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Midnight Duet
From The Astronaut and the Star author Jen Comfort comes a wildly electric romance about two musicians who collide on the stage of a Nevada opera house.
Self-professed diva Erika Greene has it a starring role on Broadway, legions of fans, spectacular natural talent. But after an accident on stage leaves her face scarred and her career in shambles, Erika retreats to Paris, Nevada, where she’s inherited a ramshackle opera house in desperate need of some TLC.
Erika pours her savings into the building, but it’s not enough to stave off casino developer Raoul Decomte’s avaricious gaze. With foreclosure imminent, she leases the space to some unexpected a German hair metal band, fronted by glam rock god Christof Daae.
Erika is tempted by Christof’s low-slung leather pants—and even more so by his ambitious drive to make Nacht Musik international superstars—but he’s off-limits. The rest of his band thinks he’s still dating their beloved keyboardist, who is conveniently not present on this jaunt to the American Southwest. When Erika finds out Christof’s been unceremoniously dumped and is trying to keep it under wraps, she makes a deal to keep his secret…for a price, of course.
Christof is desperate to hold the rest of the band together after his keyboardist’s departure, but he can’t maintain the charade forever. Nor can he resist the opera house’s mysterious proprietor, who tempts him with midnight singing lessons. It isn’t long before sensuous nighttime interludes turn into smoldering backstage encounters.
But can their newly ignited passion survive the searing light of day? Or will their beautiful duet turn into a brokenhearted power ballad for one?
Self-professed diva Erika Greene has it a starring role on Broadway, legions of fans, spectacular natural talent. But after an accident on stage leaves her face scarred and her career in shambles, Erika retreats to Paris, Nevada, where she’s inherited a ramshackle opera house in desperate need of some TLC.
Erika pours her savings into the building, but it’s not enough to stave off casino developer Raoul Decomte’s avaricious gaze. With foreclosure imminent, she leases the space to some unexpected a German hair metal band, fronted by glam rock god Christof Daae.
Erika is tempted by Christof’s low-slung leather pants—and even more so by his ambitious drive to make Nacht Musik international superstars—but he’s off-limits. The rest of his band thinks he’s still dating their beloved keyboardist, who is conveniently not present on this jaunt to the American Southwest. When Erika finds out Christof’s been unceremoniously dumped and is trying to keep it under wraps, she makes a deal to keep his secret…for a price, of course.
Christof is desperate to hold the rest of the band together after his keyboardist’s departure, but he can’t maintain the charade forever. Nor can he resist the opera house’s mysterious proprietor, who tempts him with midnight singing lessons. It isn’t long before sensuous nighttime interludes turn into smoldering backstage encounters.
But can their newly ignited passion survive the searing light of day? Or will their beautiful duet turn into a brokenhearted power ballad for one?
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2023
319 people are currently reading
5681 people want to read
About the author
Jen Comfort
3 books272 followersJen Comfort is from Portland, OR. She writes nerdy rom-coms and loves animals, gardening, video games, and science-y stuff.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
October 5, 2022
I give this book 5/5 fire tornadoes.
I've seen Midnight Duet marketed as a "contemporary gender-swapped Phantom of the Opera" and... it is definitely that, but somehow also not at all what I expected? As anything Phantom-adjacent must be, it's dramatic as all get-out, and bonkers in a way that I usually associate with old-school romances. Yet at the same time, it brings a modern sensibility and sensitivity to that bonkersness that makes it much less fraught to enjoy. I'm normally a person who is drawn to internal conflict and slow character development and realistic emotional tangles in her romances, and that is not what this book is giving. But honestly, I could not bring myself to care. Because this book was just SO committed to what it was doing - even when what it was doing was deeply, deeply weird (highest praise) - that I ended up having the best time reading it.
For a book that has enough plot to sustain two Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals, while adding in a fair amount of horniness and steam to boot, the surprising best part of Midnight Duet is the two main characters. There's Erika, an unrepentant diva whom we meet just as she's gotten the role of a lifetime as Fantine in Les Mis. She then immediately loses said role due to an on-stage accident (or is it??) that leaves scarring on half her face. She flees to the only place she can turn to, a derelict opera house in Paris, Nevada that she inherited from her great-grandmother. She takes up residence in the adjoining abandoned brothel with her pet rats Jean and Javert (LOL), lamenting her lost career and trying to save the opera house from the clutches of an evil would-be buyer. To raise the funds, she rents the space out to Nachtmusik, a German hair metal band led by Christof Daae. Christof is desperately trying to hold his band together after their keyboardist - and his long-time girlfriend - abruptly quit. He is described, at various points throughout the book, as looking and dressing like the cover model of a pirate romance, a professional wrestler, a bandit, and a sorcerer who wants to lure you into his labyrinth. He embraces all of those descriptors with gusto (I cackled every time his inner monologue qualified his own bleached icy-white hair as "awesome" and his actions as "badass") and it was just... so much fun.
What I loved the most about Erika and Christof though is that while they are both MASSIVE drama queens, they are drama queens in a way that is a) ruthlessly specific and b) actually quite distinct from each other. Erika's a bit more of a traditional theater-kid kind of dramatic: she's an exhibitionist who loves attention and performing and turning absolutely everything up to an emotional 11. And Christof is a type-A, "I must control everything via spreadsheets and extensive planning" type of diva. He's super tightly-wound and fully believes that his band - and thus his entire world - will fall apart if he lets himself slip up even the slightest amount. I really appreciated the exploration here of the fact that there's more than one way to be an absolute mess of drama. And that all different kinds of drama messes are deserving of love.
Not only does this double-diva dynamic bring Erika and Christof into a lot of engaging personality conflict, it also transitions seamlessly into their sex scenes. The way these two have sex feels like an exuberant, horny extension of who they are in the rest of the book. Christof loves being in control, Erika enjoys taking direction and putting on a show (I don't know which is more perfect; the mutual masturbation scene with Erika onstage and Christof in Box 5,or the first night they spend together finding increasingly athletic ways to bang while staring at themselves in a giant gold mirror). And.... I’m not sure how to describe it, but it's just unadulterated FUN without ever feeling like it's making fun of the characters? I loved it. My only complaint is that we never got to actually see the alluded-to scene where Christof and Erika sing power ballad duets in an antique claw-footed bathtub.
If at this point in the review the book is starting to sound a bit *too* zany to work.... I get that, but it really didn't feel that way to me. There's a genuine heart to this story, a real sense of love for divas and misfits, and an embrace of each character's highly specific weirdness that felt oddly grounding, amidst all the drama. I especially loved the supporting cast - primarily the other members of Nachtmusik - whose antics provided the perfect backdrop for Christof to be his loving, exasperated, too-controlling self. Plus, Christof and Erika are also both delightfully self-aware of their own diva tendencies, which lends a knowing edge to what would otherwise be just an uninterrupted diet of camp. (Best self-aware quote award is a tie between Christof: "My masculinity is impermeable, thank you. It is my massive ego that is wounded" and Erika: "I went to Julliard, you peasant")
My only real issue is with the end of the book. I'll stay spoiler-free on the details, but basically I’m not quite sure it pulls off the balance of external plot and internal romantic/emotional conflict. The abundance of uber-dramatic plot at the end felt spot-on with the tone of the rest of the story. But it meant that the emotional conflict didn’t really get a chance to breathe and develop? The nature of the conflict felt very true to the characters, being broadly based on Erika’s preference for big romantic gestures, and Christof’s need to meticulously plan every practical detail of everything, including other people's lives. But, I just didn’t quite get the space I needed to invest in it, and it made Erika look a bit unreasonable in the not-fun way. But that was easily overlooked in the giant pile of delight that was the rest of this book.
Because, really, this book is a giant pile of delight. It's dramatic and messy and WEIRD and completely unafraid to commit to its own weirdness. I read it with the biggest smile on my face, and if this sounds like your kind of thing, I bet you will too.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review
I've seen Midnight Duet marketed as a "contemporary gender-swapped Phantom of the Opera" and... it is definitely that, but somehow also not at all what I expected? As anything Phantom-adjacent must be, it's dramatic as all get-out, and bonkers in a way that I usually associate with old-school romances. Yet at the same time, it brings a modern sensibility and sensitivity to that bonkersness that makes it much less fraught to enjoy. I'm normally a person who is drawn to internal conflict and slow character development and realistic emotional tangles in her romances, and that is not what this book is giving. But honestly, I could not bring myself to care. Because this book was just SO committed to what it was doing - even when what it was doing was deeply, deeply weird (highest praise) - that I ended up having the best time reading it.
For a book that has enough plot to sustain two Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals, while adding in a fair amount of horniness and steam to boot, the surprising best part of Midnight Duet is the two main characters. There's Erika, an unrepentant diva whom we meet just as she's gotten the role of a lifetime as Fantine in Les Mis. She then immediately loses said role due to an on-stage accident (or is it??) that leaves scarring on half her face. She flees to the only place she can turn to, a derelict opera house in Paris, Nevada that she inherited from her great-grandmother. She takes up residence in the adjoining abandoned brothel with her pet rats Jean and Javert (LOL), lamenting her lost career and trying to save the opera house from the clutches of an evil would-be buyer. To raise the funds, she rents the space out to Nachtmusik, a German hair metal band led by Christof Daae. Christof is desperately trying to hold his band together after their keyboardist - and his long-time girlfriend - abruptly quit. He is described, at various points throughout the book, as looking and dressing like the cover model of a pirate romance, a professional wrestler, a bandit, and a sorcerer who wants to lure you into his labyrinth. He embraces all of those descriptors with gusto (I cackled every time his inner monologue qualified his own bleached icy-white hair as "awesome" and his actions as "badass") and it was just... so much fun.
What I loved the most about Erika and Christof though is that while they are both MASSIVE drama queens, they are drama queens in a way that is a) ruthlessly specific and b) actually quite distinct from each other. Erika's a bit more of a traditional theater-kid kind of dramatic: she's an exhibitionist who loves attention and performing and turning absolutely everything up to an emotional 11. And Christof is a type-A, "I must control everything via spreadsheets and extensive planning" type of diva. He's super tightly-wound and fully believes that his band - and thus his entire world - will fall apart if he lets himself slip up even the slightest amount. I really appreciated the exploration here of the fact that there's more than one way to be an absolute mess of drama. And that all different kinds of drama messes are deserving of love.
