Not so much a whodunnit but a why, this Georgian era historical mystery opens with the morning after a brutal sexual assault. Definitely a trigger warning, but I thought the writing well done without being too graphic. I truly enjoyed this introduction to a new series complete with a all-encompassing villain, a sleuthing couple, and a surprisingly warm family environment.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I have received an ARC of this book by NetGalley, and Carina Press and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. The Pub date of the book is May 11th. This review will be posted on my Goodreads, Facebook page and Instagram.
This story I had a lot of mixed feelings. I read the book in a single day because I was curious and interested, but at the same time I expected a little more. I went with high expectations and I ended up realizing that it was not quite what I had imagined. The title was also not an aid to this perception.
I do not mean by this that the book is bad or that the story it’s not good, just that in my opinion, it was a more complicated book to read than expected.
Starting with first chapter, the scene in which we found out what happened to Juliana on the wedding night and we didn’t need many descriptions to imagine the horror; and what that ended up contributing to the rest of the book and the building of her character. Only at the end did I realize that it would be a story for more books and maybe it was only there that my opinion improved a little bit, but I confess, that Juliana was not one of my favorite heroines, but I understand and felt immensely sad what she went through and the things that she was submitted, both by her family and husband and the society.
As for Ash, I really liked him, the way he thinks and observes the mystery of a case - like the murder - and how he takes his work and his life. I loved the family atmosphere in his house, and I was incredibly sad to discover the past had been nothing like that. And those names? Jesus! Mothers in this book!
Another thing that did not work for me was the little chemistry between the two main characters. I understand that because of the situation that Juliana went through and, I don't want to look insensitive with this, but it ended up losing a bit of my enthusiasm when I realized what their relationship would be like until the end of the book.
Of course, with the next ones, I will want to see the evolution and how their history will develop and the mysteries that are approaching. But still, I expected a little more. It may just be a nuisance of mine and having come with more expectations, but for this book I cannot give more than 3 stars. I want to read the next ones, so I can see what the path and destiny of our heroes will be, both the main and the secondary ones; and discover all the mysteries.

This was a truly fascinating story, and although it was a very difficult book to read, for reasons I will get to at the end (see my trigger warning), I thought the author did a wonderful job showing a side of mid-18th century England that I hadn't seen before. The heroine is a woman of wealth and status, while the hero is a baronet and lawyer who seeks justice for all, regardless of station or circumstance. Their lives were so different up to the point where they met, and the stark contrast between the two were evident throughout the book. It's amazing how crime can be a great equalizer (when done properly), and I loved the heroine's transformation as she was able to shed the confines of her former status in life. My one issue with the book is petty but something that I think caused me to be unprepared for the utter devastation that was the first chapter - the title. It doesn't quite convey the gravity and horror that was inflicted on the heroine, and I would have wished for the book to be given a title it deserves. Something that reflects the story within. It's really minor but still, I thought I would mention it.

Lady Juliana Uppingham never expected her wedding night to be so violent - in more ways than one. After a night of particular devastation, she awakens to find herself in a pool of blood, with her new husband dead at her side. The house is immediately roused, Juliana is accused of the deed, and she is whisked off to her parents' home until her fate is determined. Sir Edmund Ashendon is told to retrieve her, so she can face justice for her crime, but upon entering her home and speaking with her, he realizes that an even more grave injustice has been done to Juliana than what is seen on the surface. Taking her to his home for safekeeping until a trial is set, they work together to determine who could have killed her husband. And when someone else dies, it's clear Juliana's life is in danger. They have to work fast to prove her innocence before her life is taken from her, either by the killer or by the hangman's noose.

Poor Juliana, I felt completely at a loss on her behalf. First, she is given away in marriage by greedy parents who knew of her husband's proclivities and chose to give their daughter to him anyway. Then her absolutely dreadful wedding night, which is where my trigger warning comes in (major sexual abuse here, and while not overly graphic, it's also not subtle either). And after she is mercifully relieved of her husband, she is accused of murder and even her parents think she did it. It's disgusting how she is treated, and I was so glad she had Ash there for her. His family is such a contrast to her own, and I was glad that she could experience what a loving family could be like. He was obviously a devoted brother and had a generous heart, and he shared that with Juliana when she needed it most. He didn't have to, but he recognized her need for comfort and kindness. They were a sweet pairing, and given their circumstances, while no intimacy was portrayed on-page, I still felt their love shine through.

This is just the first book in Ash and Juliana's journey, and I'm excited to see where their relationship goes from here. It was truly an enjoyable read, and I looking forward to the next book!

1748 Obedient Lady Juliana Christianson, heiress, only child of the Earl of Hawksworth has married Godfrey, the second son of the Marquees of Urmston. After a horrendous wedding night she wakes up to discover her husband dead, stabbed and herself accused of his murder.
Sir Edmund Ashendon, criminal lawyer takes her case on. Juliana changes overnight from a 'pampered princess' to taking part in the investigation! But does the criminal known as The Raven have any involvement in the killing.
Overall an enjoyable enough story though not a complex mystery.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good book by L.C. Sharp. I have not read any books by this author before.
Juliana’s new husband is murdered with her in the bed with him. She has reasons to have committed the atrocity but she didn't. Juliana’s only hope is Sir Edmund Ashendon, a dashing baronet with a knack for solving seemingly unsolvable crimes.
Juliana and Edmund make an amazing pair of friends turned to a married couple.
This book is the beginning of a saga. The second book is yet to come.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Heat Factor: One kiss
Character Chemistry: Solid
Plot: Juliana wakes up after her (traumatizing) wedding night in a pool of her husband’s blood. Naturally, she is the prime suspect. She enlists the help of lawyer/investigator Ash to save herself from the gallows.
*Content Warning for violent sexual assault before the book opens. It’s never described, but it is frequently referred to, and enough details are included throughout the text for the reader to get a pretty good idea of how bad it was.
Overall: Disappointing

The opening sequence, where a woman rolls over to discover a dead body in her bed, might be a cliché, but it’s a classic for a reason. The setup is engaging! We’re immediately plunged into mystery and intrigue, and of course our heroine is the prime suspect who must clear her name. Enter our hero, Ash, who is initially sent to ensure that Lady Juliana doesn’t evade justice because of her status, but quickly comes to believe that even if she killed her husband, she probably had good reason, and therefore doesn’t deserve to hang. Ash offers to serve as her guarantor (read: polite word for jailor), and Juliana moves into his home and the two of them work together to solve the case.

So that’s the premise. Let’s talk about execution.

I loved the attention to history. In Sharp’s hands, Georgian England feels very foreign. For example, Juliana is unbothered by being seen naked by others, because as a lord’s daughter, part of her “job” is appearing en déshabille when people come to call—but God forbid she be seen without her face painted and hair powdered. Or the scene where a mob surrounds Juliana’s father’s house, clearly planning on some extrajudicial justice, and everyone is pretty unconcerned about the impending riot, as if they were a regular occurrence.

I also thought the romance here was decent. It’s a slow burn that is clearly setting Juliana and Ash up as partners in solving crime and in the bedroom—in subsequent books. With that said, the pacing of the romance was decent, and I did appreciate that there was no sex, given that Juliana spends the entire book processing how deeply disturbing her wedding night was. The book ends with Julina and Ash with a solid partnership and burgeoning friendship and maybe a hint of sparks between them, which is absolutely enough for a series opener, as long as you're not expecting a full standalone love story.

Sadly, there was a lot more that didn’t work for me than did.

The first is a personal pet peeve of mine: I hate it when the heroine has always been a doormat, but in the first chapter of the book, decides that she’s going to stand up for herself from now on. (See Marrying Winterborne for a particularly egregious example of this dynamic.) And then throughout the book, thinks things like, “No, I will not let myself be shunted aside like I always was before.” I don’t mind a growth arc from quiet and acquiescent to boldly claiming her own life; I would just rather see it play out as the story progresses.

More important is that the mystery is poorly plotted. It’s not that interesting or mysterious, includes some lack of clarity on the villain’s interest in Juliana (she’s an heiress whose son will inherit her father’s title, but what does that have to do with killing her husband?), and for which the solution kind of comes out of nowhere.

And finally: this book would have benefited from a better copy editor, who had noticed things like Ash’s informant telling him that “The Raven” was behind things right before the author states that neither Ash nor his informant say the the winged one’s name because the walls have ears.

Am I nit-picky? Maybe. But murder mysteries really need to be tightly written, and this one wasn’t quite there.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

This was a wonderful story, to see a woman after her horrible wedding arranged by her parents and the wedding night in which she was treated despicably comes into her own to make her own choices going forward. Juliana is raised without love and to obey her parents every command. She wakes up after the wedding night only to discover that her new husband is dead. She is returned to her parents only later to be charged with his murder. Ash, a lawyer, agrees to take the case. Part of the agreement of taking the case is he will be responsible for her as her "guardian" as well. Both have had difficult upbringings, but as they get to know each other they see that there is hope for a better life than what they have experienced. I look forward to the next installment of their story.

-My Thoughts
I enjoyed the book. All the mystery and intrigue kept me guessing and at the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. The book was very well written, and there were times when I felt as if I was part of a scene.

Ash and Juliana's relationship was also very sweet in the sense that they supported each other. And knew each other's boundaries and limits. Ash's habit of involving Juliana into everything also made me appreciate his character very much. Juliana was also a well written character, with a strong personality that was not overshadowed by the other characters, especially Ash. The side characters were also very interesting, and they had their own space in the story.

The one thing that disappointed me a little was the lack of romance. I mean I totally understand that Juliana had just come out of an abusing relationship, and there could not have been a lot of heavy scenes. But I would have appreciated if Ash and Juliana's feeling were explored a bit more depth. Otherwise the book was very entertaining and easy to read.

4.5 stars

A really enjoyable read. Like Jennifer Ashley's Captain Lacey it's based in the Georgian period, our heroine is a member of the aristocracy and there's a devious master criminal. It's probably worth stating that the assault prior to the murder could be a trigger for some people. Ash reminded me of Courtney Milan's Smite Turner but as I loved all these characters it isn't a bad thing. Ash family is delightful and I hope that we see more of Amelia and Silence.. I need to re-read the start as I must have scan read past the physical description of the hero in my eagerness to absorb the narrative. Julianna's journey from doll like debutante to self possessed investiagtor's assistant is a joy to behold. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wedding Night Affair
L.C. Sharpe
Ash and Juliana
Juliana wakes from her wedding night covered in the blood of her abusive husband who has a knife sticking out of his chest. It seems obvious she killed him - who else could have done it? Ash, a lawyer and favorite of the Bow St. Magistrate, resolves to answer that question. Marauding mobs, threats to be sent to a madhouse or to be married off to a pox ridden 70 year old are juxtaposed with adventures of exploring the underworld of London, making her first friend and experiencing normal life for the first time.
This is the first of a series and I can’t wait to read on. I would recommend this book to my patrons and friends.