Review: Seduced by a Pirate - Eloisa James

Sir Griffin Barry leapt out of the bedchamber window at age seventeen after a very disappointing wedding night, drank a bit too much at the pub and woke to find that he'd joined the crew of a pirate ship! Years later, he has become one of the most feared pirates on the high seas, piloting the Flying Poppy, a ship he named after the wife whom he fondly (if vaguely) remembers.

What happens when a pirate decides to come home to his wife - if she is his wife - given that the marriage was never consummated? And what happens when that pirate strolls through his front door and is met by . . . well, that's a surprise!

Happily Ever Afters Series:
A Kiss at Midnight
Storming the Castle (Novella)
When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Winning the Wallflower (Novella)
The Duke is Mine
The Ugly Duchess
Seduced by a Pirate (Novella)
Once Upon a Tower (2013)


Visit Eloisa James' website for more information

Review:
I love this series and have enjoyed all of the previous companion novellas but I have to admit that I was nervous about picking up Seduced by a Pirate because I didn't enjoy The Ugly Duchess as much as the previous novels. Thankfully I enjoyed the story a lot more than I expected to even though it has the same issue of a cheating hero as The Ugly Duchess did.

I think that the cheating issue bothered me less this time around because Griffin didn't claim to have been in love with his wife before he left. In fact, they only met at their wedding and Griffin was so intimidated by his beautiful and slightly older bride that he was unable to consummate their vows. By the next day Griffin is out of the country and he doesn't see his bride again for 14 years. Now, I still don't think that excuses his cheating or the fact that he didn't come home to her sooner but it did make me find it a bit easier to forgive him for it. Particularly when he is willing to accept that Phoebe cheated on him and had three children while he was gone! I don't want to say too much about the story because it is always too easy to spoil a novella but I found myself giggling out loud at the misunderstandings between the couple as I was reading.

As a short story this has a satisfying ending, I did feel that Phoebe goes from wanting an annulment to the marriage to trying to seduce her husband a little too quickly though. I also felt that she forgives him a bit too easily for spending the last 14 years away from her but at least he had let her know that he was still alive and had been providing for her financially while he was away which is more than can be said for James in the last book. I find it easier to forgive things moving too quickly when I'm reading a novella because I know that the author doesn't have as much time to go into as much depth that I'd expect from a full length novel.

Seduced by a Pirate is a fun and entertaining read that is sure to appeal to fans of this series. It's perfect for reading in one sitting and left me looking forward to reading Once Upon a Tower when it publishes next year.

Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Ugly Duchess - Eloisa James

Theodora Saxby is the last woman anyone expects the gorgeous James Ryburn, heir to the Duchy of Ashbrook, to marry. But after a romantic proposal, even practical Theo finds herself convinced of her soon-to-be duke's passion. Still, the tabloids give the marriage six months. Theo would have given it a lifetime . . . until she discovers that James desires not her heart, and certainly not her countenance, but her dowry.

Society was shocked by their wedding, but scandalised by their separation. James heads out to sea where he becomes a notorious pirate, and Theo builds their estate into a flourishing concern. Back from the seas, a scandalous tattoo of a poppy under one eye, James now faces the battle of his lifetime: convincing Theo that he loved the duckling who blossomed into the swan. Theo will quickly find that for a man with the soul of a pirate, all's fair in love - or war.

Happily Ever Afters Series:
A Kiss at Midnight
Storming the Castle (Novella)
When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Winning the Wallflower (Novella)
The Duke is Mine
The Ugly Duchess
Seduced by a Pirate (Novella)
Once Upon a Tower (2013)


Visit Eloisa James' website for more information

Review:
I'm a massive fan of Eloisa James's Happily Ever Afters series, I have enjoyed all of the previous books and novellas so couldn't wait to get started on The Ugly Duchess. Unfortunately I was really disappointed with this book, it just didn't meet up with the standards of the earlier stories and I think that is mainly because I have such an issue with people who cheat on their partners. I'm afraid that this review will contain spoilers because I don't think I can fully explain my issues with the book without going into more detail than I usually would so consider yourself warned before you continue reading.

