From the bestselling Australian author of The Hating Game, now a major motion picture, comes something a little unexpected… an historical rom-com that imagines Victor Frankenstein’s sheltered younger sister’s attempts to create the perfect man.
Clever, pretty (and odd), Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors. When assisting in her brother Victor’s ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realises that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her.
When the handsome scientific miracle sits up on the lab table, her hopes for an instant romantic connection are thrown into disarray. Named Will for the moment, he has amnesia and is solely focused on uncovering his true identity. Trying to ignore their heart-pounding chemistry, Angelika reluctantly joins his investigation, hoping it will bring them closer. But then a second suitor emerges to aid their quest. Perhaps fate is not something that can be influenced in a laboratory? Or is Will (or whatever his name is!) her dream man, tailored for her in every way?
Filled with carriages, candlesticks and corpses, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky-season reimagining of the well-known classic that reminds us to never judge a man by his cadaver!
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
This fictitious historical rom-com is set in 1814 England in an alternate universe. It imagines Victor Frankenstein‘s sheltered beautiful younger sister, Angelika, wanting to create her perfect man. She has run out of suitors at the age of 24. So they work together in their own laboratory next to their home , using cadavers from the local morgue (for money which Victor has plenty of ). It is part of Victor‘s ground-breaking Experiment to bring a re-assembled man back to life. Angelika, after selecting her chosen body parts for her „match „ , sews them all together with her fine needle work stitches. I really enjoyed this novel. It literally brought the characters to life for me, enjoying the experiments, triumphs, emotions and life in the near-by village. To me, it portrayed the Frankenstein’s not being monsters, but „cool guys“. Hope you ENJOY .📚 Edith, SA, 5 Stars
So many aspects to this wonderful tale; hilarious and quirky characters, a mysterious hunt of identity, whilst simmering a passionate love story all at once! Quick paced and deliciously raunchy, I couldn’t put it down. Kylie, NSW, 5 Stars
A love story with intrigue, mystery and humour. I fell in love with Angelika Frankenstein from the beginning and her quest for love. The connections between all the characters draws you into their world. Lose yourself in this contemporary romantic story. Penny, QLD, 5 Stars
As the title may suggest, we know the Frankenstein story. But this is a love story with a twist. Angelika lives with her brother Victor and soon to be wife Lizzie in Blackthorne Manor, near Salisbury Village, England in 1814. And Mary, the housekeeper, who has looked after the family since before the siblings were born, who is very loyal and trusted. She has kept all their secrets through time. Angelika feels as though her time is running out to find a suitable suitor and along with Victor, works to create the perfect man from assembled parts she acquires from the local morgue. When their new creation comes to life, Angelika automatically falls in love with him but he is very hesitant. He does not remember who he is and has the need to find out. With the help of her brother, they start the search and hopefully in the end, Angelika might find her happy ever after, or not. I found this book very unputdownable and would highly recommend it. #BRPreview @betterreadingau @sallythorne @Goodreadsau Sue, NSW, 5 Stars
Sally Thorne has created an interesting take on the Frankenstein story with Angelika being the sister of Victor Frankenstein whose involvement in her brother’s experiments is always overlooked or ignored. Determined to find her love match she creates her “perfect man” only to learn that what she wanted was not necessarily what she needed. I enjoyed the storyline, with its ever present Sally Thorne humour throughout. It was well written. I found the story at times to be a little disjointed and the ‘competition’ for Angelika’s favour seemed a little contrived. It was a quick and easy read that I finished in one sitting. Thank you to Better Reading (#BRPreview) for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest opinion. Sheree, WA, 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this book – Jelly and her brother Victor living alone till one night they bring back to life two men who change their life’s forever. I was hooked and kept reading late into the night to finish so I knew what happened. The siblings are a horny pair but both have found their perfect match. Jelly just needs to convince her choice that they are the perfect couple. A different take on the Frankenstein story but it was cute and heart-warming. A must read if you like this type of story. Beth, TAS, 4 Stars
Angelika Frankenstein, sister to Victor, longs to make her match to avoid the near-certain future of being nanny, and eventually governess, to Victor’s children, seeing as how she is fast becoming the spinster, a woman left on the shelf….and so, ‘make’ her match she does. However, things don’t always go to plan and when her match awakens, he is shocked, at a loss and suffering from body dysmorphia (and who could blame him?). This story is a departure from Thorne’s previous books. There is still a lot of dry, subtle humour and offbeat characters, some truly heartfelt moments, longing, and lessons to be learned, but it is a mashup of genres, and you need to suspend belief (which you should already know to do given that corpses are being reanimated), because this is not a ‘typical’ rom-com. I would describe this read as a reimagined Gothic tale, with shades of the paranormal and quirky romance, so if those are your things, dive on in. Aotea, QLD, 4 Stars
