Customer Reviews

His Dark Desires

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Juliet Boucheron, a young widow, survived the Civil War through sheer determination. Responsible for her young son and two sisters, Juliet supports her family by turning her home into a boarding house. Although she is being pressured to sell La Belle du Temps, Juliet is determined to stand strong and keep her son's legacy. But holding on to her home is just one of her worries. Rumors are being whispered that she is not a widow after all and that in fact, Juliet's husband is hiding after he stole a fortune in gold. Gold meant for the rebuilding of the South. Juliet is determined to end these rumors and hires an investigator to prove her husband a hero or a traitor.

When Juliet receives correspondence from the investigator warning her to trust no one and that she is in danger, she is wary. Especially of the new border, Stephen Trevelyan. Although Juliet is somewhat cautious, she is attracted to Stephen. But eerie and dark things are happening at La Belle du Temps and Juliet must decide to flee or fight for all that she holds dear. Including the desire she feels for Stephen.

Full of shadowy mystery and steamy passion, His Dark Desires is an engrossing book. The imagery is very well written and at times I was sure I could feel the oppressive humidity of New Orleans. Also steamy was the romance between Juliet and Stephen. Juliet's selfless work to save her family made her especially deserving of the love Stephen brought to her life. Fans of gothic romance take note, His Dark Desires is a darkly pleasurable romantic read.


Annabelle
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

A lovely read...
absorbing and riveting. Just the right amount of lovely lust and mystery. Another book by Jennifer St. Giles where you are totally drawn to and care about the characters. Yes, I even shed a few tears. Very nicely done! Highly recommend this read and it's predecessor, Mistress of Trevelyan.

His Dark Desires got me from the beginning, could not put it down. A super suspense with great romance and sexual tension, I love how she show the beauty of new Orleans, you can feel the heat of the south, you will fall in love with all the characters in this book. This was a very fast read, I had fun reading this book from the begin to the last page can wait for Jennifer St Giles next book the girl can write a book and if you get this one you need to read her first book pick up THE MISTRESS OF TREVELYAN you wouldn't go wrong with this author St. Giles is a new star.

In 1874, widow Juliet Boucheron and her two sisters Ginette and Mignon operate a B&B at their family home La Belle du Temps in New Orleans. Juliet has heard rumors that her spouse actually lives in Europe, but though she assumes he died trying to run a Union blockade a decade ago, she has hired an investigator Goodson to look into this. Goodson warns her to trust no one as her life is danger at the same time attorney Mr. Latour pressures her to sell her home to the Packert Investment Company.

Writer Stephen Trevelyan rents a room from Juliet insisting he is a writer who needs quiet. He hides his true agenda from his hostess, which is to find stolen gold that he assumes her late spouse buried in the house. However, he soon changes his objective when he falls in love with Juliet; now his goal is to keep the three sisters safe from an unknown assailant who wants them dead and has already poisoned Ginette.

HIS DARK DESIRES is a wonderful Americana romantic suspense thriller that is driven by the three sisters and Stephen, who appeared as a key support character in the gothic delight THE MISTRESS OF TREVELYAN where he learned a lesson in life. Juliet is a courageous person as she not only takes charge of the B&B, her sisters, and her son; she bravely perhaps stupidly refuses to be bullied into a sale she feels is wrong though she is unsure how much longer heritage can hold out in a southern world turned upside down in the past decade. Jennifer St. Giles provides a fabulous Reconstruction Era tale.

Harriet Klausner

His Dark Desires is a gothic, post-Civil War romance set in 1874 New Orleans about a beautiful widow named Juliet whose life and of the ones she loves are in danger. She receives a telegram that states, "You are in danger. Trust no one." And that is just the beginning of a series of strange events that take place in her home-slash-boarding house right after a dark, sexy stranger by the name of Stephen Trevelyan rents a room. All of a sudden, someone is murdered in the town square in broad daylight, someone threatens Juliet's life, one of her sisters becomes ill and there are speculations regarding her husband's disappearance, who may or may not be dead. There are various twists throughout the novel.

