A Kiss at Midnight (Fairy Tales Book 1)

This book was very well-written where prose was concerned, amusing and not so straightforward a copy of the tale of Cinderella, much more original than that. The characters had depth to their personalities and the description for details was rather well done.

As others have stated: historical fiction this ain't.

It is, however, light, fun, and witty, and a grand afternoon's entertainment. There are a few sly contemporary references (colored wigs? All I could envision was Katy Perry in that awful blue one!), plenty of eccentric characters and some outrageous dialogue to chuckle over, and a well-thought-out love story. What more could you want for summer beach reading?

Very enjoyable!

I read to forget about life for a few moments. I have enjoyed this book a few times, I love the characters and who doesn't love a GOOD Cinderella story? I think some of the reviews were a little over the top, it's an enjoyable story with fun characters and interaction that made me laugh out loud at times. All I really want to say is "Mission Accomplished!" I forgot my not so great day for a night living in this book.

I put off reading this book because I wanted to delay what I thought would be gratification -- I have been a big Eloisa James fan up to now -- I saved it until a time I needed something light and fun. Good grief! This book was beyond dreadful! First of all the language used was too anachronistic -- Ms. James explains how she was free with the language cause it is a fairy tale, not a historical romance. But it just plain doesn't work if they are dressed in 18th/19th century garb ("Lady XXX you seem to be having a wardrobe malfunction" Come on!) Which leads to the another problem: when is this story supposed to be taking place? Nothing is consistent to one time and thus leaves the reader feeling a bit disoriented and resentful. Finally, the tale itself: it started out okay but then rapidly went downhill. The whole thing fell flat. I finished it despite the fact that I had better things to do (and read!) but now I'm just disappointed and mad. This book is a mess. Save yourself the time and turn elsewhere!

I was surprised at how much I did not like this romance. It was even confusing in parts. I had read quite a few of Eloise James' romance novels, espicially enjoyed all of the "Duchess' series but this one seriously missed the mark.

A Kiss at Midnight is book one in the Fairy Tales series. This story is a pretending to be someone else trope which I seem to enjoy recently. It's also a fairytale retelling, Cinderella in this case, which I was really glad to see!

Our leading lady, Kate Daltry is living with her stepmother and step sister and basically acting as a servant. Like in Cinderella, Kate's stepmother is not so nice, on the other hand she does have a sweet step sister. That's why when Kate is asked to pretend to be her stepsister so her betrothed can have the engagement approved by a prince in his family, she accepts. So they're off to a castle to attend a ball and meet with the prince. The only thing they didn't account for was the prince wanting Kate for his own. He's smart and figures out she's an impostor quickly, but with an arranged marriage looming in the near future for him, he can't help but feel conflicted for his feelings with Kate.

A Kiss at Midnight had me craving to listen to the rest of the books in the series. I enjoy fairytale retellings already, but mixed in with Historical Romance and I'm sold. I enjoyed the characters quite a bit, though it did take me awhile to warm up to Prince Gabriel. Kate's character was too sweet, she's treated like dirt and yet does what's best for her stepsister. She stays in the house basically being a servant so the staff don't wind up sacked. I felt empathy for her situation, and hopeful that she'd figure out how to leave. If you're looking for a Historical Romance/Fairytale retelling with a pretending to be someone else trope I think you'd love this book. I can't wait to get my hands on book two!

This story has some outrageous elements. To enjoy the novel you need to suspend your disbelief in ridiculous things such as identity swapping – these provide comic relief.

I read this book smiling. Once you get past the initial set-up that leads to Cinderella, I mean Kate, being installed in Prince Gabriel’s castle, the romantic seduction of her begins. And it gets intense. Gabriel and Kate have a remarkable chemistry. However, they can’t be together because he is committed to marrying someone else. Kate is in the castle in disguise. The writing brilliantly conveys the irresistible, yet tortured, push and pull between them.

Knowing this is a romance novel and there would be a HEA, and because of Eloisa James’ writing skill, I decided to pause my discomfort over 2 worrying factors: Gabriel’s desire to seduce innocent Kate, while remaining committed to wed another, and Kate’s willingness to risk her virtue and reputation on a prince she has no future with. I knew the obstacles would be overcome with a HEA to follow. I also knew this would render Kate’s loss of virtue as inconsequential. It IS a Cinderella story after all, so I waited to see HOW it would all resolve. In the hands of another writer, I would probably feel differently.

This being my mindset, I loved Gabriel and Kate. Their story hooked me and I enjoyed it thoroughly. My heart pounded and my body tensed up when Cinderella ran away at the end of the ball, leaving her ‘glass’ slipper behind. I’ve gone back and re-read the last one quarter of this book over and over again, it is so compelling to me.

There is a marvellous cast of supporting characters starting with the God-mother (who steals the show every time she appears), Kate’s step-sister who is actually nice, and the many colourful castle dwellers. The dialogue is witty, the romance intense, and the happy ever after satisfying.

*contains sex scenes

A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James (Audio Edition)
Performance by Susan Duerden

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ What a great fairy tale! When I first met Gabriel, I was unsure if I would like him… turns out I loved him. He was a very passionate man and I got all the good bubbly tingles when he and Kate were in a scene together. I felt his frustration when he was left longing for “his Kate”. Kate, in turn was a great lead. Fiery, witty and just a bit devilish. In essence a great match for his highness. The secondary characters were well developed and Henrietta and her husband Leo were hilarious!

This book had me laughing, sighing and just longing to know what would happen next. As this was the audiobook, I was listening to some praise also needs to be directed at the reader. Susan Duerden is becoming a favourite reader of mine. She did a fantastic job! Lots of voices and expression in them. So glad I picked this story up!

