Jacquie D'Alessandro
Author of Sleepless at Midnight
About the Author
Series
Works by Jacquie D'Alessandro
Heating Up the Holidays: All He Wants for Christmas... / My Grown-Up Christmas List / Up on the Housetop (2008) — Author — 60 copies
Only You 2 copies
Tonight and Forever 1 copy
Only You 1 copy
Hope Springs Eternal 1 copy
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- D'Alessandro, Jacquie
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Hofstra University
- Agent
- Damaris Rowland (The Damaris Rowland Agency)
- Short biography
- Jacquie D'Alessandro grew up on Long Island and fell in love with romance at an early age. She dreamed of being swept away by a dashing rogue riding a spirited stallion. When Joe, her hero finally showed up, he was dressed in jeans and driving a Volkswagen, but she recognized him anyway. They married after they both graduated from Hofstra University, and are now living their happily-ever-after in Atlanta, Georgia, along with their very bright and active son, Christopher, alias "Junior", who is a dashing rogue in the making.
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- Georgia, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- Georgia, USA
Members
Reviews
Jacquie D’Alessandro is a favorite author who hasn’t failed me yet, but up until now, I’d only read her historical romances. Why Not Tonight? is my first foray into her contemporaries, and I’m happy to say that I was equally entranced by this story as I have been with all of Ms. D’Alessandro’s other books I’ve read to date. It’s a classic reunion romance, a story of “the one that got away.” Mallory and Adam met the summer after he’d just completed college and was show more preparing to start a new high-powered job on Wall Street, and she’d just completed high school and was getting ready to go off to college. They were instantly attracted to one another in body, mind, and spirit, and spent several torrid weeks together engaging in a steamy love affair, during which they fell in love. But as the summer wound to a close, Adam got scared by the intensity of his feelings, and believing they were too young to get so serious, he suggested that they cool things off and see other people but remain friends. Mallory was broken-hearted, but managed to move on with her life, and they did stay friends for several years, until losing touch five years earlier. Now they chance to reconnect when Mallory comes into a photography studio, which is temporarily being manned by Adam whose friend owns the business, looking to have boudoir photos done. Even though he’s not really a photographer, Adam obliges and the two of them find that the chemistry between them is still there after all these years. They end up spending an incredibly steamy night together during a black-out, but with Adam planning to leave for a dream trip to Europe the next day, they may once again find that their timing is off.
After a recent health scare brought on by the stress of his job, Adam sold his seat on the New York stock exchange and is looking to make a major change in his life, but he doesn’t know yet what he wants to do. Before settling down to figure that out, he’s decided to finally take the ultimate bachelor trip to Europe that he’s been dreaming about for years. About a week before he’s scheduled to leave, his best friend’s wife goes into labor, so he takes over at his friend’s photography studio. Since he’s not really a photographer, he’s only supposed to be doing things like paperwork and booking appointments, until Mallory, his ex-lover and a woman he hasn’t seen in years, walks into the studio for a boudoir photo session, and he can’t resist giving her the personal treatment. Adam had been absolutely crazy about Mallory during their youthful fling, but didn’t feel they were old enough to settle down and make commitments. It’s a decision he’s regretted, but over the next few years, until they lost touch, each of them always seemed to be dating someone else. Now seeing Mallory again sends his libido into overdrive, but she’s there to do these photos for her current boyfriend, leaving him believing that their timing is still bad. However, when Mallory comes to him about a week later, seeking consolation after discovering her boyfriend’s infidelity, Adam is more than happy to oblige, but even after a weekend of insanely great sex, he isn’t sure if he’s ready to give up that trip. Except for his youthful aversion to commitment, which was kind of understandable, Adam is a truly dreamy hero. He really knows how to romance a lady and he’s a creative and skillful lover who can make a girl forget her own name.
Mallory’s father walked out on her mother before she was even born, so she grew up with a single mom, who, as a professional cellist, had to move around a lot. Mallory hated their transient lifestyle, and so all she’s ever really wanted is security, stability, and a real home of her own. As a successful real estate agent who’s recently bought her first home, she thinks she’s finally found that. She even has a boyfriend who seems to be everything she wants on paper, although he’s pretty boring in the bedroom, which is why she’s decided to do the boudoir photos to spice up their love life. When she chances to meet Adam again at the photography studio, he sends her pulse racing. Being near him in nothing but her lingerie, is a heady experience, but she’s determined to make things work with her current boyfriend until she finds him in bed with someone else. That’s when she realizes that she never truly loved him and that he wasn’t really what she’d needed at all. Still, with her feminine confidence a bit shaken, she seeks out Adam, thinking that they could at least have another brief fling before he jets off to Europe. Their night together turns out to be everything she’s been craving and more, and although she wishes they could finally be a real couple, she isn’t sure if she can stand in the way of something he’s been looking forward to for so long. Mallory was a relatable heroine who had the right guy on the hook the first time around, but rather selflessly let go when he needed some space. I like that she was emotionally strong enough to remain friends with him for a good while and that she wasn’t a woman given to being clingy. She also fearlessly matches Adam’s passion beat for beat.
The first few chapters of Why Not Tonight? begin one week before the black-out, but the bulk of the story takes place over the following weekend when Adam and Mallory reconnect in a spectacular way. This part of the book is filled with chapter after chapter of the kind of delicious and creative steamy encounters I would expect from a Blaze novel. Oftentimes a story that takes place over such a short period of time and that is primarily about the sex might not work for me, but I very much enjoyed this one. I think this is primarily owing to the fact that Adam and Mallory had never forgotten one another and neither of them had ever felt the intensity of emotions for anyone else that they felt with each other. The author did an excellent job of conveying these emotions and making me believe that they were falling in love all over again, or perhaps, that their love had never died in the first place. Also, while the sex is incredible, Ms. D’Alessandro shows them connecting in other ways as well that express the deeper friendship aspect of their relationship. The only reason I knocked off a half-star is because the opening chapters were a bit slow-paced as the author establishes their backstory, leaving my mind wandering a little. But otherwise, I loved everything about the story and it left me looking forward to trying more of Ms. D’Alessandro’s contemporaries in the future. show less
After a recent health scare brought on by the stress of his job, Adam sold his seat on the New York stock exchange and is looking to make a major change in his life, but he doesn’t know yet what he wants to do. Before settling down to figure that out, he’s decided to finally take the ultimate bachelor trip to Europe that he’s been dreaming about for years. About a week before he’s scheduled to leave, his best friend’s wife goes into labor, so he takes over at his friend’s photography studio. Since he’s not really a photographer, he’s only supposed to be doing things like paperwork and booking appointments, until Mallory, his ex-lover and a woman he hasn’t seen in years, walks into the studio for a boudoir photo session, and he can’t resist giving her the personal treatment. Adam had been absolutely crazy about Mallory during their youthful fling, but didn’t feel they were old enough to settle down and make commitments. It’s a decision he’s regretted, but over the next few years, until they lost touch, each of them always seemed to be dating someone else. Now seeing Mallory again sends his libido into overdrive, but she’s there to do these photos for her current boyfriend, leaving him believing that their timing is still bad. However, when Mallory comes to him about a week later, seeking consolation after discovering her boyfriend’s infidelity, Adam is more than happy to oblige, but even after a weekend of insanely great sex, he isn’t sure if he’s ready to give up that trip. Except for his youthful aversion to commitment, which was kind of understandable, Adam is a truly dreamy hero. He really knows how to romance a lady and he’s a creative and skillful lover who can make a girl forget her own name.
Mallory’s father walked out on her mother before she was even born, so she grew up with a single mom, who, as a professional cellist, had to move around a lot. Mallory hated their transient lifestyle, and so all she’s ever really wanted is security, stability, and a real home of her own. As a successful real estate agent who’s recently bought her first home, she thinks she’s finally found that. She even has a boyfriend who seems to be everything she wants on paper, although he’s pretty boring in the bedroom, which is why she’s decided to do the boudoir photos to spice up their love life. When she chances to meet Adam again at the photography studio, he sends her pulse racing. Being near him in nothing but her lingerie, is a heady experience, but she’s determined to make things work with her current boyfriend until she finds him in bed with someone else. That’s when she realizes that she never truly loved him and that he wasn’t really what she’d needed at all. Still, with her feminine confidence a bit shaken, she seeks out Adam, thinking that they could at least have another brief fling before he jets off to Europe. Their night together turns out to be everything she’s been craving and more, and although she wishes they could finally be a real couple, she isn’t sure if she can stand in the way of something he’s been looking forward to for so long. Mallory was a relatable heroine who had the right guy on the hook the first time around, but rather selflessly let go when he needed some space. I like that she was emotionally strong enough to remain friends with him for a good while and that she wasn’t a woman given to being clingy. She also fearlessly matches Adam’s passion beat for beat.
