Nocturne [Mass Market Paperback]

Syrie James (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2, 2011

When Nicole Whitcomb’s car runs off a Colorado mountain road during a blinding snowstorm, she is saved from death by a handsome, fascinating, and enigmatic stranger. Snowbound with him for days in his beautiful home high in the Rockies, she finds herself powerfully attracted yet mystified by him, filling her with apprehension.

Who is Michael Tyler? Why does he live alone in such a secluded spot and guard his private life so carefully? What secret—or secrets—is he hiding? With her own secrets and a past she is running from, Michael understands Nicole better than anyone she has ever known. Soon, they are falling deeply in love—a profoundly meaningful experience that is destined to change their lives forever. However, as the sexual tension between them builds, the clues mount up. When Nicole learns her host’s terrifying secret, there is nowhere for her to run but into the blizzard raging outside, and Michael may be the only one who can save her life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Publishers Weekly Beyond Her Book Blog
"Fans of Nicholas Sparks won't be disappointed … What's not to love about being snowbound in a perfect isolated place with your soul mate?"

Young Adult Fantasy Guide
"Wow, what a read! 5 stars. Another page turner by a talented and established writer. If you like urban fantasy then you MUST give this one a read. Syrie James is one of the best out there!"

All Things Urban Fantasy
"Excellent—loved it! Nocturne is the perfect novel to read on a cold winter night, curled up in front of a roaring fire and let this impossible romance sink into your soul. Just beautiful."

A Simple Love of Reading
"A once-in-a-lifetime kind of love ... there is a lot of mystery concerning each of the characters in the beginning of the book, and they both hold their secrets closely… Each incredible revelation kept me turning pages long into the night."

Merry Genre Go Round Reviews
"An engaging star-crossed romance … Readers will relish this strong, romantic suspense thriller, wondering how this relationship will end."

Fresh Fiction
"Nicole and Michael are haunting characters, each with a past that makes it difficult for them to embrace the future. In each other they find a kindred spirit, and their journey is a well written page-turner … that will stick with the reader."

Romance Reviews Today
"The characters come alive in Nocturne…lyrical imagery of scenery and eloquent dialogue …The main players are wonderfully real, making you want to step into their world... an emotionally heartfelt love story with an unexpected ending that will bring tears to your eyes. Be sure to get this one today!"

Enduring Romance
"Think Nights in Rodanthe with snow instead of hurricane and Edward Cullen instead of Richard Gere, but like those fabled books by the one we call The Spork, this is a love story, not a romance novel… It was the most realistic vampire love story I've ever read." 

Good Choice Reading
"5 stars! Immediately from the first page I knew I was going to love Nocturne. Everything moves at a fast pace... you quickly fall in love with the characters ... From their first meeting to the end, you'll have butterflies in your stomach ... A beautiful story. I loved it!"

Barnes and Noble Heart to Heart Blog
"What could be more romantic than getting snowbound with a dark and mysterious stranger? .... Nicole’s entire survival rests in the hands of one inscrutable man. His name is Michael Tyler and he's an unbelievably sexy – and British – recluse, living alone in a mountain hideaway that's got as many secrets as it does rooms…. Nocturne is the kind of book that makes you want to turn off the phone and the television so you can do nothing but read. "

BookChickCity
"Brilliant, couldn’t put it down.... A gorgeous read, a true romance with a delicious bittersweet ending that brought tears to my eyes .... Syrie James has a wonderful way with words .... I settled down in my soft cozy chair, with the fire on and just melted into the story .... A must read for any romance fan."

Bookalicious
“A masterful piece of paranormal romance ... Syrie James is such a fantastic plot weaver... Michael has an amazing depth of character… Teens Will Love It ... Why Adults Will Love It: Who doesn't want to be trapped in the snow with a hot vampire writer with a soul? ... You will never see vampires the same again."

I’m Not Hannah
"A sweet, passionate, heart-wrenching, magical love story that was a pleasure to read.... I found myself wrapped up in the romance of this novel–-and enjoying every minute of it…. You feel such a sense of PLACE while you're reading this story.... The connection between the main characters is intense. From the very beginning, the conversation and physical contact is natural and warm, and it progresses to intense sexual tension and emotional connection in a way that makes you want to keep reading.... The chemistry between them is perfect and when they do give in to their physical desires, it's ... well, it's hot, y'all. I'm just saying. Ahem.... I finished it with a little sigh that was part satisfaction and part sadness; I was left hoping that I would see these characters again."

Library Journal
"Beautifully descriptive, well written, lyrical, lush, and intensely romantic, this infinitely touching, bittersweet story from James (Dracula, My Love) will weave its way into readers' hearts, with its complex characters and compelling emotions sure to linger long after the last page has been turned. While not a romance in the truest sense, this novel will have a poignant appeal for romance as well as paranormal fans and provides a slim glimmer of hope for the optimists among us."

The Authors Speak
"Syrie James (bestselling author of such runaway hits as "Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen" and "Dracula, My Love") jumps into the urban fantasy game with her latest read... Once I read "Nocturne", I realized that this was a story that she was supposed to tell. My wish is that the urban fantasy crowd will discover this one first and then reflect on James' entire body-of-work and see what a talented writer they've discovered... The writer really honed the craft and perfected the game... this is one of those books that is hard to tear away from...

Final Verdict? 4.5 out of 5. An upturn in the urban fantasy game and worthy of your embrace."

Austenprose
"As the sexual tension increases and [Nicole's] imagination runs rampant in this mountain seclusion, she readily makes excuses, only to discover that her wildest dreams, or nightmares, are now her reality... Like the iconic vampires of Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, and even Stephenie Meyer, Michael has his impossible strengths and weaknesses... But it's his unlikely humanity, as well as his love for her that allowed him to hold his carnal instincts in check that endeared me most... Tauntingly compelling, the ending left me spent... The haunting Nocturne is the perfect escape book for romance readers with some pretty steamy love scenes sure to warm you to your toes these cold, winter months."

Monsters and Critics
"Reminiscent of an old gothic romance... this bittersweet love story involves the deepest secrets, dreams and passion of two beautifully developed characters."

Night Owl Reviews
"From the first time I saw the cover to the first time Nicole meets Michael I was hooked... It was all very seductive."

BSC Reviews
"It feels like the first movement of a symphony; you know there is more to the story. The novel is a reminder par excellence that a story doesn't end just because the book does."

Library Journal, January 14, 2011
Unconscious and stranded in the Colorado Rockies after her car skids off an icy road during a blizzard, Nicole Whitcomb awakes in the magnificent, isolated mountain home of the astonishingly good-looking man who rescued her. Michael Tyler is brilliant, reclusive, enigmatic, and a potentially deadly, centuries-old vampire. Now, snowbound together until the storm ends and the roads can be cleared, they begin a wary, star-crossed journey from attraction to passion as Nicole's fears and Michael's bloodlust war with their love for each other. Beautifully descriptive, well written, and simply plotted, this story spans only four days and features just two characters, but as the story progresses they grow individually, as well as in their relationship, and are profoundly changed as a result.

Verdict Lyrical, lush, and intensely romantic, this infinitely touching, bittersweet story from James (Dracula, My Love) will weave its way into readers' hearts, with its complex characters and compelling emotions sure to linger long after the last page has been turned. While not a romance in the truest sense, this novel will have a poignant appeal for romance as well as paranormal fans and provides a slim glimmer of hope for the optimists among us. [Reading group guide.]—Kristin Ramsdell, California State Univ. Lib., East Bay

About the Author

Syrie James is the bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Dracula, My Love and The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë, which was selected by the Women’s National Book Association as a Great Group Read of 2009. Her first book, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, became an international bestseller, and was named a Best First Novel of 2008 by Library Journal. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages. She lives in Los Angeles and is a member of the Writer’s Guild of America.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Vanguard Press; Mass Market Edition edition (August 2, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159315674X
• ISBN-13: 978-1593156749
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,220,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Syrie James, hailed by Los Angeles Magazine as the queen of nineteenth century re-imaginings, is the bestselling author of eight critically acclaimed novels, including THE MISSING MANUSCRIPT OF JANE AUSTEN, THE LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN, THE SECRET DIARIES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE, NOCTURNE, DRACULA MY LOVE, FORBIDDEN, and The Harrison Duet: SONGBIRD and PROPOSITIONS. Her books have been translated into eighteen foreign languages.

