Midnight Bride: A Novel (St. Leger)

I read romance novels like they are going out of style. At times I feel as if I have read it all. It seems at times as if all romance novels are just one great repeating book with different characters. However, Midnight Bride was a breath of fresh air. I found the plot to be new and exciting. I even began to feel compassion for the villian. I thought it was well written and delightful. Kate was unlike any heroine I have ever read. This was actually the first Susan Carroll book I have ever read but I plan on reading the first two books in the St. Leger saga. The third book didn't really give too much away on the other stories, I am sure I will enjoy the first two books just as much as I enjoyed the thrid.

Susan Carroll's Midnight Bride, the third in the St. Leger series, is absolutely awesome! Dr. Valentine St. Leger, younger twin son of Anatole and Madeline St. Leger (from The Bride Finder), is a doctor. As most all St. Legers, he has a gift that enables him to draw the pain of his patients into himself - draining at first, but after resting, he can then recover. Unfortunately, when he first used this gift to save his twin brother Lance's life, he wasn't able to control the gift and it left him with a crippled leg. Val is often referred to as Saint Valentine because of his unrelenting quest to serve those in pain and would never be or do anything that would inadvertently hurt another person.To Kate Fitzleger, adopted daughter of the St. Leger's bride finder; Val has been her hero, confidante, teacher and friend - the man she knows she will love for all time - no matter what her adopted mother, Effie Fitzleger, the `Bride Finder' says. She is determined that Val will be hers someday and will do anything to have it happen - including braving the old tower and the lair of the legendary ghost of Prospero St. Leger to find a `love spell' to cast over Val. Kate would not believe the warnings and would disregard the legends that promised an untimely death to women not chosen by the `Bride Finder'.Adding to this, enter an old enemy, Rafe Mortmain, whose sole purpose in returning to Cornwall, is to exact revenge upon Saint Valentine - whom he blames for all the bad things that have happened in his life, including the loss of the one true friend he ever thought he had - Val's twin brother Lance. At the moment the determined Kate is casting her love spell another supernatural and evil event is taking place. As a result, Val turns into a real dark and nasty person and lets his lust for Kate - who he once treated with the dignity of a lady - take over - releasing the `dark side' of his soul. Kate, delighted at first, by the change in the quiet and courteous Val, comes around to finally understanding that you can't force love but would this realization come too late to save the soul of her best friend. This book is a real page-turner with suspense filled action. Best-selling author Susan Carroll has created a magnificent series here that I hope will continue beyond this third book. The resident guardian ghost - Prospero - seems to play a much stronger role in this story only adding to the mystical feeling. Bravo Ms. Carroll you've created a most charming and wonderfully warm family of new `friends' for me!

I was thrilled to see this continuation of the St. Leger series; I have really enjoyed reading Susan Carroll's work. I also really love a good read about someone changing, especially one as straitlaced and reserved as "St. Val." It reminds me of the Star Trek (the real one, with Nimoy and Shatner) where Mr. Spock goes back in time and becomes a "cavemanish" Vulcan ... but that's another story. His twin, Lance, was passionate, so why not Val? Kate was hilarious, Effie was exactly the same as in the previous books, but I would've liked to see more of Anatole. Maybe in the next one?

In my opinion, this book was much better than The Night Drifter. The plot is original and unpredictable, the characters are well-developed so much so that you 'feel' with them, and the writing is great! It was nice to see Val finally be human and have a dark side. When I first saw that he was the hero, I almost didn't read it, but Carroll works magic with him in this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a really good book.

Ms. Carroll has written a wonderful sequel to THE BRIDE FINDER and THE NIGHT DRIFTER. Val St. Leger is a doctor who has the ability to absorb his patient's pain. He has been told by the Bride Finder that he will never have a bride. However, Val is feeling the St. Leger "need to wed" and wants Kate Fitzleger who is the adopted daughter of the Bride Finder. Kate wants Val, even if it means going against the tradition of the Bride Finder and its potential for tragedy. A shard of magic crystal and the return of a family enemy begins this interesting and exciting novel. As an avid reader, I constantly weigh the price against how badly (and how quickly) I want to read the novel. I wanted this one and paid the hard-back price. It was money well spent.