Rating: 
Summary: Good story weak on romance!
Review: This is the fourth book by Jayne Castle I've read and enjoyed. Futuristic romances are fluff reading for me and I don't usually retain them very well. When I read "After Dark," I didn't recall that Harmony was also the locale in her other three books, "Amaryllis," "Orchid," and "Zinnia." Perhaps if the heroine Lydia Smith was named Petunia or Rose it might have clicked for me. This did not distract or hinder my enjoyment of this book. Ms. Castle is indeed proficient at writing a good mystery, spiced with a little romance. In this book, however, "little romance" is the key. The story line was a good read, but if you're looking for steamy romance, don't expect to work up a sweat.
Rating: 
Summary: What can I say? Krentz is the best
Review: When the colonists realized that they could pass through space by passing through the curtain, they migrated to the planet Harmony in a far off galaxy. When that curtain closed, communications with earth ended, leaving the travelers on alone to tame a hostile world.Two hundred years later, the descendants of the first visitors to Harmony begin to show strong psychic ability. Licensed para-archeologist Lydia Smith crashed and burned when she became lost in a dead city left behind by the planet's former main species. Lydia is forced to work in Shrimpton's House of Ancient Horrors until she can find a way out of her current predicament. Her first client Emmett London embroils her in a case that tests her abilities and her sanity even as she finds love among the ruins. Jayne Castle, known for her works as Jayne Ann Krentz, has written a wonderful futuristic romance that will provide much pleasure to her innumerable fans. Harmony has been featured in previous novels so that the audience feels they are returning to an exotic locale previously visited. The lead couple is an exciting pair who helps bring sunshine to AFTER DARK. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: A nice change from your standard romance
Review: Unlike your standard romance which usually takes place in the past (usually England or Scotland) or out west where the cowboys still roam, this novel takes place on the distant world of Harmony. It is a slightly futuristic world where paranormal abilities are a plus and most of the world's power revolves around stones that hold incredible energy for those who can control it. It is on this world that we meet Lydia Smith, a former paranormal archeologist whose past has left her "psychically crippled". Although she feels she is perfectly capable of carrying out her duties she has been blacklisted from her profession as unstable. Currently working at a bizarre museum reminiscent of Ripley's Believe It or Not; Lydia is hired by the very wealthy and powerful Emmett London to help him recover a stolen family artifact that was brought with his family from Earth centuries ago. It is during her investigation of the theft that Lydia comes under assault from unknown rogue psychics. Someone is trying to stop her from discovering the location of the antique at all costs. The characters of AFTER DARK are interesting and entertaining and despite the sometimes awkward writing I found the book downright fun. I like more mystery than sex in my romance books and found just the right combination in this novel. Unfortunately in most romance novels, the relationship often overwhelms the storyline and throws all plot out the window. This plot did get a little complicated at times even for Ms. Castle to keep up with. The techno-speak created for the sci-fi scenario got a little heavy at times, but overall I found it an interesting diversion from the standard romance genre.
Rating: 
Summary: A new world from Jayne Castle
Review: As someone who avidly reads mysteries, romances, and sf, books which include aspects of all 3 genres automatically make it to the top of my reading list. This book is set on Harmony, a lost colony world first introduced in a short story in the book Charmed. It is a different world than the one in the previous three Jayne Castle books (Amaryllis, Zinnia, and Orchid)and the rules are slightly different. On Harmony, humans have evolved psychic powers which aid them in the excavation of the ruins left on the planet by mysterious aliens who died out long before the humans arrived. Lydia and Emmett prove to have a great deal in common with the heros and heroines of Jayne Ann Krentz's contemporary romantic suspense novels (snappy dialogue, strong wills, instant attraction), with the added twist of their respective psychic abilities. My only complaint is that the ending of the book felt a little rushed to me, and I was left wondering what happens next. With any luck, there will be another book in this series to answer my questions.
Rating:
Summary: Totallly Engrossing!
