| Title | : | Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0312949804 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780312949808 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 360 |
| Publication | : | First published October 2, 2007 |
| Awards | : | RITA Award by Romance Writers of America Historical Romance (2008) |
When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the ton. Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark, and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.
Wealthy beyond most men’s dreams, Cam has tired of society’s petty restrictions and longs to return to his “uncivilized” Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship—but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. But can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honored arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter . . .
Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, #1) Reviews
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Someone sprinkled crack onto the pages of this series. I have no other explanation for what is happening to me right now.
I know you're probably expecting a review. And I'd love to write one. But the next book is staring up at me, whispering things.
"Come on, Navessa. Just one more hit..."
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third time’s a charm i guess! haven’t had much luck with lisa kleypas in the past but the chemistry between amelia & cam in this book was super hot.
and i’m excited to carry on with the series so i’d call this a win! -
Can The Hathaways series compete with Lisa Kleypas's fantastic Wallflowers series? Well I had my doubts, but if the first book, the wonderful Mine Till Midnight, is any indication of how this series will play out, my answer is a resounding Yes!
This book just flew by for me--I never once wanted to put it down! I loved the Hathaway family, with all their eccentricities, although (other than young Beatrix with her love for critters and her 'sticky fingers', and of course eldest sibling Leo with his boozing and carousing and I-don't-give-a-damn attitude) they seemed like a typical family to me. There's the broken hearted 28-year-old Leo, the early 20-ish frail young beauty Win, the 20-something young Gypsy named Merripen who has lived with the Hathaways as sort of a pseudo-brother for the past 15 years, the two teenage sisters, Poppy and Beatrix, and the one holding the whole family together, the ultra-responsible and protective 26 year-old beautiful spinster Amelia. The nearly poor Hathaways have recently lost their parents, and Amelia has sold the family home in London. Leo Hathaway has just inherited the family viscountcy, complete with crumbling estate in Hampshire, and he is now Lord Ramsay. But the new title doesn't bring much money--the estate is small and in disrepair, there's few tenants to bring in any income, and the title is thought to be 'cursed'. But Amelia (who herself is recovering from a broken heart brought on by a betraying fiancee) feels that the family needs a fresh start away from the sad memories of London, so off to Hampshire they go. But first Amelia and Merripen have to track down the wayward Leo, who they feel may be at the gambling house known as Jenner's. And that's where Amelia meets her future in the darkly mysterious, half-gypsy Cam Rohan.
We first met Cam, who works at Jenner's, in (I think) Evie's book (
Devil in Winter). Cam is part Irish, part Romany, but had lived the first 10 years of his life with his gypsy family. But then a relative dumped him in London as a 10-year old, and eventually (the late) Ivo Jenner employed him at his club and treated him as a son. Cam, with his keen mind, rose through the ranks at Jenner's, and now he's working as the right-hand-man to the club's new owner, Sebastian St. Vincent. Cam has a knack for making money, and has more than he can ever spend. And even though society looks down on him for his gypsy heritage, he's a huge financial success, has the respect of a few influential friends, and doesn't lack for the company of women. But Cam is restless and is thinking about returning to his gypsy roots. He's tired on living within society's restrictions, and longs for the open air and the freedom to do as he pleases. But then he meets Amelia Hathaway, and she throws a curveball into all his plans, and what he thinks he wants for his future.
Let me say I adored the character of Cam Rohan! What a sexy, sweet man! Loved his interesting, colorful back story (although I'm sure there's more to come), loved his struggle for his feelings for the sometimes too independent, responsible Amelia, loved his acceptance that he and Amelia were 'fated' to be together. I loved how he snuck that ring on Amelia's finger after their 'first time'! I loved how he got Amelia to loosen up and think about her own happiness for a change, and how he got her to accept him as a shoulder to lean on. This girl took on way too much responsibility within her own family. I also loved that he wasn't deterred by what society would think of his pairing with Amelia. As long as Amelia would accept him, that was all that mattered to him. He didn't spend much time thinking the typical "I'm-not-good-enough-for-her" thing, which I appreciated. Loved the dialogue he and Amelia had--and some of the things Cam said to her, were sweetly poetic and down right erotic! "I want to open you like a book and read every page. Footnotes included" and "I want you. I want to lie with you beneath constellations and clouds and shade trees."and "I can't promise you a perfect life. But I can promise that no matter what happens, I'll give you everything I have. We'll be together. You inside me...me inside you." Now who could resist that?
Well Amelia's resistance to Cam irritated me a time or two. My God this guy was everthing she could hope for! Who cares if she never wanted to get married! They matched up intellectually, physically (red-hot sexual chemistry), the man was kind, sincere, rich, drop-dead-gorgeous, and responsible. So what was holding her back? She though that Cam, with his gypsy heritage and what he had told her of his plans (this was before he realized he loved her), would not be content in a traditional marriage. She feared he would get restless and eventually leave her. Didn't she believe him when he said he'd found his "stopping place'? She was wary of getting her heart broken again, so she had trouble trusting Cam's words. I guess that was to be expected, but boy I wanted to shake her sometimes! There was a time where I thought she was just using him for sex, and I didn't like that about her. I was sad for Cam and I thought he deserved better. But thankfully Cam didn't give up and Amelia eventually listened to her heart, and put her fears behind her. Whew...
The rest of the book set up the future stories in this series quite well. I'm dying to know more about Merripen, and his possible connection to Cam (they have the same winged horse tattoo). I'm dying to know if Leo will get his act together before it's too late. I'm curious to see if Win will ever regain her health enough to see all her dreams for the future come true. Poppy seems like a level-headed girl (so far), and I'm interested to see how she fares in her first "season". Beatrix? I had a hard time believing she was 15--her antics (and the way her family treated her) made it seem like she was way younger. She seems like she's the strangest one in the whole Hathaway family, so I'm sure her story will be unique!
One more thing I almost forgot to mention--I was thrilled to see that Lillian and Westcliff (
It Happened One Autumn) were the Hathaway's Hampshire neighbors--loved the scenes involving them and I loved when St. Vincent and Evie came to visit too. I love how LK incorporated her Wallflowers characters into this Hathaway series! It makes the transition that much smoother.
