Book Review: Midnight Pleasures

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Midnight Pleasures     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Amanda Ashley , Sherrilyn Kenyon , Ronda Thompson , Maggie Shayne
Class/Genre:   Romance   Fantasy   Supernatural   [Short Stories]
St. Martin’s, Nov 2003, $6.99, 384 pp.

“Darkfest” by Amanda Ashley. Before the scribing of history, the Wizard Darkfest desires peasant Channa Leigh. He offers to save her dying mother’s life in exchange for Channa staying with him at his remote castle for a year. Channa will do anything for her beloved mother even living with the devil.

“Phantom Lover” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Erin McDaniels suffers from horrendous nightmares. Though her marketing report due-out fails to keep her awake, this time a champion V’Aidan challenges the serpent Krysti’Ana. V’Aidan and Erin make love, but when she awakens she realizes he resides in her dream realm.

“Under Her Spell” by Maggie Shayne. Alexander Quinn hired Wicca practitioner and UCLA alternate religious professor Dr. Melissa St. Cloud as a consultant on witchcraft set to bring reality to the film. However, the White Witch expert never expected to fall into the arms of the director nor have that lead them to a battle for their souls on the dark side.

“A Wulf’s Curse” by Ronda Thompson. In 1820 England, Elise Collins keeps reminding herself she is an adventurer running from her arranged marriage though the beasts in the caravans frighten her. Even scarier is how she feels about the Beast Tamer, Sterling Wulf, whom she just recently met yet feels like she loved forever. Sterling’s skills come from a special affinity with the animals and though he loves the newcomer, he keeps anything permanent from happening.

This quartet of supernatural romantic novellas contains strong tales that sub-genre fans will fully treasure due to the fervent lead protagonists enhanced by deep secondary characters.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner