Midnight Sommelier

Black Mountain Academy

by Anne Malcom

We had a plan, my husband and I.
Settle down in Black Mountain.
Raise two boys.
Send them to Black Mountain Academy, the same school their father went to, the elite school that defined futures.
We were going to give them the best possible life.
Until our beautiful life became a living nightmare with one phone call. One funeral. One year of hell.

I was a bad widow, a bad mother for one year.

One year of suffering, of being the talk of the Black Mountain Academy gossip circle. But I was going to get myself together. Be picture perfect like I once was, even if I was dead inside.

Then he moved in next door. Entered my nightmare. Brought me back to life. Ruined everything.

Black Mountain Academy. From the outside, it may look perfect and ideal—school uniforms, exemplary teachers, privileged students. But anyone on the inside could tell you about the debauchery, the scandals, the drama, the forbidden--taboo--romances. Because where Black Mountain Academy is concerned... never judge a book by its cover.

Genres: Romance, Dark Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

200 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 7, 2020

About the author

Anne Malcom has been an avid reader since before she can remember, her mother responsible for her book addiction. It started with magical journeys into the world of Hogwarts and Middle Earth, then as she grew up her reading tastes grew with her. Her obsession with books and romance novels in particular gave Anne the opportunity to find another passion, writing. Finding writing about alpha males and happily ever afters more fun than reading about them, Anne is not about to stop any time soon.

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/annemalcomau...

Join Anne's reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/16752...

Reviews

[Анастасія ꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Якщо чесно, то не дуже сподобалося, але тут було вбивство, хоч і випадково, але було. Не вистачило дітей головних героїв (імена не пам'ятаю, але у жінки було 2 сина, а у чоловіка була донька). А ще тут чгг був якимось чи мафіозі чи якісь мав з ними зв'язки, чи клуб якийсь зловісний, і я очікувала, до все ж таки його знайдуть в тому містечку і щось зроблять, але ні.

Я розумію, що коли ти втрачаєш кохану людину, то для когось це кінець світу, але казати, що ти більше не маєш права на кохання і далі йти, це якось тупо? не знаю. І після цієї історії хочеться задати питання, а нафіга нести всім запіканку, коли хтось помер/або ж переїхав, бо я часто бачу це в книжках, окей, якщо це одна людина принесла - це ще якось можна зрозуміти, але коли всі несуть виключно її, виникає питання, чи ця людина настільки любить запіканку? Чому не принести щось інше? Або якось домовитися, ну бо я сумніваюся, що воно не зіпсується.

Свекруха головної героїні мене дратувала, особливо коли сказала, що на мотоциклах/байках їздять злочинці. Ну знаєте, отой чувак який її намагався згвалтувати, а до цього чіплявся, і якого випадково вбили, то він виглядав наче культурним, але таке гімно було.

[Kahea · Rating 5 out of 5]

***5 ‘It Sounds Like You’ Stars***

Even if I wasn’t already a fangirl of the authors, the title would’ve had me making grabby hands at this baby because, seriously...wine is my main addiction. So, I was all kinds of excited to dive in and lemme tell you, this book was awesome! I was hooked from the very first page and am crossing my toes that this isn’t the last time we get to spend time with these characters.

I ADORED Bridget. My heart hurt for her, and being in her head was brutal, but fascinating at the same time, as she disappeared into the darkness of her grief and then clawed her way out of it. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t easy, but the strength she showed was absolutely admirable as she found out just who she wanted to be. And Zeke...I think he is my perfect man. Broody, a little scary, smexy as hell, alpha AF male who loves hard, actually communicates AND LOVES wine...I’m seriously...Perfect. Man. Their journey isn’t easy, but I absolutely loved them together and loved how they got their HEA.

This was a great read, it was a heartbreaking one and being in Bridget’s head was brutal, but I thoroughly enjoyed being on the journey with her. And while the basis of this story is quite heavy, I really like how the author balanced it out with humor and heart. And speaking of heart, I ADORED the supporting cast of characters in this one ~ one I tolerated, but she definitely brought life to the story as well ~ Ryder, Jax, Marley, Luna, Alexis ~ I don’t have a favorite amongst them, I just know that I would love it if one or more of them get a book...or some page time in another series at some point in the future *toes crossed*

~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~

[Leo (Queen of the Rants and Spoilers) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh..

[Kodie Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even begin with this book?. I'm sat here just trying to gather some thoughts and make them make sense in a way that will do justice to this review.

Midnight Sommelier was so unexpected in every way. It's wrote with conviction and made to hurt. Bridget and Zeke's story isn't your stereotypical cliche happy ever after after the unimaginable happens. Not even a little. It's the truest form of healing in all it's ugly heartbreakingly raw reality.

Bridget in her truest form is strength and fragility. She's a broken women clawing her way back to humanity trying her best to hide all the ugly from her babies whilst drowning in her sorrow horror show. Every bit of her armour, all the walls of happiness, filtered pictures and perfect appearances swam down the drain and she just couldn't find it in her to give a fuck any more. Not a care for the fake friends, the shitty casseroles and bullshit persona she applied to face the world of the elite snobbery she was surrounded by. She was consumed by grief, by guilt and self loathing and it was heartbreaking and brutal to read but it was real. It was relatable because even the best of us can't get our shit together when our world caves in around us. I admired her character and how even at her most broken, her strength still shone through. She's a perfectly flawed human who doesn't always get it right and right there is what I loved the most. Well that and her impressive style and cutthroat jabs. She's a fucking queen.