So, my expectations weren't too high for this book, but I turned out to be very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I liked it so much, that I'm going to scuttle my plans for my next read, and just move on to Win and Merripen's story (
Seduce Me at Sunrise) next. Can't wait! 5 stars
Cam?
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CAM IS ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. I love a hero that is so into the heroine and is not hesitant to tell her he loves her. That was Cam, and I was swooning over this whole book. Amelia has three sisters and a brother, and she's trying everything to take care of them and make sure they have a good life. Leo, her brother, is pretty infuriating and I was so frustrated with him this whole book. Cam doesn't hesitate to step in and try to take care of Amelia and her family, no matter how much she tries to push him away. They had such good chemistry and I loved how much he was there for her. While she had so much to worry about and take care of, she couldn't ignore their attraction. This romance wasn't necessarily a different social class, but Cam is Roma and a self-made man, so there is definitely a stigma against him and Amelia being together. I love self-made men in historical romances, so that's another reason why I loved Cam so much. I just loved this story! There was a lot that happened in here, but I loved everything about it. I am so excited for Win and Merripen's romance in the next book because that was definitely developed in this book. I did listen to the audiobook for this book and I've heard some things were changed for that version of this book, so I really want to physically reread this book soon!
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There’s something just so special about a historical romance done the Lisa Kleypas way. Light, yet with substance. So much sexual passion and yet such tender love. Her books are always a delightful escape and her heroes are always so sigh-worthy.
This is a touching story about a tight knit, albeit quirky, family consisting of four sisters, Amelia, Win, Poppy, and Beatrix; their one brother, Leo, and Merripen, who as a young boy was wounded and left for dead following a Gypsy hunt. He was brought into the Hathaway family by the siblings father and although they considered him one of them, he always kept himself apart - more than a servant, yet not quite part of their family.
In Mine Till Midnight, while there are many, many things happening involving all of the siblings, the romantic focus of the story is on Amelia, the eldest of the Hathaway siblings, and Cam Rohan who we met in Devil In Winter. I’m not going to go into plot details, because there are several sub-stories going on and it would be too complicated, so I’ll just touch on the things I loved – or not so much – about this book.
What I loved: I’ll start with Cam Rohan because I am, after all, a mature, red blooded woman with healthy desires who loves a hot, sexy man who wants to take charge in the bedroom and give as much pleasure as he gets. I especially love it when he… umm… errrr… that is to say… forgive me, for I digress. As I was about to say, I love how comfortable Cam is with who he is and who he isn’t. He knows what he wants and is willing to give up all his wealth to try and find it. He’s not a tortured soul in need of fixing, which is probably why I didn’t connect with him on some deeper level, but I wanted to bring him home and love him up all the same.
What I loved and didn’t love: Amelia. Dear, sweet Amelia; what an interesting character she turned out to be. In fact, the very thing I admired most about Amelia is that which I also disliked about her. She’s a take charge kind of woman, getting the job done no matter the cost to her own happiness. Willing to set aside any hope for a marriage for herself, she set about trying to ensure the best possible future for her brother and sisters. She was very protective of the family, which in some ways is good, but we all know that you have to let people learn lessons on their own, sometimes. Amelia was so concerned about protecting them that she wasn’t letting them live. She was suffocating them. And even when Cam came along, offering to help share her burden, she kept refusing. She had some twisted sense of obligation and responsibility for the family that made me want to throttle her with my bare hands! Fortunately, that didn’t last too long and she eventually saw the error of her ways.
Interestingly enough, the things that touched me the most about this book were not even related to Amelia and Cam, but Win and Merripen, which is who I felt the most connected to. It was heart wrenchingly clear that they care for each other – I’d even go so far as to say that they love each other.
I'd have never thought to find that kind of emotional connection or torment in a secondary relationship, but that scene, the way it was so poignantly written, will stay with me for years and years to come.
I'm so thankful to have found Lisa Kleypas' historicals because, regardless of which novel I'm reading, I finish the story with a smile on my face. -
This was highly, bloody enjoyable! This was a great introduction to The Hathaways (bar Leo, that guy needs a smack! Several of em!) and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Bought the sequel as I was reading this, because the couple were already introduced and I’m so on board with their story.
Amelia and Cam complimented each other perfectly. I wish we would’ve seen how their relationship actually would’ve been viewed by society and see them handling the inevitable backlash. Plus I needed an epilogue and more Cam and Amelia backstory, but other than that, the writing was gorgeous, the romance had me swooning several times, it was amazing following this family and seeing the characters from the Wallflower series appearing in this series.
‘Twas a wholesome read. -
Re-read July'2020:
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Rosalyn Landor.
Re-read Oct'2019:
Just as wonderful as I remember from almost 10 years ago, if not more so!! Still big 5++ stars!!
Original read/review Jun'2010:
5++ stars – Historical Romance
It simply doesn’t get any better than Lisa Kleypas. I loved the Wallflowers series, and I’ve been looking forward to Cam’s story, ever since he so completely captivated me in
Devil in Winter. Instead of flying through this lightning fast like I did with the Wallflower books, I took my time and savored it. I relished every moment of reading this because Cam Rohan is like the finest, rarest dark chocolate.....exotically decadent and sinfully delicious!
Mine Till Midnight is a beautiful read full of magic, mystery, lush sensuality, and enchanting romance with charming characters that you’ll fall in love with, especially the dark, mysterious, devilishly sexy half-Gypsy, half-Irish prosperous club owner, Cam Rohan. Although Cam longs to return to his tribal roots and yearns for the nomadic, unattached life of a true Roma, he’s irresistibly drawn to strong-willed, stubborn spinster Amelia Hathaway and her quirky, luckless family. Cam opens Amelia’s eyes to a midnight world of magic and sensuality, and together, they experience an electric attraction, deep, intrinsic emotional connection, and volatile, lush love affair that will change them both, forever.
Cam’s total adoration, relentless wooing, and gentle caring and cherishing of Amelia is profoundly sweet and incredibly romantic. I just loooved him! I think Cam Rohan might even be my favorite ever Lisa Kleypas historical romance hero, which is really saying something considering that all of her heroes are flat-out the swoon-worthiest, very best of the bunch!
