A Midnight Dance (Fiery Tales, #3)

Feb 26, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance-european

3.5 stars

This is a very well-written and sensual read. Originally read in 2011 I recently did a re-read. And surprisingly I wouldn't class the love scenes this time around as erotic. Particularly. Steamy, sensual, yes.

Recommended for readers of historical romance who love that bit of extra heat. But who also enjoy a well-written novel.

Steam: 3.5

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Dec 26, 2012 HankLover rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-5-star-my-favorites, reviewed, historical-erotic-romance, historical-romance, dirty-talkin-hero, ebooks, i-own-it-in-paper

As a lover of fairytales and a true romantic at heart, I was very excited to discover this book, a re-telling of Cinderella. But not just ANY retelling. An EROTIC retelling. ;-) Because as much as I love a romantic story, I love an erotic one even more. *big grin*

On both counts, “A Midnight Dance” did not disappoint.

The story had some elements of Cinderella, but didn’t follow the traditional story exactly, but that’s ok. It was a wonderful story, and kept me interested and entertained, and gave...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Booklover1335 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, 2011-july

I've been dying for this author to write a full length novel, considering with what she could do with a novella (The Lovely Duckling is my favorite from The Princess in His Bed), I had very high expectations, and for the most part A Midnight Dance lived up to those expectations. It was captivating from the very first page. You could feel and understand Sabine's desperation to provide for her family and find her sister. Her determination to do whatever it takes, the courage to go through with her...more I've been dying for this author to write a full length novel, considering with what she could do with a novella (The Lovely Duckling is my favorite from The Princess in His Bed), I had very high expectations, and for the most part A Midnight Dance lived up to those expectations. It was captivating from the very first page. You could feel and understand Sabine's desperation to provide for her family and find her sister. Her determination to do whatever it takes, the courage to go through with her plans even though the chances are slim that she will succeed, and most certainly will lead to her ruin ...possibly even her death. But Sabine has very little left to loose except her reputation, and as a result she is willing to sacrifice her dreams of marriage, and the future of the man she used to love, to live. Jules of course has other plans, and is equally determined to do whatever it takes to regain his birthright.

Jules Mourtier should have been a Marquis, living the life of an Aristo that he was proudly and arrogantly raised to be, but he has been stripped of his birthright because of his supposedly traitor father. He's spent the last few years of his life as a privateer (sanctioned pirate), and now that he has enough Spanish silver to buy back the lands he's lost, he is ready to resume his titled life. He's ruthless, and just as desperate to prove his father was no traitor to the Crown...nothing is going to stop him from achieving his dream, including his feisty "forest fairy", Sabine.

The attraction between Sabine and Jules is undeniable, and both act carelessly and somewhat foolishly in their need and desire for each other. Their initial encounters are somewhat bittersweet for Sabine. On the one hand she gets to live out a fantasy with the man she once believed was her "Dark Prince" and in every way perfect. On the other hand she is faced with the man who's family was partly responsible for her family's downfall, and is presented with the perfect means of exacting revenge by stealing his silver. Sabine is presented with the harsh reality that the "Dark Prince" she dreamed of is instead an "Aristo" who doesn't care about his people except for what they provide for him. Jules on the other hand is presented with the illusion of an ethereal woman who is perfect in her passion. All of his dreams of regaining the former glory of his family and all that entails is about to come true, and the same time that all of Sabine's dreams meet the harsh light of day. She is faced with the harsh realities of life, while Jules is living in a dream world.

The love scenes in A Midnight Dance are unbelievably hot. I mean HOT. There's passion and desire, and tons of chemistry between the Jules and Sabine. And when they aren't fighting for their lives, and each other (because theirs is a love/hate relationship), they are making mad passionate love. When it's the two of them on the page, magic happens.

The first two thirds of the book is enchanting. Everything about Jules and Sabine's love story worked for me up until the point that they embark on a quest to find out who was behind the conspiracy that led to his father's death, as well as finding the missing silver. After that, I became less enchanted with this Fiery Tale for a few reasons. Neither of which detracted from the story as a whole to completely ruin it... just tarnished it a bit. During the last half of the book, I expected Sabine and Jules to really come to blows about the realities of who and what each of them represents...to finally get to the "meat" of the emotional battle (internal & external) of the book where each of them has to come to harsh realities of their different lives, as well as their similarities so that they could eventually fall in love despite the obstacles they faced. To change, forgive, and discover. That didn't happen to the extent that I wish it would have. If that would have happened it would have made this good book, a really really good romance. Instead we are introduced to a serial killer out to have Sabine, and destroy Jules. For me this whole plot was completely unnecessary to the story and actually was a distraction to the story. The class difference was the only necessary villain in this love story so the introduction of an actual villain was unnecessary, at least in my opinion. It's not that this addition to the story wasn't well written, because it was, and it definitely added excitement and suspense to the story, but I found myself almost skipping ahead to get back to Sabine and Jules to see how they would overcome their issues to finally be together. It made a fairy tale, where the "Prince" defies convention to claim the woman he loves, into something less romantic because it lacked an emotional climax.