Women are many people inside a soul. We have different sides. We have the ability to change, maybe because biology wanted us to be suitable, malleable for a mate. Whatever it is, we are different women inside one body. With different needs. Complicated.” -Lydia

"If I didn't leave, he'd take me. I saw that, clear as day. It would be rough. Dark. Brutal. Exquisite. But wrong. And I'd hate myself for it. I'd hate him for it." - Bridget

Zeke is all kinds of dark, dangerous and so fucking delicious. That man.. is SIN in all the best ways. He's just slid in her journey seamlessly but in the most destructive way. I love that there was so much more than just what he seemed. The layers to this man had me shook. I adored his patience even when he wanted to take what was his. I love that he took responsibility for his actions and never tried to make it seem less than exactly what it was. I appreciate how he acknowledged that he wasn't even going to be her only love and made room for the ghost of a man he could never take over nor did he try to in any way. The best thing though? The best thing by far from him is his baby girl Luna. I'll forever melt for him just for that alone.

"You've got scars instead of scratches-the ugliest kind of scars that never heal pretty. I don't do well around people who aren't already scarred. Wouldn't have touched you if you weren't broken in a way that can't be fixed." He paused. "Because, baby, I'm not gonna fix you." - Zeke

God this journey is a tough one. A bitter reality that felt so real. Almost too real. It's healing in its ugliest truest form. It's all kinds of chaotic and heartbreaking and brutal. The depth of their journey goes deep and hurts like a bitch but it's authentically her, them. The thing I love about Anne is that she doesn't steer away from the hard facts of life in her stories. She doesn't glam up situations to make it more appealing but instead dives deep into that raw real emotion. It's easy to relate to loss and the tsunami of emotions that threaten to drown you because it's something that most if not everyone has experienced in their life in some way shape or form and it's what makes this story so impactful to read. I was consumed in Bridget's journey and everything that came with it. So fucking invested in these multidimensional characters and this hard hitting depthy story of loss, mourning, heartbreak, acceptance and eventually the healing. It was seamlessly written and emotionally impactful in every sense.

“I don’t want you to be whole and healthy. Because I’m selfish, sure. But if there was a chance I thought you might heal, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. You won’t though. I know that . I know you’re broken. I’m okay with being second best to a dead man if that’s what I’m gonna be, but I don’t think that’s how you work. I think you’re gonna find new places for me— for us. Different places. Darker ones.” Zeke

The way the story unfolds, the plot progression and even the small snippets of the past. Everything just made sense and fit perfectly. Honestly there is not one thing I disliked about Midnight Sommelier. I adore the relationship Bridget had with her boys Ryder and Jax and the relationship between them all and her sister Alexis. I love the kind of dad Zeke was to Luna and the sweet girl Luna is with style I could only wish to possess. All the relationships build through this journey are so fucking sweet in there own ways and I couldn't get enough of it.

Before I keep babbling on I just want to say if you're a fan of this author you're guaranteed to love this but even if you aren't you should definitely give it a chance. I love me perfectly flawed characters and story's that I as a reader can relate to in some way and this is definitely that and then some. A true journey of emotions and a uphill battle to a HEA, but it was so worth it.

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 3 out of 5]

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Malcom's words hit my soul hard in Midnight Sommelier. This was such a heartbreaking and inspiring journey. It made me stop and think and feel everything. This was raw, real and gritty with beautiful angst.

Bridget had a perfect life in Black Mountain. She was a social media perfect blogger mom, wife and everything. And everything imperfect she forcefully pushed back came crashing into her life after her husband David's untimely death. The perfect Bridget is gone. She is a mess. With no intention of fixing herself. And then a badass biker alpha moves into her neighbourhood along with his teenage daughter. Their kids become friends and they become a midnight affair. Will Zeke be able to bring back a woman living with a dead man and lost in her own darkness? Will Bridget be able to love again.. specially a man who is so different from her perfect rules?

I love Anne Malcom's stories so much because they are so honest. She will make her characters bleed and heal naturally. No suger coating. No glossing over. Take Bridget for example. The author dragged me inside her messed up head and made me feel all the confusing, heartaching and terrifying emotions. She is deeply flawed. She tried to built up her life on lies and keep it together with even more lies. She was actually tired and frustrated and depressed from being so perfect to every one. And now she has just broken into pieces. She isn't trying to be a great mom because she has nothing left. She is feeling guilty and confused and ashamed and angry. And damn I feel her. I think each of us will see a piece of us in Bridget. And that's Anne Malcom for you. Unapologetically and rudely true to her characters.

