First the blurb, for context:
A seductive thief
Lady’s maid Molly Wilkins is done with thieving—and cheating and stabbing and all the rest of it. She’s determined to keep her hands to herself, so she really shouldn’t be tempted to seduce her employer’s prim and proper companion, Alice. But how can she resist when Alice can’t seem to keep her eyes off Molly?
Finds her own heart
For the first time in her life, Alice Stapleton has absolutely nothing to do. The only thing that seems to occupy her thoughts is a lady’s maid with a sharp tongue and a beautiful mouth. Her determination to know Molly’s secrets has her behaving in ways she never imagined as she begins to fall for the impertinent woman.
Has been stolen
When an unwelcome specter from Alice’s past shows up unexpectedly at a house party, Molly volunteers to help the only way she knows how: with a little bit of mischief.
And now this is when I say that the blurb doesn’t do this little gem justice. It really doesn’t do much for the two main characters, either, who are lovely separately, and even lovelier together. It makes Molly seem like a common thief, and Alice like a boring nobody. They are both much more three-dimensional than that, much more charming and likable, too.
A Little Light Mischief is a return to form for Cat Sebastian. I haven’t really enjoyed her last several published books as much as her previous ones; but also, it’s literally a return to her first series, The Turners. There’s even a little cameo from Jack and Oliver from the first book. I just really loved the whole atmosphere of this book; it felt very playful both in the plot and in the relationship between Molly and Alice, yet it took their emotional arcs seriously.
When I heard this was a novella, I was a bit disappointed, but now having read it I think that’s the perfect length. There was just the right amount of story to fit in a 100 pages, and I’m glad she didn’t try to stretch it out with manufactured drama.
[4.5 stars]