Tempt Me at Twilight (Hathaways Book 3)

I love stories where stories involve a series of family members and how it all ties together such as (The wallflower series). This was very enjoyable and the intrigue into the lives of the characters is tied together nicely.

what a great story--i was up until midnight reading it. probably one of the best i've read this year (and i read about 20 books a month!) I am really looking forward to leo and bea's stories next year! write faster lisa!

This was one of the best Hathaway novels to date. It was great see the interaction and how well the charachters have developed over the last few novels. To see each of the charachters growing and their stories unfolding keeps the momentum going for this season. Here we meet a new interesting cast of charachters from the Rutledge Hotel. This is a nonstop book that you cannot put down. Highly recommended. The Villian learns to love and the heroin plays the role to the T. Poppy grows in this book as does Harry, very interesting to watch the love unfold.

what a great story--i was up until midnight reading it. probably one of the best i've read this year (and i read about 20 books a month!) I am really looking forward to leo and bea's stories next year! write faster lisa!

This was one of the best Hathaway novels to date. It was great see the interaction and how well the charachters have developed over the last few novels. To see each of the charachters growing and their stories unfolding keeps the momentum going for this season. Here we meet a new interesting cast of charachters from the Rutledge Hotel. This is a nonstop book that you cannot put down. Highly recommended. The Villian learns to love and the heroin plays the role to the T. Poppy grows in this book as does Harry, very interesting to watch the love unfold.

Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite romance authors and after reading 'Tempt Me at Twilight' makes that conviction all the more true. Well just a brief summary: Poppy Hathaway is in love with another man when Harry Rutledge ruthlessly steals her away. The journey then leads them to distrust to love. It is a very heart warming story filled with tear jerkers, Hint: Harry Rutledge has a very sad childhood story but thats why our heroine doesn't give up on him. I couldn't put the book down and finished it in a day! I cant wait for the 4th Hathaways book!!

I have been waiting for TMAT with bated breath for quite some time and I was NOT disappointed. Love Lisa Kleypas. She's one of my faves- as is the world of the Hathaways that she's so wonderfully created.

My only qualm with the book is with how long it took Poppy to "forgive" Harry. I became rather annoyed with her. For several pages I couldn't help but think, "Enough already, Poppy!". Don't get me wrong.... I totally understood her deep hurt and anger over what he'd done. She was more than justified in it, but she held on to it for a little too long imo. Other than that though- such a wonderful, beautiful story.

Now I'll have to count the months and days for the next in the series, which I'm sure will be Leo's and Cat's story. Can't wait!

Words cannot express how pathetically excited I was for this book. Seriously, it was sad how impatient I was to get my hands on this thing. And once I did, I devoured it in a few large bites and then read it AGAIN to savor it. Kleypas novels are like candy to me.

The plot and premise has already been mentioned, so I'll mention the pros and cons.

Pros:

--The characters. IMO, Kleypas's characters almost render the plot itself irrelevant to me. If I don't care about the characters, I don't care about what they do or what happens to them. Her characters are so nuanced and rich and flawed and downright relatable (which is hard to do in a genre as outside the realm of plausibility as romance)that any hiccups in the plot don't matter.

--The relationships. I love, love, love the way Kleypas writes relationships of all kinds, between siblings, between friends, between lovers, between master and servant, even between supposed mortal enemies (Leo and Cat, woohooo!).

--The setting. Kleypas does her homework. The clothing, the homes, the food, the dances...everything is thoroughly researched and integrated in such a way as to not appear as random factoids of information. Very lush and rich settings, that put the reader right smack dab in the middle of the story.

Cons:

--I agree with other reviewers here that Poppy and Harry's relationship moves a shade too quickly, considering the magnitude of Harry's transgression against Poppy and Michael Bayning. The reader can still root for him, of course, and even agree with his logic in a twisted sort of way, but I can't imagine Poppy going from hating his guts to realizing that he only needs the luuuurve of a good woman. Kleypas writes the two with such a depth of feeling, however, that it didn't really hinder my enjoyment of the story.

