| Title | : | A Midsummer Nights Sin (Blackthorn Brothers #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0373776101 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780373776108 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 376 |
| Publication | : | First published November 22, 2011 |
Handsome as the devil and twice as tempting, Robin "Puck" Blackthorn lives for the pleasures of the moment. His only rule—never dally with an innocent woman. But when an encounter at a masquerade ball leaves him coveting the one woman who refuses to succumb to his charms, Puck realizes that some rules were made to be broken….
Scandalized to discover that the masked man with whom she'd shared a dance—and a forbidden embrace—is in fact the ton's most celebrated rake, Regina Hackett vows to keep her distance. Yet when her cousin vanishes, it is to Puck that Regina must turn. And as they embark on a dangerous journey through London's darkest alleys, Regina will discover that beneath Puck's roguish facade lies a man who will stop at nothing to protect her—or to convince her to take a chance on an unrepentant sinner.
A Midsummer Nights Sin (Blackthorn Brothers #2) Reviews
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Puck, one of the three Blackthorn bastards, and Regina Hackett meet in a daring masquerade, not meant for innocent young ladies. Their one heated encounter would probably be their last if Regina's cousin wasn't abducted at one point, bringing Puck and Regina together as they try to save Regina's cousin from the hands of white slavers. Unfortunately, though the attraction between them is instantaneous and Puck's almost in love from that first meeting, Regina's father, a rich merchant married to an earl's daughter, is determined to marry his daughter off to someone titled and thus gain at last entrance to the ton, something that was denied to him after his own marriage.
So, is this a bad book?
No
Is this a good book?
No
The lines above, pretty much sum up my opinion about this book. Of course, my opinion may also have to do with the fact that this book contained two of my worst peeves: Instant attraction/falling in love and zero tension between the hero and heroine. As the hero and heroine have effortlessly and without any fight or disagreement fallen in love in the first 1/3 of the book, and as they both admit to it without reservations early on, even with the evil father's dubious threat hanging over them, the story held absolutely no appeal for me. So, that left the mystery investigation to play the major role in this play, which, obvious as the answer to it was from the beginning, fell short of the task.
For readers who like their love stories sweet, uncomplicated and their protagonists loving, perfect and well matched in every way, this book would no doubt offer a few hours of easy and carefree enjoyment. However, as it fell neither to the humorous, nor to the emotional category, I was quickly bored with it. -
goodness gracious, the cover whore in me is having a fuckin field day
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This was a great follow-up to the first in the Blackthorn Brothers series,
The Taming of the Rake, provided to me by netgalley.
This is not soul-searching, angsty stuff, but is incredibly entertaining fluff nonetheless. The plot is somewhat more serious than
The Taming of the Rake, but the dialogue, and the hero and heroine are wonderfully, liberatingly entertaining. The series is loosely based upon Shakespeare's notable comedies, and they leave you with that same light-hearted, happy feeling when you read the final page.
The hero is a happy-go-lucky, but ultimately decent, kind and generous individual. He has taken the opportunities presented to him and does not seem to live with regret. The heroine is a smart, perhaps even a little sassy, daughter of a cit, and although she clearly feels responsible for those around her, doesn't let herself become overwhelmed by the burdens of it. Throw in the hero's dark and delicious brother, and incredibly silly cousin and a strange assortment of supporting characters, and, I have to say, I'm really, really, really tempted to give this 5 stars, because honestly... it was such a fun read.
4.5 stars. Great fun. Absolutely can't wait for Black Jack's story! -
Puck and Regina first meet at at a masked ball. Regina was convinced - agaist her better judgment - to attend by her cousin, Miranda, who says that a night away from chaperones and more suitable company will be just the thing. Regina and Miranda become separated at the ball, and while searching for her cousin Regina bumps into Puck, who is the most handsome man she has ever seen. Puck is intrigued by this young beauty, and sets out to seduce her thinking she is a lady at the night. After all, what would a respectable, proper virgin be doing at an event like this? Regina soon sets him straight, but asks for his to help to search for her cousin so that the two girls can go home and forget the night even happened. Disaster strikes, and Regina and Puck soon discover signs of a struggle and that Miranda has vanished into the night.
Regina convinces Puck to help her find her cousin, and as the two skulk about the London streets and alleys following Miranda's trail, the attraction only grows and notorious bad boy Puck realizes that he might have finally found a place to belong.
A Midsummer Night's Sin is one of those middle of the road books that is neither terrible nor particularly great. I love a good regency romance every now and then, and I picked this off Netgalley because I was attracted to the bad boy aspect of the story. Puck was not nearly as "bad" as the synopsis made him out to be. He may have done what he wanted and had oodles of money, but he really was just a big ol' softie. He was handsome yes, but his dialogue was also a little ridiculous and flowery at times. And Regina.. oh dear heavens. She was quite the character. She couldn't decide if she wanted to be strong and capable or if she wanted to spend all of her time crying in a corner, feeling sorry for herself. She wanted Puck to include her in every aspect of the search, but when he did and the sight was a little gruesome, she almost swooned and wanted Puck to take her away and help her forget it all. I found her character and personality to be a bit weak, and if I were to meet her in real life I wouldn't be able to stand being in her company for more than five minutes. Regina and I did not get along.
The whole story seemed a little too easy. Regina managed to convince Puck to help her because if he didn't then she would go out and do it on her own. So he puts his own goals and life on hold to help out a woman who is virtually a stranger, and then falls in love with her in only a matter of days. It all seemed a little too put together. If you know what I mean. I've already mentioned that sometimes Puck's language was a bit ridiculous, and that thread ran throughout the whole novel. Regina or Puck (or any other character, really) would say something and it just seemed off. It was supposed to be funny, but just missed the mark.
