**NOT RECOMMENDED** A Kiss At Midnight by Eloisa James

A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Sensuality Rating: HOT (Major Scene Skipping)




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 fulfill his ruthless ambitions.

Gabriel likes his fiancee, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn't love her. Obviously, 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 a prince throws away everything that makes him noble . . .

Unless a dowry of an unruly heart trumps a fortune . . .

Unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.



This book started out with such promise that I was excited to find out how Ms. James would turn this "fairytale" into something new. As you can see from my stars I was disappointed.

The heroine started out with "morals" and over a weekend lost her mind and gives it all away... If I had read the prince say "just one more time" or "Just the one night" I would have stopped reading and moved on to another book. The heroine had spunk and there was a lot of witty banter between the two but all was overshadowed in my mind with the MULTIPLE sex scenes that ruined this book for me. What kind of woman would allow a man that is engaged to another woman allow a man to pull her off to the side and "make love"( for lack of a better word) at a betrothal party with the other woman there... disturbing, disappointing and ridiculousness...

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sensuality Rating:




The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazement's. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknown-st to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.



I would give this book a 3.5 if that were possible but rounded up. The writing was all about painting a picture and while the images were beautiful so many of them were a waste of time... over half the book I was trying to figure out the purpose of this "Circus" and the last half had so many extra characters added in that I lost track of which one was which. The book was fairly clean with only one curse word at the beginning (totally uncalled for) and an implied sex scene half way through. If you love circuses this is the book for you. The romance was on the back burner for most of the book and in my opinion the author had a stage to make this much more romantic than was achieved.

**NOT RECOMMENDED** Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas

Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Sensuality Rating: HOT 


Reckless and wild, beautiful Lily Lawson delights in shocking proper London society--and will break any rule to flaunt her independence. And now she is determined to rescue her helpless sister from an upcoming, undesired marriage to Lord Alex Raiford, the arrogant Earl of Wolverton. Through fair means and foul, the headstrong hellion succeeds outrageously-but her handsome adversary is not to be outdone. A master gamesman, Lord Alex counters Lily's scorn with kindness, and parries her blistering barbs with gentle words and a soft, sensuous touch. For he has resolved to make the spirited miss pay dearly for her interference-with her body, her soul...and her stubborn, unyielding heart.



This book was my first Kleypas and I'm afraid to say that if all her books follow this writing pattern I won't be reading this author. The book was sweet enough substance about a girl that made bad decisions that followed her into adulthood. The relationship between Alex and Lilly could even be believed in a far fetched way but all the "love making"(if you could call them that) I found to be uncomfortable and extreme in amount and that was with skipping the scenes as best I could. I would not say that this book was erotic but Kleypas did write out specific acts and body parts and the total lack of sexual tension was the biggest downfall.

Lost Truth (Truth, #4) by Dawn Cook

Lost Truth by Dawn Cook

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sensuality Rating: Fluff

This is the final book in nationally bestselling author Dawn Cook's magical ''Truth Series''. One last lesson. Alissa is steadily advancing in her magical studies with the last surviving Master at the legendary Hold. But she's haunted by dreams--dreams revealing that other Masters have survived. Alissa's dreams lead her to a distant island where she and a rescue party discover countless Masters, alive and part of a flourishing magical society. But instead of being welcomed, Alissa finds that she herself may need to be rescued. The Masters' leader, Keribdis, believes that she should be Alissa's teacher, whether Alissa likes it or not. When Alissa rebels, she endangers not only her magic but also her life.



The final book was my favorite! We have a love triangle throughout this book. This was action packed and a perfect ending to the series. I don't want to give anything away so I will just say keep reading until you get to the end, it is well worth it.

Forgotten Truth (Truth, #3) by Dawn Cook

Forgotten Truth by Dawn Cook

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Sensuality Rating: Fluff


This third book of the enchanting Truth Series is a tale of magic and love. Alissa is the only student living in the Hold, learning a millennium's worth of magic from the last surviving Master. Even shape-shifting to her dragon-like raku form is becoming second nature. But when a spell goes awry, Alissa is transported back four centuries to an era when the Hold and its city thrive with magic students and their tutors. Separated from the man she loves by four hundred years, Alissa's distress and confusion are causing her to lose control of her shape-shifting. If she can't return to her own time, Alissa will be permanently transformed into her bestial form with no memory of her human life--or her love.



I read this and the the last book Lost Truth back to back so it is hard to remember where this one stopped. Another great book in the 4 book series and still highly recommended! It was completely clean and in no way lacking because of it.

Hidden Truth (Truth, #2) by Dawn Cook

Hidden Truth by Dawn Cook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sensuality Rating : Fluff 


Alissa never believed in magic. But then she went to the Hold, a legendary fortress where human Keepers once learned magic from enigmatic Masters. Under the tutelage of the last surviving Master, Alissa discovered that she had inherited her father's magical ability.
       But the Hold is ruled by Bailic, the renegade Keeper who seized the First Truth, a book of magic he will use to harness the might of the city of the dead and wreak a war of total devastation. The book has thwarted Bailic's every attempt to access it, while it continually calls to Alissa—who must summon all her will to resist it. For if she gives in to the First Truth's ultimate power and knowledge, she will be utterly changed—and the man she loves could be lost to her forever.


The second book in the "Truth" series starts up right where the first book finished so abruptly. As I said with my review of the First Truth, the author still has problem keeping time in order while this is easily overcome, I wonder that it wasn't caught after editing the 1st book. I was happy to see Strell and Alissa grow closer but still they are so far apart. .. I highly recommend this series for anyone looking for a clean fantasy romance.

First Truth (Truth, #1) by Dawn Cook

First Truth by Dawn Cook

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sensuality Rating: Fluff


Alissa doesn't believe in magic. Her father's stories about the Hold, a legendary fortress where human Keepers learn magic from the enigmatic Maters, are just that―stories. But her mother insists that Alissa has inherited her father's magical ability, and so she must go to the Hold―the only place her talents can be trained. 
      On her way, she crosses paths with Strell, a wandering musician from the plains. And though Alissa is not sure she can trust a plainsman, Strell has something she needs―one of her father's old maps. Traveling together, they can reach the Hold before the snow sets in.
      But they don't know that the Hold is nearly empty. Something is very wrong and someone believes that Alissa and Strell knows about a book called First Truth.



This was a very good book. The writing aggravated me a little because it seems the author had troubles keeping the time throughout the story.  There is an undertone of romance running very deep under the surface and I look forward to seeing where it will end up. All in all I would recommend this book to historical romance, time travel, mythical and magic story lovers. Very clean and entertaining.

A small disclaimer: This should have been one book together with the 2nd book ... it feels like the author took one book and split it in two so be sure to have the Hidden Truth before you finish this book or the suspense might rip you apart. :-)