--What really threw me off was the kidnapping plot tacked onto the end. As the back cover says, Harry IS the villain...they didn't need another one, especially one that just crops up practically out of nowhere and only has a brief scene and a vague allusion earlier in the book. I understand that it's standard romance novel formula to have some kind of showdown at the end, and that's usually fine. But at least establish the villain as a significant part of the plot first. That's my one beef with LK's novels--the endings seem to come out of left field sometimes. Of course, I had the same issue with Seduce Me at Sunrise and still loved the book, so...

Overall, fabulous as always!

Tempt Me at Twilight is the third in the Hathaways series and for me the best so far. Lisa Kleypas' books lately have become less and less substantial than her earlier books. Her writing style has become lighter and her characters are less finely developed. Taking that into account,reading Tempt Me At Twilight was sort of like eating one of Poppy's (the main character in this book) chocolates,very enjoyable, sweet and light.

I read the entire Hathaways series and loved them. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I think Kleypas could be a little LESS descriptive in the sex scenes. I am in no way a prude but enough is enough.

A good read and always keeps your interest. The Hathaways series books begins with the oldest brother Anthony, The Duke and I......Keep reading and you will discover interesting facts about his 6 other brothers and sisters!!!!

It always makes me uncomfortable when a fictional couple pursues intimacy in bed before reaching intimacy in friendship. In this case, Poppy not only didn't like Harry, she had very hard feelings toward him.

On his part, Harry just wanted to own Poppy, like he owned other oddities. He had no desire to share himself, or even to share her, going so far as to prevent her from being friends with those around her.

The bottom line is this, I need either a hero who's steady and true, or a hero who shows promise. I will never be okay with a hero who doesn't get it until the last few pages, after he's walked all over the heroine for the bulk of the story.

It was an acceptable book 3 in the Hathaway series but
I would rank it also 3rd in the series.(4 stars for book 1 and 5 stars for book 2 ). Decent plot but I felt love bloomed almost to fast to be believable and the vanished Harry act didn't lend anything to the relationship, it just took up pages. What I think is always great is that you get to catch up with the other memorable characters. I am looking forward to Leo's story ( hopefully with Miss Marks :) )

Some books just feel comfortable all over. One of my favorite things about Lisa Kleypas is that her novels all make me feel that way. This novel was a resounding success...appealing characters, laugh out loud moments and tangible affection.

I can't wait for the next book, which will hopefully feature Leo and Cat!

I've read quite a few Kleypas romances, and while she's not my favorite romance author, she's definitely written some good ones in the past (Someone to Watch Over Me comes to mind). But there is something about Kleypas that is getting increasingly cartoon-ish. Perhaps it's the letter stealing ferret who dances down the corridors or the monkey that gets trapped in the lift. Or maybe its that Rutledge's transformation is so thinly developed that it seems like Kleypas didn't even bother to make it real. Granted, I read historical romance for escape purposes only; if I want something literary and without flat characters then I read a different genre. I tend to be pretty forgiving of romantic fiction. But trying to take Disney-esque animals, a flat villain-hero, and a stereotypical bookish-beauty heroine and then throwing in some relatively graphic, standard Kleypas erotica just didn't work for me. I never was ever to fall into this story or suspend my disbelief.

Maybe the next installment will be better. But if her recent short story published on St. Martins web page is any indicator, Cinderella's talking animals are not far behind. I may have to look else where for my next romance/erotica fix.

