September 8, 2016
DNF @30%
This book was not for me. The heroine totally rubbed me the wrong way and I can't stand her anymore.
This book was not for me. The heroine totally rubbed me the wrong way and I can't stand her anymore.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
May 6, 2021
3.5 stars
An entertaining mess—while After Midnight does have all the qualities that satisfy my historical romance craving, along with the added vampiric intrigue, it is objectively not the most polished piece of storytelling. As long as one doesn't over-analyze this binge-worthy title, there's enough charm to appreciate on a superficial level.
'Spitballing' is the first word that comes to mind regarding After Midnight; elements often feel like they were made up on the fly, and remained in draft form without ever gone through the next level of refinement. This is particularly evident throughout the hero's 'is he, or isn't he a vampire' conundrum, where some of its flimsy payoffs left me with giant a 'WTF' looming over my head. The novel also has the tendency to spoil its own surprises—where outcomes are readily clear to the reader, yet we are still stuck reading the in-story characters going through the motion. A prime example: the book was setting up a specific character to be the primary suspect, yet it also revealed in the chapter prior the said character was already locked away by the true perpetrator, rendering the red herring hollow and pointless.
There are too many other random oddities to list, such as the sporadic tonal shifts, a poorly rendered antagonist, and some unexpectedly awkward scenes (an extended sex scene happening in a room also occupied by an ailing, bed-bound individual), yet After Midnight somehow trudges through its (many) shortcomings and remains completely readable and compelling. Definitely a strong 'guilty pleasure' candidate.
***The Rake Appreciation Book Club | May 2021 Selection***
An entertaining mess—while After Midnight does have all the qualities that satisfy my historical romance craving, along with the added vampiric intrigue, it is objectively not the most polished piece of storytelling. As long as one doesn't over-analyze this binge-worthy title, there's enough charm to appreciate on a superficial level.
'Spitballing' is the first word that comes to mind regarding After Midnight; elements often feel like they were made up on the fly, and remained in draft form without ever gone through the next level of refinement. This is particularly evident throughout the hero's 'is he, or isn't he a vampire' conundrum, where some of its flimsy payoffs left me with giant a 'WTF' looming over my head. The novel also has the tendency to spoil its own surprises—where outcomes are readily clear to the reader, yet we are still stuck reading the in-story characters going through the motion. A prime example: the book was setting up a specific character to be the primary suspect, yet it also revealed in the chapter prior the said character was already locked away by the true perpetrator, rendering the red herring hollow and pointless.
There are too many other random oddities to list, such as the sporadic tonal shifts, a poorly rendered antagonist, and some unexpectedly awkward scenes (an extended sex scene happening in a room also occupied by an ailing, bed-bound individual), yet After Midnight somehow trudges through its (many) shortcomings and remains completely readable and compelling. Definitely a strong 'guilty pleasure' candidate.
***The Rake Appreciation Book Club | May 2021 Selection***
October 16, 2022
✨Impaled by the wood…en stake🩸✨
What a wild ride!!! This was such a great blend of gothic/paranormal/historical romance and the plot twist definitely made the book. I can’t wait to read the next book because I just KNOW it’s gonna be a banger.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶.25/5
What a wild ride!!! This was such a great blend of gothic/paranormal/historical romance and the plot twist definitely made the book. I can’t wait to read the next book because I just KNOW it’s gonna be a banger.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶.25/5
April 21, 2023
My main problem with Ms Medeiros's stories; they could never really hold my attention. I read the blurb - sounds great. I picked it up - the beginning is always great, and somehow or rather, it always loses steam, and I ended up speed-reading the whole book. It's a charming story, and there's nothing inherently wrong with her writing. It even elicits a couple of guffaws from me. So, what went wrong? I don't know. I will put it down as stylistic differences, and she's simply not my kind of author.
May 27, 2021
So... That was an unexpected read.
Despite my little slumpy mood nowadays, I have to admit this book really grabbed my attention.
The question whether if he really a vampire was really fun to guess. The talk that our heroine had with her sister after she found out about them was also nice to have.
All in all, definitely great read. If you love a historical romance with a twist, this is definitely for you, complete with the mutual pining!
Despite my little slumpy mood nowadays, I have to admit this book really grabbed my attention.
The question whether if he really a vampire was really fun to guess. The talk that our heroine had with her sister after she found out about them was also nice to have.
All in all, definitely great read. If you love a historical romance with a twist, this is definitely for you, complete with the mutual pining!
October 4, 2010
Three and a half stars
This was my first Teresa Medeiros novel, but it wont be my last. I picked After Midnight out randomly at the library having heard of the author and while waiting for my dozens of orders to come in. I thought the premise sounded interesting and hoped for a good read, despite the fact I knew nothing at all about the novel. I wasn't disappointed.
Caroline Cabot is the eldest of three sisters. She had to assume the parental role for her sisters when both their parents were killed in an accident.
Caroline and her sisters now find themselves at the questionable mercy of a lecherous uncle, who begrudgingly allows them meager accommodation in a rundown cabin on the land he inherited from Caroline's parents. He doesn't intend to allow them this charity without some kind of reward.
Caroline undertook the responsibility of raising her sisters willingly, even though it meant foregoing her planned debut and, now at the age of 24, relegating herself to likely spinsterhood. The family's future rests on middle sister Vivienne, the prettiest of the sisters, marrying well.
Another aunt has sponsored Vivienne's debut, despite having shown no interest or charity to the other Cabot sisters. Vivienne is, after all, the most promising of the sisters. Vivienne is using gowns that had been intended for Caroline's debut when she meets the mysterious Adrian Kane, Viscount Trevelyan.
This could be just the answer to ensuring a future for all the Cabot sisters. When youngest sister Portia, known for her vivid imagination, repeats the gossip that Lord Trevelyan is rumored to be a vampire, Caroline dismisses it as childish fantasy.
