Customer Reviews

Night Secrets

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've read lots of Kat Martin's work and she is in fact one of my favorite authors. She has drawed out whirlwind of my emotions. She has insired me as well. In short, she has affected me with her words, entertained me with her stories many times in the past. However, I am sad to say Secret Nights isn't one of her best. I would have given this book a 3.5 stars if I could.

The first part of this book was exciting and pulling, I told myself I'll only read few chapters as I started this book late at night but alas, I ended up reading almost half way through the book towards the early dawn for I refuse to part with it. The first part is where we were introduce to Marcus and Brandy. I ache reading about Brandy and her situation. I admire her determination and her ambitions. I hoped and wish the best for her! On the next day, as I read the second half, I begun to feel discontented and restless. I scanned-read the pages, searching for a climatic moments perhaps even praying for a spur of excitement to set in. Unfortunately, that initial 'pulling' moment never came back to life. I couldn't figure out what went wrong, exactly. Even till the end, I am sad to say, I never regain that enthusiastic feelings nor did I feel fulfilled.

Let's see... The hero and the heroine, Marcus and Brandy are well developed just like in all of Kat Martin's book that I've read. Their love was undeniably hearty. Brandy's character is a typical one for a woman in love since her childhood days. Of course, it was hard to let go even if she knows she was on the loosing end. Marcus, selfish as it may seem, was always honest and straight forward about his feelings. His life is at sea and that's that. Contrary to one reviewer, I didn't mind their seperation, it was the heart wretching part of the book. Together, they are heart warming. Seperate, they are heart wretching. The overall plot was a new one for me too, so I kindda enjoyed that one. Lots of adventure: Sea quest, Port stops, and the ship scenes was an interesting read. The mystery-suspense twist was alright, though not too exciting, it wasn't the main problem for my restlesness. I think it's just the way everything was written and represented towards the second half of the book. Like I said, I really don't know what made the second half boring... I also don't intend to read this book again just to find out why. If I am not mistaken, I think what got in the way is the over-analyzing, over detailing, over emphasizing of everything. It's also the repetitive reasoning of actions and explanations of emotions. I do like detailing but not overly much. I also do like humor in my romance books which is not found much in here. However, from time to time, I don't mind a melancholy stories so long as the ending would make up for it. Sadly (once again), the ending just didn't fit in properly for me to form an impression. I wanted an Epilogue and I hate to admit it but towards the middle of the book, I was hoping for a child to be conceive (you'll know what i mean once u read the book). Perhaps there is a sequel for this one?

Overall, this book is not an awful read. It's still enjoyable, no doubt. It's just not up to my "KAT MARTIN" expectation. Perhaps it's only my own preferences or perhaps it's only my personal expectation of Kat Martin base on her other books that I've read. I see many reviewers who rated this book a fiver...so go right on ahead and pick up this book. Read it with open mind. Who knows you might like it more than I have.

I have read all of Kat Martins books, and this rates at the top with Gypsy Lord!...I read Night Secrets in one day! I just couldn't put it down!

I've read every book that Kat Martin has written with the exception of her contemporary romances. By far though, Night Secrets was her best effort. I was hooked from page two and didn't put it down until I was completely finished. I was sorry to get to the end. This one will not disappoint. I laughed and had a very good cry. Not too many writers can swing my emotions like she can. Complete entertainment.

I love Kat Martin books but had not read one in a long time. She knows how to write a delicious romance that keeps your interest from the first page to the last. Her heroes are sexy and her heroines are always likable. Martin fleshes out her characters and we see them with all their good and bad characteristics.

Brandy Winters is a serving girl in her father's tavern in historical Charleston. She is a young heroine who wants to see the world. For years, her occupation as a serving wench has allowed her to establish many friendships with sailors as they sail in to port and back out, month after month and year after year. One of those sailors is English Captain Marcus Delaine who is also the Earl of Hawksmoor. Brandy has admired and probably loved Marcus from afar for many years and Marcus has watched Brandy grow into a very attractive young lady. He rescues her from a tavern patron one night and Brandy's admiration for Marcus grows. When Marcus informs her that his crew is taking a month long voyage before returning to England, Brandy decides to stow away on Marcus's ship for the short voyage. She reasons that it will allow her to see some of the world and, knowing Marcus, she does not think he will mistreat her once her presence on his ship is discovered. When she is found, sick and half dead, Marcus is not as kind as Brandy had hoped. He is extremely angry with her and discovers that she is not easily intimidated.

