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Lady Midnight
The daughter of an infamous courtesan, Katerina loses everyone she loves in a shipwreck off the coast of Italy. Now, without a penny to her name, she decides to pass herself off as a governess. Still mourning his late wife, Michael Lindley knows his little sister and daughter need a woman's nurturing. But the dark-eyed beauty standing on his doorstep, claiming to be a widowed governess, is rekindling feelings he thought snuffed out long ago. Albeit, he hires her anyway. But when Katerina and Michael finally dare to give way to desire, Katerina's past steps from the shadows... and demands her life. "A satisfying read... with Gothic overtones and luscious prose." ~Romance Reader "...great depth of character, tantalizing plot, and a daring hero." ~Romantic Times ALSO BY AMANDA McCABE Lessons in Temptation, in series order A Loving Spirit A Lady in Disguise A Tangled Web ABOUT AMANDA Award-winning author Amanda McCabe wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen, and never stopped. Now she lives in New Mexico with two cats, a Pug, a very bossy miniature Poodle, and far too many books.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2005
111 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Amanda McCabe
261 books169 followersaka Laurel McKee (Amanda Carmack)
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 24, 2017
Italian Katerina Bruni wakes up on a beach with no memory other than her name, but during her convalescence in a kindly local's home, she remembers who she is, where she was and what happened. Everyone who knew her will be sure she is dead, so she chooses to change who she is and so change her life. We next see her when she, going by the name of Mrs. Kate Brown, apparently a widow, arrives to be a governess in a remote part of England, hired to teach the six year old daughter and fifteen year old sister of a widower. But it doesn't take long for some to wonder if Kate Brown is exactly who she appears to be, and, naturally, in a romantic suspense, danger lurks even as forbidden romance and love are building.
I was in just the right mood to read this, and so gave it three stars. It brought me back to my Victoria Holt days, but by an American author and not quite as hands off as the Victoria Holt novels I read. If you enjoy historical romantic suspense, then this is probably a book for you.
I was in just the right mood to read this, and so gave it three stars. It brought me back to my Victoria Holt days, but by an American author and not quite as hands off as the Victoria Holt novels I read. If you enjoy historical romantic suspense, then this is probably a book for you.
September 17, 2020
Interesting premise with well drawn characters, both primary and secondary. Overall a fun read, but I could not get past a core inconsistency in the plot setup.
October 7, 2018
Lovely romance between Katerina and Michael. The attraction is immediate, but they have a long way to go before reaching their happily ever after. I enjoyed the characters and would certainly read this author again. There's just something about historical romances that always brings me back to them.
September 24, 2019
Strong plot, and great complex characters, particularly the secondary characters - I wanted to know more about them and their backgrounds. In fact, sometimes I wanted less of the main character story action, particularly when a scene repeats from another point of view, and more background and tying up of loose ends. The ending suggests a sequel, though it seems there is not one. There are some impressive mood shifts.
June 19, 2016
A story of love, loss and new beginnings is well told in this wonderful historical romance.
Kate Brown, born Katerina Bruni, was raised to follow in the footsteps of her famous courtesan mother until one fatal day when she finds herself thrown onto the beach after a tempest at sea destroys the ship she was sailing on. Taking the opportunity to begin a new life she heads to England and becomes governess to Amanda, the daughter of the widow Michael Lindley, and hopes for the best. There is growing friendship and eventually love and also the past to deal with – in more ways than one.
I enjoyed this book and would like to thank eBook Discovery for the copy in exchange for my honest review.
Kate Brown, born Katerina Bruni, was raised to follow in the footsteps of her famous courtesan mother until one fatal day when she finds herself thrown onto the beach after a tempest at sea destroys the ship she was sailing on. Taking the opportunity to begin a new life she heads to England and becomes governess to Amanda, the daughter of the widow Michael Lindley, and hopes for the best. There is growing friendship and eventually love and also the past to deal with – in more ways than one.
I enjoyed this book and would like to thank eBook Discovery for the copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 8, 2021
I decided to test the waters with a new author from my shelves upon shelves of unread reading material. This one is a standalone novel (according to FantasticFiction.com) and it seemed like a very good place to start.
