Marry Me by Midnight

Have you ever wanted to read a gender-flipped, Jewish retelling of Cinderella? Now is your chance. Felicia Grossman has just released her new historical romance, Marry Me by Midnight, the first in her Once Upon the East End series. Set in London in 1832, it spotlights a Jewish heiress, an overlooked custodian, and their path to the seemingly impossible: a happily ever after. 

Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Summary

One year ago, Isabelle Lira lost her father, the co-owner of a successful business. As a young woman now in charge of that portion of the company, she’s having a hard time gaining the respect and trust of her co-partners. The only solution is to marry a powerful man within the London Jewish community, a man who will smooth over issues in the business and whom she can control to a certain degree. In order to find the right man for the job, she hires Aaron Ellenberg, a custodian at the local synagogue, to do some light spying on her behalf. She’ll reward him with enough money to truly turn his life around. But what neither expects is the undeniable romantic interest they have in each other… even though a relationship between them would be impossible without some kind of miracle. 

Review

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!

Final Thoughts

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! 

Get the Book

You can buy Marry Me by Midnight here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman
Series	Once Upon the East End (#1)
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Romance
Setting	London, England
Number of Pages	400
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley)
Original Publication Date	August 8, 2023

Official Summary

From an author known for her “powerful and passionate” work comes a story with an enchanting twist on Cinderella (Eva Leigh, bestselling author): a charming heiress must marry to save her family’s business, but the man she dreams of is the one she can’t have. ​
 
London, 1832: Isabelle Lira may be in distress, but she’s no damsel. Since her father’s death, his former partners have sought to oust her from their joint equity business. Her only choice is to marry—and fast—to a powerful ally outside the respected Berab family’s sphere of influence. Only finding the right spouse will require casting a wide net. So she’ll host a series of festivals, to which every eligible Jewish man is invited.
 
Once, Aaron Ellenberg longed to have a family of his own. But as the synagogue custodian, he is too poor for wishes and not foolish enough for dreams. Until the bold, beautiful Isabelle Lira presents him with an irresistible offer . . . if he ensures her favored suitors have no hidden loyalties to the Berabs, she will provide him with money for a new life.
 
Yet the transaction provides surprising temptation, as Aaron and Isabelle find caring and passion in the last person they each expected. Only a future for them is impossible—for heiresses don’t marry orphans, and love only conquers in children’s tales. But if Isabelle can find the courage to trust her heart, she’ll discover anything is possible, if only she says yes.