Is there a swooooooonworthy alpha hero? Of course there is. It's Anne Malcom. It's her speciality. So Zeke is the epitome of bad ass alpha. Downright scary if someone tries ro hurt his daughter or people he loves. Uber possessive and insanely protective. And my kryptonite. Because this same intense brooding guy with controlled rage and violent past can be impossibly soft and tender for his woman. He didn't push Bridget, didn't try to fix her, he just hold her pieces together and gave her a safe place to be happy again. I AM DYING FROM ALL THE ANGST! They don't make sense but they fit like puzzle pieces. The chemistry choked me with its brilliance, depth and intensity. And I freaking love the kids...Ryder, Jax and Luna. They are the brightest and sweetests kids ever.


Midnight Sommelier by Anne Malcom was a colourful and epic journey through breathtaking feels. It tells a tale of second chances and hope. It tells a tale of taking chances, being brave and loving unconditionally. My heart is overflowing and I am having a major book hangover.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[Tai Nelson-Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

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*KU Read
** First time reading author

So after reading the other two stories and being drawn into the students, it was nice to see an adult love story. Midnight Sommelier brings you into a love story with angst, confusion, and honest questioning on love and new beginnings.

At first, it took me a bit to get into being in the head of Bridget's so much. But once the story started forming, I understood why we needed her thoughts, pain, and finally happiness. I could not imagine being in her shoes and going through everything she does. But you have to read it and feel her pain to meet the next man in her life and understand why she does what she does.

Zeke is a wonderful man with a dark past. We don't get much of his mind thought which is okay, but he does tell Bridget his life story, and going through it with them is wonderful. I loved reading this story and watching these two families fall for each other.
I am a fan of Anne Malcolm's now!

[evazalevska · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 81%

[Rhonda Ziglar · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 MAGNIFICENT STARS!! A beautiful story with all the feels.....MAGNIFICENT!! This is why Anne Malcom with one of my favorite authors. She sucks you into the characters world and you feel every emotion....like they are talking to you. Bridget and Zeke will take you on one heck of a rollercoaster ride with lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, but it is so worth the sick stomach you get. Read this book....read it now.

[Gisell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this book blind, and I really enjoyed the first half. This book is a part of the black mountain academy series but can be read standalone. I read a couple of the other books in this series, and where those were about the students attending black mountain (the school), this story was about two single, widowed parents of the attending students.

Readers need to know this book is very depressing, think upper class- high society mom, day drinking and missing her dead husband all day, everyday. Lots of it, on wash, rinse, repeat. It became a tad repetitive after awhile and I think that’s why it lost its steam a bit in my opinion. Also this was a new author to me and reading the acknowledgments section, the author said this was her first foray in writing something different from her usual types of books. I give her props because this was definitely different from the usual. I had assumptions on where it would go, but it didn’t end up going there. I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.

The dead husband came up continuously throughout the entire book, even at the end, the heroine chose to disassemble her wedding ring and wear the diamond he gave her on a choker forever, while wearing her wedding ring that H gave her on her finger. I have mixed feelings on this whole book. The premise was interesting. Depressed, social influencer/blogger heroine loses husband, must try to stay above water and take care of two boys while she’s falling apart daily. She’s become very bitter and lonely. There’s evidence h had issues in their marriage (but no cheating) yet she also has fond memories of him, she’s just trying to hold on, even though they both had their faults. However, her opinions on her dead husband did fluctuate throughout the story.

The Hero, Zeke, is a bad boy, motorcycle riding, tatted up beast, total opposite of her dead husband. He’s just moved in next door and per the title, Midnight Sommelier, he literally comes to her usually around midnight to share wine and company with her. They eventually get closer and develop feelings for one another, but the dead husband keeps getting brought up a lot. She’s worried everyone will judge her, her kids will be upset etc. also she has a very judgmental mom-in-law of the dead husband, who is constantly questioning her every move, and she’s like 39 years old.

I guess I assumed with the broken glass cover, and the very exotic but mysterious book title, that this would be an entirely different type of story with some darkness and lots of seduction/passion. At first I thought he was sent to look out for her based on some info on the dead husband, and then H moving in next door within a year after his death…however we never really know how dead husband died (maybe I skimmed over that part but I never figured that info out) so I thought the neighbor (Hero) was sent to watch over her, then we find out H is actually running from his past and trying to protect his daughter, (who attends school with h’s oldest son). Zeke, the Hero, made some mistakes which led to his daughter’s mother getting killed and his daughter almost dying too. There was a lot left out, I was trying to piece together things that were left open to interpretation, and I wish I had a bit more details for some things to make sense.

The premise of the story was very interesting but I just had an off feeling about it in the second half. I guess maybe all the grief and all the dead husband talk kind of weighed on me after awhile? That was probably the point but I wanted the story to move forward a bit sooner, but the majority of it is lots of dead husband guilt and very little room for H and h to find their time to shine in my opinion. Not a bad book, I love the cover, the premise of him coming to her at midnight, him being the opposite of everything she is, being a biker, the idea of two widows falling in love with one another…but I just wanted a bit more to the story. ♥️


Breakdown:

Single mom
h was a social influencer/mommy blogger but secretly loves writing
Neighbor romance
H moves in next door
H is a tatted biker with a bad past
Single dad H
Opposites attract
H and h’s kids go to black mountain academy together
h and H are both widows
H meets h at midnight
Grief/alcohol/healing
Characters dealing with loss/trauma
HEA

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Midnight Sommelier is another deeply emotional book that draws you in right from the start. What really resonated to me was how unapologetic and honest Bridget was. She has suffered such a tremendous loss and she kept going for her sons’ sake but she was also honest with how angry she was and how she just did not care what the people in their highfalutin community thought of her. It has now been a year and she is still having a difficult time trying to figure out how to be a widowed single mother, but she has such amazing children and a wonderful sister who has been there for her and will continue to be there for her. But it was when Zeke and his daughter, Luna moved in next door that changed her whole world.

