20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
mesermizing, haunting, unforgettable, Stuart at her best!, June 30, 2004
This review is from: A Rose at Midnight (An Avon Romantic Treasure) (Paperback)
I thought I had read every book Anne Stuart had written, but somehow, I missed this wonderful one. Fortunately, I discovered one listed on amazon.com used, because for some stupid reason, Avon doesn't have the good sense to keep this one in reprint. It another of Stuart's display of genius, that mesmerizes the reader to where you cannot put it down. She catches you up from page one and won't let you go, until she puts you through an emotional ringer. She gives you another of those Gamma-Rogue Males that has a black heart and a blacker soul.
Ghislaine de Lorgny is out to kill Nicholas Blackthorne - along with numerous cuckolded husbands - and she has plenty of reasons. Gilly blames the death of her family on the guillotine and the loss of her virtue at Blackthone's door. When Gilly was fifteen, Nicholas visited his Godparents (Gilly's parents) just as The Terror was sweeping through France. Gilly fell in love with the beautiful Nicholas, and Nicholas demonstrated affection for Gilly. But when her father begs Nicholas to take her to England, away from Napoleon's nightmare reign, Nicholas coldly dismisses him, unknowingly consigning Gilly's family to death. She escaped with her 12-year-old brother onto the streets of Paris, where she watched her parents killed. Left to see to her brother's and her survival, the nightmare continued. An evil man sold Gilly into prostitution and had her brother carried away, likely killed. Gilly has carried that hatred for ten years, but finally her time for revenge has come.
Nicholas Blackthorne, the last of the mad Blackthornes, has lived his life knowing his mother and father hated that his brother had died instead of him. So, he did everything he could to live up to the mad Blackthorne's reputation. He lives with so many regrets, one being he feels responsible for the de Lorgny family going under the blade. When Gilly's father asked Nicholas to take her to England, Nicholas had just received a letter telling of his father's dead so he'd carelessly brushed off the man. For the last ten years, Nicholas believe Gilly was killed with her parents; her face has haunted his mind.
He does not recognize Gilly as the chef his cousin Ellen hired a year ago, but he soon finds out after Gilly tries to poison him. Instead of turning her over to the local magistrate, he takes Gilly prisoner and spirits her off to Scotland, then later drags her across Europe.
Hot on their heels is his cousin Ellen and Tony. Ellen has always loved Tony, but he has been more of a big brother to her. Tony has been trying for the last two years to shift their relationship, but fears he has left it too late. He sees this rescue of Gilly as a means to be close to Ellen and change her thinking towards him. Their secondary romance makes this into two loves stories, not just one.
Nicholas Blackthorne is one of Stuart's total bad boys she delights making you love. Gilly is unforgettable, her pain and betrayal stings, showing her indomitable spirit. The reader is exhausted after their emotional battles. It's one of those books you won't ever be able to forget.
Now someone explain why Avon does not reprint such high quality writing?
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
CLASSIC ANNE STUART!!, March 3, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: A Rose at Midnight (An Avon Romantic Treasure) (Paperback)
With some authors I just NEED to have every book they've written and Anne Stuart is one of them. If you've read any of her books (historical or modern) you know she goes in for a dark hero who is usually more bad than good (or maybe I should say so bad he's good). At any rate, I stumbled across this earlier book and WOW!!! What a ride. It takes place right after the French Revolution and our French heroine has managed to survive but not without a load of emotional scars. She is living in England when low and behold she is presented with the opportunity to take revenge on the Englishman (our hero) she blames for all the woes she and her family suffered during the reign of terror. And we're off. . . Needless to say things don't go as she plans. Great story line, great characters who are FULLY developed and complex. Wonderful "secondary character" love story. Order this book! It is worth the extra you will have to pay for a used copy. A definite keeper to add to your Anne Stuart collection. It's 394 sexy pages of adventure, tears and pleasure!
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A bodice ripper with a difference, December 7, 2000
This review is from: A Rose at Midnight (An Avon Romantic Treasure) (Paperback)
The characters in this novel are tortured and somewhat unlovable, but they are so wounded and needy that they complement one another. Anne Stuart is such a clever and skilful writer that she is able to take a storyline that could fail miserably in someone else's hands, and write something delightful and compelling. Think of this book as a reluctant buddy novel where the hero and the heroine go on a road trip.
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