Publisher: Avon
Where did you get the book: Publisher
Release date: 28th August
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.
*blurb taken from Goodreads*
For me, the Spindle Cover series has been Tessa Dare’s best work to date. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this series, and I’m happy that I can see myself re-reading these books many years to come.
A Lady by Midnight is the last book of the trilogy featuring Kate and Captain Thorne from previous books. Kate has always felt unsettled by Thorne since he arrived in Spindle’s Cove. He’s always silent, unpersonable, and cold. She’s caught completely unawares, though, when Thorne comes to her rescue when she’s stranded. In that long three hour ride with Thorne, Kate’s attraction to Thorne springs to life. Kate doesn’t let this attraction sit quietly by. She pokes and prods Thorne and he doesn’t like it one bit. Thorne for so long has kept out of Kate’s way because he knows he can never be the man for her, no matter how different he wants it to be.
I got so excited when I saw this was available, and this is another great read in the Spindle Cove series. I’ll admit, it’s my least favourite out of the three, but I adored the romance between Kate and Thorne.
Kate is a heroine who was very proactive in her pursuit for Thorne, and it was fun seeing the heroine doing the chasing rather than the hero. Despite having no family and having that birthmark on her face, Kate doesn’t act the timid heroine. She wants to know where she comes from and does she still have any family. When Kate realises her attraction for Thorne, she doesn’t sit idly by.
I loved Kate’s interactions with Thorne; teasing him and seducing him. It was fun seeing Thorne’s cold facade crumble under Kate’s seduction. Thorne is not a hero that changes course throughout the novel. He is who he is, and his personality doesn’t change because of Kate. Whilst he grows to love, he doesn’t admit his undying love. Thorne in fact does his damndest to push Kate away for her own good. Thorne’s had a terrible childhood and a pretty grim existence until he joined the army and and became under the command of Bramwell, the hero of the first book.
So whilst I loved the interactions between Kate and Thorne – and Bader, the adorable puppy Kate steals from Thorne — I wasn’t so keen on the plot with the family relations that come to see Kate, when they think she’s their cousin. I have a feeling that the family is set up for a new series and I’m looking forward to that. My problem was there were so many characters that I got confused with who was who and it was just a little TMI for my liking.
There was a big revelation – one that I won’t spoil – that I didn’t see coming between Thorne and Kate, and it was a surprise. I could understand why Kate reacted the way she did because Thorne was planning on keeping it a secret, and I never understood why he did keep it a secret from her.
The ending was classic Spindle Cove, and I loved that once again, despite Thorne trying to push her away, she doesn’t let him get away with it. I admit, Thorne acting the way he did got to be a little annoying, and I wanted to give him a smack over the head. I felt that sometimes he treated Kate with kids gloves because she could never handle or deal with the past and the stuff Thorne did. It was a cute and funny ending, and the epilogue was also cute. The last words of the book were super cute, and it was an awww moment.
All in all, I’m sad to be saying goodbye to this series. Each book features strong and likeable characters with wonderful romances. A Lady by Midnight ended the series on a strong note, but Min and Colin’s book will always be my favourite. I give A Lady by Midnight a B.
Great review, another series still on my wishlist.
@aurian: Thanks, Aurian. I hope you enjoy the series when you get to read it. 🙂