The Trouble with Moonlight (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Another fabulously funny and sexy romp from the author of The Education of Mrs. Brimley

In the midst of a moonlit safecracking mission, British spy James Locke witnesses a ruby necklace spirited away as if by conjurer’s trick. Following the jewels leads him to Lusinda Havershaw, who’s inherited the talent of turning invisible in the moonlight—at least, the parts of her that are unclothed. Locke trains Lusinda in espionage, even while he finds her close proximity bewitchingly distracting. And as their mission to track Russian spies grows treacherous, they’ll find that the heart behaves even more mysteriously than Lusinda in the moonlight

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425221989
• ISBN-13: 978-0425221983
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #418,458 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just can't get on the virtue train..., June 16, 2008

By	H. Grove "owling6683" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Fair warning: historical romances aren't my favorite genre. I also don't have the kind of background to tell you just how accurate (or not) the historical aspects are. So I'll tackle the rest of the story and let other reviewers help you with those parts!

Part of the reason for my lack of patience with historical romances is that I just can't get into the whole female "I must preserve my virtue & reputation" angst. When that seems to be the majority of the force keeping two people apart, I get impatient and annoyed with the characters. If you enjoy that kind of romance---and I know there are plenty of readers that do---then I expect you'll like this one much more than I did.

In the case of The Trouble with Moonlight, the whole virtue/virginal thing also lead to a scene that... Well, lets just say that a scene that can result in a woman saying she accidentally lost her virginity makes me roll my eyes. It came across as silly---and not in a planned, entertaining way.

To finish getting the things I wasn't so fond of out of the way, the heroine struck me as inconsistent. One minute she was reveling in the freedom of walking naked and invisible in front of London's population, and the next she was as uptight as any historical lass. Also, there were several times when I found it hard to believe she couldn't identify the bad guy---she kept recognizing that his voice was familiar, and she was familiar with so few men at that point that this should have been sufficient for identification.

Unfortunately, however, you probably now think I didn't like this book, and that isn't the case. I loved the original premise of Lusinda's people and their hinted-at detailed background. Locke was a wonderfully fresh hero character, and he and Lusinda had lovely chemistry. The book was paced beautifully and I found it hard to put it down in order to get some sleep. I think that someone who appreciates the conventions of historicals more than I do would get a lot more out of it than I did.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, June 5, 2008

By	Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

To support her sisters and aunt, Lusinda "Sinda" Havershaw slips through the London nights to recover lost or stolen items for a fee. Sinda's family is one of the rare Nevidimi. Upon becoming a woman, many of them gain special talents. Sinda considers her talent to be a curse. Sinda soaks up moonlight and becomes invisible. Yet clothing does not turn invisible. This is why her recovery business must be done without any clothes. If the moon is not full, Sinda must take time to soak up moonlight in order to phase into invisibility. Whenever talk begins about ghosts and spirits, the Havershaw family moves away to avoid discovery.

British spy James Locke is in the middle of cracking open a safe when he hears footsteps approaching. He hides and ends up astonished when he witnesses a ruby necklace steal out of the safe without any help. As the ruby necklace retreats, James follows. Now knowing Sinda's ability, he enlists her reluctant services to help him locate and retrieve a list containing the name of British agents.

Lusinda wants nothing to do with espionage, but to protect her family and earn more money to help them through the winter months she agrees. As James teaches Sinda lock picking, safecracking, and other tools of the trade, the two begin to find their close proximity to be very distracting. But can Sinda trust James to keep her secrets? Can James allow someone to become close to him and risk them being used against him sometime in the future?

***** Though this story focuses on Lusinda, her sister, Portia, begins to show some talents too by the ending. I hope Portia (and perhaps Rhea) will get a story someday. That in no way means the sisters' will have the same ability though. The author makes it clear that chances are Portia's talent will be very different and even more fascinating. I cannot say more without spoilers, so I will stop now. This story's plot is mainly on retrieving the list of agents before it can reach the Russians. There are no real sub-plots, but there are some slight arrangements for possible future stories about some secondary characters. As with most great stories, this one begins in the middle of something exciting. In this case, it is James seeing the ruby necklace being taken by the invisible Sinda. The story does not slow down in the middle of the book, which is a delightful surprise for readers. All-in-all, this is an exciting trip into the dark alleys of treason. I look forward to the author's next book! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TwoLips Reviews Recommended Read, June 27, 2008

By	Linda D. Crooks (Bedford, OH USA) - See all my reviews

While cracking a safe belonging to Lord Pembroke in a search for a list of British operatives, James Locke can hardly believe his eyes. He hears the footsteps of someone entering the study, but he sees no one. Then he sees the drawers of the safe opening and closing as if by magic. Logic tells him there must be a reasonable explanation, but he's baffled. When a ruby necklace floats out the door seemingly carried by nothing but air, he takes pursuit.

Lusinda Havershaw arrives home with the unsettling knowledge that she was seen taking the necklace. Little does she know that man followed her and is determined to discover her secret. Locke sets a trap and forces Lusinda to explain her extraordinary ability: she becomes invisible in moonlight. He proposes that she become a spy, but she's reluctant. Finally, she agrees because she's tired of running any time she faces the threat of being discovered. The notion of being protected by the Crown instead of being persecuted for her strange ability is new to Lusinda, but not unappealing. This may be her chance to provide a somewhat stable life for her younger sisters.

Meanwhile, Locke is trying to remember that it's a bad idea to develop any real feelings for Lusinda. No attachments. That's the code for spies like him. But this beautiful and compelling young woman poses a very serious challenge to his resolve.

Take the lively, engaging writing style of Donna MacMeans and combine it with a fresh paranormal twist in a popular historical setting and you've got a surefire winner. The characters in The Trouble With Moonlight are brought to life by this immensely talented author, and readers will feel Locke and Sinda's first kiss right down to their toes. With enough twists and turns to keep readers turning pages late into the night, The Trouble With Moonlight will undoubtedly find its way into hearts and keeper shelves. Definitely recommended.

~Lindy
Reviewer, TwoLips Reviews, LLC
www.TwoLipsReviews.com