****Spoilers****

Temp Me At Twilight, the 3rd book in The Hathaway Series, was a great read. 3 books into this series and I am still all smiles. What can I say I love the Hathaways. Every one of them. And with each new book I read in this series my love for them grows. I love that even though Poppy and Harry's love story starts out rough, and Harry wasn't really a sweet romance guy that I still fell in love with this couple. And I love that their love story starts with a mischievous ferret.
I really enjoyed that the hero was more of a villain in this book. Harry wanted Poppy so much that he wasn't above cheating, stealing, and fighting dirty to have her. Harry met Poppy after Bea's ferret ran off with a love letter from Michael to Poppy. Harry wanted Poppy and when he found out Poppy had feelings for another man, Michael(who had been secretly dating Poppy because his father wouldn't approve of the match) he did what any good, kindhearted man would...... He told Michael's daddy! Daddy disapproved and Michael being the little baby that he was didn't fight for Poppy, but instead broke up with her. Leaving Harry to swoop in and take her. I loved that Harry wasn't your typical hero. Harry had been raised with no love and neglected so he didn't show emotions. He came off as cold, selfish, and hard at first. But as the story goes on you can't help but fall in love with him. I also loved that even though he softens with Poppy's love, he never regrets how he stole Poppy from Michael.
Poppy just wanted a normal, calm life. She thought she would have that with Michael. She loved Michael and it crushed her that he broke off their relationship. When she went to a ball to show everyone that she wasn't Michael's off cast she ends up dancing with Harry. Getting upset and not wanting to cry in front of everyone she asked Harry to take her for fresh air. While outside Harry kissed Poppy and they were seen. Leaving Poppy with the choice to be a fallen woman or to marry Harry. She married Harry even after finding out about Harry telling Michael's father, but deceit made for a rough marriage. I loved that it took awhile for Poppy to give her heart to Harry. She didn't just forgive him and hop into his bed. She didn't even kiss him. And she let her displeasure of his actions be known. But Poppy was a loving, happy kind of person and the more she was around Harry and saw the real him when he let his walls down the more she fell in love with her husband.
I loved that Harry and Poppy's love was slower to come. The lust was there but Harry had to earn her trust. When the love came it was beautiful, full of passion, and kindness. Love changed Harry for the better. I will be honest, I didn't feel the least bit sorry for Poppy's ex Michael. A real man wouldn't let daddy stop him from being with the woman he loved. I couldn't stand Michael. I thought he was a coward, and was glad that after Poppy married Harry, he suffered. Just sayin! I loved getting to see the other Hathaways in this book and getting to catch up with Cam, Amelia, and their son. There was some big and happy news for Kev and Win too. I was really enjoying the playing between Cat and Leo. I'm excited to start their book. I missed Bea a bit as she and her animal freak show kinda took a backseat in this book. Bea's story is the one I am looking forward to most. Great read, great series!!

I have really enjoyed spending time with the Hathaways. These books have been less angsty and emotionally violent and I have really enjoyed them as a result.

In this book, we get to know Poppy Hathaway. She has been the most minor character thus far of the Hathaways so it was nice to have the spotlight on her for once. She desperately wants to be "normal" but soon learns that the relationship she has with her family is a gift, not something to run away from. Harry is the owner of a famous hotel and has been working himself to the bone for years in an effort to be successful and keep a wall between himself and others. He sees Poppy as a fresh, beautiful chance for salvation and manipulates the situation to make her his.

Poppy is a character who has always been surrounded by love and Harry is a person who has never known what love is. These differences in life experiences cause clashes between the two, but once Harry gives in, he is a changed man. Thank goodness because I really thought he began as a manipulative, cold, jealous bastard. He comes around, but I still don't quite trust him because his hurts go so far back and are buried so deep. However, Poppy has spine and should be able to keep him in line :)

There was a little bit of hijinks thrown in at the end of the tale that probably didn't need to be there, but it didn't last too long. We also got to see more of Leo in action in this story and I liked him a bit more. In the first two books, I was convinced I would not be interested in reading a book with him as the main character, but now I am curious. Some of Miss Marks' secrets are revealed in this story as well and Tempt Me At Twilight ends with a cliffhanger between Marks and Leo. Intriguing.

While this book can be read as a standalone, I think it is more helpful to read the other two in the series first. You understand the family and enjoy their interactions more if you do. Beatrix, Amelia, and Win all have nice sisterly scenes with Poppy. Kleypas did a beautiful job fleshing out their personalities and capturing how the entire odd family fits together.

A nice read.

Tempt Me at Twilight
Reviewed by Francesca & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

The magical writing that I've come to love is back 100% with this book! With a hero who is an insensitive jerk at times, damaged from when he was a boy, with money but not much else. So not what I was expecting for our sweet Poppy Hathaway, but oh so perfect!

After having two gipsy heroes, it was time to go back to London and what I thought would be a more traditional match. And that's how I thought this would go since Poppy was in love, and secretly seeing Michael Bayning. He had everything a girl could've asked for, came from a good family, did all the right things for Poppy to fall in love with him, except being out in the open about their courtship. Because of course his father wouldn't approve.

