Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, #1)

by Lisa Kleypas

A woman of modest means meets a society man skilled in the art of seduction in this captivating novel from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas, the first title in the beloved regency romance series The Hathaways - perfect for fans of Sarah MacLean, Julia Quinn and Eloisa James.

'Lisa Kleypas is the best' Sarah MacLean

Their lives defy convention . . .

When an unexpected inheritance elevates her family to the ranks of the aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway discovers that tending to her younger sisters and wayward brother was easy compared to navigating the intricacies of the ton. Even more challenging: the attraction she feels for the tall, dark and dangerously handsome Cam Rohan.

Their desire consumes them both . . .

Wealthy beyond most men's dreams, Cam has tired of society's petty restrictions and longs to return to his 'uncivilized' Gypsy roots. When the delectable Amelia appeals to him for help, he intends to offer only friendship - but intentions are no match for the desire that blindsides them both. Can a man who spurns tradition be tempted into that most time-honoured arrangement: marriage? Life in London society is about to get a whole lot hotter . . .

'Kleypas can make you laugh and cry - on the same page' Julia Quinn

The Hathaways:
Mine Till Midnight
Seduce Me at Sunrise
Tempt Me at Twilight
Married by Morning
Love in the Afternoon

Praise for Lisa Kleypas:

'Lushly sexy and thoroughly romantic . . . superbly crafted characters and an intriguing plot blend together brilliantly in this splendid romance' Booklist

'Intricately and elegantly crafted, intensely romantic . . . from a not-to-be-missed romance author' Kirkus Reviews

'Witty, often hilarious, and delightfully passionate' Library Journal, starred review

'Readers are introduced to the unforgettable characters and their original personalities through a delightful storyline peppered with sharp repartee and steamy sensuality' RT Book Reviews (top pick)

'An unforgettable story peopled with remarkable characters and a depth of emotion that will leave you breathless' Romantic Times BOOKreviews

'Is it possible to give a book 6 stars? . . . [This] story has all of the forbidden romance, witty banter, and sigh-inducing declarations of love that you deserve' That's Normal

• ISBN10: 0748123385
• ISBN13: 9780748123384
• Publish Date: 2 September 2010 (first published 2 October 2007)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
• Imprint: Piatkus Books
• Edition: Digital original
• Format: eBook (EPUB)
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

Proceed With Caution:

This book contains mentions of death, grief, attempted suicide, racism, and bees.

The Basics:

Mine Till Midnight is the tale of Cam Rohan, a half-Irish half-Romany man with exceedingly good luck with money, and Amelia Hathaway, whose family seems to be cursed at every turn. The two become neighbors and of course fall in love over a course of unfortunate events.

My Thoughts:

I'm very disappointed in Mine Till Midnight. It's been on my radar for a decade and I'm just now getting to it. Perhaps I would have liked it more back then or maybe not, since it does have some major flaws that are hard to overlook. It's not all bad though. I actually enjoyed everything except for Cam and Amelia, which actually is a bad thing since this is suppose to be their romance.

Mine Till Midnight got off on the wrong track when it spends several pages describing the Romany men as uncivilized, wild, exotic, barbaric, hedonistic, etc. Like...okay, we get it, they're not like you! But don't worry, the Hathaways don't think of them this way. It's just society! I still could have done without all of that. And it's repeated throughout the book, and we're always gently reminded that Amelia and her siblings don't think this way. Whatever.

The romance was just unpleasant. There's no chemistry between Cam and Amelia. He just decided one day that he wants her and he kisses her and disappears. Then they sleep together once, and he essentially tricks her into saying she'll marry him despite her saying she doesn't wish to wed. From there he continues to be overbearing and ignores her saying no repeatedly. But of course she's not really saying no. She's just saying no to the circumstances not to the act! Whatever. No. And it doesn't help that there are zero descriptions of her having pleasure, just him. Gross.

I did enjoy the side characters in Mine Till Midnight. I'm excited to get Win and Kev's story next, although I do hope it's not riddled with more racism toward the Roma. Beatrix is probably my favorite of the siblings since she's struggling with a particular problem that I've never read about before!

[nitzan_schwarz]

JUST POSTED ON MY BLOG :)

Lisa Kleypas is one of those authors that has been on my radar for years, as some of my favorite bloggers hail her name to the stars. But at the same time, I never seemed to quite get there. Until a bundle edition of all her Hathaways novels went on kindle sale.

Feeling in need of a good historical, I opened the bundle very shortly after buying it and embarked on Mine Till Midnight. I was almost immediately pleasantly surprised. For one, Amelia Hathaway is a strong minded young woman who is not in search of a man to complete her. Her voice is clear and clever and at times delightfully dry and snarky.

Then there's our hero, Cam Rohan. He's a Gypsy. Yes, you read that right. This is the first time I've ever encountered this type of character in a historical, which was really fun. The cultural aspect of being a Rom was fascinating, and the promise of farther exploring the Roma roots in the next novels a cause for celebration.

But that's not what won me over, but rather Cam himself. Here is a man who knows what he wants, and will not accept any other outcome. A man who always seems to be hiding a smile. Who knows how to handle himself and will do everything for the one he loves. Even if it means dealing with the unruly lot that is the Hathaways.

Then there was the romance between these two. It was the type that made me want to sigh in pleasure and say"this is how it should always be done". Because what we just witnessed is two people falling in love. No unnecessary and excessive drama. Little angst. Because at the end of the day, these two fell in love and everything else is a minor detail.

Just how I like it!

A surprising little twist to everything was the fantastical elements in this novel. I'm used to historicals never straying from the realm of reality, so the appearance of those touches was surprising. Not in a bad way, though.

And finally, Mine Till Midnight did a wonderful job setting up for the next novels. We have one future couple all ready for us to explore, and one character journey we can look forward to traveling. I know I am look forwards to both!

[wyvernfriend]

We meet Amelia Hathaway hunting with a family friend, Merripen, for her brother Leo who, after his fiance's death, has thrown himself at drink and drugs. During the hunt she happens on Cam Rohan, a half-gypsy, who intrigues her. He also finds himself attracted to her and over the next few months finds himself becoming more and more attracted. His heritage may stand in the way of their relationship though.

There were bits that wrankled in the story and occasionally I wondered if the independent minded Amelia was going to have a good relationship with Cam without losing a lot of her character, still a fun read.