reading I don't think. Although I will say it has made me very curious to read Ivanhoe!

[Madly Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long ago, there was a book about a young girl who went to one of those isolated houses in the country where a dark brooding man lived. But hey, BIG TWIST, the man has a house filled with secrets, some of them downright scary. No spoilers here. This is a really good gothic romance with something evil haunting our hero. Great plot. Fresh. Original. And different. I have kept this book forever and often reread it.

[Water · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably McKinney's most well-known novel. Damien and Alexandra's story is fantastic, suspenseful, and compelling. Damien must be one of the darkest heroes in all of historical romance. He's borderline crazy (in a good way). This is a gothic romance, truly. Buy it. Read it. Love it.

[theFictionfreak · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Elgyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hlavní zápletka je poněkud... rozklížená, autorka občas neudržela myšlenku. A neustále tam někdo brečel.
Je zbytečně překombinovaná. Konečně dokope hradního pána ke svatbě a pak se jednoho krásného dne probudí a je jí jasné, že si ho nemůže vzít. A když ji chce nechat odjet, tak zase odjet nechce.


s. 106 v horní zásuvce (...) Vnitřek voněl kuskusem a mýdlem Kuskusem?

s. 127 „Jste tu už téměř dva měsíce.“ (...)
Podzim ho už zbarvil dozlatova.
Přijela nejpozději na začátku června, ne-li dřív. Že by začátek srpna byl už podzimem?

s. 186
Sam stál jako vrostlý do země a klopil hlavu. Náhle přistoupil ke komodě, odsunul ji a stiskl desku táflování. Odskočila a za ní se objevila tmavá chodba (...)
„Za celou dobu, co jsem na Cairncrossu, jsem o ničem takovém neměla ani tušení.“ Hospodyně se otočila k Samovi. „Vy jste to věděl, mladý pane?“
No ne asi, když ten vchod otevřel.

s. 207 a zvedla dva dlouhé rezavé vlasy, které se zachytily na polštáři ... Hleděla na tři rezavá vlákna...
s. 208 ty dva rezavé vlasy
s. 212 Našla jsem na polštáři tři dlouhé rezavé vlasy.
Ani počítat neumí.


s. 207,208
Damienův župan ležel přehozený přes křeslo; zahalila se tedy do něj a přistoupila ke krbu. Spěšně se oblékla a přála si být co nejrychleji pryč z této strašné místnosti (...) Jakmile byla oblečená, vyklouzla z ložnice a ke své úlevě nenarazila ani v hale, ani v chodbách na nikoho, takže zanedlouho vkročila do svého pokoje (...) Vtom zahlédla svůj odraz v zrcadle na krbové římse a zděsila se. Živůtek měla zapnutý nakřivo ...ale přinutila se znovu svléknout (...) Damienův župan schovala ve spodní zásuvce stolku...
Takže se plíží z ložnice hradního pána a aby byla nenápadná, obleče si na to jeho župan?


s. 231
Damien požádal služebnictvo, aby se v osm shromáždilo v hlavní síni, protože by jim rád oficiálně oznámil své zasnoubení. Alexandra dosud držela tu zprávu v tajnosti i před Mary, aby ji její komorná náhodou neroznesla po celém hradě, a také Damienovi záleželo na tom, aby vše proběhlo náležitým způsobem a řádnou formou. Říkal, že je jen správné, když novinku oznámí všem najednou (...) Kdyby snad měl někdo námitky, může si potom promluvit s ním osobně v soukromí.
Že by mu služebnictvo mluvilo do zásnub? Opravdu?
A jeho babičce to hrdinka řekne až na s. 245.



s. 14 Ivahnoe
s. 18 úmění
s. 35 Alexandra se vzpomněla
s. 55 pozhlížet tak vysoko
s. 86 se na ni nevrh
s. 146 odhadlaná
s. 163 rozmazelné
s. 165 pomylšení
s. 221 balvněné
s. 231 přiblížila k vyřešená záhady
s. 241 Tenká nitka, který poutala
s. 254 láskya
zešílílm
s. 263 abys ti nehrozilo


ji/jí - s. 40

[Nut Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my third McKinney novel, and I have mixed feelings. As usual, she does a fabulous job of the beginning, setting the mood and drawing the characters, as well as finding creative ways to draw her leads together. In some ways this was her most daring story, giving her hero one of the darkest backstories I've ever seen, as well as making issues of anti-semitism and mental illness integral to the plot. Unfortunately, McKinney tends to have trouble wrapping up her stories in a satisfying way, and this novel is no different.

