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    A Lady by Midnight
    A Lady by Midnight
    A Lady by Midnight
    Audiobook10 hours

    A Lady by Midnight

    Written by Tessa Dare

    Narrated by Carolyn Morris

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    New York Times and USA Today Bestseller

    A temporary engagement, a lifetime in the making . . .

    After years of fending for herself, Kate Taylor found friendship and acceptance in Spindle Cove—but she never stopped yearning for love. The very last place she'd look for it is in the arms of Corporal Thorne. The militia commander is as stone cold as he is brutally handsome. But when mysterious strangers come searching for Kate, Thorne steps forward as her fiancé. He claims to have only Kate's safety in mind. So why is there smoldering passion in his kiss?

    Long ago, Samuel Thorne devoted his life to guarding Kate's happiness. He wants what's best for her, and he knows it's not marriage to a man like him. To outlast their temporary engagement, he must keep his hands off her tempting body and lock her warm smiles out of his withered heart. It's the toughest battle of this hardened warrior's life . . . and the first he seems destined to lose.

     

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateDec 17, 2013
    ISBN9780062323255
    A Lady by Midnight
    Author

    Tessa Dare

    Tessa Dare is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen historical romances. A librarian by training and a book-lover at heart, Tessa makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children, and a pair of cosmic kittens.

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    Reviews for A Lady by Midnight

    4/5

    344 ratings26 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I love plain heroines, but here it doesn't work very well since the only one who thinks that is the heroine herself. Yes, she's an orphan who was taught to think certain way about herself, but it simply doesn't work well.
      What I loved? Thorne, definitely Thorne. I enjoyed the moment when she realized how wrong she was about him. All those silent, wonderful actions done without waiting for acknowledgement or gratitude.

      Despite the convenient from the past device, mid-story dragging a bit, occasionally infuriating heroine's actions (some are forgiven for certain horrible things they had done in the past, some are forgiven for the things they are doing in the present, and some are furiously and unfairly attacked), I enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      How we grow to love these women of Spindle Cove! In this story we see family as a central theme throughout; and refreshing surprises await us in every chapter. Still, it is hard to resist disliking the ancient laws of chivalry and longing for more of the women’s strength and wit in problem-solving. Dare’s irresistible use of pets appears again in this novel and the age old theme of beauty and beast is central.
    • 3/5
      I loved other books in this series, but never got into this one. Male lead seemed 2-dimensional, female lead went from disliking him to panting over him basically in one long scene. To be fair, I bailed a third of the way through. It may have all made more sense and gotten better. Also, I'm not into American colonies, and it hinted at ending there, which also dampened my enthusiasm. Characters just didn't seem up to her usual quality.
    • 4/5
      Loved every second of the story.
      As for the narrator I do not like her male voices, Samuel sounded like a 15 year old boy most of the time, instead of a very big masculine man.
    • 5/5
      The narrator is just wonderful. I really enjoyed it and I totally recommend it.
    • 3/5
      really 2 1/2 stars. some annoying male chauvinist and stupid girl moments.
    • 5/5
      Audio-book: Narrator - Carolyn Morris

      I enjoyed listening to this narration very much. I was able to discern each character on their own and found their voices to be distinctive. Some of the secondary male voices were a bit annoying at times but fortunately they were not the bulk of the story.

      I love a big hulking, grumpy, quiet hero and that’s exactly what we get with Thorne. The fact that he is overprotective and possessive of Kate makes me love him even more. I do wish that once he saw her again he was celibate from that point onward but I realize that what I like isn’t necessarily what everyone else enjoys. Kate’s background hurt my heart and I needed her to find her happy ever after. I must admit, this story kept me guessing about so many things.

    • 3/5
      This book was a bit meh for me. I found that both main characters had so little self esteem that it became very repetitive. Also felt it was too long.
    • 3/5
      I'd been interested in these two characters whenever referenced in the previous books. And I tend to like the set up of a tough guy melting and being enrapt with the right woman. At different times I even thought I'd end up giving this 4 stars, but unfortunately, at others, I leaned closer to 2. =/ The heroine had potential with an interesting background and mysterious origins, but she ended up kind of bland for me in the best of times and almost cartoonishly naive in the worst. Overall just so-so.
    • 5/5
      SO SWEET. i love a grumpy man and a stubborn woman so much
    • 3/5
      Katherine Taylor has been teaching music lessons in Spindle Cove for years and for the past year she's been having regular verbal sparring matches with Corporal Thorne. However, when she's accidentally stranded in another town and Corporal Thorne ends up giving her a ride back to Spindle Cove, they end up engaged to protect Kate's reputation. Shortly afterward a group of new arrivals turn out to have potential close ties to Kate and she's left figuring out who she wants to be and who she wants to spend her life with.Tessa Dare is at the top of my list of favourite historical romance authors so I was a little bummed that this novel wasn't quite everything I'd hoped. Don't get me wrong, the writing is excellent and her characters are well-rounded. I was mostly disappointed on the humour front here as several of her other novels have made me laugh out loud. Understandably both of the lead characters in this novel are dealing with trauma from their pasts and there is decidedly less opportunity for levity but the novel felt a little heavier on the angst than I'm used to in a Dare novel. I'd only recommend it for readers who really want to read Dare's entire bibliography, otherwise there are better novels of hers to sample.
    • 3/5
      Apparently I need more heroine tags. I really enjoyed Kate in this one. That said, it was a little bit of a miss for me...but only just. I enjoyed the terse and serious Thorne, Kate was a strong, patient, kind character. I really saw her warmth and dug how self-assured she was. Their relationship was great, as was the backstory (I'm a sucker for that)-but that's where my first hang-up is. I wish the enemies-to-lovers thing would've played out a little longer or had a bit more bite. It would've been nice to have it revealed to us a bit more slowly, especially since the sexual tension was great and lasted SOO long.

