Book review – A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

Miss Kate Daltry doesn’t believe in fairy tales …or happily ever after. Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince, and decides he’s anything but charming. A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere. For Gabriel is promised to another woman – a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfil his ruthless ambitions.

Gabriel likes his fiancee, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn’t love her, and knows, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him.

Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after – unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.

A Kiss At Midnight is the first book in the Happily Ever After series of four novels set in the Regency period and based on well known fairytales. This book is loosely based on the story of Cinderella and set around 1813 although author Eloisa James points out in her Historical Note at the back of the book that this novel is more fairytale than historical fiction so certain licenses with language and period detail have been taken. The essential elements are there though including a handsome prince, an eccentric godmother and a pair of glass slippers!

Kate is the herione of the story and true to the Cinderella tale, her father has passed away and her Stepmother has taken her inheritance forcing Kate to live in meagre circumstances whilst lavishing attention and treats on her own daughter, Victoria. In a key difference from the traditional fairy tale, the lone stepsister Victoria is beautiful and actually a nice character; naive but certainly not the wicked stepsister I was expecting. Kate is also a lot more feisty than the original fairytale heroine with a strong sense of justice for those living on her Father’s land. She is certainly not afraid to speak her mind and her witty retorts and observations provide a lot of the humour in the book.

In a somewhat strange turn of events, Kate is forced by her stepmother to attend an event at Pomeroy Castle posing as her stepsister Victoria. I really liked this twist to the traditional ‘Cinderella’ story and Kate’s attempts to take her sister’s place added a lot of fun to the plot. On arrival at the Castle, Kate meets a whole host of fabulous larger than life characters including handsome Prince Gabriel.  Kate’s banter with Gabriel is very entertaining, building up a good tension between them and although I could easily see where the story was heading, it was fun reading how events played out. I also loved the character of Henry who turns out to be Kate’s Godmother and certainly spices up proceedings with her ‘tell it like it is’ attitude to life and love.

A Kiss at Midnight is above all a romance novel and there are passionate scenes aplenty as the story progresses (some of which will certainly have readers reaching for their fans!). Like all good fairytales there is a moral to the story which emphasises true love over all and I found it an enjoyable, lighthearted and quick read. This is the first Eloisa James novel that I’ve read and I will certainly try some of her others now. I really like the simplicity of the covers for this set of books and already have the second book in the series, When Beauty Tamed the Beast which is released on 1st September, on my wish list.

4/5

A Kiss at Midnight is out now and I’d like to thank Madeleine at Piatkus for sending me a review copy.

You can find out more about Eloisa James and her novels at: http://www.eloisajames.com/