Midnight Pleasures [Mass Market Paperback]

Eloisa James (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 2001

In the night, all rules are forgotten....

Eloisa James, the acclaimed author of Potent Pleasures, returns to Regency England with an unforgettable new heroine — a genteel but naughty innocent who gets more than she bargains for when she finally says yes to love.

To her legions of adoring suitors, it comes as quite a shock when Lady Sophie York rejects an offer of marriage from the dashing, rakish Patrick Foakes in favor of amiable but dull Braddon Chatwin. He may be an earl, but it is Patrick's stolen kisses that sear her lips.

When Patrick, in disguise, scales a ladder to retrieve his friend's fiancée, he never expects the elopement to be his own. Neither does Sophie, Braddon, or the rest of the tattling ton. One hasty wedding later, the passionate innocent and the sophisticated rogue play out their own intricate dance as Sophie masters what it takes to keep a man where he belongs. And Patrick learns the ultimate lesson in love.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The daughter of the marquis of Brandenburg, Lady Sophie York is a beguiling and flirtatious innocent. One of the most marriageable young women in Regency London, she's also secretly brainy. Yet she finds herself in love with a man she is dead set against loving: Patrick Foakes, a handsome rake. Sophie has determined never to marry, since her father is a notorious philanderer who constantly humiliates Sophie's mother with his flagrant pursuit of Frenchwomen. Sure that Patrick will always be a libertine, she turns him down when he asks for her hand. She then accepts the proposal of his stodgy friend, Lord Slaslow. Patrick is stunnedAa little relieved, but mostly stung: the proud lothario has fallen for Sophie. After Patrick adopts a disguise as a favor to Lord Saslow, the fiery pair are thrown together. They find they can't resist each other, so they bed and marry. But each has separate, unspoken fearsAshe of his assumed infidelity, he of her early death from childbirthAthat puts them at cross-purposes, until tragedy strikes. James (Potent Pleasures) proves herself a notable chronicler of the genre here. Her spritely tale takes on substance with a subplot about events in the Ottoman Empire. In addition, while the customary hallmarks are in evidenceAthe breathless, drawn-out sex scenes; the misunderstandings that almost ruin everythingAthese contretemps flow naturally from the characterizations and plot, and contribute to an engaging story. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A steamy, satisfying romantic romp ... romance writing does not get much better than this."
— People

"Sheer reading delight: witty, wise, and passionately romantic."
— Mary Balogh, author of More Than a Mistress


Don't miss Eloisa James's acclaimed novel:

Potent Pleasures

"Unexpected twists...surprises all around."
— Publishers Weekly

"Utterly frivolous."
— USA Today

Available from Dell

And look for Eloisa James's new hardcover:

Enchanting Pleasures

Available in June 2001 from Delacorte Press

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Island Books (May 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440234573
• ISBN-13: 978-0440234579
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Eloisa wrote her first novel after graduating from Harvard, but alas, it was rejected by every possible publisher. After she got an M.Phil. from Oxford, a Ph.D. from Yale, and a job as a Shakespeare professor, she tried again, with much greater success. Currently she teaches Shakespeare in the English Department at Fordham University in New York City. She's also the mother of two children and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous read! I couldn't put it down...., May 17, 2001

By 

R. Wong "rosieonvacation" (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Midnight Pleasures (Mass Market Paperback)

I liked Potent Pleasures, but I was even more eager to read Midnight Pleasures to find out the fate of Lady Sophia.... I was not disappointed when I finally bought the book. I finished the reading in a day... I simply could not put it off, altho I have an exam coming up soon....

One thing that sets the story apart from other romances is that...I found the story believable. It wasn't just sweet romantic mush... the poignant emotional portrayal of the two leads were well developed, and I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters.

The author, Ms James, is not afraid to paint flaws in her characters. Patrick, the hero has a ferocious temper... Sophia is the cool as cucumber lady who suffers insecurities abt her marriage, even tho on the outside... she's every bit the beautiful, self-assured lady of the ton. I find it all the more wonderful that Ms James applied consistency to her character, from Potent Pleasures, her first book.

Topics like miscarriage, the pain and aftermath, the healing... is touched on, lending depth to the story.

I'm eagerly awaiting Enchanting Pleasures, Ms James's 3rd book.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Great Book!, October 3, 2000

By 

Constant Reader (Los Osos, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midnight Pleasures (Enchanged Pleasures) (Hardcover)

Another Regency A#1 story. The hero, Patrick Foakes, and heroine, Lady Sophie York, were first introduced in the previous book, Potent Pleasures. It is not necessary to read the previous book to enjoy this one. Sophie has declined numerous offers of marriage and has settled on a rather dull, stodgy man - Braddon Chatwin - who makes no secret of the fact that he intends to keep a mistress and only marry for convenience. Sophie knows this and in order to keep her heart whole, convinces herself that this is what she wants even though she is thoroughly smitten with Patrick. Patrick is a rake of the first order. Patrick decides to help his friend (the dull suitor) elope with Sophie, but Patrick compromises her and Sophie and Patrick must be married. The story revolves around many misunderstandings by Sophie and Patrick and the subplot of Braddon and his would-be mistress is fun. Sophie is entangled in Braddon's affairs witrh his mistress and Patrick believes that Sophie really loves Braddon. When Patrick stays out all night and ignores Sophie, she believes him to have a beautiful black-haired mistress with whom he has been seen in town. Fast moving and delightful.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A humurous read, August 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Midnight Pleasures (Enchanged Pleasures) (Hardcover)

I found this book to be a humurous new addition to Eloisa James new arsenal. It is nice to have a modern heroine in a historical setting. Sophie and Partick in a "compromising position" and instead of marrying Patrick she engages herself to an earl. Through a bizarre twist of fate Sophie ends up married to Patrick. In her second novel Eloisa James exceeds all expectations. A must read for anyone who like romance and humor all in one package. A winner.