Customer Reviews

Shades of Twilight

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I loved this story. I am surprised that it did not have a perfect 5 star rating. This is my second Linda Howard book, and it will most definately NOT be my last. This is a story about Roanna and Webb. They are distant second cousins. 7 year old Roanna is left orphaned when her parents die in a car accident. She comes to live with her grandmother at Davencourt, her families rich estate. She does not feel welcome by her family, they treat her as if she is not wanted, but only Webb is there to protect her and make her feel safe.

Roanna grows up developing a huge crush on Webb and practically worships him. She tries out her burgeoning feelings for him in a kiss that sets of a cataclysim of events. Webb and his wife Jessie,Roanna's other cousin, have a fight and threaten each other with divorce. That very night,Jessie ends up dead.

Everyone in the family blames Webb, even though the police have no evidence of the fact. He feels no support from anyone and he takes off to start a new life. Spirited Roanna having lost Webb, the only person who ever made her feel worthy, is at a loss. She hides inside her self. Ceasing to care about anyone or anything. Ten years pass, and Roanna grows older, gone is the hoydenish teenager,and in her place is a quiet and sophisticated young woman. At her grandmothers request, Roanna goes off to find Webb. Her grandmother wants to make peace with him before she dies.

Webb is surprised when he first sees Roanna all grown up. Gone was the spirited girl with adoring eyes, in her place was a woman with no outward signs of emotion. He feels strong emotions for her, and is upset with the way she is all closed up to him. All withdrawn from everything. Unable to resist her anymore, he takes Roanna and spends a night with her filled with love and passion.

Roanna still loves Webb, but does not believe that he could actually love her back. She believes that he will go back to Davencourt for the estate and money, but never for her.

Webb is drawn to Roanna and desperately wants to see her the way she was. Laughing and smiling again. He returns because of her. Unfortunately, someone wants him dead. They make attempts at his and Roannas life. Webb has to make Roanna see that he loves her for her and at the same time find out who is threatening thier lives.

I loved this book. I especially loved the romance and love between Roanna and Webb. She gave him unconditional love. He gave her the love back, he was so kind and gentle with her. You could feel that he was very concerned with her health and well bieng as well.

This was a great novel. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good romantic read. There was some mystery in this book that was good too.

SHADES OF TWILIGHT is the story of Roanna Davenport and Webb Tallant. Theirs is a love that took years to finally roam free. At first is was a simple crush Roanna had for Webb, her second cousin who's always treated like a sister. Years later, Webb is married to Roanna's mean spirited cousin, Jess. On one fateful day with one fateful kiss, Roanna and Webb sizzled and Jess is murdered. Though found innocent of her death, Webb is angered and hurt at his family's accusations and suspicions. He leaves the heritage he has been breed for and vows never to return leaving behind a shattered and heartbroken Roanna. Ten years later, at the request of her grandmother, Roanna set out to bring Webb back. They meet once again and that very night the passion that had been sparked that day so long ago explodes. But soon it becomes evident that someone is out to destroy their blossoming love. This book is filled with incest, murder, suspense, and best of all, a steamy, passionate and long awaited love. This is another fabulous book written by Linda Howard. You'll love it. Trust me!

I can't believe that I almost didn't buy this book. What a loss that would've been. 'Shades of Twilight' is another good book by LH. With its combination of Love, passion, mystery and scandal you have one great book. The climax at the end of the story will floor you with shock. The romance between Roanna and Webb will make you believe that good things do come to those who wait. Sit down, grab a glass of iced tea and get ready for one roller coaster ride that you will never forget! Two other books by Linda Howard you will have to read is 'Dream Man' and 'After the Night'.Keep the oxygen tank handy.

