Review: Married by Midnight by Julianne MacLean (e-novella)

As their father slowly descends into madness, he imagines that a curse has fallen on his family and house and believes that the only way the curse can be broken is for his children to get married. He has set an ultimatum and a deadline: break the curse or lose their inheritance.

The Pembroke Curse continues to plague the Sinclairs and Garrett is the last of his siblings to marry and the deadline their father has set is less than a month away. Garrett has no desire to return home but he knows that he must do his duty -- he asks his brothers to handle all the details of his wedding -- including finding him a bride.

Lady Anne is top of the Sinclair brothers' list -- she's exactly their younger brother's type: dark haired and beautiful -- and she's a woman with few options because of her ruined reputation.

Anne agrees to the marriage of convenience because it will give her the financial and personal freedom she has longed for since her ill-fated elopement and subsequent ruination many years ago.

When they finally meet, warring thoughts race through their minds: they're both in it for the money and aren't afraid to admit it -- but, why with two such people agree to something so mercenary and ... desperate? What secrets are they hiding? And could there be something more blossoming from this arrangement?

I did a Sample Reading of this novella in August and really enjoyed the sample that I read -- it took me a while to reading it but, when I started, I couldn't stop until I reached the end!

I wasn't disappointed in my initial impressions of the book -- this was every bit as enjoyable as I had expected it to be.

Seven years ago, an incident drove Garrett away and he hasn't returned to England since then. No one knew the reason why he left but everyone is happy that he has decided to return.

And there's a reason why Garrett has returned -- another tragic incident in Greece and the loss of his boat means that he needs his father's money. He plans to secure his inheritance and leave right away.

Garrett is a man of many secrets and emotional scars. One thing that isn't a secret is the circumstances of his birth -- he knows that he is not the Duke's true son but what he doesn't know is who his real father is.

There's a lot of secrets and mysteries in this story: is the Ghost of Pembroke Palace real? What is haunting Garrett?

MacLean expertly peels back the layers that has long protected the real Garrett -- as he and Anne get to know each other better, he lets down his guard and tells her the truth about everything.

I loved Anne as a heroine. She is unflinching and honest. Garrett has shared with her all of his secret shame and she looks him straight in the eye and tells him that she will still marry him. (And she knows it isn't about the money any longer.)

She tells the story of her past in a very direct and honest way -- unashamed of the decisions she made in her younger days because she knows these decisions have made her into who she is today -- and have led her down this path. To Garrett.

It is apt that the deadline set by the Duke was on Christmas Eve -- and that the story ends at Christmas. Garrett's whole family surrounds him and he has met (and about to marry) -- quite possibly -- the most unforgettable woman in his life. Will the Pembroke Curse be broken? Will this be a Christmas to remember for the Sinclairs?

Married by Midnight is a beautiful addition to MacLean's Sinclair Family stories -- and a beautiful Christmas story as well. It is heart-tugging and heart-warming -- and a truly, truly memorable read.

I'm glad Julianne MacLean returned to Pembroke Palace to complete the story of all the Sinclairs -- it's one of my favorite series (and I've said quite a few times on this blog how The Mistress Diaries is one of my all-time favorite reads.)

Married by Midnight is the fourth installment in the Pembroke Palace (Sinclair Family) series. Julianne MacLean recently released the short story, A Kiss Before the Wedding, which is the story of the current duke and his duchess, Adelaide.


To find out more about Julianne MacLean and her books, visit her website. She's also on Facebook.

Sample Reading #7: Married by Midnight by Julianne MacLean + a free e-book

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This is a new feature on my blog called Sample Reading. This is where I will talk about book samples that I've gotten online. I'll read the sample and will answer the very important question:

Will I buy it?

This week, I'm trying out Married by Midnight by Julianne MacLean. This is an e-novella that completes (?) her Pembroke Palace/Sinclair Family series. I was actually surprised to hear that this book had been released but I am happy to see that Garrett is finally getting his story. One of my all-time favorite books, The Mistress Diaries, is book 2 in this series.