Not only does this double-diva dynamic bring Erika and Christof into a lot of engaging personality conflict, it also transitions seamlessly into their sex scenes. The way these two have sex feels like an exuberant, horny extension of who they are in the rest of the book. Christof loves being in control, Erika enjoys taking direction and putting on a show (I don't know which is more perfect; the mutual masturbation scene with Erika onstage and Christof in Box 5,or the first night they spend together finding increasingly athletic ways to bang while staring at themselves in a giant gold mirror). And.... I’m not sure how to describe it, but it's just unadulterated FUN without ever feeling like it's making fun of the characters? I loved it. My only complaint is that we never got to actually see the alluded-to scene where Christof and Erika sing power ballad duets in an antique claw-footed bathtub.
If at this point in the review the book is starting to sound a bit *too* zany to work.... I get that, but it really didn't feel that way to me. There's a genuine heart to this story, a real sense of love for divas and misfits, and an embrace of each character's highly specific weirdness that felt oddly grounding, amidst all the drama. I especially loved the supporting cast - primarily the other members of Nachtmusik - whose antics provided the perfect backdrop for Christof to be his loving, exasperated, too-controlling self. Plus, Christof and Erika are also both delightfully self-aware of their own diva tendencies, which lends a knowing edge to what would otherwise be just an uninterrupted diet of camp. (Best self-aware quote award is a tie between Christof: "My masculinity is impermeable, thank you. It is my massive ego that is wounded" and Erika: "I went to Julliard, you peasant")
My only real issue is with the end of the book. I'll stay spoiler-free on the details, but basically I’m not quite sure it pulls off the balance of external plot and internal romantic/emotional conflict. The abundance of uber-dramatic plot at the end felt spot-on with the tone of the rest of the story. But it meant that the emotional conflict didn’t really get a chance to breathe and develop? The nature of the conflict felt very true to the characters, being broadly based on Erika’s preference for big romantic gestures, and Christof’s need to meticulously plan every practical detail of everything, including other people's lives. But, I just didn’t quite get the space I needed to invest in it, and it made Erika look a bit unreasonable in the not-fun way. But that was easily overlooked in the giant pile of delight that was the rest of this book.
Because, really, this book is a giant pile of delight. It's dramatic and messy and WEIRD and completely unafraid to commit to its own weirdness. I read it with the biggest smile on my face, and if this sounds like your kind of thing, I bet you will too.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review
March 25, 2023
goodreads ate my original review, so here's the edited one from my amazon review. UGH
Finding contemporary romance that is both fun, funny and spicy is like discovering a 🦄. I hold close the authors who consistently deliver and Jen Comfort is becoming one of those for me.
Midnight Duet is atmospheric, slightly bonkers, and full of fun, heart, & heat. If you adore musicals and theater, this will deliver in nostalgia and backstage feelings. Also, now I've discovered I definitely do have a thing for a certain German glam rock star, one Christof Daae with his long locks and tight ridiculous pants.
What I appreciated the most was Erika Green though, our former Broadway darling who retreats to Paris, Nevada to recover from both the accident that left her scarred and the embarrassment of being found out to be a "bad girl diva who deserved the karma she wrought." Erika is not nice, but she is definitely honest. I was so glad that we didn't get an ableist take on "losing herself" due to facial scarring. Erika definitely worries about it RE how others will react, especially in potential partners, but it isn't what sent her running to Paris.
The spector of the falling apart theater, both Erika and Christof trying to keep their livelihoods afloat, the seething passion between them as they try to keep away, I ate it up!
I'll do a better review closer to pub date, but readers, I loved it.
really enjoyed my re-read with the But Do They Bang Discord for retellings; our readers really enjoyed the Phantom nods, and felt this was a fresh and fun adaptation, with a bit of a skew on the third act resolutions which we all felt were a bit rushed.
Finding contemporary romance that is both fun, funny and spicy is like discovering a 🦄. I hold close the authors who consistently deliver and Jen Comfort is becoming one of those for me.
Midnight Duet is atmospheric, slightly bonkers, and full of fun, heart, & heat. If you adore musicals and theater, this will deliver in nostalgia and backstage feelings. Also, now I've discovered I definitely do have a thing for a certain German glam rock star, one Christof Daae with his long locks and tight ridiculous pants.
What I appreciated the most was Erika Green though, our former Broadway darling who retreats to Paris, Nevada to recover from both the accident that left her scarred and the embarrassment of being found out to be a "bad girl diva who deserved the karma she wrought." Erika is not nice, but she is definitely honest. I was so glad that we didn't get an ableist take on "losing herself" due to facial scarring. Erika definitely worries about it RE how others will react, especially in potential partners, but it isn't what sent her running to Paris.
The spector of the falling apart theater, both Erika and Christof trying to keep their livelihoods afloat, the seething passion between them as they try to keep away, I ate it up!
I'll do a better review closer to pub date, but readers, I loved it.
really enjoyed my re-read with the But Do They Bang Discord for retellings; our readers really enjoyed the Phantom nods, and felt this was a fresh and fun adaptation, with a bit of a skew on the third act resolutions which we all felt were a bit rushed.
January 17, 2024
Even if you don’t enjoy spectacular Broadway musicals (I do), German hair metal (sure), men secure enough in their masculinity to wear androgynous clothing and be honest about their feelings (big fan), prickly FMCs who reluctantly engage in self-reflection (yep), the words “fire semen is not very metal” (perhaps my favorite quote ever), you should still read this book because it’s just great. Comfort made the brave decision to make Raoul a villain, which works really well because Raoul is stupid and he sucks. There is closet sex. There is drunken gambling. There is Eurovision. Just read the book.
January 16, 2023
This book is bonkers in the very best ways. It is wildly OTT and at the same time self aware. Basically it doesn't take itself too seriously. This book was our perfect match: we love Phantom of the Opera in all its iterations (the original Leroux, the ALW musical, and angsty retellings like Susan Kay's Phantom). We can 100% recommend the book if the name "Christof Daae" makes you smile or if a Spinal Tap reference worked into the book would make you laugh. It's kind of like the contemporary version of Tessa Dare's historicals: it's not afraid to work in broad (hilarious) strokes, with high drama and high stakes that are also really funny. Jen Comfort's choice to make Christof the front man of a glam rock group is also perfect. How better to convey
Basically, this book lives up to every promise in its synopsis. If anything (literally ANYTHING) about "gender swapped Phantom of the Opera retelling that's also a rock star romance" sounds like you might like it, you NEED to read this book. The only thing we would have changed? More spicy scenes featuring Erika and Christof. What's there is HOT and, like, OK fine, probably just the right amount...but why not give us OTT on top of OTT?
We loved it, pick it up, TTYL off to play our pipe organ by candlelight.
33-Word Summaries:
Meg: Erika lures Christof to the Paris (Nevada) Opera with promises of artistic development. A special song on the organ and a few singing lessons later and she’s got him in her basement lair.
Laine: Some girls get all the luck, like having their faces ruined in an accident, inheriting a crumbling theater/brothel, and having a rockstar refusing to formally dump his girlfriend so you can fuck.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Basically, this book lives up to every promise in its synopsis. If anything (literally ANYTHING) about "gender swapped Phantom of the Opera retelling that's also a rock star romance" sounds like you might like it, you NEED to read this book. The only thing we would have changed? More spicy scenes featuring Erika and Christof. What's there is HOT and, like, OK fine, probably just the right amount...but why not give us OTT on top of OTT?
We loved it, pick it up, TTYL off to play our pipe organ by candlelight.
33-Word Summaries:
Meg: Erika lures Christof to the Paris (Nevada) Opera with promises of artistic development. A special song on the organ and a few singing lessons later and she’s got him in her basement lair.
Laine: Some girls get all the luck, like having their faces ruined in an accident, inheriting a crumbling theater/brothel, and having a rockstar refusing to formally dump his girlfriend so you can fuck.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
February 25, 2023
This is one of those books where two, seemingly opposite things are nevertheless true:
1) I had heaps of fun.
2) I really, really wish I liked it more.
As to (1):
This book is sooooooooo funny. I was, in fact, laughing out loud. Not rolling on the floor (I HAVE MY DIGNITY, SIR!!), but definitely indulging in hearty guffaws. Erika and Christof both have a distinctive voice, and they are both smart and sarcastic and earnest and extra and hilarious. I have so many highlighted lines and god, I would love to go out for a drink and a gossip with these two. There was so much here that was just so damned delightful -- even for someone who was never a theater kid or a musical theater aficionado or, god forbid, a hair metal fan. The writing is easy and confident and assured. Like I said: heaps of fun.
So much so, in fact, that it almost obscured the fact that (2):
Some things about this just fundamentally didn't work for me in ways that I couldn't ignore.
The main thing -- and this is kind of a killer because it's absolutely central to Erika's character and motivations through the first 2/3rds of the book -- is Erika's insistence that she's a Bad Person who must repent for her Bad Past and now be Good. I. HATED. THIS. Because it felt entirely unearned and insistently moralizing and she just kept circling back to it like a mantra and it drove me more and more batshit everytime.
Because the thing is -- yes. Erika made a Bad Life Choice by sleeping with her understudy's boyfriend (I'm not putting this under a spoiler tag because it literally happens in the first five minutes of the book). Although really, she's the one who was single and ready to mingle, not him. So why does she assign herself all the blame? Not that I'm condoning sleeping with your friend's/ colleagues/ anyone's boyfriend unless the relationship is open, but I hate her internalized slut-shaming about how she is a slattern who deserves all the horrifying shit that happens to her, while the BF in question is let off scot-free. But anyway: fine, sleeping with the understudy's shagpiece, bad, I can get onboard with that. But this isn't really what Erika is repenting; or at least, not entirely. Because it seems like the basis of her conviction that she's a Bad Person is really that she . . . liked casual sex and had a lot of it? And also was a diva?
[Deep breath]
NEITHER OF THESE THINGS ARE BAD!!!!
