cover image A Midnight Dance

A Midnight Dance

Lila DiPasqua. Berkley Sensation, $15 trade paper (368p) ISBN 978-0-425-24198-1

DiPasqua's third "Fiery Tale" (after Awakened by a Kiss and The Princess in His Bed) turns the story of Cinderella into a sensual romance set in 1658 France. The death of Sabine Laurent's father, a popular but far from wealthy playwright, leaves the family heavily in debt. Sabine is determined to save her home and find her beloved sister, Isabelle, even if it means stealing from the "Dark Prince" she fell in love with years before. Jules de Moutier, son of a lord framed for trying to overthrow the king, is now a privateer. Disguising herself as a courtesan, Sabine hatches a desperate plot to distract Jules and drug him so she and her family can steal his hard-won fortune%E2%80%94only to find her plans at odds with her emotions. DiPasqua deftly balances steamy sex with side plots concerning Isabelle's fate and a devious baron. (Aug.)