The Wedding Night Affair

Light on romance but simmering with suspense, Sharp’s debut and Ash and Juliana series launch kicks off when a new bride is accused of murdering her husband in 1748 London. Juliana, Lady Godfrey Uppingham, wakes the morning after her painful wedding night to discover that her vile new husband has been stabbed to death. Though she is the prime suspect in the murder, she protests that all she remembers of the night before is enduring rough, abusive sex and falling asleep. Juliana finds a champion in Sir Edmund “Ash” Ashendon, the lawyer who questions her on behalf of the local magistrate and takes her to his home where she remains under house arrest pending trial. Ash agrees to represent Juliana, and sets to work proving her innocence. As the body count rises, the danger to Juliana becomes more apparent and Ash’s determination to protect her only grows. His investigation leads him to uncover Juliana’s deceased husband’s sinister business alliances and to suspect the elusive Raven, a Robin Hood–like outlaw, may be connected to the murders. Sharp effortlessly combines mystery, politics, and a tantalizing first blush of romance into one fast-paced package. Readers will eagerly await the next installment.[em] (May) [/em]