It was nothing like I have read before and I think that is why, initially, it was difficult for me to get into it. But then, the pacing picked up and I felt myself hooked on to the story to know what would unfold next. The characters were fu and super entertaining. It was definitely an enjoyable and a full 5 stars read for me.

This is the weirdest historical romance I’ve ever read 🌟💫

Angelika Frankenstein wants a husband but she’s a Frankenstein so she’s a little weird, socially awkward, and sends men running with her sharp questions. So what’s a girl of twenty six (not six and twenty?! What kind of HR is this????) to do except make her own husband from some cadavers?!

This book takes two hard selling tropes: instalove (the MOST insta of insta loves,) and love triangle, and shifts it into this completely bizarre, quirky, romance book that somehow…works? I think??

Here’s the goods about this book:

🌟 Sally Thorne’s voice is present and I found myself rereading passages that she wrote in such a peculiar and interesting way that I was hooked from the very beginning. A few chuckle worthy moments and a quick paced read.

🌟Victor. Angelika’s older brother who is constantly chomping on apples, puffing up his own chest, and evading the pig that is in love with him, was probably my favorite character. You never know what to expect when Victor is in a scene cause he’s the most straight forward, no filter, historically inaccurate man of all and I love him. He’s a great brother character. Makes fun of his sister, takes her for granted, loves her fiercely. I loved how authentic he felt as a character even though the way he spoke and really everything about what he said did not fit into the historical time period at all. But, what the hey, I’m just along for the historically inaccurate ride. His only flaw being that he’s callous and oblivious to his fiancé at times and his nickname for Angelika, “Jelly.” NO TO THIS NICKNAME. As an Angela and form of Angelika, I forbid this nickname.

🌟Did I mention Belladona the pig who is in love with Victor? I want to read her book about her obsessively pig pining days. I needed more Belladona in my life.

🌟There’s a bit of a mysterryyyy hereeee and I was really curious as to who?! our cadaver really was!!!

🌟This is a Frankenstein retelling but like a Frankenstein retelling in a Fairy Tale genre. I was genuinely terrified of Victor’s creation murdering people the entire book and ruining everyone’s life and was pleasantly relieved when it didn’t follow Mary Shelley’s book so closely.

🌟This book has serious My Lady Jane vibes which is one of my all time favorite YA books but it’s adult so there’s an inordinate amount of conversations about cocks and loud sex that My Lady Jane lacks.

From an entertainment standard, I’ll give this book five stars. It’s definitely the only book in a LONG TIME that has held me captive and I’ve been giddy to get to at the end of the day.

From a *romance* standard………idk. Is it super steamy and swoony? Do I feel the moment these characters fall in love? Do I see the connection and know these two are destined to be together because of ABC? Ummmmm…not really.

This is the most instant of instaloves. In that the dude is a corpse when she falls in love with him. They don’t even lock eyes. They don’t even have a conversation. Dude is revived and screaming and howling in pain and she’s calling him “my love.” The vast majority of the book our cadaver Will doesn’t know who he is. So there’s not a lot of depth and background and getting to know each other happening. Just a lot of, “I made you and we are connected and can you stop fighting feelings, plz?” But for the weirdest reason, it didn’t bother me. I didn’t find myself frustrated with the romance part of this book because of characters like Victor’s fiancé Lizzie who is a duchess but isn’t a duchess, and Clara the poor widow down the lane and her chubby baby Edwin and her soulful puppy eyes at Christopher but also didn’t her husband JUST DIE?!, and Victor and his goal of getting a sperm sample from Will (who aptly refuses.) This book is really about this cast of characters as a group and I really enjoyed that side of it. Angelika and Will in and of themselves are not really it for me. Angelika reaaaaaaallllllyyyy loves Will and I found her changing a lot of herself once she gets to know him. Obvs they’re all good changes, but the fact that she clung so tightly to her brother after their parents died and so much of her personality and achievements are based off of their sibling relationship and camaraderie to THEN clinging herself to Will so tightly and seeing all these rapid fire changes? She’s gonna need some therapy to find herself through all the men in her life, but I believe you can do it, Angelika! 🤣

I have a lot more thoughts but they will waver on the Spoilery side so we will save that for later.

Thanks Avon for the ARC! Review is my own.

This was a departure from Sally Thorne's other works. There are elements of romance here, but the plot is not as overtly humorous. I commend Ms. Thorne for trying something new and writing an homage to the Frankenstein tale.

This is a four star book for someone wanting a light and fun romp in a historical setting. It is a four star book for anyone that likes retellings. It is a four star book for those looking for light, soft, and whimsy romance books.

For me it sits at a 3.5 stars. I don't know if I just couldn't get into it or what. The slow burn too is not my personal favorite but a lot of other will appreciate it and be dazzled by the laughter of this retelling. It is very much a comedy of errors.

It has all the classic hallmarks of a Sally Thorne novel. Clever dialogue and whit that make you laugh out loud. But the slower pace of a historical gothic novel took me some time to get into. I was also annoyed with our heroine that couldn't make up her mind about things.

If you are okay with insta-love, a gothic tale, and love Sally Thorne. This will be an insta-buy for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Got an ARC of this thanks to @netgalley. WOO BOY was this strange! She literally makes her ideal man. I have to sit on my feelings for a bit on this one. I usually Sally Thorne’s books but I’m on the fence here. It’s a quick read, especially if you like kinda creepy romances?

As a big Sally Thorne and "Frankenstein" fan, I was super excited to read this title. It's (clearly) very different from her other novels, but I found it oddly endearing and unlike any romance I'd read before--which I really liked! Although I still find myself a bit conflicted on Angelika and Will's relationship (an ethical quandary I have not considered before...), I liked both characters immensely and enjoyed the unfolding of their journeys. Thorne does a good job of addressing the complex emotions involved between all the characters and I found myself laughing and tearing up more than once. Although the story felt a bit uneven at times, with certain moments near the end that felt a tad OOC, it was fun to read a romance novel that was trying something new. I truly did not know where the story was heading and I loved that. Overall, I found this a compelling romance novel with intriguing, endearing characters and unique twists that kept me engaged.

I do love Sally Thorne as a writer, but I have to admit, only because of my love for The Hating Game. I have read that story so many times since I bought my copy. It's pretty much a perfect love story to me. I've have read her other novels, but I could not get through Angelika Frankenstein.. I love the premise of this tale, it just did not keep my attention. I only got in about 50 pages and could not go any further..

I think Sally started with her masterpiece of romance fiction with the Hating Game, and perhaps will never top it.

This book DESTROYED me. Like, multiple crying breaks and a teary message to a friend afterwards. If maybe the extended pandemic has you in your romance feels, feeling like there's no one out there for you, this is the book for you. Like, I could write a 5,000 word essay on this book. Angelika Frankenstein is the woefully misunderstood sister of a man who's obsessed with establishing a scientific name for himself, often on the back of Angelika's work. Her candidness is often misinterpreted as snobbiness, or worse, rudeness, and she ends up driving most people away from her. So, she tries to build herself a soulmate, and this person she designed to be her ideal match just wants to get away from her. Ow.

Will helps Angelika become the best version of herself, helps her to understand her privilege and how to communicate clearly without accidentally putting her foot in her mouth. Angelika loves him from the jump and is so fully his, but he doesn't want to be hers until he knows who he is - and no one has ever chosen to be Angelika's before.

This book is funny, tender, emotional, lonesome, and perfection. It's well worth all the emotions you're going to go through.

I was provided an ARC courtesy of the publisher, thank you!
Anything Sally Thorne writes is an automatic add to my TBR and she, as always, did not disappoint! Angelika is one of the most odd, outspoken, amazing characters and seeing her growth over the course of the book was a joy. The story kept me hooked until the very end and I'll admit I read it in a single sitting! A different type of tale about enduring love, Sally's latest work is a wonderful spin on a classic that you wouldn't expect a spin on! That being said, this book was inspired by Frankenstein, so go into it with an open mind. As a devoted Flamethrower, I was thrilled to receive this ARC and would highly recommend it be added to your TBR!

Sadly, I didn't love it. But it was still pretty good. It's hard to live up to The Hating Game, though. I will still purchase this for my library because Thorne's books are very popular.