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renpuspita's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Midnight Bayou is one of oldest Nora Roberts title, although written in 2000-ish. It's also already adapted into Lifetime movies, feature Jerry O'Connell that in my opinion while he's an Irish, he's not what in my mind when try to picture the hero, Declan Fitzgerald (funny enough, the movie Declan have Fitzpatrick as his family name). Midnight Bayou is more like paranormal romance, but not that heavy in the paranormal aspect. It's have ghosts, so while it's kinda give me a heebies jeebies, the ghost itself more like memory and didn't appear at all. Only the vibes, and maybe sounds like baby crying, door slammed, music playing. So, if you like your books really haunting, the level of haunting in this book is pretty mild.
I did like the trope "he feel first, she feel harder" that Roberts incorporated and honestly many of her books have trope in which the hero fall in love first or in case of Declan, he fall in love instantly but the heroine is playing hard to get. Although Lena, the heroine, is REALLY playing hard to get. Afraid to fall in love because of her shamed past and constantly guard her heart. I did understand why she behave like that, Lena is prickly af and with good reasons. But honestly when she finally accept that she loved Declan, I just don't feel..the love? I still think that she still guard her heart although less wary than the first.
I liked the past that unravel behind the mansion that Declan try to restore, Manet Hall. It's have Romeo and Juliet vibes, complete with racism and funnily enough a mention of Pride and Prejudice that actually describe the condition of Manet Hall's family. Trigger warning, there's a pretty graphic description of rape and some scenes contain grief that result in suicide by one of the past characters so you might want to read this with caution. Sadly, the ending I feel is just so so.
For romance, it's still worth to read because I really loved to read how Declan try to woo Lena and in process catch Lena's grandmother heart too. But for haunting and chilling factor, then this book is not so much. Still, the book is perfect if you want to read a book with gothic setting and angsty galore.
I did like the trope "he feel first, she feel harder" that Roberts incorporated and honestly many of her books have trope in which the hero fall in love first or in case of Declan, he fall in love instantly but the heroine is playing hard to get. Although Lena, the heroine, is REALLY playing hard to get. Afraid to fall in love because of her shamed past and constantly guard her heart. I did understand why she behave like that, Lena is prickly af and with good reasons. But honestly when she finally accept that she loved Declan, I just don't feel..the love? I still think that she still guard her heart although less wary than the first.
I liked the past that unravel behind the mansion that Declan try to restore, Manet Hall. It's have Romeo and Juliet vibes, complete with racism and funnily enough a mention of Pride and Prejudice that actually describe the condition of Manet Hall's family. Trigger warning, there's a pretty graphic description of rape and some scenes contain grief that result in suicide by one of the past characters so you might want to read this with caution. Sadly, the ending I feel is just so so.
For romance, it's still worth to read because I really loved to read how Declan try to woo Lena and in process catch Lena's grandmother heart too. But for haunting and chilling factor, then this book is not so much. Still, the book is perfect if you want to read a book with gothic setting and angsty galore.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Rape, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Grief and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs
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