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Midnight Angel
(The Stokehursts #1)
by
A noblewoman of frail beauty and exotic mystery fakes her own death to escape the gallows. And now she must flee. In disguise and under a false identity, she finds unexpected sanctuary in the arms of a handsome and arrogant yet gallant British lord—who must defy society to keep her safe . . . and overcome a tragic past to claim her as his own.
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Paperback, 373 pages
Published
January 1st 1995
by Avon
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Start your review of Midnight Angel (Stokehurst, #1)

This book is about a cross between Jane Eyre and the Anastasia legend, with a Mary Sue as a main character and so much Angst (yes, it needs to be capitalized) that you can cut it with a knife, and I won't deny I loved every fucking moment of it.
Lisa Kleypas writes feeeeeeeeeelings and angst and tortured heroes and heroines so well. No matter how much I dislike her characters, her writing is absolutely superb. She is among the best HR writers that I've ever read.
How is it like Jane Eyre?
1. Orphan ...more
Lisa Kleypas writes feeeeeeeeeelings and angst and tortured heroes and heroines so well. No matter how much I dislike her characters, her writing is absolutely superb. She is among the best HR writers that I've ever read.
How is it like Jane Eyre?
1. Orphan ...more

This book had several elements of a bad soap opera: selective amnesia, opium abuse, a homosexual love triangle, psychic abilities, child molestation, crazy Russian kin and a tiger. Yes, a tiger. ROAR! Pretty ridiculous all in all, but if I’ve learned one thing from this book it’s that even a klunker from Lisa Kleypas is a more enjoyable read than the average historical romance.
The first half of the book flew by and was quite enjoyable but the second half fell to pieces once ridiculous antic aft ...more
The first half of the book flew by and was quite enjoyable but the second half fell to pieces once ridiculous antic aft ...more

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

THIS BOOK.
1. The tone shifts, dramatically. Tasia starts out as this quiet, reserved girl who has a great deal of faith. And then, without any sort of segue-way, she's a lusty temptress who trembles every time Luke touches her. Her faith fades like mist. And then, again, she goes balls-out and demands Luke's support and respect.
2. The "alpha"-ness of Luke. There were so many instances of Luke using force against Tasia. He, at one point, kisses her until she tastes blood immediately after she te ...more
1. The tone shifts, dramatically. Tasia starts out as this quiet, reserved girl who has a great deal of faith. And then, without any sort of segue-way, she's a lusty temptress who trembles every time Luke touches her. Her faith fades like mist. And then, again, she goes balls-out and demands Luke's support and respect.
2. The "alpha"-ness of Luke. There were so many instances of Luke using force against Tasia. He, at one point, kisses her until she tastes blood immediately after she te ...more

Feb 16, 2008
Julianna
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
Lisa Kleypas Fans
Shelves:
read-2007,
historical-romance
Reviewed for www.thcreviews.com
Midnight Angel is not, in my opinion, Lisa Kleypas best novel by far, but it is a worthwhile read. As in most of Ms. Kleypas's other novels, the characters are rather dark, but they just didn't evoke the depth of emotions that the characters in some of her other books did for me. I found Luke to be a fairly likable hero, though perhaps a bit too arrogant and heavy-handed at times. I've heard that some readers are bothered by Luke having a hook in place of a missing ...more
Midnight Angel is not, in my opinion, Lisa Kleypas best novel by far, but it is a worthwhile read. As in most of Ms. Kleypas's other novels, the characters are rather dark, but they just didn't evoke the depth of emotions that the characters in some of her other books did for me. I found Luke to be a fairly likable hero, though perhaps a bit too arrogant and heavy-handed at times. I've heard that some readers are bothered by Luke having a hook in place of a missing ...more

Lisa Kleypas has done it again! A simple love story that has won a place among my favorite shelves!
This tale reminds me of some of my all time favorite love stories, Romeo and Juliet with the sleep potion, The Bronze Horseman for the Russian elements (that were very interesting and described perfectly) Though Tasia is not studying for the nunnery her faith is strong and she does become a nanny......The Sound of Music also comes to my mind!
Luke is so in love with Tasia that I was jealous! As wit ...more
This tale reminds me of some of my all time favorite love stories, Romeo and Juliet with the sleep potion, The Bronze Horseman for the Russian elements (that were very interesting and described perfectly) Though Tasia is not studying for the nunnery her faith is strong and she does become a nanny......The Sound of Music also comes to my mind!
Luke is so in love with Tasia that I was jealous! As wit ...more

It's a classic Lisa Kleypas type of love story. This means the romance is sweet, hero and heroine are both likeable characters and a sweet romance. I think if you have just started reading romance, it is a good book. But I must say, Lisa Kleypas has done much better than this book and I hope she will again soon.
There are things I didn't understand in this book:
1. Why does the girl have to be Russian?? Ok i get it, it's the theme and yes England has been done overmuch. But the girl could have be ...more
There are things I didn't understand in this book:
1. Why does the girl have to be Russian?? Ok i get it, it's the theme and yes England has been done overmuch. But the girl could have be ...more

If you liked this book.....don't read this. Rant ahead. You have been warned.
Taisa was found guilty of a murder she has no memory of. Sentenced to death, she manages to fake her death and travels to England to take refuge with her cousin and her husband. She finds employment with a friend of theirs as a governess to his 12 year old daughter.
I love LK books. This sounded like my cup of tea. Well, this sucked ass instead and I found myself still reading. It was like that car accident that everyone ...more
Taisa was found guilty of a murder she has no memory of. Sentenced to death, she manages to fake her death and travels to England to take refuge with her cousin and her husband. She finds employment with a friend of theirs as a governess to his 12 year old daughter.
I love LK books. This sounded like my cup of tea. Well, this sucked ass instead and I found myself still reading. It was like that car accident that everyone ...more

Anastasia is a Russian beauty accused of murder and sentenced to death when she fakes her own death and escapes to England. There she meets Lord Luke Stokehurst and his daughter Emma and finds a new place to call home.
I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. I really love the governess themed books. They always have that great element of forbidden lust and the tension is so awesome. This was done quite well in this book, so much so that I wish it had lasted longer. Where I think ...more
I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. I really love the governess themed books. They always have that great element of forbidden lust and the tension is so awesome. This was done quite well in this book, so much so that I wish it had lasted longer. Where I think ...more

One of the things that I admire about Lisa Kleypas is her willingness to tackle multiple sub-genres within romance. She's written contemporaries, paranormals and historicals. And unlike some romance authors I could name (cough-Jayne Ann Krentz-cough) who write the same story over and over with just the barest tweaks to justify calling it a new book, Kleypas strikes out in a variety of directions and I applaud her courage in doing so.
Unfortunately, when an author steps outside her comfort zone an ...more
Unfortunately, when an author steps outside her comfort zone an ...more

I didn’t realize when I picked this book up, I had read it years ago. It was one of those readings where everything that happens, I was like, “Oh yeah, I remember that.” But I couldn’t recall what would happen next. I remember really loving this book when I first read it, but I guess it’s not my thing anymore.
Lord Lucas Stokehurst has a 12 year old feisty daughter on the cusp of womanhood. She’s his world and in desperate need of a governess and a motherly figure to guide her through the coming ...more
Lord Lucas Stokehurst has a 12 year old feisty daughter on the cusp of womanhood. She’s his world and in desperate need of a governess and a motherly figure to guide her through the coming ...more

I had almost forgotten how much I loved Lisa Kleyas' writing! This book was so refreshing after all of the grittier books I tend to read.
One of the things that seems to draw me into Lisa Kleypas's books, whether historical or contemporary, is the completely believable romance. She has the ablility to build a relationship that makes you route for the characters like you know them personally. It could be a sea slug falling in love with a space alien. But Ms. Kleypas makes you believe it! ...more
One of the things that seems to draw me into Lisa Kleypas's books, whether historical or contemporary, is the completely believable romance. She has the ablility to build a relationship that makes you route for the characters like you know them personally. It could be a sea slug falling in love with a space alien. But Ms. Kleypas makes you believe it! ...more

The story starts strong but looses its charms midway. I don't know if it's because Luke and Tasia got together sooner than I expected or it's because I'm not entirely convince how fast Luke fell for Tasia.
And the age gap between them bothers me more than it should (he's 34, she's 18). Had she been 20 and he's 36, I'd probably be okay with it. He has a 12 year-old daughter, for heaven's sake! In today's society, he would be call a cradle robber. ...more
And the age gap between them bothers me more than it should (he's 34, she's 18). Had she been 20 and he's 36, I'd probably be okay with it. He has a 12 year-old daughter, for heaven's sake! In today's society, he would be call a cradle robber. ...more

The beginning blew me away, it was so gripping i had to keep on reading. I'm surprised i never read this before. There were instances where things were just too much but still i enjoyed it overall.
...more

This is one if this author’s earlier books, and I didn’t like it as much as the more recent ones. Lucas is an arrogant British nobleman. Tasya is a Russian girl from a rich aristocratic family, but she is living under an assumed identity. She had been convicted of murder in St. Petersburg. She escaped the gallows, but she is afraid her past will catch up with her.
The story takes place in 1870. It’s very melodramatic but actually not bad. The tension and pacing of the narrative keep the reader at ...more
The story takes place in 1870. It’s very melodramatic but actually not bad. The tension and pacing of the narrative keep the reader at ...more

The Good: I really liked the fact that Luke had a hook for a hand. And no, he's not a pirate. I also liked the fact that there were some great steamy scenes. The ending was also good but I think we need to retire scorned homosexual lover as the villain because it is homophobic.
The Bad: I just can't with age gaps. Luke is in mid-thirties and Anastasia is 18. Ending is homophobic. Luke's character development.
Luke is cold and completely uninterested in Anastasia as a person. Of course, he becomes ...more
The Bad: I just can't with age gaps. Luke is in mid-thirties and Anastasia is 18. Ending is homophobic. Luke's character development.
Luke is cold and completely uninterested in Anastasia as a person. Of course, he becomes ...more

