Rating: 
Summary: Pure Paranormal Delight
Review: Declan Fitzgerald has left behind a promising career as a lawyer, not to mention his family, to buy a mansion on the outskirts of New Orleans. Ever since he first saw it as a teenager, Manet Hall has been in his heart. What is it about the abandoned house that pulls him to it? And will the rumors of ghosts and unexplained phenomena scare Declan away from his dream home? When he meets his beautiful neighbor, Angelina Simone, Declan once again feels an inexplicable pull. But as Declan begins to settle into his new life, and starts to fall in love with the mysterious Angelina, secrets from the past threaten to destroy his newfound happiness. This was my first book by Nora Roberts, and wow - I'm thrilled! Now I finally understand what it is that pulls millions of women to the bookstore every time one of Nora's books is released. MIDNIGHT BAYOU is fabulously written, in a flowing style that's neither overly descriptive, nor over-the-top, but manages to balance beautiful descriptions with realistic dialogue. But the true charm of the book lies in its paranormal aspects. The ghosts that haunt Manet Hall aren't your typical otherworldly creatures, and as the storyline unravels, Declan and Angelina get more and more caught up in the mysteries of the past. Beautifully blending theories of reincarnation with pure paranormal fun, Nora Roberts manages to create a captivating novel that is sure to delight old fans and new.
Rating: 
Summary: This has become one of my favorites!!
Review: I loved this book!! I enjoyed that it was told from mostly the male's perspective and I really liked the lead characters. Declan feels compelled to leave his job as a lawyer and buy a house--Manet Hall--that has fascinated him for 11 years. It is in disprepair and he puts his all into bringing it back to its former grandeur. However, strange things happen while he is there, including flashbacks (memories?) of a murder that took place a long time ago. While doing this, he meets Lena, who plays an integral part in his memories. Declan has a sense of humor and makes you want to believe that people like him really exist. I would have to say my only complaint is that I wish the ending scene was longer--I would have liked to see Lena's reaction to the ring. This is defintitely one of my favorite Nora Robert's books, and I'm usually not into past lives, etc. Buy this book--you won't be sorry. Nora never disappoints!!
Rating:
Summary: Midnight Bayou
Review: In December 1899, Abigail Manet is raped and killed by her husband Lucian's twin brother Julian, her daughter Marie Rose crying in her crib just feet away. With the help of Julian's mother, Josephine, Abigail's body is dumped into the bayou. When Julian returns from being away, he is told his wife has run off with another man and that she has left her "bastard" child behind. Marie Rose is sent to live with Abigail's people. More than 100 years later, Declan Fitzgerald leaves his life in Boston and moves to Louisiana, buying and fixing up the old Manet mansion. The house is haunted with the ghosts of the Manets, and Declan, together with Lena - the Louisiana woman he has fallen in love who also happens to be a descendent of Marie Rose - unravels the mystery of the house and its former inhabitants. This is a good beach or airplane book. The characters are fun and quirky and Declan is appropriately romantic and persistent in his affections towards Lena. The reincarnation aspect (Declan and Lena are supposedly Lucian and Abigal reincarnated) was a little far-fetched, though.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT!
Review: Loved every listening minute! The host of characters, especially Declan and Angelina are wonderful. There could not have been a better reader for this story. If you enjoy romance and mystery, you won't be dissapointed! Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Rating:
Summary: This book is Fantastic
Review: Midnight Bayou
Nora Roberts Declan Fitzgerald leaves his job as a Boston lawyer to buy a house--Manet Hall--that he first discovered in New Orleans 11 years ago. The house hasn't been lived in for some time and needs renovation. Declan finds his joy in restoring the old mansion. There's a sad history to the mansion, however, and Declan begins to experience strange dreams and starts sleepwalking. He finds himself terrified to enter one of the rooms on the third floor. Declan meets Lena, the owner of a small bar in down town New Orleans. He is immediately attracted to her and thinks, "at last" the first time he sees her. Lena and Declan are both linked to the history of Manet Hall as well as to each other. Lena's grandmother lives behind Manet Hall and Declan befriends her. She is a wonderful character. Declan has a terrific personality and sense of humor. This is definitely one of my favorite Nora Robert's books. Being interested in reincarnation and past lives added to the flavor. I must admit I was surprised when I discovered what the subject of the book was but I think Ms. Roberts handled it in a believable manner. Definitely a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Romance with a Touch of Paranormal
