Caffeinated Book Reviewer: The Lost Night by Jayne Castle

The Lost Night
by Jayne Castle
Series: Harmony #9 Arcane Society #13
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: September 4, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Suspense
Purchase: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

Realizing she fits into neither the Harmonic Enlightenment community in which she was raised nor Harmony's mainstream parapsychology world, aura healer Rachel Blake heads for sanctuary on Rainshadow Island to reopen her bookstore and café and regain her balance. Then shadow-aura Harry Sebastian barges into her life. Namesake of his legendary pirate great-grandfather and scion of the family who owns most of the island, Harry is on a mission to see what's wrong in the island's mysterious, dangerous Preserve. Rachel's senses go on high alert, and she knows without a doubt that her life is about to change. Harry knows it, too, because Rachel holds the key to the mystery. Unfortunately, he's not the only one who knows. VERDICT Overflowing with sassy dialog, psychically charged sex, and unexpected plot twists, this story of missing memories, hidden identities, shadowy monsters, and psychic vampires takes fans on a spirited, surreal journey, skillfully wrapping up one story while setting the stage for future adventures. Another irresistible futuristic sparkler. Castle (Canyons of Night) lives in the Seattle area.

This novel was an absolute pre-order for me. I love the Harmony and Arcane series. All of the books are designed to be read as a standalone, but I have read them in order since book one. The Lost Night offers up a suspenseful paranormal mystery with a healthy side dish of romance. Every time I open a Castle novel I find a delicious escape.

The novel centers on Rachel Blake an aura healer who was raised in a Harmonic Enlightenment community. Rachel doesn’t quite fit in and after trying life in the big city; she chooses to reopen her Aunt’s bookstore and café on Rainshadow Island. There has been a lot of unexplained paranormal activity near the Preserves and Harry Sebastian is sent in to take a look. The Preserves are a dangerous sanctuary filled with psi-energy. Despite safeguards and warnings, would be treasure hunters and explorers enter and never return. When Harry shows up on the island and asks for Rachel’s help, she had no idea how much her life is about to change. The tale that unfolds is filled with suspense, monsters, romance and enough twists to keep me turning the pages.

Castle always provides delightful characters that I can connected with. Rachel is sweet, caring and trying to find her way. She is confident in who she is, but very unsure how others perceive her. She has a remarkable gift, and a unique outlook based on her upbringing. Harry is of course completely swoon-worthy and an all out hero. He is however flawed. He is a powerful para-hunter and his skill level is off the chart. He sees himself as a monster, and tries to keep control of his abilities. The chemistry between Harry and Rachel was intense. They were both leery and the dance they performed was delicious. Castle gave us a creepy villain, a para-vampire who gave me the chills. I loved going back to Rainshadow Island and seeing some of the characters from the previous novels.

The world-building Castle has created in this futuristic world is fascinating. Harmony is actual another planet that Earth colonized. After a tragic event, it became shut off from Earth. Filled with alien artifacts it’s always a cool place to visit. Despite the strange landscapes, it has been colonized much like Earth, and the cities and towns are all unique. The Preserves on Rainshadow Island is fascinating and scary. I loved learning more about it and the owners who claim responsibility for it. In this tale, we have thieves trying to enter the preserves, and they are willing to use whatever means necessary. Something they are doing is affecting the weather. I quickly became swept up in the story and consumed this in a single evening.

I recommend The Lost Night and the Harmony series to fans of paranormal suspense and romance. Jayne Castle is a Pseudonym for author Jayne Anne Krentz. She is one of my favorite authors, and I have read almost everything she has published. I credit Krentz for introducing me to the world of paranormal woo-woo, with her novel Second Sight, the first book in the Arcane Society published under the pseudonym Amanda Quick.

I gave this novel 3.5 coffee cups out of 5.