Night And Day (Harlequin Intrigue, No. 637)

Rating:
Summary: Nice 2 part story
Review: Anne Stuart and Gayle Wilson bring their popular series stories into one book.

Night and Day has a different storyline than I have seen done before- Night by Anne Stuart- the first half has the Blackheart catburglar dynasty involved in a heist against a Bill Gates type whiz who is selling his uncle's Nazi art spoils.

Day by Gayle Wilson has her Phoenix Brotherhood Men of Mystery delving further into the Nazi angle and discovering a horrible and terrifying threat to national security in a high rise in San Francisco.

The storyline was different- I am not going to give it all away. I enjoyed the romance and passion tossed in with the mystery. The Anne Stuart one is light and fun and the Gayle Wilson one is darker and more complex. My only complaint about these action heavy stories- it is hard to write prolonged action sequences that hold my attention beyond a page or two- I like dialog better that gun play, but Gayle Wilson manages to handle her stuff well. Anne Stuarts heroes are men of wits not violence so her story flows very well.

This is about the 3rd Harlequin series 2 in 1 I have read and they keep getting better. I read a lot of anthologies- the 100- 130 page story is perfect for the half hour or so before turning out the lights!

Recommended reading- Anne Stuart's Still Waters is one of the best romantic suspense novels I have read in ages- check it out! It is a full length book set in bucolic but tainted Vermont.....Other recommendation Maggie Shayne's The Gingerbread Man.

Rating:
Summary: A GREAT CONCEPT AND GOOD STORIES
Review: I really liked the idea that these two stories revolved around each other. A good concept for a two story novel. I LOVE Anne Stuart so, of course, I was sure her story would be the best. But once again Gayle Wilson surprised me. I read my first GW story in Lonesome Rider/The Heart's Desire by GW and Heather Graham. I thought HG's story would be the best. Wrong! GW's was much better. At any rate, this book is worth the money. The writing styles of AS and GW go well together. If you are looking for another alpha male story, please try LONE RIDER by Lauren Bach. It's HOT!

Rating:
Summary: Night and Day
Review: Two celebrated authors combine for two 'editorially connected stories,' as the ads say (because just saying 'connected stories' would confuse people???) in 'Night and Day.' Anne Stuart offers the latest sequel in her all-time classic Catspaw series, while Gayle Wilson brings her latest Man of Mystery. The result is a highly entertaining romp through a world of spine-tingling danger and romance.

There's some irony in the title. Although Stuart is known for her 'dark' heroes, she's no stranger to more light-hearted capers, while Wilson's tales are unerringly dark and humorless. In this collection, Wilson's 'Day' is substantially darker than Stuart's 'Night,' something that shouldn't surprise readers of their Harlequins. In Stuart's tale, cat burglar Michael Blackheart decides to make his final heist by stealing a priceless collection protected by the father he never knew. He doesn't expect to meet Isabel Linden, a woman he would risk everything for, or to find himself facing a deadly conspiracy. In 'Day,' Duncan Cullhane agrees to help Andrea Sorrensen recover the music box her grandmother lost in World War II. Duncan has always loved Andrea, his best friend's widow. Can he protect her when the search leads them to a deadly plot that threatens the world?

I must admit to dreading 'Night,' despite my love for 'Catspaw' and 'Catspaw II.' The idea of Blackheart and his Francesca (Ferris to everyone else) being pushed into middle age to accommodate a new, younger generation held little appeal. I should have had more faith in the author. Stuart dodges the issue by producing an illegitimate son Blackheart never knew he had in Michael, who's been unwittingly following in his old man's footsteps. 'Night' seems to take place in 'real time,' about thirteen years after 'Catspaw II,' appropriate enough since that book came out 13 years ago, keeping the couple from the earlier books in their prime of life. Ferris and the elder Blackheart are as delightful as ever, their chemistry is still potent on the few pages they appear, and I have to admit my favorite parts of the story were theirs. Some readers may have difficulty believing Michael and Isabel are able to fall in love for keeps in one night when they don't spend that much time together. However, the story is still loads of fun, packed with steamy romance, plenty of action and truly evil villains to keep you desperately turning the pages. This is one of the more purely "fun" stories Stuart has written, with one of her patented bad boy heroes. Readers will likely enjoy reading this short novella so much that any concerns about whether this love will last will pale compared to how entertaining the story is.