Part of the problem is her execution of the the gothic elements. One of the central questions of the narrative is whether the long missing ex-governess, Ursula Pole, was murdered or has been in hiding while making mischief to torment the residents of CairnCross manor. While this question is more or less answered in the end, the reveal takes a backseat to other related drama at the 11th hour, which was rushed and somewhat contrived.

More importantly, as Nina pointed out, the central romance ends on an unearned happy note, which makes it difficult to appreciate its conclusion. However, this was par for the course considering the way McKinney developed Alexandra's romance with Lord Newell, the cruel, tormented master of the house, with a speed and intensity that was hardly borne out by the narrative. Though it stopped short of insta-love, the seriousness of their attraction in such a short time required more than a little suspension of disbelief. This I could have forgiven if the events of the third act had been handled with better care. However, the fact that the hero engages in such violence against the woman he loves, only for it to be shrugged off when the central mystery is resolved, is lazy writing of the worst kind. Alexandra deserved better.

I'll also add that while it's far from the worst I've seen, the depiction of Lord Newell's disabled brother is less than progressive. Its no secret that romance authors tend to use mental illness as a cheap plot device, often with little effort to depict disorders accurately or draw the afflicted characters as three-dimensional human beings. McKinney is guilty of both of these, and while her depiction attempts to be sympathetic and relatively respectful, it's still irritating to see the same tired tropes dragged out yet again.

All in all, I would actually rank this as the worst of the McKinney novels I've read. By far, When Angels Fall was her best. Everything else seems to pale in comparison.

[S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this book with such high hopes. I'm a huge fan of this author's previous work, which always felt… divine. But this? This was a different beast entirely. A gothic, ghost-infused mystery, with an eerie atmosphere that definitely delivered on the chills.

However, the romance? Well, let's just say it took a backseat to the spooky. It wasn't about chemistry, it was about figuring out if the old governess was a ghost or not. Which, I'll admit, was intriguing. But the pacing… oh, the pacing. It was like wading through molasses. I wanted to race to the finish, to unravel the mystery, but the slow, deliberate storytelling just… dragged.

I found myself wanting to skip ahead, to get to the payoff. The mystery was there, the atmosphere was there, but the emotional connection? Not so much. It was more about solving a puzzle than feeling anything. A beautifully crafted puzzle, mind you, but a puzzle nonetheless. So, while I appreciate the author's attempt to branch out, this one just didn't quite hit the mark for me. A little too much ghost, not enough heart.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes, if an author is lucky, their work transcends the ordinary and touches the magical. McKinney does that in this book. The catacomb scenes in Gentle from the Night are heavy handed in their symbolism, but I felt like I was reading something truly magical and special. They stand out among the hundreds of romance novels I’ve read.

The rest of the novel is a stinking trash fire of racism and problematic depictions of sexual assault and neurodivergence. I felt sick to my stomach reading the rest of the book, not because of the deep dive into the darker nature of humanity that I’d hope for in a gothic novel, but because of the casual disregard for these topics. It was written in 1997 not 1977. It’s unacceptable.

Honestly I was done as soon as the author suggested that it somehow sounds different when the main character blows her nose because she’s Jewish.

Beyond that there are plenty of derogatory references to the Irish, to a major character being “slow,” and a gross little he said-she said plot point.

Just a gross gross book and I’m so sad that people recommend it.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gothic mystery that has lots of atmosphere. Alexandra Benjamin is the only child of a Jewish doctor who was successful helping the deaf to learn to talk. When Damien wrote to the doctor, asking him to come to York to help his brother, Alexandra responded by calling herself Alex; leading Damien to believe that he was hiring a man.

When Alex gets there, Damien is unhappy but agrees to let her try -- as Sam's governess. Alex soon finds that Sam stopped talking when the boy's governess disappeared (20 years before this story). There are lots of ghost-like sightings and spooky occurrences. One thing that was hard to accept was the ease with which Alex taught Sam to speak again. Damien was overly negative without fully explaining why he felt there was nothing for him in life.

At the end, the solution/explanation wasn't as clear as I would have liked. This is a very involved tale that is hard to encapsulate in a few sentences.