Lisa Creane's Reviews > Duke of Midnight

Elizabeth Hoyt is an amazing writer, no less so here, but I did not like the ending. Here's what I think should have happened: (view spoiler)[ She set the book up so that Wakefield can't marry Artemis because she has an insane brother and--if they talked about this--he could have given his rational opinion that if their son and his heir were insane then the dukedom and all relations tied to it would be in jeopardy.

PERFECT, INTERESTING SET-UP.

Artemis could have kept trying to convince him her twin in Bedlam (and then of course chained in the basement) was not insane. Apollo could have continued to be uncooperative and then, when it mattered (say during the fire, or when he sister was kidnapped), he could have proven himself an ultra-sane potential brother-in-law and also, possibly, set himself up as the next Ghost.

But no.

Instead Apollo's off at the end looking for investment money, of all things. Wakefield sleeps with Artemis, repeatedly, and Hoyt makes sure to tell us he's spending his seed deep inside her each time. If she gets pregnant, then what of that child? Wakefield to the end believes Artemis's brother is a madman murderer. Apparently a bastard lunatic who can't be duke is perfectly fine as he progeny.

Wakefield goes on forever about how Artemis is not worthy of being his duchess, and that he prefers turncoat, bubblehead Penelope. He allow Artemis to be dragged through the mud and called a whore (no man ever allows this, even in Mary Balogh books like More Than a Mistress/No Man's Mistress when the duke sets his woman up as his mistress) and then allows her to be shipped off as a lady's companion because he's too obsessed with finding his parents' murderer.

Should've known he'd be an ass, given Wakefield's previous, unheroic actions in the series. It might have helped if his sisters had called him thus, and conspired with Artemis to get him straightened out. But all we get is one sickening lecture from his heroic valet, who tells him he's being an ass (without using that word and getting himself fired) and then calls in an aunt to "save" Artemis by humiliating her further, saying she's ruining the reputation of Wakefield's unmarried sister by being in the same house.

Yuck.

There was also the tease of the prior ghosts helping him, but Wakefield doesn't ask, and when they do intervene, it's late and no real fun. Every time the story zigged toward the end, I wanted it to zag. The taking down of the bad guy was anticlimactic. The proposal was odd (three months to redeem her? I want his sister Hero Notorious Pleasures to smack him in the head and get the special license herself). (hide spoiler)]

The good stuff was all in the first half, when we learn what a wild woman Artemis is. She's a devil of a fearless heroine, and I loved her. The sex scenes were great (though a repeat of a memorable Winter and Isabel move in Thief of Shadows makes both scenes less distinct and now it's just a "Hoyt move") and I could feel how they were in love. His switching her name from Greek to Roman for the same goddess of the hunt was great. It was a very passionate story.

And a lot more tragic than it needed to be. Wakefield's not in the heroic mold of the other men in this series( including the pirate lording over a slum in Scandalous Desires), and though I forgive him because he's traumatized, I wanted him to redeem himself, not ask me for pity. Sigh.

Since the series isn't over, perhaps he still has a chance.
And since it's Elizabeth Hoyt, I can't go below 4 stars.