"Mine Till Midnight" by Lisa Kleypas

From Amazon.com: 

When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the ton. Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.
 
Wealthy beyond most men-s dreams, Cam has tired of society-s petty restrictions and longs to return to his -uncivilized- Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship-but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. But can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honored arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter-.

***

I had been looking forward to reading this book for quite some time, and had been forestalled from picking it up for a number of reasons. Primary among these was that this particular book was not available as an ebook from my online book retailer. My access to the book changed when I bought a Kindle 2, and was able to buy this book from the Amazon.com Kindle store. (Hurray!)

Anyway, I dove eagerly into this book, for it dealt with Cam Rohan, a man we were introduced to in another one of my favorite Lisa Kleypas books, "Devil in Winter," a part of her Wallflowers series of books. 

"Mine Till Midnight" is the first book of the Hathaways series, but characters from the Wallflowers series appear at times to help smooth over the transition between the two. Cam's story is a pleasure to read, and I greatly enjoy the Hathaway family and like and admire the heroine of the story, Amelia Hathaway. The story is warm, loving, and has enough suspense to keep you turning the pages. (I think I was forced to read far into the night with this one--but who needs sleep?) Of course it ends happy--what romance doesn't? This one has a very satisfying ending, however, and it will have you reaching for the next book in the series to find out how the other family members fare.

Lisa Kleypas writes a depth into her stories that other authors seldom achieve. Her characters at not simply characters--they are people you come to like, come to care for, and want to visit on a regular basis. This book is a gem, and I will admit to you that I've already read the next two books in the Hathaway series ("Seduce me at Sunrise" and "Tempt Me at Twilight") and they are just as special. I will most certainly pick up the next two books of the series just as soon as they are released.

Rating: 5 stars

From Amazon.com: Dulcinea Craven descends from a long line of witches, and she has just inherited wild, untrained magical powers that she has no idea how to control. Now a ruthless vampire and an age-old demon are determined to enslave Cin and steal her power for their own. Her only hope is The Righteous, a band of warrior vampires who slay the rogue undead. Among them is Michael, a fierce swordsman who inflames Cin’s most primal hungers. Showing her a sensual pleasure beyond anything in the mortal realm, she must choose between the human existence she has always known, and immortality as a vampire—a new life filled with forbidden urges, dark yearning, and unearthly passions…

***

I'll admit...I'm late on this review. But, I'm late with it for a good reason, and that reason is that I so loved this book that I had to read the second one, Grave Sins, right away. Jenna Maclaine has created something that I adore...truly adore; she's created a paranormal mystery/adventure series that I could easy follow for years, if Ms. Maclaine keeps on writing them.

Cin Craven is an interesting character--just feisty enough to provide a kick-ass flair to the book, but she's not so hard as nails as to not show her more sensitive side. (I won't spoil any of the series by my review, but I will just say that it is very clear that Cin is devoted to her family and friends, no matter her status in life.)

Two points of the character and her story(s) give me pause. One, Cin could easily become too powerful, and in more than one occasion in the 2 books I've read, her powers seem to "come to the rescue" to save the day perhaps a bit too readily.The other is that Cin, for being such a "young" member of the group she travels with, seems to be leading the investigations a little too soon. I have the feeling that Devlin, Justine, and Michael were quite able to solve problems on their own before Cin arrived. 

Having said that, I will continue to follow this series, and I hope that Ms. Maclaine keeps up the high quality of the stories and of her writing. Truly, I adore series like this, and I find it very difficult (even though there are a multitude of series out there) to find a series/character I like. And I like this series...very much indeed.

Rating: 5 stars

"Night Falls Darkly," by Kim Lenox

From Amazon.com:  Ever since an accident took away her memory, Miss Elena Whitney can’t recall the secrets of her own past. All she knows is that with her mysterious benefactor Archer, Lord Black, returning to London at the behest of Queen Victoria, she should seize the chance to get some answers.

A member of the immortal Shadow Guard, Archer has been summoned to London to eliminate the soul of an evil demon—Jack the Ripper. Archer feels not only bound to protect the women of the night, but also his beautiful young ward, Elena, whom he spared from death two years before. But with a wave of panic spreading across London, Archer fears that Elena is his weakness—a distraction he can’t afford, especially since she’s likely to become the Ripper’s next target...

***

This was a very interesting novel; well-written, interesting characters, and more over, a very good plot. I liked both Archer and Elena very much, in that each had a compelling history, and each had reasons for their decisions as they moved through the story. The secondary characters, Leeson, Mark, and Selene, were also unique and compelling.

Having said all of that, at the end of the book, I wasn't sure I had read a romance novel or a very good paranormal mystery. (I love paranormal mysteries, for I'm a big fan of the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse books.) I think that Ms. Lenox could easily allow Archer and Elena to star in their own series of books, and I would look forward to each  new adventure. She has built enough "story stuff" into her world that she could easily do this, and with her writing skill, I am certain that each new installment would be equally compelling.

The romance in this story, while a vital part of the tale, was not as large a part as found in other romance books. This wasn't bad, not at all, as the attraction between the two protagonists was very convincing. Yet, I found that I wanted to follow their tale after the end of the book; I wanted to see Archer and Elena actually get to "romance" each other a little more, rather than just long for each other. If Elena and Archer play sizable roles in the next book in this series, then I will be satisfied. I suspect they do not, however, relegated to more minor roles.

I will certainly read Ms. Lenox's next book, for she is a wonderful writer. I do hope we see more tales of Archer and Elena in the future. If not, then I'll have to imagine my own.