The Blurb:

AN UNATTAINABLE ROGUE
For seven years, Lord Garrett Sinclair-- the ruggedly handsome illegitimate son of the Duke of Pembroke--has been traveling abroad with no intention of ever returning home to Pembroke Palace… until his father commands that he must marry by Christmas in order to thwart a family curse or lose his inheritance forever. Haunted by a tragic accident that has hardened his soul, Garrett entrusts his brothers to seek out a bride who will agree to a marriage in name only. Her reward? A sizable share of his inheritance--payable immediately after the wedding night….

A BEAUTIFUL TEMPTRESS
Lady Anne Douglas has been ruined by scandal and disowned by her father. Facing a life of poverty and spinsterhood, she leaps at the generous terms of the marriage contract to ensure her independence. But the charade of a two-week engagement proves more of a challenge than either anticipated when they cannot resist the intoxicating lure of the marriage bed. Anne knows they will part ways after the wedding. Will she dare risk her heart for two weeks of pleasure in the arms of an irresistible rogue? Or will her surrender become her undoing after a most unexpected turn of events mere hours before the wedding?
- From Julianne MacLean's website

I got the sample from: Amazon, Kindle
# of Pages: Prologue and the first 2 chapters plus the first 4 paragraphs of chapter 3 of a 180-page novella.

My Impressions:
This one was wow. I love the tone and the pace of the story. On the day of the wedding and Lady Anne is preparing to enter into a loveless marriage that will bring her financial security and freedom.

Except, it isn't loveless. Not for Anne.

Then MacLean tells us the story of what happened 3 weeks earlier and how this marriage was contracted between Anne's uncle and the Sinclairs.

It is revealed that Anne's reputation was ruined years ago and she has lived a very secluded life ever since.

I love MacLean's writing in this story. The first chapter begins with a description of the winter scene as "a hostile blanket of crusty white snow" -- I thought this was a subtle commentary on the oppressiveness of purity. And this is further emphasized by Anne's uncle (who seemed a bit like a Dickensian character) who talked about Anne in terms of her lack of purity.

"She may not be pure, but I daresay she's appealing to the eye."
- loc 39

"As I said before, she may not be pure, but she is loyal."
- loc 74

There's also a bit of dramatic irony: Anne wonders what could be wrong about Garrett that he could not find a wife for himself -- and Garrett also wonders what sort of woman would agree to such a bargain.

...he supposed he was no better than a whore -- selling himself for money -- and he feared he was about to marry a woman cut from the same cloth.
- loc 180

Price: $3.11 on Amazon for Kindle

Will I buy it? Yes! I'm actually very excited to read this one! How does Anne manage to fall in love with Garrett? And will the feeling be mutual before the wedding?

It's also mentioned in Chapter 2 that there's an accident that continues to haunt Garrett. How will this particular "handicap" affect Garrett's relationship with Anne?

I think this book will be a great way for fans of the series to revisit the Sinclair Family.  ^_^  (At this point, I am not sure how well this will read as a stand-alone.)

* * *

Free Julianne MacLean e-book!

If Julianne MacLean is a new-to-you author, she has a short story that's free on Kindle, iBooks and Nook. (This is accurate as of August 11, 2012 -- please check again before you click buy.)

The Rebel is a prequel to her Highlanders trilogy and was originally part of the Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance.

Enjoy! ^_^

Review: Be My Prince by Julianne MacLean

Prince Randolph of Petersbourg has come to London searching for his princess and future queen of Petersbourg -- and all the ladies are vying for the honor. Including Alexandra Monroe.

But getting the prince's attention and winning his heart is only part of Alexandra's grand plan. She's actually the long-lost daughter of the former king of Petersbourg and is seeking to restore her family's name to their former glory.

But her plans are derailed when she meets and falls in love with the future king's younger brother, Nicholas. Alexandra must choose between love and duty --

And when more secrets are revealed, Alexandra must stand up against the rumors and lies and fight for the truth of what lies in her heart.

While most books are encumbered by being overlong and overly-detailed, Julianne MacLean's story suffers from the exact opposite: it is too sparse and under-developed and there are gaps in very important places in the story.

For example, the attraction between Nicholas and Alexandra is too abrupt -- it is only a matter of days between their first meeting and the ensuing declaration of undying love and devotion. But the author doesn't elaborate on how the love developed. There is very little interaction between the two -- and it goes from introduction to love so quickly.

