Customer Reviews

The Twilight Before Christmas

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I became a fan of Christine Feehan through her Dark series, which I love and of course brought this new book, which continued the story she started in the anthology "Lover Beware", about seven witch sisters.

I found her second book in the series "The Twilight Before Christmas" truly enjoyable. Both the heroine and hero were believable and fun to read about it. Most women could relate to Kate, who everyone believes to be untouchable, but underneath as unsure and scared of herself as the rest of us. She believes she is not interesting nor exciting enough for the hero. Matt was your typical Feehan-style male: handsome, humourous and stubborn, and like the heroine he hid more than originally let on. Both characters worked well together and were a good match.

The storyline was a good one too; the suspense and supernatural elements were well played out and the history of Christmas was interesting in the context of the story. Feehan does a good job in this respect, playing on themes such as redemption, love, goodwill and sacrifice. All important and appropriate themes for a Christmas story. The added backlines about the secondary characters and the rest of the Drake sisters added to the whole story.

All in all, a great story by Ms. Feehan. I think she has a really good series in the making with the magical Drake sisters and I look forward to the next one.

It's the holiday season once again, and Kate Drake, a well-known author has returned home permanently. She has bought the old mill, and wants to renovate the building to convert it into a bookstore/coffee stand. It is while out horseback riding that she encounters Matt Granite, who she has had a crush on since a teenager.

Matt Granite has had a crush on Kate since she was a teenager and he was in college. He has been waiting for her to visit home, so he is ecstatic when he finds out she has returned to Sea Haven permanently. Then, while encountering her on the roadside, there is a violent earthquake. Because he works in construction, Matt quickly agrees to help Kate remodel her mill and even volunteers to make sure there wasn't any structural damage.

What the couple finds is an unknown evil force that has been buried beneath the mill, sealed in a tomb by a Drake ancestor. With little time to spare as the evil is attacking everything to do with holiday cheer the seven Drake sisters and Matt join together. But will their combined strength be enough to stop it from growing?

Like other reviewers, I am a big fan of Ms Feehan and her Carpathians. With THE TWLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, she has another hit series in the making. What I didn't know (and after reading this story now makes sense) is that this is the second story in the series. This story is SO different from her Carpathian series. I would classify this story as a romantic suspense, because I was scared witless! I had creepy horror music playing through my head during half of the story. So I suppose this is a good thing if you like that sort of thing.

I really appreciate the fact that when the sisters weren't fighting the mist they had a light and playful humor. But I think there were too many characters all at one time for me. It wasn't until the end of the story when I finally felt like I knew who was who. Because of all the characters vying for time in the story, I felt cheated of getting to know Kate and Matt. I feel that more time could have been involved with them discussing renovation plans or what they had been doing with their own lives (and made the book longer) rather than some of the snippets of time spent with the family. I like both of the characters from what I know of them, but I didn't feel like I've gotten to KNOW Kate and Matt. I really felt this was a let down, because in other novels Ms Feehan has written, I felt like I knew the characters as people rather than just being a reader; so I felt a little cheated in this aspect.

However, I am proud of myself for finishing the story because the mist really freaked me out. I have to say that this was a really well written story and I really like the idea and concept of a family of witches. I would be very interested in reading Jacksons' story, but I think I'm gonna stick with the Carpathian series because I don't ever remember ever being so scared over a book! So I have to say I'm neither for, nor against THE TWILIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

I read the Drake sisters novels out of order (Oceans of Fire was my first) and they were also my first Christine Feehan books. She is an incredible writer with a true gift!!

Kate Drake, a best-selling mytery author, is the second eldest of the 7 sisters and has decided to setup a bookstore/cafe in an old mill near the Drake cliff house. She runs into Matt Granite literally and sparks fly! I love how he thinks he is a klutz around her and she thinks the same thing!! Matt is already half in love with Kate as being about 4 or 5 years older he admired her when she was a budding young teenager and is even more awed now that she is a famous author and full grown beautiful woman. Kate has also yearned for Matt for years. In fact, most (all?) of the heroes in her novels contain parts of how she sees Matt.

But even as they meet and make a business appointment for the next day for Matt to look at the old mill and the renovation work required, a minor earthquake appears that makes both of them feel very uneasy. As Matt and Kate and her sisters and Jonas, the sheriff, and Jackson, his deputy, investigate what evil has been unleashed, romance and danger lurk everywhere for Matt and Kate.

This is enjoyable story with a really well thought out plot and conclusion. I enjoyed it and look forward to her new Drake sisters' novel!

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Ms. Feehan's enchanting new Magical Sisters series continues in this story, and is sure to delight one and all.

Kate Drake is one of seven sisters, gifted with incredible magical gifts. Her gift is in her voice - the ability to soothe the souls of people in distress with only her words. She has returned to her home town, just in time to celebrate Christmas, and enjoy the annual Christmas pageant, with her family and friends. Little does she know what fate has in store for her this holiday season.

Matt Granite is a retired Army Ranger who has recently returned home to take part in the family business. He has loved Kate for years, but figured she was too "perfect" to ever be interested in a man like him, especially since he had a tendency to act clumsy in her presence, much to the amusement of his brothers. When Kate asks him to do some work for her in a run-down mill she intends to turn into a bookstore, he jumps at the chance to spend more time with her. What he doesn't know is she has always felt the same way for him.

While they are inspecting the building, they find an old crypt in the basement, which seems to have been opened by a recent earthquake, allowing something better kept imprisoned to escape. Suddenly Kate feels that an old evil has been freed, something dreadful with plans to ruin Christmas. Its first desire seems to be to destroy Kate, and her family. Matt wants nothing more then to protect his love from the entity set on destruction. Now all seven sisters must join their powers to stop this being once and for all, before it destroys Christmas, her town and family, and her new-found love.

Is there nothing the incomparable Ms. Feehan can't write? Once again she has proven herself a master of the paranormal romance genre. She is always pushing the envelope with new stories bound to become keepers for all of her fans, as well as to bring in new ones. Her voice is as fresh as ever, proving her imagination is far from tapped out. This book is very different from most of her other works, while still showing strong her trademark voice.

Matt and Kate are meant to be together, if only they can get past their doubts. Sparks are evident from their first meeting in the story, igniting rapidly into the 5-alarm blaze their passion develops into. Both are amazed by this, never having believed anything could come of their love for each other. Plenty of humor still can be found, even in the midst of such a dark tale. It is provided by the antics of Mike's brothers, and a couple of Kate's sisters, as they harass the couple, and other family friends. There is also evidence of a couple blossoming relationships between some of the other characters, possibly to be developed in future books in the series.

The action is well-developed and perfectly paced to keep the reader waiting with baited breath. The anticipation builds, with Kate and her sisters' victory becomes more imperative as the malevolent entity grows in strength, all the while wearing their own strengths down. Events spiral up and around, leading into the ultimate confrontation, which is not quite what the reader is expecting, but guaranteed to please.

This book has it all, with a fiery romance, abundant humor, plenty of action, and a satisfying ending, leaving the reader begging for more. One will be happy to know, the story does not end here... it is only beginning.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, September 2003. All rights reserved.

After seeing the world, Kate Drake returns to her hometown of Sea Haven, which makes resident Matthew Granite elated as he has loved her forever. However, one thing that has not changed is Matthew's inability to speak a phrase in her presence as whenever he sees her he is tongue twisted. Though a former Army Ranger who faced danger with confidence, he has never been able to tell Kate that he loves her. He prays for a Yuletide miracle

On the other hand Kate shares the same feelings as Matt. Though she can actually say an entire sentence in his presence, she believes an adventurer like he is will never stay with a couch potato. She hopes for a Christmas miracle.

An earthquake releases a malevolent essence from its underground interment. This evil threatens the town with a debilitating fog and nightmares making day and night frightening beyond reason. Kate and her sisters must use the magic they possess to battle this wickedness if the people of Sea Haven are to survive. Matt shows his love for Kate by joining her in the fray.

Christine Feehan shows why she is one of the best at creating suspenseful paranormal romances with this powerful supernatural romantic thriller. The couple lead couple provides quite a contrast between their uncertainties about love vs. their bravery in war. The rest of the Drakes are as charming, weaving a spell on readers that will echo at a best seller rate back to Ms. Feehan with one reiterative word: sequel.

Harriet Klausner

This is awesome!

Christine Feehan is just awesome at what she does.