The first few chapters of Why Not Tonight? begin one week before the black-out, but the bulk of the story takes place over the following weekend when Adam and Mallory reconnect in a spectacular way. This part of the book is filled with chapter after chapter of the kind of delicious and creative steamy encounters I would expect from a Blaze novel. Oftentimes a story that takes place over such a short period of time and that is primarily about the sex might not work for me, but I very much enjoyed this one. I think this is primarily owing to the fact that Adam and Mallory had never forgotten one another and neither of them had ever felt the intensity of emotions for anyone else that they felt with each other. The author did an excellent job of conveying these emotions and making me believe that they were falling in love all over again, or perhaps, that their love had never died in the first place. Also, while the sex is incredible, Ms. D’Alessandro shows them connecting in other ways as well that express the deeper friendship aspect of their relationship. The only reason I knocked off a half-star is because the opening chapters were a bit slow-paced as the author establishes their backstory, leaving my mind wandering a little. But otherwise, I loved everything about the story and it left me looking forward to trying more of Ms. D’Alessandro’s contemporaries in the future. show less
Tempted at Midnight is the fourth and final installment of Jacquie D’Alessandro’s Mayhem in Mayfair series that ended up being a clean-sweep of perfection for me. This book follows our heroine, Emily, the last unattached member of the Ladies Literary Society of London, a book club comprised of four friends who enjoy reading salacious stories. She’s paired with American businessman, Logan Jennsen, who has been a part of the series since the beginning. These two shared what was show more presumably a steamy kiss in the library following their friends Gideon and Julianne’s wedding three months earlier and haven’t been able to stop thinking of one another since. The author had written a free short story detailing that kiss, but as she and her website seem to have disappeared, it’s no longer available. I was slightly disappointed by this, but didn’t necessarily find it to be a major detractor. I think she sufficiently showed Emily and Logan’s connection that began with that kiss. However, despite their intense physical attraction, they make adamant claims that they don’t like each other. Since Emily’s father is deeply indebted to Logan, she dislikes him and views him as nothing more than an uncouth colonial, while Logan has vowed not to marry an uppity, society miss, which is what he thinks Emily is. They both get an awakening when they discover hidden depths in each other, but they still fight their feelings until they simply can’t anymore. Logan has an old nemesis, though, who’s out to get him by taking away everything that means anything to him, which places Emily in a great deal of danger. It all made for another wonderful story in this series.
Emily has watched from the sidelines as her three closest friends have fallen in love and gotten married. She sees how much her friends’ husbands adore them, and she wants that kind of love for herself. However, since her father is so deeply in debt, she finds herself in the unwanted position of having to marry for money instead of love in order to save her family from financial ruin. She views Logan as part of the problem, because he’s one of her father’s creditors. In order to prevent herself from being forced into a loveless marriage, Emily comes up with a brilliant scheme. She’s written a story about a lady vampire, but thus far, no publishers are interested. So she decides to “market” the book by masquerading as a female vampire and making fleeting, mysterious appearances at society functions in order to get the ton talking, which she in turn hopes will fuel interest in stories about vampires and lead to her book being published. In the meantime, a few more chance meetings with Logan lead to more steamy kisses like their first and a deeper understanding of the man she hasn’t viewed as a suitable marriage prospect despite his wealth. Emily is a very spirited and stubborn young lady, qualities that serve her well in her quest to rescue her family from debt, but which also put up an obstacle to a potential relationship with Logan. At first glance, she seems rather stuck-up, but nothing could be further from the truth. She’s a kind, caring, compassionate person who deeply loves her family, is a loyal friend, and also desires to help those in need. Based on her previous appearances in the preceding books and her intense dislike of Logan, I wasn’t sure if I would like Emily, but I ended up really enjoying her as the heroine. She has understandable reasons for disliking Logan at first, and as the story progresses, she slowly comes around until she’s fully invested in a relationship with him.
Logan lost his parents at a young age and had to survive on the streets alone until a kindly mentor took him in and taught him everything he now knows about being a businessman. He’s worked hard to become a wealthy, self-made man, but his life is a lonely one with few friends to share it with and his idea of fun is making business deals. After kissing Emily that first time, she becomes a temptation that’s nearly impossible for him to resist, but at the same time, he thinks she’s nothing more than a shallow hothouse flower until he really gets to know her. Then he finds a woman who he grudgingly admits he’s starting to like, but he, too, can be very stubborn and blind to the feelings he’s developing for her. That all begins to change when Emily’s life is threatened multiple times, and each time, his heart nearly stops at the thought of possibly losing her. Logan was a wonderful man, who I ended up loving every bit as much as all the other heroes in this series. Like Emily, he has a kind, compassionate heart, and he takes his responsibilities very seriously. He feels accountable not only for the attacks against Emily but also for the loss of two crewmen on one of his ships. I like how Emily challenges him and shows him there’s more to life than business. She and her family also offer Logan all the love and affection that he’s been missing in his life.
All of the heroes and heroines from the previous books played a part in Tempted at Midnight. Sarah and Matthew (Sleepless at Midnight) are eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child. Gideon and Julianne (Seduced at Midnight) announce a blessed event of their own, while as a Bow Street Runner, Gideon is a great help to Logan in investigating the crimes that are being perpetrated against his interests and protecting those he loves. Carolyn (Confessions at Midnight) fears she is facing a serious health crisis similar to what took her first husband from her, and Emily is the only one in whom she can confide, keeping it from everyone else including her husband, Daniel. Then there’s Emily’s family members who make occasional appearances, most notably her mother and her younger siblings, along with the adorable family dogs. I greatly enjoyed the supporting characters and everyone added something to the story.