I loved Zeke so much! Not only was he this bada$$ biker but he is this amazing father who did what he had to do to protect his daughter. He is so very protective and possessive and can be pretty scary to those who mean to harm anyone he cares about. The chemistry between Zeke and Bridget was intense and combustible, but Bridget saw herself as too broken to see this going any further than a midnight affair. But with Zeke’s patience and just being there for her, she started to feel like she was coming alive again.

Midnight Sommelier was a great read that will take you on an emotional journey where you feel all the pain, anger and the guilt that Bridget feels but with time and patience and an amazing support system you will also rejoice with their beautiful happily ever after.

[Bex_Book_Revieux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting at all, but Anne Malcom still blew my mind!

A mom that has suffered the worst of what we could experience in life, without losing our babies, but still having to keep moving forward.

Bridget is probably one of my favourite female characters of Anne's since Rosie, so real and dark, she could cut you without your noticing... at least for a few minutes. I can't imagine going through a grief like hers and managing to force myself to get up a year later, and move on with life. I think that is what gives the first real idea of her strength though, everything before that is sheer survival, just going through the motions but she knows at some point she has to get back into it.

All these fake vultures swooping around her, never really giving her a chance to rest, including her mother in law. It shows how so many people don't know how to deal with grief, and so they hide their real cards with platitudes and lip service, not knowing you can see behind every false ray of hope they offer.

As dark, and scarred as she is, she's a role model for how to raise good, well balanced children who know what is really important. Even if you don't particularly care for the way she handles certain things, there is every indication, her heart is always in the right place.

Zeke is astonishing, her midnight savior. He so badly wants to be everything to her, but realizes she doesn't have the bandwidth for that yet. On top of being an over the top Alpha dad, his gentleness in the face of a wounded family is brilliant. His words are often poignant, quiet with that echo of finality. I absolutely loved his honesty about everything, he didn't deviate or try to hide once.

As ever I love Malcom's word usage, the way she spreads out a book before you, and scatters the details for you to delve into. One of my favourites this year.

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo good. Anne Malcom mixes things up with her latest book, Midnight Sommelier. It is deep, like her others. It has humor, like her others. It is raw and determined and sad and sexy, like her others. There are surprises, like her others. But this book’s tone is both lighter and darker at the same time.

Watching someone lose themselves in grief, struggling to survive day by day, even minute by minute, should not exactly be entertaining. But Anne pulls back all of the hidden emotions that are found, the mental responses we wish we could make, the wondering when, or if, we will ever feel normal again. She then adds a hefty dose of, what ifs... is there a future? Do I deserve to live? To love? To be loved?

A clean cut of a story, with lots od messy feelings that pull you in. Anne is Emotion Personified!

[Debbie Eichler · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all of Anne's books this one will play out like a movie in your mind, you will feel every emotion, good and bad of all the characters. You will be Bridget's biggest cheerleader as few pages into her story, and you will pump your fist in the air at everyone of her triumphs.

Bridget had only every identified herself as a wife and mother and then the grieving widow. Zeke came into her life and made her see it was ok to live her life as her real self. She needed to see that it was ok to remember the love she and her husband shared but also be able to give her heart to someone else. He liked that she was a little broken and did not want to fix her.

This book is in my top reads of 2020. Highly recommend if you like you love stories with a lot of angst and a hot alpha male.

[Reyne Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Sommelier is one of those books that seems to stay with you after you read it. It's different than the other Anne Malcom books I've been blessed to read, but just as powerful and emotional. The characters resonated with me, even though I have never lived their experiences. That is what a great writer does, puts you in the moment, and pushes you. If you would like a quick, entertaining book that is smartly written and bittersweet, has wonderful full bodied characters, and will make you think after you've put it down, then grab this book, a glass of good wine, and savor them both! 5 Full Bodied Stars!

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart wrenching beautiful read!

This is my first read by Anne Malcom and I am blown away completely. This super talented author pulled me in from the start laying ground work of Bridget being completely shattered with the death of her husband. Zeke is the perfect bad boy turned good that brings Bridget back to life. I even loved the side characters - Marley, Alexis, Ryder, Jax, and Luna - and I would love to see all of them get their own story. This story is heart wrenching but soul lifting - like Phoenix rising from the flames - and is one of my favorite reads of this year!

[Sarah N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what a heartbreaking and inspiring journey! Midnight Sommelier by Anne Malcom was raw and emotional, with all the angst! My heart bled for Bridget and her boys. Her character's pain and emotions felt real.

