Nocturne

Posted First at the Romance Reviews

In Nocturne, Syrie James has given us a poignant yet searing tale of forbidden love. From the beginning you are haunted by the longing and mystery of this pair of strangers as they overcome their fears and allow their passions to ignite. Set in the beautiful snowy mountains of the Northwest, you fall in love with the characters as well as the beauty. The mystery gently pulls you into the depth of secrecy and desire that finally springs forth into a raging inferno.

Heading Home from a ski trip, Nicole Whitcomb is not ready to give up the beauty of the mountains and snow. Yet she must, but finds herself the last to leave as she absorbs the beauty and freshness to hold in her memory. Waiting until the last show more minute she believes she will outdrive the storm that appears to be building. As the curtain of snow thickens, Nicole begins to realize she may have made a terrible error in judgment. Rounding a curve and hearing a horrific sound behind her, she realizes she has no choice but to move forward as her retreat has been cut off by an avalanche that has covered the road. As she realizes her danger she feels her control slipping away as her car plows into a snow bank, knocking her unconscious.

Michael Tyler has moved into the quiet country to be alone. With the equipment to keep his own property free of snow, he clears his road of the heavy slush and snow that begins to pile up during this latest storm. Seeing headlights where there should be none, he is unsure what he wants to do. All too quickly the decision is no longer his as he see the vehicle leave the road and almost bury itself under a snow bank. Knowing the road has now been closed and with no chance of rescue from the authorities or road crews, he must react. His surprise and dismay are apparent as he finds Nicole unconscious and realizes he must take her into his home until the roads are clear and she is able to recover enough to move on.

This bringing together of two people in the middle of nowhere, with no other humans present for miles creates an initial tenseness, that soon becomes an attraction, difficult to ignore.

The tensions build, yet there are secrets that Michael is not willing to share. As the passion and begins to weave its way in even the mildest of conversations, Nicole does not understand why Michael ignores the signs. She can feel his interest, but she can also sense a strange and foreboding secret that nips at her internal alarms. The heat level is exciting but the mystery is intriguing and yet terrifying at some level.

James has given us an incredibly sexy story set in the beauty of an unspoiled frozen tundra. The weather forms a barrier that brings in a dream like quality to the story, making it both haunting and exciting. The interplay of the characters is playful and yet sometimes hurtful as they continue to fight the flames of love and lust that begin to bloom and grow.

You will love this beautiful and mysterious story, full of love and longing, but with a passion that sizzles through the pages. The characters are bold and imaginative and our hero Michael is everything a woman looks for in a man, but just a bit more. What is the Secrect he is hiding? Why is he so elusive and why does he never eat, and rarely sleep? Be prepared for an old fashioned, burning love story with up to the minute suspense.

This book was received free through the authors publicist. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material. show less

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

If you’re a fan of the romance genre, you’re probably familiar with ‘Cabin Romances.’ That refers to stories where the couple is largely isolated from the rest of the world whether in an elevator, jungle, deserted island, or most commonly a cabin. Cabin Romances were always my favorite because they usually have the most deliciously intense buildups because the characters literally can’t escape each other. NOCTURNE is the perfect cabin romance because not only does it feature two strangers snowed in on a mountain, but one of them happens to be a vampire.

There is an initial Beauty and the Beast vibe that worked beautifully in NOCTURNE. Michael was understandably aloof and gruff with show more Nicole at first as she was a constant temptation to him. She would begin to draw him out only to meet his sudden temper when he was in danger of losing control. Nicole was of course confused and hurt by these rapid changes but very much still drawn to the kinder glimpse she saw.

NOCTURNE is very much a traditional romance with two characters who each have their own personal baggage that they help the other overcome: his a vicious early life as a vampire, hers a personal tragedy that she still blames herself for. There actually isn’t a single other character in the book (unless you count the animals), so that coupled with the intensity and isolation of their circumstances does advance the romance rather quickly, but the blossoming attraction turned affection turned love still feels very authentic and natural.

The ending was heartbreaking and very bittersweet. I imagine there will be quite a bit of controversy. I had to think about it for a long time before deciding that it was the right ending. I’m still hopeful for a sequel, but I think this was planned as a stand alone novel. Still, NOCTURNE is the perfect novel to read on a cold winter night, curled up in front of a roaring fire and let this impossible romance sink into your soul. Just beautiful.

