Customer Reviews

Catching Midnight

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

In the year 1349, she was 10 years old - hardly a lifetime to know what it was like to be human when Gillian was turned into a upyr. Brought by her sire, Auriclus, to the woods where her body had shape-shifted to her perfect age, he left her to "live well and free" with others of her breed, the children of midnight, shapeshifting immortals who could run as both wolves and men. After some years spent with the pack of upyr's that were now her only family, she wanted knowledge of humans, her heart yearned for the world beyond.

After assuming the guise of a peregrine falcon, hoping to escape her immortal keepers, she inadvertently falls into the hands of Aimery Fitz Clare, a human, second son to a noble house, and a master falconer. Instinctively recognizing Aimery's kindness she is content to stay with him and let him unknowingly guide her back to a human world. It is with Aimery that she discovers more and more the knowledge she needs to be content - to discover that she has a heart and it has been captured by her love of Aimery. For Gilllian and Aimery, to embrace this forbidden romance, they must first survive the perils of her jealous brethren baring their fangs, and his obsessively unbalanced sister-in-law, before they can soar together in a perfect and glorious love.

Catching Midnight is a powerfully seductive romance. The raw emotions and the sizzling sex are skillfully woven into a very tender and touching love story. Numerous secondary characters are intertwined within to give you a thrilling page-turner of treacherous betrayals, envy, greed and mentally unbalanced obsessions. The paranormal world of upyr's was a new realm of which I had no prior knowledge, thatI found extremely interesting. I really liked this book and I most definitely recommend it - the pages flew and the sensuality will make your toes curl!

I am a huge, I mean HUGE Emma Holly fan. I love her erotica and I love her first two books in the Romance genre. So... you can imagine how disappointed I am that after 4 weeks I still have not finished reading this book. It took me about 5 days to read every other book of hers but I became so uninterested in the characters that I had to force myself to even get three fourths of the way through. What happened to the passion and sexual tension between her characters that is usually so beautifuly writen. I didn't find the story erotic in the least bit. Of course I will buy and read her next book because everything else that she has written has been amazing but I can't recommend this one.

If you want to read a truly wonderful story of Ms. Holly's try Beyond Seduction ... but be careful...it could burn a hole in your sheets.

This is a new direction for this author and I loved this first foray into the "upyr" world. This story is less heavily erotic and more emotionally touching than some of her other books. I highly recomend it to anyone who wants to read about "real" characters falling in love. Neither the hero nor heroine are perfect or dominant to each other. Just a really good romance story.

I knew Ms. Holly to be an exceptional erotica author but I never expected she is a chameleon - slipping from historical romances like Beyond Seduction to paranormal territories with assured ease. It is an even greater revelation that she delivers one of the most provocative paranormal romance to date and is consistently imaginative.

And how boldly daring of Ms. Holly to exploit on the ancient upyr who are rumoured demons and feeds on blood for sustenance. Young ingenue Gillian escapes to Scottish woods in 1349 to avoid pestilence and finds herself steeped in the rivalry between elders Auriclus and Nim Wei. She chooses to follow Auriclus and 21 years later she decides it's time to leave the pack and seek her destiny in the human world. She shape-shifts to a nestling who later gets picked up by falconer Aimery Fitz Clare, brother to baron of Bridesmere and is touched by his kindness and is inexorably in love.

It is instantly a top-notch romance, surreal and heart-wrenchingly poignant when Gillian is afraid to unleash the monster in her and the charged symmetry revealed when Aimery is tortured by his "butchery" in battlefield. It is a mythic journey of how Gillian shapes her fate and a gothic struggle of good against evil with Nim Wei's destructive traits. It climaxes in a gathering of elders to save Aimery's life and a denouement of Gillian's identity.

No less can we expect Ms. Holly's tale to be exquisitely erotic with smoldering passion that rages with promises and commitments. In its sexual undertones, it conveys complexed characterization through the resentment between Aimery and his brother Edward, a doomed infatuation for Aimery in Edward's wife Claris, Gillian's love towards Edward's child Robin and Brother Kenelm's redemption. It is of how Gillian triumphs over her abandonment and finds her destiny. Catching Midnight is ultimately a story of hope as we see love at its most liberating - and emotionally shattering.

This is the first of Emma Holly's vampire/shapeshifter (upyr) series (Hunting Midnight and Courting Midnight are sequels). Having read all three, I can definitely say this is my favorite of the set. The reason is the hero, Aimery. I absolutely love, love, love this hero. He is one of those great characters in romance that is ATYPICAL. First of all, he is scarred. An old injury has left his face severely scarred and is therefore automatically different than your run of the mill beautiful hero. Secondly, and probably much more importantly, he is a really great man. He is tender and gentle and treats the heroine (Gillian - the upyr to his mortal) with respect and genuine affection. He displays a willingness to put her needs and desires even above his own. This is truly refreshing after reading again and again about men who behave like unmitigated jerks to their heroines. So if just for Aimery's character alone, I would like this book.

I also found myself liking Gillian as well. The story kept me interested, and knowing that there are books that follow, you find yourself paying attention to peripheral characters you suspect you will meet again. Overall, I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys a sexy AND sweet paranormal love story.