In the end I didn't feel like I got the Cinderella happy ever after in Ms. DiPasqua`s retelling of the story that I wanted, even though the hero and the heroine happily end up together, because of the addition of the villain as well as the choices the hero makes at the end . True, it had all of the necessary Cinderella elements, the glass slipper, the step sisters, the Masquerade Ball, with a few nice twists to the story, but by the end...it just didn't feel like a fairy tale "The End". To me, the ending made it seem like Jules took the easy way out instead of living up to the responsibilities that he began the story with. Instead of changing his views and trying to make a difference, he just leaves it all behind. I found that a little bit hard to swallow after the many years sacrificed to attain his goals. Especially since it didn't really seem like his beliefs had changed all that much. Granted, he basically gives up everything to get the girl, but the choices he made made it seem to me like Sabine would never be good enough for his world, hence the choices he made. And that cheapened their happily ever after for me just a bit. What would have made it better for me was if Jules became an enlightened Aristo because of Sabine...and that she got the fairy tale she dreamed with her Dark Prince, but with the knowledge of a woman who knows what the people that depend on them go through on a daily basis. Then again the French Revolution is on it's way in their future, so who knows....

As I said before, I've been waiting for Ms. DiPasqua to finally write a full length novel since first reading her novella anthologies, each of which contained stories that I just absolutely loved. And at the beginning, A Midnight Dance was fully living up to all of my expectations. It was magical, with witty and smart characters, great dialogue, an interesting conflict for each of the main characters to overcome, as well as the sensual love scenes that were hot, passionate and intense that the author has become known for. But by the end I can only say that I enjoyed it...but I could have LOVED it if it would have had more emotional depth and less killer/mystery. That being said, I am a big fan of this author, and I am most definitely looking forward to her next book. I have a feeling that A Midnight Dance will be as much a lucky glass slipper to Ms. DiPasqua as it was for her heroine Sabine.

Ratings:

Overall: 4.00
Sensuality level: 3.75 (this historical romance is in between a very hot traditional romance and an erotic romance, but I would hesitate to classify it specifically as an erotic romance)

This book was reviewed for Seductive Musings blog. An ARC of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. (less)

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Dec 19, 2011 Lelyana Taufik rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ini kisah Cinderella yang seru, dan dengan latar belakang yang tidak biasa, menarik dan membuat penasaran tiap bab nya, hingga sulit buat meletak kan buku ini sebelum menyelesaikannya.
Dan aku kasih 5 bintang,karena aku suka kisah2 yg based on fiery tales gini, dan ide ceritanya luamyan unik dan kreatif....

Si kembar, Isabelle dan Sabine selalu berminmpi mereka akanbertemu Dark Prince mereka satu saat nanti,menikah dan hidup bahagia selamanya.
Kedua gadis ini orang bisa saja, anak pemilik teater yg...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Christina Reads rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who loves historical romance

Shelves: historical-romance, erotic-historical-romance, fairy-tale-retellings

This book blew me away. The romance, smokin hot loves scenes and intrigue kept me turning the pages and reading into the middle of the night. I loved the banter between Sabine and tall, seriously sexy Jules. The sparks between them fly in such a fun way and the chemistry really sizzles. (As for the love scene in the forest in the middle of the book---I'll have what she's having, please!) The plot is exciting, the characters are entertaining, and the passion is purely delicious. Having read and e...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What can I say about this book other than I loved it. Lila DiPasqua is becoming one of my favorite authors. This book was steamy and the hero is one hunk I will never forget. Jules,the hero can only be described as Hot, Sexy, Witty, Sexy, Hot, and did I mention Sexy. I literally break out into a sweat just thinking about him. He is my new hero! I want Him!!!!

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Oct 19, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance

Reviewed by Jen
Review copy won in a contest

I've been hearing a lot of good things about A Midnight Dance, so to say I was thrilled when I won a copy courtesy of a contest at the SOS Aloha blog might be an understatement. I've not read any of Ms DiPasqua's other Fiery Tales, but now they are on my list of must-reads.

As I knew this was a retelling of Cinderella, I kept finding myself looking for hints of the original fairy tale. Fortunately they were there and even though there are enough differen...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

I reviewed this book for Night Owl Reviews with a 4.5 Star Rating:

A Midnight Dance by Lila DiPasqua is an entertaining and highly erotic historical romance inspired by the children’s fairytale Cinderella. The characters drew me into their story and I found myself captivated by Sabine and Jules, the two lead characters. The romance is scorching hot with several titillating scenes. The dialogue is witty, sharp and at times bawdy and comical.

Sabine Laurent is a fantastic heroine; young, beautiful...more I reviewed this book for Night Owl Reviews with a 4.5 Star Rating:

A Midnight Dance by Lila DiPasqua is an entertaining and highly erotic historical romance inspired by the children’s fairytale Cinderella. The characters drew me into their story and I found myself captivated by Sabine and Jules, the two lead characters. The romance is scorching hot with several titillating scenes. The dialogue is witty, sharp and at times bawdy and comical.