But when Caroline and Portia are invited to meet Lord Trevalyan at a midnight dinner, Caroline finds herself wondering if the rumors just might be true. He is never seen in daylight and roams the night on mysterious excursions. And surely this overwhelming attraction she has for her dear sister's paramour is unnatural. Caroline must discover the truth before allowing her sister to marry.
After Midnight is a Regency romance with a twist. Is he, or isn't he?
I found the characters to be well drawn, with the exception of Vivienne. While we got to know Caroline and Portia well, we never got the opportunity to understand Vivienne to the same extent. While this was a fairly short read at 271 pages, there was no other obvious sacrifice in plot development or execution.
Caroline would do anything for her sisters, but recognizes that this has come at a personal cost. When she finds herself attracted to Lord Trevalyan, she wages an internal battle - love for her sister vs. love for Kane. Were we given the opportunity to become as attached to Vivienne as Caroline, this element could have been more powerful.
Adrian makes a wonderful hero and is worthy of causing Caroline's turmoil, while his brother Julian and Portia also make interesting characters.
I have already ordered the follow-up book, The Vampire Who Loved Me, despite the cringe-worthy title.
This was my first Teresa Medeiros novel, but it wont be my last. I picked After Midnight out randomly at the library having heard of the author and while waiting for my dozens of orders to come in. I thought the premise sounded interesting and hoped for a good read, despite the fact I knew nothing at all about the novel. I wasn't disappointed.
Caroline Cabot is the eldest of three sisters. She had to assume the parental role for her sisters when both their parents were killed in an accident.
Caroline and her sisters now find themselves at the questionable mercy of a lecherous uncle, who begrudgingly allows them meager accommodation in a rundown cabin on the land he inherited from Caroline's parents. He doesn't intend to allow them this charity without some kind of reward.
Caroline undertook the responsibility of raising her sisters willingly, even though it meant foregoing her planned debut and, now at the age of 24, relegating herself to likely spinsterhood. The family's future rests on middle sister Vivienne, the prettiest of the sisters, marrying well.
Another aunt has sponsored Vivienne's debut, despite having shown no interest or charity to the other Cabot sisters. Vivienne is, after all, the most promising of the sisters. Vivienne is using gowns that had been intended for Caroline's debut when she meets the mysterious Adrian Kane, Viscount Trevelyan.
This could be just the answer to ensuring a future for all the Cabot sisters. When youngest sister Portia, known for her vivid imagination, repeats the gossip that Lord Trevelyan is rumored to be a vampire, Caroline dismisses it as childish fantasy.
But when Caroline and Portia are invited to meet Lord Trevalyan at a midnight dinner, Caroline finds herself wondering if the rumors just might be true. He is never seen in daylight and roams the night on mysterious excursions. And surely this overwhelming attraction she has for her dear sister's paramour is unnatural. Caroline must discover the truth before allowing her sister to marry.
After Midnight is a Regency romance with a twist. Is he, or isn't he?
I found the characters to be well drawn, with the exception of Vivienne. While we got to know Caroline and Portia well, we never got the opportunity to understand Vivienne to the same extent. While this was a fairly short read at 271 pages, there was no other obvious sacrifice in plot development or execution.
Caroline would do anything for her sisters, but recognizes that this has come at a personal cost. When she finds herself attracted to Lord Trevalyan, she wages an internal battle - love for her sister vs. love for Kane. Were we given the opportunity to become as attached to Vivienne as Caroline, this element could have been more powerful.
Adrian makes a wonderful hero and is worthy of causing Caroline's turmoil, while his brother Julian and Portia also make interesting characters.
I have already ordered the follow-up book, The Vampire Who Loved Me, despite the cringe-worthy title.
June 15, 2017
Despite my constant refusal. I ended up loving this story to death. Sometime you just have to SHUT UP and go against what you "think" you may not like and try it out. I didn't want to like this book. I thought HR and Paranormal had no rights to go with each other. And OTHER than this series I'm still pretty firm on that. I'm reading that second book in this series though. This is a great duology (well I'm sure it will be).
The sister situation was handled perfectly. It made you not feel as bad for rooting the heroine and the hero on. OKAY, let's start on these characters shall we!
The heroine, Caroline. At first you feel bad for her because she has to live in her younger sister's limelight while she had to work, but she proved to be a worthy heroine. She didn't wait around for things to happen to her. She got straight to the sources and surprisingly I liked that here. I did think she was being stupid once, but I could let it go because the news was big.
The hero, sigh Adrian, *swoon*, the tough, dark, seductive hero. Although I swooned more at the features of his brother Julian (who's likened more to a golden boy, I have a weakness for thin boys with golden blonde curls okay! Is it a cupid/Gabriel fetish? Who knows. But it's hot.) Anyway, he was smart, understanding and I loved him.
I giggled through this book madly. I was a ball of squish. I def recc reading my updates.
I don't know what it was about this book that made me love it so much. But I just do. It's unexplainable. You either love it or you don't. It made me happy throughout the day. I was skipping and chirping around like a bird. I didn't want this to end. It was comfortable. I felt like I knew the characters. Idk.
One complaint I do have though, is I didn't like that in times of anger the sisters came at each other like rabid dogs. What I mean is that Caroline took care of her younger sisters for a good chunk of their lives and at time they came off ungrateful when they were angry at her. Saying things ruder than this but I didn't like this comment in particular. "you could have asked for help". No. You two are much younger and she's the head of the household. It wasn't that easy. But anyway, it wasn't a big deal.
I did get secondhand embarrassment twice in this book. But the mush makes it worth it lol. I'm smiling while typing this.
Quotes:
"Would you like to be the one to explain to your sister why we're enjoying a rendezvous on the Lover's Walk?" Kane murmured, his expression grim. "Or shall I?"
[...]
Gazing up at him with pleading eyes, she urgently whispered, "Make love to me!"
"Pardon me?" Kane muttered hoarsely, fighting Caroline's frantic grip.
She dug her fingernails into his coat. "IF they think we're lovers, there's a chance they might rush past without recognizing us. You have to make love to me!"
He shook his head, his breath coming hard and fast. "Miss Cabot, I really don't think this is the wisest--"
Portia's skeptical snort was less than ladylike. "Then he must have a very vivd imagination indeed because he certainly going about it with a great deal of enthusiasm."
---
I realize that some may not like how neat this book is. The ending isn't necessarily happy for all, but its still tied up crispy enough to where you don't need to read the next book. I'd like to because I liked Julian. Anyway, It think this review said a bunch of nothing. I don't actually know why I like this book so much. I just did. It's just one of those books for me. Try it if you want.
<><>><_SPOILER_><><><>
The sister situation was handled perfectly. It made you not feel as bad for rooting the heroine and the hero on. OKAY, let's start on these characters shall we!
The heroine, Caroline. At first you feel bad for her because she has to live in her younger sister's limelight while she had to work, but she proved to be a worthy heroine. She didn't wait around for things to happen to her. She got straight to the sources and surprisingly I liked that here. I did think she was being stupid once, but I could let it go because the news was big.
The hero, sigh Adrian, *swoon*, the tough, dark, seductive hero. Although I swooned more at the features of his brother Julian (who's likened more to a golden boy, I have a weakness for thin boys with golden blonde curls okay! Is it a cupid/Gabriel fetish? Who knows. But it's hot.) Anyway, he was smart, understanding and I loved him.
I giggled through this book madly. I was a ball of squish. I def recc reading my updates.
I don't know what it was about this book that made me love it so much. But I just do. It's unexplainable. You either love it or you don't. It made me happy throughout the day. I was skipping and chirping around like a bird. I didn't want this to end. It was comfortable. I felt like I knew the characters. Idk.
One complaint I do have though, is I didn't like that in times of anger the sisters came at each other like rabid dogs. What I mean is that Caroline took care of her younger sisters for a good chunk of their lives and at time they came off ungrateful when they were angry at her. Saying things ruder than this but I didn't like this comment in particular. "you could have asked for help". No. You two are much younger and she's the head of the household. It wasn't that easy. But anyway, it wasn't a big deal.
I did get secondhand embarrassment twice in this book. But the mush makes it worth it lol. I'm smiling while typing this.
Quotes:
"Would you like to be the one to explain to your sister why we're enjoying a rendezvous on the Lover's Walk?" Kane murmured, his expression grim. "Or shall I?"
[...]
Gazing up at him with pleading eyes, she urgently whispered, "Make love to me!"
"Pardon me?" Kane muttered hoarsely, fighting Caroline's frantic grip.
She dug her fingernails into his coat. "IF they think we're lovers, there's a chance they might rush past without recognizing us. You have to make love to me!"
He shook his head, his breath coming hard and fast. "Miss Cabot, I really don't think this is the wisest--"
Portia's skeptical snort was less than ladylike. "Then he must have a very vivd imagination indeed because he certainly going about it with a great deal of enthusiasm."
---
I realize that some may not like how neat this book is. The ending isn't necessarily happy for all, but its still tied up crispy enough to where you don't need to read the next book. I'd like to because I liked Julian. Anyway, It think this review said a bunch of nothing. I don't actually know why I like this book so much. I just did. It's just one of those books for me. Try it if you want.
<><>><_SPOILER_><><><>
November 4, 2023
Okay, I NEED more paranormal historical romances in my life RIGHT NOW!!! I am obsessed with this book. I loved the dark and mysterious vibe and I couldn’t help but root for Adrian and Caroline to be together from the moment they met. Their chemistry was everything. Adrian is also such a magnetic and just straight up hot hero 🔥🔥🔥.
I adored how much Caroline and Adrian fiercely loved not only each other but their families as well. The way they fought for those they loved was so beautiful and it made me even more obsessed with the two of them together. HIGHLY recommend this one for something a bit different in the HR genre.
I adored how much Caroline and Adrian fiercely loved not only each other but their families as well. The way they fought for those they loved was so beautiful and it made me even more obsessed with the two of them together. HIGHLY recommend this one for something a bit different in the HR genre.
May 8, 2021
4.5stars/rounded up
This book was such a fun time and exactly the type of read I love. It’s moody, it’s atmospheric, it has that deliciously eerie vibe of a gothic romance and I was so here for it. After Midnight is a historical romance with a paranormal twist and I don’t want to say too much more because part of the fun and experience is just reading this delightfully mysterious romance. But I can tell you, I was surprised and not disappointed and I bought the 2nd book about 2/3 of the way through this read. 👀🤣😍
This story follows Caroline, the oldest of 3 sisters, who has taken on the role of parent and guardian to her 2 younger sisters (Vivienne and Portia) since she was just 16-years-old. Caroline gave up her own season for her sisters, she’s been extremely frugal, and just has sacrificed everything for them. Now she’s 24 & knows she’s “on the shelf” but that’s ok cause she is so focused on her sister Vivienne’s season. Vivienne is sweet and demure and has caught the eye of the much-gossiped about Viscount, Adrian Kane. The ton is convinced Adrian is a vampire, he’s moody, only is seen at late-night parties, he’s charming, he lives in a gothic mansion outfitted with gargoyles, and he’s just so mysterious. When Portia, the youngest sister, hears Vivienne is being courted by Adrian she rushes to Caroline with all her paranoia and worries over him being a vampire. But Caroline just chalks it up to Portia’s imagination and obsession with paranormal reads, because what man of the ton isn’t only seen at night too sleeping away their mornings. Then Caroline is invited to an after midnight dinner with Adrian and becomes so spell-blindingly charmed by the Viscount...
And yeah, that’s all I will say about the premise but this was such a fun one and I cannot wait to dive into the 2nd book. I loved seeing Adrian & Caroline’s chemistry, they just sizzle together. This book has just enough humor and fun to it that really adds to the charm. I loved how moody it is with the atmosphere and late nights, the gossip & paranoia just adds to the mystery and eerie-ness of the read and I just loved this so much!
This book was such a fun time and exactly the type of read I love. It’s moody, it’s atmospheric, it has that deliciously eerie vibe of a gothic romance and I was so here for it. After Midnight is a historical romance with a paranormal twist and I don’t want to say too much more because part of the fun and experience is just reading this delightfully mysterious romance. But I can tell you, I was surprised and not disappointed and I bought the 2nd book about 2/3 of the way through this read. 👀🤣😍
This story follows Caroline, the oldest of 3 sisters, who has taken on the role of parent and guardian to her 2 younger sisters (Vivienne and Portia) since she was just 16-years-old. Caroline gave up her own season for her sisters, she’s been extremely frugal, and just has sacrificed everything for them. Now she’s 24 & knows she’s “on the shelf” but that’s ok cause she is so focused on her sister Vivienne’s season. Vivienne is sweet and demure and has caught the eye of the much-gossiped about Viscount, Adrian Kane. The ton is convinced Adrian is a vampire, he’s moody, only is seen at late-night parties, he’s charming, he lives in a gothic mansion outfitted with gargoyles, and he’s just so mysterious. When Portia, the youngest sister, hears Vivienne is being courted by Adrian she rushes to Caroline with all her paranoia and worries over him being a vampire. But Caroline just chalks it up to Portia’s imagination and obsession with paranormal reads, because what man of the ton isn’t only seen at night too sleeping away their mornings. Then Caroline is invited to an after midnight dinner with Adrian and becomes so spell-blindingly charmed by the Viscount...
And yeah, that’s all I will say about the premise but this was such a fun one and I cannot wait to dive into the 2nd book. I loved seeing Adrian & Caroline’s chemistry, they just sizzle together. This book has just enough humor and fun to it that really adds to the charm. I loved how moody it is with the atmosphere and late nights, the gossip & paranoia just adds to the mystery and eerie-ness of the read and I just loved this so much!
May 9, 2016
4.5 stars review coming soon
June 15, 2015
Historic Romance/Paranormal The perfect feel good book!
Every once in a while a book will hit me just right, sort of like Goldlilocks, and this is it for me. So romantic!
Ms. Medeiros knows how to write dialogue. Adrian, our hero, knew just what to say to make me feel...oh...I mean to make Caroline feel...adored, affirmed, cherished, and loved. No silly bickering in this novel!
For those who love Paranormal Romance
For those who hate Paranormal Romance
I adore books with loving, supportive family relationships, and this one has it in spades. The mystery, at first glance rather silly, becomes more and more believable as the story progresses, every character perfectly suited to the plot. My only tiny complaint is that near the end,
Highly recommended with one caveat, don't read it at the airport, or on the airplane. I could not keep the sappy smile from my face, nor stop the laughter from bursting out.
Is it clean? No, there are 2-3 fairly long intimate scenes near the end, with detail, easily skipped. Squeaky clean on language.
Every once in a while a book will hit me just right, sort of like Goldlilocks, and this is it for me. So romantic!
Ms. Medeiros knows how to write dialogue. Adrian, our hero, knew just what to say to make me feel...oh...I mean to make Caroline feel...adored, affirmed, cherished, and loved. No silly bickering in this novel!
For those who love Paranormal Romance
For those who hate Paranormal Romance
I adore books with loving, supportive family relationships, and this one has it in spades. The mystery, at first glance rather silly, becomes more and more believable as the story progresses, every character perfectly suited to the plot. My only tiny complaint is that near the end,
Highly recommended with one caveat, don't read it at the airport, or on the airplane. I could not keep the sappy smile from my face, nor stop the laughter from bursting out.
Is it clean? No, there are 2-3 fairly long intimate scenes near the end, with detail, easily skipped. Squeaky clean on language.
May 13, 2021
Rake Appreciation Society book for May!
May 23, 2023
This was better than I was expecting as my expectation was quite low due to some disappointments from past books. That being said, this is a historical romance plus paranormal, quite unusual but lately I seem to be leaning towards this combo.
Some things didn't click for me and I disliked the heroine's sister for no reason hehehe but I am interested in reading the second book of this series.
Some things didn't click for me and I disliked the heroine's sister for no reason hehehe but I am interested in reading the second book of this series.
March 2, 2016
2.5 stars
November 19, 2019
3,5 rounded to 4
This is a little different from other books I read by Mrs. Medeiros as it is about vampires. In spite of the theme, that is not one of my favorites, it was a pleasant read.
Caroline Cabot is skeptical when her younger sister Portia tells her their sister Viviane is being courted by a vampire. The problem is the more she looks into it, the more difficult it is to deny the mounting evidence against her sister’s suitor.
To make matters just a little more awkward, it seems that Caroline is falling in love with him.
Adrian is mysterious, intelligent and fun, but obviously there is something very wrong with him.
And she could not possibly consider stealing her sister’s suitor, could she?
Good read!
This is a little different from other books I read by Mrs. Medeiros as it is about vampires. In spite of the theme, that is not one of my favorites, it was a pleasant read.
Caroline Cabot is skeptical when her younger sister Portia tells her their sister Viviane is being courted by a vampire. The problem is the more she looks into it, the more difficult it is to deny the mounting evidence against her sister’s suitor.
To make matters just a little more awkward, it seems that Caroline is falling in love with him.
Adrian is mysterious, intelligent and fun, but obviously there is something very wrong with him.
And she could not possibly consider stealing her sister’s suitor, could she?
Good read!
July 16, 2015
Great paranormal historical romance - intense and mysterious hero is wonderful!
I am a huge historical romance fan but have never read any paranormal ones and didn't actually know I was until a ways into the book. I have read two Teresa Medeiros books - One Night of Scandal and Yours Until Dawn - and they were both just regular historicals, so I didn't realize she wrote anything else. The book was a great historical romance and for anyone who is put off by the paranormal/vampire aspect, don't be - After Midnight is a great introduction into the genre of paranormal romances.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well-written and engaging, the secondary romance is sweet, the mystery subplot is an essential part of the plot and romance and so not an unnecessary addition that just drags on, and the chemistry and sexual tension between the hero and heroine are great!