In this novel linda howard explores not only the intricate family and societal ties in a rural southern community but also the emotions and vulnerabilities of a young girl. Roanna the heroine in this book starts out as an insecure 7 year old who had just lost her parents. As a result she goes to live with her grandmother, and two cousines jessie and webb. As she grows she finds disaproval at every turns thus becomes a shy, akward tomboy, with a case ove hero worship/love for her older cousine Webb. Unfortunately, while he is kind to her, he is atracyted to thaeir other cousine Jessie, who is not very nice, as is revealed later. Roanna's feelings for Webb set off a series of events that result in Webb leaving for several years and jessie murdered. Because Webb left Roanna went through a change and withdrew from her family and friends, until she convinced Webb to come back. He did come back, to try and find out what had changed Roanna so much. He tried to fix his relation ship with her and the rest of his family, all the while, trying to find out who killed Jessie and was now trying to kill him and Roanna. This book is a thoroly good book. I was caught up in it from page one. The twists and turns and surprise ending earns it a place as a great mystery, but the skill with wich the characters were portrayed, add a new dimention. Aside from that my favorite part was how well Ms. Howard expressed Roanna's vulnerabilities and her complex relationship within her family and with Web. If there were a higher rating than 5 stars i would give it to this book.

This was my second Linda Howard book. I figured, no way could
she outdo the passionate fire of "After the Night" but by
Gum she did! Not only was it steamy and sexy, but also the
characters were real. Usually I read about a strong, bold
woman who is very self confident and eventually falls in love
with the hero. I loved the fact that Roanna was helplessly,
hopelessly in love with Webb from the outset and that she suffered
from self-doubt like we real women do. Webb was an awesome hero.
I loved the way he protected Roanna even when he doesn't quite
trust her. Many times when I finish reading a book I'm left with
the feeling that the characters would have done just as well
with anyone, but in "Shades of Twilight" the only man for Roanna
was Webb Tallant, and the only woman in the world for Webb was Roanna
Davenport.

I won't bother to tell the story because it's explained in a lot of the other reviews. I felt I had to review this book for one main reason. Shades of Twilight is a wonderful story, the best Linda Howard book I have read and I can't understand the fuss about Webb and Roanna being related. Incest is a relationship between parent and child, brother and sister, but nowhere at all, in no religious book or oterwise does it say a relationship between cousins is incestuous. I thought Webb and Roanna's story was beautiful because they truly love each other and by negatively judging their relationship because of a mistaken idea of who should and should not love, I think you belittle the depth of that emotion (no offence to anyone). I think the book should just be taken as a beautiful example of enduring love and not be tainted by any prejudice. Oh and for the readers who seemed to think it was an example of Southern life, I think you should try and remember that the South was the setting but it could happen anywhere.

Hailed by many as one of her most audacious romance novels, Shades of Twilight is indubitably Linda Howard's most ambitious attempt in creating a chilling mystery that will keep you riveted. Roanna Davenport struggles with her budding yearning for her cousin Webb Tallant - and when her sister and his soon-to-be wife Jessie dies - Roanna is plagued with guilt while Webb becomes a suspect in the foul play.

The tragedy has muted the vivacious Roanna and sculpt her into a vulnerable soul while Webb leaves his desired Alabama estate in cold disgrace, becoming a hard man. Ten years later on the account of her grandmother, Roanna finds Webb and brings him back to helm over the management. Yet the killer remains scot-free and no doubt will take this reunion to silence and frame Webb all over again.

Shades of Twilight is a lacerating experience that will keep you riveted through webs of deceit, incest and mystery. The resuscitation of Roanna's lost spirits through Webb's love will tear you asunder with its poignancy. Ms. Howard creates scorching passion that triumphs with tender emotions and developed characters. Shades of Twilight has established Ms. Howard as a master of suspense and romance.

This is one of my favorite Linda Howard books. Roanna has led a very emotional life, one I can't imagine living. As a child, she loses her parents, the people who would love her unconditionally. She is then sent to live with her relatives, who are disappointed in her conduct and never fail to let her know. All her life, she has felt inadequate and insecure. The only person that shows his concern for her is Webb, her cousin. He was always concerned about her well-being and naturally, since he is the only positive life force in her life, she falls in love with him. Since the tragedy, Roanna has bottled up her emotions into the deepest part of her heart. Webb is the only one who can make her want to live again. I love the fact that Webb concentrates on making Roanna smile and laugh again and just concentrating on Roanna period. How many women have felt this way and wished someone could come and pay attention to us and save us? Webb is a true knight in shining armor. This book exudes romance. Don't read it for anything else otherwise you'll be disappointed. I think this story is something we can all relate to because it's real. I love the fact that we feel what Roanna feels and we are there reading every word of how she grows up into a splendid woman. Another reason I love this book: the main characters have also grown with maturity and not all is lost when you think it is otherwise.

