Lady Anne was being set aside because King Robert had found a new lover, a new mistress.  She should consider herself lucky, she was to now wed a man whose family had been held in high esteem by King Robert’s father.  Her family was quite happy with how well she was to be settled, yet Anne was not happy since she had been in love with Robert

Upon her arrival at her new home, Anne begins to learn that not everything is as she believes.  Those who are held responsible for the citizens, instead protect those who are the culprits.  Nocturne, a wanted brigand who steals from the rich, in fact helps protect the citizens.  It is he who Anne turns to for help in learning how to defend herself, but he demands that she learns the realities of life.  Not the illusion that she had believed at court.

If you are looking for a romance with a “Masked Man” and a slight touch of the paranormal, then Nocturne is the perfect story.  Anne is settling into her new life with her husband Alaric, but he obviously has another life.  She assumes that it is a mistress that keeps him away from her bed.  Nocturne has saved her life twice and he helps teach her to open her eyes to the world around her. 

At first glance, Nocturne is a typical historical, maybe regency, of a young woman sent off for marriage.  Yet there are subtle touches of paranormal, which makes this story “other-worldly”.  I really enjoyed that aspect.  Although I love a great paranormal, this was a refreshing change.  I’m also a sucker for a secret identity, a masked man, anything paranormal and Nocturne had it all.