Rating: 5 stars

"After Midnight," by Teresa Medeiros

From Amazon.com: When the ever practical Caroline Cabot first hears the words, "Our sister is marrying a vampire," from the lips of her fanciful youngest sister, she accuses Portia of having a wild imagination.

But when she discovers their sister Vivienne is actually being courted by Adrian Kane, the mysterious viscount rumored to be a vampire, she decides to accept his invitation to a midnight supper and do some sleuthing of her own. To both her delight and her dismay, she soon finds herself falling under Kane's bewitching spell.
After all, what's a proper young lady to do when her sister's suitor arouses more than just her suspicions?

I've read a couple of Ms. Medeiros' books previous to this one--"Yours Until Dawn" and "Thief of Hearts." "Thief of Hearts" is one for my keeper shelf, as I think that particular story is practically perfect in every way. "After Midnight," while not quite the keeper that "Thief of Hearts" is, the book gives us vampires, and Gothic settings, and lots of romance, in addition to a very good plot involving some well-drawn characters. This book has a fairly large cast of characters, and while some authors relegate their secondary characters to more minor roles, Ms. Medeiros allows hers to shine here, each with their own moment on the stage. This was a enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading the sequel, "The Vampire Who Loves Me."

Rating: 4 stars

"The Mad, Bad Duke" by Jennifer Ashley

From Amazon.com: Meagan Tavistock could easily see how Alexander had earned the nickname Mad, Bad Duke. His deep blue eyes promised sinful pleasure, his touch burned through the silk of her dress, and his rich voice intimated that as soon as they were skin to skin, he’d fulfill desires she didn’t even know she had. When a love spell missed its intended target, Meagan could no longer resist the temptation...until the magic wore off, leaving the pair in a most compromising position. Their only option was a marriage that thrust Meagan into a new world of high danger, dark secrets, and a passion so intense she couldn’t help wondering: Was it the lingering power of the spell or true love at last?

I adored this book, the second book I've read by Jennifer Ashley, the other being "The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. I adored "Ian Mackenze," and it's a toss up as to which book I loved more.

Ms. Ashley writes a very convincing love story, in that she lets the reader "see" the two protagonists fall in love. Her story is also never predictable, which is  is very refreshing. This is a historical story, set in Regency England, yet it also contains a bit of the paranormal, giving it a unique flavor among romance tales. Her primary characters--the hero and heroine--are interesting, as are the secondary characters, who are well-drawn, giving the story additional depth. As I said, I loved this story, and I will certainly read more by this author.

Rating: 5 stars

"Archangel's Kiss," by Nalini Singh

From Amazon.com:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find that she has become an angel-and that her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, likes having her under his control. But almost immediately, Raphael must ready Elena for a flight to Beijing, to attend a ball thrown by the archangel Lijuan. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan's power lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena... 

I only recently read "Angel's Blood," by Nalini Singh, and I found myself wondering why I hadn't read any of her books before. Well, I thoroughly enjoyed "Angel's Blood," and so I snapped up "Archangel's Kiss" the moment it was released.

All I can say is that "Archangel's Kiss" was a very satisfying continuation of the story of Elena and her archangel, Raphael. Not only must they face off against Lijuan and her growing army of reborn, but they must contend with the threat posed by murderous power-play of an unknown, but powerful angel.

I love the characters and world that Ms. Singh has created here. I think I actually liked the second book better than the first one, as Elena and Raphael are past many of the "where are the relationship boundaries?" part of of their relationship, and now present a united front against their enemies.

I also very much enjoy the cast of secondary characters. In addition to Dimitri, Venom, and Illium, we now have Galen, Jason, and Aodhan. All of them have pasts that beg to be explored, and I look forward to learning more about them all. I suspect that we'll also explore more of Raphael's past, and I am anticipating a future visit from his absent mother.

I'm starting in on Ms. Singh's Psy-Changeling series shortly. I am grateful to have discovered Mr. Singh's wonderful work.

Rating: 5 stars

"Lessons in French," by Laura Kinsale

From Amazon.com: 

Trevelyan and Callie are childhood sweethearts with a taste for adventure, until the fateful day her father discovers them embracing in the carriage house and, in a furious frenzy, drives Trevelyan away in disgrace. Nine long, lonely years later, Trevelyan returns. Callie discovers that he can still make her blood race and fill her life with excitement, but he can't give her the one thing she wants more than anything—himself.
For Trevelyan, Callie is a spark of light in a world of darkness and deceit. Before he can bear to say his last goodbyes, he's determined to sweep her into one last, fateful adventure, just for the two of them.

I cannot tell you how much I anticipated this book, since it's been a number of years since Laura Kinsale published a book, and I adore her work. And I must say that I was not disappointed--the book was a wonder.

The story's hero, Trevelyan, has a come home to see his dying mother. The heroine, Callie, has a sister soon to marry, is event is about to leave her in her cousin's home, unwanted. Her prize bull, Hubert, is, however, very much wanted, and it is Hubert, inevitably, who provides reason to bring our hero and heroine together over and over again. 

This was a marvelous tale of family, love, and livestock. (I continue to worry about the fat pig, and hope that her owner takes care to provide her a healthier diet.) Being a country girl at heart, I was overjoyed to read of a heroine in a Regency tale wearing muck out boots on a regular basis...I suspect it will be years, if ever, that I read of such a refreshing woman again. Truly, I loved this book. I hope that Ms. Kinsale does not take a break from her writing again any time soon. (But if she does, I will patiently wait for her new work, and buy it on the spot.)

If you haven't read any of Laura Kinsale's work, this is a fine book to start with. Then, of course, you must read all her other works without delay. If you are like me, then Trev and Callie will long remain in your heart.

Rating: 5 stars