Sabine Laurent is a fantastic heroine; young, beautiful and well educated for a woman of her time, she’s barely holding on to what’s left of her family’s property and has become the defacto head of her family. Bitter at the changes which have taken place in her family’s fortune over the last eight years, which she blames on the Moutier family, Sabine is determined to hold onto the little they have left. When she hears two sailors talking about a huge silver treasure being brought ashore by their captain, she devises a clever plot to steal the treasure, pay off her family’s delinquent taxes and use part of the remaining funds to locate her sister Isabella. A sister she believes is still alive and in hiding. Sabine is an honest person by nature but circumstances have driven her to desperation. She’s willing to make whatever sacrifice is required to change her situation. She never thought she’d be stealing a treasure from the man she dreamed of as a child.

Jules de Moutier is a fantastic hero; young, incredibly handsome and a successful privateer, he’s determined to restore his family’s honor and position. As the oldest son of Charles de Moutier, he had been raised to a life of riches and privilege. He never imagined his father would be accused of participating in treason or that he and his younger brother Luc would be thrown into prison. Managing to escape his father’s fate (hanging), both Jules and Luc find themselves without titles or property and have no choice but to become privateers. Believing in his father’s innocence, Jules has spent the last eight years seizing treasures from the crown’s enemies and plotting the restoration of his family honor and sizeable properties. He never envisioned he’d lose his heart to a silver eyed thief.

The scenes between Sabine and Jules are full of engaging dialogue and scorching physical chemistry. As they spend time together, Sabine and Jules begin enjoying each other’s company and feel something other than defeat. Sabine begins to have second thoughts about stealing Jules’ treasure, while Jules begins to think about a way to keep Sabine in life and in his bed. Neither realizes there are sinister forces lurking in the shadows determined to destroy their plans.

The secondary characters are well done and important to the story. We meet Louise, Paul Laurent’s spoiled mistress and her two daughters, who are a financial burden for Sabine but make up part of what’s left of her family. We also meet Valentin, the Marquis d’ Argon, and a friend of the Jules’ family, who knows more about the circumstances behind their problems than he pretends. There are also two villainous characters in the story, Cyr, the local tax collector and Leon de Vittry, the Baron du Lor, whose plans for both Jules and Sabine are less than honorable.

The story ends with the discovery of who was behind the Moutier family’s fall from grace and with some startling revelations which force Jules to make some interesting decisions. Does Sabine get her Prince Charming? You’ll have to read A Midnight Dance to find out. I look forward to seeing what fairy tale Ms. DiPasqua tackles next.

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Aug 04, 2011 Jennifer Rayment rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Good Stuff

* Extremely steamy
* Devilish rakes -- love me them bad boys
* Exciting fast paced storyline
* The perfect book for a hot summer night or for lounging on the beach - not to mention could warm up a cold Canadian winters night too
* Will definitely be checking out more books by Lila
* Historical romance - which I am a sucker for -- as long as there isn't too much mushy love story -- think I am too practical for the mush
* Was impressed with the character development of Jules
* Did I...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Virginia Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

I now think of author Lila DiPasqua as "Scheherazade". Having just read her third Fiery Tale book, "A Midnight Dance", I can strongly advise that Ms. DiPasqua is not just a premier author of erotic historical romance, she is also a master storyteller. With each of her books, I have been captivated by the character development and the story line detail, but there is more, much more. There is undeniable passion, titillation and temptation, but there is also intrigue, revelation and redemption. The...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars

A Midnight Dance by Lila DiPasqua
Historical Romance –Aug. 2nd, 2011
4 stars

A Midnight Dance is based loosely on the Cinderella fairy tale. This story reads like a spirited adventure romance set in the lush background of old time France.

Young Sabine Laurent dreams of the dashing Jules de Moutier, Count of Charbonneau. He is her prince and her secret crush. But her dreams are quickly devastated with the death of her father, the loss of her sister, Isabelle and sudden, crippling debt. When she and...more A Midnight Dance by Lila DiPasqua
Historical Romance –Aug. 2nd, 2011
4 stars

A Midnight Dance is based loosely on the Cinderella fairy tale. This story reads like a spirited adventure romance set in the lush background of old time France.

Young Sabine Laurent dreams of the dashing Jules de Moutier, Count of Charbonneau. He is her prince and her secret crush. But her dreams are quickly devastated with the death of her father, the loss of her sister, Isabelle and sudden, crippling debt. When she and her cousins spy a group of wealthy pirates they plan to steal their silver to pay their debts and use any extra money to find and rescue Isabelle.

Sabine plans to distract them with her body while her cousins loot their silver. But their plans go awry and Sabine finds herself with a pirate that is actually Jules de Moutier! Although she is attracted to him she blames his traitorous family for the loss of her sister. But she soon finds passion in his seductive skills.

Jules de Mountier had a promising future that was until hateful lies about his family were spread and he and his family were branded traitors. Now he hopes to use the silver he has to clear their name. But a seductive witch that flaunts herself at his camp tempts him like no other. But what will he do when he discovers her betrayal….

