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accidentalspaceexplorer's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I found the first story annoying because Joe was really pushy and it wasn't cute, and the second one just really didn't do anything for me. Honestly I forgot this one was two novellas in one & I probably would have skipped it if I'd remembered.
brandypainter's review
5.0
This contains new holiday novellas to go with the Fly Me to the Moon series.
I reviewed the first, A Midnight Clear last year. You can read it here.
The second, A Midnight Kiss, is a great addition to must read Christmas romance lists everywhere as well. I just really love all the characters in this series, and getting these little pictures of how the already married astronauts fell in love with their wives is an extra layer of wonderful. This story is about Greg and Betty and takes place mostly over the course of New Year's Eve. It is not one of those fall in love in one night stories though and that is what I love most about it. Greg is at a party he doesn't want to be at. Betty is having her worst night in recent memory. They up connecting (and yes, kissing), but at the end of the night they have to say good bye. Greg is returning to flight training. And I think my favorite part about this is how it shows a couple building a connection over time that is founded in a chance encounter and a bit of recklessness. Because in the light of day they choose to pursue that connection through letters and phone calls over months of a long distance relationship. It was really great. I want to go back and read [b:Star Dust|29772667|Star Dust (Fly Me to the Moon, #1)|Emma Barry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459762835s/29772667.jpg|46255881] again to see these characters through the lens of their own stories.
I reviewed the first, A Midnight Clear last year. You can read it here.
The second, A Midnight Kiss, is a great addition to must read Christmas romance lists everywhere as well. I just really love all the characters in this series, and getting these little pictures of how the already married astronauts fell in love with their wives is an extra layer of wonderful. This story is about Greg and Betty and takes place mostly over the course of New Year's Eve. It is not one of those fall in love in one night stories though and that is what I love most about it. Greg is at a party he doesn't want to be at. Betty is having her worst night in recent memory. They up connecting (and yes, kissing), but at the end of the night they have to say good bye. Greg is returning to flight training. And I think my favorite part about this is how it shows a couple building a connection over time that is founded in a chance encounter and a bit of recklessness. Because in the light of day they choose to pursue that connection through letters and phone calls over months of a long distance relationship. It was really great. I want to go back and read [b:Star Dust|29772667|Star Dust (Fly Me to the Moon, #1)|Emma Barry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459762835s/29772667.jpg|46255881] again to see these characters through the lens of their own stories.
maggiemaggio's review
4.0
Two great short stories. I probably like the Reynolds story more (SO sweet), but both were great. These definitely gave great perspective to the series overall.
malus23's review
4.0
Accidently marked a single story version earlier when I was actually reading this version. Still adorable!
solaana's review
Whatever the guy on the cover is wearing, it sure isn’t any kind of regulation uniform
sungmemoonstruck's review against another edition
4.0
A really charming set of holiday novellas that skillfully capture the connection between these characters in a short span of pages, are obviously well researched, and have a lot of nuance for their length.
barefootsong's review against another edition
4.0
A couple of sweet and swoony novellas. Loved the characters and the settings — one in 1948 Annapolis around Christmas and the other in 1950 Huntsville, Alabama, on New Year’s Eve. This definitely needed another editor though — lots of missing words, extra words, and words in the wrong place in sentences. Still enjoyable though and I’ll probably check out more in the series because I love the settings.
melonreads's review against another edition
4.0
Both stories were lovely and tender and sweet and hopeful.
reader_fictions's review against another edition
4.0
Round Midnight consists of two short stories: "A Midnight Clear" and "A Midnight Kiss". They're both really cute, and, I think, effective novella romances, which are a tricky thing to full off. Both stories center on heroes who are pilots during the 1950s.
"A Midnight Clear"
This one was my favorite. I really, REALLY liked it. The hero falls for the heroine at first sight, and he pursues her in a way that, at first, rubbed me the wrong way because it's definitely on the line of stalkerish or maybe past it. However, what makes this romance work is that when she says she doesn't want to marry a man in the Navy (he's a midshipman but also a pilot), he listens and is a good friend to her, putting absolutely no pressure on her because of his feelings. A truly good guy is a man who will, regardless of his own romantic feelings be a good friend to the woman who is not returning them. He buys her gifts but does not seem to expect anything in return, setting him apart from the other young men courting her. Also, I adore that, when he buys her books, he always reads them first, which really creates a camaraderie as they're able to discuss the romance novels she enjoys. Joe's a great hero, and he completely won me over.
"A Midnight Kiss"
While also cute, this one was a little bit more rushed. Betty and Greg only have two hours together before they're feeling pretty serious about their relationship, which then is long distance. However, given the circumstances, I did buy the connection, and I liked that they took their time to bond through letters after that, even if it's not something the reader really gets to see. There's not enough time to fully develop the romance, but what's here definitely works.
"A Midnight Clear"
This one was my favorite. I really, REALLY liked it. The hero falls for the heroine at first sight, and he pursues her in a way that, at first, rubbed me the wrong way because it's definitely on the line of stalkerish or maybe past it. However, what makes this romance work is that when she says she doesn't want to marry a man in the Navy (he's a midshipman but also a pilot), he listens and is a good friend to her, putting absolutely no pressure on her because of his feelings. A truly good guy is a man who will, regardless of his own romantic feelings be a good friend to the woman who is not returning them. He buys her gifts but does not seem to expect anything in return, setting him apart from the other young men courting her. Also, I adore that, when he buys her books, he always reads them first, which really creates a camaraderie as they're able to discuss the romance novels she enjoys. Joe's a great hero, and he completely won me over.
"A Midnight Kiss"
While also cute, this one was a little bit more rushed. Betty and Greg only have two hours together before they're feeling pretty serious about their relationship, which then is long distance. However, given the circumstances, I did buy the connection, and I liked that they took their time to bond through letters after that, even if it's not something the reader really gets to see. There's not enough time to fully develop the romance, but what's here definitely works.
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