Starting with the latter: divas. Real divas -- women whose incredible talent is matched only by their unsurpassed work ethic -- are as necessary as the air we breathe. They are something to aspire to. Mariah Carey is a diva, and without her, we wouldn't have Christmas (#festive). DO NOT TRY TO SELL ME THE LIE THAT BEING A DIVA IS SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF, ERIKA GREENE!! Besides which, she seems to both embrace this label at the same time that she depicts it as a character flaw, so it's a bit muddled.
But the diva thing is actually less problematic. The sex thing, on the other hand . . .
[Calming mantra]
. . . just makes me kind of sad and disappointed. It's hard to read a book where the FMC spends the majority of the time slut-shaming herself. At first I thought she was doing it somewhat ironically, but it was such a constant and repetitive refrain that it was clear that, at some basic level, she truly believed it. And I mean, this book is horny AF. But for all the pleasure-seeking, there is so much pleasure-denying and pleasure-shaming -- and the only reason for this is because Erika is supposedly a Bad Person who does not deserve (DESERVE!!) anything that feels good, because things that feel good not do help her in her quest to be a Good Person, because goodness and pleasure are mutually exclusive.
And I just can't get onboard with this message. Which means that I couldn't get onboard with why she was convinced that she had to stay away from Christof. Which means that my patience for the will-they, won't-they game diminished more each time Erika reminded herself that she wasn't a Bad Person anymore and therefore couldn't give in to Christof's hot, disheveled, equally diva'ed charm. Like, shut up, Erika. You're forcing me to be annoyed when I wanna be horny.
(Tangent -- this made me realize that, by reading primarily queer and MM romance these days, I happily miss out on this kind of self-slut/pleasure-shaming. Not to say that queer people don't IRL engage in self-shaming about perceived sluttiness/ departure from some kind of idealized norm about sexual behavior, like people are people and this stuff happens, but this particular trope is by and large absent from that particular genre. Happily.)
Also . . . I appreciate that Erika comes to the realization that All You Need Is Love, but it feels incredibly dismissive of her former life and accomplishments in a way that -- and I freely admit to overthinking this -- seems strangely regressive. There's no reason why Erika couldn't have been an ambitious but generally fulfilled person before the tragedy that befell her, such that her journey with Christof was about rekindling that ambition and fulfillment. Instead, it felt like her journey was one of rejecting all that made her her before disaster struck, in order to find "real" fulfillment with a man.
Basically, this whole commitment to Erika being a Bad Person is an unnecessary wrecking ball. We could have gotten to the same place with a lot more subtlety and finesse, without all the pleasure-shaming and ambition-shaming and career-shaming baggage that Erika is loaded down with.
The other thing that bugged me, albeit not as much as the Bad Person issue, was Erika's motivation for saving the opera house. In that I didn't buy it. I mean, it was a familial link, but she had almost no emotional ties to or contact with that part of her family. It was a money trap and a death trap. It was a place she had gone to make herself invisible and wallow in self-pity. (Understandably! This is a perfectly reasonable reaction. But it seems more like something you'd want to get away from, rather than cling desperately to.) And because I didn't buy her motivation to save the opera house,
I realize I haven't said anything about Christof, but that's basically because I kind of love him. Not to say that he's perfect. He's also kind of a dumbass! And super controlling! (I hear ya, Christof.) But his arc wasn't laden down with as much normative bullshit as Erika's, so he didn't push my buttons the same way she did. Also, I love him.
So that's where I land: a book that, in some ways, I enjoyed the crap out of, but in other ways, drove me completely bonkers-not-in-a-good-way. I like Erika and Christof's mutual admiration of each other's talent and drive and humor and intelligence -- the sessions of them singing and creating music together were by far the best parts of the book -- and I'm glad they got their HEA, but I just wish we could have gotten there better.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
1) I had heaps of fun.
2) I really, really wish I liked it more.
As to (1):
This book is sooooooooo funny. I was, in fact, laughing out loud. Not rolling on the floor (I HAVE MY DIGNITY, SIR!!), but definitely indulging in hearty guffaws. Erika and Christof both have a distinctive voice, and they are both smart and sarcastic and earnest and extra and hilarious. I have so many highlighted lines and god, I would love to go out for a drink and a gossip with these two. There was so much here that was just so damned delightful -- even for someone who was never a theater kid or a musical theater aficionado or, god forbid, a hair metal fan. The writing is easy and confident and assured. Like I said: heaps of fun.
So much so, in fact, that it almost obscured the fact that (2):
Some things about this just fundamentally didn't work for me in ways that I couldn't ignore.
The main thing -- and this is kind of a killer because it's absolutely central to Erika's character and motivations through the first 2/3rds of the book -- is Erika's insistence that she's a Bad Person who must repent for her Bad Past and now be Good. I. HATED. THIS. Because it felt entirely unearned and insistently moralizing and she just kept circling back to it like a mantra and it drove me more and more batshit everytime.
Because the thing is -- yes. Erika made a Bad Life Choice by sleeping with her understudy's boyfriend (I'm not putting this under a spoiler tag because it literally happens in the first five minutes of the book). Although really, she's the one who was single and ready to mingle, not him. So why does she assign herself all the blame? Not that I'm condoning sleeping with your friend's/ colleagues/ anyone's boyfriend unless the relationship is open, but I hate her internalized slut-shaming about how she is a slattern who deserves all the horrifying shit that happens to her, while the BF in question is let off scot-free. But anyway: fine, sleeping with the understudy's shagpiece, bad, I can get onboard with that. But this isn't really what Erika is repenting; or at least, not entirely. Because it seems like the basis of her conviction that she's a Bad Person is really that she . . . liked casual sex and had a lot of it? And also was a diva?
[Deep breath]
NEITHER OF THESE THINGS ARE BAD!!!!
Starting with the latter: divas. Real divas -- women whose incredible talent is matched only by their unsurpassed work ethic -- are as necessary as the air we breathe. They are something to aspire to. Mariah Carey is a diva, and without her, we wouldn't have Christmas (#festive). DO NOT TRY TO SELL ME THE LIE THAT BEING A DIVA IS SOMETHING TO BE ASHAMED OF, ERIKA GREENE!! Besides which, she seems to both embrace this label at the same time that she depicts it as a character flaw, so it's a bit muddled.
But the diva thing is actually less problematic. The sex thing, on the other hand . . .
[Calming mantra]
. . . just makes me kind of sad and disappointed. It's hard to read a book where the FMC spends the majority of the time slut-shaming herself. At first I thought she was doing it somewhat ironically, but it was such a constant and repetitive refrain that it was clear that, at some basic level, she truly believed it. And I mean, this book is horny AF. But for all the pleasure-seeking, there is so much pleasure-denying and pleasure-shaming -- and the only reason for this is because Erika is supposedly a Bad Person who does not deserve (DESERVE!!) anything that feels good, because things that feel good not do help her in her quest to be a Good Person, because goodness and pleasure are mutually exclusive.
And I just can't get onboard with this message. Which means that I couldn't get onboard with why she was convinced that she had to stay away from Christof. Which means that my patience for the will-they, won't-they game diminished more each time Erika reminded herself that she wasn't a Bad Person anymore and therefore couldn't give in to Christof's hot, disheveled, equally diva'ed charm. Like, shut up, Erika. You're forcing me to be annoyed when I wanna be horny.
(Tangent -- this made me realize that, by reading primarily queer and MM romance these days, I happily miss out on this kind of self-slut/pleasure-shaming. Not to say that queer people don't IRL engage in self-shaming about perceived sluttiness/ departure from some kind of idealized norm about sexual behavior, like people are people and this stuff happens, but this particular trope is by and large absent from that particular genre. Happily.)
Also . . . I appreciate that Erika comes to the realization that All You Need Is Love, but it feels incredibly dismissive of her former life and accomplishments in a way that -- and I freely admit to overthinking this -- seems strangely regressive. There's no reason why Erika couldn't have been an ambitious but generally fulfilled person before the tragedy that befell her, such that her journey with Christof was about rekindling that ambition and fulfillment. Instead, it felt like her journey was one of rejecting all that made her her before disaster struck, in order to find "real" fulfillment with a man.
Basically, this whole commitment to Erika being a Bad Person is an unnecessary wrecking ball. We could have gotten to the same place with a lot more subtlety and finesse, without all the pleasure-shaming and ambition-shaming and career-shaming baggage that Erika is loaded down with.
The other thing that bugged me, albeit not as much as the Bad Person issue, was Erika's motivation for saving the opera house. In that I didn't buy it. I mean, it was a familial link, but she had almost no emotional ties to or contact with that part of her family. It was a money trap and a death trap. It was a place she had gone to make herself invisible and wallow in self-pity. (Understandably! This is a perfectly reasonable reaction. But it seems more like something you'd want to get away from, rather than cling desperately to.) And because I didn't buy her motivation to save the opera house,
I realize I haven't said anything about Christof, but that's basically because I kind of love him. Not to say that he's perfect. He's also kind of a dumbass! And super controlling! (I hear ya, Christof.) But his arc wasn't laden down with as much normative bullshit as Erika's, so he didn't push my buttons the same way she did. Also, I love him.
So that's where I land: a book that, in some ways, I enjoyed the crap out of, but in other ways, drove me completely bonkers-not-in-a-good-way. I like Erika and Christof's mutual admiration of each other's talent and drive and humor and intelligence -- the sessions of them singing and creating music together were by far the best parts of the book -- and I'm glad they got their HEA, but I just wish we could have gotten there better.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2023
This was fun. It wasn’t a knock-out, but it had delightful nods to Phantom of the Opera and it’s a compact fantastical contemporary romance. When I first started I wasn’t sure what to expect, but then the “cock” talk starts and I go, “oooooh, this is a spiiiicy book.” Then I switched mental gears and went with it.
Definitely a new adult style novel. Adult but with juvenile thought processes and actions at times. Despite the bitchy start of the book, I came to like Erika’s character. And Christof’s sexy German rocker vibe but with anal retentive issues really worked for me. Then you add some kooky band members and the hot Arizona sun and it’s a fun and sexy story.
The ending, the climactic dangerous adventure, was just a little too ridiculous for me. The idea is there, but the execution was lacking. But no spoilers. Still, I kinda sorta definitely recommend the book if you’re looking for a bit of ridiculous… ‘cause it’s a new and entertaining ridiculous.
