Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, #1)

Sep 15, 2010 Auntee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of LK's Wallflowers series; historical romance fans

Shelves: historical-romance, lisa-kleypas, 2010_reads, keepers

Can The Hathaways series compete with Lisa Kleypas's fantastic Wallflowers series? Well I had my doubts, but if the first book, the wonderful Mine Till Midnight, is any indication of how this series will play out, my answer is a resounding Yes!

This book just flew by for me--I never once wanted to put it down! I loved the Hathaway family, with all their eccentricities, although (other than young Beatrix with her love for critters and her 'sticky fingers', and of course eldest sibling Leo with his...more

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Nov 06, 2011 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-lisa-kleypas, historical-romance, historical-romance-series, series-hathaways-kleypas, 5-stars, 2010-reads, reviewed-by-me, romance-historical, gypsy-rom-roma, animal-steals-the-show

There’s something just so special about a historical romance done the Lisa Kleypas way. Light, yet with substance. So much sexual passion and yet such tender love. Her books are always a delightful escape and her heroes are always so sigh-worthy.

This is a touching story about a tight knit, albeit quirky, family consisting of four sisters, Amelia, Win, Poppy, and Beatrix; their one brother, Leo, and Merripen, who as a young boy was wounded and left for dead following a Gypsy hunt. He was brought...more

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Jun 11, 2010 Shawna rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of LK, Victorian era romance, & sexy, to die for heroes

Shelves: historical-romance, lisa-kleypas, historical-romance-victorian, heroine-odd-spinster-wallflower, series-hathaways, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, tattoos-piercings-body-art, hero-im-gaga-over, hero-i-wanna-marry, heroine-naïve-virgin-like-a-virgin, best-top-favorites, enemies-to-lovers-opposites-attract, favorites, favorite-romance-couple-hh-pairings, hero-expert-skilled-voracious-lover, i-read-own-faves-keepers, hero-abused-scarred-tortured-angst, hero-alpha‎, hero-commoner-self-made, hero-mix-of-alpha-beta, hero-stalk-me-baby-possessive, rt-book-reviews-top-pick, friends-to-lovers, 2010-reads, favorite-romance-series, yowza-hotness, hero-or-heroine-exotic, animals-matter, favorite-love-scenes, best-faves-of-2010, 5-stars-or-higher, hh-across-the-tracks, hh-social-class-wealth-matters, star-crossed-lovers, hero-daddy-warbucks-wealthy, hh-rags-to-riches, hero-too-yummy-perfect-to-be-true, hero-besotted-so-smitten-its-sexy, best-wittiest-banter-dialogue, a-all-time-fave-hero, a-all-time-best-of-best-fave-dik, favorite-dresses-to-die-for, heroine-country-lass, a-all-time-best-top-50-fave-dik, hero-my-romancelandia-husband-harem

5+ stars – Historical Romance

It simply doesn’t get any better than Lisa Kleypas. I loved the Wallflowers series, and I’ve been looking forward to Cam’s story, ever since he so completely captivated me in Devil in Winter. Instead of flying through this lightning fast like I did with the Wallflower books, I took my time and savored it, which was well worth it because Cam Rohan is like the finest, rarest dark chocolate.....exotically decadent and sinfully delicious!

Mine Till Midnight is a beautiful...more

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May 25, 2012 Ronyell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Lisa Kleypas Fans!!

Shelves: action-adventure, adult-books, books-i-want-to-own, chapter-books, drama, family-situations, historical-romance, mystery, reviewed-books, ronyell-s-epinions-reviews, lisa-kleypas, read-in-2010, sexy-good-girl-heroine, sexy-good-hero, strong-heroine, strong-hero, british-hero-or-heroine, my-blog-reviews

When I started reading Teresa Medeiros’ romance novels, I started to really get into romance novels. I finally heard about another romance author and her name was Lisa Kleypas! “Mine Till Midnight” is the first book I have read from Lisa Kleypas and it is also the first book of the Hathaway family series. If you have not read a romance novel full of sexual tension, drama and mystery, “Mine Till Midnight” is definitely a romance novel that is worth checking out!

The Hathaway family (Leo, Amelia, W...more When I started reading Teresa Medeiros’ romance novels, I started to really get into romance novels. I finally heard about another romance author and her name was Lisa Kleypas! “Mine Till Midnight” is the first book I have read from Lisa Kleypas and it is also the first book of the Hathaway family series. If you have not read a romance novel full of sexual tension, drama and mystery, “Mine Till Midnight” is definitely a romance novel that is worth checking out!

The Hathaway family (Leo, Amelia, Winnifred, Poppy and Beatrix) all had a stroke of bad luck ever since their parents died, even living in an impoverished home in London. One day, however, the Hathaways inherited a rich estate in Hampshire and it seems that their lives would turn for the better…well, not exactly. The Hathaways are still unprepared for the high class life since Leo started drinking ever since his finance, Laura, had died and her sister, Winnifred is still weak from contracting the dreaded scarlet fever along with her brother Leo. However, while Amelia stays at Hampshire, she also meets a dashing half Gypsy man named Cam Rohan, who not only helps Amelia support her family, but also satisfies Amelia’s “sexual desires.” With Cam wanting freedom from the high class society and Amelia trying to become apart of the high class society, will the two lovers ever be together? Read this book to find out!

Oh my goodness! Lisa Kleypas is a true genius in writing this inspirational romance novel! Okay, let me first talk about the characters and their personalities that I really enjoyed! I just love how Lisa Kleypas created the characters to be likable and relatable as each character, mainly the Hathaways, have many issues corrupting their lives, but they are always able to overcome any obstacle that comes their way through courage and kindness among themselves. The characters I loved the most in this book are Amelia Hathaway and Cam Rohan, since this book is all about these two lovers! I loved Amelia Hathaway because she is such a strong and independent woman especially during the hardships that she and family had endured throughout this book. I loved the fact that Amelia was always willing to help out her family anyway she can even if society has looked down on her family’s “eccentric” nature and that is the aspect that I came to love about Amelia since it showed that Amelia really cares about her family and she is always putting her family first before her own needs. Another character that I just totally flipped for was Cam Rohan! Cam Rohan literally conveys the true meaning of a “handsome devil” as he is perceived as a handsome yet mischievous character. Not only did I like the handsome and mischievous side of Cam Rohan, but I also loved his caring and independent nature! Cam Rohan cares deeply for Amelia and he was willing to help her out in her disastrous situations no matter how many times that other people tried to put down his efforts to help the Hathaway family. What I really loved about Cam Rohan’s character is that he truly respects his Gypsy blood, even though society has shown prejudice towards his Gypsy blood and it shows that Cam is a truly independent person who never let prejudice towards his Gypsy blood discourages his spirit.

Now onto the juicy parts of the story!

For romance fans everywhere, there are plenty of love-making scenes between Amelia and Cam that would make your hair stand up on ends with a burning desire! The love-making scenes between Amelia and Cam are truly HOT and DELICIOUS and you would just die with passion in reading the juicy details that Lisa Kleypas puts into these scenes!

For people who are not fond of sex scenes, this book has many sex scenes that might offend some people who do not like reading any sex scenes in any book.

All in all, “Mine Till Midnight” not only has hot and sensual love scenes, but it also has a true depth about the importance of family that is uncommon in many romance novels. I will admit that I was a bit confused at the beginning when I first read this book, but that was probably because I have not read the Wallflower series yet, but this fact never bothered me and this book definitely got me into Lisa Kleypas’ works and I am definitely looking forward to reading more of the Hathaway series and Lisa Kleypas’ works in the future!

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog(less)

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Nov 07, 2008 Isis FG rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: info-full, genre-romance-historical-england, reviewed, 2008, z2008-july-dec, author-lisa-kleypas, series-hathaways, stars-4-5

Rating: 4.5 / 5

If I'd noticed back when this book came out that it was about Cam Rohan from the Wallflowers series (I think he was just in one book...), I would have read it much sooner! Cam was such an intriguing character when Kleypas gave us a peak at him before. I was actually rather disappointed that he didn't end up with Daisy. But I'm glad Kleypas brought Cam back and let us see more of him. I ended up liking him even more!

The heroine of Mine Till Midnight is a "spinster" named Amelia Hat...more Rating: 4.5 / 5

If I'd noticed back when this book came out that it was about Cam Rohan from the Wallflowers series (I think he was just in one book...), I would have read it much sooner! Cam was such an intriguing character when Kleypas gave us a peak at him before. I was actually rather disappointed that he didn't end up with Daisy. But I'm glad Kleypas brought Cam back and let us see more of him. I ended up liking him even more!

The heroine of Mine Till Midnight is a "spinster" named Amelia Hathaway who is the de facto leader of her family. Her older brother should technically have the job, but he's floundering in gut-wrenching grief over the death of his fiance. So Amelia is in charge of taking care of her quirky family. When her brother Leo disappears again, she goes out searching with her family's "adopted" son, Merripen - a gypsy abandoned by his tribe and left for dead. The two encounter gaming club manager Cam Rohan who reluctantly helps them find Leo...and surprises Amelia with a searing kiss before walking away.

She thinks to never see him again, but when her family moves to their new estate (from a title Leo surprisingly inherited) she's shocked to find Cam in residence visiting her new neighbor, Lord Westcliff (from the Wallflowers series). And soon the two are battling an intense attraction...but each has their own "demons" to battle - Amelia taking care of her family, and Cam trying to find his place in the world (be it his gypsy roots, or in the white world).

I've read quite a few reviews that thought something was missing from this book, but I have to admit I really enjoyed it a lot and didn't have any major complaints. Cam was such a fascinating character to read about. He's definitely a drool worthy hero and I'm so glad Kleypas brought him back!

And I actually rather liked Amelia (though I know many others didn't). True she was a bit of a control freak, trying to manage her family, but I don't think she went overboard at all. Leo needed managing, Win was ill and needed support, and the others were young. I thought Amelia was rather strong and valiant in the way she kept things together. And I definitely felt the chemistry between Cam and Amelia. That scene where he sweeps her into the night on his horse was fabulous. I actually sighed ;)

The storyline mostly revolved around Amelia's family and their struggles - Leo's grief, inheriting a title, Win's illness - and all that. I didn't like Leo for most of the book, but once I got to understand his character a bit more, I just felt sad for him because he was totally lost. I'm looking forward to reading his story to see how he puts his life back together.

There's also a side-story in the book of the secret love between Win and Merripen. Those two are definitely interesting...can't wait to read more about them in the next book.

As a bonus for this book, we also got to see the Westcliffs (Wallflowers series) again. It was nice to get an update on them!

The one this that I was rather "blah" about for this book was the minor supernatural element that popped up now and then. It just didn't quite fit, in my opinion and came off kinda awkward. But it was easy to overlook.