I loved the MC aspect of this book, as Anne Malcom mc romance books are my favorite of the trope. I felt like Midnight Sommelier was different than anything else she has written, and it didn't resonate as hard with me as all of her other books did, but I still enjoyed the read.

If you enjoy single parent romances, emotion and angsty reads, Midnight Sommelier is a worthwhile read!

[Sara Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot to like - I love how we start off immediately with a dead husband and the heroine is heartbroken. It’s a bit different from this author’s normal fair. Bridget is a mishmash of other characters that we’ve read before. Zeke is a biker in classic AM mold - she writes them so well. Basically sex on a stick. The plot and the characters, especially, are all a bit too politically correct for me and can get a little tedious. We’ve read these characters before but the circumstances are a nice change. It’s an enjoyable read.

[Charli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Widows remorse

Angst, passion and the guilt of moving forward. This was a short easy to read novel about a woman moving on from the death of her husband. It did get a little repetitive at times but kept jumping forward enough that you could move on past that.

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story🖤

[Jennifer Juers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've completed by Anne Malcom and I must say that it was pretty good! I have purchased a few of the others, but haven't read them yet. Ill have to move them up the list!

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!
Quite different to what we normally get from Anne but still just as amazing as what we’ve come to expect.
This is the first Black Mountain Academy story I’ve read and I can just tell it’s gonna be a must read series! Excited to read all the new-to-me authors!
As always Anne has written a 5 star story that y’all gonna love! Definitely recommend

[Yoneidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is not like the others in this series. The MCs are parents of students who go to BMA and both are widowers.
Bridget lost her husband last year, falling into depression, barely able to move on. If it had not been foe her children she would have become a full alcoholic. Thanks to the help of her sister and best friend, as well as her children she manages to get up in the mornings, but still doesn’t live. Her husband has left her a good economic position so she doesn’t have to worry about working, her former life as a blogger and instagrammer seems empty and she doesn’t know what she will do with her life once her children leave home.
Zeke is her new neighbor, a former member of a MC, he is the polar opposite of her late husband, but even so she cannot help but feel attracted to him.
Their meet at midnight where they enjoy a bottle of wine and that’s how their relationship begins, following by nights of wild sex, but even so Bridget will need months to accept that she has move on and let their families and public know about their relationship.
Zeke doesn’t try to console her, change her or fix her, he like her the way she is, broken. And that is what ends up making her fall in love with him.
Bridget’s children are great: 17-year-old Ryder is his mother’s protector, always looking out for her and 8-year-old Jax is super sweet and funny.
Zeke’s daughter, 16-year-old Luna, is joy personified and with great taste for fashion.
This story has captivated me bc not all are 🌈 and 🦄 , sometimes in your darkest moments you will find light and happiness. It’s absolutely beautiful.


How dare this man, this miscreant, know me better than my husband of sixteen years? I already knew this large biker with tattoos was informed about wine, but I also knew he’d surprised me thus far so I wouldn’t be shocked if he turned out to be some kind of midnight sommelier. “You don’t want me to leave, and we both know that. So sit the fuck down.”“Why are you here?” I blurted. Apparently I couldn’t handle him. “Because I don’t like the thought of you sitting alone out here in the middle of the night,” he replied. “Because you have good wine. And because I can’t stay away from you. Because I can’t stop fuckin’ thinking about what your tongue tastes like inside my mouth. Because I can’t stop imagining what other parts of you taste like. And because I know you’re imagining the same shit, despite the lies you’re trying to tell yourself. I’m not here to act on shit, as fuckin’ difficult as it is with you wearing those goddamn shorts,” he continued, while I was doing my best to look like a mute idiot, though not by choice. His eyes ran over me and the jersey short shorts I was wearing. My legs were on fire. “But I am plannin’ on acting on it when you’re ready. And not so pissed.” Zeke’s voice was rough and full of sex. Something moved in his eyes. “Well, I’m okay with you bein’ pissed ‘cuz I like angry sex, but I’ll wait. So tonight, I’m here to drink your wine and sit with you so you’re not out here alone in the middle of the night.” By the time Zeke stopped speaking I was about to jump out of my skin. Claw it off. Rip my clothes to shreds with my bare hands and leap across the coffee table and have that angry sex I knew was going to be fucking incredible. I didn’t tear off my skin. Or my clothes. I didn’t pounce on the man torturing me, nor did I string expletives together and shoo him out of my backyard. No, I just sat there, listening to music and drinking wine with this midnight man.