Also, I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator is a blast. Kudos.
Definitely a new adult style novel. Adult but with juvenile thought processes and actions at times. Despite the bitchy start of the book, I came to like Erika’s character. And Christof’s sexy German rocker vibe but with anal retentive issues really worked for me. Then you add some kooky band members and the hot Arizona sun and it’s a fun and sexy story.
The ending, the climactic dangerous adventure, was just a little too ridiculous for me. The idea is there, but the execution was lacking. But no spoilers. Still, I kinda sorta definitely recommend the book if you’re looking for a bit of ridiculous… ‘cause it’s a new and entertaining ridiculous.
Also, I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator is a blast. Kudos.
December 29, 2023
This book was hilarious and delightful. This is a bit of a modern Phantom of the Opera retelling, I am here for it. Both Erika and Christof are The Drama in different ways, and I loved them both. I loved the humour and the side characters. Would recommend.
August 11, 2022
Format - E ARC
Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice- 🌶 🌶 ( I want those deleted scenes…)
Series- N/A
Troupes- Grumpy /sunshine, guyliner, unlovable heroine, slow burn, small town, rock star
CW- cheating,
I’m not sure what just happened. I’m not sure how I ended up with is book living rent free in my head, unable to stop thinking about it. But here we are.
With a MFC who is instantly dislikable in a place I would never want to go, centered around a genre of music I have very little knowledge of, and yet here I am, with these characters stuck in my head wanting more.
Erika is not the best of us, she’s a diva, a Broadway one, with a flair for drama and theatrics and after her “accident” the visible scares to back it all up. She’s trying though to be abetter person. Christof is not your typical rock star hero, he looks the part and puts on a good show on stage but behind guy liner and pleather pants, and open silk shirts is a secret nervous nelly cinnamon roll sweetheart. Together they make no scene but somehow make a combustable chemistry so hot you will be steaming up your glasses and fanning yourself.
I love the setting of a dilapidated theatre with a brothel off the back. Jen’s descriptive imagery if this century old secret holding building makes it a character all on its own, with narrow passage ways and antique chandeliers and sconces and hole in the middle of the stage, and a (somehow sexy) pip organ. She really sets the stage for this revers phantom of the opera with a sex dungeon and a murder mystery to solve.
This book is hot, and not just cause its set in the desert in the summer. Christof and Erika, set the damn electronic pages on fire, with this slow burn. But Jen delivers, even if there were a few spicer scenes left out. (Jen I want that pegging scene)
This book is very different and from “The Astronaut and the Star” and yet easily recognizable as a Jen Comfort book, and I loved every weirdo, goth chic, drama filled page of it!
Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice- 🌶 🌶 ( I want those deleted scenes…)
Series- N/A
Troupes- Grumpy /sunshine, guyliner, unlovable heroine, slow burn, small town, rock star
CW- cheating,
I’m not sure what just happened. I’m not sure how I ended up with is book living rent free in my head, unable to stop thinking about it. But here we are.
With a MFC who is instantly dislikable in a place I would never want to go, centered around a genre of music I have very little knowledge of, and yet here I am, with these characters stuck in my head wanting more.
Erika is not the best of us, she’s a diva, a Broadway one, with a flair for drama and theatrics and after her “accident” the visible scares to back it all up. She’s trying though to be abetter person. Christof is not your typical rock star hero, he looks the part and puts on a good show on stage but behind guy liner and pleather pants, and open silk shirts is a secret nervous nelly cinnamon roll sweetheart. Together they make no scene but somehow make a combustable chemistry so hot you will be steaming up your glasses and fanning yourself.
I love the setting of a dilapidated theatre with a brothel off the back. Jen’s descriptive imagery if this century old secret holding building makes it a character all on its own, with narrow passage ways and antique chandeliers and sconces and hole in the middle of the stage, and a (somehow sexy) pip organ. She really sets the stage for this revers phantom of the opera with a sex dungeon and a murder mystery to solve.
This book is hot, and not just cause its set in the desert in the summer. Christof and Erika, set the damn electronic pages on fire, with this slow burn. But Jen delivers, even if there were a few spicer scenes left out. (Jen I want that pegging scene)
This book is very different and from “The Astronaut and the Star” and yet easily recognizable as a Jen Comfort book, and I loved every weirdo, goth chic, drama filled page of it!
February 19, 2023
Midnight Duet is a gender-bent, modern day, The Phantom of the Opera retelling filled with musical theater and rockstar vibes!
The story kicks off with Erika, a Broadway darling with diva attitude, leaving behind NYC. After a stage accident leaves her face scarred and some costar drama (of her own making), Erika flees to Nevada to try and save the Paris (Nevada) Opera House. The opera house, and brothel, had been in her family for over a century and she’s determined to save it from its debt. When Christof, rock god, and his German hair metal band show up wanting to rent the place out, she allows them to stay (illegally). Christof and Erika feel pulled to one another from the start, but he has a secret: the band’s keyboardist dumped him recently and he wants to keep it under wraps from the rest of the band. So Erika becomes his voice coach and offers up midnight voice lessons. Along the way they become closer, while also working through their own issues.
I did want a bit more of emotional connection or something with the couple. I wasn’t sold on them as much as I hoped to be. The storytelling might have been a bit too quirky/bonkers/romcom for me.
Read if you enjoy: a grumpy diva heroine, The Phantom of the Opera gender-bent modern day retelling, musical theater, a rockstar hero from a German hair metal band, midnight voice lessons, big egos, family dynamics with his brother and band, secrets, trying to save an opera house and former brothel, quirky characters!
Thank you so much to Wunderkind PR for the gifted copy! You can check out Midnight Duet on Kindle Unlimited currently with the read and listen feature!
The story kicks off with Erika, a Broadway darling with diva attitude, leaving behind NYC. After a stage accident leaves her face scarred and some costar drama (of her own making), Erika flees to Nevada to try and save the Paris (Nevada) Opera House. The opera house, and brothel, had been in her family for over a century and she’s determined to save it from its debt. When Christof, rock god, and his German hair metal band show up wanting to rent the place out, she allows them to stay (illegally). Christof and Erika feel pulled to one another from the start, but he has a secret: the band’s keyboardist dumped him recently and he wants to keep it under wraps from the rest of the band. So Erika becomes his voice coach and offers up midnight voice lessons. Along the way they become closer, while also working through their own issues.
I did want a bit more of emotional connection or something with the couple. I wasn’t sold on them as much as I hoped to be. The storytelling might have been a bit too quirky/bonkers/romcom for me.
Read if you enjoy: a grumpy diva heroine, The Phantom of the Opera gender-bent modern day retelling, musical theater, a rockstar hero from a German hair metal band, midnight voice lessons, big egos, family dynamics with his brother and band, secrets, trying to save an opera house and former brothel, quirky characters!
Thank you so much to Wunderkind PR for the gifted copy! You can check out Midnight Duet on Kindle Unlimited currently with the read and listen feature!
March 18, 2023
As a work of adaptation, this book is a marvel. Genuinely, every bit of the Phantom reimagining filled me with delight. However, as I said in my book club discussion, this is a book that rise and falls on how well the humor works for you and this humor did not land for me at all. It just felt like it was aggressively trying too hard all the time and I could have used a bit more subtlety. (Again, as an adaptation choice I TOTALLY get it, Phantom is not subtle.) I'd be willing to try the author again for sure, but this one was not for me.
August 26, 2023
Weird but HOT, in the best way. I could never adequately picture Christof in my head, but it didn’t matter because that closet scene? *fans self* So hot! And such fun characters with an interesting premise. Can’t wait to see what this author cooks up next!
January 9, 2023
Review originally posted on Overflowing Shelf
Rating: 4.5 stars (rounded up)
CW: injury/disfigurement; fire; minor slut shaming & infidelity (not with main couple)
Things I didn’t know I needed in my life – a modern-day, gender-bent retelling of The Phantom of the Opera. But now, I cannot imagine not having this book in my life. Midnight Duet is pure campy goodness. It leans into the bonkers but doesn’t take itself too seriously, so the story works perfectly. I’m a huge musical theater nerd, and I was DYING at all the musical references. It was perfection! Also, I never expected to cry over some rats (yes, rats), yet this book made me do that.
After suffering a tragic stage accident that leaves her scarred, Broadway diva Erika Greene leaves New York City behind and moves to Paris, Nevada, to restore the Paris Opera House (and its brothel) she inherited. However, the Paris Opera House needs a lot of TLC and is on the brink of bankrupting Erika. With the hot-shot real estate developer Raoul Decomte breathing down her neck to acquire the land the opera house is on, Erika is desperate, so she leases the place out to the German hair metal band Nachtmusik. Glam rock god, Christof Daae, band manager and lead singer of Nachtmusik who knows how to rock some gold pants, is determined to make Nachtmusik into international superstars…as long as he can keep it under wraps that he broke up with their keyboardist and doesn’t know if she’ll return to the band. When Erika realizes Christof’s predicament (and also sees he’s potentially damaging his vocal cords), she offers to help him for a price. Their nighttime music sessions led to something more, but will their relationship survive in the spotlight?
While I’ve never read the original Phantom of the Opera, I know every word of the musical by heart. I loved how Jen Comfort took a familiar story and put her own spin on it. The story was both familiar and new at the same time. I loved all the nods to the musical, plus Comfort wove in plenty of other fun musical theater references (my favorite is Javert and Jean, Erika’s two rat companions). The plotting and pacing of the story were spot on, and I found myself devouring this book. I also adored Comfort’s writing style – it fits this story so well! It was very tongue-in-cheek, and I giggled with glee multiple times over a perfect theater reference or funny line.
I adored all the characters in this book – and boy, do we have a colorful cast of them! I loved all the kooky members of Nachmusick so much. Seriously who would have guessed hair metal and musical theater would work so perfectly together? I still get a dopey smile on my face every time I see the names Erika Greene and Christof Daae – such good nods to the OG characters. Also, I love that Raoul is a villain (I’ve always been team Phantom and hate Raoul).
Comfort did a great job making us see how much of a diva and self-destructive person Erika was before her accident in one chapter. I enjoyed her character growth and watching her fight to save the Paris Opera House however she could. She ends up stepping outside her comfort zone with the Nachtmusik crew, and Christof and the band have a good influence on her. I loved that she acknowledged that she was a terrible person before and didn’t make excuses for it. By the end, she’s a much happier and better person. Christof was a treat. This man was so type-A, and I could relate hard. He’s so focused on his goals and the band’s success that he sometimes makes poor choices and forgets to have FUN. But when he lets loose, he lets LOOSE.
When Erika and Christof are together, they seem more relaxed and carefree. They bring out the best in each other. While they initially start off attracted to each other and have white-hot chemistry, I enjoyed watching their relationship develop beyond attraction to love, even if they both struggled a bit to put their actual feelings into words. The romance in this was incredibly sexy (hello, sexy solo session and that closet scene!) yet incredibly sweet – it’s the perfect blend of both. And Comfort also knows how to twist a knife into the feelings with romance, my favorite kind of thing.
If this book wasn’t on your radar yet, put it there now! It was such a delightfully bonkers romance that theater fans will eat right up! I had such a blast while reading it and cannot wait to revisit it. This was my first book by Jen Comfort, but it won’t be my last! I will definitely be checking out more of her work soon!
Thank you to Wunderkind PR for the free ARC. All thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Rating: 4.5 stars (rounded up)
CW: injury/disfigurement; fire; minor slut shaming & infidelity (not with main couple)
Things I didn’t know I needed in my life – a modern-day, gender-bent retelling of The Phantom of the Opera. But now, I cannot imagine not having this book in my life. Midnight Duet is pure campy goodness. It leans into the bonkers but doesn’t take itself too seriously, so the story works perfectly. I’m a huge musical theater nerd, and I was DYING at all the musical references. It was perfection! Also, I never expected to cry over some rats (yes, rats), yet this book made me do that.
After suffering a tragic stage accident that leaves her scarred, Broadway diva Erika Greene leaves New York City behind and moves to Paris, Nevada, to restore the Paris Opera House (and its brothel) she inherited. However, the Paris Opera House needs a lot of TLC and is on the brink of bankrupting Erika. With the hot-shot real estate developer Raoul Decomte breathing down her neck to acquire the land the opera house is on, Erika is desperate, so she leases the place out to the German hair metal band Nachtmusik. Glam rock god, Christof Daae, band manager and lead singer of Nachtmusik who knows how to rock some gold pants, is determined to make Nachtmusik into international superstars…as long as he can keep it under wraps that he broke up with their keyboardist and doesn’t know if she’ll return to the band. When Erika realizes Christof’s predicament (and also sees he’s potentially damaging his vocal cords), she offers to help him for a price. Their nighttime music sessions led to something more, but will their relationship survive in the spotlight?
While I’ve never read the original Phantom of the Opera, I know every word of the musical by heart. I loved how Jen Comfort took a familiar story and put her own spin on it. The story was both familiar and new at the same time. I loved all the nods to the musical, plus Comfort wove in plenty of other fun musical theater references (my favorite is Javert and Jean, Erika’s two rat companions). The plotting and pacing of the story were spot on, and I found myself devouring this book. I also adored Comfort’s writing style – it fits this story so well! It was very tongue-in-cheek, and I giggled with glee multiple times over a perfect theater reference or funny line.
I adored all the characters in this book – and boy, do we have a colorful cast of them! I loved all the kooky members of Nachmusick so much. Seriously who would have guessed hair metal and musical theater would work so perfectly together? I still get a dopey smile on my face every time I see the names Erika Greene and Christof Daae – such good nods to the OG characters. Also, I love that Raoul is a villain (I’ve always been team Phantom and hate Raoul).
Comfort did a great job making us see how much of a diva and self-destructive person Erika was before her accident in one chapter. I enjoyed her character growth and watching her fight to save the Paris Opera House however she could. She ends up stepping outside her comfort zone with the Nachtmusik crew, and Christof and the band have a good influence on her. I loved that she acknowledged that she was a terrible person before and didn’t make excuses for it. By the end, she’s a much happier and better person. Christof was a treat. This man was so type-A, and I could relate hard. He’s so focused on his goals and the band’s success that he sometimes makes poor choices and forgets to have FUN. But when he lets loose, he lets LOOSE.
When Erika and Christof are together, they seem more relaxed and carefree. They bring out the best in each other. While they initially start off attracted to each other and have white-hot chemistry, I enjoyed watching their relationship develop beyond attraction to love, even if they both struggled a bit to put their actual feelings into words. The romance in this was incredibly sexy (hello, sexy solo session and that closet scene!) yet incredibly sweet – it’s the perfect blend of both. And Comfort also knows how to twist a knife into the feelings with romance, my favorite kind of thing.
If this book wasn’t on your radar yet, put it there now! It was such a delightfully bonkers romance that theater fans will eat right up! I had such a blast while reading it and cannot wait to revisit it. This was my first book by Jen Comfort, but it won’t be my last! I will definitely be checking out more of her work soon!
Thank you to Wunderkind PR for the free ARC. All thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 2, 2023
I really wanted to love this one after seeing rave reviews from a few friends, but sadly it never quite clicked for me. I think it was meant to be bonkers in the best way, but it ended up being too much. The cast of characters were fun and over the top (especially Christoff's sister), but the instalove between Erika and Christoff was a lot and I was never fully sold on their connection. I did love all of the Phantom of the Opera nods and parallels, so kudos to the author for working those in so wonderfully. The book was also deliciously steamy and that pseudo-mutual masturbation scene was an unexpected treat.
I listened and read the ebook and I do feel that my enjoyment of the story was diminished because of my dislike of the male narrator's German accent. Hunter Millbrook's performance was otherwise great, but every time he voiced Christoff (or the other members of the band) I was taken out of the story. Meg Sylvan was wonderful as Erika though and I enjoyed her POV chapters a lot more.
Audiobook Review
Overall 3 stars
Performance 3 stars
Story 3 stars
CW: fire, disfiguring injury, grief, anxiety, financial insecurity, FMC previously had sex with married/men in relationships
I listened and read the ebook and I do feel that my enjoyment of the story was diminished because of my dislike of the male narrator's German accent. Hunter Millbrook's performance was otherwise great, but every time he voiced Christoff (or the other members of the band) I was taken out of the story. Meg Sylvan was wonderful as Erika though and I enjoyed her POV chapters a lot more.
Audiobook Review
Overall 3 stars
Performance 3 stars
Story 3 stars
CW: fire, disfiguring injury, grief, anxiety, financial insecurity, FMC previously had sex with married/men in relationships
October 16, 2022
Genre: contemporary romance, Phantom of the Opera retelling
Erika Greene is a rising star on Broadway - she’s even been nominated for a Tony for her role as Fantine in Les Mis - until a terrible accident disfigures her face and sends her fleeing New York for a new life in Paris, Nevada. Now, the owner of an early 19th century theater and brothel in need of some major repairs and deep in debt, Erika takes a gamble on hosting Nachtmusik, a German hair metal in need of a location to write their first English language album. Frontman Christof Daae, in his low slung leather pants, long hair, and devastating sex appeal is desperate for more success, but is also desperate to keep the secret from his bandmates that Gillian, his longtime girlfriend and band’s keyboardist and backup vocalist has left them. But Erika unlocks something in Christof, and suddenly all of the reasons they shouldn’t embark on a torrid affair seem pale in comparison to passion and fame.
Midnight Duet is the Phantom of the Opera retelling I didn’t know I needed. Equal parts campy, heartfelt, and incredibly sexy. @plottrysts coming through, as always, with the perfect recommendation for a good time. I cannot count the number of times I laughed out loud while reading this. Look, Erika keeps two rats in her bedroom - the basement/sex dungeon of the old brothel - that she’s named Javert and Jean. There is one very clever This is Spinal Tap reference (kudos to Comfort for resisting the urge to use too many of those references, because it can’t have been easy!) and nods to both Broadway and metal culture throughout.
Don’t mistake the campiness and humor in this book for covering up for lack of character development or plot. Jen Comfort has taken familiar characters from Phantom of the Opera and blended them expertly with Broadway Diva and Metal Band Frontman. Each secondary characters is equally well-developed: Sibylle in particular was A Trip and I loved the sass of the baby sister and bassist who holds midnight seances, and the shrug-it-off rockstar behaviors of Waldo and Sergei gave me the impression of a real band. As for plot, there are both overtures and subtle nods to the original Phantom, which I always appreciate in a retelling.
Comfort also knows how to bring the heat. I always appreciate intimate scenes that progress characters and move plot alongside making me sweat a little. From what might be one of the hottest solo voyeur solo scenes I’ve read - a recent trend in my books, so this is saying something - to blazingly hot passionate encounters, I was impressed with the tension and release Midnight Duet provided.
While I’m rarely a fan of rockstar tropes, I am absolutely the target audience of this book thanks to a decades-long metal obsession. This blend of Broadway musicals and German hair metal as a retelling of Phantom of the Opera is hysterical and sexy and has me daydreaming of metalheads with long hair and eyeliner.
Thank you to Montlake Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of Midnight Duet. It’s coming your way 1/10/23.
Erika Greene is a rising star on Broadway - she’s even been nominated for a Tony for her role as Fantine in Les Mis - until a terrible accident disfigures her face and sends her fleeing New York for a new life in Paris, Nevada. Now, the owner of an early 19th century theater and brothel in need of some major repairs and deep in debt, Erika takes a gamble on hosting Nachtmusik, a German hair metal in need of a location to write their first English language album. Frontman Christof Daae, in his low slung leather pants, long hair, and devastating sex appeal is desperate for more success, but is also desperate to keep the secret from his bandmates that Gillian, his longtime girlfriend and band’s keyboardist and backup vocalist has left them. But Erika unlocks something in Christof, and suddenly all of the reasons they shouldn’t embark on a torrid affair seem pale in comparison to passion and fame.
Midnight Duet is the Phantom of the Opera retelling I didn’t know I needed. Equal parts campy, heartfelt, and incredibly sexy. @plottrysts coming through, as always, with the perfect recommendation for a good time. I cannot count the number of times I laughed out loud while reading this. Look, Erika keeps two rats in her bedroom - the basement/sex dungeon of the old brothel - that she’s named Javert and Jean. There is one very clever This is Spinal Tap reference (kudos to Comfort for resisting the urge to use too many of those references, because it can’t have been easy!) and nods to both Broadway and metal culture throughout.
Don’t mistake the campiness and humor in this book for covering up for lack of character development or plot. Jen Comfort has taken familiar characters from Phantom of the Opera and blended them expertly with Broadway Diva and Metal Band Frontman. Each secondary characters is equally well-developed: Sibylle in particular was A Trip and I loved the sass of the baby sister and bassist who holds midnight seances, and the shrug-it-off rockstar behaviors of Waldo and Sergei gave me the impression of a real band. As for plot, there are both overtures and subtle nods to the original Phantom, which I always appreciate in a retelling.
Comfort also knows how to bring the heat. I always appreciate intimate scenes that progress characters and move plot alongside making me sweat a little. From what might be one of the hottest solo voyeur solo scenes I’ve read - a recent trend in my books, so this is saying something - to blazingly hot passionate encounters, I was impressed with the tension and release Midnight Duet provided.
While I’m rarely a fan of rockstar tropes, I am absolutely the target audience of this book thanks to a decades-long metal obsession. This blend of Broadway musicals and German hair metal as a retelling of Phantom of the Opera is hysterical and sexy and has me daydreaming of metalheads with long hair and eyeliner.
Thank you to Montlake Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of Midnight Duet. It’s coming your way 1/10/23.
April 4, 2023
Book 7 of 2023: 4.5 Stars Rounded Up
"The ultimate success was simply to be known and loved without condition."
Let me start by saying that the theater nerd in me loved every over-the-top bit of this gender-flipped Phantom of the Opera-inspired romance!
I laughed. I swooned. I immediately rewatched the 2004 film. I was there for all of it.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Jen Comfort's "voice calls to me and speaks my name." 😉
If you're looking for a steamy, music-infused read with all the nods to Broadway, pick this one up for my sake. It's a fast fun read that features the most delightful found family and one I'll definitely be thinking of fondly.
Thank you to Montlake for sending me an earc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
"The ultimate success was simply to be known and loved without condition."
Let me start by saying that the theater nerd in me loved every over-the-top bit of this gender-flipped Phantom of the Opera-inspired romance!
I laughed. I swooned. I immediately rewatched the 2004 film. I was there for all of it.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Jen Comfort's "voice calls to me and speaks my name." 😉
If you're looking for a steamy, music-infused read with all the nods to Broadway, pick this one up for my sake. It's a fast fun read that features the most delightful found family and one I'll definitely be thinking of fondly.
Thank you to Montlake for sending me an earc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2023
I really, really enjoyed this dual POV, forced proximity romance between Erika, a scarred former broadway star and Christof, the head of a German hair band trying to make it big in the States.
When Christof rents out Erika's falling down theatre to rehearse for their next album, the two quickly find sparks flying with an undeniable chemistry. Things get complicated though after a trip to Vegas and the return of the band's former keyboardist (and Christof's ex).
I thought this was such a fun and unique premise, perfect for fans of books like Thank you for listening by Julia Whalen. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy. I listened to an audio copy and really enjoyed the narration by Meg Sylvan and Hunter Millbrook. Jen Comfort was a new to me author and I'm excited to read her backlist!
When Christof rents out Erika's falling down theatre to rehearse for their next album, the two quickly find sparks flying with an undeniable chemistry. Things get complicated though after a trip to Vegas and the return of the band's former keyboardist (and Christof's ex).
I thought this was such a fun and unique premise, perfect for fans of books like Thank you for listening by Julia Whalen. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy. I listened to an audio copy and really enjoyed the narration by Meg Sylvan and Hunter Millbrook. Jen Comfort was a new to me author and I'm excited to read her backlist!
April 12, 2023
As a total sucker for any and all phantom of the opera retellings, I was really excited for this one! Definitely enjoyed all the covert (and overt…ure) references and was pleasantly surprised by the spice level 😮💨
March 16, 2023
This just made me smile so much and giggle like crazy. I loved it so much. Obsessed with Erika and Christof. For me the perfect mix of angst, humor, warm fuzzies, swoon, and sexiness (though a certain scene with microphone statue should’ve made it in final copy).
September 4, 2024
Silly lil book about a former broadway star/goth queen who has insta lust for a German glam-rockstar. Was a good time.
November 7, 2023
My friend Nicole raved about this book. Then on the very last day of the Steamy Lit, I saw several trusted friends carrying it around raving about it. So at the last few minutes, I ran up to Jen C's table and bought a copy of her book. I am so glad that I did.
Midnight Duet is a gender swapped Phantom of the Opera retelling. Yes. I said it. Phantom. She is egotistical and a little delusional, but in a way that just makes us love her more. When she accepts a contract from a German hair band to rent her almost condemned opera house for their rehearsals, she thinks she's getting money, not a chance at love.
This book is filled with steam and humor and super fun side characters. It's a found family story, a love story, a story of growth both for her and for the other characters. It was just so much fun. I am really into a quirky and original romance and this is just what I needed.
Midnight Duet is a gender swapped Phantom of the Opera retelling. Yes. I said it. Phantom. She is egotistical and a little delusional, but in a way that just makes us love her more. When she accepts a contract from a German hair band to rent her almost condemned opera house for their rehearsals, she thinks she's getting money, not a chance at love.
This book is filled with steam and humor and super fun side characters. It's a found family story, a love story, a story of growth both for her and for the other characters. It was just so much fun. I am really into a quirky and original romance and this is just what I needed.
October 5, 2022
This book is WILD and yet as a retired theatre kid, this made my melodramatic heart so happy.
Somehow this author managed to combine two of my favorite things, theatre and 80’s hair metal, into a magnificent romp through Nevada.
This book puts its own gender swapped spin on the Phantom of the Opera, and I almost lost my mind when I saw the name Christof Daee. I appreciated the sprinkles of drama, especially from Erika and absolutely loved that Christof is a rock god who also loves a good excel sheet.
This was a very fun reimagining of the epic tale that is The Phantom of the Opera and was an extremely quick read. I rated this one 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC I enjoyed every ridiculous moment of it.
This book drops on January 10th of 2023 and if you’re also a huge theatre geek who loves romance I would check this one out.
Somehow this author managed to combine two of my favorite things, theatre and 80’s hair metal, into a magnificent romp through Nevada.
This book puts its own gender swapped spin on the Phantom of the Opera, and I almost lost my mind when I saw the name Christof Daee. I appreciated the sprinkles of drama, especially from Erika and absolutely loved that Christof is a rock god who also loves a good excel sheet.
This was a very fun reimagining of the epic tale that is The Phantom of the Opera and was an extremely quick read. I rated this one 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC I enjoyed every ridiculous moment of it.
This book drops on January 10th of 2023 and if you’re also a huge theatre geek who loves romance I would check this one out.
December 2, 2022
It’s reasonable to expect that a gender swapped contemporary Phantom of the Opera is going to be bonkers. The genius of Jen Comfort is that her bonkers romance is both almost excessively over the top and extremely well thought out. I loved Comfort’s first book, The Astronaut and the Star, though it is not without it’s faults. Midnight Duet is an even better book and I love it even more. The story is tighter without sacrificing the roller coaster about to fly off the rails feel. It’s sweetly sensitive while also being a bonkers gender flipped contemporary Phantom of the Opera retelling. Comfort dedicated the book to the former theater kids, and yes, that is who it’s for – the adults who can surf big waves of emotion and ideas while also remembering to put sunscreen on first. Jen Comfort is not afraid to go big.
Broadway diva Erika Greene is injured in an onstage accident and is left with scars on her face. She leaves New York City for Opera House (former brothel) she inherited from her grandmother in Paris, Nevada. Christof Daae is the lead singer and manager of a German hair metal band looking for a place to write the English language album that’s going to take Nacht Musik from local sensation to international stars. Erika lies about the habitability of the opera house and rents it to the band for 5 weeks. Christof lies about why the band’s guitarist (and his now ex girlfriend) isn’t with them to write music. Erika is convinced she’s a terrible person who must now hide in the shadows of obscurity (drama!), and she’s also ok with herself exactly as she is. Christof is so tightly wound he vibrates. He is also the most glamorous man you’ve ever seen.
Naturally the lust is instantaneous.
There are secret voice lessons, a sex dungeon, attempts to commune with the spirits, real estate shenanigans, pet rats, secret passages, the Eurovision contest, magical mushroom operas, and a love story for the ages. The framing may be Phantom of the Opera, but it is so much more.
Jen Comfort posted this scene (on Twitter) which is not in the book, so I feel free to share it:
Text (on a purple background): Tonight, she was going to fuck Christof so thoroughly that she embedded herself in his soul. She wasn’t a mere entry in his spank bank; she was going to be his whole fucking economy. He was going to jolt awake at midnight three decades from now, covered in his own cum, with her name on his lips. He could sleep with every curvy, dark-haired woman in Europe and beyond to try and satiate the Erika-shaped craving in his psyche and it still wouldn’t be enough. On his deathbed, he’d grasp at the air, desperate for one last taste of her breasts that would never come, and with a final rattle of breath, he’d leave this mortal plane holding nothing…
Nothing but regret that he’d ever, ever dared to leave her.
If you haven’t read The Astronaut and the Star, you don’t need to for this book, but you should. And then get very excited about Midnight Duet and read it when it comes out in January.
CW: alcohol use, description of recovery in hospital, but no graphic description of accident or injury, infidelity (not between the MCs), financial instability, fire.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Montlake and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
Broadway diva Erika Greene is injured in an onstage accident and is left with scars on her face. She leaves New York City for Opera House (former brothel) she inherited from her grandmother in Paris, Nevada. Christof Daae is the lead singer and manager of a German hair metal band looking for a place to write the English language album that’s going to take Nacht Musik from local sensation to international stars. Erika lies about the habitability of the opera house and rents it to the band for 5 weeks. Christof lies about why the band’s guitarist (and his now ex girlfriend) isn’t with them to write music. Erika is convinced she’s a terrible person who must now hide in the shadows of obscurity (drama!), and she’s also ok with herself exactly as she is. Christof is so tightly wound he vibrates. He is also the most glamorous man you’ve ever seen.
Naturally the lust is instantaneous.
There are secret voice lessons, a sex dungeon, attempts to commune with the spirits, real estate shenanigans, pet rats, secret passages, the Eurovision contest, magical mushroom operas, and a love story for the ages. The framing may be Phantom of the Opera, but it is so much more.
Jen Comfort posted this scene (on Twitter) which is not in the book, so I feel free to share it:
Text (on a purple background): Tonight, she was going to fuck Christof so thoroughly that she embedded herself in his soul. She wasn’t a mere entry in his spank bank; she was going to be his whole fucking economy. He was going to jolt awake at midnight three decades from now, covered in his own cum, with her name on his lips. He could sleep with every curvy, dark-haired woman in Europe and beyond to try and satiate the Erika-shaped craving in his psyche and it still wouldn’t be enough. On his deathbed, he’d grasp at the air, desperate for one last taste of her breasts that would never come, and with a final rattle of breath, he’d leave this mortal plane holding nothing…
Nothing but regret that he’d ever, ever dared to leave her.
If you haven’t read The Astronaut and the Star, you don’t need to for this book, but you should. And then get very excited about Midnight Duet and read it when it comes out in January.
CW: alcohol use, description of recovery in hospital, but no graphic description of accident or injury, infidelity (not between the MCs), financial instability, fire.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Montlake and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
March 4, 2023
the dedication: this book is for the former theater kids, the unapologetic divas, the “more is more” crowd, and those who love for the melodrama-keep being your fabulous selves
the cover: interesting and tells a story- I especially love looking at a cover after I’ve finished a book and notice the significance of details
FMC: Erika- a former Broadway star who is stuck looking after a decrepit opera house/brothel after being left with a scarred face during an onstage accident. Seeing Christof stride through her doors looking for somewhere to write, rehearse, and live in her space there is an insta-lust that she can’t shake... no matter how much the bassist, Christof’s sister, reminds her that he has a long-term girlfriend who just happens to be their missing keyboardist. Will she be able to tamp down her lust long enough for them to finish their album?
MMC: Christof- a bossy German hairband lead singer/guitarist looking to live out the American dream in Paris, Vegas while writing his band’s newest album hoping to break into international success. Will he be able to hide that his long-term girlfriend broke up with him after their last show and hasn’t answered any calls or texts? Will his bossy nature come in handy when dealing with Erika? 😏
POV: 3rd person, dual perspective
HEA: yes
spice: there are several open-door spicy scenes that were 🥵🌶️
TWs: body dysmorphia, facial disfigurement, housefire
standalone?: yes but Jen Comfort I could definitely use more!!!
final thoughts: SO GOOD!!! This book was such a quick, fun book that had me fully invested. Full of musical references, German nicknames, a short road trip to Vegas (what could possibly go wrong there??), and plenty of antics that force Erika and Christof into compromising positions
read this book if you love
🫂 forced proximity
🎭 Phantom of the Opera-esque retelling
🎸 musician romance
👩 slight OW drama
🍩 cinnamon roll hero
🧑🤝👩 found family
the cover: interesting and tells a story- I especially love looking at a cover after I’ve finished a book and notice the significance of details
FMC: Erika- a former Broadway star who is stuck looking after a decrepit opera house/brothel after being left with a scarred face during an onstage accident. Seeing Christof stride through her doors looking for somewhere to write, rehearse, and live in her space there is an insta-lust that she can’t shake... no matter how much the bassist, Christof’s sister, reminds her that he has a long-term girlfriend who just happens to be their missing keyboardist. Will she be able to tamp down her lust long enough for them to finish their album?
MMC: Christof- a bossy German hairband lead singer/guitarist looking to live out the American dream in Paris, Vegas while writing his band’s newest album hoping to break into international success. Will he be able to hide that his long-term girlfriend broke up with him after their last show and hasn’t answered any calls or texts? Will his bossy nature come in handy when dealing with Erika? 😏
POV: 3rd person, dual perspective
HEA: yes
spice: there are several open-door spicy scenes that were 🥵🌶️
TWs: body dysmorphia, facial disfigurement, housefire
standalone?: yes but Jen Comfort I could definitely use more!!!
final thoughts: SO GOOD!!! This book was such a quick, fun book that had me fully invested. Full of musical references, German nicknames, a short road trip to Vegas (what could possibly go wrong there??), and plenty of antics that force Erika and Christof into compromising positions
read this book if you love
🫂 forced proximity
🎭 Phantom of the Opera-esque retelling
🎸 musician romance
👩 slight OW drama
🍩 cinnamon roll hero
🧑🤝👩 found family
February 16, 2023
This book had so many things that I love.
A gender-switched retelling of Phantom of the Opera? Check.
Realistically flawed characters? Check.
A German hair metal band? If it involves Christof Daae, then CHECK!
"Midnight Duet" is a really fun contemporary romance that doesn't take itself too seriously, but that doesn't mean there aren't important moments and quiet beats. Ericka and Christof's lives are both a bit ramshackle, despite their best efforts to hold it all together. When their completely opposite worlds merge, the two unexpectedly find themselves growing and rebuilding and rediscovering what they've lost.
This is one of those books that isn't overly complicated, which makes for an easy, enjoyable read. You can settle in with it and get lost in Comfort's flirty banter and chaotic characters, all of whom were fantastic.
As someone also fascinated by ghosts and the occult, I adored Sybille and would love for her to have her own spin-off book.
If you're looking for a chill, entertaining, and deliciously spicy read, then definitely get your hands on "Midnight Duet."
I was gifted a copy of this book from Wunderbooks and the author.
A gender-switched retelling of Phantom of the Opera? Check.
Realistically flawed characters? Check.
A German hair metal band? If it involves Christof Daae, then CHECK!
"Midnight Duet" is a really fun contemporary romance that doesn't take itself too seriously, but that doesn't mean there aren't important moments and quiet beats. Ericka and Christof's lives are both a bit ramshackle, despite their best efforts to hold it all together. When their completely opposite worlds merge, the two unexpectedly find themselves growing and rebuilding and rediscovering what they've lost.
This is one of those books that isn't overly complicated, which makes for an easy, enjoyable read. You can settle in with it and get lost in Comfort's flirty banter and chaotic characters, all of whom were fantastic.
As someone also fascinated by ghosts and the occult, I adored Sybille and would love for her to have her own spin-off book.
If you're looking for a chill, entertaining, and deliciously spicy read, then definitely get your hands on "Midnight Duet."
I was gifted a copy of this book from Wunderbooks and the author.
October 17, 2024
This was so fun and refreshing after so much meh romantasy. As a musical theatre nerd, this was delightful! Was it cheesy? Yea, but that’s what made it fun. Our MC’s played off each other so well and the author really knows how to build that tension between her characters. Even every side character was hilarious. For being side characters, all their little quirks were well thought out and consistent. While the book wrapped up quickly with the third act conflict, it wasn’t insufferable. If you need a palette cleanser or just something light, read this!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/💋💋💋/🌶️🌶️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/💋💋💋/🌶️🌶️
January 11, 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre/tropes: romance, opposites attract, redemption
Erika’s a former Broadway actress and diva who relocated to Nevada after a bad stage accident injured and scarred her, thereby ruining her career. She now runs her grandmother’s former opera house that she inherited. It’s a giant money pit so Erika rents out space on the premises to pay off bank loans coming due. A wildly successful German heavy metal band rents it for a few weeks while they work on their second album. This band of quirky personalities is led by Christof who’s stressed about creating new music, babysitting his bandmates, and hiding the truth from them that their keyboardist who’s also his girlfriend has quit the band. It’s all sorts of insta lust stuff when the classically trained diva and the screeching rock star meet. An attraction, connection, and alliance that neither expected forms.
Erika and Christof coming from very different worlds with music as their commonality made this very interesting. I liked that they were somehow able to see who the other was under all the pretense. Erika wasn’t the nicest in her previous life, and is living with the consequences. She’s been painstakingly reinventing herself into a better person. Christof sees her beauty, heart and intellect, and a steadiness that he hasn’t experienced yet. The stress of leading his band is almost breaking him. They tip toe around each other initially, though there’s a spicy scene at the beginning (so spicy I thought 𝘐 should leave the room!) until they finally give in and then 🔥 🔥 🔥
I liked the genuine mentorship and friendship that grew, and maybe it’s the setup but this romance felt a little different to me. I think Erika’s redemption arc got to me. The story was entertaining (the band brought the shenanigans), and I had no idea how things would turn out for everyone…It’s like a whirlwind of crazy coming together and I ate it up!
#QOTD ❓What type of music or artists do you like❓
Thanks to @netgalley & Montlake for my review copy. This is my honest review.
𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗗𝘂𝗲𝘁 is available now.
Genre/tropes: romance, opposites attract, redemption
Erika’s a former Broadway actress and diva who relocated to Nevada after a bad stage accident injured and scarred her, thereby ruining her career. She now runs her grandmother’s former opera house that she inherited. It’s a giant money pit so Erika rents out space on the premises to pay off bank loans coming due. A wildly successful German heavy metal band rents it for a few weeks while they work on their second album. This band of quirky personalities is led by Christof who’s stressed about creating new music, babysitting his bandmates, and hiding the truth from them that their keyboardist who’s also his girlfriend has quit the band. It’s all sorts of insta lust stuff when the classically trained diva and the screeching rock star meet. An attraction, connection, and alliance that neither expected forms.
Erika and Christof coming from very different worlds with music as their commonality made this very interesting. I liked that they were somehow able to see who the other was under all the pretense. Erika wasn’t the nicest in her previous life, and is living with the consequences. She’s been painstakingly reinventing herself into a better person. Christof sees her beauty, heart and intellect, and a steadiness that he hasn’t experienced yet. The stress of leading his band is almost breaking him. They tip toe around each other initially, though there’s a spicy scene at the beginning (so spicy I thought 𝘐 should leave the room!) until they finally give in and then 🔥 🔥 🔥
I liked the genuine mentorship and friendship that grew, and maybe it’s the setup but this romance felt a little different to me. I think Erika’s redemption arc got to me. The story was entertaining (the band brought the shenanigans), and I had no idea how things would turn out for everyone…It’s like a whirlwind of crazy coming together and I ate it up!
