*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

2.5 stars

I want to give this book three stars, but honestly I almost stopped reading it a few times. It isn't a bad book, but I was so bored. There are a few high intensity moments, a few, and a few daring or romance-involved moments, but not enough to keep me going. Yet, I continued. I really am trying to DNF books less. And this book actually gave me a reason to want to finish it.

It isn't often I find a relationship in a romance novel that I find to be healthy and real. Usually alpha males are trying to command women around or people are falling for assholes and jerks because of their looks. In this one, Cynthia starts falling for PJ even though he doesn't seem like the best person, but he turns out to be completely respectful of her, her daughter, and her decisions. He asks, gets consent before progressing their relationship and honestly made ME fall in love with his sincerity.

So, while I don't understand how Cynthia's business is making enough money for her to live on and some other things seem not quite believable, the relationship made me really happen. There are also 2 other girls who have become friends and I liked the dynamic. Yes, much of the conversations they have are about men, but they are also there for each other and we watch as they support each other and grow.

It is a good story and has good relationships, so even though I found the characters to be a bit dull or uninspiring and at times the story seemed to drag, I still think this is one that I will recommend to people in the future. Will I read the next one? I'm really considering it. I want to read about Belle and the Beast. She was my favorite character-- not just because she is a librarian, and I think their relationship would be fun to see blossom.

Cynthia has come a long way since her childhood. When she met her husband she had moved out of her stepmother’s house. Only a teenager, she was living alone in a less than ideal apartment and trying to create a life for herself. Her wealthy husband pulled her from the drudges of poverty and gave her a life of luxury. Through her marriage, Cynthia’s goal was to become the perfect wife and mother.

When her husband runs off for six month’s with millions of dollars that belongs to his parent’s company, Cynthia is still expected by her friends and family to keep up her lifestyle. And sometimes a girl’s gotta work with what God’s given her...

Tara Sivec has her own brand of romantic comedy, and this debut of a new series doesn’t disappoint. Her fans will recognize and enjoy Sivec’s writing style.

Although this is by large a comedic book, there are themes that are more prevalent in Women’s Fiction than in comedy or even in romance. Single motherhood, infidelity, going to work after raising children, learning to support yourself, shedding any “slut shaming” and stigmas from working in the sexual entertainment industry.

This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A shy librarian, a flamboyant loudmouth who can curse like a sailor, and a prude walk into a strip club…. this is an actual scene in At the Stroke of Midnight. And yet, knowing that this book was written by Tara Sivec, it makes that seem totally normal. Three women, each with a story of their own but no experience, decide to go into business for themselves. As strippers. Dressed as Disney princesses. What could possibly go wrong?

This book was laugh-out-loud hilarious. I haven't had this much fun since the Chocoholic series! Belle, Ariel and Cindy were a fantastic trio that had me snorting and trying unsuccessfully to explain scenes to my husband (who now thinks I'm a lunatic).

While Belle and Ariel will certainly have their own books, this one focused on Cindy, the repressed, reserved, downtrodden wife of the group. When her husband unexpectedly divorces her and leaves her with no money, she does everything she can to hold on to her perfect life on Fairytale Lane. But when reality hits and the bills come in, she needs to think of something fast. Enter the most unlikely duo to help her out: Belle, with her wealth of useless knowledge, and Ariel, with her unbelievably foul mouth and no filter. From the moment these three princesses run screaming from a bachelor party, through Ariel coaching Cindy to scream foul mouthed obscenities in her kitchen, to Cindy's happily ever after with her Prince Charming, this story was a pure joy to read.

Belle will get her Beast and Ariel will get her Eric and I can't wait to enjoy those stories as well. Tara Sivec was creative in her retelling of these Disney classics with a raunchy twist, and I for one will never look at the princesses the same again!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars!

I really enjoyed this! If you take away the princess theme, this is a book about a woman who has spent 13 years trying to be someone that other people expect her to be who then suddenly finds herself without those constraints and she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. I truly enjoyed following Cindy as she transitioned from PTA housewife to sexy single mom. I particularly enjoyed those moments when she spoke her mind to whomever was telling her what to do. Even PJ was not spared from her verbal assaults and I think that is where I really started liking this character and this book.