“If your husband hadn’t died, you would’ve stayed whole. You would’ve been flawless. Sure, a few surface scratches that are inescapable. But you would’ve been whole. Beautiful. But yeah, you would’ve been nothin’ more than a neighbor. Been around plenty of beautiful women, need more than that. But you’re broken now. You’ve got scars instead of scratches—the ugliest kind of scars that never heal pretty. I don’t do well around people who aren’t already scarred. Wouldn’t have touched you if you weren’t broken in a way that can’t be fixed.” He paused. “Because, baby, I’m not gonna fix you. I don’t want to fill you up,” he said finally, after leaving me hanging for a full minute. “I don’t want you to be whole and healthy. Because I’m selfish, sure. But if there was a chance I thought you might heal, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. You won’t though. I know that. I know you’re broken. I’m okay with being second best to a dead man if that’s what I’m gonna be, but I don’t think that’s how you work. I think you’re gonna find new places for me—for us. Different places. Darker ones.” I didn’t move. Didn’t retreat, though he gave me the moment to do so. His hand settled on my jaw. Firm, bordering on painful. Then he moved. On top of me, poised at my entrance, hard and ready. “At first, I just wanted to fuck you,” he said against my mouth. His hand trailed up my hip toward the side of my breast. It moved to caress my nipple. I bit my lip. “The second you opened the door, I wanted you naked and underneath me. Then I wanted you naked and on top of me.” He tweaked my nipple to the point of pain. “And of course I wanted to eat your pussy.” I inhaled sharply as his other hand moved between my legs. “But then I saw more of you. More of that pain mingled with the fact you’re fucking crazy. Strong. Funny. A great mother. I didn’t want to just fuck you anymore. I wanted to be inside you and see into your soul. I wanted to fuck you until you saw into mine. I wanted to screw into damnation.” And he did exactly that.

“The problem is not whether I want to be with you,” he said when his eyes finally met mine. “The problem is that I want all of you. That I want you, but not just at midnight. Not just in the darkness. I want you in my bed. Every fucking night. Worse, I want to be in your bed. In your house. I want to wake up with you. I want our kids in the same fucking house. I want shit that you’re not ready for and that I don’t deserve. Those boys sure as fuck don’t deserve me sleeping in their father’s bed. And I don’t know how to keep coming over here pretending I want less. Midnights with you are more than I deserve in a thousand lifetimes, but I’m greedy and cruel, and I’ll forget this with wine and you on my lips. When I’m inside you, I’ll forget. I’ll stop caring. And I’ll force myself into your life. I’ll steal it. And I won’t be able to live with myself.”“You can’t steal what’s already yours,” I choked out, unable to stop another tear from following the trail of the first. His eyes moved then. Not across my body with hunger. But across my face with reverence. His hand lightly cupped my cheek. “No, baby. You’re not mine. Not yet.” And then he walked away.

No, there was me, waking up to something cold and heavy being slipped on my finger, and something warm and gentle on my neck. “I know this is the second time you’re doin’ this. I know that you have a lot of feelings about it. What people think.” His voice was rough, not with sleep but with emotion. He’d been awake for a while. I knew what was happening, but I didn’t want to open them. Didn’t want to make it real. I wanted to linger in a dream. “We don’t have to tell anyone,” he continued, kissing my chin. “You don’t have to wear this.” His hand circled the ring he’d placed on my finger. The one that fit perfectly. “I don’t need the ceremony of it all. You can keep your last name. Just want you to be mine. Even if no one else knows.”

[Iris Acosta · Rating 5 out of 5]

No me esperaba engancharme tanto, definitivamente es uno de mis favoritos, súper real, nos muestra una mujer viuda que pasa por un duelo difícil tratando de criar a sus dos hijos luego de la muerte de su esposo. En todo el libro podemos ver cómo ella trata de sobrellevar la muerte de David, muy crudo a la hora de poner en palabras como ella se sentía en cada momento, en las pequeñas situaciones como dormir, comer o hasta ir a la escuela de sus hijos, me dolió leerlo, te pones muy en la piel del personaje de Bridget y sufrís con ella, no niego ni afirmó haber lagrimeado en varias escenas, me tocó el corazón leer como sufrió tanto su perdida y más siendo madre de dos chicos en crecimiento, Jax de 7 y Ryder de 17, los ame demasiado, más que nada al mayor por lo empático y compañero que fue con su mamá, cuidando la tanto cuando el también perdió a una figura importe en su vida. Todo era tratar de sobrevivir el día a día hasta que aparece Zeke, su nuevo vecino que tiene una hija de 16 llamada Luna. Cuando ellos llegan Luna va a saludar y conecta rápidamente con sus hijos, al rato, luego de entrar a su casa llega el, ella se puso nerviosa y hablo mucho lo cual hasta a ella le sorprendió porque no era su forma de ser. Poco a poco se empiezan a llevar más por sus hijos y el un día va a su casa (son vecinos de al lado), porque la ve escuchando música triste (le dice que esa canción es muy ella siendo q el marido una vez la vio escuchando esa misma canción y dijo que no parecía algo que ella escuchará, y después dijo que estaba enojada que un extraño que conoce hace poco la conozca más que su difunto marido...), de besan pero el se va ya que se da cuenta que ella no está lista para nada y ella se lo dice también. En todo el libro vemos como Bridget está en la disyuntiva de si empezar algo o no, primero es sexual y se lo aclara, no está para nada para algo sentimental en este momento (solo paso un año de su muerte), pero poco a poco se enamora de pequeñas cosas de el y el de ella hasta que no pueden más y se acuestan, así llegan a un acuerdo (que ella impuso) de solo sexo y por la noche, antes del amanecer ella vuelve a su casa (igual el hijo mayor se dió cuenta jaja), pero llega un momento que el le dice que no puede más porque siente que él no es un buen hombre para ella y que siente que ella no puede ser suya (a los días ella tira mucha de la ropa de su difunto marido y se da cuenta que lo que él quiso decir, es que no puede ser suya ya que ella sigue teniendo gran parte de su corazón en su marido, eso no significa que quiere que no quiera más al marido, sino que ella se perdió a su misma), un amor el, le dijo que no la quiere completa o arreglada, sino destrozada como el (era de una pandilla, secuestraron a Luna y a su mama cuando era bebé y a la madre la mataron, después de eso el se alejo pero es posible q lo busquen porque no se puede renunciar a una pandilla). Al avanzar un poco el le da ese espacio y se da una situación en la que el mejor amigo de su marido trata de abusar de ella en su propia casa, cuando llega él lo saca de encima de ella y parece que le da la cabeza con la mesada y lo mata, ellos dos llegan a un acuerdo de que ella va a decir que fue ella la culpable aunque en realidad no es culpable ya que el tipo quiso abusar de ella así que serían defensa propia, él no quería pero ella le dijo que el apellido de su familia o sea el de su marido y la de sus hijos pesa mucho en el pueblo por lo que no le va a pasar nada pero él siendo alguien nuevo en el vecindario no se va a poder salvar y que posiblemente los pandilleros lo encuentren junto con luna y les quieren hacer daño. Pasan los meses y les cuentan a los chicos de que están en algo y todos están contentos, empiezan a verse todos los días y a convivir más como familia pero no se mudan.
—No tenemos que decírselo a nadie, —continuó, besándome
la barbilla—. No tienes que ponerte esto. —Su mano rodeó el anillo que había puesto en mi dedo. El que encajaba
perfectamente—. No necesito la ceremonia de todo esto.
Puedes conservar tu apellido. Sólo quiero que seas mía. Aunque nadie más lo sepa.

