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I think this book would have been okay on its own two feet but preceeded by 4 good books...not so much. It had some very obvious similarities to the first ones and I am afraid lost my interest less than half way through. I pushed myself through the rest and remain disappointed.

Now that Eloise and Colin are dating, this research trip to the house differs. First, there's the question of how to act. Next, there's the question of how much time you can really put into researching while not neglecting your boyfriend. It's hard not to snoop around and uncover your boyfriend's secrets. It's not hard to lose yourself in research of spies from his family tree. Robert, Duke of Dovedale, returns to his home to find the Dowager Duchess and his cousin, Charlotte, there on Christmas Eve. He didn't return home for pleasure or the holiday, but for revenge upon the murder of a father figure. To complete his revenge, he'll have to infiltrate a secret society to uncover the culprit. To make matters worse, his cousin has grown up considerably and she flirts outrageously with him - or is that just his imagination? Charlotte's happy her cousin has returned, but she can see he's in trouble. If only he'd allow her to help him. When she gets involved with her own mystery, will their paths cross in their dangerous games? Can both couples find a way to understand each other and express their true feelings? The fifth book in the PINK CARNATION series flirts with more danger, more suspense, more secrets, more romance, and a whole lot of fun! Although part of a series, readers will have no trouble following along with the story in THE TEMPTATION OF THE NIGHT JASMINE. Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

Ms. Willig's Pink Carnation series is one of my guilty pleasures, but I am disappointed that the past two installments that I have read--first Crimson Rose, and now this one--are simply not up to par with the first three books in the series. That could be the conspicuous lack of a scandalous love scene or simply that the characters and their story aren't as identifiable/believable as those in Ms. Willig's first three novels. For example. she threw in this unicorn theme some pages into the book, and kept trying to drag it back at what seemed to be inopportune times. This is the type of thing that i feel an editor should have caught and cut immediately, because no matter how much the author tried to force it into the story, it felt exactly like that--it was being forced into the story. And on the other hand, there was an entire backstory dealing with Robert and his father that was mentioned in passing several times and probably should have been elaborated upon, but was eventually dropped entirely as Ms. Willig rushed to the ending of this particular story. Although Ms. Willig took some liberties with the storyline in Night Jasmine, even as a history buff I did not feel that these liberties were out of line. I would rate this novel three out of five stars, because even though it didn't draw me in as much as the first three did, I was still interested enough to enjoy reading it. I will definitely keep reading the series and simply hope that in the future, her characters revert back to being as well portrayed as they were in Pink Carnation, Black Tulip, and Emerald Ring.

The book starts off following Eloise's story, a modern day lover of history, and then shifts into Charlotts story via her best friend Henriettas notes and journals, read by Eloise. Honestly, I wish the book was as exciting as the descroption made it out to be, I was more then one tempted to put it down and forget about it. During the times when we are in Charlottes story it also shifts to Roberts viewpoint of the events that play out. Charactor-wise i found Charlotte to be a very easy heroine to like, she was stubborn when need be and also trusting and witty. Robert was a good male counterpart to Charlotte, though he got a tad annoying going on about how he was no good. There are also quite a few good and interesting supportive charactors such as Charlottes friends Henrietta and Penelope Tommy,Roberts friend and Henriettas husband Miles. Being this is in older England there are quite a few odd words and phrases used in the book, I more then once found myself going 'huh?' but once read in context of the sentance it made sence. There were also some pretty long/advanced words but nothing a dictonary could not fix. The writing style was fluid, Willig painted a very pretty picture with her descrptions of the gardens, the houses and the undercaves leading to the Hellfire Club.The romance is clean but never stale, there are a few innuendos and adult themes but they are few and not heavy-handed. All in all i enjoyed the book, i just wish it was a bit more of a page-turner.

Amazing tales of spies, espionage, daring ladies and LOVE!!! The side tale of student, Eloise, and Colin keeps building through each book and it is getting juicy! You will looooove it.

Reviews

I have enjoyed the whole pink carnation series and was eagerly awaiting this one, but I just couldn't read through the whole thing. I couldn't connect with Penelope because she was so willing to cheat on her husband. Yes, he's a jerk, but she's the one who tried to get him to marry her. I liked Captain Reid, but his part in the infidelity just tainted his character for me. I found myself disappointed in both of them. One of the reasons I liked the series is that most of the main characters have some sense of honor, especially with their intended. (Mary Alsworthy and Lord Vaughn even had their own strange sense of honor, despite their admitted conceit.) Lauren Willig is a great, humorous writer and her history is well researched. I love the chemistry between Eloise and Colin throughout all the novels. I know it's difficult to come up with new characters and plots, but I hope this twist on relationships won't be a new pattern in the series.

Even as a big fan of the Pink Carnation Series, it's hard to imagine that Lauren Willig will able to come up with more new stories with the exciting twists and turns, yet she continues to surprise me. I think she did a great job in describing India and giving the characters fresh challenges and obstacles. Penelope is definitely the more brazen one of the bunch, but it fit this story well. I'm eager to see what Willig does with Eloise (the narrator) and what kind of mystery/historical romance she can come up with next.

Anyone who has read M.M. Kaye's Shadow of the Moon will recognize the plot. Substitute Capt. Alex Reid for Capt. Alex Randall, Penelope Devareaux for Winter de Ballestros, Freddy for the hideous resident husband of the Kaye novel and you have practically the same book in the India parts. I haven't read the Kaye novel for 20 years and still recognized it. Its not bad at all, just left me wondering. Ms. Willig goes out of her way to mention Molly Kaye so maybe she expects fans of MM to recognize it. The result is although its one of the better novels in the series, I didn't give Ms. Willig as much credit for her research as might be the case. Shadow of the Moon

I've been a fan of this series since the beginning, but this one seemed assembled, rather than written. First, why the heck name the book after the blood lily? I kept listening for any mention of such a flower. We had marigolds, roses, and moonflowers, but the titular bloom did not exist, once, in the entire book. At least anywhere that I could find. I'd be happy to be proved wrong. Second, the story takes forever to get started. I listened the the CD version, and I was on CD 10 with no spy plot in sight. When the spy plot did start, it was over almost before I realized it. Third, the villain is such a minor character, and is absent for so much of the book, that I had no idea who he was by the time he became essential to the plot. Fourth, the British Resident seems to be slated for some sort of main role in the story, but he is sidelined and really not part of the action at all. Fifth, I am really, really tired of Eloise in the frame story. If anyone this dumb, slow, and uncommitted to her work can become a grad student at Harvard, I am Albert Einstein. The only excuse for this book is that it's actually half a book: the original manuscript having been so long that the publisher required her to cut it in half.

Yippee! I loved this one! I have read each of the books in the Pink Carnation series. The first 3 books were fabulous. I particularly liked Pink Carnation and Emerald Ring. The last two however, Crimson Rose and Night Jasmine, I felt, were not up to Ms. Willig's standards. However, I really think with Blood Lily, "she's back!". Lots of action, romance, spies, etc. Penelope was a fun heroine. I can't wait for the next one...maybe this one will finally be about Jane?