Was it believable? Not entirely, but once I was on board with the character, it didn't bother me. I was willing to go along with the story for the sake of enjoying the journey.

The princess references? I admit to both eye-rolls and smirks--mostly smirks! I'm glad that Sivec didn't overplay the princess thing. I was worried that she might. In fact, I was able to forget about the princess elements and just focus on the story only to be surprised when another princess reference appeared.

I'm ready for the next one!

Tara Sivec has given a breath of fresh air to a classic fairytale and has whipped up hilarious, empowering, sweet and romantic story in which she introduces us Cynthia, a perfect housewife whose cheating ex-husband left her with a ton of bills, no money, no marketable skills and low self-esteem – until, that is, she meets Ariel, her outrageous, potty mouth neighbor and Isabelle, a super shy librarian.

In their quest to solve their money problems, the three end up getting hired to show up at a party dressed up as princesses. Thinking it’s a kids’ event they soon grasp they were confused for strippers and the party is for adults. Upon some reflection though, they realize that a change in careers is just what the fairy godmother ordered. Cindy ends up getting a lot more than a crash course in pole dancing from the handsome and reluctant PJ Charming, a strip club owner and unlikely hero.

Set against the fictitious perfection of Fairytale Lane, the story is an engaging production of three women who despite their very different personalities become good friends capable of saving themselves. Of course the trek towards happily ever after is sweetened with the swoony and delectable romance between PJ and Cindy.

Sivec’s characters are embodiments of fairytale individuals with their very own fresh appeal. Ariel, whose mermaid counterpart can’t speak, will give it to you straight with a bunch of curse worse strewn in between. Belle can spout random facts left and right. Be assured there’s an Eric and a Beast for each and you can probably guess about Cindy and PJ, but the entertaining journey is half the fun.

Reading a Sivec rom-com is a laugh out loud guarantee. At the Stroke of Midnight is book #1 of the Naughty Princess Club series by author Tara Sivec. It is a standalone romantic comedy, told from the heroine’s point of view with a fairytale happy ending.

Tara Sivec has proven once again that she is a master of romantic comedy. Combine that with one of my favorite tropes, the fairytale romance revisited, and At the Stroke of Midnight comes out pure gold.

This novel revolves around Cynthia. I am going to be perfectly honest, initially I did not care for her at all. She was an uptight socialite with a stick firmly planted in her ass. The prologue and meeting her friend Ariel gave me hope though. We quickly learn that Cynthia's husband ran off with the babysitter and all their money after 13 years of marriage. Cynthia is desperate to not only support herself and her daughter but also to find herself and just maybe remove that stick from her ass. Soon we meet her two unlikely friends and a sexy but sweet strip club owner. Following one massive misunderstanding, the rest flows like foul mouthed hilarity leading to a very transformed Cinderella.

If you are familiar with this author's romantic comedies, you will not be disappointed with this one (and might notice the mention of a character from a different series too). The comedy in At the Stroke of Midnight was balanced out with just enough sexy and angst to make a great read. The main characters are very engaging and the supporting characters leave you wanting their stories as well. I recommend you give this novel a read. It will be worth your time.

LOVED it. unusual heroine/hero, fantastic supporting characters, and a good story with plenty of hotness. I am already EAGERLY awaiting the next book in the series. (Okay, not TOTALLY in love with the whole princess names thing on top of everything else, but it was minor enough overall.)

Thank you for the chance in reviewing this title! Full review to come closer to release!

Right from the start this one reminded me of the movie "Bad Moms". You had the 3 women, all of who are very different, they somehow become friends and support each other. That fits both the book and the movie.

I didn't care for Cynthia. I didn't like how she ignored what her husband did, instead of trying to get on with her life. Ariel, was over bearing, I was surprised that Cynthia managed to be her friend. Then there was Isabella, who was forgettable, even with her fact spouting.