This was a fun adventure. The mystery behind Isabelle disappearance and Jules’s ‘disgrace’ were absorbing to read. Both characters are easy to like and sympathize with. The author’s prior two books are also loosely based on fairy tales set in the glittering world of France. They were anthologies. Because this is a full length novel it gives the author more time to fully develop her characters and introduce some wonderful secondary characters that will certainly charm the readers. Sabine has many relatives who are mischievous, not to mention her father’s mistress which made this book often feel like a comedy of errors. For those familiar with Moliere’s comedies, I think the author added a bit of the same outrageous humor. I enjoyed this book, the only thing that bothered me is that Sabine continues to try to trick Jules even after her has protected her and proven himself worthy. I wish she had been a bit more mature. Given up on her ploy earlier to steal from him and believed in him sooner. The scenes are very sensual and steamy. Sabine is a very lucky woman!

Quick and easy to read this is an entertaining romance with a likeable cast.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
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Aug 11, 2011 Gemma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Ok, right off the bat I have to get something off of my chest that really annoyed me about this book, hence the drop to 4 stars.

The back states that the author took insperation from the story Cinderella... Apart from a few references Glass Slippers, stepmother and two stepsisters (who are not all that wicked nor horrid) a ball, and an unpredictable 'fairy godmother' who helps our heroine it was nothing like Cinderlla and it really annoyed me.

I have read Eloisa James A Kiss at Midnight, which al...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of hot, romantic historicals

Shelves: historical, revenge-plot, classics-retold, requested-review, enemies-to-lovers, steam-level-scorching, 2011-read, family-issues, kidnapped, mustache-twirling-villain, bondage-or-kink, serial-killer, betrayal, secret-identity, dead-tree-version

Expected Release Date: August 2, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Trade
Author’s Website: http://www.liladipasqua.com/
My Source for This Book: Gift from the author
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 3, Fiery Tales
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Scorching

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful maiden by the name of Sabine, daughter of the most famous and celebrated playwright in Paris. Young, and beautiful, the girl anxiously anticipated the time when she and her lo...more Expected Release Date: August 2, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Trade
Author’s Website: http://www.liladipasqua.com/
My Source for This Book: Gift from the author
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 3, Fiery Tales
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Scorching

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful maiden by the name of Sabine, daughter of the most famous and celebrated playwright in Paris. Young, and beautiful, the girl anxiously anticipated the time when she and her lovely twin sister would make their debut into Parisian society, attending balls and soirees, and of course, making an advantageous marriage. But there was one man above all that Sabine had within her sights -- her very own Dark Prince, Jules de Moutier. While they had never had a chance to truly meet, she pinned all of her hopes, dreams, and of course, heady fantasies, on the handsome and sensual aristocrat.

But all of these dreams crumbled into ashes when Sabine's life was cast into the cinders -- her father dead, her beloved sister cold in the ground, and the horrible Moutier family the very cause of their fall from grace. With the family's land gone, and exorbitant taxes levied against her family by aristocrats and the monarchy alike, she knew that it was only a matter of time before she and what was left of her family were thrown into debtor's prison, where a fate awaited her that was worse than death.

Determined to be the master of her own fate, she devised a plan to steal a fortune from a band of rogues -- a fortune that would not only ensure her family's safety, but would allow her to search for the truth behind her dear twin's disappearance. Posing as a skilled strumpet, she and her two male cousins intend to infiltrate the privateer camp, distract the leader, and feed the rest of them men wine tainted with a sleeping draught.

But this was not just any band of privateers. No, the leader proved to be none other than Sabine's own Dark Prince, the man she both lusts after and despises with all of her being. Suddenly, her simple plan is no longer simple at all, and within Jules' arms, she discovers a passion and a freedom unlike any other. But can Sabine allow herself to succumb, knowing that his family is the one that ruined hers?

This book was so wonderfully, deliciously hot. No, really, if you wear glasses, you may want to keep a soft cloth handy, because they're probably going to steam up when you read this book. Not only are the love scenes beautifully lush and erotic, but there's also a delightful level of passion and emotion flaring between Sabine and Jules.

Perfect for heating up these cold winter nights, highly recommended for fans of luscious sensuality, heartbreak and betrayal, and one of the sweetest happy endings I could've imagined.

A very solid 4.5/5 Stars(less)

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Aug 29, 2011 VampFanGirl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, for-review, historical-romance

4.5 Stars!!!!

My Review:

The Plot:

Once prosperous beyond their means, Sabine Laurent and her misfit theater troop family find themselves in dire straights. Saddled with a hefty and ever increasing debt payable to the Crown, they all face eviction and life on the streets, if they're lucky, a debtors prison if they're not. Penniless with no available resources to help clear their enormous debt, Sabine is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. After her educated ears pick up on two privateers boast...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Stella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, for-review, historical, romance

I am a fairy tale-aholic. Love them, can't get enough of 'em. I loved Lila DiPasqua's previous two steamy fairy tale anthologies, but was a bit miffed Cinderella (my favourite fairy tale) was missing. So of course when I heard that the reason for that omission was that Lila was planning on writing a full length novel retelling of it I couldn't have been happier and more excited! (Just telling you so you can picture the heightened state I was in when I finally got my hands on a copy of A Midnight...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Katie(babs) rated it 3 of 5 stars

’ve been a fan of Lila DiPasqua since I started reading her anthologies based on fairy tales that have a nice erotic twist to them. A Midnight Dance is her first full length loosely based on Cinderella. This takes place in 1658 on the outskirts of Paris, France. Our Cinderella is Sabine Laurent, whose father once owned a grand theater. Sabine and her twin sister, Isabelle used to watch from the wings of the stage. During that time, the young Sabine developed a crush on Jules de Mouiter. She nick...more ’ve been a fan of Lila DiPasqua since I started reading her anthologies based on fairy tales that have a nice erotic twist to them. A Midnight Dance is her first full length loosely based on Cinderella. This takes place in 1658 on the outskirts of Paris, France. Our Cinderella is Sabine Laurent, whose father once owned a grand theater. Sabine and her twin sister, Isabelle used to watch from the wings of the stage. During that time, the young Sabine developed a crush on Jules de Mouiter. She nicknames him her Dark Prince and dreams one day she’ll become his Dark Princess. She writes all of this down in her diary. Isabelle enjoys writing as well. The Laurent family is a very literate and artistic one. But the Laurents are soon left desolate because of the high taxes they can’t pay. Sabine father dies and Isabelle goes to work as a maid for some lord, where she dies in a fire. Sabine knows deep inside Isabelle isn’t dead and will try and find her. She must also find a way to pay the taxes owed to the Crown before she's thrown into prison.

Jules has found himself in a precarious situation as well. For the past five years he has turned to privateering in order to repurchase his family’s land that was stripped away from him. His father was framed for a horrendous crime and Jules plans to find villain responsible in order to restore his good name. Sabine and her merry band of amateur thieves come across Jules and his band of fighters in the woods. Sabine has overheard that Jules has a few cases of silver. She’ll get Jules and his men to drink wine laced with a sleeping powder and steal the silver and return home. At first she has no idea that it’s Jules she must trick, but when she does, she’s more than happy to get her revenge because she blames him for her misfortune. When Jules father was convicted as a traitor, the lands her family owned was reverted to the Crown. Very coincidental, no?

Jules has no idea who Sabine is. She gives him a fake name and says she’s a prostitute. Sabine doesn’t expect to have sex with Jules, but one thing leads to another and Jules gives her a nice passionate tumble on the forest floor. Jules is shocked since this prostitute is not one in truth. She’s a virgin! He figures out her plan and she offers Jules her body for a few days until she can come up with a way to escape. Jules falls for her sweet words, mainly because he can’t get enough of her body and the amazing sex they both have. Soon Jules can’t think of letting Sabine go (the power of Sabine’s magical hoo haa is very strong) and she’s feeling the same, but guilt eats away at her because she must betray him in the end. And then when Sabine does get the upper hand on Jules, thanks to her former theater troupe, Jules will stop at nothing until he gets his silver back and makes Sabine pay for her deceit (by plunder more of her magical hoo haa).

A Midnight Dance is steamy to the max. Lila has this wonderful skill at writing love scenes that are borderline purple prose, but never venture far into that territory. I also was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first time Jules and Sabine were intimate together. I’m usually not a fan of the heroine and hero getting it on within minutes of meeting one another, but it really works here. Jules and Sabine bond very quickly over this amazing sexual combustion they have together. Think of fireworks going off and rockets red glaring all over the place. And even though Jules and Sabine are having sex every which way and every free moment they can, it doesn’t overpower the story to the point where it gets ridiculous.

The mystery regarding Jules’s father and his betrayer was well done. There’s a serial killer who enjoys carving up women and has targeted Sabine. I found this killer too one-dimensional and silly for my tastes. But the strengths in A Midnight Dance are Sabine and Jules and their connection, which I believed right from the start.

For a full length debut, I’d say this was a pretty sold read which has some of the best love scenes I’ve read this year. Lila is really making a name for herself in the erotic romance genre. I would recommend you give A Midnight Dance a read. The way Jules introduces Sabine to his way of lovemaking and how she receives it should interest those who are looking for a good smoldering romance.(less)

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Aug 01, 2011 Debra rated it 5 of 5 stars

The heroine, Sabine Laurent, is strong, clever and also a romantic. I loved that she could bring out the best in the hero, Jules. The sparks were certainly there between both Sabine and Jules, but there was also humor and sadness (loss of family). My favorite part of the book was when Jules realized that Sabine was more that just a liar and thief; that she was doing what she had to do to take care of her family. Towards the end of the book, when Jules realizes how much he loved her, I had a few...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Lindy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews, LLC
3 1/2 Kisses, 2 Peppers (light bondage, explicit sex)

Sabine and Isabelle are twins. In the prologue, Sabine has a big crush on Jules de Moutier. He’s nineteen, from a noble family, and gets a lot of attention from the ladies; she’s fifteen, the daughter of a prestigious theater owner. Eight years later, a lot has changed for both of their families. She blames his family for what happened to hers, as well as what happened to her twin sister. Now she and her two yo...more Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews, LLC
3 1/2 Kisses, 2 Peppers (light bondage, explicit sex)

Sabine and Isabelle are twins. In the prologue, Sabine has a big crush on Jules de Moutier. He’s nineteen, from a noble family, and gets a lot of attention from the ladies; she’s fifteen, the daughter of a prestigious theater owner. Eight years later, a lot has changed for both of their families. She blames his family for what happened to hers, as well as what happened to her twin sister. Now she and her two young cousins are out thieving and happen to run into Jules's camp. They plan to give them drugged wine and rob them, but their plan backfires and Sabine (in the guise of Elise) ends up giving Jules her virginity. Despite his kindness, she means to trick him. The survival of her family depends on her getting the silver he has. Given her circumstances it’s understandable, but it doesn’t get their relationship off to a very good start because it’s filled with lies and deceit. Jules’s life hasn’t been a bed of roses, either. His father was accused of treason and executed. He wants to have his family’s name restored. Meanwhile, he’ll amuse himself with the luscious Sabine/Elise.

Part of the way through A Midnight Dance, I was wishing I didn’t have to finish it. Partly it was because it seemed like the pace slowed down and lost my interest, but mostly it was because it’s very hard for me to enjoy a romance when it’s based on deceit and not genuine affection. I had trouble even enjoying the admittedly steamy sex scenes when I didn’t feel any sort of real emotional connection between them. His penis is telling him he's really enjoying her company, but that’s all it is – sexual. Things pick up about halfway through and fortunately I ended up feeling glad I had kept reading. You see more of Sabine’s regret for her dishonesty, and her desire to help Jules. So even though they continue to bicker, you start to see a real affection forming, and that helps make the steamy sex feel more meaningful. I want to mention that I think it’s a monumental stretch to find any connection to the traditional Cinderella story, but I suppose it’s there if you really use your imagination.

Despite the fact that I had a hard time getting through this book, a lot of other readers absolutely love it along with the other books in this sexy series by Lila DiPasqua, so I encourage readers to give it a chance and decide for themselves.
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Sep 29, 2011 Rie_dominique rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-novel, ada-di-rak-gw, adventures, fiksi, historical-romance, europe, ebook

kalo menurut pengarangnya sih, ini buku based on Cinderella. tapi dimana letak miripnya saya juga kurang tau. paling yang sama cuma sepatu kacanya. itupun sepatu si heroine ga ketinggalan diistana pangeran ;D

tapi secara keseluruhan ceritanya lumayan juga. pertamakali ini baca historical romance dengan setting Prancis, pertengahan abad 16 pula. apa masuk medieval ini ya???

ceritanya mengenai Sabine Laurent, putri pemilik teather terkenal di paris, yang harus menghidupi keluarganya setelah kematian...more kalo menurut pengarangnya sih, ini buku based on Cinderella. tapi dimana letak miripnya saya juga kurang tau. paling yang sama cuma sepatu kacanya. itupun sepatu si heroine ga ketinggalan diistana pangeran ;D

tapi secara keseluruhan ceritanya lumayan juga. pertamakali ini baca historical romance dengan setting Prancis, pertengahan abad 16 pula. apa masuk medieval ini ya???

ceritanya mengenai Sabine Laurent, putri pemilik teather terkenal di paris, yang harus menghidupi keluarganya setelah kematian ayahnya yang dililit banyak hutang.

setelah mendengar percakapan 2 orang di pasar, ia mengetahui bahwa ke2 orang tersebut sedang mengawal berpeti2 perak dan hendak dibawa ke Paris.
Laurent kemudian memutuskan untuk merampok peti2 tersebut dengan bantuan kedua sepupunya yang masih remaja.

saat menghampiri kelompok tersebut dihutan, Sabine baru mengetahui bahwa ketua kelompok tersebut adalah Jules de Moutier, putra pertama Marquis de Blainville, yang merupakan pangeran impian Sabine sewaktu remaja dulu.
tapi sekarang impian tersebut berubah menjadi kebencian, karena sejak kebangkrutannya Sabine terpaksa menjual rumahnya yang berada di dekat tanah Moutier dan kemudian dikenakan pajak yang tinggi karena tinggal sebagai tenant diwilayah tersebut. apabila pajak tidak dibayarkan Sabine dan seluruh keluarganya terpaksa masuk penjara. hal inilah yang menyebabkan Sabine bertekad merampok perak yang dibawa oleh Jules.

Jules yang tertarik dengan kecantikan Sabine tetap waspada, karena ia berambisi untuk mendapatkan kembali gelar dan kehormatan keluarganya yang dituduh sebagai pemberontak dan menyebabkan ayahnya di gantung oleh kerajaan.

perang tipu daya antara keduanya untuk mendapatkan perak ini lumayan menarik juga. Apalagi kemudian Sabine berhasil merampok perak tersebut dan membuat Jules kelabakan.

Sabine dan Jules kemudian bekerja sama setelah perak yang mereka perebutkan ternyata dirampas pihak lain. dan kebetulan pihak yang merampas ini ada hubungannya dengan masalah pengkhiatan yang dulu dituduhkan kepada ayah Jules.

walapun settingnya pertengahan abad 16, ceritanya ga jauh beda ama historical romance yang biasa kita baca (rata2 tahun 1800an). yang beda cuma ga ada Season! hehehe...

padahal kalo baca historical romance, Season ini adalah salah satu pesonanya, karena biasanya di Season inilah gosip dan skandal menyebar dengan cepat

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Mar 12, 2012 Becca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale-myth-based-romance, erotic

I love fairy tale variations - and Cinderella is my favorite. This was a wonderful - if loosely based - story adaptation. The writing is wonderful, the characters have depth and grow during the story. In many ways this book should have been called a variation on Cinderella and Pride and Prejudice as it has a lot in common with the latter. Our hero Jules is full of pride that is only matched by our heroine Sabine's prejudice. Like Darcy and Elizabeth they grow past these stumbling blocks and the...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, historical-romance, romance

First of all, I trust that any book by Lila DiPasqua will be an enjoyable read. This book more than met my expectations. I'd give it more than 5 stars if I could!

