Reviews

A Caress of Twilight by Laurell K. Hamilton

_readobituaries's review against another edition

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5.0

Wonderful book! I love the expansion of the story world. The involvement of the Seelie Court was an awesome expansion to the series. I listen to them while at work& it’s lovely to have the distraction while driving from place to place. Definitely a great read (or listen lol)

laurenm2111's review against another edition

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5.0

**REREAD JULY 2014**
This is my all time favourite paranormal romance series ever!! I just love everything about the world that Laurell K. Hamilton has created. Merry and all her Fae men are just gorgeous, and just love the relationships that are continuing to flourish in this, the second book in the series.

**REREAD NOV 2023**
This is still my favourite Fae series ever....as much as I love SJM's worlds - Laurell is the Queen of Fae! Pretty sure this is my third or fourth read of this series - first read back in 2005/2006.

sallie82's review against another edition

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I enjoy this series. The intrigue, mystery, romance it’s all there. Hamilton does a wonderful job with balancing the political intrigue with the mystery and romance that are included with her books. The writing is phenomenal and very catching.

As a current re read (though it has probably been a decade since I read it last) there are things that I have forgotten but there are definitely things that I remembered. But writing a book about the life of a princess who not only has to wade through court politics, backstabbing enemies, and saving the people she cares about. She also has 5 men who are all trying to get her pregnant so she is able to take over the throne.

sharppointysticks's review against another edition

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2.0

Ehh. This series is ok... They're quick reads, but I'm not super intrigued. Once I start a series I have a hard time giving up on it though, so I'll probably end up eventually reading them all. Hamilton definitely has a list of favorite phases, and they carry over from the Blake books to the Merry books. For some reason I find that annoying. I like Hamilton's sense of imagination but her writing is only so so. Still, they are quick and entertaining and there's something to be said for giving one's self a mental break once in a while.

ccoleman813's review against another edition

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4.0

~*~Book Description~*~

“I am Princess Meredith, heir to a throne—if I can stay alive long enough to claim it.”

After eluding relentless assassination attempts by Prince Cel, her cousin and rival for the Faerie crown, Meredith Gentry, Los Angeles private eye, has a whole new set of problems. To become queen, she must bear a child before Cel can father one of his own. But havoc lies on the horizon: people are dying in mysterious, frightening ways, and suddenly the very existence of the place known as Faerie is at grave risk. So now, while she enjoys the greatest pleasures of her life attempting to conceive a baby with the warriors of her royal guard, she must fend off an ancient evil that could destroy the very fabric of reality. And that’s just her day job. . . .

~*~My Review~*~

Ok, book #2 in the Merry Gentry series!

I still am a little hesitant with this series, just because I see some seriously mixed reviews. Between my Goodreads friends, real-life friends, and other bloggers...there really is no consistency.

That being said...I really did like the second book.

I felt more comfortable in A Caress of Twilight than I did in A Kiss of Shadows, mostly because the main characters we've finally met and gotten to know more as well as the life of being a sidhe.

I've read fantasy books before that revolve around the fae (mostly Karen Marie Moning's Fever series), so I understood most of it. But the first book did have a lot of important information that I probably didn't pay enough attention to, but now I understand a whole lot more after reading this book.

Ok...

So, Merry is back in LA with all of her guards/lovers. We have Frost (yum), Doyle, Galen, Rhys, Nicca, and Kitto (not a guard but more 'pet'). She is having her fun romps on the sacks with all so far except Doyle and Galen...both for very different reasons. Though, in this book we finally get to the bottom of what's going on with Galen as well as some unexpected turn of events in the sack for our little Miss. Meredith.

Merry and the boys have had to take a step back from the PI business because of the bad stuff going down with the Nameless and some crazy group deaths. Lots of time for plotting and planning without having to go into work for now, huh?! Or maybe, just some extra time for some lovin...yea, not so much really. LOL

We still have our little humor bits here and there, and we even having feelings of love floating in the air.

Merry is definitely a very special heroine. She is very educated and knowledgeable about the faerie life and those that live in it. I love her brain and her personality! Dare I think I like her more than Anita Blake.....no....not yet, but she's could be in the running!

Great book. Laurell K. Hamilton did another great job!

marpesea's review against another edition

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3.0

Yes I am tearing through this re-read. Sorry not sorry. This book is second verse, same as the first now featuring more glowing skin courtesy of fancy sex magic, more tri-colored eyes, more politicking with evil relatives and more sex magic! Also there’s some evil magic loose and a bunch of people died. 🤷‍♀️

bookwife's review against another edition

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2.0

Everyone I talked to recommends this series to me and I just can not get it for a couple of reasons. One: I do not like Merry.. like at all. Two: All the Fae(SP?) politics. It's boring as hell. Maybe it's because there is so much freaking detail with every aspect of each court and each character and why certain people can talk to others and how she has to act certain ways with each person. I just don't care. I also don't like Fae books in general. I don't like the casualness of sex. I mean casual sex is fine but there was a part in this book where one of the guards sleeping with Merry fooled around with someone else because it would have been rude not to. I just don't like that.

MEH

halcyon_'s review against another edition

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4.75

Last chapter was very short and wrapped everything up with none of the previous 300 pages of exposition

itsadeadpiggy's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

nemerith's review against another edition

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5.0

Truly, I just love this series... I mean, what's not to love? A kick-ass heroine that discovers more and more about herself and her abilities as she goes, that doesn't back down from a fight and I'm not even mentioning the men yet! (Doyle being my absolute favorite so far *sigh*)

For this instalment, we're staying in LA, but no worries, trouble just has a way of finding Merry :) All environments and scenes were detailed and well described, right down to all the blood clinging to Queen Anais at a certain time, lovely.

Character development was good. As I've already said, Merry keeps on learning about her abilities, about what it means to be (a possible) Queen and mostly how to handle the men alongside her. Not an easy task when they are so different. The men themselves open up more to her, some even letting festering wounds heal at long last.

Pacing and flow were really good. A great balance between conversation and action (and yes, that kinda action too!). The book kept my attention from start to finish and made me get the next instalment immediately afterwards (yes, it's just so good!).

While this isn't as bad as the Anita Blake series, there is a lot of sex described. However, not once did it feel too much or just, nope. These highly erotic books are very well written and if you don't mind a few extra partners in or out of bed... hop on, you won't be disappointed!