Mine Till Midnight is a lovely, engaging, unforgettable romance! Big 5++ stars!
Here are some of my favorite quotes:
Rohan’s fingertips drifted with stunning delicacy over her throat, behind her ear, pushing into the satiny warmth of her hair. “You are an interesting woman Amelia.” Gooseflesh rose wherever his breath touched. “I can’t f-fathom why you would think so.” His playful mouth traced the wing of her brow. “I find you thoroughly, deeply interesting. I want to open you like a book and read every page.” A smile curved the corners of his lips as he added huskily, “Footnotes included.” “I want you. I want to lie with you beneath constellations and clouds and shade trees.”
“I know all about probability and odds,” Rohan agreed. “Nevertheless, I believe in luck.” He smiled with a quiet smolder in his eyes that caused her breath to catch. “I believe in magic and mystery, and dreams that reveal the future. And I believe some things are written in the stars...or even in the palm of your hand.”
Lord St. Vincent discussing with Cam Rohan about the monotony of bedding any random, willing woman versus the challenge and benefit of taking a wife:
A slow smile had curved St. Vincent’s lips. “Wives are a different case altogether. They require a great deal of effort but the rewards are substantial. I highly recommend wives. Especially one’s own.” -
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.
How in the world did it take me so long to start this one? Lisa Kleypas is the real queen of historical romance. Just when I thought I couldn’t love her books more, she proved me wrong. Mine Till Midnight is exceptionally wonderful! This book has everything I want in my HR read.
A solid plot and interesting story.
A determined and persistent alpha hero with a protective nature and possessive streak.
A heroine who is strong and intelligent, but still very traditionally feminine.
Perfectly smooth pacing and flow.
Beautiful and touching romance.
No pushing away. (This is very important for me.)
A sweet happy ending.
In this book we meet Amelia Hathaway and Cam Rohan.
Amelia had stepped up and taken charge of her family since her older brother, Leo, lost his fiancée to scarlet fever and he had become incapable of taking care of himself. At the age of twenty-six, she considered herself a spinster. And because of her responsibility to her family, she’d never expected to marry anyone. But then came Cam, an unusual man, a mysterious Rom who would change her life forever.
"You're not like any man I've ever known," she said. "You're not even someone I could have dreamed. You're like someone from a fairy story written in a language I don't even know."
"The prince, I hope."
"No, you're the dragon, a beautiful wicked dragon." Her voice turned wistful. "How could anyone have a normal everyday life with you?"
Cam is every woman’s dream. For the fact that he’s half-Romany Gypsy half-Irish, makes him even more attractive, unpredictable, and dangerous. When he realized that he wanted to spend his entire life with Amelia, he held nothing back. There was no hesitation. No giving up. And when she had no one to turn to, he was there for her, to be a shoulder she could cry on. He proved himself to be a man she could rely on.
Oh, I loved this man!
"I can't promise you a perfect life. But I can promise that no matter what happens, I'll give you everything I have. We'll be together. You inside me ... me inside you."
What I loved the most about this book was that not only the romantic part took a front seat in this story, but also the part where the Hathaway siblings helped, loved, took care, and protected each other. I felt truly impressed and satisfied with it.
This was such a leisurely read. I enjoyed every page I turned and loved every single line I read. Mine Till Midnight hands down one of my favorite HR stories of all time! If I could, I would give this book more than five stars.
Thoroughly loved it! -
I hadn't read any Kleypas for a while when I started reading this book. It reminded me of how effective and seductive Kleypas is as a writer. She really does write a beautiful love story. Her stories are dreamy and elegant, full of imagery that draws me into the story and out of my everyday existence. She really is a wordsmith to this reader.
I know a lot of fans were unhappy that Cam was not paired with Daisy, but I have no regrets. Cam and Amelia were meant to be together. Cam was searching for something that gave him a sense of home. He found it in Amelia. He found himself unsettled by living as a gadjo (non-Romany). He was almost disgusted with his adopted materialistic lifestyle, hating the fact that he couldn't seem to stop accumulating wealth, even though he tried very hard to lose money, investing in companies sure to fail, but always recieving windfall after windfall. Just when he is about to walk away from that life and return to the wandering ways of the Roma, he meets Amelia. She challenges and compels him as no other woman has. He wants her desperately, although she is clearly a woman who would need a settled man in her life. Yet, he cannot walk away from her. You realize it before Cam does that he is a goner. He tells himself he will walk away from Amelia, but you know that he's not going anywhere. For all his prior determination to leave Amelia alone, once he decides he wants to keep her, Cam is pretty much set on that path. I liked that about this story, as I love heroes in pursuit. I liked that although Cam does seduce Amelia, he has committed to her in his heart and won't go back on that commitment. I really enjoyed the part when Amelia woke up with his ring on his finger, and how she couldn't get it off. I thought that was a nice touch.
It was interesting that Amelia was the reluctant one in this story, although it totally made sense. She had been let down by those who loved her. Her parents died on her, leaving her with three younger sisters to care for, and a brother who was intent on losing all of their income, and destroying himself after the loss of his fiancee. Not to mention the fact that her first love abandoned her for a girl whose father could help his career. She is determined not to marry, and feels content with watching over her family. She doesn't think she's anything special. So when Cam starts to pursue her so ardently, she does resist, at least at first. But Amelia is as drawn to Cam as he is to her. He is beautiful and wild, and temptation in an irresistible package. Knowing it's a bad idea to get involved with him, she cannot seem to avoid him or her feelings for him. It was a delicious love story to read.
Amelia's somewhat bad-tempered moments are refreshing. I like sweet heroines a lot more than some readers, but it's also nice to see heroines who do have bad days and temperamental moments. Who do get frustrated and say things in anger. Amelia has a lot of responsibility and stress, and it was realistic for her to have moments where she showed that her nerves were frayed. Cam seemed to embrace her outspoken and at times somewhat abrasive behavior, enjoying that part of her equally with other aspects of her person. He was considerate to her needs, understanding her fears and doubts, and did everything he could to help her family, even before he had committed to marrying her.
