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Midnight Wedding
She’s cheerful and spontaneous. He’s primed to see harbingers of disaster. When darkness comes knocking, can they open the door to happily ever after?
Miss Lydia Hamilton is desperate to wed. In love with the strange but sweet Earl of Quinton whose money could save her family, the fetching slender blonde frets she’ll lose him when her brother’s red hair frightens him off. So taking matters into her own hands, the determined lady employs her siblings to kidnap the titled gentleman and marries him by force.
Lord Guy Milton is certain he’s doomed. Though happy to have the charming lady who abducted him as his wife, the superstitious nobleman is petrified when he’s carried off to a derelict country house filled with devilish signs. Dismayed by the secret passages, strange locks, and ominous bloodstains they discover, he yearns to flee back to London.
Frustrated that her husband refuses to consummate the marriage until he courts her properly, Lydia nevertheless does all she can to make him feel safe and comfortable. But while Quinton falls hard for the soothing damsel, the unsettling happenings around the property become impossible for anyone to overlook.
Will they brave the danger and fight for a forever together?
Midnight Wedding is the gothic-inspired second book in the Marriage by Obligation Regency romance series. If you like virgin spouses, lighthearted humor, and eerie settings, then you’ll adore Ruth Ann Nordin’s steamy and tender tale.
Miss Lydia Hamilton is desperate to wed. In love with the strange but sweet Earl of Quinton whose money could save her family, the fetching slender blonde frets she’ll lose him when her brother’s red hair frightens him off. So taking matters into her own hands, the determined lady employs her siblings to kidnap the titled gentleman and marries him by force.
Lord Guy Milton is certain he’s doomed. Though happy to have the charming lady who abducted him as his wife, the superstitious nobleman is petrified when he’s carried off to a derelict country house filled with devilish signs. Dismayed by the secret passages, strange locks, and ominous bloodstains they discover, he yearns to flee back to London.
Frustrated that her husband refuses to consummate the marriage until he courts her properly, Lydia nevertheless does all she can to make him feel safe and comfortable. But while Quinton falls hard for the soothing damsel, the unsettling happenings around the property become impossible for anyone to overlook.
Will they brave the danger and fight for a forever together?
Midnight Wedding is the gothic-inspired second book in the Marriage by Obligation Regency romance series. If you like virgin spouses, lighthearted humor, and eerie settings, then you’ll adore Ruth Ann Nordin’s steamy and tender tale.
- GenresHistorical Romance
232 pages, Paperback
Published July 30, 2023
10 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Ann Nordin
172 books715 followersWhat's to say? I write a lot. I read often. I sleep little. Once in awhile, I've been known to clean the house. A number of kids live in my house and there's this guy they call dad and I call husband. All in all, it's a pretty good life. :-)
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 27, 2025
Second Reading:
Personal notes for myself about what worked and what didn't:
Rating: 3.5 / 5 (ranked down after second reading)
At first, I couldn't understand some of the reviews that I'd read about this book and why some of the ratings were so low...
...but then I read far enough, and it made more sense.
The story, for what it is, starts off very sweet, and both Lydia and Guy are such likeable characters! In truth, I got all that I was hoping from them from what I'd read in "Secret Admirer"--i.e. Lydia being more bold than other ladies of her time in actually kidnapping Guy and whatnot, and Guy himself being obsessively superstitious, which is more than a little off-putting for most people. Add to this her two disgruntled (and broke) brothers, and you've got a not-so-cozy foursome sharing a pretty forlorn old manor that seems to be more than just a little Gothic.
Despite the fact that the dialogue and plot itself was pretty mundane and even repetitive at times, it's not so much that which bothered me. No, that came around the 80% mark when the mystery is finally solved and it...well, it takes a darker turn than I'm used to from Ruth Ann Nordin stories, and so that was quite an unpleasant surprize.
As such, sweet as Guy and Lydia are, ultimately I'm categorizing this as a one time read and leaving it at that, but still curious to try out Carol's story in this series.
Up next!
Personal notes for myself about what worked and what didn't:
Rating: 3.5 / 5 (ranked down after second reading)
At first, I couldn't understand some of the reviews that I'd read about this book and why some of the ratings were so low...