The story starts off well, Theo and James have been friends since they were children and I loved how close they were to each other. Theo has always been considered very plain amongst the members of the Ton but she has a sizeable dowry which has attracted her fair share of suitors. When James's father practically bankrupts the family he tells James that he must marry Theo to secure her dowry - well, what's left of her dowry because his father has been illegally spending that too. James is horrified by his father's actions and doesn't want to marry Theo, not because he doesn't care for her but because he doesn't want to lie to her.

As much as you know Theo is going to be devastated when she finds out the truth I really liked the way James comes to realise how much he genuinely does love her. They make such a sweet couple and the attraction between them is intense. There is a huge fanfare surrounding the wedding though, nobody would have expected a future Duke to marry such a plain bride and it earns Theo the title of The Ugly Duchess. Not long after the wedding Theo discovers the truth behind James's marriage proposal and is rightfully furious. Her insecurities about her looks don't help because she never felt like a deserving wife for James but I think anyone would have been as mad as she was though so I wasn't at all surprised when she tells him to get the hell out of the house and not come back. What did surprise me was that James immediately complies with her wishes, he doesn't even give her time to calm down and come back to try and talk to her - he just walks away from her and sets off to sea where he becomes a pirate.

As much as I was irritated that James wasn't man enough to fight for the woman he loved I could probably have dealt with him walking away if it hadn't been for the cheating. He is gone for nearly seven (yes SEVEN!) years during which time he has not just one but multiple mistresses. We spend the majority of the novel watching him reinvent himself as a pirate while Theo is left at home facing humiliation because she was so ugly her husband couldn't even bear to live with her. I admired Theo for how tough she was, she moves abroad and reinvents herself and I think in time she could have moved on and met someone new. Unfortunately at the point where she is about to have James declared officially dead he decides it would be the perfect time to return and try to win back the affections of his wife.

I don't think I've ever read a romance before where I wanted the heroine to tell the hero to get lost and for her to find someone else to have her happy ever after with but that is what I was desperately hoping for here. James comes back and expects Theo to welcome him with open arms, he admits to having mistresses and blames her because she is the one who told him to leave in the first place - it's not like she didn't have a reason to be mad, he knew he was in the wrong! She has remained faithful to him even when she believed he was dead, she has had her life made miserable by the gossips who love to talk about her and yet she forgives him within days. It just didn't feel believable to me, perhaps if she had made him work for his forgiveness I might have come to forgive him too but as it was I was left hating him and almost hating her for letting him walk back into her life so easily.

I was so disappointed with the way The Ugly Duchess turned out, I loved the characters in the beginning and had such high hopes but by the end I was ready to throw the book across the room. I do still love Eloisa James's writing though and I do love all the other books in this series so I'm definitely looking forward to reading Once Upon a Tower when it is published next year. I would say that if you don't have a major issue with cheating spouses then you'll probably enjoy The Ugly Duchess a lot more than I did, unfortunately for me that coloured my entire reading experience with this book.

Source: Received from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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Quick Review: Winning the Wallflower - Eloisa James

Lady Lucy Towerton:
Plain and tall (according to the lady herself). Titled, and irreproachably proper (according to her fiancé).

Until, overnight, she becomes . . .

Lady Lucy Towerton:
Heiress (thanks to an aged aunt’s bequest). Belle of the Ball (so say the fortune hunters of the ton).

In charge of her own destiny (finally!), Lucy breaks her engagement and makes up her mind to never be proper again . . .

NOTE: This novella is related to "The Duke is Mine" and includes Olivia Lytton





Happily Ever Afters Series:
A Kiss at Midnight
Storming the Castle (Novella)
When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Winning the Wallflower (Novella)
The Duke is Mine
The Ugly Duchess
Seduced by a Pirate (Novella)
Once Upon a Tower (2013)


Visit Eloisa James' website for more information

Review:
Lucy doesn't hold out much hope for her chances of marrying for love, she is taller than most men and rarely even gets asked to dance at the balls she attends.  When Cyrus asks her to marry him she knows it is only because he wants her title.  His mother caused a scandal when she married a mere solicitor and Cyrus is determined to win back the family status.  Lucy is attracted to him though and secretly quite pleased to be marrying him.  Everything changes when she becomes an heiress, suddenly she has people queueing up to marry her and her mother wants her to break off her engagement and find someone more suitable.  Lucy has other ideas though, she has absolutely no intention of marrying someone who wants her for her title or for her money - she'd rather wait for love.