Overall...I just enjoyed this one a lot...from the characters to the relationship and the low-key storyine. The book had a rather loving, sweet feel to it (at least for me). And it definitely kept me reading! I finished it in two sittings. Plus the build-up for Merripen/Win has me anxious to read the next book. Can't wait to start it!(less)

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Apr 29, 2011 Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone, especially historical romance fans

Recommended to Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog) by: Leah

Shelves: genre-historical-romance, first-book-in-series, books-i-own, the-hymen-club, author-lisa-kleypas, my-hottie-harem, books-i-go-rabid-over, king-of-the-harem, drinks-on-me, favorites, series-highlander, series-hathaways, under-the-covers-with-marron

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I can’t tell if Lisa Kleypas is A, a genius or B, has a time traveling machine in her office or something because her books act like some sort of portal that takes you back to London in 1848! I’m thinking it’s the former because Kleypas knows her stuff when it comes to writing historical romances. With that being said, I absolutely ADORED Mine Till Midnight! Thank you Leah, my lover for sending me your copy of this book! Know that your book is well-loved and cherished in my hands! I will be pick...more I can’t tell if Lisa Kleypas is A, a genius or B, has a time traveling machine in her office or something because her books act like some sort of portal that takes you back to London in 1848! I’m thinking it’s the former because Kleypas knows her stuff when it comes to writing historical romances. With that being said, I absolutely ADORED Mine Till Midnight! Thank you Leah, my lover for sending me your copy of this book! Know that your book is well-loved and cherished in my hands! I will be picking this one up again and again to read about my baby, Cam.

There are not enough words to describe how much I adore Cam Rohan! Born as half Irish and half Gypsy, Cam was separated from his tribe at a young age and lived his life within walls and ceilings instead of the great outdoors like other Roms. Becoming well-accustomed to the Gadjo culture, Cam grew successful in his life, but he still found something lacking...

Until he meets Amelia Hathaway, the eldest sister of the eccentric family. Amelia has quite a lot on her hands as she tries to protect and care for her siblings. With her older brother, Leo grieving the death of his fiancé through deadly doses of drugs and alcohol, her sister Win still weak and recovering from fever, and her two younger sisters, Poppy and Beatrix still too young to care for themselves, Amelia strives to keep herself afloat through the storm.
But soon Amelia finds her safe harbour within Cam’s arms as she allows someone else to care for her and her family for once. And Cam seems very pleased to be the one to do it.

I adore Amelia. I thought she was the strength and glue behind the entire family, the one who held the pieces together. Her efforts to find Leo and keep him safe from himself were so mother-like and caring that I found myself respecting her more and more.

Leo is completely distraught and broken in this book and I couldn’t help but share his pain. Never mind his attitude and rude comments, I felt complete understanding as he frantically tried to place the slide back into the fire lantern the moment when he thought he saw Laura’s face. The poor guy. The pain he must feel...

Merripen feels this pain too but this time with another Hathaway sister. His heart and body burns for Win just as bad as the deadly burn he acquired during the Ramsay House fire. I can already say how much I love Kev! He’s my favourite historical romance hero to date! There’s just something about these Romany men I can’t help but love!

And lastly, I am so glad that that schmuck Frost didn’t get the treasure at the end. It’s a good thing Cam got there before him. The nerve of that guy to say such insults about Cam and Amelia...

I’ve come to adore this series and all the characters in it. Kleypas MUST have a time machine! Her work is sheer genius!

Favourite Quote:
Rohan's fingertips drifted with stunning delicacy over her throat, behind her ear, pushing into the satiny warmth of her hair. "You are an interesting woman Amelia."
Gooseflesh rose wherever his breath touched. "I can't f-fathom why you would think so."
His playful mouth traced the wing of her brow. "I find you thoroughly, deeply interesting. I want to open you like a book and read every page." A smile curved the corners of his lips as he added huskily, "Footnotes included.”
(less)

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Jul 13, 2010 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: All fans of historical romance with incendiary leading men

Shelves: 2010, historical-romance, romance, keepers, incendiary-leading-men, my-dream-men, obsessively-readable, re-reads, favorites, steam-level-5-scorching

5++ Stars
*All Time Favorite Book List*

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. I honestly haven't enjoyed a book this much in AGES. Cam Rohan is now firmly planted very close to the top of my list of all time favorite leading men.

The chemistry between Cam & Amelia is just breathtaking. I have always been a sucker for an Alpha male, and Cam is about as Alpha as they come. When he finally sets his mind to having Amelia, he won't let anyone or anything stand in his way. He's fierce, compell...more

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Aug 26, 2008 Eastofoz rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Readers who like an exotic hero

Shelves: historical-regency

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 18, 2010 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Lovers of lush historical romances, Victorian fans, Light ghost story fans

Shelves: historical-romance, owned-copy, opposites-attract, part-of-a-series, spinster-old-maid, family, favorites, ghost, hero-to-die-for, victorian, possessive-and-or-jealous-hero, favorite-or-autobuy-author

I hadn't read any Kleypas for a while when I started reading this book. It reminded me of how effective and seductive Kleypas is as a writer. She really does write a beautiful love story. Her stories are dreamy and elegant, full of imagery that draws me into the story and out of my everyday existence. She really is a wordsmith to this reader.

I know a lot of fans were unhappy that Cam was not paired with Daisy, but I have no regrets. Cam and Amelia were meant to be together. Cam was searching for...more I hadn't read any Kleypas for a while when I started reading this book. It reminded me of how effective and seductive Kleypas is as a writer. She really does write a beautiful love story. Her stories are dreamy and elegant, full of imagery that draws me into the story and out of my everyday existence. She really is a wordsmith to this reader.

I know a lot of fans were unhappy that Cam was not paired with Daisy, but I have no regrets. Cam and Amelia were meant to be together. Cam was searching for something that gave him a sense of home. He found it in Amelia. He found himself unsettled by living as a gadjo (non-Romany). He was almost disgusted with his adopted materialistic lifestyle, hating the fact that he couldn't seem to stop accumulating wealth, even though he tried very hard to lose money, investing in companies sure to fail, but always recieving windfall after windfall. Just when he is about to walk away from that life and return to the wandering ways of the Roma, he meets Amelia. She challenges and compels him as no other woman has. He wants her desperately, although she is clearly a woman who would need a settled man in her life. Yet, he cannot walk away from her. You realize it before Cam does that he is a goner. He tells himself he will walk away from Amelia, but you know that he's not going anywhere. For all his prior determination to leave Amelia alone, once he decides he wants to keep her, Cam is pretty much set on that path. I liked that about this story, as I love heroes in pursuit. I liked that although Cam does seduce Amelia, he has committed to her in his heart and won't go back on that commitment. I really enjoyed the part when Amelia woke up with his ring on his finger, and how she couldn't get it off. I thought that was a nice touch.

It was interesting that Amelia was the reluctant one in this story, although it totally made sense. She had been let down by those who loved her. Her parents died on her, leaving her with three younger sisters to care for, and a brother who was intent on losing all of their income, and destroying himself after the loss of his fiancee. Not to mention the fact that her first love abandoned her for a girl whose father could help his career. She is determined not to marry, and feels content with watching over her family. She doesn't think she's anything special. So when Cam starts to pursue her so ardently, she does resist, at least at first. But Amelia is as drawn to Cam as he is to her. He is beautiful and wild, and temptation in an irresistible package. Knowing it's a bad idea to get involved with him, she cannot seem to avoid him or her feelings for him. It was a delicious love story to read.

Amelia's somewhat bad-tempered moments are refreshing. I like sweet heroines a lot more than some readers, but it's also nice to see heroines who do have bad days and temperamental moments. Who do get frustrated and say things in anger. Amelia has a lot of responsibility and stress, and it was realistic for her to have moments where she showed that her nerves were frayed. Cam seemed to embrace her outspoken and at times somewhat abrasive behavior, enjoying that part of her equally with other aspects of her person. He was considerate to her needs, understanding her fears and doubts, and did everything he could to help her family, even before he had committed to marrying her.

Cam truly showed that was steadfast, showing her that he could be relied upon. Considering the fact that Cam is half-Roma, and there was obviously a prejudice against the Roma, I enjoyed the fact that he showed the good traits that her prejudiced ex-fiance Christopher lacked, although he mocked and looked down on the "dirty, untrustworthy Roma." Despite the fact that Cam was Roma and that there were those who did not like the Roma was touched upon, but it wasn't truly an obstacle in their relationship. Cam looked at his heritage as being part of him, and knew he would not give her up, despite the prejudice they might face. I liked that he embraced his heritage, good and bad. As a fan of possessive heroes, I quite enjoyed him being so jealous of any man being near Amelia. The part where he finds out Amelia was alone with Christopher Frost, whew! (Okay I know I'm weird.)

The elements of Romany heritage, culture, and language were very interesting to me. I don't really know much about them, so it was a nice little lesson to this history buff.

I do have to say that Leo was bugging me. I feel bad that he lost his true love, but he didn't seem to realize that he wasn't just hurting himself, but his sisters who depended on him. I hope that we get to see him mature and get over his loss and become the person he was meant to be. I'm pretty sure that's what Laura (his lost love) would want for him. I loved the paranormal twist with the ghostly haunting that the Hathaways were experiencing, which was heavily tied into Leo's emotional issues. Very nicely done, adding to the delightful Victorian feel. As a fan of classic ghost stories, particularly set in the late 19th/early 20th century, I certainly enjoyed this twist in the story.

The Hathaways are an entertaining family, each sister having a distinct personality that I hope to see more of. There were moments that their sisterly interactions reminded me of one of my favorite books, Little Women. You can guess who Win reminded me a little of.

I loved the dynamic between Win and Merripen. I have a feeling their book will be wonderful, as it is very clear already how deep the love they have for each other is.

Also it was so cool to see St. Vincent (sigh) and Evie, and Westcliff and Lillian. I like how down to earth Lillian is, and it's clear that she's been a great influence on Westcliff, although he's still bossy as ever.
If I have one complaint, it's how quickly the conflict wrapped up with Amelia's ex-love, Christopher. That was a little too abrupt.

All and all, a great reintroduction to a long favorite author of mine.(less)

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May 18, 2013 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: swoooon, rainy-day-re-reads

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Mine Till Midnight is a novel that completely took me by surprise. Although its cover just screams "bodice ripper," don't let that fool you. In reality, Lisa Kleypas' first Hathaways novel is a story of tender relationships, growing family, and understanding love. It's a novel that defies most of the typical norms set on historical fiction, instead taking a less-trodden path and succeeding all the more for it. While you would expect plenty of sensual encounters, dashing dukes,...more Rating: 4.5 Stars

Mine Till Midnight is a novel that completely took me by surprise. Although its cover just screams "bodice ripper," don't let that fool you. In reality, Lisa Kleypas' first Hathaways novel is a story of tender relationships, growing family, and understanding love. It's a novel that defies most of the typical norms set on historical fiction, instead taking a less-trodden path and succeeding all the more for it. While you would expect plenty of sensual encounters, dashing dukes, and drama resulting from a severe lack of communication from most historical fiction novels, Mine Till Midnight delivers with sweet and adoring love scenes, steady character growth, and inner issues that the characters must face opposed to your run-of-the-mill drama. As such, it was a novel that might as well have been written for me and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. If anything is certain, it is that I will certainly be reading more of Kleypas as soon as I possibly can.

