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Passion in Paradise #2

A Scandalous Midnight in Madrid

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Her body awakened…

By Madrid’s most eligible bachelor

Chef Sadie Montgomery’s life is changed forever by an intense moonlit encounter in Madrid with infamous Alejandro de Alegon. The sizzling anticipation he sparks tempts virgin Sadie all the way to his Spanish castle…and into his bed! She’s never known anything like the wild passion Alejandro unleashes. But their night of illicit pleasure soon turns Sadie into Spain’s most scandalous headline: Pregnant with Alejandro’s Baby!

Feel the heat in this sizzling Spanish romance—with a secret baby twist!

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2019

84 people are currently reading
67 people want to read

About the author

Susan Stephens

741 books133 followers
USA TODAY best-selling author Susan Stephens' books have captivated readers worldwide with over 11 million copies sold. Her work crosses cultures and continents, having been translated into 26 languages and reaching readers in 109 countries. This year marks a milestone as Susan's 100th book is slated for publication.

NEW SERIES!

ACOSTAS RAW Ranchers, rodeo and passion

1. BEAU
2. COLT
3. BLAKE
4. CHRISTMAS WITH ANGEL


BLOOD AND THUNDER

1. ALEXEI
2. DANTE
3. DIEGO
4. CESAR
5. CONNOR .

- BOX SET books. 1-4

6. ELIJAH Coming soon

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5 stars
57 (29%)
4 stars
44 (22%)
3 stars
55 (28%)
2 stars
27 (13%)
1 star
10 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Ivy H.
856 reviews
May 13, 2019
A bit long drawn out, but fairly good.

The chef heroine gets swept off her feet by the Spanish billionaire duke hero, in this slow burn romance.

Both MC's are likable and this was the best novel I've read by Susan Stephens in ages ! However, it didn't have the "wow" factor. Parts of the narrative could've been omitted - especially some of the repetitious details about the flamenco camp and the MC's backstories.

There were a few lulls in the narrative and that's why I can't increase the rating. It started off on a dramatic and interesting note, when the H experiences insta-lust the moment he sees the heroine. But the momentum is temporarily lost when the narrative switches to his car accident and his tedious interaction with his sister.

I think that part could've been edited. I grew a trifle bored reading all about his sister's troubled relationship with her fiance. I also couldn't understand why his sister - who'd only met the heroine once - decided that it would be cool to do some matchmaking.

But apparently, his sister was hit wit insta-friendship the moment she had met Sadie. Anyway, the H's sister sends the heroine to her brother's mountain castle retreat, to cook for him. There are a few moments of interesting banter between the MC's after Sadie turns up unexpectedly but the dialogue wasn't exactly entertaining or witty.

Alejandro ( aka El Duque de Alegon ) was a mild type of alpha male H. He's very self contained and reluctant to share more than a physical relationship with Sadie. But he doesn't have a tortured backstory - unlike most HPlandia heroes. It's Sadie who's formative years had been a semi tragic disaster.

This is the H, Alejandro:



Most of the angst is caused by lack of communication and over reaction - especially on the part of the extremely defensive heroine. She distrusts men because her father had been a wife beater and she is cynical about romance because she is afraid of being hurt and dumped.

This is the heroine, Sadie:



There were a couple of times when it seemed as if the MC's were ready to confess their mutual love, but then the author would create some contrived uninteresting drama just to extend the storyline. That's how it appeared to me. This isn't the first time I've read a book by this author, where contrived drama is used as a bland plot device...



It's just my personal opinion that if drama needs to be used to prolong a storyline, then it must add to the narrative, rather than merely to increase the page count. But, I must add that the scenes in the mountains were romantic and I enjoyed all the bits about the flamenco camp and the H's gypsy relatives.

Another plus was the MC's strong sexual chemistry. The sex scenes weren't that hot, however. Nevertheless, I decided not to be a grouchy pig reviewer and give this a fairly good rating, because it's a distinct improvement on Susan Stephens' 2018 sleeping pills in prose form. I commend her for making a greater effort this time.

The epilogue was lovely because it detailed the MC's lavish wedding day. I wished it was set further in the future, so we could discover more about their baby. It would've been great to know the baby's gender. There wasn't any angst with reference to the unplanned pregnancy storyline, because the H was, surprisingly, quite happy at the prospect of impending fatherhood. It was actually the heroine who kept putting up the barriers.

Safety: No OW, no OM and no cheating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Aou .
2,045 reviews215 followers
May 21, 2019
Another angst free book.
2,5 stars
Profile Image for *CJ*.
5,105 reviews626 followers
July 18, 2019
"A Scandalous Midnight in Madrid" is the story of Sadie and Alejandro.

The heroine is a successful chef in Madrid and the hero is a playboy prince/ gypsy leader/ billionaire/ gorgeous lady man/ loving caretaker for his sister. Their eyes meet and sparks fly. When the heroine comes to work for him at his castle, they ultimately give into their carnal lust. After minimal drama, she gets knocked up, they bang like bunnies, barely there miscommunications are sorted out and they find their HEA.

Super caring hero/ scarred heroine make this minimal angst love story a saccharine lovey-dovey good one time read. Everyone was so NICE!

Safe
3.25/5
Profile Image for lily.
1,266 reviews
May 25, 2019
3.5 stars
That was a safe read , the MC's were likable the chemistry was high and sex was hot ! The epilogue was nice but I wanted to know if they have a baby girl or boy .
Profile Image for Jenny.
3,160 reviews558 followers
May 3, 2020
It was sort of boring. I couldn't even finish it.
Profile Image for Ishara.
559 reviews9 followers
July 5, 2019
Nice book, though very drama and angst free. Enjoyed the H's background history. Made for an interesting read.
Profile Image for Helen.
2,908 reviews67 followers
September 4, 2019
I can’t believe that this is the first book of Susan Stephens I have read, it was so good, it grabbed me from the start the witty banter and the sensual pull and oh the setting and the dancers, this is a book that is hard to put down once you pick it up, I am sure you will get to love Sadie and Alejandro as much as I did.

Sadie Montgomery is a chef working in one of the best restaurants in Madrid, she is pretty much a loner after the childhood she had and has worked hard to get where she is today, but when she meets Alejandro the sparks fly and their searing meeting under the moonlight will change Sadie’s life in such a good way.

Alejandro, had a fabulous childhood and has a great life now belonging to two worlds the high class business life of Madrid and his life in the mountains of Sierra Nevada and the flamenco dancers and the people from his mother’s side, single and happy he is, that is until he meets the beautiful Sadie.

I loved this one from start to finish, it has all the feels of a fabulous Presents romance, it is sensual and I loved Sadie and her fabulous banter with Alejandro, Sadie is strong and stands her ground with the gets what he wants Alejandro, and Alejandro what a hero strong and caring, there were lots of smiles and sighs for me reading this one and I cannot highly recommend it enough. Thank you MS Stephens for a fabulous story.
Profile Image for RomLibrary.
5,789 reviews
hq-to-read
November 17, 2019
Her body awakened...

By Madrid's most eligible bachelor

Chef Sadie Montgomery's life is changed forever by an intense moonlit encounter in Madrid with infamous Alejandro de Alegon. The sizzling anticipation he sparks tempts virgin Sadie all the way to his Spanish castle...and into his bed! She's never known anything like the wild passion Alejandro unleashes. But their night of illicit pleasure soon turns Sadie into Spain's most scandalous headline: Pregnant with Alejandro's Baby!

Feel the heat in this sizzling Spanish romance--with a secret baby twist! (less)
Profile Image for Nas Dean.
835 reviews38 followers
May 21, 2019
A SCANDALOUS MIDNIGHT IN MADRID by author Susan Stephens is a June 2019 release by Harlequin Presents series.

Alejandro de Alegon finds chef Sadie Montgomery intriguing. He tries to talk to her but she dodges him. Then his sister plays cupid and gets Sadie to visit him at his mountain castle. Sadie knew she was attracted to him. And Alejandro knew he was attracted to Sadie. So they gave in to the passion between them. But their actions had consequences. Would they be able to cross all the emotional huddles and do what their heart desires? Because they are both afraid to trust.

A SCANDALOUS MIDNIGHT IN MADRID is a sizzling romance. Author Susan Stephens brought out the shimmering emotions in this story that would keep a reader hooked to the pages until the end. And she did a wonderful job of bringing Alejandro and Sadie together despite all the emotional baggage and past grief they carried. This story was set in stunning locations in Spain and brought back many fond memories for me.

Highly recommended for all readers of romance.
Profile Image for Janie.
1,525 reviews15 followers
June 17, 2019
"A Scandalous Midnight in Madrid (Passion in Paradise Book 2)" by Susan Stephens gives the reader a hot romance full of emotional situations between gypsy king Alejandro de Alegon and chef Sadie Montgomery. There is quite a bit of emotional baggage in Sadie's past, and Alijandro is used to getting what he wants. Currently it is Sadie, and she does her best to derail his attempts...at first. I didn't want to put this one down.
Profile Image for tïmmyrèvuo.
203 reviews2 followers
April 14, 2025
I picked up this book by accident—everyone kept raving about it, so I gave in to the hype. But truth be told? It’s not my cup of tea.

One night. One look. And everything changed.
Sadie Montgomery was just a chef chasing her dreams—until Madrid happened. Until he happened. Alejandro de Alegón: brooding, forbidden, and the kind of danger no heart walks away from untouched. Under the moonlight, temptation stole her reason. By morning, she was no longer just Sadie—she was the woman who gave in to Spain’s most scandalous man. And now? She’s carrying his child.

To be honest, it took me long enough to even get to that page. I waited for a dramatic chase, a twist, or at least a slow burn that actually burns. But nope. Everything just felt... too stable. Too polite. Like it was scared to feel something big.

Sounds dramatic, right? I thought so too. I expected tangled emotions, juicy layers, and a rollercoaster of heartbreak and healing. But what I got instead was... flat. The main conflict? A trust issue. Sadie’s insecure, Alejandro’s emotionally constipated, and that’s basically it.

I kept waiting for the plot to dig deeper, for the characters to break me or move me—but they didn’t. No spark. No butterflies. Just a lot of potential that never really burned bright.
Profile Image for Lynn Brooks.
3,516 reviews43 followers
June 22, 2019
3 1/2 STARS!

Gorgeous setting! With the next in the Passion in Paradise series, Susan Stephens takes our breath away with her iterations of gorgeous Madrid, descriptive enough to make us wish we were there as we are reading. The premise of the story was promising, and their connection had a good spark to it, but the follow through of the story line fell a bit flat for me ... still an enjoyable read!

Chef Sadie Montgomery hasn't been showered with love and passion throughout her life, so she's a bit taken aback with how much she desires Alejandro when she meets him. He's arrogant, but kind and she wants to know more!

Alejandro de Alegon can't deny he's attracted to the feisty yet untouched chef, but he can't believe his sister had the audacity to match make and send her to his mountain retreat! Well, she's here and the sparks are flying heavily, so why not? Their passion has consequences though, and soon they will have to figure out how to make a future work together with a baby. 
Profile Image for TashNz.
729 reviews21 followers
April 6, 2020
A purely magical story which is set in a beautiful location far away from any boardroom table.

Sadie and Alejandro brilliant characters; strong characters, and who together are dynamite but the beautiful way the story is written, it's pure magic!

Hooked with interest from the start, loving the concept of what Alejandro was doing for his sister, moving onto the way Sadie becomes involved with Alejandro is brilliant. Their involvement is done in such a delightful way and that combined with some humour and major drama towards the conclusion makes this read unforgettable. The person Alejandro is is shown clearly by his "other life" and the terrifying drama towards the end was edge of seat and really made Sadie shine more than she already did.

