Reviewed by Heather C
Title: Darkness at Endersley
Author: S.A. Meade
Series: The Endersley Papers #2
Heroes: Joshua Endersley/Daniel Wyndham
Genre: MM Historical Romance
Length: 208 pages
Publisher: Totally Bound
Release Date: July 11, 2014
Available at: Totally Bound and All Romance Ebooks
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Joshua thought he’d left his past behind, but there’s something in the darkness at Endersley.
Joshua Endersley is glad to leave a broken engagement and his sordid desires behind in London and claim his inheritance on the rolling downs of Wiltshire. What he doesn’t need is temptation in the form of artist, Daniel Wyndham, to remind him of all he wanted to forget.
Joshua finds Daniel impossible to resist and the two men embark on a passionate affair that draws them ever closer. Joshua believes that he can find happiness and live his life the way he wants to in the peace and seclusion of Endersley.
But nothing good can last forever. The very remoteness and solitude that Joshua loves about Endersley turns against him—the darkness at Endersley is deeper and more dangerous than he could have ever imagined.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of violence.
Review:
It’s 30 years after Lord of Endersley, and Jacob’s nephew and heir, Joshua, is ready to move in and run the estate. Joshua has broken his engagement with an unstable woman and is ashamed of his many indiscretions at the London brothels. Moving to Endersley, in the middle of nowhere, should do him some good. But when artist Daniel Wyndham comes knocking on Joshua’s door, Joshua’s temptations have come to his home.
I have mixed feelings on this story. I loved the whole “idea”, but there was just something keeping me from completely falling in love with it. I’m not one to complain about a lot of sex, but this was too much sex. So much of Joshua and Daniel’s interactions were them having sex or leading up to them having sex. And it very quickly began to feel repetitive and predictable. I don’t feel like I ever really connected with either character. I certainly never “knew” either guy, because their reactions to certain situations did not seem true to the character as I thought I knew them. I’m not 100% sure I believe in Joshua and Daniel’s HEA; I know actions can speak louder than words, but I really needed for Daniel voice to Joshua those three little words.
This one wasn’t nearly as heartbreaking as I expected. When I reached 52%, I was waiting for something tragic to happen…this is S.A. Meade here! But it never really came. I mean, Daniel was breaking my heart with all his contradictions, and the back and forth he kept doing with his commitment to Joshua made me not like him as much as I probably should have.
I was really into the drama/suspense parts of the book. Yes, I was completely duped on who the bad guy was. Plus, there were some scenes that really spooked me. I definitely felt the danger for the characters…that was me waiting and expecting something tragic to happen.
My favorite parts of the story?
Jacob and Marcus! Oh man, those two are so great, and getting to see them still together after so many years was absolutely beautiful. And I loved seeing “Captain Billington” back in action.
Then there was Daniel’s artwork. The imagery of those sketches and paintings was so well done, I could totally imagine them in my head. And those scenes where Daniel sketched Joshua…gah, they were sexy. Throughout the entire story, I kept thinking Daniel better do a portrait of Jacob and Marcus. And he did!!
I must not forget Endersley. It’s like a character all in itself, and the author perfectly captured the “feel” of the setting. I loved seeing the changes that Joshua made with the place in the end.
This could probably read as a stand alone, although it will totally spoiler Lord of Endersley, and I would hate for that to happen.
I know my review here is completely backwards: starting with what I didn’t like and ending with what I did. But overall, I really did like the book, just not as much as the first one. I would still recommend it and can’t wait to see who the next book is about.
Overall Impression: I Liked It
*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*
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