Product Description
Handsome and sensual, surrounded by an aura of danger, mystery, and the forbidden, a lover steps from the shadows. But is he mortal? Or is he an ancient god, a sorcerer, or a mythical beast who can possess a woman's heart...and her very soul?

Four of romance's most popular authors have created this spellbinding collection of stores filled with dark passion and desire. Under the cover of darkness, their heroes inhabit worlds haunted by ageless hungers and deadly forces stronger than any seen by day...and vanquished only by the power of love.

Now travel into realms where dazzling wonders roam the night, where magic replaces reason, and where a kiss unleashes a raging fire in the blood. And here, if you dare, discover the seduction that begins at the bewitching hour when a man and woman partake in...Midnight Pleasures.

From the Inside Flap
Darkfest by Amanda Ashley
The price of saving her dying mother is Channa's promise to spend a year at the castle of tormented nobleman, Lord Darkfest...to obey him as his servant or, as his secrets are revealed, to become his salvation. And her own.

Phantom Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Haunted by recurring nightmares of terrifying beasts, Erin McDaniels is afraid to sleep-until a hero arrives in her dreams to save her...and makes erotic, incredible love to her. But can she find him again when she is awake?

Under Her Spell by Maggie Shayne
A consultant for a TV series about one gorgeous witch, 'white witch' Melissa St. Cloud plans to make the show authentic. But once on the set she is pulled into the arms of a man who opens up a doorway to the darkside and chilling peril.

A Wulf's Curse by Ronda Thompson
Running away from an arranged marriage, Elise steals aboard a wagon in a traveling circus and finds herself in the bed of the Beast Master, Sterling Wulf, who is something other than he seems...and suddenly all Elise desires.

Borrowed solely for Kenyon story...enjoyed the entire book! ( )

Though I didn't care for some of the stories in this anthology all that much, I'm still glad I read it because I did enjoy the story by Ronda Thompson. :)

"Darkfest" by Amanda Ashley
My Rating: 3 stars
I found this one a bit chintzy and sappy. And then I realized I didn't really care for Amanda Ashley's full-length novel, Desire After Dark, that I'd read either. Romance buffs may enjoy it more but it didn't have enough of an interesting story line to go along with it to hold my interest.

"Phantom Lover" by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My Rating: 4 stars
I wasn't too impressed with this story. It was a bit too "sappy romance" for me and the rest of the action was only mediocre. Though I've felt that the romance in Kenyon's full-length Dark-Hunter novels was a bit sappy too, they generally had enough action and sub-plot going on to keep me interested anyway... although I do admit I get a bit glassy-eyed during the sappy love scenes that go on for 3 or 4 pages. But glossing over those parts, the rest of the story is still fairly engaging, which I didn't really find to be the case as much with this short story, probably due in great part to the short-story format and not having enough space to really flesh out a good sub-plot.

"Under Her Spell" by Maggie Shayne
My Rating: 5 stars
Melissa St. Cloud is hired as the technical consultant for a television series, The Enchantress. But instead of simply correcting the technical inaccuracies related to Witchcraft in the show itself, she ends up having to banish an evil spirit who is trying to consume Alex's life... literally!

I had mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I liked the background story that went along with the it. However, the way the author approached the parts dealing with Wicca and Witchcraft, though accurate, seemed very much like a Wicca 101 lecture. Yes, granted she's trying to teach the reader something in the process, but for someone who's already experienced with all that like myself, it simply came off as rote, and the kind of thing that should be saved for a non-fiction Wicca 101 text.

"A Wulf's Curse" by Ronda Thompson
My Rating: 7 stars
Elise is running from her uncle and the arranged marriage he's set for her to a very cruel man. So she stows away in the wagon of a traveling road show, hoping to hitch a ride from London to Liverpool, and ends up right in the arms of the Beast Tamer, Sterling Wulf... and the Wulf part is more than just his last name! ;-)

This is my fist introduction to this author, and since I have some of her full-length novels coming in a bookring from CandyDarling, I had wanted to make sure I liked the author. Although this was strictly romance, I liked the author's writing style enough, and there was enough of a storyline outside of the romance with the traveling road show, that I enjoyed it nonetheless. IMO, this was the best story in this anthology. ( )

"Darkfest" by Amanda Ashley. Before the scribing of history, the Wizard Darkfest desires peasant Channa Leigh. He offers to save her dying mother's life in exchange for Channa staying with him at his remote castle for a year. Channa will do anything for her beloved mother even living with the devil.

"Phantom Lover" by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Erin McDaniels suffers from horrendous nightmares. Though her marketing report due-out fails to keep her awake, this time a champion V'Aidan challenges the serpent Krysti'Ana. V'Aidan and Erin make love, but when she awakens she realizes he resides in her dream realm.

"Under Her Spell" by Maggie Shayne. Alexander Quinn hired Wicca practitioner and UCLA alternate religious professor Dr. Melissa St. Cloud as a consultant on witchcraft set to bring reality to the film. However, the White Witch expert never expected to fall into the arms of the director nor have that lead them to a battle for their souls on the dark side.

"A Wulf's Curse" by Ronda Thompson. In 1820 England, Elise Collins keeps reminding herself she is an adventurer running from her arranged marriage though the beasts in the caravans frighten her. Even scarier is how she feels about the Beast Tamer, Sterling Wulf, whom she just recently met yet feels like she loved forever. Sterling's skills come from a special affinity with the animals and though he loves the newcomer, he keeps anything permanent from happening.

This quartet of supernatural romantic novellas contains strong tales that sub-genre fans will fully treasure due to the fervent lead protagonists enhanced by deep secondary characters.

Harriet Klausner

Four stories of wizards, werewolves, Greek demons and witches makes for very interesting reading. I would definately say I enjoyed Sherilyn Kenyon's story of the Oneroi and Skoti the most. I never even figured out the twist in the story until it was over. My second favorite was Ronda Thompson's tale the youngest Wild Wulf of London, Sterling. I'm pretty sure there are stories out there by Thompson about the other brothers that I will definately now be keeping an eye out for. Amanda Ashley's addition about a reclusive wizard and a blind peasant girl was probably the most innocent tale and Maggie Shayne's story about a grey witch and an evil wizard's ghost was entertaining. All in all a very nice anthology to while away the hours. ( )