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

The only way I can describe this book is a cross between the Addams Family and Downton Abbey! I would have liked a bit more spice in the story as there seemed to be a lot of chemistry between the two main character. Overall, a fun story.

Meet Angelika, sister of Victor Frankenstein. The two siblings live together in Blackthorne Manor, a huge house owned by the Frankenstein family for generations, just outside Salisbury village. Orphans and with only the elderly grumpy maid for company, the two siblings are very close. By night, they visit the morgue to buy corpses that nobody has reclaimed and then they try to bring them back to life in their lab. For Victor, his experiments are all about science and beating his competitor, but Angelika is looking for love, for the man who will never leave her. Beautiful and wealthy, Angelika has no problem attracting men, but then they are discouraged once they get to know her.

Tired of being alone (and in need of sexual respite), Angelika decides it’s time to create her own man, so when she finds the perfect corpse at the morgue, she brings him back to her lab and back to life. Will, as she names him, has no memories of his past and, even though he is clearly attracted to Angelika, he is determined to discover the truth and Angelika promises to help him, even if it means giving up on him.

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is one of the funniest, weirdest, and most unexpected novels I have ever read. I LOVED IT! Angelika and Will are fantastic characters. She is smart, competent, and resourceful. Will is sweet, caring, and adorable. They are indeed a perfect match and their romance is both steamy and slow-burning.

I laughed so much at the easy and witty banters between the characters and I loved the sexy and spicy romance and the quirky and incredible characters, and the setting of Blackthorne Manor gave a gothic atmosphere that fit perfectly with the story.

I enjoyed Sally Thorne’s previous novels, but I must admit that this new one is my favorite. Even though I knew how it was going to end, there were many unexpected surprises that kept me on the edge until the end. Highly recommended!

I was unable to read the book due to issues with the formatting of the ebook. I am excited to purchase my own copy and be able to read a functioning copy

Angelika Frankenstein Makes her Match. That’s a pretty self explanatory title. She literally makes herself a boyfriend out of sewn together bits of dead bodies, a placenta bath and some well timed lighting. Sounds straight forward enough. And it is. Science happens somehow. Not one but two patch work men are brought back to life in the house of Frankenstein and one of them is super hot! But can one love a dead man, can a dead man with no memories love and how long will he stay undead?
This was a riot. It’s not complicated, don’t over think it, just enjoy the ride. It’s basically fanfiction in the age of COVID but it’s Sally Thorn so it’s funny. Its basically Bridgerton does Frankenstein. Bridgerton gothic. Leave authenticity at the door but have a jolly good time all the same.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get into this one and had to DNF at 20%
Something about it just wasn’t flowing right for me and some of the language felt a bit stilted

A totally mad but brilliant idea for a story. A perfect “Halloween season” read with a romantic twist. The creativity was brilliant and I really enjoyed reading something so different.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

BOOK REVIEW: Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by @sallythorneauthor

4.5 Stars

I was very excited to read this book and I knew from the first page that I would love it and I certainly did!

This story is rather crazy! It is obviously based on the story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and it does a great job of using the novel as inspiration but also is perfect at being it's own independent story. It is rather whacky and inventive and filled with wit and personality. It is a highly addictive read and I could not put it down!
The characters are the stars of the show. Our lead female Angelika Frankenstein makes a wonderful protagonist. She is a clever woman who has views before her time but she can be a little shallow and often speaks before she thinks. Despite this she has a heart of gold and is desperate to love and be loved. I absolutely adore her character and loved her growth in this book. Her brother Victor is also a very quirky, interesting character who added a lot of humour and fun to the story. I won't go into the other characters as I don't want to give anything away, but they all play their roles brilliantly and add so much to the story.
There was an abundance of romance in this story and it was done so well. I loved the softer scenes as well as the sexier ones as well. Sally Thorne never fails on this aspect!
The writing was perfection! I felt swept away with this tale and constantly found myself grinning at the book whilst reading. It is a true joy to read!

If you fancy a romance that is highly quirky and wonderfully weird then read this! It is definitely one I will be reading again and again!

Please note that I was #gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.

Quirky, bittersweet and utterly enchanting

Angelika Frankenstein is the sheltered younger sister of Victor. In this reimagining of the classic tale, our heroine, having run out of suitors willing to accept her modern ways, reanimates her ideal man (Will), alongside her brother, Victor's creation.

I'm generally not fond of historical romance, but with the wit and talent we've grown to expect from Sally Thorne, this was such an unexpected delight. It possibly won't be for everyone, but if you like your tales multi-layered, a little kooky, with strong female characters, and lots of humour, this one is for you. I guessed 'Will's' origin almost immediately, but that in no way stopped me from enjoying this story immensely. I found his and Angelika's chemistry both palpable and incredibly moving. Chapter 33 wrecked me, as did the final chapter. I really appreciated Angelika's development from a spoilt, selfish heiress to the charitable and caring woman she becomes.

Mary, Clara, Lizzie, Christopher, and of course, Victor and his creation added so much depth to this often bittersweet love story. And, of course, Belladonna, the enamoured pig.

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match addresses the ethics of reanimation, as well as themes such as wealth, class, faith, duty, and feminism. Thought-provoking, whimsical, at times irreverent, but above all else heartbreakingly beautiful. An absolute triumph.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥
Emotional Rating: 🤦🏻‍♀️😬🙈😂🥰😢💔🥰

I love Sally Thorne therefore was SO excited to read this. And let me tell you this is the weirdest historical romance I have ever read but NOT IN A BAD WAY.


Angelika Frankenstein wants a husband, but she's a little weird so many men shy away from her. She decides to take a page out of Victors book and build herself the perfect man, she is successful and when her perfect man comes to life she quickly falls for him but unfortunately he does not fully feel the same way as he needs to find out who he was first before committing to Angelika.

Overall I really enjoyed the weirdness of it all, I wasn't a huge fan of the love triangle (but when am I ever) it is also very instalovely but I guess that makes sense since she kinda built her perfect man. I don't know how this managed to end up being a quirky romance book but it did and I was pleasantly surprised.

It is funny and has some phenomenal quotes which Sally Thorne is GREAT AT. Victor, the older brother is a great character and I absolutely love when side characters are developed and truly add to the story. I loved the weird pig side story line (you're gonna have to read it I'm not spoiling it) it really made me chuckle at the ridiculousness of it. I liked the aspects of mystery where Will was figuring out who he was in his past life, that was a nice sub plot. Overall it was such a unique book I have to appreciate it.

The romance isn't my favourite ever but it didn't bother me all that much, it is still present and explored but honestly I just loved going on the ride of everything that was happening and I didn't find like I was missing the romance at all ( don't get me wrong Angelika finding her match is of course the main plot but the book is so weird and quirky you kinda end up being even more interested in the peculiarness of it)

Overall a great way to lightly kick off the spooky season so thank you Netgallery, Avon and Harper Voyager with the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with an addition of a sister for Victor; Angelika. Who is our MC. The story begins with the siblings looking for cadavers for them each to bring to life for different reasons. Victor for scientific achievement and Angelika for a romantic love interest. As you can imagine, nothing goes quite as planned.

I enjoyed how weird this book was. All of the characters were well written and rounded for me. I loved how quirky and individual everyone felt. I also loved the writing and the whimsy of it.

The story however just didn’t really take off at any point in my opinion. The plot was wobbly and just kind of reads like a series of events. I wanted more of a romance between Will and Angelika. But it just felt like Will was just out here trying to make Angelika a better person as opposed to loving her for who she was anyway. He also felt very hot and cold for a love interest. There also wasn’t enough smut for me, sorry!

This would definitely be great for Halloween or if you just really love Frankenstein, this is a really fun take. But unfortunately not for me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review.

Angelika is convinced she is unlovable by normal men, and so builds her own, with the help of her brother, Victor Frankenstein.

I found Sally Thorne's writing style and turn of phrase charming, but the narrative was occasionally uncomfortable. There's a confusing blend of things that work - the characters, the dialogue, the style - and things that didn't work quite so well for me - character's motivations, elements of the plot, the tone. It's more of a comedy horror than a romcom!

I spent the first third of this book wondering what on earth I was reading. Then I got sucked in and no longer cared how weird it was. Brilliantly nuts.

"Are you ever afraid that they cannot survive the things we have done to them in the name of science, and love?" [loc. 2494]
Angelika Frankenstein is quite as brilliant as her more famous brother Victor, but he's engaged to be married, while Angelika's suitors are generally discouraged by her intelligence, or perhaps by her habit of quizzing them from a prepared list of questions. At 24, she's almost given up on the notion of meeting a man she can love, so she takes matters into her own hands. Literally. 'Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match' opens -- after a prologue from the viewpoint of the neglected family seat, Blackthorne Manor -- in the local morgue, where Victor and Angelika are selecting body parts for the men they wish to make. Victor's aim is scientific one-upmanship, but he jokes (rather creepily) with his sister about penis sizes, and demands for his own creation the hands of the handsome cadaver she's selected. Back to the laboratory they go; it is a dark and stormy night; their experiments are successful; Victor's resurrectee takes one look at Angelika and flees screaming into the night; and Angelika's creation ... well, at least one part of him is attracted to her, as evidenced by his instant erection.

Angelika tends her new companion, and attempts to unravel the secrets of his past: he has no recollection of anything before waking in the laboratory to see Angelika leaning over him. He seems, at heart, a gentleman, but he insists that he doesn't and can't love her. Angelika names him Will, because of his strength of character and stoicism in the face of constant pain. She is guiltily aware that the hands once belonging to this body are attached to her brother's nameless creation, who's terrorising the neighbourhood. Angelika's investigations into Will’s past lead her to the local Military Academy, site of a recent tragedy: there she meets handsome and charming Commander Keatings, who makes no secret of his romantic interest in her. Yet it's Will who stars in her fantasies ...

If I'd read this novel with rose-tinted glasses, I'd have liked it a lot more. It's written in a light-hearted and humorous style, and the characters are, at heart, kind, pleasant and well-meaning -- though Angelika in particular is oblivious to the oppression that surrounds and supports her privileged life. But, but, this is a novel about issues of consent: about a man being resurrected to suffer agonising pain, unwanted desire (Angelika's chosen 'second-largest' penis being incompatible with Will's brain and having a will, haha, of its own), dismissal of his religious faith, and the expectation that sooner or later he will succumb to the charms of the woman who's forced all this on him, and who continues to lie to him in the name of 'love'. This to me is a scenario of horror, not of humour.

With my rose-tinted spectacles on, there’s plenty to admire here. Angelika is an intriguing heroine, intelligent and self-aware and in charge of her own sexuality, and confident enough not to care what the villagers think of her wearing trousers: she's sheltered and privileged, but does strive to be better when she realises the extent of the deprivation in the local community. Her friendship with Lizzie is charmingly intimate, and Lizzie herself -- a playwright, of Russian and Spanish heritage -- is a fascinating character. (I'd love to read the story of how she and Victor met and fell in love.) Victor, while not as arrogant as his literary inspiration, is somewhat misogynistic, and he's only too ready to 'promote' Lizzie to Angelika's role of lab assistant without any consultation. His creation, eventually named Adam, turns out to be quite a nice fellow, and there is an amiable pig named Belladonna.

But I'm still disturbed by Will's torment, and by Angelika's overweening selfishness in playing Pygmalion and assembling a sentient being, to her own specification and for her own use, from assorted spare parts.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK publication date (15 SEP 2022). Thanks, too, to the anon reviewer who used the term 'dick'n'mix'.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Beautiful, witty, crazy and charming

I absolutely adore this book. It is pure gold. it’s everything I hoped for and so much more. Already ordered the physical copy and can’t wait to read it again. 10/10 would recommend

Thank you

I wanted to like this, but I couldn't get into it at all. One of the early scenes when Jelly and her brother are in the morgue and picking out 'ideal' men was a bit...much for me.

This book is weird! Not weird in a bad way just different. I have always been looking for a new spin on a romance story and my goodness I have definitely gotten that with this one!

Angelika wants a man and since she can't find a suitable one she decides to create her own using spare parts! This is such a fun and enjoyable story. I do have a bit of trouble getting my head around some aspects of the plot but I didn't find it took away from the overall story.

Highly recommend!

Oh, how I needed this book. The Frankenstein story, humour and a romance that you can’t help but become entranced by…all add up to a fantastic read.
Our focus is Victor and Angelika Frankenstein, orphaned at an early age, but determined to pursue their scientific endeavours. Thorne borrows heavily from the Frankenstein story, but with the addition of Angelika and a cast of characters (including Belladonna the love struck pig) this becomes - dare I say it - the story that Shelley might have told if she were writing much later.
Angelika is twenty four, passionate and unorthodox. She wants a husband, but those around her think she’s strange. So, instead of reconciling herself to a life of spinsterdom under the care of her brother, she helps him in his experiments…and makes herself her ideal man.
Fourth time lucky, Angelika and Victor manage to resurrect their experiments. Unfortunately, Victor’s creation runs away and a goodly part of the book focuses on trying to get him to return to their care. Angelika, however, is shown to be just as capable and her experiment survives, stays with her and is cared for.
Will, as he is named, enters into an unorthodox relationship for the times, but the spark between them all was wonderful. There were so many moments between these two that I couldn’t pick a favourite. Even the love triangle served to strengthen their bond. There were worries as Angelika and Will try to uncover the truth of his previous identity, but even this encouraged deeper thought about the role we play in our community and how religion serves us.
I’d started recommending this before I’d finished, and now that I have I shall be even louder in my praise. Huge thanks to the author for this, and to NetGalley for granting me access prior to publication.

This book was fantastically bonkers from start to finish and I loved every second of it.

Angelika is Victor Frankenstein's forgotten sister/assistant and if you had open access to a morgue and a difficult love life, what else would you do BUT build your perfect man and bring him back to life? That's exactly what Angelika does, and it brings forth a lot of development for her as a character as well as general excitement in her life.

The cast of side characters was great, and Sally Thorne's characterisations were amazing as always - I could easily picture everyone in my head and I knew who they were. I'm usually not a fan of instalove , but Sally makes this work in such an original way in this book - the hero is literally a corpse when Angelika "meets" him and decides he's The One, and for once in a historical I could buy the idea that the beautiful heroine was a spinster with failures at love behind her as she is fairly obnoxious at the start of the story and grows throughout the story.

There are constant twists and turns throughout - without giving too much of the story away, I was on the edge of my seat throughout wanting to know how it would end!

I'm not really sure what I just read. Angelika Frankenstein (sister of THAT Doctor Frankenstein) is using her brother's scientific advancement to make herself a physically perfect man that she can then resurrect and marry. What ensues is a madcap race to find answers by several weirdly over the top characters. I think they are supposed to be funny, but they really just come across as trying too hard, and it made the whole book uncomfortable and difficult to get through!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.