My Summary: Truthfully, I've read better historical romances in my day. Ones where the bad boy is actually bad, and a consistent heroine who can actually fight her own battles, not just pretend she can. All in all, this book was pretty forgettable. The only bright spots in the book were when Puck's brother Jack were in the scene. Now there's a man who might actually deserve the bad boy title. I liked Jack better than Puck, and I'm interested enough to continue on and read his story. Bring on the tortured man with a past!
My Rating: C- -
If a group of modern people locked away their phones and laptops and every other gadget, decided to dress up like people from the 19th century and act out a story of romance and human trafficking, this is what it would look like. I expect.
The world building in this book is skin deep at best. Sure they dress in fancy dresses and go about in carriages, but no one really acts like a 19th century person. Hasn't the author read Jane Austen? There's a reason why I learned Mr Darcy's first name only in the fourth episode of Pride & Prejudice (I only read the book after seeing the BBC 1995 series.)
I could go into spoilery details, but suffice to say the only way to survive through this book is to suspend belief in all things exterior and concentrate on the inner feelings of the characters.
Speaking of those characters, there's one great love story in this book, and that is the one between the author and the male protagonist. It becomes clear from the very first pages and the introduction of one Robin "Puck" Goodfellow Blackthorn that he can do no wrong. Despite being a bastard son of a marquis he's very well-off and plans to do better.
The other great relationship in A Midsummer Night's Sin is that between Puck and his older brother Black Jack. Jack Blackthorn permeates the narrative with his taciturn appearances and almost ends up stealing the spotlight from his brother.
Then and only then, in the third place, comes the romance between Regina Hackett and Puck. I have very little to say about her, and that should be an ample description of her role in the story. True, the author gives Regina her own introspective moments and tries to bring her alive for the reader, but these meagre efforts are overshadowed by the bastard brothers. And the action. And the sex scenes.
Speaking of erotica, it seems the recipe called for plenty but not too much. There are several instances where hands wander and kisses turn into something more. Although, majority of these scenes were well written, there was nothing exceptional in them. Apparently I've become desensitised by porn.
Still, I liked it well enough, mostly because of the humour and all the laughs I had to hide while reading.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher through NetGalley. -
Review Soon!
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Love this story! How sweet - I'm defiantly in love with Puck :)
The book starts off as we learn about how Puck is worshipped in France. Everyone wants to look like him, be seen with him, act like him - why? because Puck is that type of guy that is just all around fun to be around. He knows how to make you smile without even trying. He can make you swoon with a touch of his hand - he's just that guy that both male and female want to be around ...
Until he gets to England - his home... there he is a nobody - sure he has the money, the wealth, and his father's name, but he is a Bastard's son - his mother never married his father. And just like his other 2 brothers, they are outcasts and no one wants anything to do with them...
So in the beginning of this story, Puck is talking to a couple of men he knows. These men don't want anything to do with him, but Puck has something on them .. yes he's resorting to blackmail.. but the only thing Puck wants, is their friendship - or pretend to be his friend.. introduce him to people at the ball, get his name up there with the social's so he could try to climb out off this blacklist that so many see his name on. So the men agree.
Next we meet Regina ... how to describe Regina?? hum ok her mother is the daughter of an Earl, Her father bough Lady Leticia from said Earl and they had Regina together. but her father, Reginald Hackett, had different plans for his little family.
He paid little for Leticia, but was going to make a LOT more money off of Regina's hand in marriage. Lady Leticia had been broken in her spirit, and became a drunk. She was terrified of her husband, but loved her daughter.
Now Regina was primed and ready for her future. Heading out to balls and meeting with the socials. He travelled with her cousin Miranda. Now Miranda wasn't quiet as primed as Regina, but her father was in the works of arranging a fine Duke for her to marry off to.
So Regina and Miranda were off to the ball - only Miranda had told her mother that Lady Leticia was escorting them to the ball, and Regina had assumed Miranda's mother was escorting them. But together the two girls decide to skip the ball all together and head over to a masquerade ball instead :) Where they can keep their names and faces hidden, and flirt and dance and just have fun. Sounds good to anyone right :)
That's where Regina met Puck. When Puck was introduced to the 20 or so men that were attending the ball, he became bored and wanted to meet with some lovely ladies. He was told that all the ladies in the room were hired for the evening (meaning "prostitutes")
So when Puck was looking around the room and backed into the lovely lady in the white mask he was attracted to her by her voice > She had dismissed him, and he hadn't been dismissed by a lady since he was thirteen. But then he saw her eyes... and he was hooked.
Puck asked her for a dance.. only the ballroom was too crowded, so they twirled their way to the gardens. Once there, Regina admitted that she was expecting a kiss from him, but since Puck had thought she was more then a madian, he gladly obligated. "
A single kiss and he was ready to set her up in her own apartments, give her anything she wanted" diamonds, pearls, her own carriage and stable. One kiss and he was the fool he laughed at, enslaved by a woman whose cold blooded profession it was to jumble the wits of idiots like himself"
Then he pulled back and looked into her eyes... and swooped in -As he kissed her, nibbling, his hands wondering, kissing her harder and everywhere he could and all the while he crooned to her in French... And OH the things he said to her! Lol (It's translated) then she whispers back in friend "I have a hat pin poised to stick in your ear if you do not release me at once"
That was when Puck realized his mistake. This was no whore for hire.
When Regina went back into the ballroom to find Miranda, and couldn't find her, panic set in.. she didn't know what to do. Puck had come up behind her and asked what was wrong. When she finally caved in and told him she couldn't find her cousin, they went looking around the gardens for her. That's where they found Miranda's mask.. crumpled and torn. signs of a struggle and she was gone.....
Puck was Regina's only hope in finding her cousin and getting her back ...
Now first of all - this book was different for me to read, because I had never read a Historical Romance book before (not counting Steam Punk books) I know about Dukes and Earls and their ranks, I've known about arranged marriages, but this book isn't full of all the older details that bore me (I'm not a big history fan) A lot of things in this book seemed to be things that could be happening in the here and now days as well. which upped the level of this book in my POV :)
I loved the old fashion speaking in this book. The romance was sweet and true.
It was so much fun reading this book and getting to know Puck, falling in love with him :) He deserves his HEA :)
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Michaels is terrific at clever/funny dialog. The leads are very likeable here.
But all that funny dialog is juxatposed against, is largely about, a scheme wherein blonde girls are being kidnapped to send overseas to be brutally raped. So there's really quite a ... clash between tone and content!
"High stakes" became too high for this one, imo. -
Help me Obi-wan Kenobi!
Tell me the mysteries of the universe! What is the meaning of life? Why can’t they get the book covers right? See the hunky guy on the front? He’s the one without a shirt on. Quite an eyeful, huh? Not bad, not bad, except for one minor thing. According to a sentence in the very first paragraph in the book, and I quote, “When he’d taken to growing his blond hair nearly to his shoulders…” Yes, fellow travelers, our hero has long blond hair, and he has that long blond hair through the entire book. In fact, his l-o-n-g blond hair is described numerous times and is part of his persona. Now, I know that this happens all the time in the publishing world; however, it seems to me it happens an awful lot in Romanceland. I don’t know why this happens, but I consider it an insult. It is an insult to me, the reader, and to the writer. You can’t tell me that Kasey Michaels, a veteran author who has been around for eons, didn’t present to her editor or whoever a description of the main characters in this tale. Now, maybe the cover art was already done when she did this, but I grow weary of this old excuse. It doesn’t take that long to use the tools in Photoshop to fix the hair. I was especially disappointed that this was a Harlequin presentation – a publishing company that makes their bread and butter off romance readers. Shame on your slip-shoddery. If you can’t get the people correct on your covers, slap a flower on it.
Now, on to the book A Midsummer Nights Sin. I was so excited when the second book in the Blackthorn brothers series hit the stands. I loved the first book in the series and thought Kasey Michaels was in top form with her wit and humor. So, except for the cover irritation, when I started reading this one, for a while I thought it was going to live up to my expectations.
Robin “Puck” Blackthorn is a wonderful hero. He’s handsome, strong, and best of all loaded with Kasey Michaels’ trademark humor. She’s one of the authors around who can really write funny dialogue. And there is plenty of that in this book, because “Puck,” like his namesake, is all about mischief!
I really liked Puck. In fact, the Blackthorn brothers are one yummy group of guys.
Then we have Regina, a rather headstrong woman, with one of the worst fathers ever created in a romance novel – he is a white slaver. Now, I liked Regina in the beginning – she was smart and she was also a great match for our mischievous Puck. There was some wonderful snappy dialogue between the two.
So, you’d think I’d be happy. Great funny hero, headstrong smart heroine who can hold her own, and some wonderful sidekicks. But about half-way through the book ,the story started to drag.
Remember the father – the white slaver? Well, this has another kidnapping plot going on. This time it’s Regina’s cousin Miranda. I don’t know why authors I’ve read lately are doing kidnapping stories, but I for one am growing tired of this stale plot-line. Especially when it turns the heroine into a TSTL woman. She must must must go with the hero and his undercover brother through the dark dregs of the London underworld. Of course, she needs to dress in male clothing to do this. And of course, there is the standard “no you can’t come, yes I can, no you won’t, if you won’t take me I am going by myself” discussion. This happens more than once and it became rather tedious after a while. I wish just once when the heroine starts to whine, using the tired threat of going by herself into the dark smelly bowels of London or Paris or Upper Sandusky, the hero would say, “Fine, see ya.” Then we would get a new heroine, one who stays home and doesn’t get into trouble or get anyone else killed in her perky adventure.
There was too much covert stuff going on – I would have been happier with a character-driven snappy dialogue, school of manners style book. There were just too many people to sort through – the creepy father, the drunk mother, the weak uncle, the silly aunt, assorted secretive aristocrats, a brother, a number of sarcastic servants and a plethora of villains. I couldn’t keep track. I’m just a simple person; all I require is a simple story. I don’t need all the rigmarole that was surrounding these two delightful characters.
So, I was a little disappointed with this story, especially since I loved the first in the series so much. The characters of Puck and Regina were such a great couple. It’s too sad that they didn’t get a better story. -
Kasey Michaels continues her trilogy surrounding the bastard Blackthorns, with this second installment focusing on the mercurial, youngest brother Puck. As the story begins, Puck is trying to manipulate his way into London society. And it,s at a masked ball, he first meets Regina. The young girl and her cousin had snuck into the ball for a bit of adventure. But it turns into something more than they bargained for when cousin Miranda is kidnapped.
Puck comes to the rescue, helping Regina get home and promising to help the young woman he is so enchanted with. Puck and Regina work together to try to figure out who snatched Miranda --and fall in love in the process.
Despite the kidnapping and the storyline involving the human slave trade, this was a light romance, for the most part. Puck is a charming and easygoing hero... kind of a golden boy, who is impossible to dislike. Regina is a loyal and level-headed heroine, who comes into her womanhood under Puck's gentle hand. Nothing groundbreaking, but nothing terribly annoying either. The love scenes felt a little rushed at times and occasionally Puck felt too-glorious-to-live (not to mention, the villain was kind of obvious)... but it was an enjoyable read.
Though this is the second book in the series, it easily works as a standalone. And the title of this book helps solve the mystery of the inaptly titled Taming of the Rake. We're going with a play on Shakespearean works. It makes more sense now. The third book is Much Ado About Rogues. And I'm really still holding out to learn more about the dark, mysterious brother, Jack!
A little less than 4 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley -
Two enjoyable characters and a mystery to solve. What is there not to like?
I wasn't that fond of book 1 in the Blackthorn Brothers series. So I was surprised when I found myself immersed in this book, and I really liked the main characters- Regina and Puck. I found the characters well developed and neither had the annoying characteristics that are so common in historical romance novels lately. Instead, Puck was fun, energetic and wasn't burdened by tragedy or drama. Regina was smart, fun and never once came across as bitchy.
There were a few small problems with the book 1) the author can be very confusing especially at the beginning (I had the same problem with book 1 and 2) there is not alot of mystery in the mystery (very easy to figure out).
Even with the problems, I have no regrets in reading the book and I do recommend it! -
***Kindle e-book provided courtesy of netGalley***
I LOVE Shakespeare. After just reading the delightfully perky, practically effervescent letter from the author, I know it's going to be a late night!! She LIKES her characters. That bodes well for the book itself to me.
August 2, 2012 - The guilt is gnawing at my consciousness. Going to finish and review this one before I move on to another. Pinkie promise!
October 27, 2014 - Did I ever finish this?? Going onto NetGalley to see...uh, that is a no. Oh, the guilt. Ok. Got one more to finish ahead of this one. -
The main character is named Puck. So right away I'm expecting this to be a HUGE mistake on my part.
I was wrong. Eh, *shrugs* it happens occasionally.
This was a fun romance with a really good (for a romance, anyway) mystery/thriller aspect to it. I loved both of the main characters, and I think I'm kinda in love with Puck's brother. I can't wait to read his book! Growr!
This one is highly recommended for fans of historical romance! -
Oooh, I loved this book. I'm in love with Puck!
A very enjoyable read, great storyline and characters.
I think this may be the best of the series. -
Regina Hackett dan sepupunya, Miranda mencoba petualangan di pesta topeng seorang lady yg terkenal mesum pesta-pestanya, dan gawatnya.... tanpa pendamping. Disanalah Regina bertemu dgn setan tampan dlm topengnya yg mengaku bernama Robin Goodfellow. Dan saat tiba waktunya utk pulang, Regina menyadari sepupunya, Miranda lenyap tak berbekas di pesta tsb. Mau tidak mau Regina minta tolong pd Robin yg ternyata adalah Puck, si bungsu dari anak-anak haram bersaudara Blackthorn.
Puck membantu Regina mengarang cerita pertemuannya pd ortu Miranda yg lebih mudah diyakini dan disogok. Tetapi tidak demikian dgn Reginald Hackett, ayah Regina, saudagar kaya raya dgn mulut vulgar dan hati piranha ini tak segan-segan mengutarakan kekesalannya pd peristiwa menghilangnya Miranda ini. Reginald memerintahkan anak, istrinya dan iparnya ke desa, tetapi Regina membelokkan tujuan mereka ke Grosvenor Square, tempat Puck berada.
Regina dan Puck menyelidiki dan berusaha mencari jejak Miranda, dibantu oleh Jack - kakak Puck dan teman-temannya. Regina mencurigai ayahnya dalang dibalik menghilangnya Miranda, tetapi bagaimana mereka akan membuktikannya?
Ini buku kedua yg saya baca dari author dan masih tetap menarik bagi saya. Kalau buku pertama adalah petualangan kawin lari, kali ini ttg trafficking alias perdagangan manusia, yg cukup unik adalah penjualan wanita-wanita berkulit putih dan berambut pirang, yg ternyata memiliki nilai jual tinggi ke daerah timur pada abad 19 ini.
Chemistry Regina dan Puck lumayan menghibur tetapi gak melampaui ekspektasi saya. Puck masih sarkastik tetapi agaknya "dikurangi kadarnya" oleh author, yg lebih ingin mengeksplorasi sisi hero dari Puck, ketimbang sisi humorisnya. Karakter Regina juga okay, lumayan tangguh dan bisa menjaga dirinya sendiri utk ukuran anak tunggal dari orangtua kaya raya, dan terang sekali Regina "terlalu bersih" utk ukuran anak dari ayah yg bejat dan oportunis. Yg patut dikasihani justru ibu Regina yg sudah jadi korban abusive Reginald. Apa itu? Silakan dibaca. Bagi saya seri ini worthy utk dibaca. -
Astaga, apa yang terjadi denganku? Buku ini sama sekali tidak menarik perhatianku. Sangat membosankan, dan bisa dibilang hanya 20-30% saja yang kubaca. Sisanya aku skip. Oh, oke, aku tetap membaca bagian endingnya. Setidaknya aku dengan sukses membaca bagian awal dan bagian akhir, sudah menjadi pencapaian besar buatku pribadi. >.<
Tokohnya tidak dapat chemistry-nya, karakternya juga tidak bikin simpatik sama sekali. Poor me. =.=a
Buku ini akan didonasikan, melalui jalur yang sudah biasa. -
There are several things wrong with this book. The first one is the cover. It must be for another book because this is the opposite of the heroine and hero. Since I'm reading the whole series I'm going to assume this one was meant to go on the next book. I'm only reading these because I don't have to think and they numb my mind between real books. I'm wondering if the third book will be a rehash of the first two. Evil relative, kidnapping, rescue, and too many really boring sex scenes.
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https://raamaturiiulike.wordpress.com... -
SO GOOD
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Entertaining and Enjoyable to read. Great read.
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I love the plot twists.
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Robin Goodfellow Blackthorn is the youngest of the Blackthorn Brothers. Having been blessed, or cursed with this Shakespearean name by his actress mother, he is, of course, generally called 'Puck'. As one of the Blackthorn bastards, he has felt compelled to live up to the 'Trickster' aspects of his Puckish nickname, but in A Midsummer Night's Sin, the second Blackthorn Brothers book by Kasey Michaels, both the dark and light sides of Puck's nature are required in order to bring this complex but ultimately rewarding historical romance to its delightful final curtain.
Puck has returned to England in order to find out what his middle brother Jack, not so fondly known as Black Jack, is up to. In the first book in the series, The Taming of the Rake (see review), oldest brother Beau got married, and it was revealed that second son Jack, instead of being quite as black as his nickname would suggest, is actually some kind of secret operative for the government. Puck wants to learn what Jack is up to, and possibly get Jack to mend fences with their father.
Mostly, Puck just wants in on whatever adventure Jack is having.
Regina Hackett thought that she and her cousin Miranda were headed to a ball, properly escorted by Miranda's mother. But Miranda re-arranged all the plans so that the young ladies were instead off for a masked ball at the considerably less reputable, actually quite scandalous, Lady Fortescue's.
Puck is attending the masquerade in his pursuit of an entree into the lower echelons of the ton, and in his pursuit of his brother's confederates. But he is captivated by the sight of Regina Hackett, and, believing her one of the ladies hired for the evening's entertainment, entices her into the garden for a kiss. Regina takes advantage of the anonymity of her mask to experience the beginnings of a flirtation, but when Puck details all of the naughty things he wants to do with her, in French, and starts acting on that list, her shaky innocent withdrawal finally convinces him that she is not what he assumed her to be.
But her cousin Miranda, petite and blonde, has been kidnapped from the masked ball. And when Regina searches desperately for her, she runs headlong into Puck. He is the only possible source of help, and he did act almost honorably, at least once convinced of her innocence. Puck and his coachman determine that Miranda was taken against her will; she did not leave for an assignation. Then Regina and Puck fabricate a story that will cover up the girls' departure from their original schedule.
Puck's and Regina's association should have ended there. Miranda's father should have called out the Bow Street Runners, and a search for the missing girl should have begun immediately. But the situation is much more complicated than it appears.
Miranda is not the first petite blonde young woman to be kidnapped in London. She is one of more than two dozen such women. Many have been prostitutes, but some are from extremely well-connected families. Jack and his confederates are on the case on behalf of the government. This isn't just a matter of kidnapping, "white slavery" is suspected, but no one has been able to determine who the ringleaders are.
But now that her cousin has been kidnapped, Regina feels compelled to help Puck find the culprits, even if her father turns out to be one of them.
But why should Regina even suspect her father? At first, Reginald Hackett seems like just another tyrannical father, a stock character in any romance, if a bit more menacing than most. So what if his father effectively "bought" Regina's mother, and her title, as a way of bringing his merchant family up in the world? He's not the first to do so. But Lady Letitia Hackett lives in abject terror of her husband, and so does the rest of his household.
When he demands that the Bow Street Runners he finances go to Gretna Green in search of Miranda, even though Reginald admits that he knows she did not elope, he raises suspicions in many minds.
Soon, Regina and her mother are hiding out from her father in a variety of Puck's households in London, while Puck, Regina and Jack's men search for the missing women. But if her father does turn out to be the kidnapper, can Regina possibly have a future when he is caught, even with one of the infamous Blackthorn bastards?
Escape Rating A: This should have been a light, frothy romance, and it wasn't. But it was all the better for it. Regina is a woman who finds amazing depths of courage, in order to keep hunting for her cousin. Puck reminds me of the Scarlet Pimpernel. He looks and acts like a complete lightweight, up until the point where he totally isn't.
The "white slavery" plot is one that was a staple of penny-dreadfuls, and it was used here to great effect. It made for an appropriately dark and dastardly villain and gave this story a breakneck pace as the search for Miranda and the other girls ran towards its deadline.
I can't wait for Jack's book! Much Ado About Rogues should be out in March 2012. Not soon enough. Not at all! -
Puck and Regina first meet at at a masked ball. Regina was convinced - agaist her better judgment - to attend by her cousin, Miranda, who says that a night away from chaperones and more suitable company will be just the thing. Regina and Miranda become separated at the ball, and while searching for her cousin Regina bumps into Puck, who is the most handsome man she has ever seen. Puck is intrigued by this young beauty, and sets out to seduce her thinking she is a lady at the night. After all, what would a respectable, proper virgin be doing at an event like this? Regina soon sets him straight, but asks for his to help to search for her cousin so that the two girls can go home and forget the night even happened. Disaster strikes, and Regina and Puck soon discover signs of a struggle and that Miranda has vanished into the night.
Regina convinces Puck to help her find her cousin, and as the two skulk about the London streets and alleys following Miranda's trail, the attraction only grows and notorious bad boy Puck realizes that he might have finally found a place to belong.
A Midsummer Night's Sin is one of those middle of the road books that is neither terrible nor particularly great. I love a good regency romance every now and then, and I picked this off Netgalley because I was attracted to the bad boy aspect of the story. Puck was not nearly as "bad" as the synopsis made him out to be. He may have done what he wanted and had oodles of money, but he really was just a big ol' softie. He was handsome yes, but his dialogue was also a little ridiculous and flowery at times. And Regina.. oh dear heavens. She was quite the character. She couldn't decide if she wanted to be strong and capable or if she wanted to spend all of her time crying in a corner, feeling sorry for herself. She wanted Puck to include her in every aspect of the search, but when he did and the sight was a little gruesome, she almost swooned and wanted Puck to take her away and help her forget it all. I found her character and personality to be a bit weak, and if I were to meet her in real life I wouldn't be able to stand being in her company for more than five minutes. Regina and I did not get along.
The whole story seemed a little too easy. Regina managed to convince Puck to help her because if he didn't then she would go out and do it on her own. So he puts his own goals and life on hold to help out a woman who is virtually a stranger, and then falls in love with her in only a matter of days. It all seemed a little too put together. If you know what I mean. I've already mentioned that sometimes Puck's language was a bit ridiculous, and that thread ran throughout the whole novel. Regina or Puck (or any other character, really) would say something and it just seemed off. It was supposed to be funny, but just missed the mark.
My Summary: Truthfully, I've read better historical romances in my day. Ones where the bad boy is actually bad, and a consistent heroine who can actually fight her own battles, not just pretend she can. All in all, this book was pretty forgettable. The only bright spots in the book were when Puck's brother Jack were in the scene. Now there's a man who might actually deserve the bad boy title. I liked Jack better than Puck, and I'm interested enough to continue on and read his story. Bring on the tortured man with a past!
My Rating: C- -
Blurb from Amazon:
Meet the Blackthorn Brothers—three unrepentant scoundrels infamous for being mad, bad and perilous to love.
Handsome as the devil and twice as tempting, Robin "Puck" Blackthorn lives for the pleasures of the moment. His only rule—never dally with an innocent woman. But when an encounter at a masquerade ball leaves him coveting the one woman who refuses to succumb to his charms, Puck realizes that some rules were made to be broken….
Scandalized to discover that the masked man with whom she'd shared a dance—and a forbidden embrace—is in fact the ton's most celebrated rake, Regina Hackett vows to keep her distance. Yet when her cousin vanishes, it is to Puck that Regina must turn. And as they embark on a dangerous journey through London's darkest alleys, Regina will discover that beneath Puck's roguish facade lies a man who will stop at nothing to protect her—or to convince her to take a chance on an unrepentant sinner.
My take:
Regina is a character like in many other historical novels. Young. Ready to be wed. A virgin. Her father is protective and bent on marrying his daughter off to someone wealthy. After all, that's how he managed to get his fortune. And he wants nothing less for his daughter. Greedy ol' man. Regina wants to have fun before being sold to the highest paying suitor. She spunky, but afraid of her father. Regina takes the suggestion from her cousin and together they go to a dirty masquerade ball. Regina sees her father there--having inappropriate relations with someone that is NOT her mother. Regina also meets Puck, a dashing man who sweeps her off her feet. And Regina's cousin is kidnapped. All in all it's rather a crazy night.
Puck is unlike any character I've read in an historical novels. He's an illegitimate child, yet he's educated, clever, witty, funny, well traveled and has rather deep pockets. He's got no problem bedding women along his way in life. He's never, however, bedded a virgin. And when he meets Regina, he's at a total loss at what to do with her.
First things first, though: find Regina's cousin. Apparently lots of woman around London have turned up missing. Young, blond, beautiful. It appears that theres a slave trade of sorts going on. A slave trade of women. And Miranda--Regina's cousin--is the most prized possession of all ... she's a virgin getting ready to be sold to the highest bidder. Unless Puck and Regina can stop it.
I enjoyed this story. Wait, let me rephrase that. I didn't truly enjoy the plot because it reminded me WAY too much of the movie TAKEN, only 100 years ago. But I give the author serious props for her verbage with the characters and her ability to twist this story into a historical. The dialogue was incredibly clever and witty. The relationship built well around a slew emotions and histories that we learn about as we go. I always loved when Puck and Regina were on the same page--so in tune with each other and so intriguing. Fun. Reading about them was fun. Which is not something I normally say about a romance. And since the plot of story had dark undertones, I applaud the author once more for keeping our eye on the relationship between the H/H and less on the kidnapping and travesties happening throughout the book.
My rating:
* * * * 4 Yummy Purrs (the only thing that kept this from 5 was the plot so close to TAKEN).
~LD -
Regina Hackett believes she is on the way to yet another recital with her cousin Miranda so she can be shown off to her best advantage as her fathers only goal for her is to marry no less than an earl for him. But when Miranda springs the idea of attending a masquerade ball, Regina is reluctantly talked into switching plans. After all, the freedom to just dance and be herself for just a bit of time is to hard to resist as she is tired of always being perfect for fear of her fathers wrath. While at the ball, she dances one magical dance with a dashing man and then takes a moonlight stroll and shares a forbidden kiss. But as the man whispers in French of all the naughty things he would like to do with her, her sanity returns and she quickly flees...only to find Miranda missing and in that quick moment, her life is changed forever.