But Harry Rutledge, owner of the famous London Rutledge Hotel, saw Poppy and was enthralled. He had to have her, and if that required using some forced methods and a convenient and timely proposal, then so be it. Harry was, as he best described himself, the villain. It's a true testament to the amazing quality of Lisa Kleypas writing when she can turn what should've been an arrogant, manipulative bastard into a man you want to cuddle and take care of and you are rooting for his happiness and that he gets the girl. There's just something about this type of hero in a Kleypas novel that makes him unforgettable.

While Poppy might not be my favorite Hathaway sister, she certainly was sweet and did what she thought was right for herself and her family, and in the process she fell out of what she thought was love and fell for a complicated man who needed a soft woman like her to treasure him and make him fell cherished.

A perfect couple and a perfect historical romance story! Soft yet rough around the edges.

I loved the Hathaway series. Poppy is a woman with knowledge that many men would find intimidating and unconventional. That basically describes all of the Hathaway's. She has dreamed for years to marry Michael Bayning and believes him to feel the same. I think Michael did truly love Poppy but he was a wimp and allowed his father to bully him. Who wants a man who can't stand up for their relationship. He keeps leading Poppy on.

Harry Rutlege, now here's a man who is both successful and not allow anything to stand in the way of what he wants. He is a successful hotel owner that is driven by schedules and order. He meets Poppy, when she chases down Beatrice's ferret ( who steals a love letter from Michael) and he becomes quite smitten with her wit and charm. The two don't immediately hit off as Harry will stop at nothing to attain her and Poppy ends up resenting him for it. Michael also disappoints by going on a pitty/whore fest.

Harry and Poppy finally reach an understanding of one another and Poppy shows Harry what love feels like for the first time in his life. She begins to realize she misjudged her husband and forces him to see there's more to life besides work and time lines. I liked how when LK's females show there men a gentler side to life. Her sister Beatrice did this as well. The two made the best pair and in the end when Harry and Poppy reunited it was so heart warming to see how the two had changed from when they first got married. One of my favorite parts though, was after Harry goes missing. Poppy is taken down to police headquarters and there all these men posing as Harry to gain his fortune. So Poppy comes in to have a look and the first guy says," Who's this?"

She states," I'm Mrs. Rutlege>" This other random man walking towards her holding his arms out says, "Darling..."

Picturing all these losers I just found it hysterical. Another way LK can pull you in.

Lisa Kleypas has done it again... Started another great series! This is the third book in the "Hathaways" series. I loved how this family interacts, with humor. Although they do have some issue with sadness and trying to work through that. I loved this family and started reading each book and not putting it down until I finished it. I was obsessed with getting to the end of this series! With that said I want to make is clear that you don't have to read them in order, so if for some reason you choose to jump around or miss some of the books there won't be a problem... I just like to catch up to the previous characters. The heroine, Poppy, is a loving character where the hero is by the introduction a "bad boy' although I didn't see it other than how he got his way to have Poppy. I loved there story!

Audiobook
What happens when Lisa Kleypas takes an unloved prickly man and introduces him to a sweet, strong willed woman ? You get fire, flames and wicked fun banter between them. She drags these characters through some really sticky situations, dastardly behavior and still I loved them. What a fabulous author she is, twisting the knife in and then pulling it out with a flash of lusty brilliance.
Harry is our prickly unloved man. he is the owner of a very posh hotel in London. He is a recluse, rarely seen in public. There he he trying to be alone in his hidden place when a testy woman suddenly appears in his hidey-hole. She is the most interesting woman he has even encountered. He must have her as one of his many trinkets. Now to get rid of her man.
Popi, is in her third season and has not netted a man yet. She has one that has promised to marry her, as soon as he softens his father up on her less than Blue blood status, and her family. Not many in society approve of her family. She must keep their relationship a secret for now. She finds herself hunting down her sisters ferret as he travels down a secret hallway when she meets a man...
This is a wonderful tale of heartbreak, forgiveness, family love and character. I was laughing, gasping and a bit teary at points. It was a very good distraction from life's stresses. A fantastic audiobook.