Cam truly showed that was steadfast, showing her that he could be relied upon. Considering the fact that Cam is half-Roma, and there was obviously a prejudice against the Roma, I enjoyed the fact that he showed the good traits that her prejudiced ex-fiance Christopher lacked, although he mocked and looked down on the "dirty, untrustworthy Roma." Despite the fact that Cam was Roma and that there were those who did not like the Roma was touched upon, but it wasn't truly an obstacle in their relationship. Cam looked at his heritage as being part of him, and knew he would not give her up, despite the prejudice they might face. I liked that he embraced his heritage, good and bad. As a fan of possessive heroes, I quite enjoyed him being so jealous of any man being near Amelia. The part where he finds out Amelia was alone with Christopher Frost, whew! (Okay I know I'm weird.)
The elements of Romany heritage, culture, and language were very interesting to me. I don't really know much about them, so it was a nice little lesson to this history buff.
I do have to say that Leo was bugging me. I feel bad that he lost his true love, but he didn't seem to realize that he wasn't just hurting himself, but his sisters who depended on him. I hope that we get to see him mature and get over his loss and become the person he was meant to be. I'm pretty sure that's what Laura (his lost love) would want for him. I loved the paranormal twist with the ghostly haunting that the Hathaways were experiencing, which was heavily tied into Leo's emotional issues. Very nicely done, adding to the delightful Victorian feel. As a fan of classic ghost stories, particularly set in the late 19th/early 20th century, I certainly enjoyed this twist in the story.
The Hathaways are an entertaining family, each sister having a distinct personality that I hope to see more of. There were moments that their sisterly interactions reminded me of one of my favorite books, Little Women. You can guess who Win reminded me a little of.
I loved the dynamic between Win and Merripen. I have a feeling their book will be wonderful, as it is very clear already how deep the love they have for each other is.
Also it was so cool to see St. Vincent (sigh) and Evie, and Westcliff and Lillian. I like how down to earth Lillian is, and it's clear that she's been a great influence on Westcliff, although he's still bossy as ever.
If I have one complaint, it's how quickly the conflict wrapped up with Amelia's ex-love, Christopher. That was a little too abrupt.
All and all, a great reintroduction to a long favorite author of mine. -
Cam is a gypsy living in London, working at a gaming hall. He also has a "good luck curse". See, gypsies aren't supposed to accumulate money, stuff, or homes to live in. They need to be free, man! But, Cam can't help accumulating wealth. Every time he tries to give it away, it comes back to him. It's like some ugly casserole dish that you get for a wedding present. You keep making casseroles and taking it to people who you know aren't dependable. But, dammit if they don't wash the stupid thing and bring it back every time! Even the yard sale people won't stop their cars when they drive slowly by and see it sitting on your table.
Cuz, seriously, what's more fun than haggling with someone like a used car salesman over an old toaster that may or may not burn one side of the bread while not heating the other side in the hot Texas sun?
Amelia is a girl from a family with a "bad luck curse". Both parents are dead, her best friend is dead, they inherited a title with a curse which means her brother is as good as dead, and their new house has a bee-room. Literally, there is a hive of angry bees living in this room. Or, as my husband would call it: The Mother-in-Law Guest Room.
Dammit, I told him to take that post down! She lives in the house next to that one.
The best part of this book is that we get to see Saint Vincent from the Wallflower series, and he is just as glorious as ever:
"You have a point. There's nothing so tiresome as being reasonable. I myself avoid it whenever possible. Still, you can't brawl when there are ladies present. It will give them ideas."
The funniest part of the book was not even meant to be funny. It is when the H and h are going to have sex for the first time. They are in a bed, naked, and just about to do the deed, when he tells her to get up and get dressed. He then gets his horse, they ride out to an outdoor location, he has her sit on a log while he starts a fire and makes them a bed, then they have sex. I'm thinking, "what the hell?" This would never happen in the history of mankind. And, seriously? Giving up a comfortable bed to go out in the middle of the night to camp? I already hate camping enough (my family has a camping curse. Long story. But funny), and that's with those camp grounds with the bathrooms and electrical outlets. But, if some dude wanted to do the coitus interruptus to get on a horse and camp, I would have to seriously consider that he's just not that into me.
ouch!
This book was cute and fun. There were a few boring moments for me, but overall, I still liked it. -
4.5 stars!
Lisa Kleypas has become my go to author when I am in a book slump. I always enjoy her stories!!!
Mine Till Midnight is the beginning of the Hathaways Sisters series, and while it doesn't explicitly say so, you need to read The Wallflowers series beforehand because SO MANY characters overlap and I feel you would be confused if you didn't.
This book is about Amelia, the sister who is always looking out for her family as they experience one bad stroke of luck after the other. While looking for her brother, Amelia meets Cam Rohan, a half Roma man who helps run a gambling house. There's an instant attraction, but the two of them know their outlooks on life will keep them apart. Or will it?
Seriously hot this book. I was shocked, but I felt the chemistry was perfect and things were instense between Amelia and Cam. I do wish we had gotten like a prologue, a little bit more of these two at the end but I am sure I will see them in the next books in the series, and I cannot wait to start them!!!
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La verdad es que empecé a leer este libro sin estar muy convencida, pues esta autora no terminaba de convencerme, pero para mi sorpresa, esta historia me encantó: ) Así que será cuestión de seguir ;)
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Update:
After reading
Secrets of a Summer Night, I became sure that that this series (the Hathaways) is a spin-off of the Wallflowers. If you're interested in reading the latter, make sure to NOT start by reading this book because you'll get spoiled. Even though there is not much to spoil in HR, I prefer to not know in all cases.
Logically speaking, it’s pretty safe to start reading an author’s book with their most popular release. Once I discovered that this book features the story of a character introduced in one of Lisa’s previous books, I immediately knew it’s St. Vincent. In the Devil in Winter. I really wanted to read that book :( Now, of course, being this a historical romance, we all know the outcome so it’s much of a spoiler in a way, still, it’s annoying. So yeah guys, if you want to start this book, keep that in mind.
Now back to the book, it wasn’t the best. Sure it was fun but unmemorable. I only started developing feelings towards the characters in the last 20%. Nonetheless, it was a quick read.
Since I haven’t read much of this genre, I think after this book I know what I like. Falling in love then marrying? Pfft no. Marriage of convenience? Yes yes yes.
