A Little Light Mischief: A Turner Series Lesbian Historical Romance – Forbidden Desire in Regency England

London, January 1818 Molly Wilkins is happy to be a lady's maid, it's so much better than the life she led before. Alice Stapleton is bored; she's grateful that Mrs Wraxall took her in as a companion, but Alice is not used to being decorative and embroidering handkerchiefs. This leaves her ample time to ogle Molly, and wonder if Molly is on the up-and-up. One evening Alice follows Molly on one of her mysterious errands. And it was the beginning of a very beautiful friendship. A LITTLE LIGHT MISCHIEF is a lovely F/F romance, lovingly written with just a touch of steam. It was nice that the aristocracy was in the background, it gives us a look at how the other half lives. I absolutely adored Molly, so straightforward, no-nonsense, and very clever. Alice, as a vicar's daughter never had a chance to assert herself, but getting closer to Molly emboldens her, and she finally fights for what's hers. It was interesting to see that both women were much more alike than they had assumed. And what terrific banter they shared! Of course, I would have loved for this novella to be longer; I can't get enough of Cat Sebastian. But I was a little disappointed as the book is even shorter than I expected, because it contains a lengthy excerpt of A Duke in Disguise. Still, we get the necessary backstories, a solid plot, justice at last for Alice, and several sweet and touching moments. The ending and the (too short) epilogues are wonderful, even though I wanted more. Given the length of this…

This story can be read without the others in the Turner Series, though I highly recommend them. It also shows how women have both more and less freedom to choose their paths in life during this time period. Molly and Alice are both trapped by financial circumstances, but their ability to share a room is no cause for suspicion. Their enforced close quarters creates a growing attraction that develops into a friendship before evolving into anything more. Molly gives Alice the confidence to take back a measure of control in her life, and Alice accepts Molly’s history along with her current status. I delighted in the women’s connection, though I wish Molly had experienced more character growth along with Alice. A sweet story not to be missed by fans of this author. (Bonus points for bisexual representation that is not used as a source of conflict!)

I really enjoyed this fun little novella! Cat Sebastian really excels at catching the nuances of falling in love (especially when you don't mean to!), and it really makes her stories a real joy to read. Good characters, and a sweet story. Very quick paced, but its a novella so not a huge issue.