Dark of the Moon is brilliantly written. The plot is clever and unpredictable. The twists are like TV show's season finale cliff hangers. This is a book I would forgo sleep to finish.
After the death of her mother, Caitlyn takes to the streets to thieve in order to survive. With a fervent distrust of men, she hides her identity as to not be taken advantage of. With a fiery temper and a steel will she will do whatever it takes to survive. Although the heroine starts out dressing as a boy, this is one of the rare books where this actually is done well and works for the story. When she encounters a wealthy looking gent on the streets she decides to pick his pockets to afford a bite to eat. What her attempt gets her is much more than she could have ever imagined.
Connor is an impoverished Irish earl charged with caring for his young brothers and the people who live on his lands. With the dislike of the Irish strong, his people are struggling and he'll have to put his life on the line to help them survive. With a great responsibility on his shoulders, he mastered self control and discipline at an early age. He has always had a cool head and a clear mind until a troublesome brash and beautiful little lass crosses his path and threaten his sanity. With his brothers also vying for her attention, Conner knows he must remove her from under his roof before she becomes a wedge in his family's unbreakable bond. What follows is a love story so amazing it will capture you long past the last words spoken.
This book is brilliant in the multiple plots and story lines that interweavel. There's the mysterious murder of Connor's father, the overlying tension between the Irish and English, the many members of the small town that have an eye for winning Caitlyn's favor and possibly doing her harm, and there is a clan of horsemen that attack coaches in the middle of the night to take from the rich and give to the poor.
While the plot is intricate and engaging, the book shines most for the characters. The characters have a depth of emotion that makes them unforgettable. Their struggles, their devotion, their foolhardiness, and most importantly their love.
Caitlyn is brash and shocking at times. She is strong willed, tempered, and fierce, but she is also compassionate and loyal and strong. She is no wilting wall flower and she is certainly no typical heroine.
Connor is just as distinctive. He is handsome, strong, brave and masterful, but he has such real weaknesses that the reader feels emotionally gripped by his struggles.
The characters grow as the story progresses. Even the side characters are intricate and well developed.
Dark of the Moon is at times heart wrenching and violent and at others so beautiful it could bring one to tears. After reading romance novels for so long, many blend together, but this one stands out among the crowd.
Elizabeth Wiley does an outstanding job with the narration. She captures just enough of an Irish brogue to reflect the dialogue, but not so much as to make listening difficult. The emotion, urgency, desire, pain, and longing are all clearly portrayed as she reads this novel. This is a book that comes to life in the audio version. Be prepared to go on an unforgettable adventure.
NARRATED BY : ELIZABETH WILEY
LENGTH: 14 HRS AND 1 MIN
RELEASE DATE: 4/22/2014
PUBLISHER: TANTOR AUDIO