I had a hard time buying into the fact that a neighbor would sent the women to a party where they were to be strippers. Sure he could have thought Ariel was good for that, but Cynthia, she was a stepford wife. I was more stunned when the women decided that they would give stripping a try and visited a stripper to be shown how. I was more stunned that the club owner went along with this farce.

I finally gave up around the 35% mark. There was just too much going on here that I couldn't buy into. In the end this one just wasn't for me.

Finally a book that made us laugh, smile, and enjoy through out!!

We haven't read anything from Tara in a while, but she never fails to keep us entertained! Overall this book was a fun, witty, entertaining book that made us want to shout "Girl Power!"

Stroke of Midnight is a steamy romance about a woman finding who she is and unleashing her inner badass. I really loved it. Cynthia/Cindy/Cin is all of us who are just being who we are supposed to be every day and hiding who we really are and what we really want to say and do. I loved seeing her come out of her shell and finding the most awesome man as a side bonus. I cannot wait to read about Belle next.

This is everything that I have come to know and love about Tara Sivec!
Heat, Humor and Hijinks!!
These Naughty Princesses stole my heart from the first chapter!
Cindy and PJ's story is not your typical fairy tail........
but it is one that you will find yourself wishing upon a star to have!
I can't wait to see what is in store for the other princesses!
Definitely a wonderfully magic start to a new series.

This is the first book that I have read by this author - and it won't be the last... even if it is only to find out what happens to Ariel and Belle (hmm wonder which Disney Princess they could be named after)

OK so its a tad unbelievable what with Cynthia going from uptight stick in the mud (with a slight obsession with cleaning wipes) to earning money as a stripper... but then they live on a street called Fairytale Lane so I was willing to go with it!

This was a light, entertaining read (with some definite laugh out loud spots) that drew me in, and, as I said before left me wanting more!

3.5/5 STARS


This was my first Tara Sivec’s book.

I really loved her writing and especially her humor, I laughed so, so hard, and I really enjoyed the story: I laughed, I swooned, and I laughed again.

So, why only a 3.5 stars?

Because I needed an Epilogue, or at least a more satisfying ending, it was like stopping too suddenly an amazing ride, so it got me quite frustrated, waiting for so much more.


But I guess we’ll get more of PJ and Cin, and I have to admit… I can’t wait to read Belle’s story, and of course, Ariel and Eric…. OMG her mouth!!!

So this being the first book in the series, I think my frustration will end when I’ll put my hands on the next stories!

Grab the book, and be prepared… to laugh!

Cindy (Cynthia in her former life as a housewife) comes into her own in this book. She has been left by her husband of 13-years who abandoned her to leave the country with her daughter's babysitter. Cindy has no money, no business skills and is struggling to live up to her perfect family image that she portrays to her neighbors on Fairytale Lane. She meets PJ and instantly finds out he brings out her bad side. PJ owns a strip club and she tries to get him to let her and her 2 new friends, Ariel and Belle try out stripping at his Club. PJ resists this idea and tries to get Cindy to try other businesses. She will not be denied.

Ariel and Belle are a riot. Belle was spewing facts left and right and is the town librarian. She is 25-years-old and still lives with her dad in his basement. Ariel is also struggling to get her life together as her husband also left her high and dry (but for different reasons....) and she is the one who proposes this idea in the first place. There is a lot of bonding that these women go through and it was really funny to read the situations they found themselves in.

PJ Charming was trying to be a noble man in the beginning. He was kind of egotistical and did say the wrong things at times. He did catch himself and did make amends. Cindy kind of intrigued him and it was nice to see him embrace her finding herself again. He was always looking out for her best interests, even when it was misguided. I liked how he took her home to meet his mom and cared for Anastasia as well.

This was a great first book in this series. You will have to read it to find out what PJ stands for, along with how their story plays out. I will definitely read the next book in this series.

This book was so much fun!!!! Seriously, female empowerment by joining together with complete opposites and learning to strip - weird eh? But it so works, and while it has a kinda chick-lit vibe, it has a bit more edge, a bit more sexy, and a lot more romance.

