Jessica Hayes after discovering her boyfriend, Ryan, had cheated on her and her father humiliated her in front of a load of people fled to Cleveland to live with her grandmother. After four years and the past still not completely behind her she has to return to Lexington as her father is dying. Once there she realises you can't run from your past, especially when there's love thrown into the mix.

This was an interesting read. Although it starts off pretty slow it picks up speed quickly leaving you not only wanting more but keen to find out what will happen next. There were some grammatical errors but they weren't very noticeable and were few and far between.

I loved the characters, especially Ryan and Jessica. I couldn't get enough of them and was rooting for them from the start. I love a feisty but sweet heroine and Jessica was definitely that - more so after a few tequilas. Ryan just sounded like a hunk. Their turbulent relationship the moment Jessica arrived back in town was rocky to say the least. Jessica avoided him so the past could remain hidden and he avoided her for his own reasons. It's not until he eventually tells her how the past four years has affected him that she realises she wasn't the only one hurting. Their love story was brilliant, sometimes cheesy, but brilliant. The supporting characters were great. The friends of both protagonists were supportive through and through.

The story once it really got started was one that kept you hooked and wanting to turn the page, even if it was just to find out that it got better for either protagonists. You were definitely left guessing - cheesy it might have been but it wasn't generic.

AFTER MIDNIGHT

by Sarra Cannon

Imagine that you have to live your life always looking over your shoulder afraid that the Order of Shadows will find you and take you away.  Well, this is Allison’s life.  Hiding out in New Orleans, all she wants to do is blend in and be normal, well, as normal as a witch can get.  She has a crush on a hot guy, John Pierce, but he rarely gives her the time of day.  Her life gets a bit hectic though when the potion she desperately needs each month to keep her ‘hidden’ literally falls out of her hands. It then becomes a race against time to find a way to hide from the Order.  Little does she know that her help lies in the hands of John, but can they find what they need before the clock strikes midnight?

After Midnight was a great start to this box set.  Full of twists and turns and a little New Orleans magic, this one was a delight to read.  It was short and sweet and left me wanting more.  There wasn’t a lot of romance with this one, but it was just the right amount of spookiness to set the mood for Halloween.  I really want to see more of Allison and John and really hope they make another appearance in a future novel.  Ms. Cannon is a new author for me, but I am definitely adding her books to my TBR list.

THE MIDNIGHT TEST

by Juliana Haygert

For Hazel, her dream of joining the White Sisterhood coven is put to the test when she is tasked the seemingly impossible in order to prove herself to the coven.  The situation becomes even more complicated when sexy but mysterious Sean enters the scene.

The thing I love about box sets is that you get to discover new authors and in this case, fall in love with their work.  The Midnight Test had all of the ingredients needed for a spectacular story.  Witches, Ghosts and a blooming romance make this story one that kept me turning each page wanting to know more. It was a fast-paced and very intriguing story that kept me captivated throughout.   Loved it!

SEDUCTION’S KISS

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

A weekend trip with her best friend gets messy as Daisy gets abducted by a nasty group of vampires.  Lucky for her, a winged hero sweeps in and saves the day.

Seduction’s Kiss was really different from the first two books in this box set.  I have not read any of The Crescent Chronicles yet, so I am not familiar with the back story on Owen, but after reading this short and sweet novella, I will most certainly check out the series. This one was full of some humorous and sarcastic dialogue which was quite a refreshing take on your typical paranormal romance.

KISS OF AWAKENING

by Jennifer Snyder

Kenna’s mother who has been absent for most of her life except for the occasional gift, delivers a cryptic message that Kenna just can’t ignore. 

“The time has come, my sweet girl, for you to find out who you really are.  The Kiss of Awakening is upon you.”

Along with this message is a plan ticket to New Orleans.  The trip falls on Halloween weekend, so Kenna and her BFF, Bree, decide to make it a girl’s weekend.  Who wouldn't want to go to New Orleans for Halloween…right?  Once there, they meet up with a super-hot bartender, Delvin, and the three are inseparable as Delvin shows the girls what the Crescent City has to offer.  One stop that Kenna must make is to the Midnight Cauldron where she is to get her gift from her mother.  This gift however is one that Kenna only wishes she could return - for this gift will change her life forever.

Kiss of Awakening was amazing!  Jennifer Snyder is a wonderful story teller, and her talent shines through in this novella.  With vivid descriptions and a plot that keeps you wondering what is going to happen next, Kiss of Awakening is a definite page turner.

Overall Thoughts on

Midnight Kiss:  Four New Adult Paranormal Romances

This box set of four novellas was as perfect as it gets and is well worth every penny.  I really liked the fact that although each story was different, the author’s incorporated the Midnight Cauldron and its owner, Kalisa in every story.  I thought it really brought all four stories together beautifully.  I really can’t empathize enough on how amazing these four novellas are and they are a must read for any paranormal romance fan. 

After Hannah’s grandmother and beloved horse died in a fire that wiped out the barn, she inherits the ranch and manages it whilst attending college and keeping up appearances with the rich polo crowd her boyfriend Eric is involved in. Then Argus appears – battered and tortured, he’s in need of a whisperer to help him recover, and Hannah doesn’t think she’s up to the job – until she meets Leo, Eric’s polo rival, Brazilian, and magic with horses. Hannah finds herself attracted to Leo, but Eric needs her more than ever, and she has to choose between her own life or following the reins someone else has put on her.

That summary is a little poetic, but that’s how I felt about the novel. It’s also about domestic abuse. It’s no secret from the first time we meet Eric that he’s going to be bad news, even though he’s a loving, doting boyfriend. He’s a textbook psychopath and Hannah falls into textbook domestic abuse. Why doesn’t she leave him? Why doesn’t she stand up for herself? Why does she take him back? These are all questions that ALL domestic abuse survivors have been asked, and I feel that Haygert really explains quite well exactly how Hannah feels and why she continues in an abusive relationship despite the obvious danger. He doesn’t start out horrible, and it develops nicely (ugh, you know what I mean) as a plot, and it’s very well balanced. Hannah loves him, and although he wants her to give up college, sell the ranch and marry him, that’s not what she wants.

That aside, let’s talk about nice things. Argus is wonderful, an untrusting white stallion who was horrifically abused by his previous owner and is now recovering with Hannah’s help. The progress is painfully slow, but Argus comes through just when you need him to. I loved him, even if he wasn’t the perfect horse like Midnight from Breaking Fences. Leo was pretty awesome as well, although I couldn’t approve of Hannah making out with him while she was still in a relationship with Eric, even if Eric was a complete tosspot.

Part of me wishes Hannah had come to Leo and his brothers for help earlier, rather than try to sort out her own problems, because what could be hotter than four athletic Brazilian men showing up at your ranch to teach your abusive boyfriend a lesson? Well, that’s not what I got, but a girl can dream. I was actually really happy with the way the novel wrapped everything up.

Don’t read this looking for info on how much work it really takes to look after a horse, because although Hannah gets up early and works hard to look after her horses, she and her stablehand seem to be able to tack up a whole class’s worth in no time at all, when in reality tacking up a horse takes a lot of time and work, as you need to brush them with several different brushes both before and after riding, and clean their hooves. 10-20 minutes for each horse? Before and after the ride? It’s a LOT of work that I don’t think was necessarily represented accurately in this book. I thought it was really weird how Hannah’s team did all the work tacking up the horses for classes rather than making the students do it. But if you’re not looking for horse care, you probably won’t care about details like that.

I read Breaking Fences first, and in my opinion this is the better book. I feel that Breaking the Reins was more intense, more enjoyable, with more conflict, even though I loved Bia’s relationship with Midnight. I might feel that way just because I read them out of order, though. Maybe if I read Breaking the Reins first, I would have appreciated the relative sweetness of Breaking Fences more, the uncomplicated plot, the more relaxed style. Maybe it would have been a welcome reprieve from the heartbreak of Breaking the Reins, I don’t know.

All I know is that I’m pretty keen for a third Breaking book. Hannah’s sister Hilary, perhaps?