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Caroline Cabot (24) is the elder of three sisters and has been taking care of her two younger siblings since their parents died eight years ago (or six years ago - it changes - note to editor). She's a strong and intelligent heroine who is easy to like; her love for her sisters is obvious and so of course she feels a great amount of guilt for the fact that she's unaccountably drawn to her sister's potential suitor (all works out very nicely though, with no resentment, hard feelings, or misunderstandings). All three of the sisters are great characters - very different, but all of them are three-dimensional and none of them flatly drawn.
Adrian Kane, Viscount Trevelyan (27) is an absolutely wonderful hero! He's dark and mysterious and seductive, but he's also kind, sensitive, has a sense of humor and feels great love and loyalty for his younger brother, Julian. Something I greatly appreciated was that Adrian is not one of those anti-love heroes who won't admit he's in love when he is - if a guy said to me the things that Adrian says to Caroline ... ::sigh::
GREAT LINE:
"I don't want to marry you. I don't want to want you," he added fiercely, taking one measured step toward her, then another. "And I sure as hell don't want to love you. But, God help me, I just can't stop myself."
SIMILAR BOOKS:
If you enjoy the older-sister-finds-her-hero premise, you might also like The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton Series, Book 2) by Julia Quinn (the whole Bridgerton series is great, so I would recommend them all) and Gayle Callen's His Scandal, which is a very light and enjoyable read, the second book in Callen's "His" Series.
BOTTOM LINE:
A great historical romance with a paranormal twist; I'm not normally a paranormal romance reader but I really enjoyed this book. The hero and heroine are great and I can't wait to read the follow-up book - After Midnight is followed by The Vampire Who Loved Me.
I am a huge historical romance fan but have never read any paranormal ones and didn't actually know I was until a ways into the book. I have read two Teresa Medeiros books - One Night of Scandal and Yours Until Dawn - and they were both just regular historicals, so I didn't realize she wrote anything else. The book was a great historical romance and for anyone who is put off by the paranormal/vampire aspect, don't be - After Midnight is a great introduction into the genre of paranormal romances.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well-written and engaging, the secondary romance is sweet, the mystery subplot is an essential part of the plot and romance and so not an unnecessary addition that just drags on, and the chemistry and sexual tension between the hero and heroine are great!
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Caroline Cabot (24) is the elder of three sisters and has been taking care of her two younger siblings since their parents died eight years ago (or six years ago - it changes - note to editor). She's a strong and intelligent heroine who is easy to like; her love for her sisters is obvious and so of course she feels a great amount of guilt for the fact that she's unaccountably drawn to her sister's potential suitor (all works out very nicely though, with no resentment, hard feelings, or misunderstandings). All three of the sisters are great characters - very different, but all of them are three-dimensional and none of them flatly drawn.
Adrian Kane, Viscount Trevelyan (27) is an absolutely wonderful hero! He's dark and mysterious and seductive, but he's also kind, sensitive, has a sense of humor and feels great love and loyalty for his younger brother, Julian. Something I greatly appreciated was that Adrian is not one of those anti-love heroes who won't admit he's in love when he is - if a guy said to me the things that Adrian says to Caroline ... ::sigh::
GREAT LINE:
"I don't want to marry you. I don't want to want you," he added fiercely, taking one measured step toward her, then another. "And I sure as hell don't want to love you. But, God help me, I just can't stop myself."
SIMILAR BOOKS:
If you enjoy the older-sister-finds-her-hero premise, you might also like The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton Series, Book 2) by Julia Quinn (the whole Bridgerton series is great, so I would recommend them all) and Gayle Callen's His Scandal, which is a very light and enjoyable read, the second book in Callen's "His" Series.
BOTTOM LINE:
A great historical romance with a paranormal twist; I'm not normally a paranormal romance reader but I really enjoyed this book. The hero and heroine are great and I can't wait to read the follow-up book - After Midnight is followed by The Vampire Who Loved Me.
February 14, 2013
I just love the Cabot sisters series. The series has romance, suspense, danger and a liberal amount of hilarious moments. I gave this book 4½* because it didn't quite have such wonderful chemistry between the H/H as the second book The Vampire Who Loved Me.
FULL REVIEW
After Midnight, the first book in the Cabot series, is a tongue-in-cheek mix of vampire story and historical romance. It’s a delightful blend of surprise plot twists, charming characters, sparkling dialogue and humour.
Enigmatic, charming, seductive and passionate, Adrian is definitely a hero to make your heart beat faster. I couldn’t help adoring him for his unwavering love for his brother, Julian. It’s wonderful to see how protective he is towards Caroline and the sacrifices he is willing to make to keep her safe. I smiled at his obvious jealousy when he finds Caroline and Constable Larkin chatting:
“I must say, Constable Larkin that you are in dire need of either a valet or a wife”.
“Which position are you applying for, Miss Cabot.”
At that resonant growl, Caroline glanced over her shoulder to find Adrian Kane looming over the chaise. He was glowering down at them with little evidence of his “notorious charm”.
Caroline is smart, practical and outspoken and it’s obvious she loves her sisters and would do anything to see them happy, even forfeit her own happiness. She feels guilty over her attraction to the man her sister loves but Ms Medeiros resolves this obstacle in a surprising but satisfying way.
I did figure out the truth about Adrian before the big revelation. If you read the dialogue between the characters carefully, then as David Frost used to say on the TV series ‘Through the Keyhole’ - "The clues are there". What I did enjoy was watching the other characters' reactions when the true situation is revealed.
If I have one criticism, it’s that I found the sexual tension between Adrian and Caroline somewhat lacking but the love scenes are deliciously sensual, particularly the mirror scene.