Original review posted at: http://paragraphsandpetticoats.blogspot.ca/

The first book in Eloisa James' highly-acclaimed Fairy Tales series.
I must read more Eloisa James. What I’ve read thus far—her debut, Potent Pleasures, With This Kiss, Seduced by a Pirate, A Fool Again, A Proper Englishwoman, The Lady Most Likely—I’ve loved. But other books sometimes get in the way of my progress.
This is a fairy tale so, while it does have the usual historical romance features—hero, heroine, and happy ending—it also takes great liberties with events, language, and etiquette, which I love but which some do not. The creativity of historical romance and how its authors create beautiful stories I just love to read continue to fascinate and delight me.
The first in her Fairy Tales series, A Kiss at Midnight features Kate, a snarky and rather jaded Cinderella-type heroine. Kate falls in love with a handsome prince, Gabriel, who must do his duty and wed for money as he takes care of his family and other matters. But Kate just wants to live quietly and wishes to marry for love.
I find Kate refreshing; she’s no simpering miss, nor is she angelic.
”’You’re cracked,’ Kate said, staring at her stepmother. ‘You can’t pass me off as your daughter.’”
She is also caring and loving, staying on after her father’s death so that the village’s tenants won’t struggle.
Gabriel is an amateur archaeologist, who’d rather be in Carthage instead of tending to the estate and family matters that his incapable older brother left to him; he is doing his duty.
The road to their happy ending is sweet and sensual and filled with humorous and delightful secondary characters: Kate’s loving, beautiful, and sweet sister, Victoria; Victoria’s devoted and aptly-named fiancé, Lord Dimsdale; Wick, Gabriel’s witty and honorable brother born “on the wrong side of the blanket,;” and of course, Kate’s sassy and saucy godmother, Lady Wrothe—Henry, for short and Henry’s devoted third husband, Leo.
”’I’m very fond of unquestioning adoration…One can’t have too much of it, from dogs or men.’”
“‘One should never hope that men will rise to the occasion,’” Henry said sadly. ‘They don’t, as a matter of course.’”
”’Men come and men go…They’re like icicles.’”
I love the salacious and provocative dialogue and inner thoughts of all the characters, the fashionable little details that give a nod to the time period—1815 according to the author—and the short chapters that almost read like a comical play.
“She was wearing a morning dress with a pleated bodice of lilac net, caught under the breasts with a trailing ribbon.”
Memorable moments:
“Wick never called him Gabe anymore; it was always Your Highness or, more often, Your Heinous, occasionally varied with Your Knaveness.”

”Arabella smiled at him with the guileless charm of a young lady trained to bag eligible gentlemen at fifty paces.”
"I would prefer not to throw myself on a funeral pyre. Please come back to me."

A charming fairy tale that sparkles throughout.

Um, I've read and enjoyed other novels from James before and this one the beginning, or should I say the first 3/4's was a bit drawn out, slow and confusing. It might have been just me but I was a little confused by some of the words. I've not read many historicals but I'm not even sure if that's it. I did love the idea of a remake of the classic Cinderella fairy tale. Once we got to the good stuff more than halfway through the story started to pick up and get real. I loved the ending. The beginning not so much. I am glad I stuck through it. Several times I found myself thinking, why am I going on.

What I didn't realize was that I had previously read The Duke is Mine which was a remake of the Princess and the Pea. I'm not as familiar with that fairy tale as I am with Cinderella. But I really enjoyed that story. I have heard that the series gets better and I'm struggling with whether or not to get the next book in the chapter.

This is basically about Kate, her stepmother insists she play her sister Victoria at a ball for the Prince. They need the Prince's blessing for her compromised sister to get married. Her sister has had an unfortunate accident with a dog and has an infection and bite wound on her lip.

Once she's arrived the Prince seems to take a liking to her and they find themselves enjoying each others company more and more. Kate is witty and treats the Prince like a man instead of a Prince. He is taken with her and yet she fights it the entire way. The Prince is due to meet his Princess any day now and getting involved with him would only lead to heartache.

One thing I want to mention is that a lot of reviewers were complaining that Kate was always referencing how old she was. I think it was a different time period then and people didn't live quite as long as we do today so perhaps an unmarried lady at 24 is considered old at that time. I mean, not wrinkly,with age spots old but just older than the normal age for marriage. Just my two cents.

For me this one was a 50/50

I LOVED this book. I feel a bit odd saying that, because obviously you know what kind of book this is. I am not normally into books like this, I mean I don't mind a little romance and the like, but I rarely read books firmly in the 'romance' genre. People kept recommending this book to me and it has pretty good reviews on goodreads, so I'm sad to see it doesn't have as many good reviews here.

Anyway. I almost did not read this book because let's be real, we all judge books by their covers and that cover is ridiculous. It looks like something from the 80s, rather than 2010. I'm glad I picked it up anyway, because I freaking loved it. I think Eloisa James is a great writer. This book was funny, interesting, well written. It actually had a story and not just sex scenes every other page. I really, really, really enjoyed this and I highly recommend. I immediately went out and bought the rest of the books in the series and loved them as well.

Gabriel is perfect. I mean, not PERFECT perfect. In fact, he is just IMPERFECT enough. But I really hope Wick gets his own happily ever after someday, too.

So, as a Cinderella retelling, it hits some of the major plot points -- Kate is the step-daughter of a woman who inherited everything after Kate's father's death, and has since demoted Kate to second class citizen in her own home, but more in the Ever After style of Kate remaining there to protect her people and showing great strength of character and spirit. (And I've never understood how a girl born a lady could be demoted to servant, generally speaking. Particularly if she's as old as Kate was, and must realize a Lady is an inherited position vs anything else, in that society.)

But it isn't the Cinderella retelling that wins me over in this book. In fact, I think the Cinderella framing is pretty superfluous and unnecessary. It's the star-crossed lovers element of the romance between Kate and Gabriel that makes this book a 5 star read for me. I *love* them together. I completely 10000000% buy into their relationship and all the heartbreak and all the devastation of the struggle between duty/honor and following one's heart. They really live parallel lives, as far as having been limited by responsibility to others around them, and I love that too.

I liked the characters Kate and Gabriel. They were each sympathetic although Gabriel was a bit underdeveloped.

I really loved this retelling of Cinderella. It was magical and sweet. I especially loved the parallels drawn between the old Cinderella story and the new such as "the rats" which were actually small dogs (who I adored). Kate's Godmother was a hoot of a character as well.

I also liked that the author had Kate be sensible about contraception. In so many historical novels the male and female characters have sex and only after wonder if she got pregnant. Kate and Gabriel took measures that were believable in the time frame and I really respected that.

There were also a few places in the book that brought me to tears such as when they discover the memorial for little Mary. I think being a mother makes any mention of children's deaths upsetting. The memorial was so well described that I could just picture it in my mind and the discover fit well in my mind with Gabriel and his love of archaeology and the stories of people from the past.

I think the biggest issue I had with this story was that Kate ends up stealing Gabriel from a princess who he was supposed to be marrying and who was a very nice girl. I especially didn't like it that on the night he first meets his Princess he is running back and forth between her and Kate. The Princess is in the ballroom and Kate is upstairs in his bed. It felt very wrong. I think it would have been more forgivable if it had happened before the Princess arrived but once she was in the castle I thought it was very wrong of Gabriel and Kate to have sex. I also thought having sex in the maze while the Princess was left to watch the fireworks with her uncle was a very rude move on Gabriel's part. We are given this picture of him as this caring person who has the heart to take in all of his discarded family members but he will sneak away from the woman he is supposed to be marrying to have sex with another woman in a maze. Maybe, just maybe, if he had determined in his mind that he wouldn't marry the Princess and that he was going to send her packing then I would have been alright with it. But, that wasn't the case. He and Kate are banging away and he believes that he will be marrying the Princess. It just seemed wrong.

Also, this book is a fairy tale so you have to really suspend your disbelief. There were so many things happening in the book that just were not believable. For instance, Kate thinks Victoria is the pretty sister and yet they apparently look enough alike to fool other people into thinking Kate is Victoria. I understood why Kate needed to go to the castle and meet the prince but truly, if she had followed her sister there it would have been much more believable than her pretending to be a sister she supposedly looks nothing like. My sister and I look a good bit alike and we couldn't have pulled off the ruse.
This review also appears on my blog:[...]

Review written by Jane B Night author of Educating Autumn (The Louis Saga)

A KISS AT MIDNIGHT by Eloisa James.

I liked the collection of various character types. It made interesting interaction. I wish some romance authors would do more of this. For that reason I rounded up to 4 stars rather than down to 3. There is the sweet, naive, not-too-smart, frequently-crying stepsister; the selfish cruel stepmother; the arrogant, starkly-masculine, beautiful prince who does not want to be a prince. He'd rather be on an archaeological dig. I liked that the prince did not like Kate when he met her. He claimed he wanted a biddable bed-able woman. I liked his best friend/majordomo Wick who was smart. Wick said for himself, he would be bored by a biddable woman.

The prince and Kate spent a lot of time together which provided dialogue and relationship development that I liked.

I liked the phrase: "he was surrounded by a veritable flowerbed of young ladies."

I was reluctant to read something based on the Cinderella story, but I was pleased with the twists and changes made by the author. It wasn't a copy. The author's note at the end says this book is not for readers looking for historical accuracy. This should be considered a fairy tale.

The plot could have been better. The prince has a dilemma which he solves at the end. He should have considered and discussed that solution a lot earlier, but that would have ended the story too soon. Because of other positives I was willing to look past that.

Don't read this for hot sex scenes. It was odd, not romantic, and not very passionate the way she chose to give her virginity and the timing of that scene. It was sort of a quickie. Other scenes were warm rather than hot, but ok.

The narrator Susan Duerden is excellent. I love the way she reads the prince. She makes him sound soooo seductive.

OTHER BOOKS:
I gave 4 ½ stars to When Beauty Tamed the Beast. Read that first if you want to try this author.

DATA:
Unabridged audiobook reading time: 10 hrs and 39 mins. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 4. Setting: 1813 England. Book copyright: 2010. Genre: regency romance - fairy tale style.

If you're looking for historical accuracy in your romance, look somewhere else. If you're looking for a witty, steamy, funny and fanciful take on a fairy tale, give "A Kiss at Midnight" a chance. This early-19th century-ish take on Cinderella is simple adorable. I was able to suspend reality enough to simply enjoy. The premise isn't sensible, but again, I just went for the ride and didn't look back.

Kate is a fun heroine- smart, down-to-earth, feisty and adventurous. Her humbleness was intriguing in the face of her intellectual confidence. It was fun to watch her blossom physically. I had so many laughs in relation to her "bosom friends" (fake wax breasts) and her colorful wigs and outfits.

Her love interest, Gabriel, is tall, dark and handsome but turns out to be Prince Not-So-Charming. Not only is he poor as a church mouse but he's surly, grumpy, dreamy and entirely unsuitable for Kate.

The mismatched pair enjoy quite a comical adventure together as each come to grips with the unsuitable relationship they both want to enjoy with one another and the chemistry between them that is quite uncalled for.

I much appreciated the ending for both it's unique beauty and because it was nice to know to have proof that Gabriel loved Kate and Kate loved Gabriel. Very adorable romance - cheeky and satirical, charming and funny with an excellent host of side characters that will have you in stitches.

I love a Cinderella story. I adore Cinderella stories that quote Shakespeare! This interpretation of the classic fairy tale was clever and quick from the start.

The characters are great. I loved the witty, tart Kate. It took me until about page seventy to get into Prince Gabriel's side of the story. Supporting characters are fantastic and all very different personalities.

Great sparring between Kate and Gabriel. Also, Kate sparring with anyone...

Loved the castle setting with its menagerie, gardens, lake - and I especially liked the dinner scenes.... And the sneaking away scenes.

One of the things I love about Romance/Historical Fiction is learning about things like the excavation of Catharage that is Gabriel's passion.

Not sure if I would still give it 4 stars on a re-read, but it was the perfect book for a New Years Eve trip.

I can remember when I was a little girl and first read the story of Cinderella - I think most of us can. How the horribly treated cinder maid defeated her evil stepmother by marrying the handsome prince - *sigh* how romantic. Eloisa James has now taken this timeless classic and made it her very own with the debut in her new fairy tales series.

It all started with rats... well not exactly rats, but something similarly close. One small Maltese that turned Katherine Daltry's world upside down and around. Though, we'll get back to the rats... er dogs. Since Kate's father died seven years ago, she's been treated by her stepmother as nothing more than the help, instead of a lady of the Yarrow house that is her birth right. Marianna Daltry hasn't exactly turned Kate into a maid, but she has moved her to the attic and fired most of the staff, making Kate pick up the slack. She also has no interest in the upkeep of what's left of the tenants and instead uses Kate's fathers money to buy unnecessary frivolous items. Kate can leave Yarrow house at anytime, but she fears what would become of the tenants and what's left of the staff. So she stays and endures.

Victoria Daltry has had a slight mishap with feeding her dog, Ceasar, which couldn't have come at a worse time. Marianna has concocted the perfect scheme (in her eyes), she needs Kate to pose as Victoria so she can marry Algernon Bennet who needs the approval of his uncle, The Prince of Marburg. It just won't do for everyone to see Victoria in such a condition (with a reputation to uphold) and first impression is not only wanted, but needed. Now, because of the rat, Marianna forces Kate to take her sister Victoria's place in meeting the Prince.

Prince Gabriel Augustus-Frederick William von Aschenberg of Warl-Marburg-Baalsfeld is in love with archeology and wants nothing more than to be sifting through the ruins of Carthedge. He doesn't want to be at Pemeroy castle. He doesn't want to be responsible for the family and staff his crazed brother, The Grand Duke, threw out of Marburg on the grounds of religious impurity. He also doesn't want to meet Algie's new bride or his own betrothed for that matter. He wants to be free to do as he wills, to dig in the dirt and uncover history. However, as much he doesn't want to do all these things, honor bounds him to his responsibilities.

When Gabriel first meets Kate as Victoria, he thinks nothing much of his nephew's new betrothed. He most certainly doesn't see where the ton thinks of her as the seasons beauty. Kate has a similar negative reaction to the Prince. Though, while she thinks him an attractive man, it's the air of arrogance that turn her off. Gabriel wants two things in a woman - biddable and bedable. He see's neither in Kate, but there's something about her that he can't stay away from. With him knowing her as only Victoria and his future bride only a few days away from arriving, Gabriel tries his hardest to stay away from Kate, but fails miserably. Duty and honor are the only two things holding him back from the alluring Kate and Gabriel is finding it hard to live up to his position.

Kate is exactly how I always wanted my Cinderella to be - a fighter. She fights for what she believes in, what's right and wrong. She fight's her stepmother as much as she can in her position. She isn't book smart, but she has made effort to be and she's not lacking in common sense. Her sister Victoria isn't the awful stepsister, but actually very sweet and caring. She's never taken part in torturing Kate like Marianna does and that's why Kate relents on going along with the crazy plan. Even the Prince is different from our perfect first. He's arrogant, a little rude and brooding. It's not until Kate really gets to know him that she finally understands his personality. Although his arrogance never really goes away, it becomes more playful and sexy.

A Kiss at Midnight is actually my first Eloisa James novel. The other girls at Paperback Dolls completely love her, so when we got the chance to review one of her novels, I jumped at the offer. The story is one we've all heard before, but the twists that Ms. James puts in are a welcomed change. Most of the novel takes place at Pemeroy, but I didn't feel the least bit claustrophobic. Pemeroy is a very large castle, and Ms. James makes use of the grounds. My favorite character has got to be Henry, Kate's "Godmother" This woman says exactly what's on her mind. She's a little vulgar for the times and completely self assured. It's plain to see that she wants nothing but good things to come Kate's way. She does everything in her power to make her comfortable and happy.

I took A Kiss at Midnight for exactly what it was, a fairy tale romance. I wanna say how important it is that I make it clear that this is a fairy tale and not a historical romance. Ms. James expresses this herself in the authors notes at the end. But anyone who reads this beautiful story will have no doubt about it. A Kiss at Midnight was romantic, sexy and funny and I myself am already more than ready for the next in this series, which I hear will be about Beauty and the Beast.

Lisa Kleypas says it best on the cover of the book "Eloisa James is extraordinary".

I spent all Sunday doing nothing but voraciously reading this book. Kate was such a funny, smart and strong heroine and Gabriel was the perfect hero trying to do the right thing by his family even it means forsaking his happiness.

Yes, the reason why Kate must pretend to be Victoria is slim and yes, it was silly to think that no one would say anything about the changes once Victoria reappears in the plot but who cares! The book is such a joy to read, the characters have such hilarious interactions and conversations.

I want to know more about Wick, about Toloose, about Tatiana, Effie and Dante. Henry has got to be THE coolest fairy Godmother ever.

The final chapters are heartbreaking and HOT at the same time, Gabriel and Kate has amazing chemistry and believable.

SPOILERS STOP NOW IF YOU DONT WANT TO KNOW

The note that Gabriel sends Kate at the end and the grand gesture to get her back was so lovely. I just "awwwed" out loud and sighed and swooned.

I am obsessed with this Fairy tale series Eloisa James is doing and I can't wait for more.

"A kiss at midnight" is the first book in the series "Fairy tales" written by Eloisa James. And it's a new approach to the well-known story of Cinderella, though with a kind-hearted step-sister who turned out to be... oh well I'd better not spoil the surprise ;)

So as in Cinderella there's a poor girl with a step mother, whos father died quite long ago and who struggles to make the estate work and servants keep their places. And she gets a chance to attend a ball, or rather several balls, hosted by a real Prince! And of ocurse they fall in love. But he's almost married and she can't make herself ruin his future so she escapes. I'm sure she doesn't leave her crystal shoe (but she has such pair). In the end they find their path to happiness and have their HEA!

So it was a very sweet story bu one of my favourite authors. Can't say that it's very historical, but it's definitely romance!

"A Kiss At Midnight" by Eloisa James -- This book was all that a romance junky could want in a novel. Even if it was inspired from Cinderella, it was made into an original, sensuous adult story I enjoyed and it had lots of things going on to keep my interest. I was never tempted to skip a page or a paragraph. Gabriel and Kate were a remarkable, memorable H & h. The many secondary characters were alive to me and I enjoyed them all. I had never read Eloisa James before and almost didn't read it because I didn't want to waste my time on an "unknown to me". I have now read another by her, ("When Beauty Tamed The Beast" and I enjoyed it almost as much, but it had a quite different tone & I cried several times reading it.) I plan to read more of this author soon. I actually would have given "A Kiss At Midnight" 4.5 stars, if possible, but since I had to choose a whole number, I thought it was closer to a 5 than a 4. If you like very romantic stories, I think you will enjoy this one.

This is an intelligently written, re-telling of the classic fairy tale Cinderella. Kate and Gabriel made a great couple, their banter in the beginning was humorous. But by the end, their relationship could only be described as passionate and emotional. At one point in the book I actually shed a few tears. And that rarely happens for me. The secondary characters were also great. They added a lot to the story and helped to get our hero and heroine together. One character in particular, Henry, Kate's Godmother, really did make me smile as I read the book. This book had all the necessary elements a good re-telling of Cinderella should have, an evil Stepmother, a not so evil Stepsister, a fairy Godmother as mentioned above, and of course, the glass slippers. Pick up this book if you enjoy historical romance with humor, wit, intelligent banter, and passionate encounters with lots of emotion. A Kiss At Midnight had it all.