Amelia Hathaway is a protagonist I liked even from the first page. When our story opens up, she is frantically searching for her elder brother who is squandering away the Hathaway's newly acquired wealth. With the help of a childhood friend and gypsy, Merripen, she traces her older brother, Leo, to an establishment run by the dark and enigmatic Cam Rohan. Cam, a gypsy himself, cannot help but find Amelia alluring and after helping her locate her brother, kisses her before residing to the fact that he will most likely never see her again. As fate would have it, however, the Hathaway's new residence happens to be neighboring to the home of Cam's own friends and before long, he is caught up in Amelia's life yet again.

Cam, a mixture of gypsy and Irish blood, is an outcast is both worlds. Although he longs to be part of the nomadic tribes, he fails to realize that the Irish part of him retains strong roots and that his time spent as a civilized man is bound to cause difficulties if he were to return to the gypsy lifestyle. With the entry of Amelia into his life, however, he can't help but begin to fall for the beautiful woman. Amelia is fiercely independent and protective of her family. As orphans, the Hathaways have no one to care for them and as Leo is so often drunk or despondent due to the death of his fiancee, it is up to Amelia to run the household and oversee the well-being of her three younger sisters, Win, Poppy, and Beatrix. Cam sees Amelia for the woman she truly is; fearful of marriage after being jilted by a former lover, protective of her brood, and straining at the pressure put upon her. Amelia too sees Cam for more than a gypsy or an exotic mystery; she sees him as a man, well bred, intelligent, and alluring with his tales of gypsy lore.

For me, the slow manner in which Cam and Amelia grew to gradually trust and depend upon one another was beautiful to watch unfold. While their initial interaction began with a kiss, their chemistry stayed checked while they got to know each other as friends and slowly began to give each other their hearts, even against their own will. In the midst of this blooming romance, we have the crazy Hathaway family. Each of the Hathaways had a distinct personality that was hard not to love. We have the soft-spoken, quite, and often sickly Win who is loved by Merripen from afar. We have Poppy, the sweet-tempered and helpful young girl growing into a woman and Beatrix, still somewhat a child but alluring with her love of pets. Leo, as the eldest, is the bad-boy of the family and, as such, I can't wait to read his story soon. It seems as if the men in this story, from Leo, to Cam, to Merripen, all retain an air of mystery while still showing their true sides of caring, worry, and love. Kleypas strikes a delicate balance with all of them, making them appear simultaneously vulnerable and strong, dark and light, protective and needing protection themselves. In this manner, she weaves a romance where both man and woman are equal, see eye-to-eye, and only bring out the best in one another.

Mine Till Midnight utterly captivated me and I'm already missing the wacky presence of the Hathaways. Cam and Amelia's love story is one that will stick with me for a long time to come, mostly because they had to overcome their own inner obstacles to be together, whether it be their personal qualms, worries, or just the gossip that was sure to ensue from a union of English lady to gypsy. Yet, it all works out so perfectly and the characters are all so flawed and grow so wonderfully that one can't help but sigh in contentment when the last pages of this novel have been flipped. I'm hardly an expert on historical romances, but it is evident that Mine Till Midnight is something wholly different, unique, and beautiful from everything else out there. More than anything else, this novel is sweet. It is all laced with a romantic tinge of cute and adorable along with sensual, making it the perfect blend of just about everything.

You can read this review" and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less)

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Nov 26, 2010 Leah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: king-of-the-harem, by-george-thats-awesome, cherry-poppin, queen-of-the-harem, author-lisa-kleypas, 5-stars, damn-that-cover-is-smokin, love-triangles-can-kiss-my-booty, come-here-baby-so-i-can-lick-you, secondary-love-plots-make-me-swoon, scars-and-tats-and-piercings-oh-my, series-hathaways, historical-harem, thats-some-funny-shit, its-all-in-the-accent, bad-boy-take-me-away

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The oldest Hathaway sister, Amelia is the most reasonable and levelheaded, she's strong, determined, and loyal. I was frustrated with her continued refusal of Cam (my love) and her naivete concerning that bastard Christopher Frost. I loved her interactions with her sisters. I hated that she always had to take care of everything, even though she didn't mind most of the time. And, I have to say that I absolutely loved when she finally realized that she couldn't live without Cam.

I abso-freaking-lut...more

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Nov 13, 2010 Katie(babs) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-want-to-have-babies-with-the-book

Lisa Kleypas is a master at writing historical romance and Mine Til Midnight is the perfect example. There are wonderful characters, conversations and a sexy and great romance. Plus the love scenes are excellent also!

Kleypas has written a new set of incredible characters in that of the Hathaway family. There are four sisters and one brother who are eclectic, funny and just plain enjoyable to read. Amelia is the head of this rag tag family who have lost their parents. They have major issues, incl...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Loederkoningin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-great-k-and-k-shelf, fluffy-romance, f-m, formulaic

This is probably the first romance I've read in which the hero doesn't come with an impressive title.
Fear not though! Swarthy gypsy Cam Rohan has plenty of money and with the countenance of an exotic angel, a face that has definitely been created for sin, the brooding mouth of a fallen angel, the angular jaw and golden-hazel tiger eyes shaded by long straight lashes you still get your money's worth.

So Cam, what do you look like?
Hmm probably not...

An Indian gypsy: if those aren't romance novel e...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Vered rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hr

Lovley. The best Lisa Klepas I've read so far.
Amelia is an Elinorish kind of heroine (as in Sense and Sensibility's) which I love and I had a thing for Cam ever since Devil in Winter.

It was a simple love story. Not too complicated, no too many misunderstandings, angst or brooding. Sweet (but not to the point of a dying need for antacid).

