I quite enjoyed this spin on a Cinderella tale! It has everything you could need in a romance - historical, class division, family drama, pushing to marry, trying to please the masses, and lessons about Judaism in the 1800’s. I learned a lot from this story as well as enjoying a great romance.

Isabelle and Aaron’s slow burn, totally opposites attract, wrong side of the tracks romance was a very great story and definitely a high recommendation from me - if even just for the historical context with how they were treated by the Gentiles 200 years ago and needed to do everything a certain way just to keep living in England, but you also get this beautiful romance with it that is absolutely a Cinderella story if ever there was one (in reverse, with Aaron being the orphan just looking to attend the ball)!

Everyone needs to grab a copy of this great tale!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest feedback.

I am loving so many recent historical romance releases lately, and this one is no exception! Felicia Grossman is an author I'll be looking out for from here on out. I think fans of Joanna Shupe and Sarah MacLean will love this release. Marry Me by Midnight has everything I look for in a historical romance: an empowered female main character who knows who she is and what she wants and a swoon-worthy love interest who falls at her feet.

Of course, it also helps that the tropes in here are some of my favorites. Isabelle enlists the help of her synagogue's custodian, Aaron, to help find her a match. But rather than help find her a suitable match, she asks him to sus them out for their deepest secrets so she can use it against her potential match should the need arise. Isabelle is such a clever, sneaky, charming character and I loved the heck out of her. Her wit and humor is top-notch, and I loved watching Aaron's fond exasperation over her schemes. I also thought this story was such a unique twist on a Cinderella retelling. I've read so many historicals where the woman comes from a poor family and is swept away by a duke or some other titled man of means, but never the reverse, so this was such a breath of fresh air in that regard.

The chemistry between Isabelle and Aaron was also top-notch. The sexual tension and build up was fantastic, I ate up every second of these two being hot for each other. I always love when the female MC knows her own body, even if she's a virgin, and has a fair amount of knowledge about sex and what she likes before she's intimate with the love interest. I'm always happy to see more of that in my historical romances.

Overall, I loved this one so much and will definitely be looking out for future books in this series! I'm so excited to see what other fairytale retelling's we'll get! By the second book's title, I can already guess and I'm so pumped for it already!

Definitely get this on audio if possible! While the premise of a reverse Cinderella story drew me in, I honestly struggled for the entire first half of this story, but their interactions were enjoyable.

Once I got my hands on the audio, it flew by much faster. Fair warning, the language used for the steamy bits should never be repeated. (I'm looking at you Addie!)

After 70%, the remainder of the story was more enjoyable, but take your time with all the information that's thrown at you, as it's setting up for more books in the series.

My favorite part was sweet way the hero, Aaron, interacts with the kids at the synagogue. Plus, the role reversal that put Isabelle in charge of the search for a potential husband. I love the idea of auditioning several potential suitors at festivals sponsored by Isabelle herself.

What could have been better: I wanted more couple time, more time where Aaron and Isabelle interacted with each other to build the tension and pave the way for their romance to build.

3.5 rounded up

You should always someone that let’s you be bejewelled.

I love a Cinderella retelling, especially in a historical setting and when I saw that it was a reverse retelling I was completely sold!

Isabelle and Aaron romance was a very sweet and gentle one. I really liked their connection and their banter was full of humor and witty. They had a lot of important conversations about what you’re supposed to do and what you want which is one of the main themes of this book: happiness or what you think you’re supposed do for the well being of your family.

Isabelle is Queen or better she is The Prince and she is headstrong, she wants to win at all costs and I loved her character arc in the book. Aaron helped her realise a great deal of things, they helped each other out. I liked him a lot, he wanted to belong somewhere and have someone to call his and be called mine and sighs don’t we all?

I am a little peeved that the end felt a bit abrupt without an epilogue, but I’ll survive I guess.

The cover of this book is gorgeous and it’s what drew me in to requesting the book. It’s touted as a Jewish Cinderella, where the MMC is the Cinderella, and I saw someone else describe this book as a Jewish Bridgerton (Benedict’s book, to be exact, which is my favorite of the series), so I knew it was right up my alley.

Isabelle’s father has passed away and she needs a husband who can force her father’s company to accept her as her father’s successor. She’s having three festivals in her honor to find a husband. All eligible Jewish men are invited. At midnight on the night of the last festival, she will announce her betrothed.

Aaron is a custodian at her Synagogue. He’s an orphan, and he has a troubled past, so it’s really the only position he can hold. Because of his status, Isabelle can trust he won’t be loyal to her father’s business partner and can help her.

She needs to find a husband who isn’t loyal to her dad’s business partner, so she goes to Aaron with a proposition. She wants him to be a spy on eligible suitors to find the one with the best secret so she can hold it over their head if they try to do anything to her. In return, she’ll give him enough money that he can start a new life.

As they get closer, they both want each other, but he knows nothing can come of it because of their different statuses and she has to be with someone who can help with her business. They get along really well together. The banter kept me smiling. There’s some serious tension that leads to some very spicy moments. There are also some very sweet moments in the book, especially with Aaron and the children at the Synagogue.

I just really enjoyed this book. It’s definitely like Cinderella, complete with mice, a happily ever after, and even a “fairy” godmother. It has some mystery and fantasy elements as well, which kept me intrigued.

As someone who is not Jewish, I felt I was learning a lot, from the history to the Jewish/Hebrew vocabulary. I always appreciate when I can learn something new.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing). I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Absolutely love a world that feels layered and lived-in from the start. Really interesting to experience Regency England through a different lens; loved the religious intercommunity dynamics and I'm so happy that this will be a trilogy! Hope Weiss is next. Read via audio (narrated by Justine Eyre).

Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 13%

The swoonworthy cover for Marry Me by Midnight completely drew me in and the promise of a Jewish OwnVoices regency romance had me smashing that request button.

However, while I really enjoyed the set-up and the rich and well-researched historical details of the Jewish community in the 19th century, I truly was not vibing with the overly complicated writing style and the somewhat over-the-top fairy tale references. I enjoy a fairy tale retelling as much as the next girl, but I truly didn't need the reminder every few sentences that she is the princess and he is the minor character. I'd definitely consider picking up another book in this series, but this particular book was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Great debut from this author. Definitely struggled to build the relationship alongside the world building. And ended up a really long story to get in to.

Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman is the First book in the Once Upon the East End Series. This is the story of Aaron Ellenberg and Isabelle Lira. I really enjoyed this book. Aaron has always wanted a family of his own but when him not being well off has made that dream not a reality. Isabelle is a well off heiress who father has died and she needs a husband to keep what she has. Enjoyed these two coming together for need and then love.

The premise of a twist on Cinderella was super exciting and intriguing.

Unfortunately I DNFed this book at 56%. Normally I fly through a book if I love it and will often finish books in a day, this book took me weeks to get into. I just wasn’t able to connect with it.

While the writing was done well, I just couldn’t connect with the personality of the characters.

I hadn't so much as read a synopsis of this novel before starting it - I requested the ARC based on the recommendation of several authors I love - so I had no idea what kind of tale I was beginning. But I absolutely loved it. Grossman successfully makes characters who, in the hands of many other authors would be almost unreadable (she's too bold; he's too passive), into relatable and understandable protagonists that you want to cheer for. I thoroughly enjoyed Grossman's creative spin on Cinderella and I look forward to reading more of her novels.

What a fantastic new voice in historical romance! Felicia Grossman delivers a twist on the Cinderella trope, giving us a sexy, sweet, and lush new story set in London of the 1800's. This was my first historical romance read that features two Jewish main characters, and I loved reading about Jewish communities in 19th century England. I love histroms set in this time period, so the setting felt familiar but the characters and story were fresh and a joy to read for me. Aaron and Isabelle were both well-rounded characters who shared an undeniable chemistry. I always love a headstrong, determined woman in historical novels, and Isabelle is all that and more--she's also loving, kind, and whipsmart. Aaron is the perfect embodiment of a cinnamon roll hero. It's so hard to capture the magic of a fairytale and make it unique, but Felicia does this expertly. Her writing is superb, the characters are fantastic, the novel is well-researched, and the romance is just divine. Love love love this book!

This is truly a perfect historical romance and fairytale retelling. Can't wait for readers to discover this one!

I thought this was a sweet book. The interactions between the two characters were cute. I do wish there was more character development for both of them, it felt like there were some loose ends that we never got an answer to especially for the hero. I also felt like this could have been shorter. This was my first reading a historical romance novel with Jewish characters, and the author did a great job of explaining many of the Jewish terms mentioned in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this e-ARC.

Marry Me by Midnight is the gender-flipped, Jewish Cinderella retelling I never knew I needed. Our “Cinderella” here is Aaron Ellenberg, a man who was orphaned and has failed at apprenticeships and trade jobs. He’s deemed by all a fool, neither a “learner” nor an “earner.” He makes a modest living as the custodian at a synagogue in London’s East End, but he doesn’t earn enough to have what he really wants: a family, with a loving wife and children. That is, until he’s approached by Isabella Lira, the wealthy heiress of a prominent business. She needs to find a husband that she can control and who will help in running her business with her co-partners. She’ll pay Aaron a generous sum if he can collect information and pass it on to her so she can choose the best man for her purposes.

This Cinderella-inspired tale doesn’t have the “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” magic you might expect… but it does have plenty of surprises and thrills! Aaron is a friends to birds and mice, and he has his own (fairy) godmother in the form of Miriam, an elderly woman who has a lot of tricks up her sleeves. Keep an eye on her…

Aaron and Isabelle are opposites in nearly every way. She’s rich, has family, and has an established career; he’s poor, an orphan, with no upward mobility. Isabelle is brazen, ambitious, and likes to be in charge. Aaron is generous, kind, and brave; basically, a cinnamon roll. And I love that, despite many thinking of Aaron as a fool, Isabelle sees him as clever and only finds the good qualities in him. Aww!