Not my favorite of Eloisas. I loved the Cinderella theme. And I loved the love story. But it seemed to be a little monotone for too much of the story. Cute characters.

Memorable reading...
Page 257
"And you are Kate, my Kate," he said to her. His lips rubbed across hers as if they were young wooers, too simple to know the ways of the wicked. "I won't take your virginity, because that is yours to give and not mine to take. But Kate, I warn you now that I intend to take everything else." He looked down at her, and the expression in his eyes was pure sinful invitation. Kate felt her lips curl without her conscious volition. "How do you know," she whispered, "that I won't do the same for you?"
Oh yes, typical Eloisa James....romance, breathtaking, unstoppable love.

Ok, there were many unbelievable things here, like the stepsisters being very different in looks yet when the heroine pretends to be her, people accept the lie that she was sick and now looks so different!? Ok she wear a wig and fake breasts but still... i also had other questions but somehow i just didnt care. Whenever the Hero and Heroine were together my heart sighed. I do not know what magic this story had over me but it does and so despite many complains, i can look those over because in the end i really liked this story! Which is odd because the wrong details and unrealistics things in a romance novel is what angers me (and its why i give those stories low ratings) but not in this story, the author knows just the things to say that the story was so sweet, i couldnt care less if the details were wrong or unrealistic, especially for the time period. I would read this story again, im that captivated by it.

I gave this one two chances, but still wasn't impressed. Didn't strike me as a love story. The hero felt he was losing control over his life by being forced to wed a wealthy bride, chosen by his brother, so he could use her money to support his many relations. He pursued the 'poor' heroine as a rebellious distraction. (Not exactly heart warming.) The heroine had been a champion for the underdog throughout the story until the end when she wanted the prince to choose her over the welfare of a castle full of his relations. (Not exactly noble.)

Narrator was okay. Some of her female voices were a little squeaky though.

"A Kiss At Midnight" by Eloisa James -- This book was all that a romance junky could want in a novel. Even if it was inspired from Cinderella, it was made into an original, sensuous adult story I enjoyed and it had lots of things going on to keep my interest. I was never tempted to skip a page or a paragraph. Gabriel and Kate were a remarkable, memorable H & h. The many secondary characters were alive to me and I enjoyed them all. I had never read Eloisa James before and almost didn't read it because I didn't want to waste my time on an "unknown to me". I have now read another by her, ("When Beauty Tamed The Beast" and I enjoyed it almost as much, but it had a quite different tone & I cried several times reading it.) I plan to read more of this author soon. I actually would have given "A Kiss At Midnight" 4.5 stars, if possible, but since I had to choose a whole number, I thought it was closer to a 5 than a 4. If you like very romantic stories, I think you will enjoy this one.

This is an intelligently written, re-telling of the classic fairy tale Cinderella. Kate and Gabriel made a great couple, their banter in the beginning was humorous. But by the end, their relationship could only be described as passionate and emotional. At one point in the book I actually shed a few tears. And that rarely happens for me. The secondary characters were also great. They added a lot to the story and helped to get our hero and heroine together. One character in particular, Henry, Kate's Godmother, really did make me smile as I read the book. This book had all the necessary elements a good re-telling of Cinderella should have, an evil Stepmother, a not so evil Stepsister, a fairy Godmother as mentioned above, and of course, the glass slippers. Pick up this book if you enjoy historical romance with humor, wit, intelligent banter, and passionate encounters with lots of emotion. A Kiss At Midnight had it all.

Not my favorite of Eloisas. I loved the Cinderella theme. And I loved the love story. But it seemed to be a little monotone for too much of the story. Cute characters.

Memorable reading...
Page 257
"And you are Kate, my Kate," he said to her. His lips rubbed across hers as if they were young wooers, too simple to know the ways of the wicked. "I won't take your virginity, because that is yours to give and not mine to take. But Kate, I warn you now that I intend to take everything else." He looked down at her, and the expression in his eyes was pure sinful invitation. Kate felt her lips curl without her conscious volition. "How do you know," she whispered, "that I won't do the same for you?"
Oh yes, typical Eloisa James....romance, breathtaking, unstoppable love.

Ok, there were many unbelievable things here, like the stepsisters being very different in looks yet when the heroine pretends to be her, people accept the lie that she was sick and now looks so different!? Ok she wear a wig and fake breasts but still... i also had other questions but somehow i just didnt care. Whenever the Hero and Heroine were together my heart sighed. I do not know what magic this story had over me but it does and so despite many complains, i can look those over because in the end i really liked this story! Which is odd because the wrong details and unrealistics things in a romance novel is what angers me (and its why i give those stories low ratings) but not in this story, the author knows just the things to say that the story was so sweet, i couldnt care less if the details were wrong or unrealistic, especially for the time period. I would read this story again, im that captivated by it.

I gave this one two chances, but still wasn't impressed. Didn't strike me as a love story. The hero felt he was losing control over his life by being forced to wed a wealthy bride, chosen by his brother, so he could use her money to support his many relations. He pursued the 'poor' heroine as a rebellious distraction. (Not exactly heart warming.) The heroine had been a champion for the underdog throughout the story until the end when she wanted the prince to choose her over the welfare of a castle full of his relations. (Not exactly noble.)

Narrator was okay. Some of her female voices were a little squeaky though.

What a fun book! There's just something special about reading a new twist on a classic story. The romance developed faster than I usually like, but I was expecting that going in. Cinderella doesn't spend months with the prince before falling in love, so how can I expect something different from Kate?

Katherine Daltry, or Kate as she prefers to be called, gets suckered into pretending to be her stepsister, Victoria, for a few days by her stepmother. Kate would be the first person to tell you the deception wouldn't work, but she bargains her cooperation for help for one of the tenants. After Kate's father died her stepmother started letting the estate run ragged and not doing properly by her tenants.

Kate doesn't stay with her stepmother and stepsister because she couldn't go somewhere else. She could, she has nothing against going away to be a governess. She just can't stand to abandon her duty to her father's estate. What would happen if she wasn't there to help at least a little? But duty can weigh heavy after a while. Kate is ready for a change.