The tale of Cinderella has been a favorite of mine since childhood. Even now when I visit the Magic Kingdom at DisneyWorld, I enjoy visiting her castle there.

This story was truly an exquisite reminiscence of Cinderella's story with her handsome Prince Charming, her famous glass slippers and plenty of romance. Ms. DiPasqua updated it for...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I love a good fairy tale re-telling, especially when it is retold specifically for adults, as this book is. Right from the beginning, the romance and chemistry between Sabine and Jules is steamy and passionate, and I had a hard time putting the book down at all. The Cinderella references are vague and somewhat after-the-fact. The glass slipper scene takes place at the beginning of the book when Sabine is young, and the stepmother and two stepdaughters look to Sabine as the head of the household,...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Carisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: g-historical, hero-type-rogue

I expected this book to have a Cinderella type of plot but it didn't. It was an original story, nothing to swoon about but very entertaining, well done with a lot of action. I'll read more from this author.
HERO is a Rogue, a former duke, determined, sour, intensely focused on recovering his family state and prestige, for which he needs a lot of money that he's currently earning by illegal means. When he's seduced and duped by a woman intent on saving her family from going to debtors jail by stea...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Story Rating 4.5 stars
Character Rating 4.5 stars
Romance Rating 4.5 stars
Heat Level 4 stars
Overall Rating 4.5 stars

This was the first book of Lila's that I read and I truly enjoyed it.

The story was very good, grabbing me from beginning to end.

The characters were well done. I loved watching how the H&h came to understand what the other felt and how they eventually fell in love.

This was a very sensual read with very HOT love scenes. It also had a bit of angst to the story too.

This book had a v...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Diana Gould rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Midnight Dance is in Lila DiPasqua's Firey Fairytales series and is based on the Cinderella story - one of my favorite fairy tales. Sabine has a crush on her Dark Prince since her youth, but is disalusioned when her family loses everything and blames it on his family. Her family loses all, her father dies and her twin sister becomes a maid and later dies in a fire. Her little band of theatre people come up with a plan for Sabine to go under cover to steal cases of silver from Jules (her Dark P...more

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May 14, 2012 Brianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was way more than i expected. I opened it looking for some Hot moments and a fairy tale romance and got so much more! There was HOT romance, action, adventure, lying, making up, true love, doing things because one cared for the other. There was a very layered story as well as very layered characters who grew and changed throughout the story, Who had per-conceived notions that were challenged and that forced them to look at people in their lives in new ways. There was the beginning of a...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Shan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have fell in love with this author after reading only 1 of her books. I found her thru one of my other favs Julianne MacLean, whose husband was being interviewed on Ms. DiPasqua's blog.

Anyway, this story is the best retelling of Cinderella that I have ever had the pleasure of reading and this is just for adults. Steamy is not even strong enough of a word to describe the sex scenes between our hero and heroine.

While reading I began to look for any other books that she may have written and I got...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Marquetta (LoveToReadForFun) rated it 4 of 5 stars

A Midnight Dance is a take on the fairy tale of Cinderella. But this isn't your children's fairy tale. A Midnight Dance is a sexy and steamy read from start to finish.

Sabine Laurent grew up in wealth and around the theater. Sabine and her twin sister, Isabelle, would watch her father's plays and ogle their crushes - Jules and Luc de Moutier. Tragedy strikes and Sabine's family loses everything. But worst of all, Sabine loses her sister. Sabine doesn't believe that her sister is dead. She is dete...more A Midnight Dance is a take on the fairy tale of Cinderella. But this isn't your children's fairy tale. A Midnight Dance is a sexy and steamy read from start to finish.

Sabine Laurent grew up in wealth and around the theater. Sabine and her twin sister, Isabelle, would watch her father's plays and ogle their crushes - Jules and Luc de Moutier. Tragedy strikes and Sabine's family loses everything. But worst of all, Sabine loses her sister. Sabine doesn't believe that her sister is dead. She is determined to acquire the wealth that she once had to locate her sister and to go back to living the life she was accustomed to. Sabine blames the downfall of her family on the Aristo, more specifically, Jules de Moutier's family. Her plan to acquire wealth means she will have the perfect opportunity to exact revenge on the man who destroyed her family and dashed her dreams of her 'Dark Prince'.

Jules du Moutier has been working has a privateer every since his family's fall from grace. He is determined to acquire as much wealth as possible to reclaim his birthright and to clear his father's name. His plan is right on track until a beautiful woman stumbles upon his camp. His intent is to send her on her way but something about her is irresistible.

A Midnight Dance is a sinfully, sexy read that had me engaged from start to finish. The chemistry between Jules and Sabine is scorching hot. You what they say: There's a thin line between love and hate. As much as Sabine wants to hate Jules for what his family did to hers, she can't resist him. He's no longer the young 'Dark Prince' she longed for. He's a hardened man who is skillful in the pleasures of women. And she can't get enough of him.

Sabine is a smart and witty heroine. She has a sharp tongue and isn't afraid to use it. She manages to out-smart Jules throughout the book and proves that underestimating her will be his downfall. Jules is the perfect sexy hero. He is sexy and successful in his own right. But he's also sensitive and caring. Throughout his journey to uncover who wronged his father, Jules has to come to terms with the man he idealized may not be the perfect man that he remembers.

I have Lila DisPasqua's first two books sitting on my shelf, unread. That will soon change. I absolutely loved A Midnight Dance. Jules and Sabine instantly clicked for me as the hero and heroine and I was engaged in their story from start to finish. The plot moved steadily. The dialog was humorous and sexy. DiPasqua knows how to write a hot sex scene. The sex wasn't gratuitous; it added to the plot and the overall development of Jules and Sabine's relationship. The secondary characters (Jules' men and Sabine's family - the actors from her father's troupe) were a great addition to the story. The villain in the story is a true psycho and the plot surrounding him and the Fronde added twists and turns to the plot that did not slow down the story.

There's also an epilogue (which I love) that had me gasping and eagerly awaiting the next book!

A Midnight Dance is a must read. If you're a fan of historical romance, I highly recommend this book. Now I must get the first two books - Awakened by a Kiss and A Princess in His Bed - and read them ASAP!(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Midnight Dance is one of the most charming historical romances I have read in a long time. One of Lila DiPasqua's Fiery Tales, this is a sweet, romantic twist on the Cinderella tale set in the early days of the Sun King's reign at the height of the French empire. In Sabine Laurent, we have a heroine who has suffered all of the hardship and sorrow that made Cinderella a sympathetic character, but you won't find this "forest fairy" weeping amongst the embers, and she doesn't need a fairy godmoth...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Duchess Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Duchess Nicole by: HankLover

Shelves: highly-rated, genre-historical-romance, e-pcs, genre-erotica, h-dirty-talk, read-in-2012

"She was so many different types of women. The alluring camp follower. The damsel in distress. The bashful ingenue. And he wanted to fuck them all."

The first hundred pages or so will cure you of any sexual dry spells you may be experiencing.

A virgin miss enters a camp full of men in seventeenth century France in order to drug them all with laced wine. She is willing to offer her ‘services’ to their leader, but has no intention of following through on her offer. You see, Sabine Laurent is intent...more "She was so many different types of women. The alluring camp follower. The damsel in distress. The bashful ingenue. And he wanted to fuck them all."

The first hundred pages or so will cure you of any sexual dry spells you may be experiencing.

A virgin miss enters a camp full of men in seventeenth century France in order to drug them all with laced wine. She is willing to offer her ‘services’ to their leader, but has no intention of following through on her offer. You see, Sabine Laurent is intent on stealing the chests of silver that the men guard in order to replenish the money that was wrongfully stolen from her admittedly lower class family. When the leader of the group decided not only to take her up on her offer, but refuses the laced wine, Sabine is forced to follow through with her charade.

And what’s so terrible about that, you say? Absolutely nothing, considering the man is none other than the conveniently placed man of Sabine’s childhood fascination and girlhood crushes…Jules Moutier, her “Dark Prince.”

Le Sigh!!!

Okay, the real problem is that Jules family, the uppercrust Moutiers, are the very people responsible for Sabine’s destitute situation. And now…..Sabine has the chance to not only relieve her financial burdens, but to get even with the snobby, nasty family.

Revenge is sweet, especially served with multiple orgasms!

Then we get to the meat of the story, and I have to admit that Lila Dipasqua can write a really intriguing Historical Romance. There are two sides to this story, and though neither person proves to be infallible, there is definitely more to Jules than meets the eye. He IS quite the high handed upper crust ass, but he can admit when he’s wrong and become a better man. It’s all in the way the aristocracy was raised back in the day…the lowly peasants and lower class servants are meant to stay put in their place. In his mind, there is nothing more to the relationship between he and Sabine than a strong sexual connection…never can be, because he is of noble birth and she of inferior birth.

Love rears its pretty head and years of political intrigue comes to light. The book takes on a more traditional role of an HR tale with a smattering of some really juicy love scenes. And they are, at this point, becoming love scenes. Jules and Sabine complement each other very well, though they each fight their feelings for a very long time. While Sabine has dreamed of her Dark Prince for most of her life and Jules has only recently found the one woman who can make him care more for her than his vengeance and social standing, they both have to learn to let go of the past and accept each other.

This was a surprisingly meaty story with loads of sex, dirty talk, and some really dirty words. If you’re offended by the ‘c’ word, that’s used a lot. It tends to heighten the naughty factor for me, so I like it ;) But I know it’s a big no no for some. Other than that, if you’re looking for a smoking hot historical romance with a lot of action, this is the book for you!(less)

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A Midnight Dance (Fiery Tales #3)

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