I've really been enjoying Eloisa James' Happily Ever After series and Winning the Wallflower was no exception.  This was a really sweet romance and one I'd definitely recommend to fans of the series.  Although it does include a brief appearance from Olivia Lytton, the main character in The Duke is Mine, this story doesn't include spoilers for that or any other book in the series so far and could easily be read as a stand alone.  This is one of my favourite historical romance series though, especially when I'm looking for a fun, light hearted and saucy read, so I would highly recommend checking out the rest of the books too. 

Source: Received from Piatkus Entice in exchange for an honest review

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New Ebook First Romance Imprint - Piatkus Entice

I had a very exciting email from Piatkus last week about their newest imprint Entice.  I have to say that Piatkus are already one of my favourite publishers for adult paranormal and historical romances so I'm always excited to see what they have coming next.  Here is the press release with all the details:

Whether you're lucky in love or still waiting for The One, we've got something guaranteed to inject a little romance into your Valentine's Day this year . . .

February 14th sees the launch of Piatkus Entice, our brand new eBook-first romance imprint.

With new titles each month from authors including Eloisa James, Laura Wright, Sarah MacLean, Mariah Stewart and many more, Piatkus Entice will be a one-stop-shop for romantic fiction, offering readers everything from virile vampires to fairytale endings, ravishing rakes and so much more besides.

The website is now live at www.piatkusentice.co.uk. Have a look around the site, then follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or sign up to the Entice newsletter for the latest romance news straight to your inbox.

Isn't it exciting!  Here is a quick sneak peak at the Piatkus Entice launch titles:

9 Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen’s club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she’s vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she’s been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she’s not careful, she’ll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .

10 Ways to be Adored when Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean

Since being named ‘London’s Lord to Land’ by a popular ladies’ magazine, Nicholas St John has been relentlessly pursued by every matrimony-minded female in the ton. So when an opportunity to escape fashionable society presents itself, he eagerly jumps – only to land in the path of the most determined, damnably delicious woman he’s ever met!

The daughter of a titled wastrel, Lady Isabel Townsend has too many secrets and too little money. Though she is used to taking care of herself quite handily, her father’s recent passing has left Isabel at sea and in need of outside help to protect her young brother’s birthright. The sinfully handsome, eminently eligible Lord Nicholas could be the very salvation she seeks.

But the lady must be wary and not do anything reckless and foolish . . . like falling madly, passionately in love.

11 Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean

She lives for passion.

Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society’s rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London’s most practiced gossips . . . and precisely the kind of woman the Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.

He swears by reputation.

Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening – risking everything he holds dear – he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety. She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion.

Winning the Wallflower by Eloisa James

Lady Lucy Towerton

Plain and tall (according to the lady herself). Titled, and irreproachably proper (according to her fiancé).

Until, overnight, she becomes . . .

Lady Lucy Towerton

Heiress (thanks to an aged aunt’s bequest). Belle of the Ball (so say the fortune hunters of the ton).

In charge of her own destiny (finally!), Lucy breaks her engagement and makes up her mind to never be proper again . . .

Eternal Blood by Laura Wright

Gray Donahue is crippled by the guilt he feels for his father’s death. An Impure vampire cursed with the ability to hear the thoughts of others, he indulges in blood and sex to stave off the pain of his existence.

He is then abducted by the Eternal Order of Vampires, who subject him to a nightmarish ritual. But when he is rescued by the icy pureblood vampire Dillon, he finds something that is worth living for, dying for, and killing for . . .









So what do you think?  Which of these titles do you want to read first?

I have to say I can't wait to read Winning the Wallflower by Eloisa James.  This novella is linked to her Happily Ever After series of regency fairytale retellings which I absolutely love (read my reviews by clicking on the titles A Kiss at Midnight, Storming the Castle, When Beauty Tamed the Beast and The Duke is Mine) so any new installments go straight to the top of my wish list!

I'm also really looking forward to starting Laura Wright's Mark of the Vampire series.  Eternal Blood is a novella set after book two in the series but I have the first two books on my to read pile so am hoping to get to them soon.  I've not read anything by Sarah MacLean before but I've heard a lot of good things about her books and I've been really getting into my historical romance recently.  9 Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake is the first book in her Love by Numbers series and it's another one that has been added to my wish list!