Review: I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I've read Jayne Ann Krentz, so I knew that I would enjoy this work that she wrote under the name of Jayne Castle. However, I was surprised that I enjoyed it so thoroughly! The setting of Harmony, a city built around the ruins of an alien civilization, was really interesting. Also, the characters of Emmett and Lydia were entertaining. I enjoyed the romantic interaction between the two of them. The suspense of the book added to the fun. I picked it up one afternoon and couldn't put it down until I finished, literally! This book was definitely one to read again and actually, I'm trying to find more books under the Jayne Castle name.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Harmony books
Review: I really enjoyed AFTER DARK. The heroine of this futuristic tale, Lydia, has many modern day problems: her boss (and ex boyfriend) took credit for her work as a para-archeologist, a potential health problem got her fired, then most of her friends faded away. On her way to rebuilding her work life, with little or no plans for a personal one, she must deal with a murder, suspicious trade unions and her first real para-archeologist client: an alpha male hero named London. This book needs to be the start of a series not only because it is a great combination of romance, suspense, and science fiction with interesting characters; but because the book left many questions unanswered. Quite a tease this book is. The combination of union and academic politics allowed external tension to complement the romantic tension between the lead characters. AFTER DARK gives a well-balanced male perspective as opposed to cliched hero behavior. The book also didn't succumb to "convenient science fiction" that plagues so many para-normal romances. No laws of physics were violated and chemical and physical events could be explained to a plausible level. One of the best parts of this book is the ending. Without giving away too much (it is after all a romance) Lydia and London don't ride off into the sunset. They have their own concerns and personality quirks that stop the ending from becoming sugary while still very romantic.
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Summary: Back to Harmony!
Review: I am a big fan of the previous Jayne Castle books (Zinnia, Orchid, Amaryrillis, and Charmed) and was delighted to spot a new entry. I very much enjoyed this book and it had a lively paced plot. As a series fan, I found the additional material on other aspects of Harmony's culture and the ruins left by the mysterious aliens enjoyable--a little more into the underside/lower-society. The female lead was well-fleshed out and engaged your intrest/sympathy. The pet dust bunny was a good entry into the flora/fauna/characters inhabiting Harmony. I did really like the book. But I suspect my 5 star writing is very much as a fan of both this series and the author's other novels (writing as Jayne Ann Krentz and Amanda Quick). Despite the good job of continuing the world-building and an initially interesting mystery, the romance portion left a lot to be desired. It took more than two-thirds of the book before the characters even thought of each other romantically other than noticing an attraction. Most of the supporting characters remained just that -- supporting cast thrown into the plot almost as scenery. The mystery didn't really hold any surprises and progressed to a conclusion with very little clues or intuition on the part of the main characters--except for convenient posthumous clues from the first victim delivered under in-case-of-my-death type of notes.
Rating:
Summary: Good Light Read, a little less in the Romance Department
Review: The premise of the story was actually very good. The comments from the other posts stated that there were a lot of loose ends that were not tied in the book. There are indeed one or two things that were not clarified, like what happened in the missing 48 hour of the heroine. But I felt most things were resolved and what wasn't resolved didn't side track the reader. Indeed the Curio cabinet was found at the very end of the book in a rushed plot with another character I don't remember throughout the book. The plot revolving around Emmet London's nephew was resolvoed. Some readers may get confused by the actual paranormal stuff in the book. I would suggest reading her other paranormal and futuristics to familiarize oneself of her concepts of psyhic philosophies. It was an easy read for me because I had read all her books except for the other books as Jayne Castle, which I have on pending order at the moment. Overall, it felt like the usual Jayne A. Krentz light read. I would recommend this book because it's a good book if you like futuristics and paranormals. The difference in this book was that it didn't haven't has many romantic scenes in it, although I would say the romance between the main characters appear to work for me. Her better futuristics and paranormals are "Shield's Lady", "Sweet Startfire", "Crystal Flame", "Gift of Gold", and "Gift of Fire".
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Summary: romance/sci-fi crossover
Review: The thrill of a romance and the satisfaction of a good sci-fi. The premise deals with a planet where the occupants originally came from earth, but have been cut off from it for a couple generations. The settlers now have their own, different planetary and genetic history that create the background for this story. I recommend it to Laurell Hamilton/Anita Blake fans and to Dara Joy/Dark series fans. It is a favorite sci-fi romance mystery and I am sorry to see that others have given it so little credit for a successful change in venue. I would love to see another book(s) based on these characters or simply using the same background.
Rating:
Summary: Another winner!
Review: I love JAK's futuristic books and this one is no exception. Loved the characters; cannot wait for the sequel.
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