Cynthia, has well, been Cynthia forever. She thought that is what she wanted, but it was what she needed. She finds out she likes being Cindy, she loves being Cin, and she takes control of her life. Her transformation has crazy moments, sad moments, zany moments, but mostly, confident moments. She moves forward, never looking back, and while it sometimes takes her a bit to get over those speed bumps, once she is over them, she is so over them

And PJ, well, PJ is exactly who he should be for our emerging sexy princess. He sees her, he knows her, and he is there for her, even when she doesn't get it. His buddies, Beast and Eric Sailor, are the perfect matches for Cindy's fellow naughty princesses Isabelle and Ariel, and I can't wait for their happily-ever-afters!

Oh my gawd!!! I absolutely LOVED this book! Every. Single. Thing!!

Cynthia is living in a fantasy land of denial after her husband left her for the babysitter taking all of their savings and closing their credit cards. With a thirteen year old daughter to care for she’s trying to make ends meet all while carrying on the façade that things are perfectly rosy in her world. When Ariel, the neighborhood’s main source of gossip, arrives on her doorstep to deliver some shocking news, she is suddenly pushed outside her pompous and prudish ways.

Together with Ariel and Belle, the ladies come up with a plan for a way to make money. They will strip at private parties dressed as three princesses. Easy, right? Eh, maybe not.

PJ owns a local strip club and Cynthia needs his cooperation to not only have access to one of his dancers for lessons, but for advice on how to start a business. There is an instant attraction to him that she fights but after one memorable evening at his club, there is less fighting and more yearning.

I absolutely loved that PJ only had Cynthia’s best interest in mind as she stumbles from her rule shrouded life and into a life that allows cursing and cleavage as well as good friends that will always have her back. His background was perfect for her and their banter regarding his name was so dang cute.

Ariel and Belle were spot on for the perfect counterpoints to Cynthia’s uptight personality. The relationship here was laugh out loud fun. I adored Ariel’s snarky dirty mouth and Belle’s geeky random trivia sharing. While the romance is definitely a part of this book, in my opinion, it is the relationship these women begin that is the true shining star of this book. Normally, that might bother me but in the end it all seemed to have evened out and I loved these women so much and all their quirky ways that I couldn’t resent the time they took up in the story.

I’ve read a few books by this author. Some were heart wrenching and I loved them while others were hilarious and I loved them. However, one of them I was not a fan of despite the warnings of immature humor, so I was a bit apprehensive going into this, afraid I’d end up with the over the top immaturity that this author does so well when she chooses to do so. (Nothing wrong with that but it’s just not my cup of tea.) But I couldn’t ask for more or less in this case. The humor was almost a character in itself and I loved it all!

This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

Heroine POV
No apparent triggers
Safety – some ow/om drama

Tara Sivec's New release is reminiscent of the Chocolate lovers books... Meaning they're funny, have a great story, and a group of women who you want to go have a drink with every weekend. Beyond drinking buddies, they're the gals that you want not only at your back, but by your side.

The first book focuses on Cynthia, once a proper wife and mother, who has to pull her life together after her husband's affair, their divorce, and thievery.
Along with her neighbor Ariel, and a quiet young woman Isabella, they devise a plan to open their own business.

This book was just what I needed. Laugh out loud moments and tons of girl power!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the ARC!
I didn't think I would enjoy it at first, but it gets better. It was a fun, quick read. Can't say it's my fav book ever, but there's something very honest about these characters.

I absolutely loved this one! I laughed and swooned. It was definitely the palette cleanser I needed. I practically read this book in one sitting. One of my favorite parts were how Cynthia, Ariel, Belle met PJ, Eric, and Beast at Charmings club. The conversations were such a tease for whats to come. I knew the movie Striptease was somehow going to be mentioned in this book. I seriously can't wait for the other 2. I need them NOW. I need Belle's book bc shes my fav disney princess and Ariels bc she curses like a sailor! The characters totally fit their respective princess'. I highly recommend this one.