Night Secrets takes place in Charleston, on the seas, England, and on the seas again and again. Although I really enjoyed this book, it was a little too much in the fairy tale category for believability. It is about the romance of a English titled sea captain and a serving girl across the sea. Although Brandy proves to be a spirited, determined young woman who is also extremely beautiful, the reach to obtain the love of an earl seems too far. However, Kat Martin knows how to make us believe in fairy tales and this improbable romance seems to fit just fine by the end of the book.

Marcus is a man of the sea and has no intention to ever be anywhere else. He has no desire to fulfill his duties as Earl of Hawksmoor and believes he will never marry because the sea is his ideal mistress. Yes, he loves women but not enough to keep him on land. When an accident at sea leaves Marcus disabled, the book takes a sudden turn and we see a formerly proud, self-assured man become bitter - hating life.

The relationship between Marcus and Brandy is a love relationship that Marcus refused to acknowledge when he was healthy and certainly denies now that he is incapacitated. Brandy's spunk and bravery throughout the book endears her to our hearts. At the same time, Marcus is too hard headed for words and can be quite aggravating. The interaction between the two is quite entertaining but somewhat predictable. Of course, this is romance writing and we must suffer through Brandy's inevitable hurt and wait for Marcus to obtain some wisdom. The sensual scenes are infrequent and rate about a 3.0 to a 3.5 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines).

This is a book about an unlikely romance, loss of hope, recovery, and growth. Although it is not a book that will sit on my keeper shelf, it was very engaging. I have read seven Kat Martin books and have adored each one. I will choose another of her books to read soon and know that I will be guaranteed another fascinating story.

Last summer, I was bored while on vacation at the Jersey shore (it was raining) and picked up the first book that I noticed on our bookshelf. Someone had left "Night Secrets" in our condo and I decided to read it. About 24 hours later, I was finished and read it a second time. I absolutely loved the story. Marcus and Brandy are fascinating characters. Brandy, sick of her life as a tavern girl, stows away aboard Marcus' ship. When she is discovered, they have sailed too far to take her back home and so she stays aboard the ship. The men, of course, assume that she has become Marcus' mistress, but Marcus refuses to touch her. He is in love with the sea. At least, he THINKS that is all he can love... The book is romantic, emotional, and exciting. Read it. It will put a smile on your face.

In the beginning, I didn't like Brianne. Too many times she was referred to as a child, and I just couldn't see her as a grown-up woman. Later on, however, I grew to like her. She was determined, kind, caring, courageous. She was ready to work hard to improve herself and to help the ones she loved.
Marcus, meanwhile... In the beginning I loved him. Dark, handsome, commanding, yet kind and loving as well. But later on...
Spoiler warning;))
I could forgive him when he left her for the first time. He just didn't know how attached to her he has become and wasn't ready to accept his feelings for her. After the accident it was wonderful to see how Brianne was helping him recover, how he was regaining his strength and slowly healing - inside and out. But after a while I couldn't get rid of the feeling that he was just using her. Using her to get better and using her to check if all of his parts were still in working order. I hated him when he made love to her then - just to see if he could still do it. And then, when he left her again despite all she did for him. All right, he didn't promise her anything - in words. But still, it was just cruel. And when he came back, it was much too late. I could understand if he came back after a few weeks, but not after several months! I just wished he would leave her alone and let her go on with her life. And he said nothing that could redeem him for all he did.
However, despite these faults in the hero, this was still a wonderful book! I'm looking forward to reading some more of Kat Martin's books!

This is one of the last of Kat Martin's books I chose to read.. namely because books that take place on the sea REALLY don't interest me. I was pleasantly surprised.. I LOVED it. I couldn't put it down from the moment I picked it up, to the moment I put it down. If you're a Kat fan, you won't be disappointed..

I would have given it 5 stars if I didn't feel like the ending drug just a tad. It was such a great book though. Read It! I also was interested in the secondary characters Brig Butler and Marcus's Brother Rex. They would be great characters for their own books and it would be a nice way to visit Marcus and Brandy's characters again.

I loved this book. Couldn't put it down. It is a go getter from the first page. I like Kat Martin's work. She is great with the characters and the settings. It is worth buying. I was anxious to see how the ending was going to be. And it was worth it...

This was the first Kat Martin book I have read. It is hard to find a Author that compares to Johanna Lindsey. But I must say I really enjoyed this book. I am looking forward to reading more of hers.