Sleepless at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Mathew Davenport-Lord Langston is looking for a bride... and maybe for something else. As he doesn't have much time, he invites to his country estate three women he thinks will make acceptable brides: Lady Julianne, Lady Emily and Lady Carolyn and, though she isn't in the prospective bride list, Miss Sarah, Lady Carolyn's younger and plainer sister.

The above mentioned ladies happen to be good friends and call themselves the Ladies Literary Society of London, they get together and talk about books they shouldn't be reading but enjoy anyway. Their first pick is Frankenstein.

On the night of their arrival to Lord Langston's estate, they gather together in Sarah's bedroom and discuss the book, pointing out how the night is a stormy one like the one in which Frankenstein created his 'monster'. They all get a little chill, but go on their merry way after finishing their discussion. Moments later, when Sarah is once again alone in her room, she looks out the window and sees a man walking towards the house, shovel in hand... a thunder lights the sky and she's able to identify their host, Lord Langston.

What's Lord Langston up to? Besides trying to get a wealthy bride to salvage his family's indebted estate. Is he, perhaps, doing some Frankenstein-like experiments?

Sarah doesn't know, but she certainly is intrigued.

Sleepless at Midnight is the first book of Ms D'Alessandro new series Mayhem in Mayfair.

Now, to be honest, I have been seeing Jacquie D'Alessandro books on the shelves since I was a kid, but I never picked one up. It was by mere chance that I came upon Sleepless at Midnight and I thought: sounds good, why not?.

I was not disappointed.

Ms D'Alessandro writes with a fun warmth that reaches you across the page, Mathew and Sarah are engaging and endearing, their problems are 'real' not just plot devices, and there are definitely some laugh out loud moments in this one.

The main couple, Sarah and Mathew, are well thought out and remain front and center through out the story, the supportive characters are also strong but remain in a second plane, waiting to take the stage as the series progresses. Ms D'Alessandro does a great job here, she introduces all the players but keeps the focus on the main couple all the time; giving just enough glimpses of the others to pique one's curiosity but without feeling like a set up.

Over all I really liked this story. The bath scenes are just superb, I was having hot flashes all the while I was reading them.

Grade:
1/2