One thing I can say about this book, I loved the Hathaways as a family. Cam excluded. I loved the girls, especially Poppy. So when there’s a high chance I might get back to this series in the future but while choosing the books with an interesting description. -
4 Hummingbird Stars
***Spoilers***
When it comes to historical romance I am very picky. Over the years I have found that a lot of HR will have cheating and mistresses in their books. So much so that I quit reading HR books until I discovered Goodreads and was able to see spoilers and make sure there would be no cheating in that book. I was craving some HR and a friend said to try Lisa Kleypas that they loved her. So when I was out book shopping I found the whole Hathaway Series for 4.00, bought it and here we are. My first taste of Lisa Kleypas and I loved it. I really enjoyed her writing style. I connected and fell in love with all the characters including the secondary characters which just makes me want to read all their HEAs. Mine Till Midnight, the first book in the Hathaway series, was an awesome read that did a great job of hooking me. So much so that I didn't want to stop and write a review I wanted to rush and start Winnifred and Merripen's story.
"You have a vivid imagination, Miss Hathaway." His tone was bland. But there was a flare of provoking laughter in his eyes. "I have no such thing. The rest of my family is steeped in imagination—I'm the one who clings desperately to reality." -Cam and Amelia
"God help anyone who stands in your way. You do like to manage other people's lives, don't you?" "Only when it's obvious I can do a better job of it than they can. What are you smiling at?"-Cam and Amelia
The heroine in this book Amelia was 26 which made her a spinster. After being burnt by her ex love ( her brother's ex bf Christopher Frost) She had no desire to get married and just wanted to take care of her sisters and brother. Her brother Leo the oldest of the Hathaways, and newly titled viscount was in self destruction mode and suicidal over the death of his fiancee Laura. Amelia being the second oldest was trying to hold the family together and save her brother. Amelia was stubborn, smart and acted like a mother hen. She tried to control things and took all the family's problems (which were many) on her shoulders. Though she really wanted Cam she held him at arms length because she was worried that he would leave her like her ex or resent her for his lost of freedom. I really liked Amelia and could understand where she was coming from. I didn't fault her for holding Cam off although at times I did get frustrated with her. I did however take a star off of my rating of this book because of something she did. After her and Cam have slept together and Cam had repeatedly asked her to marry him (at this point she was still saying no to him about marriage) Cam leaves for London to get some workers for her home. While gone a bunch of shit happens and she is super upset and stressed, her ex Christopher shows up. She talks to him in which he kisses her twice! No she doesn't kiss him back, shocked she just stands there caught off guard but and here is the part that pissed me off she didn't tell him to never touch her again or slap him. Nothing! Then she doesn't' tell Cam about the two kisses although he does find out about her talking alone with Christopher. It pissed me off so much that I took a star off. This is what she should have done.....
"Stop running from me and listen. I do want you. I want you even knowing if I marry you, I've got an instant family, complete with a suicidal brother-in-law and a Gypsy houseboy with the temperament of a poked bear." "Merripen is not a houseboy." "Call him what you like. He comes with the Hathaways. I accept that."-Cam
Cam was amazing. I loved him so much. Cam was half Roma Gypsy /half Irish. He was an outcast in both worlds. He wanted for so long to fit in and be Roma and longed for the freedom of the Gypsy lifestyle that he was scared of his deep feelings for Amelia. Cam was really the best of both worlds civilized, hard working, loyal but he knew how to have fun he had a wild side and could be dangerous when needed. Cam was very charming. He wanted Amelia as his wife and he wasn't taking no for an answer. Cam was a rock for Amelia. Helping her with her family problems and just being there for her. He got her to live a little, to let go.
"I find you thoroughly, deeply interesting. I want to open you like a book and read every page." A smile curled the corners of his lips as he added huskily, "Footnotes included." Feeling the stiffness of her neck muscles, he coaxed the tension out of them, kneading lightly. "I want you. I want to lie with you beneath constellations and clouds and shade trees."-Cam
"It would be disastrous." Heat climbed in her breasts and throat and face. "You would resent me for taking away your freedom and I would resent you for taking mine. I can't promise to obey you, to accept your decisions and never again be entitled to my own opinions? "It doesn't have to be that way." "Oh? Would you swear never to command me to do anything against my will?"-Amelia and Cam
Cam and Amelia's relationship was a passionate one. Total opposites they complemented each other nicely, but also butted heads too. Which usually ended with them in bed. I really liked all of Amelia's sisters. Each had unique personalities that made them stand out as individuals. I loved Merripen was intrigued with him and Winnifred love story which is next. Leo was a sad case. My heart broke for him and in the same breathe I wanted to choke the shit out of him. I understood that he was in so much pain over losing Laura, but the things he did, the way he was reckless made me want to shake him and yell snap the hell out of it. I loved just about everything in this book and I really can't wait to start Win and Merripen's book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical romances.
"You're not like any man I've ever known," she said. "You're not even someone I could have dreamed. You're like someone from a fairy story written in a language I don't even know." "The prince, I hope." "No, you're the dragon, a beautiful wicked dragon." Her voice turned wistful. "How could anyone have a normal everyday life with you?"-Amelia and Cam
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio... -
"Take me away."
Mine Till Midnight is the first book in The Hathaways Series and to say I am late for the party is the understatement of the century. I have never considered myself a Historical Romance fan and yet, I have become a Hathaway addict! In this first book in the series, we are introduced to the Hathaway family. Amelia, the oldest, has spent her entire life caring for her younger siblings. After experiencing heartbreak, she has decided that she is to live the life of a spinster and spend her time taking care of her brother and little sisters. When she meets Cam Rohan, he sweeps her off of her feet. Cam is half gypsy and half Irish and has lived his life trying to find a balance between both worlds. Cam is taken by Amelia and although he tries to stay away from her, the two are destined to find happiness together.
"Surely you would have expected no less of a Roma. We take what we want. If a Roma desires a woman, he steals her for himself. Sometimes right out of her bed."
Told in dual POV, Mine Till Midnight offers a perfect blend of romance, passion, and family love! Cam and Amelia are a perfect match and I could not be more in love with the way Cam fought to protect Amelia and was ruthless about making her his. Amelia's family is falling apart and Cam is more than willing to step in and help her pick up the pieces and put them back together again. The transformation these characters take is beautiful. With multiple magical moments of laughter, swooning, and smoking hot passion, this historical romance is an absolute must read!
Overall, I am officially a Hathaway addict and Cam and Amelia's love story is epic and one that I will never forget! I cannot wait toreaddevour this entire series!
***The Hathaways***
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
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2.75 stars
actual footage of me battling the part of me that wants to make this entire review about Kev Merripen:
I'm not going to write a really in depth review for this since I found it to be pretty average. The beginning was kinda boring and the story didn't pick up till about 25% in.
The characters are pretty solid though Leo needs to stop acting like he's the only person in history that has lost something 🙄
Cam is a great hero, but he wasn't really my type?? He was just a little too nice for me, I need a hero that calls the heroine a 'bitch' 90% of the time. Cam was out here falling in lust from the moment he saw herHe watched her closely. “Why did he leave you?”
...“Bother. All right, I’ll tell you. He left me for another woman. A prettier, younger woman who happened to be his employer’s daughter. It would have been a very advantageous marriage for him.”
“You’re wrong.”
Amelia gave him a perplexed glance. “I assure you, it would have been an enormously advantageous—”
“She couldn’t possibly have been prettier than you.”
HAPPY NEW YEAR LOVELIES! I hope everyone had a safe and happy one ❤️
changed my rating from 3.5 stars to 2.75 bc book 2 is a MILLION times better than this
book 2 review
book 3 review -
Reread in 2023 for Patreon. I just adore this family. ❤️
.
.
Still a 5 star of course!
However, shame on the audio editors for watering down the story. They changed SO many things. But I will not be fooled.
#justiceforCam -
*dreamy sigh*
Where's my Cam Rohan? -
I loved Cam Roham since his first appearance in 'Devil in Winter', so I was more than thrilled when Kleypas made him the 1st hero in her new Hathaway series. Unfortunately, his story didn´t live up to my expectations. Don´t get me wrong, Cam was still as interesting as ever in 'Mine Till Midnight', but little else was up to par. :(
Where do I begin? Well, let´s take Amelia Hathaway, Cam´s heroine. She was nice enough, but I just didn´t feel her "connection" with Cam. I got the feeling that she was more interested in her family than anything else, Cam included. When I read a romance novel, I NEED to feel that the hero and the heroine are made/meant for each other, but this didn´t happen with Cam and Amelia. To be honest, I felt sorry for Cam, because he deserved a better heroine. It also bothered me that Cam never told Amelia his tribal name. Considering his beliefs, it was the same as never saying "I love you" to her.
As for the Hathaways as a family, the word that comes to my mind is "dysfunctional". Leo was a worthless, self-pitying, suicidal disaster in human form; Win was a frail, angelic beauty who had never fully recovered from her illness; Beatrix was a kleptomaniac who thought a lizard would make a wonderful pet... The only family member who seemed "normal" was Poppy but, even so, what kind of name was that?!? Merripen (not exactly a member of the Hathaway family, but close enough) was the most interesting secondary character in the pack and I bet he´s going to be a wonderful hero in 'Seduce Me at Sunrise'.
When an author starts a series, I understand he/she has to spend some time introducing a whole bunch of characters and "setting the stage", so to speak, but I think Kleypas went a bit too far in this book. Ultimately, Cam and Amelia "paid the price": there wasn´t enough room to show the development of their relationship, because there was too much going on with the secondary characters (all aligned to be the heroes and heroines in the next Hathaways books, of course).
On the happy side, I was more than pleased to see Marcus, Lord Westcliff, and Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent, making small appearances in this book. They never fail to put a smile on my face. :)
All things considered, this wasn´t a bad book. But I wanted to be wowed and, unfortunately, I wasn´t. -
The Hathaways are a strange and eccentric bounce...
Why bounce??? This family consist from four sisters and one brother...
And every single one of them is eccentric, with their own problems and you need a lot of courage to be a part of this family...
But i can not talk to you about all of them because each one of them has his/hers own book, so you have to wait about the others...
In this book, we will talk about Amelia Hathaway, the older from the sisters...
After the lost of their parents, Amelia took the role of the leader of the family since her older brother are incapable for this job.
You see, Leo after the loss of his fiancee acts irresponsible and he is not caring for anything or anyone else. It's a really pity that Leo had drown to the despair and i didn't like at all his attitude. He was selfish and mean and i wanted to slap him in many points... I can say that he was my least favorite from this bounce, but i'm almost sure that i will change opinion for him, if he'll change!!!
What was i telling you??? Yeah, right! Amelia!!!
Amelia had her own bitter moments. She was betrayed from a man that she loved in the nearest past and she had sworn to stay single and to protect and take care of her siblings... And believe me, her siblings had many problems.
But that plan was about to destroy when stepped into her life, Cam Rohan...
Cam was dangerously handsome, dark and... Gypsy.
But he was very civilize and with good manners since he was living in London fορ almost his life.
If there wasn't his dark skin, you couldn't tell that Cam Rohan wasn't an aristocrat. He was smart, wealthy and very skillful in many levels.
But he wasn't very happy with his life.
He wanted to be free and to embrace his roots... and before Amelia Hathaway stepped into his way, he wanted to leave behind everything and to seek his long lost race.
When Cam and Amelia met each other, everything changed for both of them.
Their plans couldn't take a love in them. But their hearts were having a different opinion.
Their way to each other was long and with many obstacles but at the end, their connection was rare and magnificent...
I really liked that story. It was beautiful and well-written.
I liked the fact that we saw again Cam Rohan. We have met him in "
Devil in Winter" and he was a very interesting and intrigue man.
The only thing that disturbed me a little bit was that obsession with the Gypsy legends and that way of life... I liked it but it was too much!!!
I also liked the way that he was chasing and pushing Amelia until she became his!!!
Amelia was a little bit stiff and strict in the beginning but with Cam changed and became more loveable and charming... but i understand her. All these heavy responsibilities about her family were in her shoulders, so i really understand the way she were in the beginning of this story!!!
So, now i can tell that i'm anxious and intrigued for the rest of the Hathaways stories...