ME MATO COMPLETAMENTE ESTA PARTE DIOS ES EL MEJOR HOMBRE DEL MUNDO 😭😭. Me pareció súper correcto que el final sea ella yendo por primera vez a la tumba de el después del entierro, 2 años después, tanto dolor para tratar de procesar, que nunca va a poder dejar de sentir pero si tratar de sobrellevar. Una de las mejores historias que leí en el último tiempo lejos, me revolvió muchas emociones. También el hecho de que se sacó el anillo para ponerlo en un collar del diamante en su cuello que va a usar siempre para tenerlo presente en cualquier momento, pero usando el anillo que Zeke le dió 🥹😭😭.
5/5 ⭐

[Tees_BookCave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Sommelier by Anne Malcom is a stand-alone book in the Black Mountain Academy Series that features so many different authors.

The moment that this author, announced that she was going to be writing this book. I was literally sold and so bloody excited. Then when the book landed on my kindle, I couldn’t wait to dive in.

It’s been an hour since I finished reading this book and I LOVED IT! This book was incredible and to be honest I wanted more. This is a book, that will suck you right in and you’ll have it read within a few hours. I guarantee it.

What do you do when you are swallowing in grief, finding it hard to breathe when you know you’re husband isn’t there anymore but you have to pretend that you’re okay because your kids need you. When really you would rather just swallow a bunch of pills, cry and drink vodka like it’s water.

Don’t tell me this book doesn’t hit you right in the feels. This book hit me in the gut in such a small space of time. You could feel the emotions and the pain oozing from the pages.

Being inside this heroines head was real, honest and raw. It’s exactly the emotions, people feel when they lose a loved one. When you lose a loved one, I won’t say every but most people go through the 5 stages of grief. We got to follow her journey and see how she coped through those stages of Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.

Bridget our Heroine, as much as you could feel her pain, sadness and hurt throughout this book. I just love how she doesn’t give a fuck about what she should be doing, she does what she wants, without a care in the world. She’s so rebellious and I am here for it. She’s such a beautiful, fun and such a great mother.

Zeke was everything and if not more! I loved learning his story and his path to starting fresh in Black Mountain Academy. He was magnetic, captivating and whenever his near by you can’t help but be drawn to his presence.

From the moment these two meet, it was intense, smouldering and down right hot! You could feel this initial spark being ignited between the two and you could only wait for their two worlds to collide.

As the story progressed, I loved watching the small changes happening within themselves and together. Zeke doesn’t want to fix Bridget, he just wants her. He does not care about how broken, scarred she is or better yet if he is second best. He knew that together they would create something of their own, something different and darker. Something that suits them.

With such a shorter book then I am used to from Anne, this book definitely packed its punches. It had a couple twist and turns that I wouldn’t have pegged to occur but they did and they made a book that I had completely loved to something even more. Something completely epic.

If you love second chance romances that take you on a journey of healing, new beginnings and so much more. Then this book is for you. It’s such a breathtaking and heartbreaking story that I know that if you pick this book up. You will love.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. *

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars and one of this author's best works to date.

One of my favorite things about this author is her ability to reinvent her craft. Her writing style is ever-changing. This book was a great example of that. Parts of it felt reminiscent of one of my other favorite authors, Kristen Ashley, in regard to the characters and details. I felt myself become bewitched by the story. Even though it was a sadsubject matter, I fell hard for the realism of what Bridget was feeling. Whether it was in her head or she outwardly expressed her thoughts, I felt myself knodding my head in appreciation for her not giving two pinches of squirrel crap how people might think she is crazy or hate her for no-filter mouth in a world that prides themselves on being perfect in every fascet of their rich society. It was refreshing and I LOVED that. She didn't kiss-up. She was cold and indifferent juxtaposed with loving and aware. I lived for her relationship and the way that she teased her kids. She knew she could have been better but still, she embraced that they were her soul reason for being on this earth.

I loved those midnight glasses of wine with Zeke and what the stood for and how they helped her heal. I loved that he was so different in a literal sense to what she had been surrounded with. Even if some of that perfect world had rubbed off on her, she still needed to have a different percpetion and reality and Zeke gave Bridget that. I liked that he didn't mince words. He wasn't there to be the perfect rich blue-blood but rather had the, "what you see is what you get" philosophy and for me I LOVED what I "saw" A LOT. Her sister was pretty amazing too and I would not be upset if she got her story told and a chance with a non-boring boyfriend.

My only complaint with the story is a certain scene and event that happened at the end of the book. It didn't make sense to me as to why it was even in there or how it lent anything to the story. I was expecting it to have something that would lead exposure for Zeke to his past but instead, it was just almost like a demerit on her already shaky reputation that Bridget didn't really care about to begin with. Even with that though, I still will say that this was one of my favorite books by this author because I loved the stylistic choices that she made with the story and the way that she wrote this story. There were a lot of details and inner thoughts instead of dialogue and I LOVED that. Highly recommend this book.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another piece of the puzzle that is The Black Mountain Academy.
Things aren't always what they seem, sometimes we add filters and hide the cracks to try and save face. But when everything changes in the blink of an eye, how do you carry on, keep moving forward in a world you don't feel like you belong in anymore? This is a story about doing just that and finding the reasons to keep trudging through. Whether they come in the form of your boys, your sister or the insanely hot guy that just moved in next door with a daughter you kinda like, all while battling survivor's guilt.
This story is emotional. Bridget feels the full range from pain and anger to hope and love and everything in between. She has an inner strength that she sometimes needs to be reminded about. Zeke is danger and menace on the surface but the more we get to know him, the more we see his layers. His saving grace is the way he loves and cares for his daughter. He's definitely not the typical rebound guy, but I think that's what makes this story more real. He didn't want to change her, he wanted to love the her that was broken because he was broken too. These two face obstacles, some imagined and some very real, will their broken pieces fit together, or will the shards keep them apart?

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridget seemed like she had the perfect life. Married with two well behaved boys Bridget works as a successful blogger and from the outside looking in, it looks like she’s living the perfect life. It all comes crashing down when her husband dies suddenly leaving Bridget to figure out how to pick up the pieces.

I’m a massive fan of Ms Malcoms work. Her characters are always flawed, they all have their faults and they’ve made mistakes but they also have a resilience that draws me to them every single time. I loved Bridget. Her world has been turned upside down and you can feel her pain and sadness, some days she really is just trying to get through the day and her emotions felt so real it was hard not to feel connected to her. She’s been a wife for so long, where does she go from here? New neighbour Zeke is the perfect man to help Bridget see that life does go on and that it’s ok to be a little broken. I admit I had a crush on Zeke from the start and the more I got to know him the more I loved him.

This is another fantastic book from Ms Malcom and I definitely recommend reading it.

[Sara ✨ Next Book Review Blog ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Malcom has a gritty, raw way of writing. It's always my favorite thing about her stories. I know ow I'm going to get what ever truth her characters earn. Yes, earn because nothing ever comes easy to Anne Malcom's characters. They have earn every ounce of happiness.  Brigdet has been hit hard with life and I felt every single letter of this story. Anne Malcom constantly wrecks me but Midnight Sommelier was more... this story caused some aching in my heart.

I felt like my heart has been up in my throat since reading. Midnight Sommelier is one of those stories that just sticks to your heart... a black heart. I really feel like Anne Malcom shows her true talent here. She gives us a new side to her writing. It's one I hope we continue to see in the future.


I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.

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[• Island Queen Reads • Ofa • · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world full of the elite, a society filled with expectations, greed, and judgment, comes a story about grief, a story about the harsh truths of life as a wife, a mother, and a woman. Anne Malcom gives us a story unlike her usual books, and it's one for the ages. It is a testament to the author's skill and talent when you end up being able to relate to a character that has experienced issues, you've never ever come close to experiencing yourself.

A surprisingly misleading story, filled with grief, heartache, love, and all the gut-wrenching emotions one can only feel from this author. God, the number of times my heart fluttered, my soul cried and my body tingled. This book is stealthy with the way the emotions it emits sneaks up on you. I can't even begin to explain what this book is about. But I can tell you, it's about self-doubt, it's about insecurity, it's about recognizing the broken within someone else and having it recognize with your own broken soul. Anne Malcom continues to exceed all expectations, each book better than the last, and I can't stop gushing about it. If the other books in this series are like this, I'll definitely be binging it this week!