The beginning started rather slowly for me. I found myself bored up until we got to the castle. I wasn't discouraged though. I find that Eloisa James doesn't really shine until there's heavy character interaction and dialogue. When that shows up the book just starts to pop!

I was amused by Gabriel and Kate's interaction. They had so much humor and fun in their conversations. I loved all their flirting! Gabriel was the romantic and Kate was the realist. I thought it was hilarious when Gabriel quoted one of Romeo's lines to Kate and she ruins the moment by asking if he kills himself right after that.

The author kept a lot of the original story elements. There were glass slippers and a midnight ball and even some rats running around. Although the rats aren't literally rats, thank goodness! There's even a godmother, who has to be my favorite character in the whole book.

The godmother, Henry, has a sad past, but she doesn't let it rule her life and she's the best adviser that Kate could ever ask for. She's open to whatever her niece decides, and even encourages her to embrace her naughty side once in a while. I loved watching her interact with her husband. They seem like they have a great relationship, even if he does have a problem or two. I loved how honest Henry was about everything and how she was there for Kate no matter what. I loved the talk she gave Kate about giving Gabriel one more chance to man up and then what to do if he didn't. I've wanted to give that speech to so many romance heroines!

If you're bothered by historical inaccuracies, let me help you out. The author discusses her free and loose use of period language in the Historical Note at the end of the book. I wasn't bothered by it, but you might be.

This wasn't my favorite book by this author, but I still enjoyed it. I felt the relationship was underdeveloped, but what was there was a lot of fun. The ending was a bit too cutesy for me, but I don't blame the author for wanting to go out with a very sweet HEA for her fairytale.

P.S. The "bosom friends" were hilarious. I need to google to see if they really did that!

Kate Daltry's life changed drastically when her father died and left everything to her stepmother who didn't think it necessary to do more than provide her shelter. She's now 23 and needs to pretend to be her stepsister Victoria and accompany her fiance to visit his uncle, a Prince from the mythical principality called Marburg. He needs to approve the betrothal before Victoria can marry. Never mind that they look nothing alike.

This fresh approach to a timeless fairy tale was utterly delightful. Kate is witty, smart and resolute. Gabriel is equal parts "charming" and interesting, not your typical idle prince in the least. Though stepmother Mariana is the classic witch with a "b", not all others in this story fit the stereotypes of the classic. There are just enough twists on the tale to keep things lively and the surrounding characters almost eclipse the main ones but fall short of this, just enough. They are delightful and there is witty dialogue throughout to set a formidable pace.

If you think this is just another spin on an timeworn story, think again. The writing is superb and the characterizations so well done you'll want a separate story for at least three of the secondary roles. The romance is seductive with Gabriel and Kate having more than the ball to get to know one another and develop a relationship. I also lost count of the laugh out loud moments.

The story is a real treat and I'm looking forward to reading the other fairy tales in the series and discovering the new spins on the old stories. Nicely done.

The author describes this book as more fairy tale than historical fiction, and that seems right. The story was full of fuzziness of setting and improbable coincidences that really worked because of that tie.

Kate (Cinderella) is the granddaughter of an Earl. Her mother was sickly but very rich, and her very good looking father married for access to that money, but not for love or affection. Her mother died, and her father immediately remarried a woman with a beautiful daughter (Victoria), about 5 years younger than Kate.

Kate finds it necessary to stay around to protect the staff and the tenants on her father's estate, so her stepmother has a way to convince her to take part in a truly hare-brained scheme to pretend to be Victoria on a trip to see her fiance's extended family, including a prince!

Yes, there are glass slippers, a ball, a previously unknown godmother (no fairies, though), a midnight escape... There are also fireworks, three silly little dogs, several steaming hot scenes, primary characters with some depth, funny secondary characters...

A very fun read.

I am a sucker for Cinderella-themed stories so I just knew I had to read this one. This was very enjoyable, I did laugh out loud a few times, had a smile pasted on my face for much of the book, and I did swoon a bit here and there too at some of the romantic scenes between Kate and Prince Gabriel. I enjoyed the many side characters and found their interactions with our heroine Kate very entertaining. There is also a very funny godmother. I was a little thrown off by the dialogue sometimes being too casual/modern/open but overall it did not bother me. I've only read one other Eloisa James book which I enjoyed too. I think I'll need to try more of her work.

This was my first book by Eloisa James and she has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Not a fan of regency romance, I was a bit worried that I wouldn't find this enjoyable, but I was intrigued by the fairy tale premise and was excited to read a retelling of Cinderella. I was not disappointed.

The story was peppered with colorful characters who added so much to the story and never felt like they were added to just be added. I found Gabriel utterly charming and Kate was smart, strong and witty.

This was an excellent book and I can't wait to read the others in the series.

I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. As with most (all?) of Eloisa James's books, the silly names and the modern mores grafted onto an historical setting are irritating and distracting. Despite that, however, this was a surprisingly mature and emotional story. Not what I expected of a fairy tale story, so I may have to give others in this series a try. One of Ms. James's best.

I usually stay away from re-told fairy tales. I already know the story, so what's the point? This one is a delightful exception! I loved that Kate (aka Cinderella) is not the hesitant, shy miss the tale seems to imply but a wonderfully witty (sometimes laugh-out-loud-funny) heroine stuck in a less than desirable position and making the most out of it. I wasn't sold on the scene where Kate waits in the Prince's room while he plays court to his betrothed, it just didn't fit her character. But, with that exception, it was a light, very funny, read that just might make me change my outlook on fairy tales!

Ilona Andrews mentioned this book on her blog and as I couldn't take advantage of the sale price, I took advantage of my library.

It was a really enjoyable story. It made me think of Ever After rather than Disney as the heroine was strong and got to know the prince rather than just be attracted to him. She understood his situation and was prepared to make the most of what she could rather than dwell on what she couldn't have.

I LOVED Henry. Everyone should have a godmother like her.

My criticisms of the book are minor details but... Kate's finances are discussed throughout the book. I needed a couple of sentences on how the matter was resolved. It didn't have to be a lot but I needed an explanation and didn't get one. Also Gabriel's book, whilst not surprising that he created one, it was never mentioned (or I missed it) in the book and I think it needed to be even in passing. Then for me, both solutions would have been more easily acceptable.

Overall, an entertaining read.

We read out loud at night and this was our July choice from our TBR shelf in paperback.