Shades of Twilight is Howard with a wee dram of Faulkner, the seemingly gentle South, with it's hidden underbelly. Howard does a tour de force bringing together this dysfunctional family with such strongly drawn characters. With a seamless Mutli-POV (point of view) she brings them all into vivid life for the reader, making this a pleasure to read.

Roanna was a gawky ugly duckling when she came to live with her wealthy grandmother in the sprawling mansion in Alabama. Left orphan at the early age, she feels so alone. Her beautiful, older cousin Jessie does not welcome her. Her grandmother makes it clear she is doing her family duty, and little else. So while the mansion was straight out of Gone With The Wind, Roanna was so very alone in the big house. Except for her distant cousin Webb. He showed a gentleness that won Roanna's admiration and silent love.

Roanna is constantly criticized by her grandmother, never doing anything to earn her approval, a startling contracts to the loving parents who adored her unconditionally. This mental abuse of her young spirit is only amplified by her grandmothers utter adoration of her perfect cousin Jessie. Even when Jessie was less than perfect her grandmother excused or covered for her. Roanna was forced to stand silently by as Webb and Jessie are paired into the "perfect couple", and there was little she could do, but watch as Webb married the wild, and greedy Jessie, always feeling at the back of her mind Webb deserved better. They seemed the faerytale couple, destined to rule the Davenport fortune, until the night Jessie was found dead, and everyone blamed Webb.

With everyone, but Roanna believes he killed Jessie, Webb leaves for Arizona. Now years later, a grown up Roanna has come to bring Webb home. Ten years has passed. Webb is no longer the caring gentle man Roanna loved. He is bitter, hardened. Despite his revulsion for his so-called families betrayal, Webb is convinced by Roanna it's time to come home, take up the reins of Davenport power and finally put Jessie's death to rest.

Webb comes back for two reasons - Roanna and to find out who really killed Jessie. Only a killer does not want his secret revealed and is willing to kill again to protect himself from exposure. It's a home with vividly drawn characters, all with their share of dark secrets. Howard, gives you that sultry, itchy Southern charm, a cover for a multitude of sins and passions simmering just under the surface. Roanna is a poignant character that strikes the cord in any woman who has felt less than perfect growing up. And by the same token, Webb is the knight in shining armour, dreams for a young girl to worship.

Howard uses the Mutlio-POV(point of view) so let the reader really experience these vividly created people in a way enforced "Stepford Writing" (Single POV) just cannot flesh out. It's simply Howard and the genre at it's best.

I liked this story and would highly recommend. Roanna Davenport is the granddaughter of a very rich and powerful southern family. She has lived with her grandmother since her parent's death. Roanna is skinny, not that pretty and has never quite fit in. She doesn't mind because she has two great loves in her life, horses, and her older cousin Webb whom she has openly adored and loved forever. Roanna also has another cousin Jessie. Now Jessie is everything Roanna is not (beautiful, sexy, elegant, etc.) In the end Jessie nabs Webb and Roanna nurses a broken heart. Then out of the blue Jessie is murdered. Who is the murderer? Is it Roanna who has wanted Webb forever? Is it Webb who just had an argument with Jessie? No one is quite sure but the neighbors suspect Webb and in a fit of anger, after Webb is cleared by the police (mainly due to lack of evidence), he leaves town for good. Now Roanna is left alone and she has to try and pull her life together without Webb. But is Webb really gone for good? I don't want to give too much away, but this is a good southern story, with the powerful matriach grandmother, all of the family's various and colorful relatives, and Roanna Davenport, a character you can't help but feel for. I would highly recommend.