#QOTD ❓What type of music or artists do you like❓
Thanks to @netgalley & Montlake for my review copy. This is my honest review.
𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗗𝘂𝗲𝘁 is available now.
November 8, 2023
3.5 stars. This is quirky and crazy and zany and steamy and German power ballad singing bands are not something I’ve ever encountered before and it was really great.
January 11, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I so badly wanted to love this. And I tried to, I really did. Early signs were good. Disappointingly, this ended up being little more than "meh" for me.
I had read this author's debut recently and liked it well enough. I wanted to read Midnight Duet for a few reasons: 1) I liked enough about The Astronaut and the Star that I was excited to see how Comfort's writing matured in her second book; 2) she writes "unlikable" FMCs and those are my favorite; 3) I spent an embarrassing amount of time in my youth fighting with my friend over who got to slaughter the role of Christine in our living room productions of The Phantom of the Opera. I can't say this book did much on any of those counts. Am I being way too picky? Probably. Comfort's writing just doesn't work for me right now; it's much more plot than emotionality. The other thing that I've noticed in both books is that they're very instalust but don't do enough to convince me that the romance actually has more behind it than sexual chemistry.
Re: item #2, I just didn't think that Erika was all that bitchy. Yeah, she's a diva. Yeah, sleeping with her understudy's boyfriend is a pretty shitty move. But the most unlikable thing about her is how self-pitying she is. I guess I wanted her to be more angry and less "I'm a terrible human." I don't think she did anything to deserve her self-imposed exile, and her determination to atone for her sins clashed with how unrepentant she is about her talent and dramatic flair.
And item #3? Well, I knew I wasn't going to get a gothic, melodramatic romance. But other than the obvious parallels (so many character names referenced, midnight singing lessons, certain events at the end), I'm not walking away from Midnight Duet thinking about how it honors the inspiration. I wish the book had allowed itself to go more bonkers, even in a silly way. I mean, a former Broadway diva ends up in bumf*ck, Nevada trying to save a former brothel by becoming the voice coach and illegal landlady to a German hair metal frontman? It could have been a ridiculous good time but lacked the self-indulgent grandiosity I associate with both the original novel and the play.
Circling back to the romance itself, I've already mentioned that I found the love connection lacking. We don't see much intimacy between Erika and Christof other than the sexual kind. They mostly think about how hot they think the other one is. Which, important. But so is convincing me that these two people should be together to do more than just bang. I think the book could have stood to spend a little more time showing us the secret singing lessons and other encounters to develop their emotional connection. At times it felt like I was being told and not shown that they were falling in love with each other. I expect my investment in the characters and the romance to increase as the story goes but in this instance, after an intriguing start, my interest waned. The last few chapters then packed in all the melodramatic hijinks I wish had been consistent throughout the rest of the novel. These hijinks, in the vein of "now that I've faced death I've realized nothing is as important as you," felt disproportionately high stakes compared to everything that had happened until then. It irked me that Christof, in particular, was so willing to give up everything that had always been so important to him just to be with a woman he's known for two months. (Again, why? Because she's a fire tornado in the sack?) And then the sudden increase in pressure made the love confessions/commitment feel rushed and superficial.
All this to say, I must be becoming one of the most obnoxious, pickiest readers on the planet because this should have worked for me so much better than it did. I'm giving 3 stars because there's nothing objectively wrong about it, this author has just proven at this point to be not-for-Hannah. Sad face.
Content notes: accident causing injury and visible scarring, cheating, slut-shaming, fire resulting in building collapse, FMC struggles with significant financial debt, alcohol use/intoxication, gambling, open door sex scenes
I so badly wanted to love this. And I tried to, I really did. Early signs were good. Disappointingly, this ended up being little more than "meh" for me.
I had read this author's debut recently and liked it well enough. I wanted to read Midnight Duet for a few reasons: 1) I liked enough about The Astronaut and the Star that I was excited to see how Comfort's writing matured in her second book; 2) she writes "unlikable" FMCs and those are my favorite; 3) I spent an embarrassing amount of time in my youth fighting with my friend over who got to slaughter the role of Christine in our living room productions of The Phantom of the Opera. I can't say this book did much on any of those counts. Am I being way too picky? Probably. Comfort's writing just doesn't work for me right now; it's much more plot than emotionality. The other thing that I've noticed in both books is that they're very instalust but don't do enough to convince me that the romance actually has more behind it than sexual chemistry.
Re: item #2, I just didn't think that Erika was all that bitchy. Yeah, she's a diva. Yeah, sleeping with her understudy's boyfriend is a pretty shitty move. But the most unlikable thing about her is how self-pitying she is. I guess I wanted her to be more angry and less "I'm a terrible human." I don't think she did anything to deserve her self-imposed exile, and her determination to atone for her sins clashed with how unrepentant she is about her talent and dramatic flair.
And item #3? Well, I knew I wasn't going to get a gothic, melodramatic romance. But other than the obvious parallels (so many character names referenced, midnight singing lessons, certain events at the end), I'm not walking away from Midnight Duet thinking about how it honors the inspiration. I wish the book had allowed itself to go more bonkers, even in a silly way. I mean, a former Broadway diva ends up in bumf*ck, Nevada trying to save a former brothel by becoming the voice coach and illegal landlady to a German hair metal frontman? It could have been a ridiculous good time but lacked the self-indulgent grandiosity I associate with both the original novel and the play.
Circling back to the romance itself, I've already mentioned that I found the love connection lacking. We don't see much intimacy between Erika and Christof other than the sexual kind. They mostly think about how hot they think the other one is. Which, important. But so is convincing me that these two people should be together to do more than just bang. I think the book could have stood to spend a little more time showing us the secret singing lessons and other encounters to develop their emotional connection. At times it felt like I was being told and not shown that they were falling in love with each other. I expect my investment in the characters and the romance to increase as the story goes but in this instance, after an intriguing start, my interest waned. The last few chapters then packed in all the melodramatic hijinks I wish had been consistent throughout the rest of the novel. These hijinks, in the vein of "now that I've faced death I've realized nothing is as important as you," felt disproportionately high stakes compared to everything that had happened until then. It irked me that Christof, in particular, was so willing to give up everything that had always been so important to him just to be with a woman he's known for two months. (Again, why? Because she's a fire tornado in the sack?) And then the sudden increase in pressure made the love confessions/commitment feel rushed and superficial.
All this to say, I must be becoming one of the most obnoxious, pickiest readers on the planet because this should have worked for me so much better than it did. I'm giving 3 stars because there's nothing objectively wrong about it, this author has just proven at this point to be not-for-Hannah. Sad face.
Content notes: accident causing injury and visible scarring, cheating, slut-shaming, fire resulting in building collapse, FMC struggles with significant financial debt, alcohol use/intoxication, gambling, open door sex scenes
January 19, 2023
I was nowhere near prepared to love this book as much as I did--OMG! 😍
Picture this:
Gender-swapped rom-com retelling of Phantom of the Opera
with Moulin Rouge level theatrics and costumes
and a German hair metal band
and you get the masterpiece that is 'Midnight Duet'.
Erika Greene is a Broadway star who loses it all after a tragic accident, she runs to Paris, Nevada to take over the crumblingbrothel opera house she inherited. With her funds running desperately low, she rents the opera house out to Nachtmusik--a German hair metal band that hopes to reach international stardom after success in Europe.
This book had me absolutely laughing out loud and smiling like a total idiot. It's so over the top, and yet still completely self aware. It only made me love this story even more! And the writing is so clever! it really sucked me in... seriously I finished this book in less than 24hrs LOL! I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!
Erika starts off as very, very unlikeable...as in the absolute worst but I still rooted for her redemption arc and ugh what a lovely arc it was! 😍 And the drama? Calling her dramatic doesn't even begin to cover it, but it totally worked for me--she even has the floor length silk robe.
The pining?! And the spice?! 🔥 All I have to say is the organ & the costume closet. 👀 YALL I don't even have words this was so good! 🥵
If you're a fan of: Phantom of the Opera,sexy pirates guyliner & men in leather pants, found families forming from the most wildly chaotic friend group, adorably unconventional pets, the thrill of possibly getting caught in the act, & an unlikable heroine learning to love herself, then this book is totally for you
5/5⭐ 2/3🌶
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Picture this:
Gender-swapped rom-com retelling of Phantom of the Opera
with Moulin Rouge level theatrics and costumes
and a German hair metal band
and you get the masterpiece that is 'Midnight Duet'.
The way he sang it, German was a beautiful language. But not in a dewdrops-and-flowers sort of way; in a velvet-and-sin, pinned-to-the-wall-and-fucked-hard sort of way.
Erika Greene is a Broadway star who loses it all after a tragic accident, she runs to Paris, Nevada to take over the crumbling
Thanks to Cristof. Her knight in shining . . . gold pants.
This book had me absolutely laughing out loud and smiling like a total idiot. It's so over the top, and yet still completely self aware. It only made me love this story even more! And the writing is so clever! it really sucked me in... seriously I finished this book in less than 24hrs LOL! I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!
Erika starts off as very, very unlikeable...as in the absolute worst but I still rooted for her redemption arc and ugh what a lovely arc it was! 😍 And the drama? Calling her dramatic doesn't even begin to cover it, but it totally worked for me--she even has the floor length silk robe.
The pining?! And the spice?! 🔥 All I have to say is the organ & the costume closet. 👀 YALL I don't even have words this was so good! 🥵
If you're a fan of: Phantom of the Opera,
5/5⭐ 2/3🌶
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 16, 2023
I absolutely loved the story of The Phantom of the Opera as a kid. The music, the theatrics- It. Was. Everything! I was bummed it didn't have a Happy-Ever-After or even a Happy-For-Now ending, because it wasn't fair. Jen Comfort puts her own spin on the idea and turns it into something completely unexpected and entirely wonderful. It's a romance with comedic moments, characters who yearn for each other, intrigue, action, and so much more that just left me feeling happy when I finished. It's nothing like what I was expecting, but somehow exactly what I needed. It's an unforgettable story and cements my love for Jen Comfort's writing and storytelling. More please!
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