And i can not wait for Win and Merripen's story.
Another Gypsy men and the "sickly" sister... That story will be very interesting!!!
And i want to see if there is some connection between Cam and Merripen and also i want to find out how is the life for Amelia and Cam after the decision that they took in the end of this book....
***If you like historical romance, you should definitely try this book!!!*** -
Excelente comienzo para la Serie “The Hathaways”.
Empecé a leer esta historia sin haber leído la sinopsis y, por lo tanto, sin saber que el protagonista era Cam Rohan (que ya había aparecido en la serie “Floreros” de la misma autora y que, en su momento, me había parecido un personaje muy interesante y con mucho potencial). Cuando Cam entró en escena se me aceleró el corazón y me puse muy contenta de leer su historia. Me encantó la pareja que formó con Amelia (gran protagonista femenina).
Me encantó la presentación del resto de los personajes de la serie.
Me encantó saber más de Lillian y Marcus Westcliff (¡cómo adoro a Lord Westcliff! ❤), protagonistas de
Sucedió en otoño. Y me encanta (mucho) cómo
Lisa Kleypas relaciona todas (o casi todas) sus novelas. ❤ -
![moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645500038i/37448930._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
✰ 5++ stars ✰
“Tell me, Miss Hathaway...what would you do if you were invited on a midnight ride across the earth and ocean? Would you choose the adventure, or stay safely at home?”
me @ Cam Rohan
i truly have no idea how i’ve survived this long without reading historicals because, two books in (Devil in Winter being the first), i’m hopelessly in love. the romance, characters, family dynamic, setting, story — this book was
Cam (H) was a side character who caught my eye in
Devil in Winter and i loved him as a hero. the way he was persistent with Amelia (h) and never gave up pursuing her — even if it will lead to others judging them because of their different backgrounds, but he knows he can protect her anyways so he chose to follow his heart, i just 🥺🥺 the tension, chemistry and push and pull between these two was *chefs kiss*. pls don’t mind me binging the rest of the series because this family caught my intrigue and i’m excited to know each of their story. i’m especially curious about Win/Merripen and i’d love to meet the person who will bring Leo to his knees. 😌✨ -
I know people love Cam, but I just spent a lot of time wondering if it was a good idea for Lisa Kleypas to write a Romani character. It was just hard to get past it for me.
-
***5.0 Delightful stars***
This was a wonderful start to what I imagine will become a favorite series! I really loved the strong willed heroine and admired her strength because she also knew when to yield...It also helped that Cam was the perfect man to yield to.
Cam Rohan
Gah, Cam was utter perfection!! Calm under pressure, smart as hell, a loving, giving heart, and handsome. He was that perfect mix of sexy forbidden rouge and polished gentleman. I loved his honesty, communication style, and the way he put his lady first in all things! *swoon*
I can't wait to read the next book in this series. The secondary characters were so sweet and endearing....except for Leo. He drove me crazy with his grief and self pity. However I also look forward to his redemption love story. -
Dnf. Τα πρώτα κεφάλαια μ άρεσαν πολύ, με έβαλαν στο κλίμα της εποχής. Το πρώτο που με χάλασε αμέσως ήταν το φιλί που έπεσε τοοοοσο γρήγορα, χωρίς λόγο και χωρίς να έχει χτιστεί ο έρωτας ή το φλερτ. Για εμένα το ζητούμενο σε τέτοια βιβλία είναι να δωθεί βάση στις ατάκες και το πλησίασμα, στο φλερτ γενικά. Να γελάσω, να σκανδαλιστω. Ακόμα και το άγγιγμα να έχει σημασία. Όταν έρθει το φιλί να έχει στρωθεί το κατάλληλο έδαφος και να δω πυροτεχνήματα. Όταν λοιπόν έρχεται τόσο γρήγορα, είναι σαν να αναιρεί όλα τα προηγούμενα. Το συνέχισα βέβαια, αλλά δεν... Είχα ξενερώσει και μετά δεν είχα ενδιαφέρον να παρακολουθήσω το ζευγάρι... Κρίμα γιατί ήθελα να το απολαυσω. Το ξεκίνησα με όρεξη να απολαύσω φλερτ και θεωρούσα πως θα γίνει αγαπημένο μ.
-
Looks like its finally time to read this one out and add it to my favs shelf....
Oh! the burdens The Shona must bear!!! Bemoan ye my fates!!!!
HA!HA!HA!
Played you guys,didn't I!?!?!!!! :-D (stop rolling your eyes...its "improper")
*throat-clearing*
Soooo.....
Where were I!?!?!?!!???
Oh yeah! I was going to say how excited I was to get my hands on this fab book!!! :-D
ummmm..... why don't I just show you instead.....
And YES,this book IS completely deserving of a top-notch position in best HR novels. (as in you didn't know that already... :-p )
Now,7 reasons why The Shona loved it so-fuckin'-much...
#1. “Cam held her closer. "Marry me, Amelia. You're what I want. You're my fate." One hand slid to the back of her head, gripping the braids and ribbons to keep her mouth upturned. "Say yes." He nibbled at her lips, licked at them, opened them. He kissed her until she
writhed in his arms, her pulse racing. "Say it, Amelia, and save me from ever having to spend a night with another woman. I'll sleep indoors. I'll get a haircut. God help me, I think I'd even carry a pocket watch if it pleased you.”
#2. “A slow smile had curved St. Vincent's lips. 'Wives are a different case altogether. They require a great deal of effort but the rewards are substantial. I highly recommend wives. Especially one's own.”
#3. “A lack of desire is something I've never experienced. I'd have to
be on my deathbed before I stopped wanting--
no, never mind, I was on my deathbed in
the not-too-distant past, and even then I had the devil's own itch for my wife."-St. Vincent.
#4. “I know when something is too important to be decided by logic.”
#5. “Before Rohan could reply, a new voice entered the conversation. "What's this?"
It was Leo, who had just arisen from bed and pulled on his clothes. He came barefoot from the direction of his bedroom. His bleary gaze moved over the pair of them.
"Why are you on the floor with your buttons undone?"
Amelia considered the question. "I decided to have a spontaneous tryst in the middle of the hallway with a man I hardly know."
