Customer Reviews

Secrets of a Perfect Night

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

SECRETS OF A PERFECT NIGHT is unequivocally the most consistent anthology in terms of the quality in romantic narration. Stephanie Laurens spearheaded with a tale of a confused duke Adrian returning back to his hometown only to find himself mesmerized by the enchanting Abby who had long given her heart to this scandalous duke. He is challenged by the wits and heart of the woman and soon recognizes that it is in fact Abby who had plagued his dreams long ago. Ms. Lauren's writing is passionate and sensual - definitely a keeper.

Victoria Alexander tugs the heartstring with a tale of two unrequited lovers. Their night of elopement is waylaid by the evil plans of Rachel's father and her lover, Jason, being taken in by the lies of her father left for America alone, leaving the disgraced and disheartened Rachel all alone. It is only after ten long years, when Rachel's husband has passed away, the chance of a lost romance patched again appears. Ms. Alexander's narration is heartstopping and poignant, and it is a testament to the resilience of two hearts that had never stopped loving.

The last story by Rachel Gibson is contemporary, a refreshing tale of a school reunion that unites a fun couple. Brina has dumped Thomas during her high school days for someone more prominent - and Thomas is tenacious to get back at her for her betrayal, only to find that his heart still has that soft spot for her. Brina realizes her mistake and now knows that only Thomas is the right man for her.

SECRETS OF A PERFECT NIGHT blends beautifully these three tales and they are all sensual and uplifting enough to keep you a perfect night of reading and enjoyment. It is the talent of narration that shines in this book, and it is often rare that you get this lovely 3-in-1 package to last you a romantic night.

This is a three-story collection written by various authors. I will give a description of each story below, as well as what rating I would assign if it were possible to rate each separately. The four stars rating awarded this book is the average taken of all three ratings.

SCANDALOUS LORD DERE: Adrian Andrew Hawsley, the sixth Viscount Dere, has just sworn off women. His reputation as a rake, combined with highly acclaimed abilities in the bedchamber, has women hunting him in droves. But those women are almost exclusively married, and he's tired of being their prey. While returning home to his principle estate, which he abandoned years ago following his father's death, he encounters a raging snowstorm, and nearly dies of exposure trying to get himself and his servant to safety. He picks a familiar house to collapse at the door of. The house of his childhood playmate, Abigail Woolley, the girl who at the age of sixteen, seduced him. Now they're snowbound together, and the intense desire between them resurfaces. After all this time, can Adrian convince her he wants nothing more than to settle down with the one woman he's always loved?

Stephanie Laurens wrote this story, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. I've read a few books by her, but after deciding they were all much the same, and became less interesting to me each time I picked up another, I quit reading her work. Her writing style is definitely evident in this story, and it was an enjoyable read with quite erotic love scenes. I would award this selection four stars.

THE LAST LOVE LETTER: At the age of seventeen, Rachel Gresham fell hopelessly and passionately in love with Jason Norcross. Her cold and manipulative father was determined she marry someone of power and means, who could further his political aspirations. Jason had neither power nor money. So Rachel and Jason planned an elopement to America, only to have it foiled by her father who made sure they would not marry. Instead, she married George Norcross, the Earl of Lyndhurst and Jason's cousin. George eventually found out the truth behind what had separated Rachel and Jason, but chose to keep it to himself. A few years later, on his deathbed, George penned letters to Rachel and Jason explaining everything, and his wish they reconcile after his passing. Jason was the only living male heir of George, so as the new earl, he's returning to England. Will they be able to put the past behind them, and give love another chance?

This second story was penned by Victoria Alexander, and covered a ten-year expanse of time. The story did jump around from present to past, but was not difficult to follow. It was well written, but stories where the couple is separated for years by malevolent outside forces just aren't my favorite. Both main characters were likeable enough, but the love scenes were just okay. I would award three stars to this selection, with the story's premise being the main reason I didn't go higher. I've read one other book by this author, which was quite good, and I won't hesitate to read more of her work.