Fans of Ms. Wilson should find that 'Day' delivers what they've come to expect from her. Strong romance, a somewhat slow start, and a stunning finale in a world made plausibly real. 'Day' actually takes place over several days, allowing Wilson to develop more of a full love story than Stuart could. It's also interesting to note that 'Day' has as much plot as most of Wilson's Intrigues, but the shorter length prevents her from dragging out her story (meaning the endless narration and introspection her characters usually indulge in has been cut), resulting in a faster, more relentless pace. The 140 or so pages will fly by. Her heroine is also wonderful, strong and couragous, though some may find her hero overly familiar. Wilson seems to enjoy maiming her heroes more than any villain does, and Duncan with his prosthetic hand is yet another of her blinded, scarred, and other physically battered heroes tormented by the past. However, this story also features one of her trademark explosive finales that will leave readers gasping for air and simply stunned in the end and the love story is genuinely moving.

Both stories are good. Together, they're great, complementing each other perfect in an ingenious and original plot unlike any you'll find in most romantic suspense novels. This is one of the fastest reads I've had this year. I finished it in one nonstop setting, unable to put either story down. It's a good thing there was that brief break between them so I could catch my breath. For once, Intrigue more than lives up to its name for "breathtaking romantic suspense." "Night and Day" is a treat not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: A GREAT CONCEPT AND GOOD STORIES
Review: Two celebrated authors combine for two �editorially connected stories,� as the ads say (because just saying �connected stories� would confuse people???) in �Night and Day.� Anne Stuart offers the latest sequel in her all-time classic Catspaw series, while Gayle Wilson brings her latest Man of Mystery. The result is a highly entertaining romp through a world of spine-tingling danger and romance.

There�s some irony in the title. Although Stuart is known for her �dark� heroes, she�s no stranger to more light-hearted capers, while Wilson�s tales are unerringly dark and humorless. In this collection, Wilson�s �Day� is substantially darker than Stuart�s �Night,� something that shouldn�t surprise readers of their Harlequins. In Stuart�s tale, cat burglar Michael Blackheart decides to make his final heist by stealing a priceless collection protected by the father he never knew. He doesn�t expect to meet Isabel Linden, a woman he would risk everything for, or to find himself facing a deadly conspiracy. In �Day,� Duncan Cullhane agrees to help Andrea Sorrensen recover the music box her grandmother lost in World War II. Duncan has always loved Andrea, his best friend�s widow. Can he protect her when the search leads them to a deadly plot that threatens the world?

I must admit to dreading �Night,� despite my love for �Catspaw� and �Catspaw II.� The idea of Blackheart and his Francesca (Ferris to everyone else) being pushed into middle age to accommodate a new, younger generation held little appeal. I should have had more faith in the author. Stuart dodges the issue by producing an illegitimate son Blackheart never knew he had in Michael, who�s been unwittingly following in his old man�s footsteps. �Night� seems to take place in �real time,� about thirteen years after �Catspaw II,� appropriate enough since that book came out 13 years ago, keeping the couple from the earlier books in their prime of life. Ferris and the elder Blackheart are as delightful as ever, their chemistry is still potent on the few pages they appear, and I have to admit my favorite parts of the story were theirs. Some readers may have difficulty believing Michael and Isabel are able to fall in love for keeps in one night when they don�t spend that much time together. However, the story is still loads of fun, packed with steamy romance, plenty of action and truly evil villains to keep you desperately turning the pages. This is one of the more purely "fun" stories Stuart has written, with one of her patented bad boy heroes. Readers will likely enjoy reading this short novella so much that any concerns about whether this love will last will pale compared to how entertaining the story is.

Fans of Ms. Wilson should find that �Day� delivers what they�ve come to expect from her. Strong romance, a somewhat slow start, and a stunning finale in a world made plausibly real. �Day� actually takes place over several days, allowing Wilson to develop more of a full love story than Stuart could. It�s also interesting to note that �Day� has as much plot as most of Wilson�s Intrigues, but the shorter length prevents her from dragging out her story (meaning the endless narration and introspection her characters usually indulge in has been cut), resulting in a faster, more relentless pace. The 140 or so pages will fly by. Her heroine is also wonderful, strong and couragous, though some may find her hero overly familiar. Wilson seems to enjoy maiming her heroes more than any villain does, and Duncan with his prosthetic hand is yet another of her blinded, scarred, and other physically battered heroes tormented by the past. However, this story also features one of her trademark explosive finales that will leave readers gasping for air and simply stunned in the end and the love story is genuinely moving.

Both stories are good. Together, they�re great, complementing each other perfect in an ingenious and original plot unlike any you'll find in most romantic suspense novels. This is one of the fastest reads I've had this year. I finished it in one nonstop setting, unable to put either story down. It's a good thing there was that brief break between them so I could catch my breath. For once, Intrigue more than lives up to its name for "breathtaking romantic suspense." "Night and Day" is a treat not to be missed.