Rane Aria

Elizabeth Hoyt dazzles me yet again with her newest addition to one of the most amazing series I’ve read to date. Lord of Darkness deals with the recuperations we were left last in Thief of Shadows. Picking up two years later, we catch up with Godric St.John who is trying to help out, disguised as the Ghost of St.Giles, a carriage being held up by footpads who by the way happens to be carrying his wife who wants the Ghost dead. Having his wife aiming a gun at his head wasn’t the reunion he had in mind. After a hasty marriage to Godric, Lady Margaret, Megs has lived away from everything and some of her family members in order to heal after the murder of her fiancée Roger and her miscarriage. She comes back to London to do two things: find the murderer of Roger and try to convince her wayward husband to give her a child. Of course things never go as plan when hearts are involved. Megs has cling to the thread that was her once great love and her memories, while Godric has been buried by his grief. I really adored both characters with their very human emotions, reactions and misconceptions. They’ve been lashed by grief and lost and deal with in their own terms and ways. Megs has come back into the light and rebuilt Godric’s old country house, sending him long winding letters and becoming close to his family. Godric has hid behind the mask that is The Ghost of St.Giles. Megs wants to break Godric outta his shell by any means! I loved how by slowly taking over his home and bringing light into his life by slow means was heart-warming. Megs to held the past close to her heart and in fear of losing that memory of the love she has with Roger cut her off from accepting a second chance at love. Godric with his quiet understanding finally helps Meg let go of the thread and build once again a life with Godric. Godric buried himself in the dark and Megs, by forced, busts him outta him tomb! She gives him reasons to stop living in the darkness. He also had a great love with his wife who passed away from a long time illness and been scared to even feel again. Hoyt plays off this well with her fairy tale of the Hellequin that foreshadows many of the chains Godric breaks and leaves behind him as he starts to fall in love again with Megs. I loved Lord of Darkness as it has a great sensual feel but very character driven showing that even in the darkness corner there is always a ray of light. I did feel the ending to the villain was a tad on the anti-climatic side, still didn’t take away from the overall greatness story. Hoyt gives the reader a glimpse more of the era and the world she created of the series. At the same time setting the stage for Duke of Midnight the next in the series. This series only gets even more awesome that Hoyt just proves to me she cannot do no wrong!