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Author: Tessa Dare
Tittle: A Lady by Midnight
Release: August 28th 2012
Series: Spindle Cove 3
Reviewer: Mona Leigh
Source: Avon Books (Edelweiss)
Purchase: | Book Depository

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.

It’s only natural for Kate to wonder about her real family. She has a few vague memories, but nothing more. Corporal Thorne knows about Kate’s past, but acts as if they’re strangers. When some honest-to-goodness relatives track her down, he tries to shield her so she won’t learn the truth about her origins…which aren’t at all pleasant.

This offering in the series felt off to me. I’m not sure if the problem was Corporal Thorne or simply all the secrets he kept, but he was so inflexible and brusque I found it difficult to like him.

Kate seemed drawn to Thorne for all the wrong reasons and their relationship became too complicated to work out. When it did, it didn’t ring true.

As much as I’ve enjoyed the series, these protagonists didn’t draw me in or evoke any empathy. I’m afraid the other characters weren’t dynamic enough to counteract the negative impact of the situation.

I enjoy Tessa Dare’s writing style and she always writes with flair, but I wasn’t feeling it this time. It felt stiff and forced instead of her usual easy flow.

Mona's first grade teacher, Mrs. Stanford, gifted her with the love of reading. For that, she'll always live in her heart. But reading took over Mona's life, eclipsing everything but playing sports, and has continued to be a huge part of her life. Although she has always written poetry and stories for her self, last year she decided to try her hand at writing fiction. She is currently editing her first urban fantasy and hopes to have it ready for the agent by summer's end. Besides reading, Mona loves speed in the form of fast cars. The faster, the better! In her next life, she plans to drive race cars (or whatever happens to be their replacement in the future) all while reading and writing. She has also taken up rune reading, and find it to be disturbingly accurate and exciting.

Doll Mona Leigh

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