Ms Medeiros’s books always have a rich array of secondary characters. There’s brooding Julian, fond of spouting Byron; spirited Portia, with the overactive imagination; beautiful, serene Vivienne; Constable Larkin with the abominable fashion sense and Duvalier, the suitably menacing villain.
There is lots of humour in this story as well and here’s one of my favourites…
She (Caroline) was unknotting the scarf, fighting the urge to strangle her sister with it, when a pungent aroma drifted to her nose. She leaned forward sniffing at Portia’s skin. “What on earth is that stench? Is it garlic?”
Portia stiffened. “I should say not. It’s simply my new perfume.” Sticking her nose in the air, she swept past Caroline, trailing the earthy scent behind her.
This is another well-written, engaging and funny historical romance from one of my favourite authors.
RATING: ★★★★½
SENSUALITY RATING : HOT
This review is also posted on my blog:
http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/...
FULL REVIEW
After Midnight, the first book in the Cabot series, is a tongue-in-cheek mix of vampire story and historical romance. It’s a delightful blend of surprise plot twists, charming characters, sparkling dialogue and humour.
Enigmatic, charming, seductive and passionate, Adrian is definitely a hero to make your heart beat faster. I couldn’t help adoring him for his unwavering love for his brother, Julian. It’s wonderful to see how protective he is towards Caroline and the sacrifices he is willing to make to keep her safe. I smiled at his obvious jealousy when he finds Caroline and Constable Larkin chatting:
“I must say, Constable Larkin that you are in dire need of either a valet or a wife”.
“Which position are you applying for, Miss Cabot.”
At that resonant growl, Caroline glanced over her shoulder to find Adrian Kane looming over the chaise. He was glowering down at them with little evidence of his “notorious charm”.
Caroline is smart, practical and outspoken and it’s obvious she loves her sisters and would do anything to see them happy, even forfeit her own happiness. She feels guilty over her attraction to the man her sister loves but Ms Medeiros resolves this obstacle in a surprising but satisfying way.
I did figure out the truth about Adrian before the big revelation. If you read the dialogue between the characters carefully, then as David Frost used to say on the TV series ‘Through the Keyhole’ - "The clues are there". What I did enjoy was watching the other characters' reactions when the true situation is revealed.
If I have one criticism, it’s that I found the sexual tension between Adrian and Caroline somewhat lacking but the love scenes are deliciously sensual, particularly the mirror scene.
Ms Medeiros’s books always have a rich array of secondary characters. There’s brooding Julian, fond of spouting Byron; spirited Portia, with the overactive imagination; beautiful, serene Vivienne; Constable Larkin with the abominable fashion sense and Duvalier, the suitably menacing villain.
There is lots of humour in this story as well and here’s one of my favourites…
She (Caroline) was unknotting the scarf, fighting the urge to strangle her sister with it, when a pungent aroma drifted to her nose. She leaned forward sniffing at Portia’s skin. “What on earth is that stench? Is it garlic?”
Portia stiffened. “I should say not. It’s simply my new perfume.” Sticking her nose in the air, she swept past Caroline, trailing the earthy scent behind her.
This is another well-written, engaging and funny historical romance from one of my favourite authors.
RATING: ★★★★½
SENSUALITY RATING : HOT
This review is also posted on my blog:
http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/...
June 23, 2022
My first PNR historical🥰🥰🥰🥰
September 26, 2017
I loved this book! I could hardly put it down! The attraction between the main characters and the guessing game kept me turning the pages. Lovely read!
July 26, 2021
After Midnight is not really my brand of humour but I went along with it. This is my first read by Teresa Medeiros, and I kinda had to read this after learning this was a vampire Regency.
I wasn’t sure if vampires were real or not in this story until near the end, and this was what made the story personally enjoyable enough for me to continue to read. Couple B was also enjoyable.
This is a light historical romance, but one of those that feels like a sitcom with laugh tracks. The jokes are too stale for me, and nothing ever hit their cute, farcical, or whimsical notes. There is, however, nothing wrong with it, so if you are someone who likes light, light, light romances, I think this would be a cup of tea you would enjoy.
So why, after all these complaints, did I give it a 4? I don't read a lot of vampire romances so the plot twists felt new to me, and I will always be more generous to romances that are not predictable, even if that's all they got going on.
I wasn’t sure if vampires were real or not in this story until near the end, and this was what made the story personally enjoyable enough for me to continue to read. Couple B was also enjoyable.
This is a light historical romance, but one of those that feels like a sitcom with laugh tracks. The jokes are too stale for me, and nothing ever hit their cute, farcical, or whimsical notes. There is, however, nothing wrong with it, so if you are someone who likes light, light, light romances, I think this would be a cup of tea you would enjoy.
So why, after all these complaints, did I give it a 4? I don't read a lot of vampire romances so the plot twists felt new to me, and I will always be more generous to romances that are not predictable, even if that's all they got going on.
September 30, 2017
Исторически роман и вампири? Нещо различно и нетипично, но ми хареса и продължавам с втората книга.
July 2, 2017
I just love the Cabot sisters series. The series has romance, suspense, danger and a liberal amount of hilarious moments. I gave this book 4½* because it didn't quite have such wonderful chemistry between the H/H. After Midnight, the first book in the Cabot series, is a tongue-in-cheek mix of vampire story and historical romance. Adrian Kane, the notoriously mysterious Viscount Trevelyan, has captured the attention of the ton for his uniquely nocturnal lifestyle. This well-sought after bachelor has seemingly set his sites on Vivienne Cabot, the middle sister of three, and has graciously pursued introductions and invitations to her older and younger sibling with the apparent purpose of gaining their blessing in a future union. However, Portia, the younger, flagrantly announces his reputation as a "vampire" and immediately pursues a coarse of rescuing her sister Vivienne, even if she cannot convince her older, more level-headed sister, Caroline, of the Viscount's often embellished "dark" habits. Caroline knows it all must be nonsense! Caroline and Adrian (the main characters) tortuous relationship was so interesting! All the surprises and the suspense make me read it very quickly. It is left to Caroline Cabot eldest of three sisters to make sure her sisters are taken care of and find good matches in marriage. Portia the youngest is convinced that Vivienne's suitor, Adrian Kane, is a Vampire along with most of London ton. Caroline tries to figure out the secret of Adrian but soon finds herself falling for her sister's husband-to-be. Loved Adrian and Caroline. Great love story. Really dark and suspenseful and whitty. Adrian Kane is also possibly the most delicious name I've come across in a while. Mmmmm.
