Confessions at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Confessions at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro bring us back two characters we meet during Sleepless at Midnight: Daniel Sutton, Earl Surbrooke and Carolyn Turner, Viscountess Wingate. Then they were secondary characters but now they take center stage.

Daniel has been attracted to Carolyn for years, since they very night he met her, which also happened to be the night she announced her betrothal to Daniel's childhood friend Edward. Now, Daniel doesn't think himself the most moral of people but he does draw the line at seducing a friend's wife so, for years, he stays away.

When they met again, almost ten years have passed - it happens during Sleepless at Midnight - Daniel has spent the last ten years going from one affair to the other, while Carolyn had a very happy marriage and then a very crushing loss when her husband dies suddenly three years earlier. Carolyn is just starting to re-enter the world of the living and Daniel finds himself smitten all over again.

Daniel is determined to have Carolyn this time... and Carolyn might not be adverse to it!.

Thrown in a scandalous book, lots of pets and some friends - not to mention a psycho killer, and you got the makings of Confessions at Midnight.

I loved it. Daniel and Carolyn's story is deep and sweet and very, very touching. Daniel and his servants - especially Samuel - are so funny, and the whole pet thing? he won me over in two seconds flat. Carolyn on the other hand, she is smart and passionate and understandably guilty after surviving her husband but it doesn't become this oversized guilt overwhelming the story, I think it was handled beautifully.

Also, another refreshing note, Carolyn was truly happy in her marriage, it wasn't like in some other books when the heroine isn't really happy until she meets the hero. Carolyn once had it all and her wonder at finding that she can feel again and be happy again, are a joy to read about.

Solid, good book

Grade

1/2