Moonlight and Mischief

When I started read romance novels in college, Regencies were my line of choice. I still love the genre but don't read as many as I used to. So many of them seem formulaic. You could make this argument about any genre, I suppose, but I've been disappointed in many of the Regencies I've read recently.

I decided to give Rhonda Woodward a try, so I picked up Moonlight and Mischief on my last bookstore trip. The first two-thirds are excellent, but the last third is problematic. The result: 3 out of 5.

Lord Haverstone, known to his friends as Stone, loses a fortune at cards. As he leaves his club, he's approached by young Steven Thorncroft, who tells him about his well-dowered sister. Stone is amused by Steven and invites him to a house party he's hosting in a few months. Steven's sister, Mariah, is upset when she hears what Steven did. Her parents are already pushing her to marry a titled man, and she resents feeling pressured.

The day of the house party arrives, and Stone has forgotten about the invitation until Steven and Mariah (along with their mother and younger brother) show up on the doorstep. It's soon clear that Mariah and her family, who are involved with trade, are not like Stone and his friends. They are refreshingly free of the guile and ennui that's so common with Stone's set.

Things take a dramatic turn when Mariah unexpectedly sees Stone embracing a married woman from the party during a walk outside. This event sparks an honest conversation and leads to an unlikely friendship.

I enjoyed Stone and Mariah's conversations. They were honest and engaging, so it was easy to see why they began to care for each other. While they are in each other's company, Moonlight and Mischief moves along wonderfully. Two-thirds of the way through the book, however, circumstances separate them and bring the story to a grinding halt that lasts until almost the end. To make matters worse, Mariah does something near the end that made me want to scream.

The chemistry between Mariah and Stone shows skill; I will not hesitate to try Woodward again, though I might wait for future books until I can get a copy from the library. The slow ending, however, was a disappointment.

Alyssa