A note about this book: This is NOT a paranormal romance. It's historical romance with paranormal elements. I was kind of expecting that, so I was not disappointed! I knew what I was getting into, and I think that would be important for someone who might lean towards PNRs. This was my first Teresa Medeiros novel, but it wont be my last. I picked After Midnight out randomly at the library having heard of the author and while waiting for my dozens of orders to come in. I thought the premise sounded interesting and hoped for a good read, despite the fact I knew nothing at all about the novel. I wasn't disappointed. Great paranormal historical romance - intense and mysterious hero is wonderful! I am a huge historical romance fan but have never read any paranormal ones and didn't actually know I was until a ways into the book. The book was a great historical romance and for anyone who is put off by the paranormal/vampire aspect, don't be - After Midnight is a great introduction into the genre of paranormal romances. I really enjoyed this book. It's a great historical romance with vampires. I'm not a fan of historical romances (I really hate read about girls that faint for everything)so friends of mine indicate Teresa Medeiros... and I wasn't disappointed by this book. This was a quick read... loved the mystery and the hysteria that the sisters seem to have about the hero. Loved the attraction that the h/h had for each other. I haven't read a Regency in a while so it was nice to come back to that for a bit! I really really liked this novel! Great book! loved it will read the next book. I'm not a fan of vampires and such but I do love the gothic feel it had without being too dark. DELICIOUS. Riddled with madcap cliches and psychotic Frenchmen, but quite delicious indeed. A real attention-grabber. I liked the way this story flowed - historical with a paranormal element. Some of the dialogue in this was fantastically funny. Book 1. VERY GOOD!!! Worth reading! Vampire Romance.
“I must say, Constable Larkin that you are in dire need of either a valet or a wife”.
“Which position are you applying for, Miss Cabot.”
At that resonant growl, Caroline glanced over her shoulder to find Adrian Kane looming over the chaise. He was glowering down at them with little evidence of his “notorious charm”.
She (Caroline) was unknotting the scarf, fighting the urge to strangle her sister with it, when a pungent aroma drifted to her nose. She leaned forward sniffing at Portia’s skin. “What on earth is that stench? Is it garlic?”
Portia stiffened. “I should say not. It’s simply my new perfume.” Sticking her nose in the air, she swept past Caroline, trailing the earthy scent behind her.
“Because I don’t lose my wits every time Vivienne walks into a room. I don’t toss and turn in my bed every night dreaming of making love to her. She doesn’t drive me to distraction with her endless questions, her incessant snooping, her harebrained schemes."
“I can trust myself to protect your sister because I’m not in love with her!”
A note about this book: This is NOT a paranormal romance. It's historical romance with paranormal elements. I was kind of expecting that, so I was not disappointed! I knew what I was getting into, and I think that would be important for someone who might lean towards PNRs. This was my first Teresa Medeiros novel, but it wont be my last. I picked After Midnight out randomly at the library having heard of the author and while waiting for my dozens of orders to come in. I thought the premise sounded interesting and hoped for a good read, despite the fact I knew nothing at all about the novel. I wasn't disappointed. Great paranormal historical romance - intense and mysterious hero is wonderful! I am a huge historical romance fan but have never read any paranormal ones and didn't actually know I was until a ways into the book. The book was a great historical romance and for anyone who is put off by the paranormal/vampire aspect, don't be - After Midnight is a great introduction into the genre of paranormal romances. I really enjoyed this book. It's a great historical romance with vampires. I'm not a fan of historical romances (I really hate read about girls that faint for everything)so friends of mine indicate Teresa Medeiros... and I wasn't disappointed by this book. This was a quick read... loved the mystery and the hysteria that the sisters seem to have about the hero. Loved the attraction that the h/h had for each other. I haven't read a Regency in a while so it was nice to come back to that for a bit! I really really liked this novel! Great book! loved it will read the next book. I'm not a fan of vampires and such but I do love the gothic feel it had without being too dark. DELICIOUS. Riddled with madcap cliches and psychotic Frenchmen, but quite delicious indeed. A real attention-grabber. I liked the way this story flowed - historical with a paranormal element. Some of the dialogue in this was fantastically funny. Book 1. VERY GOOD!!! Worth reading! Vampire Romance.
“I must say, Constable Larkin that you are in dire need of either a valet or a wife”.
“Which position are you applying for, Miss Cabot.”
At that resonant growl, Caroline glanced over her shoulder to find Adrian Kane looming over the chaise. He was glowering down at them with little evidence of his “notorious charm”.
She (Caroline) was unknotting the scarf, fighting the urge to strangle her sister with it, when a pungent aroma drifted to her nose. She leaned forward sniffing at Portia’s skin. “What on earth is that stench? Is it garlic?”
Portia stiffened. “I should say not. It’s simply my new perfume.” Sticking her nose in the air, she swept past Caroline, trailing the earthy scent behind her.
“Because I don’t lose my wits every time Vivienne walks into a room. I don’t toss and turn in my bed every night dreaming of making love to her. She doesn’t drive me to distraction with her endless questions, her incessant snooping, her harebrained schemes."
“I can trust myself to protect your sister because I’m not in love with her!”
March 7, 2022
4 Staked Stars!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a fun read! This was another great one from Teresa Medeiros, and I loved the dash of supernatural as well. You don’t find many historical paranormal’s, so when I saw this one at my book store for 50 cents, I splurged lol. It was light enough that I didn’t have to think too hard, but yet not so simple or predictable that it became boring. I was interested throughout the entire book, so that’s a plus! I really liked Julian and Portia too and I will definitely try to get ahold of their book! 💕
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a fun read! This was another great one from Teresa Medeiros, and I loved the dash of supernatural as well. You don’t find many historical paranormal’s, so when I saw this one at my book store for 50 cents, I splurged lol. It was light enough that I didn’t have to think too hard, but yet not so simple or predictable that it became boring. I was interested throughout the entire book, so that’s a plus! I really liked Julian and Portia too and I will definitely try to get ahold of their book! 💕
November 8, 2022
This was a very enjoyable book indeed. Atmospheric too. I love historical romance and I love paranormal, so of course this would be a ride for me. It wasn't quite a 5 stars read, but it was almost there. Here's to more vampires and vampire hunters in historical romances!
May 21, 2016
“Because I don’t lose my wits every time Vivienne walks into a room. I don’t toss and turn in my bed every night dreaming of making love to her. She doesn’t drive me to distraction with her endless questions, her incessant snooping, her harebrained schemes."
★★★★4"Kane"stars
“I can trust myself to protect your sister because I’m not in love with her!”
It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for historical romances depicting a viciously handsome and titled hero tripping over himself in love with the plain eldest sister chaperoning her pretty sisters, laced with witty banters between the leads.When this book was presented to me on a platter in the form of a recommendation,I couldn’t resist.This book provided my much needed respite,pulling me out of an insomnolent book hangover which had plagued me after reading an epic novel and had its death grip over me until this book.This is my first Medeiros novel and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.The plot was so intriguing and you’ve got to hand it to the author for doing a laudable job on that score.More than the plot,I was absolutely entranced by her impeccable writing.
I had all kinds of déjà vu while reading this novel as it reminded me very much of The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn.Since I love TVWLM so much and was once swooning over Anthony(the male lead),I cannot refute the hold this book had on me.After reading this book,I can say that Adrian has definitely secured himself a place on my never-ending list of book boyfriends.I liked every single character in this book(except Duvalier of course) including Aunt Marietta whose carping attitude had once gotten on my last nerve.I'd like to someday read Julian and Portia's story in the next book and more of the author's works.I held back one star because I felt the story was being unnecessarily dragged on in certain places.Apart form that,this book was a jolly good rainy read.
February 2, 2010
This is the story of Caroline and Adrien. It's set in Regency England. Caroline's sister is practically engaged to the viscount Adrien Kane and she goes to his castle to meet him and make sure every thing is on the up and up.
Caroline has always looked after her little sisters. She's a little too old to get married and their family is on the brink of ruin unless one of them makes a good match. Caroline is unerved by rumors that Adrien is a vampire and wants to see what started these crazy accusations.
This would be a great set up but I think the author wastes a lot of time. Two thirds of the book is a "is he/isn't he" mystery over whether or not Adrien is a vampire or not. It gets pretty boring.
Fortunetly the last part of the book is very engaging and fast paced. I really wanted to see what would happen. It's just a shame that pace wasn't spread out throughout the book. I want to read the next one in the series now which is overall a good sign.
The tone is more Dracula rather then JR Ward's vampires which fits the Regency England setting. It's almost refreshing to read about the old-school type of vampire again.
Caroline has always looked after her little sisters. She's a little too old to get married and their family is on the brink of ruin unless one of them makes a good match. Caroline is unerved by rumors that Adrien is a vampire and wants to see what started these crazy accusations.
This would be a great set up but I think the author wastes a lot of time. Two thirds of the book is a "is he/isn't he" mystery over whether or not Adrien is a vampire or not. It gets pretty boring.
Fortunetly the last part of the book is very engaging and fast paced. I really wanted to see what would happen. It's just a shame that pace wasn't spread out throughout the book. I want to read the next one in the series now which is overall a good sign.
The tone is more Dracula rather then JR Ward's vampires which fits the Regency England setting. It's almost refreshing to read about the old-school type of vampire again.
May 16, 2014
An absolute delight!
The story was exquisite - unlike some more cliched HRs the plot was plausible and the obstacles in the stories carried real significance.
The characters were even more awesome. The two main characters of this book - Caroline and Adrian - truly lit up the pages (more like positively burned them up - seriously HOT DAMN).
However I have to credit the author for the splendid characterisations of all the secondary players - especially Portia and Julian - they almost stole the show and I can't wait to read their story in The Vampire that Loved me
Overall I am absolutely enthralled and would recommend this book to any HR lovers that don't mind a foray into the paranormal.
The story was exquisite - unlike some more cliched HRs the plot was plausible and the obstacles in the stories carried real significance.
The characters were even more awesome. The two main characters of this book - Caroline and Adrian - truly lit up the pages (more like positively burned them up - seriously HOT DAMN).
However I have to credit the author for the splendid characterisations of all the secondary players - especially Portia and Julian - they almost stole the show and I can't wait to read their story in The Vampire that Loved me
Overall I am absolutely enthralled and would recommend this book to any HR lovers that don't mind a foray into the paranormal.
October 30, 2010
Great book! Loved Adrian and Caroline. Great love story. Really dark and suspenseful and whitty. One thing Medeiros never fails at including in her books is humor and charm which I love. It's a darker story with paranormal theme yet the dry humor is still there. Characters are really charming and fun and very endearing. At times I did think Caroline's protectiveness of her sisters was overbearing but all in all loved it. And it made me really anxious to read the next book. I fell in love with the innocent young love sparked between Portia and Julian. *sighs* So sweet.
January 6, 2018
Sadly, this book didn't focus too much on the romance between the two leads, which is the reason for the low rating. The book was mostly about the heroine trying to determine whether the hero is or isn't a vampire and the hero trying to avenge his dead betrothed and brother. Though this is set during the regency era (I think), one could simply remove the titles and read this as a contemporary paranormal romance.
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