Biographer Ellie Connor is in Gideon, Texas, to research blues singer Mabel Beauvais who, on the verge of fame, mysteriously disappeared more than forty years ago. Gideon holds another mystery for Ellie. It’s the truth about her parents—a restless mother who died young and a father she never knew. They are an unsettled piece of Ellie’s own past. Somewhere in this town is the answer to both of her quests.

No one is more accommodating than charismatic Laurence “Blue” Reynard, a local with deep roots in Gideon. Sexy and charming, he’s also getting under Ellie’s skin like a smooth jazz rhythm. Yet beneath his seductive facade is a soul damaged by loss. Tragic, wanting, and beautiful. So wrong for a woman just passing through town. If only his passion and vulnerability weren’t so irresistible.

As Ellie pieces together Mabel’s puzzling life and that of her father, Blue takes the surprising journey with her. What then for Ellie? Follow her instincts and say goodbye, or follow her heart?
Loved, loved, loved this story. I thought it was beautifully written. The characters were relatable and likeable. I couldn't stop reading until I finished it. It was that good. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the opportunity to read In the Midnight Rain by Barbara O'Neal. I adore Ms. O'Neal's writing, under any name she chooses to write under, and damned if she doesn't just keep getting better and better! In the Midnight Rain rocks!

Ellie met Blue on a chat site. They enjoy each other's company and have lots in common. Blue also lives in the small community of Gideon, Texas. Gideon just happens to to be the home of Mabel Beauvais who was a blues singer. Ellie is writing her biography. Blue just happens to have a guest cottage that Ellie can use while writing her book. Ellie also knows that Gideon is a place her hippy mother visited before Ellie was born. Ellie thinks her father may be in Gideon. The problem, she doesn't know who it could be. Ellie is also recovering from her last relationship. This book has lots going on. Ellie learning more about Mabel, trying to discover who her father may be, and fighting the attraction between she a Blue.

This book is about relationships, family, and unraveling long held secrets. I enjoy Barbar O'Neal. Her stories are complex and leave you vested in the characters.

This re-issue of one of Barbara O’Neal’s previous novels is, as all her novels are, an enjoyable read, and has a great storyline; Ellie’s mission to research blues singer, Mabel Beauvais, along with the mysterious disappearance of her father 40 years ago…and then there is Ellie’s story as she finds her way through a new challenging relationship. Barbara O’Neal is a wonderful storyteller of relationships, love, and satisfying endings, and this earlier book is no exception, but is not the immersive page-turner her novels are now. Which is how it should be; authors get better and better.

I think this book needed some more character development to be an outstanding book. It wasn't horrible, but it could be a ton better!
The story line and plot was really good, and it made for a great read. There were things that happened that I couldn't have predicted was going to happen. For that alone, I rate this book 4/5 stars.

This is the first book I have read by Barbara O'Neal, but have heard so many great things about her as an author. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.

This is a cute romantic mystery. The characters are relatable and well developed. The build up was a little meandering, but it didn't feel slow.

Yet again, grateful for the re-issue and update of one of Barbara O'Neal's earlier books. (I believe this was originally published under the name of Ruth Wind.) This story has depth, atmosphere, beautifully depicted characters, and some lovely sexual tension. It's also significant that though a reissue, it touches on subjects very pertinent today - especially racial divide and Viet Nam losses and survivors.

I enjoyed this book a great deal, only dinging it a bit to a four star because it started slowly for me, and I had a difficult time keeping people straight. Once I got into it, however, I didn't want to put it down. The surprises are there - one I figured early on, but one in particular I had no clue about!

In the Midnight Rain by Barbara O'Neal is a moving story featuring Ellie Connor, a musician biographer traveling to Gideon Texas to learn about the life of a blues singer and her abrupt disappearance from the world of music and life itself. Mabel Beauvais was a beautiful and renowned blues singer who seemed to leave the world in 1953 just when her star was starting to shine. Ellie also knew that her mother, dead from an overdose when Ellie was two years old, had lived in Gideon before she had Ellie; Ellie was curious about who her father was, and was hopeful she would find out while she was there researching her book. Ellie develops a friendship with the sexy, yet somewhat lost Dr. Laurence Reynard, also known as Blue as a result of his lifelong passion for the blues. In the Midnight Rain brings together a group of people who are connected through life experiences, the Vietnam Conflict, friendship, betrayal, acceptance and love. Although at times I found it to be a slow read, it is a satisfying read. The last third of the book was real and heartwarming, at times heart-wrenching, and made the entire book a worthwhile read for me. Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for the privilege of reading and reviewing an ARC of In the Midnight Rain; this review reflects my honest assessment. 3.5 stars.

An interesting plot sadly gets overshadowed by poor writing and a lack of character development. It isn’t awful but there are much better books out there.

I loved Ellie, and was sooooo team Blue. This sweet, sexy love story and the mysteries being unsolved about the past. I just was so engulfed in this book from the beginning. I highly suggest this book! It would be a fun book club talk!

Dr. Laurence 'Blue' Reynard was a charismatic ladies’ man with a captivating voice and a passion for orchids and old music. He owned a small dog named Sasha and an elderly cat named Piwacket. Biographer Ellie Connor, a music historian, moved to his cottage in Pine Bend, Texas, to research the mysterious disappearance of blues singer Mabel Beauvais and to find her own father, who was linked to the area. Despite expecting an older man, Ellie found herself drawn to the handsome Blue. Their relationship developed amid the sultry, secretive atmosphere of the town, rich with gossip and haunting music. The narrative's strength lay in its descriptive, engaging prose, evoking a modern-day gothic romance.

Oh my goodness. I thought I had read everything Barbara O’Neal had written. So glad for the reissue. Ellie Connor is a music biographer, coming to Gideon, Louisiana to write a memoir on the great Mabel Beauvais. But she is also on a personal mission. A mission to try to find out who her father is. Ellie finds herself caught up in the town and its people. One person in particular. Blue, a true southern man. I love how the town holds dark southern secrets. I love how the past also holds the future. Great book. Five wonderful stars. Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this wonderful book. The review posted is my own.

Music biographer Ellie Connor goes to Gideon, Texas on a dual mission: to research blues singer Mabel Beauvais, and discover who Ellie's father was. Mabel was on the verge of fame, then mysteriously disappeared more than forty years ago, and no one has reported seeing her since. Ellie's mom was in love with someone from Gideon, but never revealed who the father was, and she died of a drug overdose who Ellie was small so there is no chance of asking her. Ellie is staying in the guest house of Laurence “Blue” Reynard, whom she met online, and she has been warned by every woman in town that he is trouble, and to be careful. Blue, despite his seductive good looks, is a damaged soul, and will hurt any woman he gets involved with. The journey Ellie will go on to find answers will be arduous, but she will not only get the answers she is looking for, but she may even find unexpected love in the process.

This is a combination mystery & romance. "Blue" was the epitome of a tortured soul in need of redemption by a good woman, and Ellie was the perfect woman for the job. The mystery of what happened to Mabel and the identity of Ellie's father keep the reader guessing until almost the very end.

I read this book in 2013 and fell in love with Barbara O'Neal's story telling. I love the depth of the characters, the richness of the world in which the characters live. I love the sassiness of the woman and the vulnerability of the men. I love the story of the Blues and the homey feeling of a small town and the interest in wanting to understand a mystery. I always love authors that give characters a career or interest that you would never expected them to do but who thrive in it and make the story more interesting.
Even though I had read this story before, I still enjoying the unraveling of the mystery of blues singer Mabel Beauvais and the heated relationship between Ellie Conner and Laurence “Blue” Reynard with its up and downs and some surprises they need to deal with and the love they share. There is never a dull moment in this story and I wished it never ended.
I am so happy that O'Neal is bringing back some of her earlier stories because they are so wonderful and make you happy you read it.

I want to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy of this wonderful tale about Romance and the Blues.

In the Midnight Rain by Barbara O'Neal is a very engaging read and I was glued to the book till the last page!
Her character development in her books are rich. Her descriptive writing puts you right into the scenes with her characters.
This was a wonderful story and one I would not only recommend but one I think I might reread in the future.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I always enjoy this author as she creates atmospheric stories with emotion and the right amount of drama. This was a enticing story of Ellile who is a biographer seeking to research a story on a jazz singer fromt he 1930's who disappeared. She communicates with a man she meets online who invites her to the area to stay at his available home. She does not know his background that he has and trust him so she goes to write and research. She also has a family drama to investigate in the area. They have a instant attraction that is obvious to both and as the story progresses their relationship drama takes a most interesting turn with her family drama as a secondary story.

I enjoy the authors works as she writes of locations and characters with depth . This was a enjoyable read that I recommend. Thank you to the author, Net Galley and the publisher. My review opinions are my own.

I loved this outstanding book! The author always writes emotionally charged novels and this did not disappoint. Beautiful, heartwarming and well written.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In the Midnight Rain by Barbara O'Neal is an entrancing story of love and loss in which the author takes her readers on an exceptionally captivating journey. Biographer Ellie Connor finds herself in Gideon, where her research about a blues singer, Mabel, has led her. She is determined to unveil the mystery surrounding this once-famous singer and the cause of her disappearance, right when her star is taking off. Enchanting Laurence Reynard, nicknamed Blue, accommodates her in his home, and as the entire town knows, his reputation is very bad. He also has unresolved issues buried deep, and Ellie decides to keep off his path. Unknown to Blue, Ellie has another agenda for this particular research; she has to find some answers concerning her roots. As days go by, things become more complicated as more stunning secrets come to the surface, making Ellie's research take a different direction, which readers will have to find out in the book In the Midnight Rain by Barbara O'Neal.

Firstly, I like the characters in this book. Both the major and minor characters have great personalities that make them easily likable, and it's easy to relate to them as well. I additionally like how the author has taken her time to unveil the story, especially the climax and the anti-climax of the book. The book does not end abruptly after the climax. Additionally, I admire the way she has put emphasis on conversations; they are deep and engaging.

Although the book is very interesting, some parts are quite wordy, especially at the beginning, but ease as the book progresses.

I rate this book, In the Midnight Rain by Barbara O'Neal, 5 out of 5 stars, as I like her style of writing. I like the easy way the author writes her books, her creativity, and her easy-to-follow stories. I like this one in particular; she is a seasoned author.

I recommend this book to adults who love women's fiction and romance books that are accompanied by hidden secrets and mysteries. I also recommend it to those readers who have gone through the loss of loved ones and those close to them; it will teach them a lesson or two about loss, as it does not mean that it is the end of the world for them.

Ellie is in Gideon to research a singer named Mabel Beauvais. She’s also hoping to find out more about her parents.
So there’s two mysteries to solve in this book. There’s some romance too. It’s another good book by this author.

As one of my favorite authors I’ve always enjoyed Barbara O’Neils novels , this was no exception. The characters are well rounded with grit and depth. With the history contained in the storyline the reader is drawn into the lives of the diverse characters. An entertaining read with a bit of history, mystery and romance.