You have a new series in which the Drake sisters will each have their own story.

In this 2nd addition to the series you have Kate whom is the sister that writes wonderful books.

She goes to exotic places to research for her book that she is working on at that time.

She has come back home to start a new chapter in her life.
Which is opening a bookstore.
Will the man whom she secretly adore as a young girl and he in her overcome their shyness to start a new chapter together or will a evil spirit return to finish a deed.

By the way I so want to read Hannah's (another sister) story.

FYI, the books in this series will go by the oldest sister to the next younger one.

If you ever have any question then please visit Chritine Feehan's official website.

It has a wealth of information.

I absolutely love this book and feel that Ms. Feehan's writing is at her best. I purchased it at the airport for a business trip and found that I couldn't put it down. I think the Drake sisters are wonderful and cannot wait to see how each of the other sisters meet their "one and only". The delight of this book is that not only do you meet Kate but also see sides of each of the sisters. I look forward to the others of this series!

I really enjoyed this romance. It has it all-romance, HOT love scenes, intrigue, interesting side characters, fun and a suspenseful mystery for the seven Drake sisters to solve.

It was refreshing that Feehan wrote the story, against the grain, like the fact that most of the town where they live readily accept that the sisters are witches, as well as ask for their help, that the sisters accept their gifts, that the hero/heroine quickly accept that they're meant to be together so we see loving, as well as sexy, scenes between them instead of the usual "I hate you til the last ten pages then I realize I love you"-that kind of story gets tiresome.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes sexy paranormal romance. PS-even though it's abouyt Christmas, it can be enjoyed anytime. Looking forward to the other sisters stories.

5 stars!

In the second of an on-going saga of the seven magical and fascinating Drake sisters, Feehan brings Kate Drake, a best selling author back to her hometown of Sea Haven. Kate's magical gift of `voice' enables her to bring peace and harmony to those in turmoil. Wanting to settle down after her travels, Kate has bought an old historic mill with plans to renovate and turn it into a bookstore and coffee shop.

Matthew Granite is a highly decorated U.S. Army Ranger also returned home to join the family contracting business. Offering his contractor services, it was a wonderful excuse to get closer to Kate. He's been awestruck from the first moment Matt noticed Kate at the age fifteen and he wrecked his father's truck when he couldn't take his eyes off her!

When an earthquake cracked the mill's foundation revealing a seal that marked a burial crypt, Kate sensed the evil escaping. Before long Kate realized that the evil that had escaped was coming back to not only destroy her, but also threatened the entire population of Sea Haven. In order to defeat the evil, Kate would need the combined strength of all the Drake sisters to battle this newest threat.

--- I loved this story with an unusual hero who was such an alpha macho male reduced to making a `cake' of himself when face to face with the girl of his dreams! Both Kate and Matt were totally delightful as they finally realized that both held the same `secret' admiration for one another. What I found priceless was the fabulous passion they finally found together as they supported one another when faced with the evil spirit that threatened their future love. Filled with humor, passion and some extremely hot sensual episodes you'll find the pages flying from start to finish from this magnificent storyteller - you will just LOVE this Drake sister series!!!

Kate, the second oldest Drake sister, is a best-selling author whose gift is to weave stories. She has long accepted a certain fact in her mind that she is unlikely to ever fall in love. She sees herself as plain compared to her more beautiful and gifted sisters, and the one man she is attracted to is way out of her league. What Kate doesn't know is that the object of her affection, Matt, has always been attracted to her and considered her out of his league.

Matt went to college and then from there joined the army where he became a decorated soldier. Throughout that time, his family has kept him updated on Kate's comings and goings. Now Matt is returning home to help with the family business, and hopefully to win the heart of the woman he loves.

Kate has just purchased an old mill. She hopes to convert it into a bookstore and coffee shop. But when she and Matt investigate the mill, they inadvertently release an ancient evil that was imprisoned under the foundations.

I love this series but frankly I think this installment is the weakest. The plot, I thought, was a bit weak and seemed contrived. Unlike the other books in the series, Kate and Matt's relationship just didn't seem to have enough spark for me. Also, the mystery behind the evil imprisoned under the mill was a bit predictable. To me, it didn't have enough suspense or thrill to it. I almost found it boring. Nevertheless, this was fortunately a quick and entertaining read.