MIDNIGHT DUET

Jen Comfort

BLURB

Self-professed diva Erika Greene has it all: a starring role on Broadway, legions of fans, spectacular natural talent. But after an accident on stage leaves her face scarred and her career in shambles, Erika retreats to Paris, Nevada, where she’s inherited a ramshackle opera house in desperate need of some TLC.

Erika pours her savings into the building, but it’s not enough to stave off the greedy gaze of local casino developer Raoul Decomte. With foreclosure imminent, she makes a fast cash grab and leases the space to some unexpected tenants: a German hair metal band, fronted by glam rock god Christof Daae.

Erika is tempted by Christof’s low-slung leather pants―and even more by his ambitions for international superstardom―but he’s off-limits. The rest of his band thinks he’s still dating their beloved keyboardist, who is conveniently not present on this jaunt to the American Southwest. When Erika discovers Christof’s been unceremoniously dumped and is trying to keep it under wraps, she makes a deal to keep his secret…for a price, of course.

Christof is desperate to hold the rest of the band together after his keyboardist’s departure, but he can’t maintain the charade forever. Nor can he resist the opera house’s mysterious proprietor, who tempts him with midnight singing lessons. It isn’t long before sensuous nighttime interludes turn into smoldering backstage encounters.

But can their newly ignited passion survive the searing light of day? Or will their beautiful duet turn into a brokenhearted power ballad for one?

Buy Links:

Amazon
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The Ripped Bodice
Eagle Eye Books

ABOUT JEN

Jen Comfort is originally from Portland, Oregon, and dabbled in astrophysics before spending a decade working in restaurants in New York City and Portland. Now, she writes romantic comedies about hot nerds with very cool jobs. She spends her free time growing plants destined to die before their time, playing video games, and encouraging her two cats and malamute-husky dog to become internet famous with zero success.

Social Media Links:

Instagram: @jen.comfort.author
Twitter: @kitt_masters
Facebook: @Jen Comfort Author
TikTok: @jen.comfort.author

REVIEW

As a musical theatre junkie, I was both excited and apprehensive to read this gender-swapped retelling of “Phantom of the Opera”, one of my top ten favorite musicals of all time. It had the best stage production I’ve ever seen when I watched it performed in London, beating “Les Miserables” (also featured in this story) and “Miss Saigon” by a mile. It felt like the chandelier whizzed by my head before it crashed onto the stage. I can fondly recall now that I screeched like the croaking Carlotta during that scene. A fabulously immersive experience that can’t be replicated in the pages of a book.  

The advance warning of the “unlikable heroine” also made me wary enough to set my expectations low even though I was never turned off by strong, unconventional female lead characters. Add the angsty tone of the blurb and I was prepared to give it three stars and call it a day. I’m glad I didn’t because I loved the book! I love Midnight Duet so much that I bought an eBook and an audiobook to add to the paperback copy I received from Wunderkind PR. I only ever do that if I love the book. 

It was over the top, melodramatic, totally bonkers, utterly bananas and I love it! I love the main characters Erika and Christof, both of them divas of the first order. I loved the supporting cast as well, from Sybille down to Jean and Javert. I loved the humor, the heart, and the steam. Oh, wow, the heat. The sexytimes were fire! 

TBC.