Touch of Night

Niclas Seymour has been cursed. Once considered the most eligible bachelor in all of London, he now leads a reclusive life, hidden away from everything he once enjoyed. Niclas must keep his distance from society and let them simply believe he has gone mad. For if they were to discover his curse or learn of his magical powers, it would damn the entire Seymour family.

Inadvertently, Niclas caused the death of his best friend. Because magic played a hand in the tragedy, a curse befell him, causing him to not only hear the thoughts of everyone around him, but not allowing him to sleep. His only hope at salvation is by helping a relative of his dearly departed friend, and that relative just so happens to be the lovely Julia Linley. Her family believes her Aunt Alice is being forced into marriage by Niclas' eccentric uncle, and so they have decided to send Julia to her aid. Niclas must convince Julia's family to let him escort her, despite the rumors of his madness. He soon learns that only Julia can dull the voices in his head by the simple touch of her hand, a power that only magical families should possess. Is Julia indeed magic, or is it simply the magic of love? And will it be enough to break the curse?

Touch of Night includes everything this reviewer craves. With a historical base, this story blends magic, fantasy and romance into one extraordinary tale. From page one, I felt Niclas' torment, his desire to right a wrong and break a curse unfairly put upon him. Julia is the perfect heroine, standing beside the man she has always loved. Together, this couple triumphs over good and evil, taking the reader on one incredible journey. I'm very much looking forward to Susan Spencer Paul's next book in this series - Touch of Passion.

Reviewed by: Jennifer M.