Sarah Mac’s Reviews > Night Falls Darkly > Status Update

—“He hasn’t compromised you, has he?”
—She shook her head, mortified that he might believe such a thing. “No, he has not.”
—At the same time, she could only wish Archer had. She wanted him w/ a passion that defied all bounds of rationale & self-respect. Given his betrayal, that made her a complete fool—a fool who couldn’t possibly turn her affections toward someone else.

Mythology, Ripperology, Cleopatra’s children, Elgin marbles, Stoker, Jekyll & Hyde, various Victoriana, grime + poverty/wealth + privilege living in close quarters…this author is really trying to create depth for her characters to play on. I respect that. At the very least it feels like a Victorian Gothic backdrop, which is more than I can say for most cheesy romances these days.

‘At the end of the passage lay a small, darkened square framed by condemned, empty houses & a warehouse marked in large white letters as belonging to Kearley & Tonge. Here there was no crowd, but only night shadows & the smell of fresh blood. A moment later the beam of the constable’s lantern swept over Kate’s body.’ ….The infamous double-kill night.

‘A bibliophile of immortal proportions, Selene suffered a quirky, fetishlike hunger for the written word—a hunger of the most literal sort. She devoured all varieties of letters, newspapers & books like an indulged child might gobble down sweets.’ ….I couldn’t be friends with Selene. I don’t even like to crease my books’ spines. 😂

‘She suddenly had the feeling of being utterly cut off. A sound echoed about her, a breath or a gasp. She twisted, searching the gossamer wall around her. The hair on her arms & neck rose up. Someone watched her. No one she could see, but she felt the presence—its intensity & malice—as certainly as if the person’s rancid breath dampened her skin.’

Lolz. This cover is so awful. But y’all know I can’t resist a romance set during the Ripper murders, so I’ll just have to endure. 😇💩