Overall, Tempted at Midnight was another wonderful book in this series. I’m not usually a fan of the enemies to lovers trope or of heroes and heroines who tend to stubbornly fight their feelings for one another, but here both were done quite well and didn’t irritate me. It was obvious from the beginning that Logan and Emily had strong feelings. It just took them a while to admit it. In the meantime, they heat up the pages with some scorching kisses and a good bit more in one scene. I loved the theme of them always ending up in a library alone together, which never fails to fuel their passion. If there was any weakness in the story, it was perhaps that Logan’s characterization could have been just a tad bit better explored, but even that didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the book. It had all the feels that I’ve come to expect from this author and was the absolute perfect finale to the series, making me kind of sad that it’s over. Even though it appears that Jacquie D’Alessandro might have retired from writing, there are still many of her books left for me to read, and I’m definitely looking forward to continuing my exploration of her backlist. show less
Emily has watched from the sidelines as her three closest friends have fallen in love and gotten married. She sees how much her friends’ husbands adore them, and she wants that kind of love for herself. However, since her father is so deeply in debt, she finds herself in the unwanted position of having to marry for money instead of love in order to save her family from financial ruin. She views Logan as part of the problem, because he’s one of her father’s creditors. In order to prevent herself from being forced into a loveless marriage, Emily comes up with a brilliant scheme. She’s written a story about a lady vampire, but thus far, no publishers are interested. So she decides to “market” the book by masquerading as a female vampire and making fleeting, mysterious appearances at society functions in order to get the ton talking, which she in turn hopes will fuel interest in stories about vampires and lead to her book being published. In the meantime, a few more chance meetings with Logan lead to more steamy kisses like their first and a deeper understanding of the man she hasn’t viewed as a suitable marriage prospect despite his wealth. Emily is a very spirited and stubborn young lady, qualities that serve her well in her quest to rescue her family from debt, but which also put up an obstacle to a potential relationship with Logan. At first glance, she seems rather stuck-up, but nothing could be further from the truth. She’s a kind, caring, compassionate person who deeply loves her family, is a loyal friend, and also desires to help those in need. Based on her previous appearances in the preceding books and her intense dislike of Logan, I wasn’t sure if I would like Emily, but I ended up really enjoying her as the heroine. She has understandable reasons for disliking Logan at first, and as the story progresses, she slowly comes around until she’s fully invested in a relationship with him.
Logan lost his parents at a young age and had to survive on the streets alone until a kindly mentor took him in and taught him everything he now knows about being a businessman. He’s worked hard to become a wealthy, self-made man, but his life is a lonely one with few friends to share it with and his idea of fun is making business deals. After kissing Emily that first time, she becomes a temptation that’s nearly impossible for him to resist, but at the same time, he thinks she’s nothing more than a shallow hothouse flower until he really gets to know her. Then he finds a woman who he grudgingly admits he’s starting to like, but he, too, can be very stubborn and blind to the feelings he’s developing for her. That all begins to change when Emily’s life is threatened multiple times, and each time, his heart nearly stops at the thought of possibly losing her. Logan was a wonderful man, who I ended up loving every bit as much as all the other heroes in this series. Like Emily, he has a kind, compassionate heart, and he takes his responsibilities very seriously. He feels accountable not only for the attacks against Emily but also for the loss of two crewmen on one of his ships. I like how Emily challenges him and shows him there’s more to life than business. She and her family also offer Logan all the love and affection that he’s been missing in his life.
All of the heroes and heroines from the previous books played a part in Tempted at Midnight. Sarah and Matthew (Sleepless at Midnight) are eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child. Gideon and Julianne (Seduced at Midnight) announce a blessed event of their own, while as a Bow Street Runner, Gideon is a great help to Logan in investigating the crimes that are being perpetrated against his interests and protecting those he loves. Carolyn (Confessions at Midnight) fears she is facing a serious health crisis similar to what took her first husband from her, and Emily is the only one in whom she can confide, keeping it from everyone else including her husband, Daniel. Then there’s Emily’s family members who make occasional appearances, most notably her mother and her younger siblings, along with the adorable family dogs. I greatly enjoyed the supporting characters and everyone added something to the story.
