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Midnight Lover
Jesse Reardon was the king of Silver Spur, a rough Nevada boomtown where he called all the shots. But then one hot and dusty afternoon beautiful Boston socialite Caroline Bennett stepped off the stagecoach determined to avenge her father's death and claim what's rightfully hers: the Crazy Arrow saloon and Jesse Reardon's untamed heart.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1989
46 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Bretton
129 books595 followersBarbara Bretton is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 books. She currently has over ten million copies in print around the world. Her works have been translated into twelve languages in over twenty countries.
Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette,among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.
Her awards include both Reviewer's Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.
Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.
Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette,among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.
Her awards include both Reviewer's Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.
Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 1, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. The men of this town come across hard, unfriendly & unwelcoming but Its wonderful how this story develops to where everyone stands together, there is no nonsense about a man's town or a woman's town, but everyone gets along. This book like many others has a villen even though Its a romance, but I enjoyed It from the start till the end. Jessie Reardon was a sweetheart, even though he came across mucho, a womaniser at first & a man that didn't learn to love until a woman who was as determined, stubborn & persistant won his heart & everything changed for him. I loved the characters in this book, & this read was a read that just made me smile & I enjoyed how the romances in this town which was origionally a rough gun slinging drinking & each man for his own town, but became a town that welcomed everyone & people who were not married could come to the community & be embraced by the other women in this town until they all found love.
September 9, 2013
This was a relatively decent chick-lit book, you have all the usual elements but the setting makes this stand out from the crowd. I was somewhat surprised that Thomas was kept as a good guy throughout - the ground work is definitely there for him to go 'bad' but it was nice that he didn't.
None of the characters are particularly memorable but then they don't always need to be for a book to be enjoyable.
This killed a few hours and I enjoyed it a lot more than other free Kindle chick-lits out there, if the author has some others books I might be tempted to try them out sometime.
None of the characters are particularly memorable but then they don't always need to be for a book to be enjoyable.
This killed a few hours and I enjoyed it a lot more than other free Kindle chick-lits out there, if the author has some others books I might be tempted to try them out sometime.
July 8, 2021
2.5 Stars. Not bad but not great either, although H/h had great chemistry they argued and bickered way too much and midnight love didn’t happened almost until the end of the story. Hero spend a lot of time with his mistress and that is always puts me off the romance.
March 24, 2023
fast read....better dialogue than most MBs, though the overall premise seems far-fetched
January 20, 2014
3.5 STARS FOR THE STORY
5 STARS FOR THE NARRATOR
I found the relationship between Jesse Reardon and Caroline Bennett to be exciting. Jesse and Caroline had definite chemistry from the beginning. Yet, they were immediate enemies upon Caroline stepping into Jesse's town to stake a claim on her inheritance.
I really liked the heroine, Caroline, a beautiful, blue-eyed blonde who entered the wild west with her intelligence, sassy wits and perseverance to succeed in a man's world. Caroline began her adventure as she left Boston in search of a new way of life for herself. She sought to take the propriety of her deceased father's saloon, the Crazy Arrow, and later she found out about a mine he owned.
Jesse Reardon has a story of his own as he has made a name and reputation for himself as the most powerful man in Silver Spur which was marked as a single man's dream town with the whore houses and gaming saloons present. Jesse is a strong man dead set against marriage and the trapping of a conventional relationship with a woman. Caroline sparks his immediate interest because of her beauty, but also because she's the daughter of the Mr. Bennett, the man who lost his saloon and mine to him in a card game. Jesse immediately goes to battle with Caroline to discourage her and tries to make her leave the town before the judge can come to settle their legal disputes.
THINGS I LOVED ABOUT THE BOOK
1) I thought the chemistry between the leads was good. They had some good banter and it was cute how Caroline's high vocabulary that she used sarcastically against Jesse set him aback…I loved how she would spin him on his heels, at times, with her sassiness. He was such a flirt with her as well with all of his sexual innuendoes that he used to confuse her. Those parts were sweet (in their own kind of way).
2) When they finally start their love relationship, I loved how sweet Jesse was to Caroline. There are a lot of gestures of kindness and tenderness he extends to her.
3) I loved it when Jesse finally fell in love with Caroline. The bigger they are, the harder they fall..lol. Initially, he struggled so much internally, but I loved seeing how he gave her everything of himself and finally admitted to himself that he loved her fiercely.
THINGS THAT BOTHERED ME:
1) Maybe I'm the jealous type and this was more about me, but I hated the slow transition between Jesse's relationship from his lover Jade (owner of the whore house) and his commitment to Caroline. The transition couldn't happen soon enough for me. Usually I like books when the hero falls so hard for the heroine that he immediately stops sleeping with the "other girl." I hated hearing about his sex trysts with Jade. It put a bad taste in my mouth.