Review: The Duke is Mine - Eloisa James

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess.  So why can't he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong and altogether unconventional Olivia?  Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper - albeit intoxicating - flirtation makes her unsuitability even clearer.

Determined to make a perfect match, Tarquin methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion . . . until, in his darkest hour, he begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love.  To win Olivia's hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul - but it may already be too late

Happily Ever Afters Series:
A Kiss at Midnight
Storming the Castle (Novella)
When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Winning the Wallflower (Novella)
The Duke is Mine
The Ugly Duchess
Seduced by a Pirate (Novella)
Once Upon a Tower (2013)


Visit Eloisa James' website for more information

Review:
From the minute she was born it has been Olivia's destiny to become a duchess - she has been promised by her parents to marry Rupert, the future Duke of Canterwick.  Alongside her twin sister Georgiana she has been trained to be the perfect duchess but it was always Georgiana who excelled in their classes.  Olivia is too loud, too crass and too curvy to be a "proper" lady.  She isn't thrilled about being promised to Rupert, he is 5 years younger than her and due to a lack of oxygen at his birth he acts even younger than his age, but he is a nice boy and she does care for him. 

Quin is looking for a wife who will be the perfect duchess, after marrying once for love only to have it end in disaster he is now determined to marry for more practical reasons.  In fact he is happy to let his mother chose his new wife to make sure he doesn't make the same mistake again.  When Georgiana is selected as one of his potential brides and Olivia accompanies her to stay with Quin and his mother things get rather complicated.  After all Georgiana is most suited to become his duchess but for some reason Quin can't take his eyes off of Olivia and the attraction definitely isn't one sided.

I never normally read reviews for books that I have on my to read pile but I made a mistake and stumbled across a couple of pretty negative reviews for The Duke is Mine.  So Despite the fact that I really loved the first two books in the Happily Ever After series I was wary about even picking this one up.  I'm glad I put my reservations to one side though because I did really enjoy the story, I loved the relationship between Olivia and Quin and would have missed out on a treat if I hadn't given it a try.  Olivia and Quin are perfect for each other, she brings out his more playful side and teaches him to laugh and have fun again while he helps to tone down her most outlandish behaviour (in public anyway!).

I've seen complaints that Olivia makes fun of Rupert because of the issues with his mental health and I can kind of see where they are coming from.  There was a section where she was talking to Georgiana and they were saying some pretty mean things but I think Olivia was just sounding off her disappointment to the person she was closest to.  Whenever anyone else spoke of Rupert in front of her she always defended him fiercely so I can forgive her for her private conversations with her twin sister.  There was another part that made me slightly uncomfortable but that was down to the actions of Olivia and Rupert's parents who I felt behaved despicably.

Overall I was enjoying the banter between Olivia and Quin far too much to not love the story.  The Duke is Mine is a retelling of The Princess and the Pea, it didn't seem to follow the story line of the original tale quite as closely as the first two books did but the main elements were all there and it was enough to make it recognisable.  I think Olivia and Quin are actually my favourite couple from the series and I can't wait to get hold of The Ugly Duchess when it is released later this year.  If you are a fan of historical romances and you enjoy a good fairytale retelling then you can't go wrong with this series.  I'm definitely a fan of Eloisa James and am planning on checking out some of her other series as well as this one.

Source: Received from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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Review: When Beauty Tamed the Beast - Eloisa James

If only Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne hadn't been caught kissing that prince . . . But now the ton believes Linnet to be with royal child - and therefore unmarriageable - so she might as well make her desperate father happy consenting to wed a beast.

A brilliant surgeon with a reputation for losing his temper - and a wound believed to have left him . . . incapable - Piers, Earl of Marchant, should welcome a bride-to-be carrying a ready-made blue-blooded heir.  But Piers isn't fooled by the lady's subterfuge, and though Linnet's devilishly smart and lovely, there will be no wedding of beauty to beast.

Still, Lisle finds the gorgeous brute intriguing.  And it's obvious to the naked eye that 'incapable' does not mean 'uninterested' . . .

Happily Ever Afters Series:
A Kiss at Midnight
Storming the Castle (Novella)
When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Winning the Wallflower (Novella)
The Duke is Mine
The Ugly Duchess
Seduced by a Pirate (Novella)
Once Upon a Tower (2013)


Visit Eloisa James' website for more information

Review:
I really enjoyed A Kiss At Midnight so this was a series I couldn't wait to continue reading.  The first book was a retelling of Cinderella and I don't think I even need to tell you what When Beauty Tamed the Beast is a retelling of.  Linnet was the one of the Ton's most beautiful young ladies and was expected to make a good marriage. That was before she got caught kissing the prince and rumours circulated that she was pregnant.  With her reputation in tatters Linnet's father is pushing her into marrying as quickly as possible, even if it is to a man she's never met and one who's reputation is that of a beast.  Piers is a skilled doctor but has a foul temper and a crippled leg, rumour has it that he was left infertile by the incident that damaged his leg so it is believed that he will be happy to accept Linnet as a bride even if he does think she is pregnant.  Piers isn't quite so keen on the idea of a wife though, especially one that his estranged father has sent for him and Linnet isn't sure if she could live with a man who has a temper as bad as Piers anyway.

I have to say I loved this couple from the beginning, Linnet is caught in a difficult situation thanks to the unwanted advances of the prince coupled with her mother's reputation.  Everyone in society looks down on her and believes her to be a fallen woman but in truth is is very innocent and at times quite naive.  She isn't a push over though and despite Piers' reputation and the way he shouts and complains when she arrives at his house she refuses to let him order her around.  I really liked the way she stood up for herself and the banter between the two of them was great.  I was left laughing out loud several times throughout the story, particularly after some comments Linnet makes when Piers first takes her swimming.  Piers is one of those heroes you can't help but fall for, he may have a temper and can be a complete ass but he's actually quite charming when you look beneath the surface.

I loved how Linnet and Piers gradually get to know each other and become friends before lovers.  The actual romance is sweet, sexy and was one I know I'll happily read again.  I enjoyed the side story with Piers' parents and my heart broke for him when we discovered how he had injured his leg, it made some aspects of his character much easier to understand.  There was a bit towards the end when I was really annoyed with Piers for the way he treated Linnet but he did manage to redeem himself afterwards.  I did feel Linnet forgave him a little too quickly though, I think she should have made him suffer a little more than she did but they are so obviously made for each other that I'll let her off.

Although part of a series this book can easily be read as a stand alone.  Each of the main novels so far have been about completely different characters.  The only cross over seems to be with the ebook only novellas so I wouldn't recommend reading Storming the Castle before you've read A Kiss at Midnight and I believe that Winning the Wallflower will have some cross over with characters from The Duke is Mine.  That doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend reading the whole series though, I've loved all three stories so far and I can't wait to read The Duke is Mine.  Eloisa James is definitely becoming a firm favourite of mine for fun, sexy, historical romances.

Source: Received from Meghan at Medieval Bookworm as part of the Book Blogger Secret Santa swap, I was also sent a copy from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Storming the Castle - Eloisa James

Brand new novella from NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Eloisa James, exclusive to ebook. Not every fairy tale begins with a prince or a princess... When Miss Philippa Damson runs away from home to Pomeroy Castle, she is far from a princess...she's an extraordinary beauty with ordinary dreams - to live a quiet life as a nursemaid. Jonas Berwick, rakish son of a grand duke, has vowed never to wed. He offers Philippa everything - except his hand in marriage. Philippa has stormed the castle, but now she faces an impossible challenge: to win the love of a prince, she may have to risk everything that makes her a lady. Will the sacrifice of her honour be too high a price to pay?

Happily Ever Afters Series:
A Kiss at Midnight
Storming the Castle (Novella)
When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Winning the Wallflower (Novella)
The Duke is Mine
The Ugly Duchess
Seduced by a Pirate (Novella)
Once Upon a Tower (2013)


Visit Eloisa James' website for more information

Review:
I loved Gabriel's brother Wick in A Kiss at Midnight so I was very excited to discover that Eloisa James had released his story as a novella.  While I would have loved a full length novel with these characters I enjoyed the fact that the story focused on the romance rather than separate side stories and it made for a very satisfying read.