Overall, Tempted at Midnight was another wonderful book in this series. I’m not usually a fan of the enemies to lovers trope or of heroes and heroines who tend to stubbornly fight their feelings for one another, but here both were done quite well and didn’t irritate me. It was obvious from the beginning that Logan and Emily had strong feelings. It just took them a while to admit it. In the meantime, they heat up the pages with some scorching kisses and a good bit more in one scene. I loved the theme of them always ending up in a library alone together, which never fails to fuel their passion. If there was any weakness in the story, it was perhaps that Logan’s characterization could have been just a tad bit better explored, but even that didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the book. It had all the feels that I’ve come to expect from this author and was the absolute perfect finale to the series, making me kind of sad that it’s over. Even though it appears that Jacquie D’Alessandro might have retired from writing, there are still many of her books left for me to read, and I’m definitely looking forward to continuing my exploration of her backlist. show less
There are a few authors who always seem to give me great reads, and yet for some reason, they always end up on the back burner of my TBR pile. Jacquie D’Alessandro is just such an author. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of her book I’ve read to date, but somehow I keep overlooking her. I was stunned to find out that it had been four and a half years since I’d read Sleepless at Midnight, the first books of her Mayhem in Mayfair series. I loved it so much, I actually remember parts of the show more story, which I can’t say about many books that it’s been that long since I’ve read, making it seem like it had been a much shorter time span. I’ll really have to try to move Ms. D’Alessandro up my reading priority list, because once again, she’s given me an awesome read in Confessions at Midnight. This one is about Carolyn, the sister of the heroine of the previous book, and Daniel, the best friend of the hero of that same book. Theirs ended up being swoon-worthy romance at its finest, and I loved every minute I spent reading it.
Carolyn was widowed three years ago, when the husband who was the love of her life passed away. Since then she’s been deeply in mourning and having a hard time going on living. She doesn’t think she’ll ever find the kind of love she once had again, so she doesn’t really entertain any thoughts of another gentleman courting her. She was, however, pulled from her self-imposed isolation in the previous book when she attended a country house party with her sister and two best friends. There she rekindled her friendship with Daniel, who was an old friend of her husband's. She finds him attractive and intriguing, but because of his roguish air, she’s been keeping their relationship completely platonic. Then the Ladies Literary Society of London, the book club Carolyn, her sister, and their two friends comprise, chooses Memoirs of a Mistress as their latest read. It’s a salacious book with lots of erotic details that begin to make Carolyn miss the carnal pleasures she shared with her husband. And even more distressing to her is that Daniel is the one starring in her sensual fantasies. When he proposes that they become lovers, Carolyn is tempted beyond reason, but at the same time, she believes her heart will only ever belong to her dead husband and isn’t certain if she can bring herself to have a casual affair, which is all she believes Daniel can offer.
Carolyn is a sweet heroine whom I loved. It was rather refreshing to have a widowed character who is still in love with their spouse instead of one who had a terrible marriage. Even though she doesn’t think her heart is open to love when she begins her affair with Daniel, she’s more ready for the possibility than she realizes. When she figures out that she’s fallen in love with him, she doesn’t fight it, although she does initially keep it to herself out of fear that he can’t return that love, but thankfully it doesn’t take long for everything to be cleared up. I also thought that Carolyn was the perfect mixture of sugar and spice. There’s a sweetness about her in her kind and calm demeanor, but at the same time, Daniel has no trouble drawing out a deeply passionate side of her that was very different than what she experienced with her husband. I liked this, because I felt it showed how the two relationships were unique from one another.
Daniel was completely taken with Carolyn the moment he met her, which happened to be mere minutes before his friend, Edward, announced his engagement to her. This instantly ruined Daniel’s plans to pursue her, but because he had such a strong reaction to her presence, he kept a certain distance after that out of respect for Edward. In the previous book, he attended his best friend, Matthew's house party, only because he knew Carolyn would be there. They renewed their friendship, but it wasn’t until they returned to London that Daniel also renewed his plans to pursue her. At first, he has a hard time getting past her defenses, but once he does the payoff is immense and what he feels for her is far more intense than he ever could have imagined. As someone who has never planned to fall in love or marry, it’s a daunting thought. Daniel projects the outward persona of an unrepentant rogue, but I loved how there were hidden depths to his character. I adored the fact that he takes in strays of all types, both human and animal, and that he found a sense of purpose in helping others, although this is a side of himself that he hides from public view. He also has a dark, tormenting secret from his past for which he feels he is to blame and that gives him feelings of unworthiness. I loved that Carolyn is the first person he’s finally able to open up to about that. I also loved his protectiveness toward Carolyn when it becomes apparent that someone is offing his former lovers and trying to frame him for it. Then there’s the fact that he’s a dream lover who knows just the right things to say and do to bring out Carolyn’s more daring side. Daniel was simply an all-around wonderful hero who is definitely going to rank high on my favorite romance heroes list.
I love that the main focus of the book was on Daniel and Carolyn, but there are a few notable secondary characters who really help round out the story and make it fun. Matthew and Sarah (Sleepless at Midnight) both put in appearances to support their best friend and sister respectively. Carolyn and Sarah’s two best friends, Julianne and Emily, also show up a few times. Julianne will be paired with Gideon Mayne, the Bow Street Runner assigned to investigate the murders of Daniel’s former lovers, in the next book, Seduced at Midnight. Emily, who is not at all impressed with American businessman, Logan Jennsen – which we all knows is a great recipe for romance ;-) – finds herself coupled with him in the final book of the series, Tempted at Midnight. I also very much liked Daniel’s footman, Samuel, one of the many “strays” Daniel took in. And speaking of strays, I can’t possibly not mention Daniel’s menagerie of adorable misfit animals. I actually squeed in delight when Blinky, the black, one-eyed cat appeared, because I have an identical cat of my own.:-) And Naughty, the salty-mouthed parrot was a hoot.
Romances don’t get much more perfect for me than Confessions at Midnight. I loved everything about both the hero and heroine as well as the secondary characters. The story is, at times, light-hearted, but at the same time, there’s depth to both the characters and their story. There’s a light mystery in the background to add a little intrigue as I speculated about who the killer might be. Then there’s the utterly beautiful relationship between Daniel and Carolyn. They were absolutely perfect for one another in every way. The love scenes are deeply emotional and sensual, just the way I like them. I felt the connection between these two right from the start and it only got stronger as the story progressed. I can’t think of a single thing I would have changed about it. Now the one thing I do need to change is not waiting so long to read the next book of the series. show less
Carolyn was widowed three years ago, when the husband who was the love of her life passed away. Since then she’s been deeply in mourning and having a hard time going on living. She doesn’t think she’ll ever find the kind of love she once had again, so she doesn’t really entertain any thoughts of another gentleman courting her. She was, however, pulled from her self-imposed isolation in the previous book when she attended a country house party with her sister and two best friends. There she rekindled her friendship with Daniel, who was an old friend of her husband's. She finds him attractive and intriguing, but because of his roguish air, she’s been keeping their relationship completely platonic. Then the Ladies Literary Society of London, the book club Carolyn, her sister, and their two friends comprise, chooses Memoirs of a Mistress as their latest read. It’s a salacious book with lots of erotic details that begin to make Carolyn miss the carnal pleasures she shared with her husband. And even more distressing to her is that Daniel is the one starring in her sensual fantasies. When he proposes that they become lovers, Carolyn is tempted beyond reason, but at the same time, she believes her heart will only ever belong to her dead husband and isn’t certain if she can bring herself to have a casual affair, which is all she believes Daniel can offer.
Carolyn is a sweet heroine whom I loved. It was rather refreshing to have a widowed character who is still in love with their spouse instead of one who had a terrible marriage. Even though she doesn’t think her heart is open to love when she begins her affair with Daniel, she’s more ready for the possibility than she realizes. When she figures out that she’s fallen in love with him, she doesn’t fight it, although she does initially keep it to herself out of fear that he can’t return that love, but thankfully it doesn’t take long for everything to be cleared up. I also thought that Carolyn was the perfect mixture of sugar and spice. There’s a sweetness about her in her kind and calm demeanor, but at the same time, Daniel has no trouble drawing out a deeply passionate side of her that was very different than what she experienced with her husband. I liked this, because I felt it showed how the two relationships were unique from one another.
Daniel was completely taken with Carolyn the moment he met her, which happened to be mere minutes before his friend, Edward, announced his engagement to her. This instantly ruined Daniel’s plans to pursue her, but because he had such a strong reaction to her presence, he kept a certain distance after that out of respect for Edward. In the previous book, he attended his best friend, Matthew's house party, only because he knew Carolyn would be there. They renewed their friendship, but it wasn’t until they returned to London that Daniel also renewed his plans to pursue her. At first, he has a hard time getting past her defenses, but once he does the payoff is immense and what he feels for her is far more intense than he ever could have imagined. As someone who has never planned to fall in love or marry, it’s a daunting thought. Daniel projects the outward persona of an unrepentant rogue, but I loved how there were hidden depths to his character. I adored the fact that he takes in strays of all types, both human and animal, and that he found a sense of purpose in helping others, although this is a side of himself that he hides from public view. He also has a dark, tormenting secret from his past for which he feels he is to blame and that gives him feelings of unworthiness. I loved that Carolyn is the first person he’s finally able to open up to about that. I also loved his protectiveness toward Carolyn when it becomes apparent that someone is offing his former lovers and trying to frame him for it. Then there’s the fact that he’s a dream lover who knows just the right things to say and do to bring out Carolyn’s more daring side. Daniel was simply an all-around wonderful hero who is definitely going to rank high on my favorite romance heroes list.
I love that the main focus of the book was on Daniel and Carolyn, but there are a few notable secondary characters who really help round out the story and make it fun. Matthew and Sarah (Sleepless at Midnight) both put in appearances to support their best friend and sister respectively. Carolyn and Sarah’s two best friends, Julianne and Emily, also show up a few times. Julianne will be paired with Gideon Mayne, the Bow Street Runner assigned to investigate the murders of Daniel’s former lovers, in the next book, Seduced at Midnight. Emily, who is not at all impressed with American businessman, Logan Jennsen – which we all knows is a great recipe for romance ;-) – finds herself coupled with him in the final book of the series, Tempted at Midnight. I also very much liked Daniel’s footman, Samuel, one of the many “strays” Daniel took in. And speaking of strays, I can’t possibly not mention Daniel’s menagerie of adorable misfit animals. I actually squeed in delight when Blinky, the black, one-eyed cat appeared, because I have an identical cat of my own.:-) And Naughty, the salty-mouthed parrot was a hoot.