2) Even though this book is named Midnight Lover, I was so annoyed that the midnight love didn't start until close to 1/4 of the end of the book. What the????
3) I wish there was less coverage in this book of the antagonistic relationship between Jesse & Caroline and more of the part where they are hopelessly and passionately in love with one another. It felt as though they were enemies longer than they were lovers and that bothered me.
4) I was really upset that one of the good characters in this story died.
Overall, I suppose this book is somewhat of a tease. It's a tease because I really liked the characters and wished for more coverage in the book of their blissful and passionate love together. When it finally happened it was really good. The epilogue was also super sweet and endearing.
Narrator: I purchased this audiobook (since I was out of credits) because of the "swoon-worthy" voice and talent of narrator, Braden Wright. I wish he would narrate more historical, romance books because he is just fabulous and made this story worth listening to, despite my disappointments.
5 STARS FOR THE NARRATOR
I found the relationship between Jesse Reardon and Caroline Bennett to be exciting. Jesse and Caroline had definite chemistry from the beginning. Yet, they were immediate enemies upon Caroline stepping into Jesse's town to stake a claim on her inheritance.
I really liked the heroine, Caroline, a beautiful, blue-eyed blonde who entered the wild west with her intelligence, sassy wits and perseverance to succeed in a man's world. Caroline began her adventure as she left Boston in search of a new way of life for herself. She sought to take the propriety of her deceased father's saloon, the Crazy Arrow, and later she found out about a mine he owned.
Jesse Reardon has a story of his own as he has made a name and reputation for himself as the most powerful man in Silver Spur which was marked as a single man's dream town with the whore houses and gaming saloons present. Jesse is a strong man dead set against marriage and the trapping of a conventional relationship with a woman. Caroline sparks his immediate interest because of her beauty, but also because she's the daughter of the Mr. Bennett, the man who lost his saloon and mine to him in a card game. Jesse immediately goes to battle with Caroline to discourage her and tries to make her leave the town before the judge can come to settle their legal disputes.
THINGS I LOVED ABOUT THE BOOK
1) I thought the chemistry between the leads was good. They had some good banter and it was cute how Caroline's high vocabulary that she used sarcastically against Jesse set him aback…I loved how she would spin him on his heels, at times, with her sassiness. He was such a flirt with her as well with all of his sexual innuendoes that he used to confuse her. Those parts were sweet (in their own kind of way).
2) When they finally start their love relationship, I loved how sweet Jesse was to Caroline. There are a lot of gestures of kindness and tenderness he extends to her.
3) I loved it when Jesse finally fell in love with Caroline. The bigger they are, the harder they fall..lol. Initially, he struggled so much internally, but I loved seeing how he gave her everything of himself and finally admitted to himself that he loved her fiercely.
THINGS THAT BOTHERED ME:
1) Maybe I'm the jealous type and this was more about me, but I hated the slow transition between Jesse's relationship from his lover Jade (owner of the whore house) and his commitment to Caroline. The transition couldn't happen soon enough for me. Usually I like books when the hero falls so hard for the heroine that he immediately stops sleeping with the "other girl." I hated hearing about his sex trysts with Jade. It put a bad taste in my mouth.
2) Even though this book is named Midnight Lover, I was so annoyed that the midnight love didn't start until close to 1/4 of the end of the book. What the????
3) I wish there was less coverage in this book of the antagonistic relationship between Jesse & Caroline and more of the part where they are hopelessly and passionately in love with one another. It felt as though they were enemies longer than they were lovers and that bothered me.
4) I was really upset that one of the good characters in this story died.
Overall, I suppose this book is somewhat of a tease. It's a tease because I really liked the characters and wished for more coverage in the book of their blissful and passionate love together. When it finally happened it was really good. The epilogue was also super sweet and endearing.
Narrator: I purchased this audiobook (since I was out of credits) because of the "swoon-worthy" voice and talent of narrator, Braden Wright. I wish he would narrate more historical, romance books because he is just fabulous and made this story worth listening to, despite my disappointments.
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February 13, 2016511k They were sworn enemies by day
And passionate lovers by night
The cowboy moved so quickly Caroline didn't have time to think, much less react. One moment he was standing there looking at her across the blazing hot Nevada street, the next moment, she was in his arms.
Her protests were stopped as he bent his head toward her. A complete stranger, a cowboy she'd met just moments ago when she stepped off the dusty stagecoach was actually going to put his mouth on hers and kiss her. Things like this never happened in Boston!