I love this novel. The gothic undertones are in full swing throughout the story that takes place mostly at night. I've noticed that most authors prefer to set their gothic stories in either New Orleans or London, and this one is no different, but it does set the perfect tone for the storyline centered on ghosts, mystery and the remains of war. Juliet is a great heroine. I like that the novel has a first-person narrative, makes it more unique and you can relate to the heroine more. I love the sexual tension between her and Stephen and how said tension mounts during the course of the story. I love the mystery aspect as well. Everything is very well woven and executed. The characters are all great, especially Stephen. He is one sensual hero! The setting, as said earlier, is wonderful as well and I loved imagining New Orleans during the nineteenth century. Anyway, His Dark Desires is a must-read! The one thing I don't like about the novel is that the love scenes are a bit too purple prose-ish for my taste. Other than that, the novel is great. This is actually the second novel of a series centered on the Trevelyan family and I hope to obtain the first novel, The Mistress of Trevelyan, soon so that I could read Benedict's story. Jennifer St. Giles is one author I shall definitely be on the lookout for!

Setting - New Orleans, 1874 -- Juliet Boucheron, a beautiful young widow had survived the Civil war. Along with her son Andre, and sisters Mignon and Ginette they managed to make ends meet by letting rooms out at their beloved family home La Belle du Temps on the banks of the Mississippi river. As unscrupulous investors pressured her to sell, Juliet was determined more than ever to hang on to this last legacy. After a decade of widowhood rumors surfaced that her husband was alive and had stolen a fortune in gold intended for the rebuilding of the South. Juliet hired an investigator to discover whether her husband was a hero, or the thief and traitor many believed him to be.

On the same day Stephen Trevelyan appeared at her door wanting to rent a room she had received a disturbing missive from her investigator warning her to trust no one - she was in grave danger. Somewhat skeptical of him, Juliet knew he was from wealth, but his explanation of being a writer and needing a quiet place to work seemed logical. From the very beginning, Juliet found herself drawn to Stephens quiet strength. Both found they could not resist their physical attraction. As strange and malevolent incidents began to occur targeting members of her family, Juliet prayed that Stephens embrace would not cost her all she holds dear. Someone, or something was trying to force Juliet to run from the last bastion of what was left of her heritage and the first real passion she'd ever experienced.

--- This was an exciting and moody suspenseful thriller as well as a lusciously sensual tale that was well written and totally engrossing. Having finished St.Giles fabulous debut, THE MISTRESS OF TREVELYAN, where Stephen featured prominently, I was delighted to see him find his way back from despair and find his soul mate in the strong and resourceful Juliet. The steamy imagery created of the New Orleans locale complemented the exact mood called for in this completely mesmerizing tale that will leave the reader entertained from beginning to end and longing for more!

Marilyn,[...]

"His Dark Desires" is another example of St. Giles improving with the sequel. Set in 1874 New Orleans, this is the story of Juliet Boucheron, a Civil War widow with a 12 year old son. Desperately trying to keep possession of her family's ancestral home, La Belle du Temps, Juliet and her 2 younger sisters have turned La Belle into a boarding house. It has been a struggle. The family has been shunned by the locals ever since Juliet's late husband was accused of deserting and stealing several hundred thousand dollars in gold. She has received a cable from the detective she has hired to find the truth. She is in danger and should trust no one. Enter the dark brooding Stephen Trevelyan (younger brother of Benedict from "The Mistress of Trevelyan") who immediately takes an interest in the problems of the 3 sisters. Can Juliet trust this sensuous man who desires her and to whom she is immediately attracted? Are his attentions blinding her to his motives? Strange things have started to happen around the house: there are reports of a ghost, armed strangers on the property, then someone breaks in and tears apart the study searching for something, and one of the boarders disappears and turns up dead. With so many suspects, who is responsible? There have been several attempts on Juliet's life as well as on the life of one of her sisters. Are these events related to the stolen gold or the attempts to buy the property?

This is a gothic romance in the classic tradition, with the dark house full of suspects, stolen gold, ghosts, mysterious strangers and the threatened beauty. The fast paced story is filled with well written characters and plot. St. Giles' heroes are sexy, dark and dangerous, and her heroines are intelligent independent women. Makes me wish I had one of these guys in my life! If you have enjoyed the author's other books, you will not be disappointed with this one.