On a Wild Night

I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed this one, as I'd never really given Stephanie Laurens a chance. The battle of wills between the two main characters kept me interested, and the scene at the beginning where they meet each other for the first time was one of the best I'd ever read. Simon Prebbles is also probably the best narrator I've ever heard.

This book is one of my favorites. I love it when the heroine knows her mind. Simon Prebble is probably my favorite narrator....he has taught me so much about the english language. Beautifully done.

WOW! This is what a historical romance should be! I'm know questioning why I haven't gotten the entire series! I could fill the entire review with exclamation points for how I felt about this book. I have listened to or read a few books in this series and have yet to be disappointed. Simmon Prebble's voice is perfect for this kind of dominant male character and he does a fabulous time with the female characters as well. The story is filled with steamy scenes and yet the story moves right along with it. Not too predictable, Yes I knew she'd get her man in the end but it was the journey that was so entertaining. Wish knew a man's mind as well as she does! I highly recommend this one!

Normally I love her books, but I could hardly get through this one. 80% of the book was filled with long drawn out descriptions of love scenes. I found myself fast forwarding through these as they were just too over the top dramatic in nature and very repetitive. The story itself could have been told in just a few hours and lacked a real plot or interest until the last hour or so of the book.

I enjoyed the beginning of this book but by the eigth hour of the battle of wills between hero and heroine, I lost all interest and couldn't make myself listen to the end. It's wicked to puff a story up to twice it's size.

I have read quite a few of the Cynster series, and really liked the first 3 or 4 of them. But this book has far, far too many long, drawn out sex scenes - and that's coming from someone who likes a good sex scene or two! But it was just so repetitious with each scene trying to outdo the previous one that I found it nauseating. I would estimate the sex took up at least half of the book.

And it did not have enough of a story. The characters were poorly developed and just plain annoying. I really don't think that putting the typical male Cynster traits (dominant, arrogant and oversexed) onto the main female character (as manipulative, arrogant and oversexed) worked very well. I just didn't like her. And he wasn't a whole heck of a lot better.

And for my personal pet-peeve.....it would be a pleasant change if Ms. Laurens could come up with some new words and phrases every now and then. But no such luck. Many of these are the same expressions she has used in all of her books, over and over and over again.....I am sick to death of hearing the words "shattered" and "intrinsic" and "Evocative! Provocative!". Evocative of what? That one doesn't even make sense! She must have put them together simply because they rhyme! In just this one book these words and phrases were repeated countless times....made me grit my teeth! Grammar and vocabulary DO matter!

Simon Prebble is very talented and did his usual excellent job, but because I kept trying to picture him reading this drivel, all I could do was pity the poor man! He deserves better.

To me, this book was more soft porn than romance. If you want lots of sex in your books, buy it. If you want a decent story as well, skip this one.

To what length are you will go to in order to find the perfect husband or wife for yourself? Amanda Cynster is 23 years old and tired of waiting. Amanda and Amelia (twin sister) hash up plans to snare, if you will, that perfect someone. Amanda decides to skirt the lines of propriety and frequent establishments, no lady of good breeding should frequent. With the unwilling aide of her childhood friend Reggie, who escorts her to the gaming hall, there Amanda gets into trouble and is in need of a hero a knight in shining armor. Decker is the only one willing to come to the rescue, all the other men in the gaming hall wanted to have a taste of Amanda viewing her as a sweet morsel. By the end of the first night/morning in the gaming hall, Amanda knew Martin Fulbridge Earl of Decker was just the man for her; she even dubbed him her lion. Martin on the hand thought he would never lay eyes upon Amanda ever again after that night in the gaming hall but he didn't know he had a Cynster determined to have him. As we know, what a Cynster wants a Cynster gets...and Amanda is no exception even though she is a female...
My take away...If you are tired of waiting for your dream man or woman to come and find you, by all means, go out and find him or her. After all, that person just might think they don't deserve true happiness.

This book and "On a Wicked Dawn" are two of my favorites from the Cynster series by Stephanie Laurens. This is not your typical "A rake takes a simpering virgin to bed" type romance. Amanda is a mature woman with good brains in her head and Martin's character is sexy but believable.

There is never enough I can think to say about these Cynster novels. They make you laugh and cry and guess and, for me at least, keep my interest to the very end. Stephanie Laurens has created an entire family of powerful, fun, interesting characters in her Cynster series, and Simon Prebble makes them live. This novel makes it clear that a Cynster woman won't accept any man who isn't as strong as her male relatives, and that she will demand what their wives demanded.

Taking the time to comment on this audiobook because it was a truly full story from beginning to end. To me it was a little more touching than simply gratuitous. The passion was exquisite. Thoroughly enjoyed the listen!