Review: Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt

Publisher: Forever Yours (July 5, 2016)

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Genre:  Historical Romance

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. 

Print Length: 

Publisher: Forever by Grand Central Publishing (July 5, 2016)

From Goodreads.com: Hippolyta Royle is running for her life. Pursued by hounds on a cold rainy night, the heiress flags down a passing carriage and throws herself at the mercy of the coach's occupant. Whoever this handsome traveler may be, he is her only hope to escape a terrible fate. But should he agree to escort her to safety, he's in for much more than he bargained for.

At first Matthew Mortimer doesn't believe Hippolyta's story, that she's a fabulously wealthy heiress who's been kidnapped. He assumes she's a beggar, an actress, or worse. But once his new travel companion washes the mud from her surprisingly lovely face, and they share a breathtaking kiss, there is no turning back.

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My Rating: 4 stars out of 5

For a short story - this one was thoroughly entertaining. The momentum started off strong, and just kept going. I enjoyed watching these two characters turn from un-trusting (and unlikely) carriage mates, to tentative friends, to a couple. Even though they did not have a conventional courting by any means, they found a way to make a marriage work even though they were still virtually strangers. This was a refreshing change from the stories in which characters become "compromised" and spend the next several pages lamenting this fact and vowing not to "trap" the other into marriage. 

These characters were well developed and complimented each other well, although I have to say Tommy Teapot hands down steals his scenes, and is a wonderful addition to an already good story. 

I do wish this had been a full length novel so that we could have spent more time with these characters and given them a chance to fully enjoy their relationship as well as leave more time to build the anticipation up over the blackmailer. However, it was enough for me to add another author to my favorites list! 

Overall - I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good historical short story (and who doesn't mind some sexual happenings after marriage). 

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Once Upon a Moonlit Night is available from Amazon.com

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GIVEAWAY!!! 
The author is giving away 10 signed copies of The Duke of Sin!

           a Rafflecopter giveaway          
                                       
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Elizabeth Hoyt is the New York Times bestselling author of over seventeen lush historical romances including the Maiden Lane series. Publishers Weekly has called her writing "mesmerizing." She also pens deliciously fun contemporary romances under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with three untrained dogs, a garden in constant need of weeding, and the long-suffering Mr. Hoyt. You can learn more about this author by visiting her website, or by following her on Facebook and Twitter!