There was a wee bit of a slow start introducing the characters and set up. However, I loved the twist on the old Cinderella tale. The characters were rich and well developed. I loved some of the side characters as much as the central Hero and Heroine. We had to stop a couple times to chuckle over the clever dialogue and funny funny situations. The Author used a delightful technique to draw out the sexual tension between the central characters. Perfect for a fairytale in a historic setting. Cudos on plot, characterization and execution!

Wonderful wrap up in the end that had us cheering.

I think is the first Eloisa James books I've read [can't be totally sure, since I read a lot of romance novels] but this book wouldn't have me wanting to read another by the author.

Halfway through the book I found myself thinking, "I don't think I really like this book." And I was trying to figure out why, and I don't think i really buy the attraction between Kate and Gabriel or this great passion they're supposed to share.

I gave it three stars, because the last half of the book is a lot better than the first half. Although when the hero and heroine finally make love, there's a real sleazy feel about it, with him spending time with his future wife, while slipping upstairs to cop a feel of his future lover. Might have been better if they had gotten together before the future wife showed up. It was hard to get into their passion when I thought about the innocent future bride down stairs waiting for him. Left a real bad taste in my mouth.

It has a nice romantic ending. Just wished I'd enjoyed the journey to that happy ending more.

I can see why it received some below average ratings as well as the above average ones but it was just three stars for me. I wanted to put it down several times since it was so slow starting out but by the end I got into the story itself. I thought that beauty was a bit to emphasized when it came to Kate I never did figure out if she was a beauty or not. Also, there were some unanswered questions in my mind but all in all I basically liked it especially since I didn't have to pay for it. Enjoy

Audio-Cinderella is not the simple easy going girl of past tales. She has a fire and common sense that will not allow her to fall under a mans rule. Sure, this tales has the evil step mother and a step sister, but all is not as it seems here either. The rats/mice well they are maltese dogs that yap and misbehave. The fairy godmother is a real woman. There is no magic, no mythical beings or pumpkin carriages. The prince is a broke playboy, of course a very handsome one. What romantic tale would work without a handsome prince. There is a castle, beautiful and crumbling. Then there is a real romance, with hurt feelings, pain, lose, hope and love. Bittersweet and realistic.
I enjoyed this version, it was entertaining throughout the book. The narrator was perfect in her reading. I am going to read more in this series.

It's obvious from the reading of it, but Eloisa James also lets us know in her Historical Notes at the end, that this is NOT historical fiction. It's just delightful fiction. She's free and easy with language (it's full of modernisms) and has written a wickedly funny take on the Cinderella story. Not much depth to it, it's just pure entertainment with LOL moments, crazy characters (including various animals of different species), absurd situations and witty, zany dialogue. James has always been a wordsmith, so the way she writes is even more to be admired than the plots she contrives.

As for this plot, no need to talk about it. We're all familiar with Cinderella's story. Here we have our Cinderella (Miss Kate Daltry), wicked stepmother (Mrs. Mariana Daltry), not-wicked-at-all stepsister (Victoria Daltry), somewhat charming prince (Prince Gabriel Albrecht-Frederick William von Aschenberg of Warl-Marburg-Baalsfeld), godmother not-of-the-fairy-variety (Henrietta, Lady Wrothe), glass slippers (not of glass but rather of a transparent stiffened taffeta), a ball which will be left at midnight, and, of course, the HEA required of all fairy tales. It's a truly fun read (charming, one might even say).

I loved this retelling of Cinderella. The hero was especially wonderful--lusty and smart. What a great Prince Charming. This was my first Eloisa James book but it won't be my last. Can't wait to read the next.

I love reading books by this author! I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. All I can say is if you believe in fairy tales and want a happily ever after you need to purchase this book. I will definitely be buying more books by this author! Thank you Eloisa James for a most pleasurable read.

This is my new favorite Cinderella story. I won't go into the plot, which has been adequately covered by others, but this fairytale set in Regency England is fresh and original while retaining the framework of the traditional tale. I highly recommend it for a light, fun read. Worth rereading again and again.

I was disappointed to read that a lot of people didn't think this book was up to James' usual standards, and the people who did love it only described it as fun, light and silly. First of all, I'm a huge Eloisa James fan and especially loved her duchess series, and I loved this just as much. And it was light, and funny, and had silly characters. If I were reading that as a review though, it might turn me off...I don't just want ridiculous women of the ton. I want passion and tingles and unrequited love. This had it.
Some things I loved about this that other romance novels screw up:
1. There was a real problem. So many romance novels have heros and heroines that can't be together because...I don't know! There isn't any real problem beyond a slight miscommunication, and if they spoke to each other about their feelings for, oh, one minute flat, it would be solved. That's incredibly frustrating. This book had a real hurdle for them to overcome, which we are aware of from the beginning, and it's a legitimate one. The book didn't have me going "Just tell her you love her, you idiot." The problem between their love made me respect the characters more, because they were trying to act in the responsible way by not getting together. Also there was a good bit of jealousy on both of their parts, and i love unrequited love and jealousy. ;)
2. The characters weren't weak, especially not the female. She knows who she is and even though she swoons pretty quickly when the hero pays attention to her, she's aware of it and berates herself for it. She's honest.
3. There was actual conversation where they got to know each other! Crazy, right? The attraction was there, although it wasn't immediate for him because she was dressed up in a ridiculous costume (long story), but the attraction was not the main event. They laugh at each other. They're witty. It's funny and exciting watching them fall for each other.
4. When the dramatic, romantic ending came, it felt well deserved. The plot wasn't pushing me to believe that they loved each other...the natural progression of the story had me cheering and sobbing by the end, and so it didn't feel cheesy or over-the-top. That's how they should react! They love each other! Cry, Kate, cry! :)

If compared to "When Beauty tamed the Beast" another EJ novel, this comes up terribly short. Their was no pizazz, a bit predictable to the original Cinderalla story, not lot the WBTB novel, which was much more humorous & the couple more lovable. Kate & Gab, ehh, not a keeper for me.

I really enjoyed this book from cover to cover. It's also rare to read a book with a fresh plot and so original. The characters have a lot of dimension and you really feel for them. The characters are strong, no willy nilly weaklings. In the end, everyone wins, it truly is a fairy tale. Eloise James is now one of my favorite authors!!

