Reviews

Midnight Scandals by Courtney Milan, Carolyn Jewel, Sherry Thomas

jackiehorne's review

4.0

3 for the Jewel, 4 for the Milan and Thomas

sweehan's review

5.0

4.5 stars

5 stars for Carolyn Jewel and Courtney Milan and 4 stars for Sherry Thomas.

iskanderjonesiv's review

4.0

Welcome to Doyle's Grange, a charming house near the hills of Exmoor, where the garden is beautiful in every season, and the residents are respectable year-round.

Except when the clock strikes midnight...

One Starlit Night, by Carolyn Jewel

Ten years away from Doyle's Grange isn't quite long enough for Viscount Northword to forget Portia Temple, or their passionate adolescent affair. Portia, however, is about to marry another man. Northword tells himself it is wrong to interfere in her life at this late hour, but interfere he cannot help, with his words, his body, and the truths of his heart.

What Happened at Midnight, by Courtney Milan****

Fleeing the consequences of her father's embezzlement, Mary Chartley takes a position as a lady's companion, only to find herself a virtual prisoner at Doyle's Grange, her employer's house. And then the nightmare truly begins: the man she loves, who also happens to be the man from whom her father stole, shows up at her door seeking recompense. And not merely in pound sterling...

A Dance in Moonlight, by Sherry Thomas

After losing her childhood sweetheart to another woman, Isabelle Englewood is heartsick. But then something remarkable happens: Upon arriving at Doyle's Grange, her new home, she meets Ralston Fitzwilliam, who looks almost exactly like the man she cannot have. Come late at night, she tells him, so I can make love to you pretending that you are the one I love.

Little does she realize what she is about to unleash...

**

abderiandumpling's review

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

seeinghowitgoes's review

1.0

I love all three of these authors but somehow every story in this anthology just really did not hit the mark for me.

readerpants's review

5.0

That was a wonderful trio of novellas. So many feelings, so much processing...not much non-feelingsy plot, which works for me. I'm a little mystified by the mediocre reviews, honestly. Happy book sigh.

bannisterb's review

1.0

Just couldn't get into this. The stories were loosely connected by place, but they weren't interesting. I started with Milan's story, but it's my least favorite of hers I've read this far. Disappointing.

erinla42's review

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

bananatricky's review

3.0

Ok, say I haven't actually finished reading this but I wanted to review the first story while it was fresh in my mind.

One Starlit Night - Caroline Jewel
I feel like I've missed something. Northword and Portia were childhood friends, more correctly Northword was Portia's brother's friend and they knew each other from the ages of 8 and 6. They fell in love/lust ten years later and were hot and heavy until his father (the then Lord Northword) effectively blackmailed her to leave him because she was not good enough.

Spoiler

She also had an abortion, of a child which Northword knew about

. In pique Northword married someone else. Ten years later, his wife is dead and he visits his old friend. So far, spoiler notwithstanding, a typical historical plot. But then there is the sister-in-law Eleanor. She was by far the most interesting character - passive aggressive? Sure. Manipulative? Oh yes. Did the plot around her go anywhere? No. I feel like I've missed the real story.

What Happened at Midnight - Courtney Milan
A much more rounded story. Mary's father embezzled money from his partners then killed himself leaving Mary to face them. Mary dislikes two of her father's partners but was engaged to the third, John Mason. Of course the engagement is off once he finds out that her father has stolen his nephew's inheritance. Yet John is still gentleman enough to protect Mary and help her leave - only to find she has disappeared. Some time later John learns where Mary is through a slight acquaintance. Almost incandescent with rage at being duped, and yet still partly in love with her, John tracks her down. But, instead of living the high life on the ill-gotten gains, John finds Mary acting as a lady's companion and subjugated by her employer's husband.

The plot is well-written and thought out, there is a link with the characters of the preceding story and I enjoyed the resolution.

A Dance in Moonlight - Sherry Thomas
Sorry, tried two or three times but had to DNF.

the_discworldian's review

3.0

Popsugar 2018 Reading Challenge: A book with a time of day in the title

Cute if overall predictable. The stories got stronger over the three, with the first one definitely the weakest. I enjoyed the Heiress Effect prototype of the second book and that the third one had a pair of leads who were relatively mature and nobody had to be "awakened." It kept me occupied on a plane ride, although my seat mates may have wondered about all the times I rolled my eyes.

I still question romance novels that feature all the sex scenes from the male perspective. Aren't these books supposed to be written for women, like, women who are into dudes? So why are all the sex scenes from the dude's perspective?

I mean, I think I know the answer, but it's just depressing. Anyway, a quick read, will keep you occupied on a plane.