Romances don’t get much more perfect for me than Confessions at Midnight. I loved everything about both the hero and heroine as well as the secondary characters. The story is, at times, light-hearted, but at the same time, there’s depth to both the characters and their story. There’s a light mystery in the background to add a little intrigue as I speculated about who the killer might be. Then there’s the utterly beautiful relationship between Daniel and Carolyn. They were absolutely perfect for one another in every way. The love scenes are deeply emotional and sensual, just the way I like them. I felt the connection between these two right from the start and it only got stronger as the story progressed. I can’t think of a single thing I would have changed about it. Now the one thing I do need to change is not waiting so long to read the next book of the series. show less
The Bride Thief was a delightful read in so many ways. It was utterly romantic, as sweet as the honey Samantha used in her hand creams, and frequently made me laugh out loud. This story was a fun, fairy-tale fantasy with an eccentric, plain-Jane spinster heroine who finds her hero in the form of a man who carries off would-be brides from unwanted arranged marriages. The Bride Thief was a charming tale that had a refreshing lightness and certain aura of innocence about it, with even the show more darker, more dangerous parts managing to carry some weight without being too heavy. With only one actual love scene, there isn't a lot of heat in this one, but I found that one scene to be just a little bit daring while also being sweetly sensuous. Jacquie D'Alessandro is masterful at creating a strong emotional connection and sexual tension with mere looks and gentle touches, and I've yet to find another author who does this quite as well. In addition, I absolutely love Ms. D'Alessandro's sense of humor. I found myself laughing every few scenes for the entire first half of the book. Eric being jealous of himself every time Sammie waxed romantic about the Bride Thief was hilarious, and Sammie's creative way of getting out of her arranged marriage, as well as a conversation with her three married sisters about birth control nearly had me rolling on the floor. Ms. D'Alessandro definitely has a knack for spinning tales that find a great balance between entertainment and emotion.
Eric and Samantha were two of the most wonderful characters I've read in a while. Eric perhaps carries a bit too much guilt over not being able to stop his beloved sister's miserable arranged marriage, but it's also what drives him to be the Bride Thief and makes him a compassionate and progressive-thinking hero. He has a heart of gold and treats all the women in the story with kindness and respect, even the ones who aren't as deserving of it. He is also a very understanding man who sees beyond the outward eccentricities (read: geekiness) of both Samantha and her brother, Hubert, and in fact, finds both them and their scientific pursuits to be genuinely fascinating. Overall, Eric was very kind, caring, loving and a whole host of other adjectives. I don't think there was really anything not to like about him. To say that Samantha is an unconventional heroine would probably be an understatement. She is physically plain, right down to dressing in a very ordinary way and having poor eyesight that requires spectacles. She'd much rather be observing nature, inventing things with her brother in their lab, or studying the stars through their telescope than attending balls and soirées, not to mention, she's a firmly on-the-shelf spinster. While she's OK with the idea of not marrying and doesn't believe anyone would ever want an oddball like her anyway, Sammie does keep a diary in which she writes romantic stories about the true love of her fantasies. She is also very honest and plain-spoken, and I admired her boldness in just telling Eric that she wanted to be lovers and continuing to pursue him even after he'd turned her down once out of a sense of honor. All in all, I related to Sammie very well, and can't think of anything that I didn't like about her.
The secondary characters were very entertaining and likable as well. I found Sammie's close family connections with her parents and siblings to be very endearing. Sammie is always patient with everyone including her melodramatic mother with her amusing planned fainting spells. It also went the other way with Sammie's three sisters adoring and protecting her in spite of the fact that she is their complete opposite. I also loved Sammie's interactions with her teenage brother, Hubert. They were certainly two peas in a pod, who probably understood each other better than anyone else ever could. At first it seems that Sammie is a protective, motherly figure to Hubert, but eventually the reader discovers that Hubert is equally protective of Sammie, which I thought made for a beautiful reciprocal relationship. Eric's connection with his own sister, Margaret, runs just as deep, and when she returns home after the death of her evil husband, their scenes are laden with emotion. There is also Eric's loyal stable master who is more like a father to him and is initially the only person who knows about his masquerade as the Bride Thief, as well as the magistrate, Adam Straton, who is determined to apprehend the Bride Thief but is also an honorable man who has harbored a deep love for Margaret for years. Overall, it was a very well-rounded supporting cast with personalities ranging from outrageously funny to deeply touching.