Sexual Content: Several moderately graphic sex scenes show less

Nocture was a dark but still sweet book. It's plot was unique in that there are only two characters and it spans over four days. This is a unique challenge and James does it well. I still cared for the characters, and in fact, I was able to learn so much more about them.
I really enjoyed the little details that made Michael's character believable and likable. He is a complex character with a history and hobbies and interests.
Even though Nicole is not a teen, I was still able to connect with her. She had a great voice, and believable reactions. I like that she acts in fear and questioning like I probably would if I happened to be in that situation.
The ending is bittersweet. I appreciate what they did and why they did it. It is unique show more and has stayed with me.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a paranormal romance with vampires, with a bit of a new twist. show less

First thing--when I originally finished the novel, I had no idea a 'sequel' was (hopefully) in the future. I only recently learned about this in an interview the author had given for another site. This changed how I felt about the ending because the ending to the book? It felt right and it definitely fit with what we learned about the characters, their motivations and their overall worldview. It was just...I think I let myself become a bit too invested in the characters? So the ending didn't satisfy what I was looking for.

After learning about the future sequel however I was able to take stock and was content with the ending.

I haven't read any of James' previous novels, though I've heard good things about them. Sadly they didn't appeal show more to me in the same way Nocturne has. From the first time I saw the cover to the first time Nicole meets Michael I was hooked. James is honest and inviting. Though the story is set in one place with two people, trapped in a snowstorm, James never makes it feel like it's just counting down the pages until somethinghappens. Over the course of the days we watch as their regard for each other grows. Nicole admires the fact that Michael is such a beautiful writer while Michael appreciates her generous nature for instance.

This is a romance and the romance is sensual in nature for the most part. James builds the attraction between the two through intimate chats and revealing moments together. When Michael is demonstrating his carpentry skills to Nicole, and uses a very hands on approach to help her, I felt hot under the collar. It was all very seductive. As they grow closer and more intimate there's is not so much a firecracker wild exploration, but a genuine matching of thoughts and feelings.

Some of the action felt too abrupt while other parts (the truth of what Michael is) seemed to take a while to come around. There are several times that I had to pause and scratch my chin and wonder if Nicole truly didn't understand or if she didn't want to. There was also a definite feel of 'love conquers' near the end, which isn't a bad thing, but felt too pat for some of the traumas they both went through.

As I said I'm content with the ending now, but that's because there's a possibility of a second book. If there wasn't, this review would have been written in a much more...frustrated fashion believe me show less

Immediately from the first page I knew I was going to love Nocturne. Syrie's writing style was very clean and simple. The story takes right off with Nicole driving in a horrible snow storm trying to catch her flight home. She had no idea what fate was about to hand to her. Everything moves at a fast pace, but not fast enough for you to feel the story was just rushed and unreal.In Nocturne you quickly fall in love with the characters. The emotions Nicole and Michael feel towards each other was really touching. They both had a broken soul and found comfort in each other. They helped each other move past certain things in their lives and they both learned that love does exist and is a very powerful thing. Reading Nocturne made me want to show more fall in love all over again. There's nothing like that feeling when your first falling in love.Michael was just so gentle and sweet towards Nicole, and she was just your average type of girl. The book is strictly Michael and Nicole and that was also another thing I really enjoyed. Michael has always lived alone and pretty much hid from the world. He's been in love before and had many girlfriends, but when Nicole enters into his world, he discovers life again. Nicole has experienced a lot in her life and wasn't really looking for love. Michael just entered her life and made a big change. They were just perfect for each other. From their first meeting to the end, you will have butterflies in your stomach.Nocturne is a really sweet and beautiful story. It was also beautifully written and not your normal happy ending. It does have a happy ending, but it is not what you would expect. I loved it! I was really touched by this story.5 out of 5 Stars! show less

Romantic, sexy-time, vampire smut laid on reeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaallllly thick. Oh, Michael Tyler, let me count your inconceivable perfections:

British accent
Handsome & Fit
Humane & repentant vampire with all attending attributes of super strength, super speed, super healing saliva, super libido, etc
Best-selling author of historical fiction
Expert pianist
Preternatural sensitivity to prey animals
Gardener
Architect/Carpenter/Woodcrafter
Music box maker(!!)
Millionaire
Physician
Oh, and, he lovingly shampoos your hair in the bath

Indeed. Fantasy with a capital F.

Nocturne has an entire "been there, done that" feel to it that prevents a reader from truly enjoying it. A mysterious vampire, love at first sight, the threat his "condition" brings to their relationship - sound familiar? One would think we were done with stories that replicate Stephenie Meyer's phenomenally successful Twilight Saga, but apparently not. Even the dialogue was similar, especially when she tells Michael to "Say it. Say that you're a vampire." One of its only saving graces is the fact that Nocturne is definitely for adults, complete with adult situations. Michael is another. Michael is a proper vampire, fully cognizant of his potential danger but not trying to hide who he is either. The other positive is the show more not-so-happily-ever-after ending. The romantic will despair of the ending, but the pragmatist will celebrate the common sense approach to Michael's and Nicole's future. Ms. James should be commended for writing a decent story that has no other characters other than Michael and Nicole and no other setting other than his house within the Colorado mountains. It is tough to do, but she does succeed with it. If only her subject matter would have been slightly more unique, then Nocturne would have been an unequivocal success. show less