Midnight Pleasures (Enchanged Pleasures) (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

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.

Review

"Fresh, rich, and evocative.  (Definitely Georgette Heyer is being channeled!)   A gift every romance reader should give herself."
--Connie Brockway, author of The Reckless One and The Ravishing One

"This lively and vividly written tale [is] sensual for a Regency, and genuinely fun."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Ms. James has given us a brilliant plot and marvelous characters."
--Rendezvous

"An entralling read from a vibrant new talent.  Ms. James delivers a sensual, exciting, fresh romance that is pure reading pleasure."
--Romantic Times -- Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Press (August 8, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385333617
• ISBN-13: 978-0385333610
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,331,646 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 2 in The Pleasures Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 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.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

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

By A Customer

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.

7 of 7 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

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.