"Well, try to be quiet about it next time. A fellow needs his sleep."
Amelia stared at him quizzically. "For heaven's sake, Leo, aren't you worried that I may have been compromised?"
"Were you?"
"I..." Her face turned hot as she glanced into Rohan's vivid topaz eyes. "I don't think so."
"If you're not sure about it," Leo said, "you probably weren't.”
#6. “Amelia stopped before him, her skirts crowded between his parted knees. The clean, salty, evergreen scent of him drifted to her nostrils. “I have a proposition for you,” she said, trying for a businesslike tone. “A very sensible one. You see—” She paused to clear her throat. “I’ve been thinking about your problem.” “What problem?” Cam played lightly with the folds of her skirts, watching her face alertly. “Your good-luck curse. I know how to get rid of it. You should marry into a family with very, very bad luck. A family with expensive problems. And then you won’t have to be embarrassed about having so much money, because it will flow out nearly as fast as it comes in."
"Very sensible.” Cam took her shaking hand in his, pressed it between his warm palms. And touched his foot to her rapidly tapping one.
“Hummingbird,” he whispered, “you don’t have to be nervous with me.”
Gathering her courage, Amelia blurted out, “I want your ring. I want never to take it off again. I want to be your romni forever”—she paused with a quick, abashed smile—“whatever that is.”
“My bride. My wife.” Amelia froze in a moment of throat-clenching delight as she felt him slide the gold ring onto her finger, easing it to the base.
“When we were with Leo, tonight,” she said scratchily, “I knew exactly how he felt about losing Laura. He told me once that I couldn’t understand unless I had loved someone that way. He was right. And tonight, as I watched you with him . . . I knew what I would think at the very last moment of my life.” His thumb smoothed over the tender surface of her knuckle.
“Yes, love?”
"I would think,” she continued,” ‘Oh, if I could have just one more day with Cam. I would fit a lifetime into those few hours.”
#7. “I'd agree with you, except that agreeing with you probably means I'm on the wrong side of the argument."
"-Cam Rohan to Leo.
Right now,The Shona is going all
Love you too!!! :-D :-D :-D -
Another good romance by LK!
-
PRE-REVIEW
Yes, this
bearded bloke.
CHERRY POPPINGBuddy read commences on the 25th Oct.
========
POST-REVIEW
Re-edited to add
Luke's review.
As promised, Frozen review for our Frozen bearded fan.
Luke, who had a turn to choose for our
first BR, so needless to say, my turn to select this time.
Naturally, I chose SMUT and this I told him.
And he said,
But persistent, I was.
Then Luke was like,
And Aileene went,
In reality though, Luke said yes straight away. Haha.
So.
The story and characters.
Amelia (Amuddled) Hathaway, a 26 years old lady who considered herself a spinster, had no intention of getting married as she had her dysfunctional family to looked after.
Her character didn't pull me in. I didn't like her but didn't detest her either.
Her siblings:
Leo - after his fiancée died due to scarlet fever, drowned himself by drinking, gambling and staying in brothels. He was suicidal and worthless.
Win - she was described as the shy and quiet one, enduring every hardship without complaint. But frail and colourless due to weak lungs caused by the scarlet fever.
Beatrix - suffers from a disorder where she was unable to resist stealing items anywhere, anytime.
Poppy - is the only one I see that's seemed normal.
Merripen - I want him <---'nuff said.
More characters:
Cam Rohan - or sCAMbag <--- Luke approved this wholeheartedly which I later regret as he grew on me.
Our bored Romeo who was very unfortunate to suffer from this good luck cursed to which he can't help but make money all the time was considering to leave everything behind and live the life of gypsy but met Amelia and wanted her for himself.
He was obviously Amelia's knight in shining well-tailoured clothes sans cravat solving Amelia's problems...almost all her problems whilst sweeping her off her feet at the same time.
Luke's reaction to Cam:
He has his own reasons.
My reaction to Cam:
Only because I couldn't find anything special about him.
Also the good luck curse and his love for jewelries rubbed me up the wrong way.
I'm not into jewelries myself and men wearing them does not really impress me.
But.
Almost halfway in and all I read was almost everyone mocking him and I found myself defending him.
And.
His love for Amelia, I can't help but
And Luke?
*shakes head*
The laddie has no romantic bones in that body of his.
TSK.
I could no longer resist his charm esp when he believes that Amelia was for him and that she would marry him no matter what.
Another thing too was he's so comfortable in his own skin. He's the type of "what you see is what you get."
{I can totally hear your Harrumphs, Luke. Totally can feel your eye rolls too. Stop it.}
Oh we also had Christopher FrosTARD not worth mentioning here but worth doing this to his face.
Rating this 2 Stars.
Will continue to read the series.
Because.
BECAUSE MERRIPEN.
MERRIPEN
And of course the mystery between Merripen and Cam's similar tattoos.
Thank you for buddy reading this with me,
Luke. I sure hope you enjoyed it.
And yes, tagged - You're IT, mate. Your turn to choose the book for our next BR.
Now, if you could excuse me,
-
3.5 stars
“The question, love, is whether you want me enough to take the risk.”
I was excited to start this new historical romance series by Lisa Kleypas. I’ve only read her ‘Travises’ series, so I have some major catching up to do! I actually really enjoyed the romance in this book, but that was the problem. The romance took a backseat to the introduction to all the other Hathaway siblings. I get this is the first book and setting up the other characters is important, but I wish it would have spent more time on Cam and Amelia’s romance. I’ll definitely check out the next book, especially seeing that it’s Win and Merripen’s.
Audio book source: Libby
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Rosalyn Landor
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 10h 1m -
Una historia preciosa y tremendamente emotiva. Me encantó la forma envolvente en que Cam, nuestro protagonista, logra poco a poco romper las barreras de independencia y autoprotección de Amelia, quien, después de la muerte de sus padres, asumió la responsabilidad de sus cuatro hermanos. Además del argumento romántico central del libro, la novela destaca por muchos otros componentes, incluyendo algunos de tipo paranormal.
No me aguanté y comencé de inmediato el segundo libro de la serie, ya que en este también se adelanta la relación de otra de las hermanas Hathaway, con una trama que promete mucho más aún.
