In Night Light by Jennifer Greene, a surly man opens his home to a stranded woman during a thunderstorm. She stays for the night. That’s when things get weird.
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Night Light by Jennifer GreeneRating:
Published: 1991
Illustrator: TBD
Imprint or Line: Silhouette Desire #619
Published by: Silhouette
Genres: Category Romance, Contemporary Romance
Pages: 192
Format: eBook, Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader
The Book
Night Light by Jennifer Greene was initially published as a Silhouette Desire in 1991. A few years later, Silhouette repackaged it as part of the Born in USA Series as the representative for the state of South Dakota. It’s also been available on Kindle since 2015.
The lesson of this category romance is that it is possible to fall in love in your sleep!
The Setup and Characters
Bree Reynaud has had a rocky history of unsuccessful relationships in her past. She has been on a road trip across the country for over a year to reflect and make changes in her life. Growing up in Louisiana with a large family, this experience of being on her own has been significant for her.
Driving through South Dakota, luck is not on Bree’s side when her car breaks down in a raging storm, stranding her. Luckily, she stumbles upon a large house and knocks on the door to ask for refuge. This is the residence of our hero, Simon Courtland, and his young daughter, Jessica.
Bree can’t help but notice how handsome he is, albeit a bit stand-offish.
The Plot
During the night, she discovers a secret about her host. In the wee hours, Simon comes down the stairs and heads straight for her. At first, Bree is understandably frightened until she realizes he means no harm. He’s not even awake—he’s sleepwalking!
Worse, he keeps talking to her in his sleep. Fortunately, she tells him to shoo off. He listens to her and goes back to bed.
Even so, Bree is perturbed. Yet, with a lightning storm raging outside, no vehicle, and nowhere to go, beggars can’t be choosers.
She intends to leave in the morning, but Simon’s cute and precocious four-year-old daughter convinces Bree to stay on.
But is Bree getting into another familiar situation? History tends to repeat itself, as she is drawn to tend to the wounded, only to have her heart broken in the end.
Simon is rigid and humorless. He has worked hard to be a wealthy businessman. Nevertheless, he’s overwhelmed by the sheer weight of his responsibilities. It’s been that way since he was 14 and forced to care for his family.
With so many people depending upon him as a coping mechanism, Simon has become a somnambulist during waking hours and in sleep. Simon goes through the motions with no time for joy. However, although he has a bitter divorce behind him, he does cherish his daughter.
Bree is a giver, generous to a fault. In her past relationships, she gave and gave but never received in return. Will it be the same with Simon and Jessica? Both need someone to look out for them.
Simon plays the eternal stoic, but his vulnerability is evident when he sleepwalks. No matter where Bree sleeps in that massive home, every night, he seeks her out in his sleep.
It’s a strange situation; he seems to care for her but won’t say so when he’s awake. Bree’s living in an upside-down fairytale, where instead of being pursued by a charming prince, she’s got her personal night stalker.
My Opinion
Bree does her best to resist the feelings she has for Simon, but in the end, she can’t help herself. And Simon falls for Bree’s warm and loving heart. Watching how these two disparate people connect was very sweet. And little Jessica completes their oddball family.
Bree puts the spark back in Simon’s life, and in turn, she finds that Simon’s sturdy shoulders are strong enough to carry her fears away.
Author Jennifer Greene effectively conveyed various emotions in her heartwarming writing. Plus, her witty sense of humor and the outlandish scenarios she put the main characters in had me smiling.
Steam Level: Warm
As for the steam factor? Well, this is a Desire, so there are passionate love scenes, but there’s more emotion to them than action. I’d label this a warm and cozy read, not too erotic.
Final Analysis of Night Light
Night Light was a silly and pleasant read. A free-spirited heroine paired with an uptight hero who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders is always a winning combination in a romance.
Add in some zany sleepwalking antics and a cute, imaginative kid, and you have a fascinating dynamic. Mix it with humor, and it’s a hit!
Jennifer Greene has sold more than 86 books and has received numerous writing awards. These include six RITAS from the Romance Writers of America, including the RWA Hall of Fame Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award, and several Career Achievement Awards. With Night Light as an example of her work, one can see why she was so acclaimed.
This was a very charming romance.
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Synopsis
ON A DARK AND WINDY NIGHT…
Storm-tossed Bree Reynaud knocked on the door of a spooky mansion, never expecting to be greeted by an attractive man and his wise-beyond-her-years daughter. Simon Courtland was cranky, but when he offered the exhausted Bree the spare bedroom, she accepted–never anticipating he’d show up there later as a half-clad sleepwalker!
Staid, serious Simon knew his life lacked . . . something. He claimed that all he wanted was for Bree to stay on as housekeeper, when what he really needed was her love. Could he ever face the fact that he was truly sleepwalking through life, refusing to awaken to a lifetime of happiness with this dream come true?
Night Light by Jennifer Greene