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Eternal Nights by Patti O’Shea is one of the best romance novels I’ve read in a very long time. I wanted to break out of the historical romance rut I’d been in, and when I saw this book, set on an alien planet, I jumped on it. At first, I was a little unsure, thinking it would be too far of a leap from the types of romances I’m used to—but boy, I couldn’t have been more wrong. This book was simply excellent.
Kendall Thomas is an army captain stationed on the alien planet Jarved 9. She’s beautiful, of course, but she’s also an excellent officer—and she’s very intelligent. One day, she discovers that someone has been stealing ancient artifacts from the Old City (the planet and its capitol city had been abandoned by its inhabitants three thousand years ago). She tries to get her superiors to turn their attention to the thefts, but she has little luck. Things soon turn deadly when a soldier turns up dead—and Kendall is positive the murder has to do with the thefts.
Wyatt Montgomery is also an army captain, Special Operations, and he happens to be Kendall’s best friend. Wyatt knows that he and Kendall were lovers in a past life (the novel is very New Age-y, dealing with crystals and reincarnation and whatnot), and when he finds that Kendall is in danger for following the thefts, he sets out to save her. While pursuing the thieves, the two of them get trapped in the labyrinth under the giant pyramid situated in the center of the Old City. What follows in an entrancing story of love, simmering sensuality, past lives, and the hope for the future.
I really can’t say enough how well written this book is; it’s suspenseful, funny at times, and very realistic, regarding the military lingo and mindset. Kendall and Wyatt think how people in the Army (and the military in general) really think, and they talk how they talk. And O’Shea really nails the concept of “no man left behind.” The characters are well developed, and you can really see how Wyatt and Kendall grow—both personally and within the confines of their relationship—throughout the book. And, of course, no romance novel would be complete without a few love scenes, and those are excellent, too. They’re extremely steamy yet not pornographic—and I was disappointed that there weren’t more of them.
My favorite part of the book, though, is the ending. It’s poignant and not too sappy—and O’Shea beautifully captures two people working through their own issues to a final acceptance and realization of love.
O’Shea dedicates the book to the men and women of the United States Army, which I thought was a really nice touch. Being a military wife myself, I always like to see our fighting men and women being acknowledged—even if it’s in something like a trashy romance novel.
I would recommend Eternal Nights by Patti O’Shea to pretty much anyone—even if it’s not the kind of book that you usually read.