Another Lisa Kleypas winner
With a few of her books under my belt it feels good and I can confidently say that when I need my Historical Romance fix, this is the author that I will run to. I enjoy a little Downton Abbey meets Pride and Prejudice aired on a cable channel to for the right to show a little steam. What I like about this authors books is that not only do you get those key elements but you get a bit of a meaty story as well. One could technically rip out all the special romance sce ...more
With a few of her books under my belt it feels good and I can confidently say that when I need my Historical Romance fix, this is the author that I will run to. I enjoy a little Downton Abbey meets Pride and Prejudice aired on a cable channel to for the right to show a little steam. What I like about this authors books is that not only do you get those key elements but you get a bit of a meaty story as well. One could technically rip out all the special romance sce ...more

This was not Lisa Kleypas's best book by far, though not the worst.
I rather liked the heroine, I liked the way her relationship with Lucas evolved, their love for each other and how she managed to handle Emma. I also really liked how Lucas managed to learn to care and love someone other than his deceased wife.
However the partial amnesia was a bit too much and not cleverfully managed by either of those. I kept wondering when they would get the mind-reading woman back to be clear on what had happ ...more
I rather liked the heroine, I liked the way her relationship with Lucas evolved, their love for each other and how she managed to handle Emma. I also really liked how Lucas managed to learn to care and love someone other than his deceased wife.
However the partial amnesia was a bit too much and not cleverfully managed by either of those. I kept wondering when they would get the mind-reading woman back to be clear on what had happ ...more

This one was ok, I guess. Chick running from a crime she doesn't remember if she committed and lands her a tall rich dude with a hook for a hand. Lots of syrupy mush and a pseudoalpha male. No hard limits for miles around. ...more

I’ve being a fan of Lisa Kleypas since I first came across her novel, Then Came You. Back then, reading a historical romance novel where the h is a single mother and not a virgin was refreshing. I started looking for a backlog of her novels, read some, knew this one existed but was never too keen due to the average reviews on Amazon.
Before I begin, I just want to say, this book is a page turner. It’s a cross between many tropes- governess/employer (at one stage, it was almost similar to Jane Eyr ...more
Before I begin, I just want to say, this book is a page turner. It’s a cross between many tropes- governess/employer (at one stage, it was almost similar to Jane Eyr ...more

This book was first published in 1995 and it shows. I never appreciate how much the romance genre has grown more so than when I read books from any time earlier than 1999, let me tell you.
The only reason this book didn't get one star is because the bare bones of the story itself is very interesting. It (loosely) reminded me of A Countess Below Stairs, one of my favorites of all time, because of the aspect of a Russian girl coming over to England and learning about the culture and people and foo ...more
The only reason this book didn't get one star is because the bare bones of the story itself is very interesting. It (loosely) reminded me of A Countess Below Stairs, one of my favorites of all time, because of the aspect of a Russian girl coming over to England and learning about the culture and people and foo ...more

Not your typical romance, as there's quite a lot of focus on the Russian politics of the late nineteenth century. That adds a richness to the plot. If you're looking for a standard love story, this will give you that, plus it will also give you a melodramatic unsolved murder, fake death, revenge killer and samovars.
...more

Definitely a pleasant read with a bit of intrigue and silliness swirled around. The huge age gaps always seem weird to me but Tasia was definitely older in spirit. Poor girl.
I’m not waiting to dive into to the next book. I wanna see where life has taken them.
I’m not waiting to dive into to the next book. I wanna see where life has taken them.

Feb 08, 2017
Feminista
marked it as never-to-read
Gross age gap with hero's daughter being closer in age to the heroine.
...more

Midnight Angel was an early Lisa Kleypas so I can forgive the misstep on this one. It's a bit of a mess, in style and tone and the characters aren't clearly defined. Therefore it is difficult to connect or follow the progression of the love story, let alone find it plausible. There are much better takes on this particular mixture of tropes (Lucinda Brant's Noble Satyr, Mary Balogh's The Secret Pearl etc. etc.).
...more

Oct 27, 2014
Paranormal Romance
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
paranormal-historical-romance,
4-star-rating
Escaping prison for a crime she may or may not have committed but unsure due to amnesia, the heroine flees her native Russia to her cousin living in London. There, she is thrust upon the family friend who has need of a governess for his teenage daughter. The hero is much displeased with the arrangement and vows to send the attractive but dangerous woman on her way as soon as she is deemed unfit. Unfortunately, the heroine takes to the young girl and all of those around her especially the hero hi
...more

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
I loved everything about this book, from start to finish...
The Plot
The story began with a look inside Tasia or "Miss. Billing's" life in Russia. We see her desperate struggle to leave and her attempts (with aid from family) to make for England. She plans to evade execution from the Russian Government. She is being accused of murder, which she believes to be true - having no recollection of the night her fiance died. Everyone believed it was her, as she was the ea ...more

I loved everything about this book, from start to finish...
The Plot
The story began with a look inside Tasia or "Miss. Billing's" life in Russia. We see her desperate struggle to leave and her attempts (with aid from family) to make for England. She plans to evade execution from the Russian Government. She is being accused of murder, which she believes to be true - having no recollection of the night her fiance died. Everyone believed it was her, as she was the ea ...more
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