A Kiss at Midnight

Rating:
Summary: Classic Storytelling
Review: Beautifully dark and moody, almost mystical, A KISS AT MIDNIGHT proves that great storytellers still exist. Woven into a keenly directed plot, where the characters' attributes, goals and conflicts are clearly addressed, are images of sweeping landscapes, ancient superstitions and the deepest longings of the human soul.

Unlike so many romances that hope to create titillation by devising one excuse after the other to keep the hero and heroine from consummating their desire, here the relationship between Serath Rune and Rafael of Leonhart simmers in unforced stages. The intensity of their attraction builds to a much anticipated joining, written in an emotionally charged scene as richly evocative and fulfilling as any in a historical romance on the shelves today.

Serath is a mature, active heroine, never simpers or exhibits tiresome, girlish rebellion. Rafael is a warrior who has seen too much, lived too much, feels too much, yet maintains loyalty to the prophecy he must fulfill. A note to budding romance writers-study this hero.

Ms. Abe utilizes her lyrical, creative way with words to turn the ordinary into magic. Many scenes border on brilliant. She does not shy from creating larger than life events or skimp on the characters' reactions to them. Her liberties taken with later medieval terms and some settings in this pre-conquest era are entirely forgiven.

Historical romance... this is how it should be done.

Rating:
Summary: A most intriguing story!
Review: I was fascinated by the premise of this book: the hero and heroine fighting for both land and acceptance at the turn of the millennium. Ms. Abe did not disappoint! Serath and Rafe were wonderfully rich characters. I had no trouble at all believing in their underlying motivations. I thought it was very clever how she cast both the hero and the heroine as the "outsider".Ms. Abe has a smoothly lyrical style of prose I always enjoy reading. A warning: this is no comedic, light romance novel, but instead one that is darkly stylish and almost mesmerizing. The interaction between all of the characters was excellent. The sexual tension between Rafe and Serath was handled skillfully and yet not coyly. I think one of Ms. Abe's great strengths is how she fleshes out her characters. It is refreshing to read about people who seem real, whose thoughts and actions make good sense without contrived plot twists. Ms. Abe is excellent at handling this. Serath was strong yet wounded, a woman wary of her world yet still thriving in it. Rafael was all that a hero should be, strong and compassionate, drawn to Serath despite all the reasons he knew he should not be.I very much recommend this book to any reader who enjoys true romance.

Rating:
Summary: ok not great
Review: I wasn't real excited about this book after I got into it. It was good but nothing special.

The story takes place in 999 just before the turn of the millennium. In other words Y1k. There are all the doomsday believers who think that the world will end with the coming year. There are also those who believe that the new century is a time for new beginnings. Rafael Leonhart is one of those people. He is apart of a leggend that states that the land of Alderich will change hands and no longer belong to the Rune. So to help insure that this does happen Rafael takes Serath Rune hostage. She is the granddaughter of the Ruling Rune. The only problem is that Serath's grandfather has no love for her at all. This puts a crimp in Rafael's plans but what effects those plans even more is his growing attraction and feelings for his hostage. She is feared by many but he knows that she is not what she appears to be.

It was a good book not a great one but a good one.

Rating:
Summary: I like Ms. Abe's previous books better.
Review: In the past, I liked Ms. Abe's books for their touch of the mystical and the dash of the unknown. Serath and Raphael's story revolves around an ancient legend, but doesn't let for much development. I felt that once I knew what the legend was (told in the first chapter), there were no surprises left in the reading of the tale. Everything happened just as you think it should. Although this tale takes place in England at the turn of the millennium (999/1000, and yes Ms. Abe heads off any disputes by placing a qualifier in her afterward about the millennium starting 1001), one must use their imagination for this setting. The happenings and hysteria surrounding the dawning of the new millennium are well described and probably very accurate. I like this attention to detail and learning that the New Year and Christmas used to be celebrated on the same day. It is the feud and the setting of the two families that are questionable and don't really fit into any realistic historical time period. Which is this story to be, set in a real time and place or fantasyland?

Out of all of the characters, crazy grandfather Jozua is the only one I found to be credible. Serath is feared as a witch, like her mother before her, and no one likes or trusts her. After a long absence she returns to her homeland where she gradually (over a few months) turns over the fear of the peasants. It seems to me that the fright and distrust instilled in them after 30-40 years (starting with Serath's mother) would not so easily or quickly be banished (especially after Serath "casts" spells and curses upon the village). Rafael also has his flaws. The big, bad, mercenary, who has seen and done so much that is cruel and savage, is really a tenderhearted guy who believes in Serath and pats children on the head for running him over. It is very hard to reconcile these two figures. Jozua is the only one who consistently and believably plays his role. Everything he does is justified in his refusal to give up his castle/land to someone he sees as his mortal enemy. (Well, almost everything, I won't give away all the details to the plot.)

Although not a bad book, I would recommend any of Ms. Abe's previous books, before recommending reading this one.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and powerful romance
Review: It is fast approaching the end of the first millennium and an -old prophecy dictates that the wealthy estate of Alderich held by the Rune clan - must be relinquished to the Leonhart clan. Rafael of Leonhart does not trust Jozua Rune to honor the dictates of the prophecy, so he kidnaps Jozua's granddaughter, Serath Rune, from the convent where she has lived for 12 years. Serath just happened to make the kidnapping easy as she was trying to escape the convent, after years of abuse, the very same night the kidnapping was to take place. Talk about having a bad day!

Rafael is not at all what Serath expected having preconceived ideas after growing up with the rumors of the Leonhart's being the devil incarnates. And Rafe is not immune to the dark and mysterious beauty rumored to be a witch either. Quite an unlikely couple, to say the least. Neither one of them trust the other.

Rafe thinks Serath's grandfather will relinquish the castle easily for the safe return of his granddaughter. Serath knows that this will never happen, because her grandfather has never cared for her. Not only that, but Rafe thinks that having the granddaughter of Jozua Rune will help control the peasants - then finds that they are terrified of her - wow, is he ever having a bad day!

What follows is a very rich and satisfying tale of the panic, and superstitions that were rampant at the turn of the first millennium, couple this with very well fleshed out characters of the two main people of the novel and you have another hit by this very able new author. It is a wonderfully romantic story of two people learning to trust and respect one another as they fell in love. Shana Abe is getting better and better for every new novel she writes.

Rating:
Summary: Great millenium romance
Review: With two months left before the dawning of the new millennium, superstitious thoughts dominate England and legends are expected to happen. One such tale centers on the Leonhart family taking the land from the Rune family. Serath Rune and Rafael Leonhart grew up in their respective households hearing the story. Rafael feels the legend will allow him to regain his lost estate. Serath knows how savage her foe can be.

Rafael kidnaps Serath as the first step in his plan to regain his family's estate. However, Serath knows her grandfather will not pay any ransom for the twit's return. As the couple begins to fall in love, they must overcome their personal suspicions of the other and their family feud, perhaps by scripting a non-violent solution to the legend.

With novels like A KISS AT MIDNIGHT and THE TRULOVE BRIDE, Shana Abe is gaining an outstanding name for her stimulating historical romances. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action that brings the last months of 999 AD to life. Even though the family members seem like caricatures of the Hatfields and the McCoys, the lead couple makes the novel as they struggle between their attraction and the legend. Ms. Abe is an able storyteller who makes reading a medieval romance a lot of fun.

Harriet Klausner