THE MIDNIGHT MAN

Author: Charlotte Mede ISBN: 9780758223678 8/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: KENSINGTON
Time Period: Victorian, 1860

Lady Helena Hartford knows nothing about Nicholas Ramsay. Rumored to be the richest man in England, he appears out of the shadows and commands her to trust him. Helena is the target of powerful forces determined to seize her fortune by committing her to an asylum. Losing her wealth means nothing, but losing her freedom to the fetid air and hopelessness of Bedlam would be a never-ending horror. Nicholas has his own reasons for pursuing Lady Hartford. Familiar with the scandalous reputation her artwork has inspired, he is focused on revenge but supremely unprepared for the immediate, gut-clenching desire she invokes. As their uneasy alliance gives way to intense passion, enemies are circling ever nearer, intent on a shocking agenda. And Helena has no choice but to trust this mysterious, unpredictable man who could be her savior, or the means of delivering her to her worst nightmare.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I love the depth and precision with which Charlotte Mede has written THE MIDNIGHT MAN. There are a lot of things going on in the story, but everything comes off without a hitch, in my opinion.

Helena just wants to be left alone. She craves a life of quiet bliss without the constant harassment that she suffers from her family, who want to send her to a madhouse and take her money. She has no idea where she can turn or what she will do if the bishop of Sissinghurst gets his hands on her, but she knows she must get away at any cost. When she is rescued by an unlikely savior, she has no idea if he is just as bad as Sissinghurst and she should run from him, or if she should just let this little ride take her where it will with this man that she knows she shouldn't trust. But she can't help herself—at least a little bit, at first.

Nicholas Ramsey is a man with his own issues and his own agenda for Helena Hartford. He is a wonderfully romantic hero who protects Helena, time and again, and I just love him in action! His agenda for Helena is pretty straight forward. He wishes her to travel with him and help him in a scientific quest concerning the Darwin theory and the idea of evolution. To be completely honest, this is the first that I had read about anything of this sort tied into a romance novel, and I thought it to be very refreshing and interesting, a very nice change of pace.

The sexual tension and smoldering heat of Helena and Nicholas's attraction for one another is literally like an aphrodisiac. From the moment the two of them meet, they are practically combustible and the sparks fly! Their chemistry is wonderful and one of the best parts of the book. I also like how Helena really took her time getting to the trust issue with Nicholas. She is no simpering miss, falling all over his feet because he has saved her life a few times! She has backbone and spirit and I just love that!

THE MIDNIGHT MAN is truly a wonderful story! I found myself burning the candle at both ends to get this one read, and now I'm ready to move on to more of Charlotte Mede's work!

Kristal Gorman