Wit and Sin

Reviewed for Wit and Sin

Serious Moonlight makes my heart sing. Romance, mystery, characters you can root for, and sparkling dialogue – what’s not to love? I found this book to be utterly irresistible and I absolutely hated whenever I had to put it down.

Birdie and Daniel grabbed my heart from the first and didn’t let go. Birdie spent the first ten years of her life being raised by her mother and eccentric aunt, but after her mother died she was raised by grandparents who sheltered her from everything. Now she is venturing out into the world, a smart, kind eighteen-year-old who may be slightly naïve, but is still an interesting, endearing heroine whose passion for mysteries is simply infectious. She’s cautious in the beginning of the story for reasons that make sense and I loved watching her spread her wings and grow as a character of the course of the book. As for Daniel…well, I absolutely loved him and thinking about him makes me smile even now that I’ve finished the book. On the surface, he’s sunshine. He charmed my socks off immediately and he’s a sweet, funny, slightly quirky hero. But there is more to Daniel than meets the eye and I loved watching Birdie pull back the layers and learn the whole of him. Neither of them is perfect, but they’re perfectly adorable together. When they team up to solve a mystery of a reclusive author meeting someone at the hotel where they both work the nightshift, they perfectly channel a younger (and far more sober) Nick and Nora Charles. The mystery storyline is fun and it allows Birdie and Daniel to grow closer so their romance develops organically. The two of them are magic together and made the pages of Serious Moonlight fly by.

Serious Moonlight isn’t all sprightly banter between teenage sleuths. There are very real mental and physical health issues present in this book. Jenn Bennett handles these realistic issues with honesty and sensitivity. She also showcases various types of family units and Birdie and Daniel’s families endeared themselves to me every bit as much as the main pair (especially Birdie’s vivacious Aunt Mona). This is also a sex-positive story, which is wonderful to see. All of these elements come together to ground the story in reality and Ms. Bennett seamlessly weaves them in with the lighter, quirkier parts of the book.

I absolutely loved Serious Moonlight. I happened to read it after a particularly trying week at work and it lifted my mood when nothing else could. Jenn Bennett’s writing is flawless, her characters vibrant and endearing, and the story is funny, heartwarming, and completely unforgettable.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.