In The Party Starts at Midnight by Lucy King Event planner Abby Summers has a strict rule to never mix business with pleasure. She’s learned that lesson the hard way. But when she comes face to face with her client Leo Cartwright, she might have to change her policy. Abby almost kisses the brooding businessman when tasked to rouse him out of a sound sleep for his appearance at 
the party she helped plan for his employees. From there it goes from bad to, well, awkward as miscommunication threatens to make her want to walk out on the job.
The sparks fly between Leo and Abby the rest of the night, however, and soon she’s somehow back in his apartment, in his bed this time, before she can blink. How can she ever salvage a working relationship after this?
‘Had she ever lost control quite so spectacularly and, even worse, enjoyed it all quite so much?’
Leo spends all of his time focusing on expanding his business, traveling from one country to another, with no time or inclination to fall in love. After going through a humiliating break up five years ago, he’s decided to bottle up his emotions for good. So when Leo feels instant chemistry with lovely Abby, he knows he would enjoy an affair with her and nothing more. But even as he continues to tell himself what he’s feeling is just desire, he starts to question his actions. His desperation to keep Abby in his life leaves Leo unsettled, wondering just what he’s gotten himself into this time.
‘He’d spent so long trying to avoid love he hadn’t recognized it. It had hit him with the force of a sledgehammer and like a fool he’d mistaken it for mere lust.’
The Party Starts at Midnight is a heartfelt romance about what happens when two people with a need to keep their lives in perfect order are thrown into the chaos of love and emotions.
Abby and Leo were quite the pair to behold. I thought author Lucy King did a good job of playing with the similarities and differences in their personalities to keep the dynamic between them interesting. They were both very organized, methodical and regimented in their lives. But where Abby was fairly open with her feelings, Leo kept his locked inside. And I honestly couldn’t blame him after having his heart completely shattered a few years back. Although they both had some personal growth during the story, Leo was the one who I thought was able to, thankfully, realize a few things about himself and how he came across to those around him.
I liked the attraction Leo and Abby shared from the start, and the opening scene where she finds him naked in his bedroom is pretty hot. The storyline itself was pleasant, especially with two such strong, smart characters. It’s always nice to see the female lead have spirit, with a mind of her own. The only thing I wished for a bit more of was close interaction between Abby and Leo. The middle half of the book was them communicating via email and phone, which was amusing, but it didn’t give their relationship the same spark as physical encounters would have, in my opinion. But I did absolutely love the final scene, the big declaration, and thought Ms. King did a superb job with the HEA.
Overall, The Party Starts at Midnight was a fun romance with strong characters and a solid plot. If you’re looking for a fairly quick but enjoyable novel, try this one out.
Book Info:
Published September 19th 2014 by Harlequin
This was not the itinerary that events planner Abby had intended:
8:00 p.m.: Leave the spectacular party you’ve organized in search of Leo Cartwright—international playboy, notorious tycoon and your most prestigious new client.
8:10 p.m.: Find Leo asleep, half-naked, in a penthouse suite that just screams decadence—and battle a wildly-out-of-character impulse to kiss him awake.
8:30–11:30 p.m.: Return to the party. Spend all evening avoiding Mr. Cartwright—and trying to forget his tempting demands…
11:59 p.m.: Assure Leo that you will not be mixing business with pleasure.
Midnight: Break your own vow… All. Night. Long…
bn100
fun title