Told by her dying mother to escape plague-ridden London, ten-year old Gillian runs into the forest where she falls asleep. Gillian awakens to discover she is being fought over by a most unusual couple. The beautiful Nim Wei wears robes fit for a queen, while the gentle Auriclus is dressed in peasant garb. They are upyr, otherworldy creatures of the night who can shapeshift, and they have come to transform Gillian into one of them. Asked to choose who will be her creator, Gillian picks Auriclus. However, as soon as he changes her, Auriclus leaves her with a pack of upyr who shapeshift as wolves in the forests of Scotland.

Years pass but Gillian never adapts to life with the upyr in the wild. Not even the attentions of Ulric, the pack's leader, can still her yearning for knowledge and adventure. When she discovers Ulric's plan to make her his mate, Gillian escapes to relearn the world of humans. Along the way, she bonds with a falcon chick and the two decide to share their life. In her new falcon form, Gillian is able to venture out in the daylight. However, it is as a falcon that she finds herself caught by a man.

The younger brother of the baron of Bridesmere, Aimery Fitz Clare is many things. A war hero, a doting uncle, a master falconer and the unwilling love of his brother's wife. Eager to escape the intrigues of his brother's demesne, Aimery decides to train a new falcon but ends up with a far more wondrous creature. Gillian is drawn to the noble Aimery, while he dreams of a woman who comes to him in the night. When her secret is revealed, the two quickly become lovers. However, danger is near for an old nemesis knows Gillian's whereabouts and has come to investigate. Will Gillian and Aimery's love survive the coming storm?

Emma Holly has succeeded brilliantly in creating a rich, detailed world filled with exotic beings and the very essense of humanity. CATCHING MIDNIGHT is a feast for the senses, a story told in layers weaved together. The absorbing world of the upyr, the passionate romance that blooms between Gillian and Aimery and the troubled sibling rivalry between Aimery and his brother, are among the layers that blend together to create this lavish tale.

TheSchemer

I knew Ms. Holly to be an exceptional erotica author but I never expected she is a chameleon - slipping from historical romances like Beyond Seduction to paranormal territories with assured ease. It is a even greater revelation that she delivers one of the most provocative paranormal romance to date and is consistently imaginative.

And how boldly daring of Ms. Holly to exploit on the ancient upyr who are rumoured demons and feeds on blood for sustenance. Young ingenue Gillian escapes to Scottish woods in 1349 to avoid pestilence and finds herself steeped in the rivalry between elders Auriclus and Nim Wei. She chooses to follow Auriclus and 21 years later she decides it's time to leave the pack and seek her destiny in the human world. She shape-shifts to a nestling who later gets picked up by falconer Aimery Fitz Clare, brother to baron of Bridesmere and is touched by his kindness and is inexorably in love.

It is instantly a top-notch romance, surreal and heart-wrenchingly poignant when Gillian is afraid to unleash the monster in her and the charged symmetry revealed when Aimery is tortured by his "butchery" in battlefield. It is a mythic journey of how Gillian shapes her fate and a gothic struggle of good against evil with Nim Wei's destructive traits. It climaxes in a gathering of elders to save Aimery's life and a denouement of Gillian's identity.

No less can we expect Ms. Holly's tale to be exquisitely erotic with smoldering passion that rages with promises and commitments. In its sexual undertones, it conveys complexed characterization through the resentment between Aimery and his brother Edward, a doomed infatuation for Aimery in Edward's wife Claris, Gillian's love towards Edward's child Robin and Brother Kenelm's redemption. It is of how Gillian triumphs over her abandonment and finds her destiny. It is ultimately a story of hope as we see love at its most liberating - and emotionally shattering.

I'll admit, I was a bit reluctant to "delve" into this type of romance (since it's not my norm) - - but "Catching Midnight" will make you change your genre. Ms. Holly, known for her HOT, erotic reads, brings us a new dimension - -and does very well! I'll admit, if you are like me, and have never read a "vampire-type" romance, this may catch you by surprise. ...Give it a chapter and you'll be completely delighted. The story line is solid, the characters believable and I can't wait to see what happens in subsequent books!

Well done!

I really love Emma Holly and as other reviewers have already stated found this book tedious at best. I was first surprised by the shift in genre but felt that the premise was interesting and I was willing to give it a shot. I was very sad to realize that I had to force myself to pick the book up in order to read it after the first few chapters. Yes, I know books can at times have a slow start, but this one NEVER picked up. I kept looking back on the cover to make sure that it said Emma Holly instead of perhaps another name. Alas Ms. Holly's name did grace the cover. I kept reading for two reasons. I spent money on the book, and I WANTED the story to get better only I couldn't change what was already printed.

If this is a first time read for you by this author pick up one of her older books in order to see what this author truly capable of. Do yourself a favor and borrow the book from a friend.

Should have been called "Dark Menagerie." I loved Holly's "Beyond Seduction" and "Beyond Innocence," so why did I find this eagerly anticipated book so...boring? Simply, it's missing the humanity that made the previous novels both plausible and sexy. If you can't get enough of shape-shifting, blood-drinking, angst-filled immortals in search of life mates to convert, this is for you. Personally, I hope Holly just dipped into the fantasy genre for a lark, and will give us a few more of the sizzling erotic historical romances that I enjoyed so much before.