The overall premise of the plot was interesting. Having an foreign character attempting to hide her past and insinuate herself amongst a well-off English family as set starts a new life for herself was a captivating idea. It brought some variety to a genre which so often remains relatively similar, despite characters having vastly different personalities. I think Katerina's background brought an excellent facet to her character and created some interesting internal dialogue. I also feel the way in which she was written felt very realistic (i.e. how she struggled with intimacy and confused/resisted her emotions toward men) given her upbringing. Her connections to Michael's daughter and sister felt so genuine and warm. I liked how she had to figure out her role as governess along the way, as well as how she had to form her new persona. The struggles she overcame during her adaptation felt realistic and certainly added to her character (and the shine I took to her).
Michael's own past was rather well-crafted as well. The tragic loss of his wife and his physical/emotional scars served to create a powerful male lead with a strong sense of self and good motivation to remain on the straight and narrow. His family is his world and the comfortable household he's formed create a sort of bubble away from the temptations of his former life. He's essentially created a haven for his family...but something is missing. That something turns out to be a beautiful, mysterious Italian governess. While "Kate Brown" seems to be everything his family needs, he can't help but believe there is something far more to this lovely young woman; he sees it in her unconsciously-sensual movements and her carefully crafted backstory. Despite his belief that there is more to her story than meets the eye, Michael finds himself enticed by Kate's dark beauty and penchant for fantasy.
The sensual heat and tension between the leads is quite enjoyable! Both are torn between their respective difficult pasts and the enticements of the present. When they finally decide to act upon their simmering desires, a whole new world if possibilities is opened up to them. The lines between employer and governess become blurred and Kate realizes that she would do absolutely anything to keep Michael and his family in her new life.
Unfortunately for Kate, her past is not as dead and buried as she'd believed. A specter comes to haunt her and puts at risk everything for which she's worked so hard. Does she tell Michael her deepest secrets or risk them coming to light on their own? Will he cast her out and destroy any chance of love and a new life? Will her past drag her back to the life of charades and false pretenses, forcing her to bury the spark of self-awareness and individuality she's come to cultivate during her precious time on the untamed moors?
I found the plot very interesting and fairly well-paced. I might take away a few points because there was a bit of a drag during some of the midway points of the story where the plot slowed a touch, but it was nothing terrible. The characters were likable and interesting because each had his or her own obstacles to overcome above and beyond the typical "falling for an unsuitable man/woman and resisting it." I will say that I wanted a bit more romance once Kate and Michael decided to act upon their affections. There was so much build up with the heat between them that I wanted more. The supporting characters were drawn in very interesting forms as well. Christina, in particular, was quite fascinating. She seemed to really come into her own toward the end of the book and it made me wonder if, in fact, this is not a standalone novel and Christina might possibly have her own story. I would definitely read it!
The overall premise of the plot was interesting. Having an foreign character attempting to hide her past and insinuate herself amongst a well-off English family as set starts a new life for herself was a captivating idea. It brought some variety to a genre which so often remains relatively similar, despite characters having vastly different personalities. I think Katerina's background brought an excellent facet to her character and created some interesting internal dialogue. I also feel the way in which she was written felt very realistic (i.e. how she struggled with intimacy and confused/resisted her emotions toward men) given her upbringing. Her connections to Michael's daughter and sister felt so genuine and warm. I liked how she had to figure out her role as governess along the way, as well as how she had to form her new persona. The struggles she overcame during her adaptation felt realistic and certainly added to her character (and the shine I took to her).
Michael's own past was rather well-crafted as well. The tragic loss of his wife and his physical/emotional scars served to create a powerful male lead with a strong sense of self and good motivation to remain on the straight and narrow. His family is his world and the comfortable household he's formed create a sort of bubble away from the temptations of his former life. He's essentially created a haven for his family...but something is missing. That something turns out to be a beautiful, mysterious Italian governess. While "Kate Brown" seems to be everything his family needs, he can't help but believe there is something far more to this lovely young woman; he sees it in her unconsciously-sensual movements and her carefully crafted backstory. Despite his belief that there is more to her story than meets the eye, Michael finds himself enticed by Kate's dark beauty and penchant for fantasy.
The sensual heat and tension between the leads is quite enjoyable! Both are torn between their respective difficult pasts and the enticements of the present. When they finally decide to act upon their simmering desires, a whole new world if possibilities is opened up to them. The lines between employer and governess become blurred and Kate realizes that she would do absolutely anything to keep Michael and his family in her new life.
