I've read several of Sally Thorne's books and was excited about the Frankenstein element of the story. However, I have tried a couple of times to get invested in the story and haven't read past the 20% mark yet. Acknowledging that this one isn't for me.

Loved this idea for a book and a different route for Sally Thorne. However I found it a little too YA for my personal taste

This was a wonderful read - something different from this author but highly recommended. I loved the blend of genres and as usual the writing was fluid and beautiful.

This book was real weird, but also sweet and funny. Had no idea what to expect but really enjoyed it! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

This was such a ridiculous book, but I ended up having fun with it! Although I haven't read Thorne's other works yet, it is clear that Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is a severe departure from her more traditional romance novels, and I think it's great that she has a range of stories that she wants to tell, and she does so well. Reading this before Halloween felt perfect, and the huge manor setting within a tiny village added to the overall atmosphere of the book. I do think it takes fully absorbing yourself and embracing the absurdity of it all to enjoy the story, and once you can look past the fact that this is a very quirky concept, I do think it was an entertaining read. I enjoyed the sibling relationship in this, and the overall dynamic within the house, but I have to admit I found some aspects to be too far-fetched for my taste.

Sally Thorne writes great books, FACT.

This was really good, I don't understand why its not spoke about more.
The banter literally made me LOL.
Would definitely recommend.

Sally Thorne's latest offering, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match, is an unconventional retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. This book pivots around Angelika Frankenstein, an offbeat character who fears being the first in her family to remain single. As she aids her brother Victor in a groundbreaking resurrection experiment, she views this as an opportunity to let a man truly get to know her. However, her plan is complicated by the amnesiac nature of the resurrected man (named Will for now) and the appearance of a second suitor. The narrative is riddled with carriages, candlesticks, corpses, and the constant question - can one artificially construct fate in a lab?

Thorne's latest venture, while original and intriguing in its concept, unfortunately, doesn't match up to the author's previous works like The Hating Game or Second First Impressions.

The book begins with a campy, over-the-top premise that marries a classical horror tale with elements of a romantic comedy. While this idea is absurd, it's also entertaining and amusing. This unique blend of Frankenstein's horror with the light-heartedness of a historical romance contributes to an enjoyable reading experience, especially during the initial 40% of the book.

However, the narrative takes a peculiar turn around the halfway mark. The story becomes increasingly overshadowed by religious undertones, with even the love interest transforming into a Priest. This transition is a stark contrast to the Frankenstein family's initial emphasis on science and facts, creating a dissonance that's difficult to reconcile with. Considering that Shelley's original Frankenstein is often interpreted as a critique of religion, this shift feels incongruous, almost as though it veers away from the spirit of the source material.

Resurrecting the dead for personal gain already strays into morally ambiguous territory, but this, in combination with the sudden religious shift, makes it challenging to simply sit back and enjoy the story. Comparing the conclusion of Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match to the original Frankenstein further highlights the stark difference and contributes to the dissatisfaction with the book.

In conclusion, while Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match initially offers a fun and fresh take on a classic tale, it stumbles halfway through with an unexpected religious twist. The result is a book that is not quite as enjoyable as Thorne's earlier works. It's an adventurous attempt at a genre blend, but one that, unfortunately, does not quite hit the mark.

I sort of liked but definitely did not love this. I enjoyed the humour and some of the offbeat dialogue but honestly, some parts were a little too offbeat for me to fully root for.

Sally writes romance well and this was a step away from the kind of romance I was expecting from her so gave it a go with enthusiasm (love supporting author creativity and new styles of writing!) but for me, it just didn’t quite land like I hoped.

Some of the romance elements and situations again were humorous and engaging but not enough to make me want to re-read this Sally Thorne book (which I have done often for her others) again soon. The brother sister dynamic was a bit odd too and I didn’t really care for him like I usually do for her supporting characters. The sex scenes were of course steamy and the mystery and plot were good but a little predictable.

I will always look forward to reading Sally’s work and genuinely look forward to the next but her other modern romances might be more my style!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having read several titles by Sally Thorne I was really looking forward to reading this one! Although it’s not one of my favourite reads, I definitely enjoyed it and love Sally’s writing style.

I definitely picked this one up because Sally Thorne wrote it and I loved The Hating Game so much and I knew this one was going to be the complete opposite of that book.
I think the plot of this book was so cool and a perfect Halloween book. This is one of those silly books where you are just here for a fun time and I definitely think that is what this book accomplished.
I had a fun time reading this. It was super fun and just a good time. It isn't a new favourite but I had a good time reading it and that's all that matters.
I still really enjoy Sally Thorne's writing and this one was no exception.

This was such a good book, and I would love for it to be turned into a movie or a series like The Hating Game Was.

I loved the spin on the classic of Victor Frankenstein’s younger sister, as a fan of classic literature, this definitely drew me in. The most interesting part was Angelika’s journey to creating the perfect man, it’s really interesting seeing what she perceives as perfect, and it’s fun to compare that to your own ideals!

First of all I love the cover of this book and the thought of a Frankenstein retelling is intriguing especially as a romance.
However I found the story boring and thought that there was so much that could have been done. I think if my expectations had been lower and the plot was quicker it would be a 3 star but it wasn't meant to be

2 Stars

I found this book, quite unusual and boring. I wanted to like it because I love the concept for the book. The cover and concept alone are what drew me to it and unfortunately I did not find the book interesting. I found it complicated and strange. I didn’t connect to the characters either.

This read was pure delight! I read it all in one weekend. I laughed, I cried, and I marvelled at the deep, philosophical questions posed between steamy encounters. Atmospheric and exciting, this read is perfect for fans of Frankenstein and gothic romances.

I went into this not fully knowing what to expect and wow it was a little halloweeny festive treat.

Sally went all in with this and wrote such a fun historical rom-com book which was such a fresh take on the classic, Frankenstein. Angelika Frankenstein decides to make herself her perfect man, in the form of Will.

I laughed so much whilst reading this, the banter between Angelika and Will were some of my favourite moments in the book but also Angelika and Victor's relationship was so sweet.

Don't be put off by the mixed reviews of this, just give it a shot!

Sadly I really did not enjoy this. The premise sounded really interesting but this didn't work for me. I found the story to be quite boring and I didn't enjoy the writing. I am not sure if this author is for me as I wasn't a huge fan of The Hating Game.

Headlines:
A pleasant surprise
Historical-fantasy-retelling mash-up
Leave reality at the door

I like Sally Thorne's writing but I wasn't sure about this romantic take on Frankenstein themes from the blurb, but you know, you've got to give it a go. I'm really glad I did because this really worked for me.

This brother and sister duo in Angelika and Victor were utterly irreverant to the sensibilities of the era. The people in the surrounding areas were suspicious of them supposedly but in actuality, everyone who came across them seemed to be won over (as was I). Angelika was a funny in both ways, haha and odd but this story was safely in rom-com territory, encouraging the reader to not take things too seriously.

The plot was strange and yet hugely interesting, I read this book pretty quickly, always looking forward to getting back to it. The love interest Will was fascinating as he adjusted to his new life. At first, I had worries about consent related to Will and yes, you could definitely say he didn't consent to revival but my other worries regarding potential consent weren't realised. This was actually a bit of a slow-burn story with a building chemistry and romance.

One of my favourite elements was the set of side characters, all endearing in their own way. Those side characters became found family and I warmed to them all.

As I said in my headlines, if you want a plot that replicates historical life in this era, you will struggle but if you leave your preconceptions at the door and fun with this, it might end up surprising you in a good way, like it did for me.

Thank you to Piatkus for the review copy.

Wow! Thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a lovely way to start the new week! Begs to be read in one sitting… really tugs at your emotions, one minute I was breathless with anticipation, the next I had tears running down my face…

2 stars.

I'm a little disappointed at my own rating, but this book just really wasn't for me.

I've loved other works by Sally Thorne but this one just didn't hit the mark.

From the start, I couldn't get into the writing style or into the idea of Angelika picking through the different body parts (including genitalia) to make the perfect man for her, because she was so desperate to have someone to love her.

The book lost me from the beginning and it was quite hard to bring my attention back. Whilst I'm all for heroines who aren't good people and have to come to terms with their own privilege in order to better themselves, there was something lacking in Angelika's arc.

I wish the fact that the love interest being sewn together to Angelika's liking and not being able to control his own body after the wakes up wasn't used as such a comedic relief. I don't know how we as readers were expected to feel about something like that, but for me it just didn't feel right.

Overall, this might be someone else's cup of tea, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.

DNF this one, I could not get on with the writing style, which was incredibly disappointing as I was excited about the premise!