Robin Blackthorn, better known as Puck, thinks he is out in the gardens sharing a passionate embrace with a lady of the night and is aghast when he realizes that the beauty he is with is an innocent. He decides to quickly forget her but when he learns that her cousin is missing and then proceeds to find signs of a struggle, he is drawn back to Regina. He knows that they can truly never be together, he is a bastard son of an earl and can not marry the daughter of wealthy merchant who is basically shopping Regina around for his own good. But he can not turn away from the situation involving Regina, especially as quite a few petite, blond young ladies have been disappearing off the streets. He believes these woman are being sold and reassures Regina that they will find Miranda unharmed as she is a virgin and therefore much more valuable. Together, they set out to find Miranda and must overcome many hurdles to the heart and to the body.
Overall, this was a good story that moved quickly along. I guessed the mystery aspect early on but the how and why still alluded me and had me flipping the pages. Kasey Michaels seems to have a knack for writing some creepy characters and this time it is Reginas absolutely dreadful father. Shudder. Crazy man. If you read the previous book in this series, The Taming of the Rake, you know we met Puck in that story and he was just a delight and I am happy to say his own story was a delight as well. Puck is just the sort of man we all wished we knew and loved. He's handsome with his slightly too long hair and mesmerizing eyes, he's funny and charming, but he is also strong, protective and steadfast. Together with Regina, who is also strong, stubborn and steadfast, they are good pairing. Regina is resigned to her fate laid out by her father, but she wants to remember one night of true passion with a man she desires and Puck tries to resist but sigh, they never can resist to long. But once again, the other brother almost stole the show (Puck almost stole Beaus story for me) and we learned and saw a bit more of the middle bastard brother, Black Jack, and I can not wait for his story now! If you enjoy a romance with a darker side story but still reads easily with a strong cast of characters that find a way to emerge from near tragedy, this is a great one to check out. 4 stars
I received this ebook from the publisher via netgalley.com -
What a great thing it is, when a an intriguing story meets charming characters under the loving lead of good writing and delectable wit! I've had SO much fun reading this book!
It wasn't really a midsummer's night sin since it's midwinter more like right now, but it certainly was a night's sin, I'm writing this at 11 AM after a sleepless but readingly rich night (yes, one is entitles to create words whenever the inspiration strikes, lol)! I just couldn't stop reading it, I was having too much fun to take a break for mundane issues like sleeping and such.
What I liked the most was how the chemistry of the main couple was built; though this a historical romance, Regina is not exactly the ever-trembling flower eagerly awaiting to be picked, and Puck is not your regular knight in shining armor trotting in on his white stallion to save the day; though there was of course some delicious tension to their relationship, the mystery wasn't if they did or did not fall for each other, or if they would or would not want to fight to remain together - no sir! The mystery was decidedly more along the lines of crime-mystery then romance-mystery, though of course there were things to surpass and hardships to be conquered in order for our darlings to have their happily ever after.
Puck was completely irresistible, though his brother Jack was every bit as much a charmer, and Regina was fun and witty and a great match for the darling Mr. Blackthorn. I could distinctly see types of characters perfectly suited to their time-frame, and yet each one of those types was a character and not a type, you know what I mean? They felt totally real, and vivid in a way I completely loved. Of course, the theme of the evil father standing in the way of his daughter's happiness and plotting to marry her off like negotiating cattle in the market was taken a step (or two) beyond in our case, I mean Mr. Reginald Hackett was something like the daddy of all villains, like the North Pole of villains or something, and in this particular case I was definitely not rooting for the villain!!
I will admit to fancying Jack quite a bit though, and he's pretty bad-boy style, a dude of sharp words and swift action, something that seems to be running in the Blackthorn family...xDD
But much as I liked the characters, the plot, (the disguises - especially the wart moment, I was so laughing right about then picturing that scene), what I liked the most would have to be the writing, that classically beautiful style, particularly Puck's voice I will admit, I totally and absolutely adored that. For me this was a perfect mix, a crime-mystery with witty and unexpected investigators, beautiful wording, fun characters, old-school sigh-inspiring metamorphosing romance - the works. A lot of fun!!
If you like any of the before mentioned, but even more so if you like them all, I say give this darling novel a try, I'm thoroughly glad I did! -
Review originally published here:
http://thebookpushers.com/2011/12/14/...
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: NetGalley
Regina Hackett’s father has more money than most but a happy home life is something she’s never known. Regina and her cousin Miranda make a snap decision one night to go out to a masquerade ball, and Miranda gets kidnapped. Regina pairs up with Puck, the sexy bastard son of a Marquis to find her dear cousin.
Puck lives life to the fullest, and Regina is one woman he never expected. They are up against time and a ruthless slaver while trying to find Miranda, but Puck refuses to let any harm come to his dearest’s cousin. But when the slaver’s identity is revealed, Puck and Regina might not be able to recover.
I was so looking forward to this book, I love regency historical romances, and had high hopes for Puck and Regina. I hoped that the sub-plot with the kidnapping would also provide some good suspense reading, but unfortunately that part failed to live up to my expectations.
As for Puck and Regina, I really enjoyed them both as characters. Puck was such a fun loving and easy going hero. It was obvious that he lived life to the fullest, and didn’t let his unfortunately status play a factor in his life. He was impulsive and funny and charming and yet once he fell for Regina, he was completely protective and doted on her left and right. Watching him morph from this even keel gentleman at the beginning of the novel to a hardened spy was great as well. I was especially happy when he walked away from danger at the end, proving to Regina that she was all he wanted and needed.
Regina was great as well. There were times I thought she pushed for too much freedom, and that some of her reactions were not what I would have expected from a woman of that time. However, she was strong and sure and so obviously cared for her cousin. I did think that she handled the entire kidnapping/slavery aspect a little too easily, especially after discovering the holding place of the girls. However, I thought that the emotional backlash of finding out the identity of the slaver was very well done.
For me though, the suspense aspect wasn’t all that suspenseful. I’m not sure if it’s just that the suspense of the era didn’t really interest me, or the sub-plot just wasn’t what I expected. I enjoyed the slavery aspect, but had a harder time really getting into the story, whereas other contemporary stories I’ve read about female slavery kept my attention better. Part of it could be that I guessed the identity of the slaver fairly early on in the book, and would have liked that to have been a bigger mystery.
All in all the romance aspect of this story was very well done. I enjoyed Puck and Regina’s relationship and thought it developed well and played out wonderfully. However, the rest of the book fell somewhat flat for me.
I give A Midsummer Night’s Sin a C -
Originally posted at:
http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
Regina Hackett and Robin Goodfellow Blackthorn (Puck) meet at a taboo mask ball and become embroiled in a search for missing girls, one of whom is Regina’s cousin Miranda, whose blood is all noble—not diluted like Regina’s that is polluted with blood of her rich but crude tradesman father.
Regina knows she is a commodity to her father who plans for her to marry a nobleman and have sons so Reginald Hackett can say his grandsons are lords of the realm. Of course, Regina’s lady mother, who drinks excessively, despairs of her daughter’s shortcomings and blames them all on Mother Hackett and the Hackett genes. When Regina makes a miscue, she says it is Mother Hackett’s fault (rather like “the devil made me do it”). However, she is reared with luxuries, fine clothes, and sent out into Society with the adventurous Miranda for the Season. Miranda’s risqué plan gets her into a heap of trouble and Regina into a relationship that is not at all what her father had planned—but, oh, what, an experience for Regina!.
Puck is one of the bastard sons of Marquess Blackthorn. His personality fits his nickname for he is mischievous, lovable, happy, charming and makes people feel good about themselves. He keeps his intelligence under wraps most of the time and is not allergic to using his influence and money to get what he wants. He loves a challenge and Regina does become a challenge. He sees her not-yet-awakened passion, her determination, and her intelligence and cannot refuse her entreaties to make love with her. She is precious to him.
Conflicts, clandestine plans, mystery, and suspense pile up and get entangled as Regina and Puck delve into the sordid business of human trafficking. Some of the forays have a touch of human but pulse-pounding close calls and vicious traffickers that have no respect for human lives make A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S SIN compelling.
Kasey Michaels captivates with delightful dialogue and amazing humor that ranges from sublime to ridiculous as she reveals Puck’s joy for life and the awakening of Regina to womanhood. She makes the characters vibrantly alive and unique. Even the secondary characters have distinctive personalities. Regina’s mother becomes a different person when she is free of her oppressive husband and even stops drinking. Puck’s brother, Black Jack and his men grab the reader’s attention as they become involved. They add new, intense twists and turns to the plot as the reader gets pulled into the rough London dock district and into old roman caves. Of course, Regina’s father brings an even more disturbing element to the happenings.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S SIN deals with the horrific issue of human trafficking but it also lets the reader in on a sparkling, sizzling love story that overrides all else. Good Reading! -
GENRE: Adult Historical Romance
FORM: e-Book, NetGalley
SERIES: Blackthorn Brothers
PUBLICATION DATE: November 29, 2011
SYNOPSIS: A book of mischief and curiosity gone wrong, Regina and Miranda were just looking to have a little bit of fun when they showed up to a risqué masquerade ball, but the consequences of that bit of fun will mean unearthing a crime spree that has been, until recently, been kept secret from London’s elite. A horror that ends up hitting too close to home for Regina’s sake. Thankfully she has the clever Robin Goodfellow Blackthorn to come to the rescue, and provide his good humored services as well.
REVIEW: Robin Goodfellow Blackthorn, aka Puck, is an amusing, fun, easy going, life loving character. He made me smile…a lot. He sees the humor in life and knows how to banter with the best of them. The only way that I would have liked his personality any better is if it were combined with a little bit more dry sarcasm. Combine this with the strong, confident Regina, and you’ve got bliss.
Regina had every reason to hate her life. Her mother’s an alcoholic, her father is overbearing, demanding, and sees people as possessions rather than…well people. She was groomed and fashioned to marry into a title, and presumed she would end up married to a Duke. It is the knowledge of these responsibilities and the fact that her life is laid out before her eyes that causes her to throw caution to the wind and go to a Masquerade Ball unchaperoned with her cousin, Miranda. Despite the horrific result of this decision and the unknown torment that Miranda is to face, some good does come of it, as it also lands her into the playful, and capable arms of Puck.
I love the idea of taking literary characters and turning them into real people. Even if Puck were simply named after the famed Shakespearian character, he also possessed many of his best qualities. The book was very entertaining and fun. The mystery was intriguing and kept me reading. I loved the relationship between Puck and Regina, they were a light playful couple, even in their banter they were picking at each other all the while fighting to keep their hands off. I also really enjoyed the description of what Puck or Regina was wearing, as well as their surroundings, it helped me to create a vivid mental image of each scene.
The only thing I could have wished for was a bit more at the end. I hated jumping from the ending (concluding) scene and straight into their marriage. I actually wanted to see what happened with Regina’s mother, and perhaps her acceptance of Puck as a future son-in-law. Alas, it was not to be I suppose.
