MIDNIGHT LADY by Rosemary Rogers

PUBLISHER: Avon, 11/1997
GENRE: Fiction/Historical Romance 
MY GRADE: B-

SYNOPSIS: Kyla Van Vleet has journeyed from India with proof of her right to share in the late Duke of Wolverton's estate and repay the many kindnesses of the stepfather who raised her. But this ravishing young woman hasn't counted on the cold cunning of the Duke's acknowledged heirs--or the disarming gaze of the brash American who is next in line for the title. The charming but arrogant new Duke is Brett Banning, and to him Kyla is a gypsyish hoyden bent on besmirching the family name. But there is something about his commanding boldness that draws Kyla ever closer to a maelstrom of unbridled desire, even if her pounding heart leads her into the bedchamber of His Grace's country estate. Now this willful lady must gather her courage and dignity to command her own destiny. For the gossips of London keep no secrets, and a passion that blazes at midnight can either warm two hearts for a lifetime. . . or consume everything it touches.

MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this book more towards the beginning than I did the last part of it. The hero, Brett Banning, was totally alpha, very forceful and the heroine, Kyla, was a bit feisty, like I like. I'm a little surprised she gave in to being Brett's mistress so darn quickly. I don't think the HEA (happily ever after) was believable and it didn't happen until the last few pages. The story didn't get bogged down with history like some of her books can. It was a pretty simply, easy-to-follow plot. I don't buy the coincidence that the man Kyla was to marry just happened to the man who stole Brett's important papers.

So overall, I liked this book OK and I'd grade it maybe a very low B-. Though there was no abuse toward the heroine by anyone, I do consider this a bodice ripper because the hero was so strong and arrogant and he just had to have the heroine...and told her so!

This book was published in 1997 but it seemed so much like an older book. In fact, while I wasn't very far into the story, I kept going to the front of the book to check the publication date because I was sure this was an 80s book.