In addition to her work as a novelist, Syrie is a screenwriter, a member of the Writers Guild of America, and a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. An admitted Anglophile, she loves romance and all things 19th century. Syrie welcomes visitors and messages at www.syriejames.com, and invites you follow her on Facebook and on Twitter.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Vampire Fairy Tale January 5, 2011

By Kelly (Fantasy Literature) TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

When it's snowy and blustery out, there are two kinds of books I really love to read: books that whisk me away to a balmy paradise, and books that are set in a snowstorm so that the real weather enhances the mood of the novel. Nocturne is one of the latter, taking place in the Colorado Rockies during a blizzard.

Twenty-nine-year-old Nicole is driving back from a friend's wedding when she crashes her rental car in the aforementioned snowstorm. She is rescued by Michael, a reclusive man who lives alone in his palatial mountain home. The weather prevents either of them from leaving for several days. Michael is strangely brusque at times, and at first Nicole thinks he is angry about her presence, but before long they establish a connection.

Syrie James invokes classic fairytale tropes to draw readers into a state of enchantment. There's a room Nicole is forbidden to enter, for example, and a mysterious rose. One plot twist, I think, may be a homage to an old favorite book of mine, L.M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle, which itself draws heavily on fairytale themes. Yet James doesn't let the fairytales constrain her story; events don't always happen as you might expect. That forbidden door swings open with surprising alacrity, revealing one of Michael's secrets, and another revelation about him follows shortly. The closed doors within Nicole's mind -- hiding nightmares and dreams she's suppressed for years -- take longer to open.

With a tiny cast (two characters, plus a few animals) and a single setting, James spins a story with plenty of drama and character development. Much of the plot unfolds through dialogue. I do have mixed feelings about some of the dialogue. Sometimes, when Nicole and Michael talk, their speech seems a little too expository. For example, when they discuss books, they can sound like they are teaching a class or maybe writing a book review rather than speaking casually. (This worked better, I think, in Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker, with its intentionally old-fashioned writing style.) On the other hand, it's so refreshing to see a paranormal hero and heroine whose relationship is based in large part on conversations about their shared interests. It makes Nocturne more satisfying than books in which the romance is based solely on great sex or on a magical soulmate bond imposed by an external force.

It's probably not much of a spoiler to say that this is a vampire novel. James raises questions about how a vampire and an ordinary woman fit into each other's lives, and rejects the easy answers.

A bittersweet love story set against a beautiful wintry background, Nocturne is a curl-up-on-a-cold-night book par excellence. Once you've read the ending, you'll want to read the author's note that follows. I hope James will revisit Nicole and Michael one day.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick Read.....Very Descriptive....Very Good April 5, 2011

By S. Zollner

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a very quick read with only 288 pages. Nocturne held my attention from the get go and all the way to the end. Syrie is very descriptive in her writing. I felt like I was right there watching the story play out between Nicole and Michael. It is a 2-person book, only Nicole and Michael conversing back and forth, no other characters (except the horses). I wasn't expecting the ending which definitely left room for a sequel IMO. I enjoyed the book very much and will take a closer look at Syrie's other books. I didn't give it 5 stars because I was wanting a more complex storyline, not just a story of forbidden love. But, it was still very good.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting Romantic Rhapsody February 22, 2011

By Sophia Rose

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the second book I have read by this author. I read it in one sitting. Some books you read and walk away from with a feeling of disappointment, disgust, or a warm fuzzy- all brief. This one stays with you. As the title implies music has strong overtones in the book. I found the book a haunting melody that stayed with me for days. I found myself wanting more. It was the Unfinished Symphony for me.
I wish there had been a way to prevent Michael's big secret from coming out before I read the book, but once I was engaged in the telling of the story, it did not matter as much.
I enjoyed the intrigue of a novel with only two characters and one scene. It forced Syrie James to rely on character and dialogue- and she did not disappoint.