NOW AND FOREVER: Brina McConnell and Thomas Mack had been the best of friends since the first grade. They had dated for a short time their senior year in high school. But Brina ended their relationship by attending a dance with the quarterback of the football team. When her and the quarterback broke up a month later, Thomas had moved on with his life. He eventually started a computer software company, and then sold it for millions. Now Rachel and Thomas are both attending their ten-year high school reunion, at a ski resort during New Year's Eve. They have each changed significantly, and when they set eyes on each other again, the old feelings flame into something more uncontrollable. Will they begin the New Year by starting a new life together?

Rachel Gibson is one of my favorite authors, and this was just as wonderful as everything else I've read by her. The characters are well developed, and the story is sweet, warm, funny and sexy. The sexual tension between this couple vibrated from the pages, and the love scenes nearly incinerated those pages! Obviously this was my favorite of the three stories, and a definite five star read.

Overall, this is the best collection of stories by different authors, compiled into one book that I've ever read. I believe a large part of the success of this novel, aside from the talent of all three authors, is the fact that the couple in each story had met before, and had some type of relationship in the past. One thing that I believe is difficult to do in eighty to one hundred pages, is to develop the main characters well, and have them fall head over heals forever in love, and do it realistically in so few pages. But since each couple had begun their relationship years ago, it was believable for them to see each other again, and end up in love in so short a time. This book is worth checking out!

True, it is hard to judge an anthology the way you would an entire book. I am ill often and sometimes my attention span before I konk out is only enough for one short story so they save my life! This particular set of 3 by Stephanie Laurens, Victoria Alexander and Rachel Gibson I particularly enjoyed, and I have to say I loved Rachel's contempory story the best. She is one of my absolute keepers. Since I have no set ideas about what belongs in an anthology sometimes I buy the book simply for the variety contained. I do love the Regencies also, and Stephanie and Victoria always please. Have I actually read a book lately that I didn't enjoy? Authors are just getting better and better, and my book allowance has hit 5 digits in 2000 - :)

Not the best anthology I've ever read. First of all, for some reason New Year's Eve was supposedly the common theme in these stories, but it actually had very little to do with anything. The common theme was actually the convenient number of TEN years that had passed between the hero & heroine seeing each other.

In the 2nd story "The Last Love Letter," I couldn't figure out why it took two years for Rachael to get the letter from her dead husband. (They didn't even have a real post office that could have lost the letter!) I can see if the dead husband had asked that the letter be delivered six months after his death, or even year, but TWO YEARS? What was the deal with that?

But I really can't understand why everyone thinks the last story, "Now and Forever," is the best one. To me, it was filled with cliches: awkward teens from the wrong side of the tracks, who only wanted to fit in with the popular kids. Now, ten years later, they're both very attractive and the 'popular' athletic boy wants to get it on with Brina, and the beautiful cheerleader girl has set her sights on Thomas. Brina sees Thomas with Holly and decides to spend time w/ athlete-boy. Thomas sees Brina with Athlete and spends time with Cheerleader. Ho-hum. What are we, in seventh grade? I think the only reason people like this story is that it has hot sex scenes. Unfortunately, it doesn't take a lot of talent or imagination to describe sex or to use a lot of euphemisms for body parts.

So, in summation: this anthology didn't have anything much to do with New Years's Eve, but DID have a common theme in a ten-year break in hero & heroine seeing each other. If pressed, I would have to say that The Last Love Letter was the most interesting story, but I don't consider that a ringing endorsement. Sorry, folks.

"Secrets of a Perfect Night" was a very pleasant surprise. I usually judge these anthologies by a different criteria then I do a regular book because they usually just do not measure up to a full length novel. This one I can say actually does measure up. I think that it is because it has three novellas instead of the usual five, and that this has allowed the authors to fully develop their characters in a way that most anthologies do not allow. Each of the novellas would be worth buying individually. There was only one problem I had with the book, the first two stories were historical romances and the final story was a contemporary. While it was a great story it did not fit with the other two in the anthology.

The title, SECRETS OF A PERFECT NIGHT, gets you from the start. And the names of the three romantic writers involved help it along. The good thing about a book of novellas is that you can read one whole story at one sitting, and get that satisfied, complete feeling.

SCANDALOUS LORD DERE, is the tale of a young man who wants to leave his well-deserved rakish reputation as "master seducer" and go back to his quiet country home and the girl he left behind. The problem is that he left eight years ago and all indications are that things have changed dramatically. If winning it all back is even possible, it certainly won't be easy. The "master seducer" will have to use all that he has.

THE LAST LOVE LETTER is the story of both selfish and well-intentioned motives gone awry. A couple who've declared their love against the wishes of their parents plan to run away together one night, but they don't make the last-minute connection. Ten years pass before they both receive a letter that lets them know what actually happened that night, and how neither of them was to blame. Now, has too much time passed to rekindle feeling which never really died?

NOW AND FOREVER is a modern story of a high school reunion and of seeing the one who got away and how much they've changed. It's the reopening of possibilities. It's the time to aplolgize and get on (or get it on) with their lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed these stories of childhood friends/lovers who were separated for reasons beyond their control and moved on with their lives. When they are reunited some 10 years or so later, sparks fly again and the chemistry between them is as strong as ever, but they must learn to let go of past hurts and rediscover each other again. The last story was a pleasant surprise because it was a contemporary romance instead of a regency romance like the first two, which was a nice change of pace.

If you love romantic anthologies then this one is for you. Let's be realistic - most anything that includes a Stephanie Laurens story is going to be great and this one is no exception. Her entrancing tale of rediscovered love is a perfect example of her amazing talent when it comes to blending sensuality and humor. I was less impressed with Victoria Alexander's tale of misunderstandings and rekindled romance - it was considerably more downbeat than the other two, although on its own probably would have been wonderful. Rachel Gibson's contemporary love story is a delight - for all those women who have dreamed of knocking the socks off their high school buddies at a reunion. This book is a great summer read, and the pleasure of anthologies is to be able to put them down and get a little work done in between stories!

Secrets of a Perfect Night is the best collection of short romance stories I've read so far.
Stephanie Laurens tells the tale of a rake with a scandalous reputation who finds his life of endless conquests and aimless amusements dissatisfying. He decides to go back to his ancestral estate and start anew. On the way there he gets caught in a snowstorm and seeks shelter at a nearby cottage where to his surprise he finds a young girl, now a woman, that he once seduced and whose heart he broke.
I had read one book by this author before that I didn't enjoy at all so this was a delightful surprise for me and I will be looking for more of her books.

Victoria Alexander's story deals with two young people in love who plan to elope to avoid the wrath of the girl's father. The treacherous father already knows of their plans and hatches an evil scheme that tears the lovers apart.
I felt this story was the weakest of the bunch. I've never read this author before and while the story was well written. The
plot, which starts out nicely, quickly becomes too convoluted and ridiculous to be believed.

Rachel Gibson's contemporary story is the best of the bunch. She tells the story of high school sweethearts brought back together at their ten year reunion. I will not go further into it except to say that the dialogue sizzles and the characters are compelling and completely believable. The story is one that most of us have dreamed of: to attend our high school reunions and knock the socks off every person there. This is another excellent story form the very talented Ms. Gibson.

I give Ms. Lauren's story 5 stars. Alexander's story 2 stars and Gibson's 10 stars! Highly recommended

Oh My! This book was amazing! It really was the perfect night when the man in the woman's life said "I love you"! Stephanie Laurens, Victoria Alexander and Rachel Gibson ought to be commended for this great book! Read it! IT will be a book you will not forget!