I have to admit that after finishing The Bride Thief, I had a rare moment of indecision on how to rate it. I really loved the story and wanted to rate it a bit higher, but there were a few things that I thought could have been improved. The pacing was a little slow and uneven in places, and I found a small continuity error in which Hubert's age changed from fourteen to sixteen and then back to fourteen again. There was also some repetition in details, some of which could be cute and fun like the running thread of Eric and Samantha coming up with words to describe each other that all began with the same letter, but another of which had the characters almost constantly sighing over one thing or another. Although this was a pretty minor thing and it did always fit with the scene, I just thought that perhaps a little more creativity was in order. In the end, I think the thing that bothered me the most was that Eric and Samantha began the story with a very stark honesty to their characters which I found extremely refreshing, but then the major conflict devolved into the cliched misunderstanding which was a bit disappointing. In spite of the minor detractors that kept it from just missing keeper status, The Bride Thief was definitely a solid 4-star book that was an absolute joy to read. Anyone looking for a lighthearted, escapist fantasy that is a breath of fresh air should look no further, and after two lovely reading experiences in a row from Jacquie D'Alessandro, I'm certainly looking forward to continuing my exploration of her work. show less
Eric and Samantha were two of the most wonderful characters I've read in a while. Eric perhaps carries a bit too much guilt over not being able to stop his beloved sister's miserable arranged marriage, but it's also what drives him to be the Bride Thief and makes him a compassionate and progressive-thinking hero. He has a heart of gold and treats all the women in the story with kindness and respect, even the ones who aren't as deserving of it. He is also a very understanding man who sees beyond the outward eccentricities (read: geekiness) of both Samantha and her brother, Hubert, and in fact, finds both them and their scientific pursuits to be genuinely fascinating. Overall, Eric was very kind, caring, loving and a whole host of other adjectives. I don't think there was really anything not to like about him. To say that Samantha is an unconventional heroine would probably be an understatement. She is physically plain, right down to dressing in a very ordinary way and having poor eyesight that requires spectacles. She'd much rather be observing nature, inventing things with her brother in their lab, or studying the stars through their telescope than attending balls and soirées, not to mention, she's a firmly on-the-shelf spinster. While she's OK with the idea of not marrying and doesn't believe anyone would ever want an oddball like her anyway, Sammie does keep a diary in which she writes romantic stories about the true love of her fantasies. She is also very honest and plain-spoken, and I admired her boldness in just telling Eric that she wanted to be lovers and continuing to pursue him even after he'd turned her down once out of a sense of honor. All in all, I related to Sammie very well, and can't think of anything that I didn't like about her.
The secondary characters were very entertaining and likable as well. I found Sammie's close family connections with her parents and siblings to be very endearing. Sammie is always patient with everyone including her melodramatic mother with her amusing planned fainting spells. It also went the other way with Sammie's three sisters adoring and protecting her in spite of the fact that she is their complete opposite. I also loved Sammie's interactions with her teenage brother, Hubert. They were certainly two peas in a pod, who probably understood each other better than anyone else ever could. At first it seems that Sammie is a protective, motherly figure to Hubert, but eventually the reader discovers that Hubert is equally protective of Sammie, which I thought made for a beautiful reciprocal relationship. Eric's connection with his own sister, Margaret, runs just as deep, and when she returns home after the death of her evil husband, their scenes are laden with emotion. There is also Eric's loyal stable master who is more like a father to him and is initially the only person who knows about his masquerade as the Bride Thief, as well as the magistrate, Adam Straton, who is determined to apprehend the Bride Thief but is also an honorable man who has harbored a deep love for Margaret for years. Overall, it was a very well-rounded supporting cast with personalities ranging from outrageously funny to deeply touching.
I have to admit that after finishing The Bride Thief, I had a rare moment of indecision on how to rate it. I really loved the story and wanted to rate it a bit higher, but there were a few things that I thought could have been improved. The pacing was a little slow and uneven in places, and I found a small continuity error in which Hubert's age changed from fourteen to sixteen and then back to fourteen again. There was also some repetition in details, some of which could be cute and fun like the running thread of Eric and Samantha coming up with words to describe each other that all began with the same letter, but another of which had the characters almost constantly sighing over one thing or another. Although this was a pretty minor thing and it did always fit with the scene, I just thought that perhaps a little more creativity was in order. In the end, I think the thing that bothered me the most was that Eric and Samantha began the story with a very stark honesty to their characters which I found extremely refreshing, but then the major conflict devolved into the cliched misunderstanding which was a bit disappointing. In spite of the minor detractors that kept it from just missing keeper status, The Bride Thief was definitely a solid 4-star book that was an absolute joy to read. Anyone looking for a lighthearted, escapist fantasy that is a breath of fresh air should look no further, and after two lovely reading experiences in a row from Jacquie D'Alessandro, I'm certainly looking forward to continuing my exploration of her work. show less
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