Just before she thought she would certainly swoon from the heat and the breathlessness and the shocking thrill of anticipation, the sound of gunshots pierced the fog she was in and a bullet whizzed past her left ear.
The cowboy swooped her up into his arms then dropped to the ground and rolled with her under the stagecoach. Her heavy skirts rode up over her thighs and she struggled to pull them down before he got a glimpse of her lacy pantalettes but it was no use. He had her pinned with his body and the way they fit together was shameful. His chest was pressed so close to her that she was certain he could feel the outline of her breasts through her blue dress. His hipbones jutted against the slight soft curve of her stomach and she dared not imagine the cause of the powerful heat pressing against her belly.
He took full advantage of the situation and positioned himself between her legs and she hated herself for noticing just how handsome he really was. She'd never felt more vulnerable 14or more alive 14in her entire life.
"You needn't look so pleased," she hissed as another round of gunfire ricocheted off the stagecoach above them. "I don't know how any decent person can live in such a terrible, lawless place like 14" She fumbled for words as he brought his mouth closer to hers.
"Welcome to Silver Spur," Jesse Reardon said.
And then he kissed her.
And passionate lovers by night
The cowboy moved so quickly Caroline didn't have time to think, much less react. One moment he was standing there looking at her across the blazing hot Nevada street, the next moment, she was in his arms.
Her protests were stopped as he bent his head toward her. A complete stranger, a cowboy she'd met just moments ago when she stepped off the dusty stagecoach was actually going to put his mouth on hers and kiss her. Things like this never happened in Boston!
Just before she thought she would certainly swoon from the heat and the breathlessness and the shocking thrill of anticipation, the sound of gunshots pierced the fog she was in and a bullet whizzed past her left ear.
The cowboy swooped her up into his arms then dropped to the ground and rolled with her under the stagecoach. Her heavy skirts rode up over her thighs and she struggled to pull them down before he got a glimpse of her lacy pantalettes but it was no use. He had her pinned with his body and the way they fit together was shameful. His chest was pressed so close to her that she was certain he could feel the outline of her breasts through her blue dress. His hipbones jutted against the slight soft curve of her stomach and she dared not imagine the cause of the powerful heat pressing against her belly.
He took full advantage of the situation and positioned himself between her legs and she hated herself for noticing just how handsome he really was. She'd never felt more vulnerable 14or more alive 14in her entire life.
"You needn't look so pleased," she hissed as another round of gunfire ricocheted off the stagecoach above them. "I don't know how any decent person can live in such a terrible, lawless place like 14" She fumbled for words as he brought his mouth closer to hers.
"Welcome to Silver Spur," Jesse Reardon said.
And then he kissed her.
March 20, 2013
First let me say that it wasn't what I expected. The cover says, "Sworn enemies by day...passionate lovers by night". I didn't really get that, but there was definitely a battle going on between love and hate. This book was steamy, but there are no actual sex scenes for those of you that want a romance without them. I gave the rating of 3 stars, because while it was an enjoyable enough read to get lost in, I know that it isn't one of those stories that'll just stick with me.
The heroin in the story is twenty-three year old Caroline Bennett. Her father dies in the beginning after losing a game of cards and ultimately his saloon and silver mine to Jesse Reardon, leaving his daughter with nothing except some deeds that may now be useless. Jesse Reardon, is the hero of the story, and he owns practically the whole town of Silver Spur, Nevada. Jade runs the local bawdy house in Silver Spur, which Jesse finds himself in every night, and she has a serious attachment to Jesse with an insane jealous streak. Thomas Addison is the man Aaron Bennett intended for his daughter, Caroline, and she stayed with the Addison's in Boston, while her father was trying to make a life in Silver Spur. Thomas is in love with Caroline and eventually chases her to Silver Spur where he learns that he is too late, because Caroline and Jesse have secretly wed as part of a business deal. This is a secret because of the Single Men's Protection League that the men in town formed to keep their town a bachelor pad so to speak. Thomas then slips up and informs Jade of the marriage, who then kills Thomas, and nearly Jesse, too, until Caroline shoots her.