After the Desperate Duchess series, A Kiss At Midnight was a welcome change. Not taking itself seriously, being tongue in cheek, and having hilarious scenes and equally hilarious characters (those names alone were laugh out loud funny!), this story is a keeper. I'd love (please please) to know the true stories of Tolousse and Wick, too!

A variation of the Cinderella story retold by a master. I haven't shed tears over a romance novel in years but like any good fairy tale they all lived happily ever after. I hope ms. James has more retellings in the works.

I know she tells us that this is not meant to be a true historical Regency but I found it absurd. I found it a waste of money.I like a well written Regency with wit and charm and well developed characters. It reminded me of some of the old movies from the 40's and 50's with the prince or princess going incognito or falling in love with a barmaid at the local beerhall.

I have to admit that the first chapter almost made me stop reading. I didn't like the characters and just felt that everything was a bit flat. But it picked up in the second chapter and I got really into it. It was a page turner and a nice, light read. Definitely recommend!

had to force myself to finish this book, gave it two stars only cause there where a couple of pages here and there that picked it up a bit, but the it crashed. Flat, boring, very little of romance, and not a fairy tail.

Fairy tales, happily ever after? You won't get it reading this book! This book was strange in so many ways: the circus, the evil stepmother, the prince, glass slippers, rats, servants, and even throw in a fairy godmother?
I was confused all through the book. This book is not worth buying or reading.

The story is a bit slow to warm up; it didn't grab my attention in the first pages. But once the hero and heroine meet, the romantic tension builds and builds. I could hardly tear myself away. I loved the main characters, and thought their falling in love was completely believable. This story is sweet and fun!

Eloisa James's books are a hit or miss with me. Too many secondary characters with stories of their own tend to put me off. But thankfully this wasn't one of those. In fact it was quite hilarious, witty and charming. Makes you laugh out loud very often, so read it when you don't have company around. In the beginning I was like," why is she rewriting cinderella?". But after a while you forget about that and get into the book as it takes a shape of its own.Really well written with great characters. A good romance.

I have to own up to being biased : I am an Eloisa James addict! A few months ago I had never heard of her and now, thanks to my wonderful Kindle ,I have read everything she has ever written. I am a history graduate with historical novels as a guilty pleasure and I find Ms James books amusing,enlightening,spicy and fun. I loved the characters in this one: Gabriel was of course a delicious alpha male and Kate was a bright and beautiful heroine. Just wonderful !

Hard to read it took so long the get to what ever the point was suppose to be. It took forever to read. It is a story that will not stay with you, I have all of Ms James books, like some better than others of course, but this book goes under the cat box.

I was very surprised at how much I loved this book! It was a sweet, romantic and sexy story! Nice, 'light', happy, and hot! If you are in the mood for a deep dark story skip this one. If you want a book that will make you smile and leave you in a good mood pick this one! Eloisa James writes in the 'Historical Notes' section in the back that she allowed herself a more freedom with the language than in her other historical novels. I found that it made the book easier to read. If you are a stickler for historical accuracy you might want to read the Note first. Definitely 5 stars!

It was a great story with humor in it. It seemed like the end came too quickly. I don't want to give it away but I thought the prince should have been more apologetic. He was a jerk dancing with his fiancee and leaving kate upstairs in his room.

I bought this book as soon as it hit the shelves and stayed up late to finish it. It was absolutely delightful, and goes straight to my keeper shelves. I particularly loved the way that Ms. James resolved the relationship between the two sisters. The book is fun and also has a lot of heart.

There are various reactions one can have upon finishing a book- I personally have on occasion thrown the offending volume across the room in a fit of rage, that would generally imply not a good book.
This is not a book to throw across a room.

Indeed, upon finishing the last deliciously trite sentence I gave this book a big hug.

It's silly, it isn't going to change your view of the world, or bring about world peace, it is, as I said, quite trivial.
But as a piece of romance writing ... it's about as magical as a fairy tail could hope to get.

Bravo Eloisa- once again- for creating such wonderful characters, such an enjoyable story, and for being such a wonderful writer.

If you want to sink into a bubble bath on a cold stormy night, if you want to truly luxuriate and forget your worries- this is the book for you.

I really enjoyed this take on the Cinderella story. It was light and quirky, and brought a smile to my face. To be honest, it is not a book for the purists - it has too many modernisms to appeal to the people who take their regency romance seriously. And James does stretch the readers' imagination as far as she can. But if you are happy to take this at face value, then I would recommend it.

A Kiss at Midnight

I love Eloisa James. I fell in love with her Duchess series and couldn't wait for more. I feel this book had potential, but I also felt bogged down with the details. Don't get me wrong I won't stop reading books from this author but the emotional connection wasn't there for me. I was a little disappointed.

I really enjoyed this take on the Cinderella story. It was light and quirky, and brought a smile to my face. To be honest, it is not a book for the purists - it has too many modernisms to appeal to the people who take their regency romance seriously. And James does stretch the readers' imagination as far as she can. But if you are happy to take this at face value, then I would recommend it.

A Kiss at Midnight

I love Eloisa James. I fell in love with her Duchess series and couldn't wait for more. I feel this book had potential, but I also felt bogged down with the details. Don't get me wrong I won't stop reading books from this author but the emotional connection wasn't there for me. I was a little disappointed.

All I can say is WOW! What a wonderful take on Cinderella. I simply loved this book. It made me teary eyed several times and I laughed throughout the whole thing. It is definitely going on my shelf to keep forever. Elosia James outdid herself. Highly recommended if you've never read it.

What I love about this book and the rest of Ms. Jameses work is that her characters always surprise me with their actions and their dialogue. It is smart, fun, and heartwarming. The hero Gabriel isn't your standard romance novel guy--he's complicated and an outsider, and he wants to be an archeologist! Very cute.

It started out a little slow but thank goodness I kept reading because I really enjoyed the book. Actually I became so entranced by the story that I couldn't put it down; I was up all night reading!! You will enjoy too.

I had a really hard time believing the romance between our hero and heroine. Their interactions never inspired any type of true feeling for either of the characters. I did really enjoy the godmother; she was large and in charge. I also had trouble accepting that most people would not be able to tell the difference between the stepsisters because of a wig and wax breasts.

All-in-all I don't believe the book was poorly written, it just didn't make me "connect" to the characters.

I love Eloisa James, and if you're a fan like I am, this novel doesn't disappoint. I purchased the book this morning and cannot put it down! I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves Eloisa James or for any lover of historical romances.