As Aaron works for Isabelle, delivering covert information late at night, they both start to feel an attraction to each other. Moreover, Isabelle grows to trust Aaron more than any man she could choose as her husband. But she and Aaron could never marry… right? He doesn’t have the power or connections she needs to help her run her business, especially not with the hostile work environment she now finds herself in.

Indeed, on top of the impossible yet swoony romance, there are also thrills and dangers that both have to deal with. While Isabelle’s business (and her father’s legacy) are at risk, Aaron is facing physical threats to his life. He may have to do something drastic to save himself.

I love how everything comes together at the end. Dynamics between characters shift in surprising ways, one particular reveal truly shocked me, and the action-packed final chapters were so exciting!

Marry Me by Midnight is an enchanting read, and I loved learning more about the nuances of the Jewish community in 1830s London. Aaron and Isabelle are both likable, and I love how their personalities challenge gender expectations. It’s a lovely and thrilling reimagining of Cinderella made bolder by the flipped roles and the centering of Jewish characters.

I look forward to continuing the Once Upon the East End series… maybe Rebecca (and Schultz?) will get a love story? Or Solomon Weiss can find his own HEA? I don’t know who will be next, but I’m excited!

3.5 stars
This was a super unique and really well researched historical romance with a fun reverse Cinderella spin on it!

I have never read a historical romance with Jewish main characters before, and I think the author did a great job of giving the reader enough insight and history to how Jewish people lived and were treated in England at the time.

I thought the characters were really well fleshed out and unique. A fiery, determined heroine who hires the hero (a custodian) to dig up dirt on potential future husband's so she always has something to hold over their heads if they decide to mess around with her father's business she's running. And a hero with a heart of gold and just the right amount of self loathing.

They had great chemistry, the plot was unique, and the characters were solid.

The swoon in the romance was hit or miss at times, and I think the writing style was a bit overly descriptive for me.

But it was definitely fun, well thought out, and creative.

I received an ARC for review.

4.5 stars. Marry Me by Midnight is the first in Felicia Grossman’s new series, Once Upon the East End. I’ve enjoyed Felicia Grossman’s work in the past, so I had some idea of what to expect, but I ended up being blown away. This is the sort of historical romance I hunger for, exploring cultural nuances within a historical context, while also following the characters on their romantic journey. As someone who knows very little about Judaism, I loved how this book depicted Jewish identity, from the depictions of the community and distinctions between the different sects to the little moments where they speak Yiddish with each other.
Isabelle and Aaron are a fabulous example of the intricacies of the Jewish community. Isabelle is a rich Sephardi Jew, who is expected by her late father’s business partners to get married, and in the meantime they’re trying to undermine her position within their company. In a twist on Cinderella and a few other classic tales, Aaron is an Ashkenazi Jew who works as a custodian at the local synagogue. This forms a great basis for tension between them, as there’s both a class divide and some tension on a religious front, even if they are united as Jewish on a community level in some ways. Isabelle has recruited him to find an Ashkenazi man to marry, but they of course find themselves falling for each other.
As characters in their own right, they’re also just brilliant. Isabelle is a dominant personality, and I love how she goes after what she wants and is determined to prove herself in the face of the obstacles her father’s business partners present. Aaron, meanwhile, is such a sweetheart, and I love his tenderness with children and animals. I did feel that he was a tad underdeveloped at times compared to her, but they ultimately complement each other well.
I loved this book, and I’d recommend it to historical romance readers who are looking for Jewish representation and/or enjoy alpha heroines/cinnamon roll heroes and cross-class romances.

dnf.

Not for me. The premise sounds phenomenal! Reverse-Cinderella, historical romance with a new take on the setting, diverse characters-- I was so excited to try this!

I couldn't get into it. The dialogue is instant and complete banter, which doesn't make sense for the characters. The narration was repetitive starting very early, and both the narration and the dialogue had a lot of non-sequiturs. I'm all for a good story that works nimbly and smartly within tropes but this was just... cookie cutter tropey. It's a shame because there is soooo much promise and potential here! Sad.

eARC from NetGalley.

An exceptional and heartwarming historical romance! While I’m a big fan of retellings, I don’t often click with Cinderella storylines, but I really adored this one and found it to perfectly balance the original Cinderella themes with fresh ideas and perspectives. Felicia Grossman is a skilled author and I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

I was very intrigued by this role reversal Cinderella retelling, but it did not deliver for me.

The main female character was very complex, but so selfish and manipulative towards the hero, it made it almost impossible to like her at all.

The biggest issue I had with this book, was the use of more modern words than the year the book was set in. I appreciated that the author used Yiddish words, but those Yiddish words have no record of being used until 60 years after the setting of this book.