A quirky retelling of a literary classic, Angelika Frankenstein Makes her Match by Sally Thorne, is a humour filled romantic comedy that is not for the faint of heart. A little way from my usual reading tastes, and as a Sally Thorne ‘virgin’, I went into reading this odd tale with zero expectations and became quickly engrossed. A little bit Bridgerton, a little bit Tim Burton; this tale introduces us to a cacophony of loveable characters (including one very smitten pig) in the delightfully spooky setting of Blackthorne Manor and its’ surrounds. I was glad to witness the personal growth experienced by both Angelika, and her brother Victor throughout the story, as they begin to realise that there is more to life than their own selfishness and their unorthodox scientific experiments. Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable and easy read, full of fun banter, friendships, romance and a good deal of sex (this was to me, entirely unexpected, at least for the first 10 pages). A heart warming tale, perfect for those who are seeking a side of mystery with their romance. Emilia, QLD, 4 Stars
This book was entertaining and enjoyable. The author, Sally Thorne, engaged readers in an incredible book. Thorne has a great way with words and that shone through her writing. This book was a wonderful, heart-warming story that incorporated the right amounts of humour and passion. This feel-good book’ mystery had me holding my breath. I relished the book as Angelika Frankenstein unravels her life story. I adored every part of this book and can’t wait to read more Sally Thorne books! Nishka, NSW, 4 Stars
Thank you to Better Reading for the early preview of this novel. Angelika Frankenstein, THE sister of Victor Frankenstein is looking for her perfect match. Why look when you can create? I loved this witty, funny, dirty rom com set in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Such a unique utterly loony storyline that will keep you intrigued until the very end. Nektaria, VIC, 4 Stars
A great twist on the well known tale where we now have a female protagonist as the creator. She lives in the shadow of her brother because of the time, but we see the true genius she is next to the juxtaposition of her very feminine want for live and protection. The relationships with her brother, sister in law, monster and suitor all show different parts of Angelika’s personality. Everything she does and wants is done in abundance. This is a great story to slip away into a world of fantasy and forgiveness for just a little while… Tina, QLD, 4 Stars
I’m sure that at some time we would like to change the appearance of someone we love, but not completely make a new person. This book is a love story with a difference. Set in the 1800s scientific experiments go a bit wrong. Easy to read and enjoyable because of its difference. Vivien, ACT, 4 Stars
I totally love this book. Sally never disappoints. This is an historical romcom book. This book is not your regular romance book. It is page turner, I couldn’t drop it. I finished reading it in 2 days. I love how the characters developed. Angelika and her brother Victor, I enjoyed their conversations and banters a lot. I definitely recommend this book. Yewande, VIC, 4 Stars
Sally Thorne has a change of style in this book which turns the famous Frankenstein story into a rom-com and provides an alternative version to the story. It was an interesting concept and introduced me to the world of Frankenstein Fan Fiction. The book was a bit slow to get into, however once I was used to the characters and style of writing my enjoyment of the book grew and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. There are some outlandish characters in this book, who you can’t help cheering on. I’ll be back to read more from Sally Thorne. Rebecca, ACT, 3 Stars
Sally Thorne’s book ‘Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match’ is a light hearted take on creating a ‘Frankenstein’ monster. Victor and his sister Angelika Frankenstein both create ‘Frankenstein’ monsters. While Victor is creating a monster for science, Angelika’s creation is to be some one to fall in love with, but will her monster love her back? You will need to read the book to find out! Julie, VIC, 3 Stars
This is a quirky tale set in 1814 and revolves around Angelika and Victor Frankenstein and the creation of a man from assorted body parts obtained from the mortuary. Angelika is 24 and unmarried, an old spinster for those times. Will having a captive audience in her home finally provide Angelika with a man who will fall in love with her? With a cast of wacky characters this is an engaging tale that would possibly appeal to the younger audience. It felt a little slow paced for my taste but was amusing. I did enjoy the conclusion. Karan, VIC, 3 Stars
Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is a light-hearted alternative to the normally dark original. With great character development and a delightful view into the quirky side of Victorian England, this romantic romp is quite a fun ride. Similar in part to classic literature pieces as “Emma” & “Sense and Sensibility”, the nuances of English nobility and even the role of religion is brought to the fore. Whilst not a cracking pace, the story unfolds and ambles along at a pace that is both engaging and often frustrating. The title character is, of course, central to the story and it’s her interactions with her brother, her staff and the object of her affection all add up to a study into a confused but confident young woman who gradually develops self awareness and a social awareness that went previously unnoticed. This book will appeal to Sci-fi, horror and English literature enthusiasts. Brad, VIC, 3 Stars
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