I don't want to give too much away about the plot because it would be too easy to spoil the story so I'm just going to say that I love Wick even more now than I did in the first story.  He is so sweet and my heart went out to him when he puts himself down and believes he isn't worthy of Philippa because of the circumstances of his birth.  I really liked Philippa, she knows what she wants and is determined to go out and get it.  They make a great couple and the romance between them was lovely to read about.  It was great to see how things are going for Gabriel & Kate since the ending of A Kiss at Midnight and I laughed out loud at the antics of Wick & Gabriel's aunt Princess Sophonisba.

If you enjoyed A Kiss at Midnight then you don't want to miss out on reading Storming the Castle, the story still has a fairytale feel to it and the romance is both sweet and sexy.  I'm very excited about reading the remaining books in the Happily Ever Afters series.

Source: Purchased

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Review: A Kiss at Midnight - Eloisa James

Miss Kate Daltry doesn't believe in fairy tales . . . or happily ever after. Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince, and decides he's anything but charming. A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere. For Gabriel is promised to another woman - a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfil his ruthless ambitions. Gabriel likes his fiancee, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn't love her, and knows, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him. Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after - unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.

Happily Ever Afters Series:
A Kiss at Midnight
Storming the Castle (Novella)
When Beauty Tamed the Beast
Winning the Wallflower (Novella)
The Duke is Mine
The Ugly Duchess
Seduced by a Pirate (Novella)
Once Upon a Tower (2013)

Visit Eloisa James' website for more information

Review:
Eloisa James' A Kiss at Midnight is a fairytale retelling - Cinderella with a regency twist - and I loved every minute of it.  Kate has been at the mercy of her wicked step-mother, Mrs Daltry, ever since her father died seven years ago.  She does her best to look after her father's estate while Mrs Daltry wastes what should have been Kate's inheritance on new dresses and ribbons for herself and her daughter Victoria.  Now Kate's sister Victoria desperately needs to marry but before she can do so she must have permission from her fiance's uncle Prince Gabriel.  With Vicky unable to attend the ball where she was to be introduced to Gabriel it is up to Kate to go in her place, she must disguise herself as Victoria and get permission for her to marry Lord Dimsdale.

I've really started to rediscover my love of historical romances in the last few months and have always been a fan of fairytale retellings so I couldn't wait to get started on A Kiss at Midnight.  Having not read anything by Eloisa James before I wasn't too sure what to expect but I'm definitely planning on reading more of her books in the future.  The story had everything I could have asked for - great characters, laugh out loud humor plus a sweet and very sexy romance.

Kate is an easy character to like, she has been put into a very difficult situation since the death of her father - forced to remain living with her step-mother and step-sister because she has nowhere else to go.  She also feels responsible for the remaining servants and the tenants of her father's estate, somebody has to look out for them because it is quite clear Mrs Daltry won't.  She is horrified by the idea of pretending to be Victoria but feels she has no choice but to agree.  When she first meets Gabriel it is hate (and lust) at first sight, the pair bicker like children and I loved watching them try to outwit each other.  As they spend more time together their feelings obviously change but Gabriel is awaiting the arrival of his fiancee and Kate knows that they can never be together.

I loved Gabriel, like Kate he takes his obligations seriously and unfortunately he has a lot of people who he is responsible for.  His castle is a home for the waifs and strays from his family, family that his brother the King is embarrassed by and won't allow to remain living at court.  It is up to Gabriel to provide for them all along with assorted animals who have also been abandoned and the only way he can see to do this is by finding a rich wife.  He is due to marry a rich Russian princess but after meeting Kate he begins to wish there was another option.  Gabriel is a fab hero, dark and brooding at times but sexy as hell and  I loved watching him banter with Kate, the pair make a great couple.

There are also some fabulous side characters, Kate's godmother Henry (short for Henrietta) was a particular favourite of mine along with Gabriel's brother Wick.  Henry had me laughing out lout several times during the book and I always looked forward to scenes with her in them.  A Kiss at Midnight was a fabulous romantic tale, as a retelling of Cinderella there is no surprise ending but I loved every minute of the journey to get there.  As much as I wish there would be more books about these characters in the future I'm very excited that Eloisa James is writing more books in the series, each based on a different fairytale.  I'm looking forward to reading them all.

Source: Received from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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