Great sex scenes, sharp dialogs and a big goofy smile by the end of it. Good enough for me.

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Mar 21, 2013 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, ebooks-epubs-pdfs

Oh, how I loved this book! Lisa Kleypas introduced me to the world of historical romance a few years ago and she continues to be my absolute favorite. Cam and Amelia were both strong, smart characters who knew their worth and weren't intimidated by each other (much). Their attraction was immediate but hampered by the fact that Cam is of Roma descent and Amelia consideres herself a spinster after a failed courtship.

It was nice to see that Amelia's reservations about the new relationship blossomi...more

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Sep 27, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance-prior-to-wwll

Ok as a romance novel. I was not wowed, surprised or delighted.

I prefer a little more interesting, witty or humorous conversation (or suspense). I enjoyed Rom, the half gypsy character, but I was uneasy with his wanting to throw away his money. He was lucky at earning it and kept trying to throw it away or give it away. The author said something about he couldn't feel free if he had any possessions. Parts of the story were ok, but I would not recommend buying this book.

There were unanswered ques...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Bekah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads

Amelia Hathaway is the matriarch of the sometimes eccentric Hathaway clan. She’s the mother hen, the worry wart, the one they all depend on. But with a string of tragedies in their family and a not so lucky title inherited by her brother, Amelia may just have bitten off more than she can handle on her own. Good thing she’s run into a mysterious, delicious and handsome Gypsy who just refuses to let her go…

I am so happy to have FINALLY gotten to meet the Hathaways!! And yes, I adore them. I love t...more Amelia Hathaway is the matriarch of the sometimes eccentric Hathaway clan. She’s the mother hen, the worry wart, the one they all depend on. But with a string of tragedies in their family and a not so lucky title inherited by her brother, Amelia may just have bitten off more than she can handle on her own. Good thing she’s run into a mysterious, delicious and handsome Gypsy who just refuses to let her go…

I am so happy to have FINALLY gotten to meet the Hathaways!! And yes, I adore them. I love them and I can’t wait to read the rest of their stories. I think I just may be a bit sad when we finally say our goodbyes to each other, and they are only fictional characters! I blame this completely on Lisa Kleypas’ ability to write such beautiful characters and stories. I’m quite happily addicted!

Let’s talk about Cam. Cam is a bit of a mixed bag of a hero. He’s completely capable of being the big Alpha we often find so irresistible, but he’s more of a gentle beta hero, and just absolutely perfect for Amelia. I loved the way he could not resist Amelia, though he tried. I loved that he found his freedom in his love for her, and I loved that he was such a huge and calming force in her life. Things are not easy in the Hathaway household, but he took them and all of their problems on for the love of one little woman. He was steadfast, loyal and always always there for his romni and her family, how could you not fall in love with this man? He’s so dependable and constant. I give him a 8/10 on the Kleypas scale. You’ll love him!

The steam in this book is quite high as well. Cam’s attraction for Amelia at first was purely physical, but as he came to care and love her, it transformed into something much more complex and beautiful. With that beauty, the intensity and fervor of their lovemaking shined throughout the book. Amelia’s eagerness and willingness to be with Cam was refreshing and exciting to read at the same time. She was in her mid-twenties and more than mature enough to take him on. It was quite a yummy, titillating and steamy read. 8/10 on the Kleypas Steam Scale!!

The romance (((SIGH))) This book is completely sigh worthy and utterly romantic. I think it’s so romantic when we get to read a book where it’s the man who is fully confident in the relationship, knows without a doubt he wants and loves this woman and must have her at all costs. It’s a nice change in the dynamic, instead of the woman essentially waiting on the man to discover that all along it was her…we have the woman coming to the final conclusion that yes, this man I can trust with my life, my family’s lives and he’s more than worthy of me and I am worthy of him. It’s a romantic read. The detail to their love and their caring for each other is where the heart goes pitter patter. 8/10 on the Romance/Sigh Scale.

Finally, I know this is Cam and Amelia’s story, but oh.my.god. I can NOT WAIT for Leo’s story. I ached and cried for that man. A man who loves that strongly and that fiercely DESERVES a happily ever after and I cannot wait to read it!

Find my reviews at page 317.

(less)

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Apr 12, 2009 Dina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, to-blog

I loved Cam Roham since his first appearance in 'Devil in Winter', so I was more than thrilled when Kleypas made him the 1st hero in her new Hathaway series. Unfortunately, his story didn´t live up to my expectations. Don´t get me wrong, Cam was still as interesting as ever in 'Mine Till Midnight', but little else was up to par. :(

Where do I begin? Well, let´s take Amelia Hathaway, Cam´s heroine. She was nice enough, but I just didn´t feel her "connection" with Cam. I got the feeling that she wa...more I loved Cam Roham since his first appearance in 'Devil in Winter', so I was more than thrilled when Kleypas made him the 1st hero in her new Hathaway series. Unfortunately, his story didn´t live up to my expectations. Don´t get me wrong, Cam was still as interesting as ever in 'Mine Till Midnight', but little else was up to par. :(

Where do I begin? Well, let´s take Amelia Hathaway, Cam´s heroine. She was nice enough, but I just didn´t feel her "connection" with Cam. I got the feeling that she was more interested in her family than anything else, Cam included. When I read a romance novel, I NEED to feel that the hero and the heroine are made/meant for each other, but this didn´t happen with Cam and Amelia. To be honest, I felt sorry for Cam, because he deserved a better heroine. It also bothered me that Cam never told Amelia his tribal name. Considering his beliefs, it was the same as never saying "I love you" to her.