I had wished the author dwelt on this a bit more -- it would have made for a very compelling read: how does one choose between one's birthright (Alexandra's claim to the throne of Petersbourg) and one's happiness?

He is not the one I want, she reminded herself over and over as she crossed the crowded ballroom on Prince Nicholas's arm. It did little good, however, for no amount of rationalizing seemed powerful enough to douse the flames of agitation in her blood, kindled by the mere act of touching him.
- p. 28

But Alexandra's own motivations for seeking the crown is problematic -- I wasn't certain if she was merely a pawn or equally complicit in her stepmother (and Mr. Carmichael's) scheme.

At the onset, I thought Alexandra was a desperate woman who was trying to protect her sisters and herself. (And the summary on the back cover does say: "Lady Alexandra Monroe has been told in no uncertain terms that she must set her sights on a proposal from Prince Randolph to better her family's situation.")

But there is venom in Alexandra -- there is an anger simmering just beneath the surface:

During her first meeting with Prince Randolph, the prince asks her about where she resides:

"...You are the daughter of a duke. Why have you been residing in Wales? Why not at the estate where you were raised?"

She wet her lips and concealed the more pertinent question: Why not with my family, in the country where my ancestors had been born, and where they had ruled for centuries?
- p. 17

* * *

And in this exchange with Nicholas:

...At that, she looked up at him. "Have you ever been knocked down by someone, Nicholas? Have you been treated unfairly? If so, then you will understand how it has a way of rousing you to struggle to your feet and fight back harder than ever before."

He considered that for a moment. "So there is a hint of vengeance in your scheme," he bluntly suggested.

Vengeance? If he only knew how close he was to the truth.
- p. 52

She undergoes a change of heart when she decides to choose love (see p. 90) -- but, as she makes her way to Petersbourg, this particular insight surprised me:

How many nights had she lain awake dreaming of the day she would see the former general's body entombed and revel in the fact that she would be the mother of the future king, and her own father's death would be avenged in this way?

Even now, a part of her hoped King Frederick would already be dead when she arrived so that she would not be forced to bow down before him or struggle with conflicting loyalties -- for he was her husband's father.
- p. 183

The plot in Petersbourg is the most interesting part of this story -- when it is discovered that there is something greater (and more sinister) at work -- and when Alexandra is suspected of poisoning her father in-law --

The action really picks up in the last third of the book but, by then, I did not find myself invested in the hero and heroine. The author sacrificed character development in order to develop the plot and, to MacLean's credit, she does set up the series very nicely and I was very intrigued with the second part of the series, which is Rose's (Rose is Nicholas and Randolph's sister) story. (There's a short excerpt at the end of the book.)

Be My Prince is the first book in Julianne MacLean's The Royal Trilogy. The next book, Princess in Love will be released October, 2012.

To find out more about Julianne Maclean and her books, visit her website. She's also on Facebook.

Seduced by the Highlander by Julianne MacLean

I'm on the fence about this book. I really enjoyed MacLean's previous series (Pembroke) and MacLean wrote one of my favorite romance novels of all time (The Mistress Diaries) -- but this book confused me.

The premise seemed a bit implausible -- Lachlan believes the curse that Raonaid placed on him and seeks her out to have the curse removed. It takes him 3 years to find her.

Catherine has no memories of the last 5 years of her life. She believes Lachlan would be able to help her regain them and asks him to bring her back to the Highlands.

Then they discover she's a twin. And they apparently know Raonaid's whereabouts (she's the lover of the Macdonald's mortal enemy -- and Lachlan's cousin's brother-in-law.) O_o

When Raonaid and Catherine first meet, there is no doubt that they are twins -- and they decide to travel back to the Montgomery estates to confront their family and to find answers.

And Lachlan finds out from Raonaid that the curse isn't real. (There's a bit of inconsistency in Lachlan -- he knows Raonaid is a seer and even once mentioned that she wasn't a witch -- didn't it occur to him that curses were not something Raonaid could do in the first place?)

There's a lot of traveling and a lot of wanting but not having in this book -- Maclean is very good at moving the story forward but there was very little substance in between the major moments of the story.

Lachlan and Catherine didn't have much chemistry -- and their back stories are not that compelling.

Julianne MacLean is publishing a Regency (?) romance next -- I'm really looking forward to that one.