MIDNIGHT'S WILD PASSION Author: Anna Campbell ISBN: 9780061684302 5/2011 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
I’m so torn about this book. On the one hand, I loved Ms. Campbell’s writing; her prose is well known to me and the attention and detail to her love scenes is to be praised! They burn the pages and make you feel the passion that our hero and heroine are going through. On the other hand, I just couldn’t warm myself up to our heroine. Even though Antonia was loyal, devoted, and one tough cookie, I definitely had some issues with her. I was frustrated with her attitude toward Nicholas. She couldn’t make up her mind if she hated him or wanted him. I hated her for playing with his emotions as well as her own. I couldn’t understand that, and it annoyed me to no end. Her push-pull actions were off-putting. For most of the book, her sincerity toward Nicholas wasn’t felt by me, and I couldn’t reconcile her ‘strong woman’ persona (this chick survived on her own for ten long years—in disguise) with her ‘weak woman’ (now I don’t want you—now I do). However, I loved Nicholas. Ms. Campbell gave me such a flawed hero that I should have hated him from the get go, but I liked him. Yes, I know, he plots to ruin an innocent girl; he’s after Antonia with such an aggression that in one scene, she hits him over the head with a fire poker, and I still liked him. I even liked him after he stuck to his plan to abduct the said innocent, knowing he’ll never have a chance to get the love of his life back. Nicholas’s obsession with Antonia and relentless pursuit of her, reminded me of long gone ‘Bodice Ripper’ novels. So, even though he’s seemingly obnoxious and cold, uncaring and aggressive, I felt his pain and looked forward to his redemption. No matter how hard she tries to hide her true self by appearing unappealing and unattractive, our hero would not be swayed nor put off. Got to give him points for being persistent! I very much enjoyed his efforts in helping her transform into her old self, while slowly her love helped him in his redemption. Every character in this book, even the bad boy, Johnny Benton, who’s a callous, yet handsome, rake from Antonia’s past, is three-dimensional and interesting. I wouldn’t mind seeing him redeemed as well. Even though this is a well written, deliciously sexy story of a rake's redemption, and at times heartbreaking, I chose to give it Four Roses, and my strong dislike of Antonia is the reason why. Not that I’m going to give my copy away, mind you. That would be a sacrilege. I have every one of Ms. Campbell’s books, so I just don’t see me parting with it. If you like your romance full of sexual tension, with a strong, complex, and imperfect hero who will turn a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’, then you’ll love MIDNIGHT'S WILD PASSION. Melanie Friedman |
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