...but then I read far enough, and it made more sense.
The story, for what it is, starts off very sweet, and both Lydia and Guy are such likeable characters! In truth, I got all that I was hoping from them from what I'd read in "Secret Admirer"--i.e. Lydia being more bold than other ladies of her time in actually kidnapping Guy and whatnot, and Guy himself being obsessively superstitious, which is more than a little off-putting for most people. Add to this her two disgruntled (and broke) brothers, and you've got a not-so-cozy foursome sharing a pretty forlorn old manor that seems to be more than just a little Gothic.
Despite the fact that the dialogue and plot itself was pretty mundane and even repetitive at times, it's not so much that which bothered me. No, that came around the 80% mark when the mystery is finally solved and it...well, it takes a darker turn than I'm used to from Ruth Ann Nordin stories, and so that was quite an unpleasant surprize.
As such, sweet as Guy and Lydia are, ultimately I'm categorizing this as a one time read and leaving it at that, but still curious to try out Carol's story in this series.
Up next!
September 17, 2024
I was giving it 5 in the beginning as a put-your-brain-aside and just-go-with-it sort of story. But the reveals in the ending were truly sinister... which then completely marred it for me.
I have read two other books by the author previously and liked them both. But now I am guessing she has a fixation with youngish virgin male leads (which I don't mind BTW). There are only so many standoffish dukes and rakish earls one can take.
Guy gave me Sheldon (TBBT) & Freddie/Dolph (Cotillion) vibes and I thought it was quite hilarious how he processes his predicament in the beginning. From the story itself I was getting a 'Footsteps in the Dark' vibe which I loved so there's that.
My issues:
- The reveal of what happened in the past - truly tragic and sinister.
- The reveal of what Felix did - intolerable. I didn't like him at all and now I positively hate him. I have zero interest in reading his story. How traumatic would it be for the lady.
- The blindfolding was a bit much.
Both these things then drew my attention to the common sense issues (which I would have not bothered thinking about had I enjoyed it till the very end).
- Why is no one raising a hue and cry about Guy?
- Why can't he call his current servants to help them? That way no needs to leave the estate.
- Why is there no else in the story? Doesn't the estate have tenants?
- At one point in the story a conversation which happened three days ago is mentioned as having taken place yesterday.
I have read two other books by the author previously and liked them both. But now I am guessing she has a fixation with youngish virgin male leads (which I don't mind BTW). There are only so many standoffish dukes and rakish earls one can take.
Guy gave me Sheldon (TBBT) & Freddie/Dolph (Cotillion) vibes and I thought it was quite hilarious how he processes his predicament in the beginning. From the story itself I was getting a 'Footsteps in the Dark' vibe which I loved so there's that.
My issues:
- The reveal of what happened in the past - truly tragic and sinister.
- The reveal of what Felix did - intolerable. I didn't like him at all and now I positively hate him. I have zero interest in reading his story. How traumatic would it be for the lady.
- The blindfolding was a bit much.
Both these things then drew my attention to the common sense issues (which I would have not bothered thinking about had I enjoyed it till the very end).
- Why is no one raising a hue and cry about Guy?
- Why can't he call his current servants to help them? That way no needs to leave the estate.
- Why is there no else in the story? Doesn't the estate have tenants?
- At one point in the story a conversation which happened three days ago is mentioned as having taken place yesterday.
December 17, 2023
Guy is a bit of an odd character. He seems to dictate his life by superstition and fear. I liked that while Lydia can see that the things he says and does are odd she also sees beyond them to his good heart. After their unconventional marriage, Guy's motivations are solely based on his affection for Lydia. Lydia's brothers may find Guy's behavior confusing but I liked watching them slowly learn to appreciate him. There is a good bit of intrigue and mystery.
Recommended author and series
Recommended author and series
November 24, 2024
I didn't read this book completely. I read the first couple of chapters and gave up on the book and felt especially validated for not wasting time when I read the last chapter. I will never read another book by this author. I didn't want to read about an idiotic, superstitious H and a h who indulges him and her bunch of idiotic brothers.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews