I do enjoy time slip stories especially if they are written well and have the ability to make me care about all of the characters, whether they be in the past or present. Let’s just say that The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight definitely reminded me of how much I enjoy these books. In this story we meet Tess who is newly widowed. Soon she will have to leave her home and start afresh but a visit to Raglan Castle changes things as Tess begins to experience visions that she can’t explain. What follows is an engaging story as we follow Tess in the present along with seeing another thread play out in the past. Both of these timelines appealed to me and it was very easy to become invested in all of the characters situations.

The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight also had a hint of a paranormal edge. The occasional appearance of a ghostly figure helped to add an extra magical element. The setting also played its part in this story. Featuring two imposing buildings, Raglan Castle and Merrick Court. I have to say that some of my favourite parts were when the gardens of Merrick Court were slowly brought back to life. Especially seeing the interactions between Tess and Josh. There is romance within this book and it was beautifully played out for all the characters. The hint of danger in both timelines also brought drama to an already engaging plot. The pacing of the story was lovely and I enjoyed seeing all of the secrets revealed.

Dreams, visions and romance. This is a good read for those looking for a diversion. The characters are well draw and if the plot is a bit woo woo, well, that's just what we need sometimes.

This was a lovely timeslip novel – effortlessly weaving a historical setting with present day. The characters are well rounded and interesting. The settings really draw you in and you can imagine being there. It’s my first novel by Christina Courtney and I will be eager to read more.

An atmospheric, gripping and mesmerizing timeslip novel, The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight is a dazzling page-turner from award-winning author Christina Courtenay’s spectacularly talented pen!

Tess, Lady Merrick, has not had the easiest time lately. After the death of her husband in a traffic accident, Tess has been lumbered with his debts, his domineering and snobbish family and an uncertain future. It’s purely because she has so much on her mind that, on a visit to Raglan Castle, she had been troubled with an extraordinary vision that transported her back to seventeenth-century Wales and a castle that is about to be plunged into a siege. Tess thinks that this vision was a one-off brought about by stress and panic, but when the strange dream continues, she begins to wonder whether there is something even more sinister afoot…

New Zealander Josh Owens had been absolutely floored when he had been informed that he had just inherited Merrick Court. The sheep farmer is more used to back-breaking physical work than to stately homes and family estates, but when he travels to England to try and figure out what he is going to do with his inheritance, he is surprised when he finds out that Merrick Court’s current chatelaine is not the old dowager he had imagined, but a young, smart and attractive woman he cannot help but be drawn to!

On his arrival at Merrick Court, Josh begins to become troubled by visions of the past – visions that Tess is also experiencing. As they join forces to get to the bottom of the mystery of Arabella Dauncey and Rhys Cadell, they soon find their feelings for one another escalating and becoming far deeper than they ever imagined. Will Tess and Josh manage to put old ghosts to rest and grasp this sudden chance of happiness? Or is their fledgling relationship doomed to fail with past foes and new enemies all seemingly hellbent on breaking them apart and destroying any chance they might have of a happy future?

Christina Courtenay rivals Barbara Erskine and Susanna Kearsley with her ability to deftly and effortlessly juggle two narratives with ease and imbuing her books with vivid period detail, breathtaking and evocative atmosphere, searing emotional drama, nail-biting intrigue and powerful romance. The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight is a stunning tale of secrets, deception, redemption and unexpected romance that I found absolutely impossible to put down. Christina Courtenay has penned two engrossing and enjoyable love stories that will move, enthrall and engage her readers, who will grow so fond of her richly drawn characters and the wonderful worlds she has evoked in her story, that they will be reluctant to say goodbye to them at the end of the book.

A first class read from one of the best writers in the business, The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight is another triumph for Christina Courtenay!

An enjoyable time slip story. Out of my comfort zone, as I do not normally read these, but I did enjoy this one. The characters were engaging, and the historical and factual elements were cleverly woven by the author.

The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight is an historical fiction which moves between the present where the heir to Merrick Court, Josh Owens, has arrived and is deciding whether or not to sell the mansion and 1646 with a backdrop of the lead up to the British Civil War.
In 2016 Josh is feeling an unexplained pull not only toward the mansion itself but also toward its current inhabitant, the former Lady Merrick.
In 1646 we are privy to the budding romance between cavalry officer Rhys Cadell and Arabella Dauncey as the downfall of Raglan Castle looms.

The dual narrative, separated by centuries however cleverly connected through paranormal occurrences, slowly unfolds to show parallels in the characters lives.
The language changes realistically as the story moves between the centuries. I was equally intrigued by both stories and one didn’t overpower the other. Both had equal amounts of romance, misunderstandings, danger and suspense.

I’ve discovered a new, to me, author and I’m so pleased she has many more novels I can lose myself in.

With characters to love and truly sinister characters to hate the Velvet Cloak of Moonlight is highly recommended for readers of historical romance.