The idea of Poppy being an unwilling wife made this story different from the others in the series, especially given Harry's closed-off tendencies and his inability to love. His backstory was fantastic and totally explained why he was the way he was and his developing love for Poppy made them my favorite couple of this whole series, which is saying something given how much I loved Cam

Plot Summary: Poppy Hathaway, the third sister in a misfit tribe of happy eccentrics, is in London for her second season. She's found love with a solid and steady peer of the realm when chance introduces her to Harry Rutledge, the owner of the hotel where her family stays while in London. Harry knows nothing about love, but he wants Poppy and he's willing to do anything to have her; including sabotaging her engagement. When Poppy discovers Harry's deceit it's too late to back out, and she marries the villain instead of the prince. Or did she get it right after all?

I have two observations right off the bat. First, I think these Hathaway stories keep getting better and better. Just when I think Ms. Kleypas can't possibly top her last tale, she sucks me back in with something even more entertaining. Second, I must admit that I wasn't looking forward to Poppy's story. She was the annoying chatter box in the background of the previous novels, and I never appreciated this open, artless bluestocking. I'm happy to say that I no longer find Poppy annoying, and quite the reverse, I find her very likable.

This is one of those classic historical romances where the husband and wife fall in love after they're already married. It's one of my favorite set ups in a historical, because single men and women were separated by layers of rules and etiquette, and I don't think much romance was possible unless 1) they were married, or 2) they broke the rules. My all-time favorite Kleypas novel, The Devil in Winter (The Wallflowers, Book 3), follows a similar story line, so I'm recognizing my partiality for married people finding love.

Like all good series, Ms. Kleypas tantalizes the reader with enticing stories to come. Things are heating up in the love/hate relationship between Leo and the Hathaways' paid companion, Miss Marks. Beatrice's story will also be forthcoming, and she might just prove to be the most enigmatic Hathaway yet. She's like a hippie flower child living during the Regency period, and it will be interesting to see who will dare partner with her.

There's not much information out there on when the next Hathaway novels will be released, aside from a back page teaser saying that "Married by Morning" and "Love in the Afternoon" will be released in Summer 2010.

This book impressed me. Poppy wasn’t a character I payed much attention but she showed to be a lovely one! And can I just say how much Harry captivated me? I’m in love with him! I do think this story had a few problems the last book didn’t, but maybe -just maybe- I had more fun with this one! I do have to say that didn’t like the ending, I thought it was too harsh and violent for such a beautiful book, it wasn’t one of the good kind of surprise. I’m not very excited about the next book, I don’t like the characters nor the plot, but I must give it a try for I want to read the last book! Great series so far!

I don't recommend you read this series out of order!

Of all the Hathaway siblings, Poppy is the one who most yearns for normalcy. But fate, or rather her sister's pet ferret, changes Poppy's plans and sets her directly in the path of mysterious hotelier Harry Rutledge. Harry's everything Poppy doesn't want: ruthless, manipulative, and seemingly incapable of love. But her reticence at forming an attraction to Harry is belied by her fascination with the man. And when an indiscreet moment lands Poppy at the center of scandal, she surprises her family by accepting Harry's proposal of marriage.

If there is one thing Harry Rutledge has learned from life, it's never to rely on anyone but himself. Yet from the moment he meets Poppy Hathaway, he knows he must possess her. But Harry soon discovers that marriage is only the beginning of the battle. To win Poppy's heart, Harry must first learn to open his own.

Lisa Kleypas's special brand of magic is at work in this phenomenal third installment to her enchanting Hathaway series. Tempt Me at Twilight is everything you could want in a story; it's captivating, tender, humorous, and beautifully penned by a master of romance.

Ms. Kleypas has a gift for creating memorable characters, and those that populate Tempt Me at Twilight are no exception. Harry is a man hardened by past experiences. He loves no one, trusts few, and manipulates everyone. Even at his most calculating, Harry is an irresistible hero. Something in him calls out for Poppy and even though he schemes to win her hand in marriage, it's because he cannot let her go. Watching him struggle with wanting to make someone happy for the first time in his life kept me spellbound for a great part of the book. I could fill pages and never do justice to describing Harry's character or what drew me so to him, so I'll leave it with saying you have to read the book for the opportunity to be entranced by Harry. As for Poppy, she's an absolutely amazing heroine. She's intelligent, giving, kind, and never backs down. She's not perfect, but she's perfect for Harry. I loved watching these two work through the problems in their relationship to find happiness.

Though Tempt Me at Twilight is the third book in Ms. Kleypas's Hathaway series, it can be read on its own (though there are some minor spoilers for the first two books). Yet, even though each book in this series can stand alone, the Hathaways, not to mention their spouses and pets, are all quite involved in each other's lives. The closeness of the Hathaway family is one of the things that makes this series so delightful. Amelia, Cam, Win, Merripen, Leo, and Beatrix, as well as Catherine Marks and Jake Valentine, friends of Poppy and Harry's respectively, are all vividly drawn and endearing characters in their own right. They add a liveliness to the story that kept me smiling all the way through and I cannot wait for Leo and Beatrix's books.

Tempt Me at Twilight is a sensual, exciting tale of two people who are meant to be - they just don't know it at first. I loved every page of this fantastic story and each successive re-read has just solidified my reasons for placing this book on my keeper shelf. I finished Tempt Me at Twilight feeling almost giddy and hungry for the next enticing story by the tremendously talented Ms. Kleypas.

Shayna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite romance writers for a very good reason-she consistently writes great and heart felt romances. I think this is one of her better works and certainly one of the best romance novels I have read in the past few years

What made this story work for me was the hero, Harry. He was mysterious, magnetic, passionate, driven and, more than anything, determined to have the heroine Poppy despite any and all obstacles, including the fact that she was in love with another man.

What I liked best about Harry was that he seemed to genuinely like Poppy as a person. A lot of romance novels place too much emphasis on sex. I liked that it was not a love at first sight set-up(I mean, how hard is it for a man to think he loves a beautiful woman?). Harry had seen Poppy before, but did not become interested in her until he was exposed to her true personality. I thought the writer and the hero handled the wedding day and night wonderfully and with authenticity.

A reviewer mentioned that the writer never explained why Poppy and Harry loved one another. I think that it was a good decision by the writer. She did not try to explain the mystery that is love or how or why polar opposites meet and recognize that they complete each other. She showed us.

Kudos.

Lisa Kleypas is a wonderfully talented writer. This is one of her best works. Some of her stories are unique and fresh. This is one of them. Only she could make a hero out of a villain and make us sympathize with him.
I will not go into the summary of the story. But I would like to mention a few things about the characterization. Harry starts out as a villain. He deliberately sabotages the relationship between Poppy and Michael. He deliberately compromises her such that she is left with no choice but to marry him. Everybody hates him for what he does to Poppy and Michael. He starts out as a really selfish person. But as the story progresses, gradually we begin to sympathize with him, like him and even root for him. Poppy is a very likable character. Though there are not many shades to her character, one of her charms is her girl-next-door personality. This book captivated my interest from start to finish. I could not put it down. I would definitely recommend this one.

Poppy and Harry are wonderful! I love Poppy's sweet quirkiness and the mature way she handles herself later. Harry is used to manipulating life around him and decides Poppy is for him and manipulates events to make sure she becomes his. There is something appealing about the power he wields, and yet there is something even more appealing when he sees the folly of this sort of manipulation of other's lives. He loves Poppy so much and it is easy to see why. Highly recommended.

I have enjoyed all the Hathaways. Tempted at Midnight was also a five star to me, and four stars for Seduce Me At Sunrise.

The ruthless Harry Rutledge turns out to be one of the best heros this year. He loved Poppy the moment he spoke with her and saw not only her beauty but her intelligence. They could relate on an intellectual plane, but the attraction was so tempting, even though he was ruthless the way he made her his in his commanding ways, it was all worth it in the end. There were times you felt he had been rather heartless in the process of capturing her heart, and felt rather awkward when he was caught at his manipulations, however he felt no shame at his cunning behavior, to Harry, Poppy was worth fighting for. You love the way he loves her and you could understand as his background began to unfold.

I would highly reccomend this book, as well as the entire series.

I should not be surprised! but honestly, I didn't know how good this book would be. I liked the previous story in this series but It was more consistant not outstanding. After being let down by a few of my tried and true authors(who shall remain nameless) this year, I was coming in with low expectations.

Tempt Me at Twilight was OUTSTANDING! I loved the characters and the storyline. The dialogue was very rich and I got a sense of who both people were. I didn't like the hero very much at first but his unapologetic Alpha personality really won me over. I also liked the set ups for the next two stories in this series which will come out next year. I CAN NOT WAIT.

Mrs. Kleypas is one of my favorite writers and this book was like a surprise party! Not expected, but full of family, friends and warm, special feelings that you never will forget.

FINALLY!!!!!!! Someone got it right!

*Semispoilers contained in this review.

Before reading Tempt Me At Twilight I admit that I wasn't particularly excited about the newest installment in LK's Hathaway's series ( Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, Book 1),Seduce Me at Sunrise (The Hathaways, Book 2). The heroine, Poppy, didn't strike me as very interesting in the previous books and Harry, the mysterious hotel owner, was barely mentioned. But you never know with LK. She has the uncanny ability to take even the most unlikely couples and turn them into swoon-worthy, heart-melting romance gold. So I rushed out and bought this one. And I have to agree with most comments that its beautiful and well written, classic LK romance. But there are a couple of aspects of the book that don't work for me.

Harry's heinous behavior towards Poppy is slightly shocking and reminds me of another of LK's books, Prince of Dreams (despised that one for many reasons). I could have easily accepted Harry's methods (due to childhood trauma, loneliness etc.) IF they would have been resolved sooner. It took nearly half the book to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. And that left not enough room to develop the romance with Poppy. I felt it was too rushed and not believable. Harry is a fantastically flawed hero but I would have liked to have seen more of his redemption, him struggling with his feelings for Poppy and the dawning realization that she was more than an acquisition. He said somewhere that Poppy was essential to his life, I would have liked to seen more examples of that. Watch him drop his walls and expose himself to Poppy.

Poppy, for some reason, I couldn't stand. Oh she is perfect in the beginning of the book. A witty, levelheaded, not-afraid-to-speak-her-mind heroine who simply craved a peaceful and quite marriage away from the scandals, scenes and gossip. But it all went downhill for me rather quickly. I felt Poppy's feelings were extremely fickle. Going from being in love one minute and not the next? Very wishy-washy. Heartbroken for only a matter of weeks before deeply in love again? Not believable. Is anyone really surprised over Michael's behavior or Harry's for that matter? I was more surprised at Poppy's. Again NOT enough time was spent developing the romance. I would liked to see more of the how and why Poppy falls in love with Harry. And vice versa.

I grudgingly recommend this one (even a not-so-spectacular LK romance is better than 90% of the stuff out there). i think most readers will enjoy it. For me there should have been fifty pages added in the middle IMHO. Lots of five star scenes in this book but as a whole I rate it a three star romance. It was bumped it up to four because of the Leo's and the secretive companion Miss Mark's delicious scenes (can't wait for that one!).

Nearly all of LK's book are keepers but these are my favorite two-
The Devil in Winter (The Wallflowers, Book 3)
Lady Sophia's Lover (Bow Street, Book 2)

LK does such a spectacular job bringing the characters from the Hathaway family to life. This book was very entertaining. Never a dull moment. Poppy's (heroine) character was shown with brilliance. Harry (hero) is dark, clever, handsome, rich, sexy, ect..... It is always a pleasure getting to know each and every character from this family. Leo's character really comes to life in this book. He is so funny, I found myself laughing at his dialogue quite often. This series gets better each time. I wasn't sure about reading Poppy's story. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it. This story ends with a wonderful twist regarding Leo and Catherine. I can't wait to read Leo's story. This was awesomely done. Thank you so much LK for the Hathaway's. They are funny, strange, genuine, lovable, wacky and weird...And I love them. I'm going to hate when this series ends.

Jay Harry Rutledge has spent his life pursing his own singular achievements both monetarily and positional in life. He has through his own perseverance become a successful hotel owner and earned the respect of proper London society as well as his employees. What he had no time for love or affection as none had even been given to him from either his parents or partners. Everything in life was as it should be until the day he set his eyes on one Poppy Hathaway and nothing would ever be the same.

In the chaotic Hathaway family Poppy was the calm and quiet one that always managed to keep a level head and her feet on the ground. She wanted to find love and thought she had but the man of her dreams turned into a nightmare when he decided his title and inheritance were more important than love. But when Poppy decided she would never marry Harry decides she is the one he wants to marry and moves everyone and everything aside to achieve this goal and secure her as his wife. Poppy feels he is not the man for her and reminds Harry of this often enough even after she agrees to marry him. He promises her diamonds, carriages and everything her heart desires but makes it perfectly clear he will never love her - desire her yes but love is not on the table.