The heroin in the story is twenty-three year old Caroline Bennett. Her father dies in the beginning after losing a game of cards and ultimately his saloon and silver mine to Jesse Reardon, leaving his daughter with nothing except some deeds that may now be useless. Jesse Reardon, is the hero of the story, and he owns practically the whole town of Silver Spur, Nevada. Jade runs the local bawdy house in Silver Spur, which Jesse finds himself in every night, and she has a serious attachment to Jesse with an insane jealous streak. Thomas Addison is the man Aaron Bennett intended for his daughter, Caroline, and she stayed with the Addison's in Boston, while her father was trying to make a life in Silver Spur. Thomas is in love with Caroline and eventually chases her to Silver Spur where he learns that he is too late, because Caroline and Jesse have secretly wed as part of a business deal. This is a secret because of the Single Men's Protection League that the men in town formed to keep their town a bachelor pad so to speak. Thomas then slips up and informs Jade of the marriage, who then kills Thomas, and nearly Jesse, too, until Caroline shoots her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2015
I loved the chemistry between Caroline and Jesse. The banter was perfect, the sexual tension was perfect, together they were perfect. I did not like that Jesse still carried on with "business as usual" even after meeting Caroline (no i don't care that they were "enemies" I didn't care for it. I also wished the Love part was a bit more. I wished the death didn't happen although I didn't really feel bad about it because
Story 3
Narrator 4
it's been awhile since I gave a narrator anything higher than a 3. Braden Wright has one of the deepest, smoothest, sexiest voices I've heard in a while. And to hear him drawl out CAROLINE for Jesse just made my insides "clench". I'll definitely keep my eye out for more romances by this narrator.
Story 3
Narrator 4
it's been awhile since I gave a narrator anything higher than a 3. Braden Wright has one of the deepest, smoothest, sexiest voices I've heard in a while. And to hear him drawl out CAROLINE for Jesse just made my insides "clench". I'll definitely keep my eye out for more romances by this narrator.
August 30, 2014
Although the story line was somewhat predictable, the method in which it was told kept my interest. I didn't want to put it down, but wanted to see what antics Caroline had up her sleeve next. The author painted a picture of her with a strong will, don't-stand-in-my-way attitude but she wasn't the type to be overbearing and obnoxious.
At first I couldn't stand Jesse but the author turned him into a likable guy. She did a good job of showing the inner turmoil they both faced as they went down a rather strange path. Will keep this one to read again.
At first I couldn't stand Jesse but the author turned him into a likable guy. She did a good job of showing the inner turmoil they both faced as they went down a rather strange path. Will keep this one to read again.
December 20, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. Spunky Miss Caroline has her hands full dealing with a sexy cowboy . I can still hear him calling her name a week after I read this book.
A town full of rough and tough men, who want nothing to do with women, they were fun to watch as a the ladies come to town. A fast paced book, I read it in a couple of days and would highly recommend Midnight Lover to those who love westerns.
A town full of rough and tough men, who want nothing to do with women, they were fun to watch as a the ladies come to town. A fast paced book, I read it in a couple of days and would highly recommend Midnight Lover to those who love westerns.
March 16, 2013
4.5 stars for me. This was a fun witty romance that I could see reading again on a rainy day. It was a little predictable but still well written. You don't find too many historical romances with a strong female character, sexy alpha male and some good humor. Lots of story, sexual tension and a little bit of sex. I liked hoe the ending wrapped up.
March 15, 2013
Hey it was free on Amazon and who doesn't like an older romance set back in time. It was alright. I was sick this week and needed a no brainer romance story I could easily follow. Predictable, but I enjoyed it. The romantic banter was fun.
July 12, 2012
A enjoyable read...nothing that will blow you away, but a good story. And it was free!!
March 14, 2013
I'm not usually a western/historic reader, but overall I enjoyed it. Not life altering by any means, but enjoyable.
April 16, 2013
I liked it but i didn't love it. Half of the book they spent to much time apart & nothing much happened apart from them occasionally bumping into one another.
March 19, 2013
Wasn't a bad little, quick read, but I could swear that I've read this same exact story in at least a half dozen other stories and books.
March 22, 2013
was a little disjointed but last chapter was worth a five star.
May 3, 2013
Kindle freebie. Enjoyable and forgettable.
September 8, 2013
This book was okay, it dragged on at parts and I kept wanting more to happen in the storyline to keep my interest. The best part of this book was that I got it for free.
May 4, 2014
A very funny western historical romance. I wanted to batter every man in the story especially the hero. Caroline struck a blow for women's lib before it was even thought of.
February 18, 2014
Well thought out plot
I rarely ever read western romance, but I'd recommend this one to any romance reader! Liked the switching POVs and great character development.
I rarely ever read western romance, but I'd recommend this one to any romance reader! Liked the switching POVs and great character development.
August 24, 2015
This was your good old fashioned western chick lit. No boundaries were broken but it was a good read and I would recommend it as a pleasant way to while away a bit of time.
historical
January 8, 2019Caroline Bennet was a proper Boston girl until she goes to reclaim her father's saloon from a rogue who threatens to steal the saloon and her heart. Fans of Joan Johnston and Rebecca George will love this combination of romance, adventure, and the wild, wild West.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews