A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare

Kate Taylor has finally found a place for herself in Spindle Cove but she has always wondered who she truly was and who she belonged to.  Growing up at Margate School for Girls, Kate does not even know her true birthday and when one last failed attempt at answers with the former schoolmistress leads to even more questions, she is devastated.  Running into the snarly Corporal Samuel Thorne just adds insult to injury as he saves her from a viscous attack.  Upon returning to Spindle Cove however, Kate's life is thrown into question when some mysterious family comes forward to claim her.  When Thorne steps forward and claims they are engaged, she allows the farce as too many unanswered questions need to be answered before she can truly accept she might actually belong somewhere.  But a few smoldering kisses with Thorne turn up a whole new batch of questions...does she stay with Thorne and make the engagement real and head of to America or does she let this new, slightly crazy family, accept her and finally find some answers to her past?  Little does she know that Thorne could be hiding the key to answering more than he will let on.

Samuel is determined to protect Kate from this 'family' that has suddenly shown up after twenty three years.  He feels that there must me a more ulterior motive for this marquess to step forward with two of his sisters and aunt.  Having shared part of Kate's past, he knows from where Kate comes and wants to know why now?  Why not back when she needed them as a girl?  As clues and answers slowly unravel, so does the barrier around his heart.  Samuel knows he is not good enough for Kate and refuses to let her in, but Kate is persistent and together they seem to reach an agreement...until the final piece of the puzzle is laid out and their happiness seems impossible.

I have been dying to read this book since A Week to Be Wicked as I loved watching the dislike that Bourne and Kate had for each other pop up from time to time.  I just knew that their love story was going to be special and it was.  I loved unwrapping the mystery of Kate's past piece by piece and the introduction of the eccentric Gramercy family adds a creative layer.  Are you supposed to enjoy and like them or are they the enemy?  Kate herself is full of life and spirit and humor and is a perfect counterpart to the stoic, commanding Bourne.  As Bourne has quite the checkered past, he is quite reluctant to give Kate the love and tenderness she wants and deserves.  As time passes and they are thrown together again and again, walls slowly crumble and we get to see a whole new side to Bourne.  And if you don't fall in love with him after he irons, there might be something wrong :)  Watching Bourne and Kate overcome so many obstacles from outside sources and each other was a delight to read and I wanted to just keep going!  This is another wonderful, sigh worthy, heart tripping romance from one of my new favorite authors!  I loved the romance, the passion, the mystery and the humor.  It had it all for me and I can not wait to see who is next in the delightful Spindle Cove family!  4 1/2 stars

So many funny quotes and so many sweet quotes but this is on of my favorites of Bourne quoting Aristotle:

" 'Love is composed of a single soul, inhabiting two bodies' "

I received this eARC from Avon via edelwiess.com

Spindle Cove series
Not necessary to read in order by characters are recurring

Any Duchess Will Do May 28th, 2013 (How are we supposed to wait until May?!?)