After they are married when too many cold nights and lonely days prove more than she can handle alone Poppy takes refuge with her family. But there is much conspiring amongst Harry's employees who help to up the ante and make sure that Harry not only explores his feelings for Poppy but make they are known to everyone. Poppy runs and Harry pursues and when he finally catches her it is his heart that is bursting with emotion that even Harry can't completely comprehend but willingly accepts.

The Hathaway's are an amazing, emotional and wild bunch that are so entertaining and fill the books with such excitement. But it is the calm that Poppy brings to her story that really delights the reader because she is so dear and has an open heart for everyone that you want true love for her. You almost feel she may have missed her chance but with Harry's true character comes out it is pure magic. This book has such a high wow factor that you truly slow down your reading pace to make sure you can extend this as long as possible.

Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer" ([...])

*********SPOILERS************

The book starts out well, but then loses its momentum once they marry. Heck, she still wanted the other wimpy guy 2/3 of the way into this book.

Even so, Kleypas is an expert and even a so-so effort from her is still better than most of the romance novels out there, IMO. I liked the hotel setting, as well as Harry's mechanical interests and his back story. The story was really more about Harry than Poppy, who seems to be more important as a catalyst for his change than as a character unto herself. She wasn't fleshed out in the prior Hathaway books, and I'm afraid she doesn't get much here, either (or maybe I just didn't think she was that interesting). But I liked that the book didn't revolve around the peerage, and examined regency(ish) London from a different point of view.

Also, it's a Hathaway book, so if you like that family, you should like this book. It's worth it just for the Leo/Marks interaction (love them!). The updates on Cam/Amelia and Kev/Win are nice, too.

I would recommend reading Married by Morning after this book. I just read it, and IMO, it finishes Harry's story better than this one. This book just seems like a stop-over on the way to more interesting Hathaway stories.

Well I could give this book 10*, even the relationship between Poppy & Harry is not as strong as Win-Merippen, but I had falling in love with this book long before I read it. It's all because of the name :

Harry Ruthledge -- Just by hearing his name & what he owns, give me somekind of 'shiver' to find out more about him. I know I gonna love this Hero. And it's just by... hearing his name.

For me, His name sounds Evil, wicked, mean and other bad images of how mysteriously this hero is.

And I'm not mistaken. This man is well match with the soft elegance of Poppy's character.

This is why Lisa Kleypas is one of my fav author, cause she can write a book which is so much romantic ...that it seems I am floating in the cloud.

I love Lisa Kleypas's books. But the 1st Hathaway was good but not spectacular and I'll admit I skipped the 2nd because the synopsis didn't grab me. But I loved the concept of the 3rd book.

Harry Rutledge is a great alpha male, he's rich, intelligent, slightly emotionally impaired. Meets up with Poppy Hathaway who is young native, and a breath of fresh air in his life. Its not a new formula or even surprising in plot, but the writing is excellent and there's no hemming or hawing going on. Harry, meets her for in the first few pages and decides then and there that she's his. Of course marriage might not be in his mind but you get the idea. He's ruthless in getting what he wants but it works and you can justify his actions.

This is Lisa at her best. I only wish she would write more historicals.

I found Harry to be an extremely fascinating character. He was selfish, determined and remorseless. In other words he was great hero material. Poppy's character was never fully developed. Aside for a lost love, we knew very little about her except for the classic romantic regency character of a woman who lives in the 19th century, but has modern ideas and takes on society living. The first half of the book was fascinating, their meeting, their marriage. Then it all goes down hill. Poppy comes out as an immature girl who runs home to "the family in happy perfect-ville" when times get tough without figuring out her problems herself. Harry who was once a tight-lipped man in complete control of his surroundings and emotions then becomes this uncertain guy who is constantly apologizing and comes out as a wimp who is afraid to face his wife when she's angry without first getting advice from "the family in we-can-make-anything-happen-ville". I mean seriously what man wants a honeymoon with his in-laws? This book got so ridiculous. The characters made such extreme personality changes that they became completely unbelievable and for me not much respected. I enjoyed the first two books of this series so much and I would hope the fourth will be better than this one instead of relying on "the family in miracle-come-true land" to solve all the problems.