Midnight Angel by Lisa Kleypas

Midnight Angel

Stokehursts #1

Lisa Kleypas

Historical Romance

Published in 1995

H/h - Lucas Stokehurst, the Marquess of Stokehurst/Tasia Kaptereva

Setting: Russia/London, 1870.

Read in March, 2011.

My rating: 4 out of 5

                                                    [spoiler alert]

I'm enjoying this book a lot. I haven't forgotten that even a 'bad' LK book is much much more enjoyable than some books I don't care to mention. Given to it's mixed rating, I was kinda apprehensive but story, plotwise, the book is great. I have a few problem with the characters though. Here's what's been botherhing me:

1. Would be the mistress. No, I do not wanna read about the mistress of the hero for the half of the book and see her wielding such power, at least trying. I actually gag while reading scenes with the hero and his mistress, here I gaged, too! But, what was amazing here that, in the breakup scene, I actually pitied the woman. She's the widow of a peer of the realm and of course, she was aiming to be Luke's wife. Now, when the mistress knows where she stands (sex and gifts, nothing more) and backs away or if she's a malicious woman, I can understand and hate her. But here, it wasn't the case. She wasn't malicious in that sense, so couldn't help but pity her.

2. Tasia's age. Man, even when she lied about being 22 I thought she's young. But, 18? It's When Stranger's Marry/Only With Your Love all over again, what with Luke being 34 and the father of a 12 yrs old girl. As a character, I like Tasia quite a lot but since the moment I heard she's 18, a lot of the fun of reading got killed. Yah, seriously! I know Tasia sounds mature, even acts as one but still ... 18??? :/

3. Now, Luke. I thought I'll like him, I even started liking him but ... well, fantasizing a 18yrs old? Now, that's a bummer! I was saddened by Luke's past history, the way he lost his wife, saved his daughter and lost one of his hands in the process. I adored his devotion to his wife. But, I'm conflicted now. He thinks he won't let any woman have her place ever but sex? Oh, that's no problem at all! Here, the devotion part kinda falls short. The scene between him and the mistress revealed a lot of his point of views on marriage and I end up thinking him sort of a hypocrite. Again, screwing the mistress for 2/3rds of the month (according to the story, Tasia was supposed to be in his employ for a month and even knowing he's attracted to her), his sudden love for Tasia was kinda unbelievable. The breakup with the mistress part, as I mentioned before, seemed cold to me. It's like: thank you for letting me screw you when I needed it but now that I've found the next young thang, don't need you anymore. So, ba-bye! *serious gag* The mistress, it was mentioned, was a good friend to him throughout the years, knew him even when he was married. She wasn't just the usual 'mistress-type', so I ended up feeling for the woman instead of Luke. I know the arrangement was mutual and it's not like she hasn't been benefited in other ways from this but still ...

Saying all these, there are things I'm loving about this book, one is Emma. She's a bubbly girl, even with her loss and sorrow. Can't wait to read her book (though I'm more apprehensive about that one, hearing many negetive things). I appreciated Tasia's kind nature. And, most importantly, the way she stood up to Luke about that pregnant maid. I enjoyed it immensely when she said something like: Do you yourself live a chaste life that you think of judging her? As far as I know, you've just returned from a liaison of your own. Now, take that lout! :p

But, now that I'm halfway through, inevitably she'd decided to trust Luke with her past and succumbed to the attraction. I wish she was an older heroine and kept him bumbling a while more! :/
*********************

Well, the scenes right before their marriage and of course after, are vastly enjoyable. Loved them actually. I'm almost finished, a few chapters left so the rating will have to come later.

Only if I could forget Tasia's age, God, things would be so much more steamier and "oh my"-type! *sigh* But, she's a good heroine, have to give her that. Apart from the age I have no other problem with her. Luke has proven to be a great guy as the story progressed. He's very devoted and possesive and protective and ... oh, you know what I mean, the sort we love to adore! lolz There are scenes here and there I can mention, I simply loved, steamy scenes, heartwarming scenes. The scene at the beginning of the chp 7, loved it. Also, when Luke and Tasia reuninted in Russia, first time they saw each-other and the night they spent together. Great! :D

Nikolas is proving to be intriguing. I'd be jumping to read his book by now if I didn't know a few negetive but important stuffs about the book. I don't know, it's kind of a morbid fascination I'm feeling for him. The things I read about his childhood, along with his brother's, God, so so horrible and sad. :( Somehow, I wish Emma wasn't Luke's daughter but his sister or something. Things would've been much better IMO.
******************

4 stars, after a lot of thinking. I loved the ending, and even with all the things that bothered me initially, I loved it. I had assumed something like the mistress might plot with Nikolas and do something rather bad but nothing like this happened. Nikolas didn't even turn out to be the loathsome villain, moreover he suffered himself at the hands of the Russian govt.

It's proven again that I can't just not love a LK book. I wish she'd write more HR and soon. :(