This is one of those stories where I'm kicking myself I missed it in my TBR pile and I would strongly recommend for anyone who loves a brilliant Harlequin Presents to not pass by this one.
710 reviews12 followers
June 2, 2019
Alejandro de Alegon is taking care of all his sisters wedding plans so as he is about to meet with her he spots a women across a room and he feels an instant attraction. Sadie Montgomery is a chef and when she is asked to meet someone she becomes unavailable. If you ever read a Susan Stephens book you will know that avoiding each other doesn't happen so when they finally cross paths the chemistry between them is hot. Sadie gives into the passions which produces consequences. Trust is a nebulous force with these two and as you become embroiled with the story you will wonder if they can get over the past and all the emotions to find their HEA. Love the sisters involvement as she tries to play cupid even with her own romance crumbling. Loved it. A fantastic story
Profile Image for Patty Duplechin.
769 reviews9 followers
August 24, 2019
Chef Sadie Montgomery is a feisty, independent, innocent young woman. She was taken under the wing of the owner of the restaurant. Alejandro de Alegon is intrigued by Sadie. He works all the time and he raised his sister when their parents died. He is a very wealthy man who loves to get what he wants. His sister sees he’s smitten with Sadie so she plays Cupid. Sadie is sent to their mountain retreat. Alejandro didn’t know. She’s there to help bring his kitchen up to present. They end up with sparks flying. She can’t believe that she feels so much passion for him. She is a Virgin after all. They can’t resist each other. Oops, now she’s having his baby. Will they work it out? Will they fall in love? It is a wonderful story. So worth the read
Profile Image for Amanda.
620 reviews
July 6, 2019
It has been a long time since I’ve read a Harlequin Presents by Susan Stephens. So I was excited to dive into A Scandalous Midnight in Madrid. The story is well-written and the characters are genuine and there’s plenty of angst and drama to keep you turning the pages but I felt like this story fell short of the author’s previous books. I wasn’t 100% into Alejandro and Sadie’s romance as much as I would like. Overall the book isn’t all bad but it felt like something was missing to make me gush about this as much as I thought I would.

3 Stars
Profile Image for Yesenia Ubence.
698 reviews4 followers
July 24, 2019
I liked it, but the story seemed to drawn out. It was sort of boring at times. There was a few moments that felt like they weren’t really adding anything to the story. I enjoyed the epilogue because it showed us Alejandro and Sadie’s wedding, but the biggest issue I had was that we never seem to find out anything about there baby in these stories. The story is all about how she gets pregnant with his baby, but we never get to see her give birth or even find out the gender. That’s why I only give it 3 stars.
Profile Image for Maddy Matos.
948 reviews10 followers
June 9, 2019
So we have Alejandro who’s rich, sexy, handsome and a duke. Sadie is a chef with no money or family and when these two meet the chemistry is off the charts. The gypsy king as Alejandro was called was sexy but this story just lacked something and I’m not sure exactly what. Also there were lose endings that were just left that way, I hate that. The two main characters were having nonsensical issues which made no sense. It had a great ending and because of that I gave it 3 stars.
Profile Image for Debra.
3,465 reviews13 followers
November 27, 2019
A Scandalous Midnight in Madrid

This was a beautiful story of a Spanish Duke who finds himself in love with a redheaded chef. This story didn't have the angst of outsiders trying to year them apart. Both had trust issues. But hers was from a childhood that was not the best. His was that after his parents died he took on the family business and his sister. Loved how it all worked out.
912 reviews
May 19, 2019
Very typical of this genre with an aristocratic, billionaire H and the virginal h who is independent, spirited and showing skills of a leader h so we can all understand this is a relationship of equals in this modern day and age. There is a cliched pregnancy as well but not the atypical immediate proposal but still ends with a very typical HEA complete with the diamond ring.
Profile Image for Amber.
1,717 reviews43 followers
June 1, 2019
surprisingly low angst for the premise, which was nice. However I couldn't help but cringe at constant use of g***y when a it's a slur and b there was no real indicator of Romany culture. It didn't take it down to a one simply because it's nice to NOT see it used as a synonym for boho. Which, yeah, low bar.
okay for aayesha
35 reviews
November 24, 2020
The heroines hangups are a bit much

75% good, but the main character is a petulant child pretending to be an independent woman. She is sooo ready to cut Alejandro out of her life and he's never given her reason to act like that. He should have dropped her an found someone rational....
7 reviews
October 13, 2019
The book I picked up from the library had first 2 chapters missing. Two strong characters coming together, the heroine falling pregnant and both of them learning to live together. What if the heroine was not pregnant?
Profile Image for Dayla.
2,904 reviews221 followers
May 11, 2020
2.5 Stars

This was honestly just OK. I was a little bored until a twist happened...but then it got boring again? Also, I want to know the sister’s story. I feel like we got cheated out of that. Also, why is Alejandro such a popular name with these books?

Happy reading!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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