Tempt Me at Twilight, the third book in Lisa Kleypas’s popular Victorian romance series. Poppy Hathaway loves her unconventional family, though she longs for normalcy. Then fate leads to a meeting with Harry Rutledge, an enigmatic hotel owner and inventor with wealth, power, and a dangerous hidden life. When their flirtation compromises her own reputation, Poppy shocks everyone by accepting his … everyone by accepting his proposal–only to find that her new husband offers his passion, but not his trust.
Harry was willing to do anything to win Poppy–except to open his heart. All his life, he has held the world at arm’s length…but the sharp, beguiling Poppy demands to be his wife in every way that matters. Still, as desire grows between them, an enemy lurks in the shadows. Now if Harry wants to keep Poppy by his side, he must forge a true union of body and soul, once and for all.
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I must admit I really liked Harry Rutledge. He was such a refreshing character – a perfect anti hero who deserved to be loved. The best part was that he never claimed to be someone he was not. Yes, he was unscrupulous but one didn’t get to prosper and be on the top by being kind and gentle since a certain level of ruthlessness was required. Poppy was the right amount of caring and sweet to counteract his harshness and smooth his rough edges. Poppy at times was a bit melodramatic but I liked that she stood her ground and knew when to retreat and regroup instead of charging like a bull in a china shop.
Leo and the rest of the Hathaways were absolutely adorable and hilarious, and I was all over their shenanigans. Some really serious revelations were made and I looked at Harry from a different angle. He really needed all of the Hathaways to be able to feel like a part of the family. I loved the Rutledge hotel and its gossiping servants that were also a big family that Harry collected over the years but never let get close. It took love of a woman like Poppy to help him open his heart to possibilities and be finally at peace. It was a very enjoyable story.
I love Kleypas twist on a historical novel–instead of dukes and earls she writes about industrialist tycoons, the billionaires of the Victorian era. Jay Rutledge is my favorite, after Simon Hunt from Secrets of a Summer night. And Poppy and her whole family are such charming misfits they’re the best thing about the ton.
Besides the breathless attraction between the main characters that makes me read this over and over, I’ve highlighted a ton of witty passages that never fail to make me smile.
“If I were going to molest you I would have done so by now.”
“So you say. But for all I know, you could be a very slow molester.”
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“The London season is about as interesting as a snail race. In January. With dead snails.”
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“My sister is very good with animals.”
“Has she experience with primates?”
“We’ve just been through the London season. Does that count?”
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“Why would I want to attract a man? I have yet to see anything they’re good for.”
“If for nothing else,” Leo said, “you need us to help produce more women.”
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“I’ve yet to meet a man who could compete with a good strong cup of tea.”
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“Americans and romance. It’s like watching a bird fly with one wing.”
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Read this book and prepare to be charmed!
I am so thankful for the day I first picked up a novel by Kleypas. She quickly has become one of my favorite authors ever. This has also got to be one of the best historical series EVER. All of the Hathaways are a delight so far. Though they’ve all dealt with hardship, the love and humor among them provides the backbone for the series. I really enjoyed the budding relationship between Harry and Poppy. Harry’s dark childhood background added so much to the story, and made the romance much more special.
I just discovered this author and her novels in 2020. She has quickly become a favorite author of mine. I loved Harry and Poppy! Harry was so ruthless but damaged. They went through a lot for their HEA. The characters were wonderful. I am a sucker for a man who makes something of himself from nothing. The plot was entertaining and fast paced. My favorite in this series so far. Can’t wait to read the next one!
The 3rd book of the Hathaways series features Poppy Hathaway, who is the compassionate, chatty yet social awkward sibling in the family. She preferred a quiet, peaceful, and orderly life. I liked Poppy in the previous books for her steadiness and her quick wits. And I was looking forward to meeting her hero, who was none other than the mysterious owner of the London hotel where the Hathaways always stayed at when in town. I would say this book has a bit of similarity to Chasing Cassandra.
While chasing her sister’s ferret Dodge to retrieve her love letter, Poppy accidentally discovered a secret passageway in the Rutlegde hotel and bumped into a stranger, who turned out to be Harry Rutledge, the famous and powerful yet eccentric hotelier. Her first impression of him was that he was pleasant and intriguing, and he didn’t mind her rattling on about random topics . But she already had someone in her heart, and perhaps she might not see him again, or so she thought…
Harry was a successful businessman, a mechanical genius, whose mind never stopped solving problems. He was accustomed to having his way in all matters. So when he set his eyes on Poppy, he was determined to make her his wife at any cost. As his secret past was slowly revealed, I could understand how he became distant, emotionally detached to everyone around him. He just didn’t know how to love and be loved, but his compassionate wife was able to see the caring and generous man underneath his facade, and to make the world see him as who he truly was.
While I love both Poppy and Harry individually, I just feel like there was something missing in their relationship. While it was marriage of convenience, and she hated him in the beginning, there was not enough spark or communication to slowly build up their love. While Harry was still trying to figure out what these “feelings” were , Poppy’s change of heart was a bit abrupt, from hating and distrusting him to loving him over a day, I feel that it made their falling in love less convincing. That being said, the story is so well written that I didn’t want to put it down. And Harry is now one of my most favorite LK heroes .
4.5 read for me!
This was such a fun and exciting read. I loved Harry and Poppy and how they met, it felt like a historical meet-cute! This book was such a page-turner for me and never wanted to stop reading.
Love her books
I own the whole series and have read them many times. Wonderful family series.
There is so much to love about the Hathaway series. The characters are thoughtful and lovable. There’s wit and charm and amazing steamy scenes. Each Hathaway is unique and you can see them develop throughout the series. I recommend this series every chance I get.
Poppy and Harry are in my top 5 favorite Kleypas couples. You’ll love their interactions and every entertaining moment in between!
Best series I’ve ever read. Out of thousands of romance books devoured by me this series is my absolute favorite and sticks out in my mind. A MUST
One of my favorites by this author!
Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite writers. Love the series books. Really get into the families.
I enjoyed this book along with the others about the Hathaway siblings.
Temp Me At Twilight, the 3rd book in The Hathaway Series, was a great read. 3 books into this series and I am still all smiles. What can I say I love the Hathaways. Every one of them. And with each new book I read in this series my love for them grows. I love that even though Poppy and Harry’s love story starts out rough, and Harry wasn’t really a sweet romance guy that I still fell in love with this couple. And I love that their love story starts with a mischievous ferret.
I really enjoyed that the hero was more of a villain in this book. Harry wanted Poppy so much that he wasn’t above cheating, stealing, and fighting dirty to have her. Harry met Poppy after Bea’s ferret ran off with a love letter from Michael to Poppy. Harry wanted Poppy and when he found out Poppy had feelings for another man, Michael(who had been secretly dating Poppy because his father wouldn’t approve of the match) he did what any good, kindhearted man would…… He told Michael’s daddy! Daddy disapproved and Michael being the little baby that he was didn’t fight for Poppy, but instead broke up with her. Leaving Harry to swoop in and take her. I loved that Harry wasn’t your typical hero. Harry had been raised with no love and neglected so he didn’t show emotions. He came off as cold, selfish, and hard at first. But as the story goes on you can’t help but fall in love with him. I also loved that even though he softens with Poppy’s love, he never regrets how he stole Poppy from Michael.
Poppy just wanted a normal, calm life. She thought she would have that with Michael. She loved Michael and it crushed her that he broke off their relationship. When she went to a ball to show everyone that she wasn’t Michael’s off cast she ends up dancing with Harry. Getting upset and not wanting to cry in front of everyone she asked Harry to take her for fresh air. While outside Harry kissed Poppy and they were seen. Leaving Poppy with the choice to be a fallen woman or to marry Harry. She married Harry even after finding out about Harry telling Michael’s father, but deceit made for a rough marriage. I loved that it took awhile for Poppy to give her heart to Harry. She didn’t just forgive him and hop into his bed. She didn’t even kiss him. And she let her displeasure of his actions be known. But Poppy was a loving, happy kind of person and the more she was around Harry and saw the real him when he let his walls down the more she fell in love with her husband.
I loved that Harry and Poppy’s love was slower to come. The lust was there but Harry had to earn her trust. When the love came it was beautiful, full of passion, and kindness. Love changed Harry for the better. I will be honest, I didn’t feel the least bit sorry for Poppy’s ex Michael. A real man wouldn’t let daddy stop him from being with the woman he loved. I couldn’t stand Michael. I thought he was a coward, and was glad that after Poppy married Harry, he suffered. Just sayin! I loved getting to see the other Hathaways in this book and getting to catch up with Cam, Amelia, and their son. There was some big and happy news for Kev and Win too. I was really enjoying the playing between Cat and Leo. I’m excited to start their book. I missed Bea a bit as she and her animal freak show kinda took a backseat in this book. Bea’s story is the one I am looking forward to most. Great read, great series!!
Poppy Hathaway adores everyone in her unconventional family but craves the stability of a more normal life. She thinks she’s found the husband to give her that life, until she meets wealthy, mysterious hotelier and inventor, Harry Rutledge. When her erstwhile suitor deems her an inappropriate match and Harry’s flirting compromises her reputation, Poppy surprises her family by accepting Harry’s proposal. Unfortunately for Poppy, although Harry is very passionate in his ardor, he still withholds much of himself from her.
Harry will go to any lengths to make Poppy his, but he can’t give her his heart. He has remained aloof his entire life and doesn’t quite know how to deal with emotions, but Poppy demands everything from him and refuses to settle for less. Their physical connection grows but Harry has enemies threatening his burgeoning peace and if he wants to keep his wife, he’ll need to risk it all to give her a true marriage.
This was my favorite book of the series when I first read it and I still loved it this time around. I’m a sucker for heroes who’ve never received love and don’t know how to give it and Harry is still one of my favorite examples. I love Poppy because she’s unafraid of a challenge and willing to risk going against her family’s advice to do what she thinks best. I appreciated her tenacity and refusal to give up on Harry even as she stood her ground and didn’t cave in to him. I still found that Harry’s backstory pulled at my heartstrings and made the love he developed for Poppy even more delightful. These two remain my favorite couple of the series despite their rocky start because of their willingness to choose each other and to grow and learn as people and make their relationship work.
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