      The length and pacing of the relationship is the main reason for the only just. I love that Dare did not make her hero some articulate charismatic man in love, she kept him at few words and Kate learned to interpret his actions.

      The subplot of her heritage wasn't awful but it was incredibly overboard. That 25% or so of the book was where I got a bit impatient. I think this is what I'm referring to when I say the enemies-to-lovers could have had a bit more play. This had so much time and felt like it became an unnecessary distraction to the rest of the story and characters which felt quite strong. Unfortunately, that's why this is only a 3 despite featuring some of my favorite tropes and feeling light and funny with characters I liked.

    • 3/5
      Not quite angsty, but close. I'm also not putting it on my "plain" shelf since there was so little interaction with that aspect of the character. Liked it, though!
    • 5/5
      A beautiful story. Just thinking about it makes me want to read it again.
    • 4/5
      A Lady by Midnight
      3.5 Stars

      A solid romance with an engaging couple but the writing is clunky at times and the lost family subplot is tedious and banal.

      Kate and Thorne are lovely together and the development of their opposites attract relationship is absorbing, especially with the build up to the revelations concerning their shared past. Thorne's gruff exterior conceals a man who feels things deeply and the intensity of his desire for Kate is palpable. Although the lengths to which he goes in order to protect Kate are somewhat extreme, they are consistent with his tortured nature and steadfast personality. Kate is a sweet heroine who sees the good in everyone and everything but she sometimes appears naive and gullible. There are moments where I wish she would have stood her ground more forcibly.

      While the Grammercys have potential as an ominous and threatening element, Dare chooses to portray them as the loving family that Kate has yearned for all her life. Unfortunately, this falls flat because they are completely uninteresting as characters. They are supposed to be eccentric and endearing but come across as idiotic and annoying.

