URBAN FANTASY ROMANCE REVIEW: A Kiss at Midnight - Eloisa James

Release Date: 04/08/11

SYNOPSIS:

Miss Kate Daltry doesn't believe in fairy tales ...or happily ever after. Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince, and decides he's anything but charming. A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere. For Gabriel is promised to another woman - a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfil his ruthless ambitions. Gabriel likes his fiancee, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn't love her, and knows, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him. Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after - unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.


REVIEW:

In a world where we see the evil guy win way to often it’s always a blessing to be able to take a ride into the world of fantasy and relive some of the comforts of childhood where bad guys wear black, good will overcome evil and of course there is a moral to every story.

So it was with some trepidation that I decided to pick up this book by Eloisa James. Yes I’ve not read any of her titles before but I trust the publisher and if they think it’s a decent enough book to recommend to me I’m prepared to give it a go.

What unfurls is a modern interpretation of the Cinderella myth with a touch of deliciously twisted humour which allows the reader to disassociate with the modern world whilst engrossed. The concept is decent enough, the prose reasonable and when added to the pace it’s a title that goes through the motions to create a decent story. However, that said, the characters felt a little flat and two dimensional and a tale that should have been full of magic felt that it had a key ingredient to get the cauldron fizzling missing. All in, it was reasonable but without a decent lead character that I could associate with it left me flat to the compassion that such a story requires and whilst I kept hoping it would pick up my imagination was more piqued by some of the supporting cast over Kate which really is a great loss.