A Wager at Midnight is a fun romance laden with tension, humor, and a real sense of history. I loved the supporting characters, liked the central romance, and overall felt a sense of peace as I was reading it.

Scarlett Wilcox is a strong willed spinster whose lifelong curiosity about medicine has been driven by her desire to keep a friend from going blind due to her cataracts. Determined to become a doctor, treat her friend and not get caught doing either, she goes to medical lectures dressed as a man – her own dead twin brother. When she’s unexpectedly unmasked at one of those lecture, her situation becomes sticky, to say the least. Fortunately, her family’s doctor steps in and vouches for her, claiming Scarlett as a distant cousin.

Stephen Carew loves Jane Austen and his patients, and the last thing he needs is a walking complication like Scarlett. A Trinidad native, his aunties are pushing something fierce for him to get married, already. Scarlett might be a nice, easy out for him regarding that – even if she’s not the demure bride he’s been envisioning. Scarlett and Stephen think they have a perfect solution to their problems – but might love rise to complicate everything?

A Wager at Midnight has a smart heroine, a stubborn hero with a sensitive streak, and a lovely plot. Unfortunately, reading the first book is de rigueur here – the family is in debt for reasons that will make more sense of you read both books in the series – but that’s a minor point. It’s a fun, quick read with lots of great banter.

Trinidad culture is explored here beautifully – the aunties, the cuisine, the way the book plays out Stephen’s courtship of Scarlett. Scarlett felt credibly modern in a way that made sense for her. And I really enjoyed the push-pull banter between them, which felt natural.

The supporting characters are fantastic here, and the setting delicious. Aside from some bumpy narrative moments I won’t spoil for plot reasons and the fact that you need to read the first book to make this one make more sense, A Wager At Midnight is one fine romance.