      The cameo appearances by couples from the previous books are nice and the epilogue provides satisfying closure to the book.
    • 5/5
      My favorite if the series!!!
    • 3/5
      This historical romance was okay. The plot was pretty good but the action during the first half moved kind of slow and I skimmed a lot. The ending was entertaining but too much emotional fluctuation. Orphan Kate feels all alone when she misses her ride then Corporal Thorne comes to her rescue.
    • 5/5
      These characters make me and for them in the first few chapters. What wonderful writing!
    • 5/5
      Read/Listened for Fun (Audible/Kindle)Overall Rating: 4.75Story Rating: 4.50Character Rating: 5.00Audio Rating: 4.50 (Not Part of the overall rating)First Thought when Finished: A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare had all the feels and smiles!Overall Thoughts: Tessa did it again! I loved Kate and Thorne's love story. I knew these two were destined to be a great match when Kate was a bit more sure of herself on the inside and Thorne appeared very sure of himself on the outside. Thorne stepping up to "pretend" to be Kate's fiance while they figured out if her new found family was legit was fun, interesting, and intriguing. I loved Thorne's back story. I dare you not to swoon after him. I loved Kate's determination to make him see his worth. I loved the ladies of Spindle Cove making sure that this turned out exactly as it should. All around another great entry in the series.Audio Thoughts: Narrated By Carolyn Morris / Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins Carolyn did an outstanding job with Kate and Thorne! These are really good on audio and well worth the time to listen too1Final Thoughts: Tessa really does knock it out of the park with Kate and Thorne (his first name is Samuel but his last name fits him so well)!
    • 4/5
      Corporal Samuel Thorne of the local militia has avoided Kate Taylor since he arrived in Spindle Cove a year ago. Kate finds him handsome, but stone cold and intimidating - until the day he rescues her. Orphaned Kate is used to being alone with her dim memories of the past but when mysterious strangers arrive in the cove searching for Kate, Thorne steps forward as her fiancé as a way to protect her. Is she about to find out about her past? - and what part in her past does Thorne play?One of the better books I have read in this genre - however I wasn't that impressed with the cover.
    • 5/5
      The Spindle Cove series is not to be missed! Great characters, heartwarming romance. Love it.
    • 3/5
      Kate and Thorne's story is great. I love that you don't wait for the action. The passion is immediate and only builds much to the reader's delight. Thorne is an alpha- brutish male but truly a teddy bear. Kate is sincerely likeable, assertive and dear. Their romance is lovely and believable. Well written, satisfying and sweet.
    • 5/5
      The story of Thorne!! He is as grumpy as he has seemed in the other books, but he makes a FAB hero. The back-story is amazing and heartbreaking....a must read!
    • 4/5
      Kate has been orphaned at a young age and does not know where she came from. She's got a birthmark on her face and has always felt less than beautiful. Her life will be transformed one day, at midnight no less. Kind of like Cinderella. I liked Kate, her inner monologue would make me laugh. Thorne is all you need in a hero. He's a gentleman to Kate, always at her rescue, but he's got a dark, tortured past. He thinks he's not good enough for her. Beta hero alert. Both he and Kate share a bond due to their unhappy childhoods.Author Tessa Dare has given us a hero with a bit of what I'm thinking is post traumatic stress disorder. The atrocities he saw in the war make him black out sometimes when he's angry or under stress. But, of course, he never harms Kate. "She might not be able to comprehend the horrors he'd faced on the battlefield, but she knew how it felt to be an unwanted child. She understood how it felt to be deemed worthless and ugly by the very person charged with her care. She knew how each and every unkind remark worked on a child's confidence for weeks, months, years. Bruises faded from the skin, but insults worked like weevils, burrowing into a person's soul."p.100, A Lady By MidnightI liked the use of tattoos on Thorne. He has several tats, and he explains them all to Kate. It all adds more mystery to his character. I enjoyed the scenes between these two. Kate kept trying to pull Thorne in and find out about his shaded past, he kept trying to resist her. As the story flows, Thorne reveals his past and his reasons for keeping Kate away. The sex scenes were spicy hot. Maybe it's just me, but sex scenes in historical/regency romance always make me giggle. "Perhaps her sense of touch was misleading her. Maybe if she looked the organ head-on, it wouldn't seem so intimidating.She dropped her gaze and pushed his breeches down over his hips."p.196, A Lady By MidnightAs the story flows, Kate finds out hidden secrets about her past, her mother, a family called the Grammercys and even Thorne. In the end, she has an important choice to make, as there is a bit of a twist to story.There is a fight scene over Kate at one point and the author did a great job with it, she managed to add humor to it as well. It's one of my favorite scenes in the book. Overall, I felt like A Lady By Midnight could have been slightly shorter. Although I found myself losing interest a little bit towards the middle, I enjoyed the story overall. A Week to Be Wicked is the first in this series. I might read it one day.I recommend this one to fans of historical romance with a twist of humor and a tortured hero to boot.Disclaimer:I am an amazon affiliate. This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any type of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers and authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. I purchased my copy of this book.
    • 4/5
      Thorne and Kate's story - at last! I've looked forward to this one ever since discovering the series, but surprisingly, this was my least favorite of the trilogy. Thorne is dark and granite-like. It takes all of Kate's ingenuity to break down the walls he has built up around him. The plot itself didn't have the usual humor as in the previous books, this was darker and bittersweet. Kate, an orphan, finds out after 23 years that she is actually a "lady" from an aristocratic family. At the same time she discovers this bombshell, she is thrown together with Corporal Thorne, who is entirely unsuitable for a lady to marry. But in Kate's eyes, Corporal Thorne is perfect and she soon falls in love with him over the course of the next few weeks while they are pretending to be engaged (to save her reputation). The conundrum in this love story is he believes he is not good enough for her now that she is a lady, and she must convince him otherwise. It doesn't help that her new family just seems to be getting in the way, complicating matters. A good story, but frustrating and I couldn't help thinking many of the eccentric characters we're introduced to in Kate's new found family are the makings of a new series, which sort of bothered me. They were distracting me from the main focus of the book - Kate and Thorne. I did enjoy seeing some old friends from the previous books though.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book I have read by this author. The first was the second book in the Spindle Cove series. I loved the first one because of the humor and the geeky heroine. I really liked this one for the humor and the strong heroine. Though Kate Taylor has some self image issues, she has always tried to stay positive and make the most of her simple life. So far Dare has really impressed me with her heroines. Her heroes aren't too shabby either. Samuel Thorne is the silent type and drives Kate bananas. Because of the things he has done in his past, he does not think he deserves love or even believes he is capable of loving someone. It was great fun watching Kate prove him wrong.Great series. I have the first book in this series sitting on my ereader and definitely plan on reading it soon. ARC provided through Edelweiss