Review: Ms. Roberts' latest, in a long line of best-sellers, is sure to be a hit-how can it miss with romance, a haunted plantation house, and a tale of long-ago murder and betrayal. Declan Fitzgerald is bored with his life in Boston. Having recently broken it off with his fiancé, he decides to ditch his law career and purchase Manet Hall, an old plantation home near New Orleans. He first visited there when he and his college buddy, Remy, entered the dilapidated mansion years ago. Employing his woodworking skills, Declan starts renovation of the mansion. Not long after he moves in, strange things begin to happen. Doors slam, clocks chime, and a baby cries. With the help of Miss Odette, a neighbor in the bayou, and research in history books, Declan is able to discover that the house has a dark history. Near the turn of the century, Abigail, a young Cajun servant, married Lucian Manet, heir to the estate. Their life together is cut short, when, shortly after the birth of their child, Abigail is discovered missing, and matriarch Josephine implements the rumor that Abigail ran off with a man who later killed her. Brokenhearted, Lucian "accidentally" drowns, and his twin, Julian, also dies young. When Declan meets Lena, descendant of Abby's daughter Marie Rose, and granddaughter of Odette, he is completely mesmerized. She is the owner of a New Orleans bar and everything he ever wanted in a woman-she's smart, tough, and beautiful. Although the attraction is mutual, Lena guards her heart, as she senses that her feelings for Declan could lead to heartache. Even as the reader is treated to glimpses of the 1899 Manet Hall, Declan begins dreaming of it. Cleverly interspersed with present day events is Declan's ability to feel and sense Abby's distress as he dreams of long-forgotten times. Lena, too, has eerie dreams and encounters of the past, and in an unusual twist, she senses Lucian's thoughts of old. As Declan and Lena face their desire for one another, will fate intervene a second time, and separate the lovers forever? Ms. Roberts' latest is a sure-fire winner. The mysteries of the bayou abound as the ghosts tell the tales of forgotten times. Hauntings seem to increase as the renovations progress, and emotions between Declan and Lena hit an all-time high. Some readers may have trouble with the idea of reincarnation, especially with Abby living in Declan, and Lucian in Lena. However, the wonderful flow of the narrative, rich with fascinating characters, definitely outweighs any aversion to a twist on the paranormal.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed me
Review: This book has been summarized by other readers so I won't add my own. Although I have many of NR's romances and usually enjoy them, my favorite is the Death series by J. D. Robb, Nora's alter ego. Having said that, if possible, I would have given Midnight Bayou a 10. What saved this from being the typical romance between the rich, gorgeous man and hard working beautiful woman, were the flashbacks to the lives of Abigail and Lucien, the addition of and attention to other characters and the fresh dialogue. I also liked the fact that so much of the story was told from Declan's viewpoint, not Lena's. It seemed to be a more involved storyline than some of the other NR books. The ending did seem to be a bit rushed, but I didn't feel it detracted from the story as a whole. Needless to say, I highly recommend.
Rating:
Summary: Nora Roberts: "Midnight Bayou"
Review: This book keeps you interested to the very last word on the very last page. It's a romance and a thriller rolled up into one. Nora Roberts is a very unique author and knows how to keep her readers interested until the very last drop.
Something very shocking and mind-bending happened in Manet Hall that no one knows about today.
Declan Fitzgerald is a wealthy, ex-lawyer looking to restore old Manet Hall to its original days. He of course meets a woman, Lena. It is eventually revealed along the way that she has relations with the Hall, and so does her grandmother. Through the time they are rebuilding the house, mysterious and thrilling things happen that no one around has any explanation for. Things are revealed to Declan and Lena that slowly show what had previously happened in the Hall that now haunts it. Their bond together grows bigger and bigger by the day, and more confusing and edgy. "What's wrong with these two?" is what you'll probably eventually think to yourself. But no worries, keep on reading. Through the good times and bad times that Declan and Lena have together, they get closer and closer to finding out what's going on in that place.
I really enjoyed this book. I found myself making time that I usually wouldn't be using productively to reading. The interest that keeps you reading and reading until you get to the very end is exciting to have.
If you like to read thrillers and romances, I highly recommend this book to you. It's very exciting to read and just to picture it inside your own head. It's like a movie playing in front of your own eyes. It's not too long, not too short. The first chapter of this book is guaranteed to get you hooked on reading the rest. There's no telling what could possibly happen, and that's just half the excitement.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Nora with a twist to consider
Review: This is all classic Nora; great, compelling, alive characters. Life-like settings, detailed story line. But weird in that she takes this, reincarnation twist that I didn't care for. So why did I give it a four star rating? Because I read it anyway, and have over and over, but I skip the chpts with the reincarnated bit. It just wasn't my thing and I didn't care for it.
But in a literal sense, Nora's hot and on with this one, just like she is with her other perfect works. ( Older works ) Overall, I'd say, read it for the darling male character - Declan - you can't miss him. And the female is quintensential New Orleans hot.
I actually went to New Orleans for a trip because of this book and her other book, my fav, Honest Illusions.
Rating:
Summary: Midnight Bayou
Review: This was a perfect combination of romance and mystery. I wish it went into greater detail at the end when Angelina and Dec helped put the spirits to rest, though. I highly reccommend this one.....Nora never lets you down!
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