Unfortunately for Kate, her past is not as dead and buried as she'd believed. A specter comes to haunt her and puts at risk everything for which she's worked so hard. Does she tell Michael her deepest secrets or risk them coming to light on their own? Will he cast her out and destroy any chance of love and a new life? Will her past drag her back to the life of charades and false pretenses, forcing her to bury the spark of self-awareness and individuality she's come to cultivate during her precious time on the untamed moors?
I found the plot very interesting and fairly well-paced. I might take away a few points because there was a bit of a drag during some of the midway points of the story where the plot slowed a touch, but it was nothing terrible. The characters were likable and interesting because each had his or her own obstacles to overcome above and beyond the typical "falling for an unsuitable man/woman and resisting it." I will say that I wanted a bit more romance once Kate and Michael decided to act upon their affections. There was so much build up with the heat between them that I wanted more. The supporting characters were drawn in very interesting forms as well. Christina, in particular, was quite fascinating. She seemed to really come into her own toward the end of the book and it made me wonder if, in fact, this is not a standalone novel and Christina might possibly have her own story. I would definitely read it!
August 10, 2018
This book gets better as it goes along. I find it extremely annoying when an author writes from different points of view and says the same thing. I know it’s typical romance (girl sees guy falls in love, guy sees girl, falls in love...goes on about how they shouldn’t be together but end up together because it is too hard to resist blah blah blah) and it was sweet, but I don’t want to read almost the same thing from another character. So much doesn’t need to be written in there!
I enjoyed the mystery. I liked the character of Julian, probably because he was a complete jerk but he was interesting. Although kidnapping is bad so not a big fan of him when he did that to Christina.
I enjoyed the mystery. I liked the character of Julian, probably because he was a complete jerk but he was interesting. Although kidnapping is bad so not a big fan of him when he did that to Christina.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2018
Enjoyable.
I just finished this book and found it well written with great characters and overall quite enjoyable. I highly recommend this book.
I just finished this book and found it well written with great characters and overall quite enjoyable. I highly recommend this book.
March 3, 2017
Very enjoyable book
I really liked this story. It was fun but with a dash of danger. Some one needing love, meets likewise , and they mesh. What a great thing to come about.
I really liked this story. It was fun but with a dash of danger. Some one needing love, meets likewise , and they mesh. What a great thing to come about.
Want to Read
February 25, 201799 cents at Amazon. 2/25/17
June 22, 2016
Okay, all those who put emphasis on historical correctness might have some difficulties with this book as I think that some parts of it might not be very probable but all those who are more open minded will find a wonderful book that I really enjoyed.
The story of Katerina who gets a chance to change the course of her life and who finds people who are willing to help her and stay with her no matter what the opposition is really sweet. I loved Katerina and I loved Michael - and of course Christina and Amelia and... well, I didn't like Michael's mother. Nope. And I really hated Sir Julian Kirkwood, just saying.
When Katerina wakes up after a terrible accident, she finds herself alone. Her mother is gone but this also offers her a chance - the chance to have a different life than the one her mother, the most famous courtesan of Venice, had her prepared for. She finds a position as a governess in a small village in England and soon she finds that this life holds many surprises, not the least of them the attraction she feels for her employer, Michael Lindley. Life could be fine but then her past reaches out for her and someone is willing to do everything to get her back to the life she left behind... Will Michael and his family be brave enough to face scandal and worse for her?
The interesting, complex characters and the well constructed story with its twists and turns kept me well entertained and I really really enjoyed reading the book.
*I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for my honest review.*
The story of Katerina who gets a chance to change the course of her life and who finds people who are willing to help her and stay with her no matter what the opposition is really sweet. I loved Katerina and I loved Michael - and of course Christina and Amelia and... well, I didn't like Michael's mother. Nope. And I really hated Sir Julian Kirkwood, just saying.
When Katerina wakes up after a terrible accident, she finds herself alone. Her mother is gone but this also offers her a chance - the chance to have a different life than the one her mother, the most famous courtesan of Venice, had her prepared for. She finds a position as a governess in a small village in England and soon she finds that this life holds many surprises, not the least of them the attraction she feels for her employer, Michael Lindley. Life could be fine but then her past reaches out for her and someone is willing to do everything to get her back to the life she left behind... Will Michael and his family be brave enough to face scandal and worse for her?
