Love Lessons at Midnight
Shirl Henke
Leisure, Jul 2010, $6.99
ISBN: 9780843963632

In London, nothing that men want shocks Lady Fantasia, owner of the infamous House of Dreams bordello. Her establishment makes the dreams of her wealthy clientele come true for a hefty payment; anything goes with one exception being no one can have her.

For two years Robert St. John, as the reformist Earl of Barrington, ripped bordellos like the House of Dreams in Parliament. However he visits the establishment to ask Lady Fantasia to have her most gifted courtesan mentoring him in satisfying the needs of a lady, namely his future spouse.

Having been an abused spouse when Lady Fantasia was Amber Wolverton, wife to a sadistic mad Marquess, she is intrigued by her new customer's request as this is a refreshing change than the usual me-me. Breaking her golden rule, she becomes Gabrielle, Rob's French instructress. As he proves to be a star pupil in her class of induction of Love Lessons At Midnight, they fall in love, which in turn heals their battered hearts. However, love may not be enough for the patron and the owner yet at the House of Dreams fantasies do come true.

The key to this wonderful Regency romance is the lead couple who both have issues of the heart and soul for bad marriages when he insanely visits her at her brothel. The great adventure of this discerning tale is observing the pair heal through their bonding with love for one another. Readers who relish a character driven relationship drama will enjoy Shirl Henke's fabulous tale of the healing redemption of love even for seemingly lost souls.

Harriet Klausner