Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, Book 1)

Amelia Hathaway has been the caretaker of the family since both of her parents died. Having three sisters and one brother, Amelia always has her hands full. When her brother, Leo, unexpectedly inherits the Ramsay title, Amelia now has to worry about her brother. When her brother disappears (again), Amelia receives help from Cam Rohan. An intriguing Gypsy, Cam helped Amelia find Leo and sends her off with a kiss she won't soon forget. As she packs up her family for a move to the country, Amelia knows she'll never see Cam again. Cam Rohan wants nothing more than to live the life of a roaming Gypsy. Feeling stifled for years, Cam is ready to give up his job as manager of Jenner's and live the life he knows he's suited for. Meeting Amelia derails his plans some. Believing that once you find the woman you love that you can never let her go, Cam sets out to have Amelia for his own. Mine Till Midnight was a satisfying conclusion for the character we first meet in The Devil in Winter. Though I briefly thought he would end up with Daisy (4th Wallflower book), I thought he was much more suited to Amelia. Having two characters that are so alike was fascinating to read about. Cam is as independent as they come while Amelia has been taking care of her family for years with no interference. Suddenly Amelia has Cam trying to take over what she sees as her duty. Submitting to Cam while staying true to herself is a real battle for Amelia. Kleypas fans will really enjoy this newest historical.

I won't try for a synopsis since others have done it so well, but I just wanted to give my opinion on this masterpiece. Make no mistake, Lisa Klepas is a top notch writer and every book she's written is eminently readable. That said, every book is not created equal and her last series of books, while very good, were not 'great' like her earlier ones were. I'm not sure why. The heroes were missing something. Weak plots. The stars didn't align right. I dunno. But here she comes back swinging, with a great plot, fantastic hero and heroine and she even manages to do it while letting us see how some of my very favorite past characters are doing now AND introducing new characters that I'm dying to know more about. She has left me frothing with anticpation for the next book. For me, the mark of a great book is when, after I've finished reading it at a breakneck pace, I put it down, get something to eat and pick it up again to re-read at a more leisurely pace. This one fits that bill. And it's even better when you are not missing parts of it by gulping it down so fast. ;) I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did.

I, too, have anxiously waited for Mine Till Midnight to be released. And I certainly snatched up a copy as soon as it came out, and read it within 3 days. The plot line had intrigue and mystery, which made the book a page turner. But of course, the romance is what won me over. Cam Rohan is the ultimate hero. He's mysterious, handsome, a little rebellious, confident, and comes to the rescue everytime. I loved the fact he knew what he wanted and went after it, without being some over the top alpha male. I definitely like the heroine, Amelia Hathaway. She was headstrong and responsible, without being annoying or self-righteous. I agree with another reviewer that she was a sort of "supermom", sacrificing herself for the sake of the family, not giving a second thought to her own needs or wants. Cam and Amelia balance each other out perfectly. They both gained the freedom that they were looking for by being with each other. And an added bonus to the book was the reappearance of two of my other favorite Kleypas heroes, Westcliff and St. Vincent. It was good to read about Westcliff still being the responsible earl and loving husband. And whenever there was a scene with St Vincent...well...I just had a silly grin on my face. The only thing I had a gripe about was, why wasn't there an epilogue?

Living on the fringes of society has never much bothered half-Gypsy half-Irish Cam Rohan. Until now. An unsettling feeling has slowly begun to take root over the past few years. He no longer enjoys things that once brought him pleasure. Instead he's bombarded with uncivilized urges, is easily provoked and short-tempered. The walls are closing in all around him. There's a fierce need in him to go back to his roots. To live in the open uninhibited ways of the Romany. To be free. Amelia Hathaway bursts into his life making no apologies. She's a shabby gentlewoman whose the glue that holds together her quirky/misfit family. Someone who time and again takes up the reins and shoulders all the responsibility. A woman in need of rescue herself. One too afraid to rely on anyone. Their paths cross constantly. Is it fate or balderdash? Whose to say what the future holds? Who needs to be rescued or shackled or set free? Or maybe a little of all the above? I've been anxiously waiting for this book and I'm happy to say that I'm not disappointed. Cam is everything that I wanted him to be; a slightly roguish hero with a heart of gold. Amelia is the near historical equivalent of a super mom (with a brother and sisters instead of kids). She (practically) singlehandedly manages everyone and everything. An exhausting prospect. Both are restless and searching for peace that continues to elude them. That is, until they find each other. Kleypas rounds out the book with a cast of delightful secondary characters. There's the old ones who make an appearance (Marcus, Lillian, Sebastian and Evie) and new ones that captured my attention and nearly stole the show. Amelia's sister Win and her relationship with Merripen (the Romany who has lived with them since he was twelve) is particularly intriguing. I can't wait for that sequel. As well as Amelia's depressed, dissolute brother whose reasons for being such tugged at this reader's heartstrings. It almost goes without saying that Kleypas is superb romance author. You'll find well drawn characters, sizzling sexual tension and engrossing plots in almost all of her books. This one is no exception. A good romance from a great writer. Won't replace Devil in Winter or Then Came You as my tops but a fine Kleypas to add to my collection.

This is the reason I read romance novels. For every hum-drum, unimaginative book I have read, one like Mine Till Midnight comes along and just perks up my week. I have waited for Cam Rohan's story for months. He captured my attention in the book about St. Vincent and Evie. I couldn't wait to read his story, but part of me was dreading it because I was afraid it wouldn't live up to my expectations. Never fear, Lisa K. has outdone herself with his story. I enjoyed her wallflower books, but I didn't feel they were quite up to her usual standards, that being her older books. This book harkens back to Kleypas at her best. This is right up there with her classics. Cam, with his dual heritage of Rom and Irish, is a hero with many layers. He has a worthy partner in Amelia Hathaway. She has a family who has a lot of quirks, to say the least. The way these two come together is just a delight to read. Cam wants to return to his Gypsy roots, but is pulled toward society by his longing for Amelia. I saw the makings of several more books in this one. I can't wait to read more of Merripen's story. He will end up with Win, but how is he connected to Cam? I believe there is redemption ahead for Amelia's brother. This wonderful historical is the reason Lisa Kleypas should stick to what she does best and leave the contemporaries to others. I have said before that no one writes a hero like Lisa K. Her men are some of the best in romance, unforgettable and delicious. Cam Rohan is one magnificent hero--this book was an absolute joy to read.