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At Midnight #3
Meeting at Midnight
Seely Jones might have been able to see auras, but when Ben McClain got a good look at the mysterious woman who saved him, all he could see was a pair of never-ending legs and soulful eyes. And when Seely agreed to nurse his wounds he wasn't sure he could withstand the sweet torture of her by his bedside.
Seely had hidden talents, a shadowed past. In Ben's arms, however, she wasn't the elusive earth mother she seemed - she was a fiery temptress he was determined to keep...
Seely had hidden talents, a shadowed past. In Ben's arms, however, she wasn't the elusive earth mother she seemed - she was a fiery temptress he was determined to keep...
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2004
About the author
Eileen Wilks
132 books1,533 followersEileen Wilks’ first book, a Silhouette Desire published in 1996, hit the USA Today Bestseller List and was nominated for Romantic Times' Best First Short Contemporary award. Since then, her books have appeared consistently on national bestseller lists. With thirty two books in print and novellas in nine anthologies, she has been a finalist in the prestigious Rita Awards three times, as well as receiving several nominations from Romantic Times, including one for Career Achievement in Series Romantic Suspense.
Each book in her World of the Lupi series gains a larger audience. It was originally sold in the Romance section of bookstores, but more and more you will be able to find copies cross-shelved under Sci-Fi and Fantasy as the popularity of the series grows!
Eileen has lived in the West Texas town of Midland, TX for over 30 years--three years as a young teen, and the remaining years since she moved back here as an adult. When she first started writing over 10 years ago, it hit her like the first drink for an alcoholic . . . or the first kiss for Romeo and Juliet.
She came to writing romance in a roundabout way. Having read and loved science fiction for years, that’s where she first tried her hand when the writing bug bit. Somehow her stories always ended up having a strong romantic subplot, but she hadn’t read a romance since the early 80’s and didn’t think “those little books” were her kind of stories. But when a friend in her critique group began working on a romance novel, Wilks decided she needed to give the genre another try. She asked her friend to recommend some titles--and quicker than you can say “Jayne Ann Krentz,” she fell in love. The genre had been busy growing up while she wasn’t watching. These days, with romances comprising over 50% of the mass market books published in the U.S., there are romances to appeal to almost every taste--historicals, paranormals and contemporaries that range from romantic suspense to romantic comedy, from inspirational to sizzling.
Eileen covered a lot of territory before coming home to Midland, having lived in Canada and Venezuela as well as twelve U.S. cities in five states.
Profile taken from the author's site with her permission.
Each book in her World of the Lupi series gains a larger audience. It was originally sold in the Romance section of bookstores, but more and more you will be able to find copies cross-shelved under Sci-Fi and Fantasy as the popularity of the series grows!
Eileen has lived in the West Texas town of Midland, TX for over 30 years--three years as a young teen, and the remaining years since she moved back here as an adult. When she first started writing over 10 years ago, it hit her like the first drink for an alcoholic . . . or the first kiss for Romeo and Juliet.
She came to writing romance in a roundabout way. Having read and loved science fiction for years, that’s where she first tried her hand when the writing bug bit. Somehow her stories always ended up having a strong romantic subplot, but she hadn’t read a romance since the early 80’s and didn’t think “those little books” were her kind of stories. But when a friend in her critique group began working on a romance novel, Wilks decided she needed to give the genre another try. She asked her friend to recommend some titles--and quicker than you can say “Jayne Ann Krentz,” she fell in love. The genre had been busy growing up while she wasn’t watching. These days, with romances comprising over 50% of the mass market books published in the U.S., there are romances to appeal to almost every taste--historicals, paranormals and contemporaries that range from romantic suspense to romantic comedy, from inspirational to sizzling.
Eileen covered a lot of territory before coming home to Midland, having lived in Canada and Venezuela as well as twelve U.S. cities in five states.
Profile taken from the author's site with her permission.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 1, 2020
Ben's turn - and this time this is part of the Man Talk series, so everything is in his POV. He's driving on an icy road late at night in the mountains when his truck crashes. He nearly dies, but is found by Seely Jones, a former EMT who seemingly heals Ben on site...and who glows while she's doing it. Ben's family is dutifully concerned and his brother and ex-lover are ready to take him in, but Ben manages to snag Seely as an in-home nurse so he can keep his distance from the woman he loved and lost. Ben sees the error of his thinking pretty soon as he can't resist Seely, but she insists she's not long for sticking around. Even when things start getting hot and heavy, Seely insists it's just some fun, that she's not up for a relationship. This is hard on Ben who is falling in love with Seely and envisions marriage and children in his future...but Seely admits she can't provide that, no matter how much she might want to. So if Ben wants Seely, he'll have to love her enough to reimagine his future.
It's unfortunate that throughout this series, I never really warmed up to Ben. He's less "maternal" and more over-protective and naggy. I don't like his homey, child-filled vision of the future, maybe because it says he wants THAT dream more than he wants any particular woman...that any woman can be plugged into it to make him happy. Fortunately, he gets that wake up call with Seely (and he didn't with Gwen). She basically (and kinda immature-like with her disappearing act) says take me without the dream of all your own kids or leave me the hell alone. Ben does get his head on straight, but he's kinda selfish about it...I think it takes him too long to realize that Seely is more important than his vague dreams of home and family. Still an okay story, but Ben isn't my favorite character ever.
I also found myself questioning the HEA with regards to co-parenting Ben's son. I mean, because he gets hurt, Duncan steps in to take Zach on his first camping trip, which Ben had really wanted to do. And that ends up shafting Ben. So now you have two brother basically competing for fatherhood. So in the HEA, Ben and Seely adopt and have their own kid, and I have to wonder if Ben doesn't just embrace that one and relax his expectations in being able to be a more "full-time" father to Zach. As a child of divorce with half-siblings, I know from experience that there's a sense of replacement when your part-time dad gets to be a full-time dad again. It just seems wrought with tension and no full-fledged epilogue to prove me wrong.
It's unfortunate that throughout this series, I never really warmed up to Ben. He's less "maternal" and more over-protective and naggy. I don't like his homey, child-filled vision of the future, maybe because it says he wants THAT dream more than he wants any particular woman...that any woman can be plugged into it to make him happy. Fortunately, he gets that wake up call with Seely (and he didn't with Gwen). She basically (and kinda immature-like with her disappearing act) says take me without the dream of all your own kids or leave me the hell alone. Ben does get his head on straight, but he's kinda selfish about it...I think it takes him too long to realize that Seely is more important than his vague dreams of home and family. Still an okay story, but Ben isn't my favorite character ever.
I also found myself questioning the HEA with regards to co-parenting Ben's son. I mean, because he gets hurt, Duncan steps in to take Zach on his first camping trip, which Ben had really wanted to do. And that ends up shafting Ben. So now you have two brother basically competing for fatherhood. So in the HEA, Ben and Seely adopt and have their own kid, and I have to wonder if Ben doesn't just embrace that one and relax his expectations in being able to be a more "full-time" father to Zach. As a child of divorce with half-siblings, I know from experience that there's a sense of replacement when your part-time dad gets to be a full-time dad again. It just seems wrought with tension and no full-fledged epilogue to prove me wrong.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2011
Meeting at Midnight threw me off a bit since it's written in first person POV, which I wasn't expecting and it has some psychic/healing stuff thrown in.
It's the story of the eldest McClain sibling Ben, who's been in charge ever since his parents died and recently he lost the idea he had of a family, when his newly discovered son's mother fell for his brother.
On the way back after a business deal he's involved in a bad accident, where he feels as if he is dying, then he sees an angel, who turns out to be Seely, an ex-paramedic, woman of mystery who doesn't talk much about herself.
She starts caring for him and Ben finds himself insanely attracted to her. Of course as it turns out he has suspicions about how he healed so quickly and wants Seely in her life permanently but there are hurdles, namely he wants a family and Seely's gifts make it impossible for her to have one.
The book was okay but I would have preferred reading it in third person, since I only like first POV in YA or thrillers.
It's the story of the eldest McClain sibling Ben, who's been in charge ever since his parents died and recently he lost the idea he had of a family, when his newly discovered son's mother fell for his brother.
On the way back after a business deal he's involved in a bad accident, where he feels as if he is dying, then he sees an angel, who turns out to be Seely, an ex-paramedic, woman of mystery who doesn't talk much about herself.
She starts caring for him and Ben finds himself insanely attracted to her. Of course as it turns out he has suspicions about how he healed so quickly and wants Seely in her life permanently but there are hurdles, namely he wants a family and Seely's gifts make it impossible for her to have one.
The book was okay but I would have preferred reading it in third person, since I only like first POV in YA or thrillers.
June 7, 2012
Setting – Colorado – mountain road, mountain home, hospital
Theme – differences, moving forward, love
Characters:
Gwen and Duncan and Zach – and making a nice family… and trying to be there for Ben and working him into Zach’s life.
Seely Jones – witch with healing talent, hasn’t found the one to love her for her. She’s a bit frightened by her talent, because when her father’s father started to molest her at the age of 8, she pushed him away and told him to stop – and his heart stopped – (he lived). She followed Ben down the mountain, saw that he had an accident – and helped him.
Ben McClain – still believes himself to be in love with Gwen (though he figures out that he was in love with love). He’s forty, gave up college to raise his 3 younger siblings when their parents died – has been the responsible one for so long… lost Gwen & Zach (though he never really had them). Coming down the mountain in an icy storm from a business meeting, he runs off the road, hurts his shoulder, knee and head.
Summary =-
One has to love Ben – his goodness, his strength, his heart, his unsureness –
Once he got himself out of the truck (just before it went sailing down the rest of the mountain), and as he struggled to go up the mountain, back to the road, through a haze of pain and coldness… an angel comes to him, she glows, he feels warm, and somehow is at the side of the road with paramedics… and he wants his angel… she’s there for him…
At the hospital, the emergency doctor is amazed that his shoulder looks like it’s partially healed… but he has to stay for 3 days… he gets Duncan to track down his angel, and he finds her at the bus station getting ready to leave… Ben gets her to agree to nurse him at home, relieving Duncan and Gwen of the burden… and getting him more time with Seely.
And romance blossoms between them… bit by bit… again, for Ben, his actions lead his thoughts… but Seely is a puzzle… she shares much of herself, but not all… and he knows she’s hiding something. She tells him about her flower child mother, and about her witch grandmother… They both see the heart and pain of the other… He wants her to stay, she wants to stay, but is afraid when he finds out about her ‘talent’ he’ll freak as others have…
But she uses it to keep the elderly neighbor alive, (a stroke)… and he can see her glow (nobody else sees the aura)… he doesn’t freak out (too much)… she passes out for 8 hours (and Ben keeps calling her mother to make sure he’s doing the right things)…
But they have one more hurdle – she can’t have children – she thought he understood that from an earlier conversation, it throws him, she moves out… after a week, and after a talk with Duncan… he goes to her, they share being sad about no children, they agree they can adopt.
ahhhh
Theme – differences, moving forward, love
Characters:
Gwen and Duncan and Zach – and making a nice family… and trying to be there for Ben and working him into Zach’s life.
Seely Jones – witch with healing talent, hasn’t found the one to love her for her. She’s a bit frightened by her talent, because when her father’s father started to molest her at the age of 8, she pushed him away and told him to stop – and his heart stopped – (he lived). She followed Ben down the mountain, saw that he had an accident – and helped him.
Ben McClain – still believes himself to be in love with Gwen (though he figures out that he was in love with love). He’s forty, gave up college to raise his 3 younger siblings when their parents died – has been the responsible one for so long… lost Gwen & Zach (though he never really had them). Coming down the mountain in an icy storm from a business meeting, he runs off the road, hurts his shoulder, knee and head.
Summary =-
One has to love Ben – his goodness, his strength, his heart, his unsureness –
Once he got himself out of the truck (just before it went sailing down the rest of the mountain), and as he struggled to go up the mountain, back to the road, through a haze of pain and coldness… an angel comes to him, she glows, he feels warm, and somehow is at the side of the road with paramedics… and he wants his angel… she’s there for him…
At the hospital, the emergency doctor is amazed that his shoulder looks like it’s partially healed… but he has to stay for 3 days… he gets Duncan to track down his angel, and he finds her at the bus station getting ready to leave… Ben gets her to agree to nurse him at home, relieving Duncan and Gwen of the burden… and getting him more time with Seely.
And romance blossoms between them… bit by bit… again, for Ben, his actions lead his thoughts… but Seely is a puzzle… she shares much of herself, but not all… and he knows she’s hiding something. She tells him about her flower child mother, and about her witch grandmother… They both see the heart and pain of the other… He wants her to stay, she wants to stay, but is afraid when he finds out about her ‘talent’ he’ll freak as others have…
But she uses it to keep the elderly neighbor alive, (a stroke)… and he can see her glow (nobody else sees the aura)… he doesn’t freak out (too much)… she passes out for 8 hours (and Ben keeps calling her mother to make sure he’s doing the right things)…
But they have one more hurdle – she can’t have children – she thought he understood that from an earlier conversation, it throws him, she moves out… after a week, and after a talk with Duncan… he goes to her, they share being sad about no children, they agree they can adopt.
ahhhh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2016
3.5 stars Amazon; 3 stars Goodreads. When even your new dream has to change
I enjoy healer stories (I rarely read just plain romance anymore, w/o suspense or SF/F/PN) and Eileen Wilks is a great writer, but these two ... I liked them both, but between Seely's secrets and intention not to stay, and Ben's stubborn charge ahead on HIS course, slow to see any other, I wondered how they'd ever reach their happy ending. Seely has a right to her privacy, but it makes it difficult for Ben to understand her issues, even before we get to the one bittersweet misunderstanding that nearly ruins things for good.
This isn't a long story (from the Silhouette Desire line, under 200 pages), so it's told pretty quickly, but there's still time for some real emotion and sense of friendship, not just lust, building. There's also humor and family -- the now-adult younger siblings Ben took responsibility for after their parents' deaths, and Seely's free-spirited mother whose personality shines even over the phone line.
The whole big deal about the story's being told in the first-person PoV of the hero isn't really a big deal to me: it seems fine, not too glaringly "doesn't really sound like a guy", and I have no strong preference re. 1st-person vs. 3rd-person limited.
Overall, it certainly wasn't a bad book, but I'm just not sure I'll ever feel like RE-reading it — and I re-read all my favorites multiple times.
I enjoy healer stories (I rarely read just plain romance anymore, w/o suspense or SF/F/PN) and Eileen Wilks is a great writer, but these two ... I liked them both, but between Seely's secrets and intention not to stay, and Ben's stubborn charge ahead on HIS course, slow to see any other, I wondered how they'd ever reach their happy ending. Seely has a right to her privacy, but it makes it difficult for Ben to understand her issues, even before we get to the one bittersweet misunderstanding that nearly ruins things for good.
This isn't a long story (from the Silhouette Desire line, under 200 pages), so it's told pretty quickly, but there's still time for some real emotion and sense of friendship, not just lust, building. There's also humor and family -- the now-adult younger siblings Ben took responsibility for after their parents' deaths, and Seely's free-spirited mother whose personality shines even over the phone line.
The whole big deal about the story's being told in the first-person PoV of the hero isn't really a big deal to me: it seems fine, not too glaringly "doesn't really sound like a guy", and I have no strong preference re. 1st-person vs. 3rd-person limited.
Overall, it certainly wasn't a bad book, but I'm just not sure I'll ever feel like RE-reading it — and I re-read all my favorites multiple times.
October 25, 2012
After losing my critical distance (I don't think some of the metaphors or images that Ben used are very likely for a man) I really fell for the characters and their love of kinship, kindness and family again. Even though this was also 150 pages, the plot development felt far more natural. Wilks almost always succeeded illuminating in dialogue what 1st-person-protagonist Ben was like, so he didn't have to soliloquy to dramatic effect - kudos.
I love that Wilks has no problems with rueful laughter at oneself and that the interactions within Ben's family felt authentic (for a family that has a good relationship). Wilks really has a grasp for important side characters even if they only get very few scenes - like Seely's mom Daisy.
There was a lovely paranormal trend here, not done as mystically as in Her Lord Protector, but the problems Seely faced because of it felt even more realistic because otherwise this was a very down to earth family.
There were two previous Midnight books and the couples from them didn't steal the show but were only used when appropriate as sounding boards for the main couple. A lovely comfort read ().
I love that Wilks has no problems with rueful laughter at oneself and that the interactions within Ben's family felt authentic (for a family that has a good relationship). Wilks really has a grasp for important side characters even if they only get very few scenes - like Seely's mom Daisy.
There was a lovely paranormal trend here, not done as mystically as in Her Lord Protector, but the problems Seely faced because of it felt even more realistic because otherwise this was a very down to earth family.
There were two previous Midnight books and the couples from them didn't steal the show but were only used when appropriate as sounding boards for the main couple. A lovely comfort read ().
June 29, 2011
This book was interesting. The entire book was told from the perspective of Ben. Ben had an interesting voice and I liked seeing how he related to everyone.
The author does a great job of writing a good story that must fit in the confines of a serial romance.
3.5 stars
The author does a great job of writing a good story that must fit in the confines of a serial romance.
3.5 stars
Did Not Finish
March 15, 2026pensavo fosse amore e invece era un calesse... niente scintilla dopo 80 pagine. lo stile mi piace, ma la trama mi rende insofferente. non succede nulla e il mistero che si prospetta ha poco di affascinante. abbandono,
June 26, 2014
More interesting written from the man's POV!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews