Review: A LADY BY MIDNIGHT {Spindle Cove, #3} by Tessa Dare
A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare Genre: Historical Romance Series: Spindle Cove, #3 Publisher: Avon Books Pub. Date: 8/28/12 Length: 384 pages Format: Digital & Print Received by: Edleweiss A temporary engagement, a lifetime in the making… After years of fending for herself, Kate Taylor found friendship and acceptance in Spindle [...]
A Lady by Midnight
by Tessa Dare
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Spindle Cove, #3
Publisher: Avon Books
Pub. Date: 8/28/12
Length: 384 pages
Format: Digital & Print
Received by: Edleweiss
A temporary engagement, a lifetime in the making…
After years of fending for herself, Kate Taylor found friendship and acceptance in Spindle Cove–but she never stopped yearning for love. The very last place she’d look for it is in the arms of Corporal Thorne. The militia commander is as stone cold as he is brutally handsome. But when mysterious strangers come searching for Kate, Thorne steps forward as her fiance. He claims to have only Kate’s safety in mind. So why is there smoldering passion in his kiss?
Long ago, Samuel Thorne devoted his life to guarding Kate’s happiness. He wants what’s best for her, and he knows it’s not marriage to a man like him. To outlast their temporary engagement, he must keep his hands off her tempting body and lock her warm smiles out of his withered heart. It’s the toughest battle of this hardened warrior’s life…and the first he seems destined to lose.
*** This review does not contain a rehash of the synopsis, but rather my feelings on the book and series in general. Please read the book blurb above first.***
Living up to my horribly biased feeling that Tessa Dare can do no wrong with the creation/writing of this Spindle Cove series, A LADY BY MIDNIGHT proves once again that this is a series that I can not highly recommend enough!
With an opening line that immediately apprehended my attention, to a closing line in the Epilogue that left me a little misty eyed and falling swooning into the arms of Corporal Thorne, Tessa Dare proves once again that in Spindle Cove, all girls find their Prince Charming and a fabulous Happy-Ever-After. And the same can be said for the little town’s swoon-worthy, macho men who all have a secret desire to love and be loved.
The characters are, without question, some of the most highly developed characters I’ve ever come across. You feel like you know them, can identify with them, and when you close the book, it’s even a little hard to say good-bye. Dare has a gift at highlighting both internal and external flaws in characters that are simultaneously vulnerabilities and strengths for them. A girl with a birthmark who finds purpose and grand acceptance of her external flaw, and a hardened criminal who finds self-worth and purpose in his love for that woman. It’s simply enough to make any romance fan fall head-over-heals for this rough-around-the-edges man. *sighs*
The plot and story arc in A LADY BY MIDNIGHT is never dull or contain ‘slumps’, and just as with every series installment, gives the characters – and ultimately the reader – a little adventure to traverse until the final destination of HEA-ville. And along the way, Dare fabulously weaves humor and laugh-out-loud moments in both actions and playful banter between the characters. She simply captures the everyday embarrassments, pitfalls, joy, and triumphs that real-life people may feel, and puts them into a historical fiction context.
The chemistry between heroine Kate Taylor, and hero Corporal Thorne in A LADY BY MIDNIGHT was palpable. Seriously. Holy cow was there some serious sexual tension right from the beginning of their story, and increased enough in combustible heat that had me turning up the AC by the end. Damn, did I love these characters! 
I thought for sure that nothing could compare to my favorite heroine: Minerva Highwood (Spindle Cove, #2), but my how I was pleasantly pleased with this new couple from Spindle Cove.
While many series naturally have a ‘slump’, I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every single one of the Spindle Cove series titles so far! Each hero and heroine is ‘new’. Each adventure they embark upon is ‘different’. This is a series that as soon as I see a new installment coming, I immediately add it to the auto-buy list.
While you could *technically* read each book installment as a stand-alone, I HIGHLY recommend that you do not! To capture the real purpose and feel for the existence of Spindle Cove, and to ultimately understand how each character came to call it home and why they ‘fit’ so perfectly in this quaint, predominately female populated town, you need to start from the beginning with book one: A Night To Surrender.
The recommendation: I can not recommend this book enough to historical romance fans! The unique spin on a town that secludes itself from the ton, the unique and highly developed characters that travel the creative imagination of the author’s plot line, complete with fun and laughable banter is just the tip of the literary aspects that Tessa Dare demonstrates fabulously! The heroines are strong, and most are ‘survivors’; they’ve had to be. The heroes … oh, how I love me some of Dare’s heroes …. They all have their own secrets and demons, just as much as they all have their own hidden desires to be loved and give a part of themselves to their perfect other half. And last, but not least … the sexual tension and smexy scenes are very, very yummy!! Enjoy!
A LADY BY MIDNIGHT captures the essence of what a fun, enjoyable, and sexy historical romance is, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Tanya
Such a sweet couple. The earlier books hinted a possible storyline between the two and I’m immensely happy I’ve read it. This is by far my favorite in the Spindle Cove series.