The interesting, complex characters and the well constructed story with its twists and turns kept me well entertained and I really really enjoyed reading the book.
*I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for my honest review.*
September 26, 2016
At times I was so hooked that I could hardly set this book down. I loved that multiple characters grew and changed. I especially loved that the villain of the book was not disposable, but ended up being well developed and not simply evil. At times I was halfway rooting for them, which is a testament to a great plot line and quality writing. At other times, some of the writing felt a little unpolished. But all in all, this was a delightful read.
I am not an expert on some of the historical conventions of the time, and even so at times this book seemed rather far fetched to me. I also found that sometimes when changing point of views, the author repeated too much of the plot. Sometimes the point of view and retelling the same scene would add something to the story but multiple times it did not. Finally, I felt that the ending lent itself to having a sequel involving Christina or perhaps following the villain. Or perhaps the two of them! Without a sequel, I was left feeling like things could have been wrapped up a bit more neatly. For these reasons, I did not give the book 5 stars. I read this book simply for the joy of reading it and did not receive a copy for my review.
I am not an expert on some of the historical conventions of the time, and even so at times this book seemed rather far fetched to me. I also found that sometimes when changing point of views, the author repeated too much of the plot. Sometimes the point of view and retelling the same scene would add something to the story but multiple times it did not. Finally, I felt that the ending lent itself to having a sequel involving Christina or perhaps following the villain. Or perhaps the two of them! Without a sequel, I was left feeling like things could have been wrapped up a bit more neatly. For these reasons, I did not give the book 5 stars. I read this book simply for the joy of reading it and did not receive a copy for my review.
October 19, 2017
I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for my honest review. This wonderful historical romance has all the earmarks of great storytelling: interesting, sympathetic, passionate main characters, complemented by colorful, unforgettable secondary characters which include family members, a tragic anti-hero, and the words and antics of unforgettable children. The backdrop for the romantic journey of our hero Michael and our heroine Katerina (Kate) include the sensual, decandent world of the demimonde in Venice, Italy, the dark, brooding landscape of the moors of Yorkshire, England, and a quick visit to the glittering society season of London. There is never a dull moment in Ms. McCabe's engaging story of life challenges, tragic losses, and the triumph of love over self doubt and recriminations. I happily recommend this book to all fans of great storytelling, especially lovers of historical romance novels.
May 28, 2016
I received this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for an honest review. This is a Regency romance about second chances, but is is a romance with a lot more than that. On one hand there is Kate and Michael, two star-crossed lovers, and, on the other hand we have Julian, obsessed with Kate, and determined to make her his. The book is a page turner, plenty of affection between our two lovers, but also lots of suspense as we wait for someone from Kate's past to pop up. Please read this book. I guarantee you will like it.
June 14, 2016
What fun to discover a new author with a new book for the weekend! I really enjoyed this book. The premise was different than the usual English couple and that was intriguing. I was pleased that it had some suspense and mystery included. I will look for more from this author. I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for my honest review.
All lovers of Regency will have to read this story
All lovers of Regency will have to read this story
June 17, 2016
This was a delightful book. It's the story of starting over, sharing secrets and falling in love.
I agree with other reviewers that it was refreshing for the heroine to share her secrets without a scandalous reveal.
I especially enjoyed the vivid descriptions of both characters and settings. I could imagine both quite clearly as I read the book.
I received a free copy of this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for an honest review.
I agree with other reviewers that it was refreshing for the heroine to share her secrets without a scandalous reveal.
I especially enjoyed the vivid descriptions of both characters and settings. I could imagine both quite clearly as I read the book.
I received a free copy of this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2016
Friendship, love are present in a mixture that keeps you enthralled until the last page.
The main characters, Kate and Michaels, are strong, witty and both would like to change their past in a new life. trust and love will help them change their lives and bring happiness.
A book for everyone.
I received this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for an honest review.
The main characters, Kate and Michaels, are strong, witty and both would like to change their past in a new life. trust and love will help them change their lives and bring happiness.
A book for everyone.
I received this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews