A great hero with a disarming personality and an enticing brother makes an appealing start. However, when paired with a clichéd heroine and less than riveting mystery, it all results in an average read for me. The first chapter grabbed my attention but after the hero and heroine are introduced, my hopes for a unique story were dampened. While it is not quite an insipid story, A Midsummer Night’s Sin is not an enthralling one either.

Robin Goodfellow Blackthorn(also known as Puck) sets fashion in Paris. He has only to ride a unique strawberry roan stallion to have sales of similar horses soar. He lets his hair grow and the men follow his lead, even utilizing wigs. As the darling of Paris salons, his illegitimate status poses no impediment, but once back in England, it is a notable obstacle. In fact, he can’t get his foot in the door of any decent establishments. Luckily he is not aiming as high as his brother, Beau, and of course his other brother Jack eschews society completely. Puck happens to come across Jack and a few of his tonnish friends while they are on a mission for the Crown, and he is not above blackmail to get what he wants. With their patronage, he plans to attend Lady Fortesque’s masked ball.

Both Regina Hackett and her cousin Miranda are considered commodities by their fathers. Regina’s wealthy merchant father has plans to buy her a titled husband, while Miranda’s titled father desperately needs an influx of funds and plans to sell her to the highest bidder. So when Miranda proposes that they drop in on Lady Fortesque’s ball, Regina agrees. Why shouldn’t they have a little amusement? She only stipulates that they stay together, and leave within an hour.

Regina and Puck meet when they almost collide at the ball. Since Puck has been told that only ladies of questionable virtue are in attendance, he assumes that Regina is experienced. He maneuvers her into the garden for a dance and more. He soon learns of his mistake, when Regina threatens him with a hat pin. Rushing back into the dance, Regina searches for her cousin. No sooner does she join the rest of the crowd then they start de-masking. Panic-stricken at the thought of the ensuing scandal if she and her cousin are discovered there, she accepts Puck’s help.

After an intensive search they discover Miranda’s silk domino and half mask in the garden, along with signs of a struggle. They also discover that someone seems to have a proclivity for kidnapping young women with blond hair. Thinking that things couldn’t get worse, Regina is astonished to see her father in queue for his turn with a strumpet. Quickly making their escape, Regina with Puck’s help fabricates a tale involving an attack and kidnapping by brigands to explain Miranda’s missing status. Miranda’s parents believe this tall tale, but when Regina tries the same story on her father, he informs her that he saw her at Lady Fortesque’s ball. He also informs her that Miranda is better off dead, since she is probably now no more than a whore. They next day though he singing a different tune, telling Miranda’s parents that she probably just eloped and they need to concentrate their search efforts toward Gretna, which completely confuses Regina.

Puck agrees to search for Miranda, and soon Regina has him convinced that he needs her assistance. And then Puck discovers that the Crown and his brother Jack are investigating the disappearance of these young women, too

To be perfectly honest, I would have enjoyed the book more without the mystery. Ms. Michaels has an engaging way with dialogue and humor, but you don’t see much of that talent except at the very beginning and end of the book. Puck started out as a very fun, amusing character but his personality is soon overshadowed by the mystery. While he still is mischievous and charming at times, the tone of the book becomes serious and predictable. Hero and heroine meet and he mistakes her for soiled dove. Next they are thrown together searching for the missing girl. Sheltered young miss is suddenly insistent on accompanying hero into dangerous scenarios. And of course this time alone leads to a new level of intimacy. While Regina is not a complete hoyden, she too easily adapts to a new type of behavior.

While this is the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. The next book should be about Jack, the middle brother. I do have to say that he definitely intrigued me. So while I found this book just average, I am open to reading the next one.