As for the Hathaways as a family, the word that comes to my mind is "dysfunctional". Leo was a worthless, self-pitying, suicidal disaster in human form; Win was a frail, angelic beauty who had never fully recovered from her illness; Beatrix was a kleptomaniac who thought a lizard would make a wonderful pet... The only family member who seemed "normal" was Poppy but, even so, what kind of name was that?!? Merripen (not exactly a member of the Hathaway family, but close enough) was the most interesting secondary character in the pack and I bet he´s going to be a wonderful hero in 'Seduce Me at Sunrise'.

When an author starts a series, I understand he/she has to spend some time introducing a whole bunch of characters and "setting the stage", so to speak, but I think Kleypas went a bit too far in this book. Ultimately, Cam and Amelia "paid the price": there wasn´t enough room to show the development of their relationship, because there was too much going on with the secondary characters (all aligned to be the heroes and heroines in the next Hathaways books, of course).

On the happy side, I was more than pleased to see Marcus, Lord Westcliff, and Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent, making small appearances in this book. They never fail to put a smile on my face. :)

All things considered, this wasn´t a bad book. But I wanted to be wowed and, unfortunately, I wasn´t.(less)

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Oct 20, 2012 ❀ Mary ❀ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lisa-kleypas, historical-romance

This was pure pleasure!! I really enjoyed learning more about Cam Rohan, when I read Devil in Winter I always thought he was an interesting man and now there's a confirmation of it

In this book, as being the first in the serie, the Hathaway family is really messed up specially Leo and as a good hook to keep reading there are a lot of unfinished issues, like the relationship between Win and Merripen and why Cam and Merripen have the same tatoo. As a bonus for me; in this book also make an appeara...more

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Feb 28, 2008 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dreamy-heroes, favorites, hr-victorian-edwardian, bluestocking-wallflower-hr, own, pet-or-animal-in-story, across-the-tracks, virgin-heroine, kiss-me-i-m-irish, 1st-in-series, my-4-star-romances

The first book in Lisa Kleypas The Hathaways series. We met Cam Rohan in the Wallflowers series. I think many people were a bit disappointed when Cam didn't end up with Daisy but that was for the best. Cam found his sweetheart in Amelia. Nice start of a Kleypas series. Didn't have that WOW factor that many of Ms Kleypas books have for me but definitely worth reading.

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Feb 06, 2009 Lady Darcie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: romance lovers

Recommended to Lady Darcie by: nobody

Shelves: historical-romance

I LOVED LOVED this book, it was entertaining and heart stopping. Cam and Amelia were just the greatest couple, they had a great chemisty. Many girls would be wishing to find a gypsy lover like Cam. i know i did ;)

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Jul 22, 2009 Rane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency-romance-napoleonic-era, victorian-romance, keeper

Coming from different walks of life Amelia Hathaway and Cam Rohan couldn't be more different then day and night, but just click together like two puzzles pieces making a whole.
Amelia comes from a family of so called misfits and as the oldest female has taken the role of protector of her family's welfare at the risk of danger and the occasional headache. Coming into a recent wealth and a title for her bother to boot. Amelia and her family are thrust into a well to do society one that they have...more Coming from different walks of life Amelia Hathaway and Cam Rohan couldn't be more different then day and night, but just click together like two puzzles pieces making a whole.
Amelia comes from a family of so called misfits and as the oldest female has taken the role of protector of her family's welfare at the risk of danger and the occasional headache. Coming into a recent wealth and a title for her bother to boot. Amelia and her family are thrust into a well to do society one that they have never been apart of before.
Leaning how to deal with their recent rise in society and trying to keep her brother from slowly killing himself, Amelia is at the end of her rope when she meets the handsome and mysterious Cam Rohan. Cam lives in between two different worlds one that yearns for freedom and another he's been trying to live and run away from. Working at the well-known gambling club, he's surprised when he crosses paths with Amelia in her search for her way-ward brother. Even after they part with a stolen kiss, Cam still can't get Amelia out of his head and when the meet again he decides he never wants to live without her.

Amelia and Cam hit it off like a house on fire, with sensual level that is always just waiting to boil over. Both try to fight the attraction between them as both feel family and freedom block their path and hold them back. Once they overcome and accept nothing will keep them apart there's no stopping them, expect for a little danger and some hard-headiness!

This was such a delightful read, I loved Cam and his easy charm but his steadfastness that I felt kept Amelia grounded when things got bad. Amelia brought Cam the sense of family he felt he lacked after he was forced to leave his gypsy tribe. The scenes with them together were sometimes funny with their back and forth banter and sometimes so hot I thought the pages were going to burn up!

While I enjoyed the main couple, The Hathaway clan was another matter; I liked learning about each of them and their troubles in the beginning. I felt the story started to focus a little too much on the family and not on Cam and Amelia. I didn't care for Leo as the story went on and didn't feel pity for him at the end of the book as I felt he was
dragging not only himself but also his family down with him. I can understand his heartbreak over his lost love, she was gone but there was still people who loved him and needed him now more then ever, which put Cam in a better light as the stronger man as he picked up the pieces and helped the Hathaway clan more then Leo ever did.
The younger sisters were okay, but once again I felt tidbits of they're troubles would have been enough and more in-depth of their troubles could have waited for their own books, instead I was left with the feeling of being overloaded with to much at once time.

Overall: even with it's flaws, a great romantic read of two people learning it's okay to have a shoulder to lean on, of wanting a family and best of all: falling in love. (less)

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Feb 18, 2012 Carla *Jen7waters* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, steamy, read-in-2012, favorite-books, virgin-heroine

And Lisa Kleypas strikes again!
My God, I loved this book so, so, so much. I can’t even think about certain moments or I get all emotional.

Mine Till Midnight tells the story of Cam, a character that first appears in The Best Historical Romance Ever Written or just Devil in Winter. He is half Gypsy, half Irish, (all yummy), and works at Jenner’s gambling club; he’s like a brother to my dear Evie (although that makes no difference to Sebastian who sees every man as a threat when the subject regards...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Mollie *scoutrmom* rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of historical romance

Shelves: romance, read-in-2010, read-in-2011, read-in-2012

The first time I read this, I did not write a review because I was in such a hurry to take it back to the public library and get the next book in the series.

I really liked the heroine, Amelia. She is a responsible, caring oldest sister to her orphaned siblings. She puts their needs before her own. She handles all the responsibilities thrust upon her without complaint. She has survived the betrayal by her first love. She even shows a wry sense of humor despite all the bad luck that befalls her. S...more The first time I read this, I did not write a review because I was in such a hurry to take it back to the public library and get the next book in the series.

I really liked the heroine, Amelia. She is a responsible, caring oldest sister to her orphaned siblings. She puts their needs before her own. She handles all the responsibilities thrust upon her without complaint. She has survived the betrayal by her first love. She even shows a wry sense of humor despite all the bad luck that befalls her. She deals with what happens, until what happens to her is...

Cam Rohan, who we met in the Wallflowers series. This barely civilized half-gypsy manages St. Vincent's gambling establishment. I liked that he did not feel like he belonged in English society. He had plans to give up his post and return to the roving life until his feelings for Amelia blindsided him. Somebody needs to take care of his beloved, and he's not going to allow anyone else to do it, even if it means he has to become a pillar of respectability (horrors!) ;)

We get active participation in the story by some of the Wallflowers characters, and meet a whole new family of stories waiting to occur. Part of Kleypas' genius is that she gives us well-rounded secondary characters, it is not only the protagonists who matter in her books. It is both good and amusing that Amelia's sisters think better of her for giving up her iron control and living a little, even though she fears she may end up with another broken heart.

The theme of this book seems to be two strong individuals coming to grips with what fate has dealt them. Cam has to accept that he is not losing his freedom by joining his life to another's, freedom is the belonging he feels when in her arms. Amelia has to learn that it doesn't mean she is anything less if she accepts that she needs a shoulder to lean upon. She has indomitable spirit: "Yes. Yes. I'll marry you. Although...I still can't promise to obey you."

I'm so glad I found a secondhand copy of this for myself, now I can read it again whenever I feel like it.(less)

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Oct 17, 2009 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-historical, read-own, favorites, read-in-2009, ebooks

I really enjoyed the first book in the Hathaway series. Since the death of her parents and since inheriting the title that boosts her family into the ranks of aristocracy, Amelia Hathaway, the eldest of the five Hathaway siblings, carries the weight of the family on her shoulders. Cam Rohan is hot, sexy, secretive, strong and romantic… Everything a hero should be. Being half Gypsy and half Irish he no longer wants to live his life as a rich man but wants to go back to his roots and live his life...more

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Jan 25, 2010 Juliana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, 2007-reads, 2007-oct-reads, 2008-reads, 2008-nov-reads, 2010-reads, 2010-jan-reads, 4-stars, best-romance-heroes-ever, hr-hero-gypsy, hr-sizzling-chemistry, 4-to-5-stars, all-time-best-romance-heroes-ever

Lisa Kleypas kicks off another great series!

Setting: London and Hampshire county, England, 1848
Sensuality rating: 8.5 (well-written sexual tension, multiple love scenes)

Just read Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, Book 1) for the second time, since I had wanted to refresh myself on the Hathway family before starting the second book in the series, Seduce Me at Sunrise (The Hathaways, Book 2). I loved it as much as the first time I read it. Lisa Kleypas is definitely one of the most talented (if n...more

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Oct 05, 2010 Alyssa (Hesperia Loves Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was very surprised at how much I liked this first installment of the Hathaway's series. Personally, historical romance is not my favorite genre, but I couldn't pass up so many great recommendations.

This first book did a wonderful job in setting the world & background of the Hathaway's and gives us plenty of possibilities for future storylines. I am definitely looking forward to each family members storyline in upcoming books.

Cam & Amelia's love story was very sweet & touching. One...more

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Feb 21, 2009 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, kleypas-lisa

Liked this better than the last two Lisa Kleypas books that I read! I love the hero - Cam is a wonderful mix of sexy, dangerous & forbidden and strong, able & romantic... What a man... But I felt that the sex scenes were overdone and the love story stalled at times! I am looking forward to watching the adventures of the rest if the Hathaway family!

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Aug 18, 2008 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mushy-squishy-romantic-stuff

Well, this was quite good. I am a fan of this author and I cannot recall ever reading a bad book of hers. Amelia was okay, but I actually liked Winnifred better. Cam was very hero-like but still had enough quirks to keep him human. My one complaint would have to be: oh-the-melodrama! Amelia had a suicidal brother, invaild sister and a klepto sister! Her house burned down... and that house was haunted by the ghost of a dead girl! There was a room full of hundreds of thousands of bees! There was s...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Quinn rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Regency romance lovers

Shelves: romance, fetch-me-new-panties

LOVE x84745393475! I couldn't put it down. Amelia was awesome- mature, caring, proper yet not so much. Cam was a dream- just rough enough, sweet, generous, exciting. I could read more books about the two of them!

Thanks to swap.com, I was able to my collection of treasured Regency novels in a matter of days. You will have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands. :-)

1 like · like · see review

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Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways #1)

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