Review: The 12th Kiss

The 12th Kiss
by Laura N. Hogg

Relief Moore is an American in London. She can fight and dresses as Raphael to battle crime.

Lord Cheltham befriends Raphael. They peruse the streets stopping lawlessness. He doesn't know that Raphael is the woman he's in love with. When he finds out, he tries to stop her escapades, but she won't have it.

Relief “Leafy” Moore, a young lady of high bred society, cannot seem to live a life without adventure. In order to satisfy her desire for adventure she alters her appearance and frequents the streets of London as Raphael, a young lad that saves the citizens from crime. On one of “his” many escapades he meets Lord Cheltham, a young Lord who is enamored with Relief Moore. Fascinated with Relief and curious about Raphael, Cheltham decides to join Raphael on his many adventures in order to gain more information about his love interest, never suspecting that the young lad he admires so much and the object of his affection are one and the same.

As their relationship progresses however, Relief cannot bring herself to let Cheltham know about her other personality. What will Cheltham do when he realizes her secret? Can their relationship survive? Can they stay strong against the forces that want to separate and destroy them?

This was a very interesting novel to read. I chose this book because of the different personalities that the main character Relief portrays. Many times when thinking about historical women, we tend to consider them as frail and weak, with only frivolous things on their minds. Reading this novel made me realize that there were women, even back then, who wanted to be independent and admired for more than just their outward appearance. It made me thankful for women who like Relief stood strong against society’s definition of womanhood, so that today in the present we can enjoy a measure of womanly freedom.

The novel is an attention grabber due to its unique story line. However, there are many instances in this novel where events in the past are recounted in often lengthy dialogues. These parts became a bit difficult to get through. I believe if they were converted to an actual replay of the events, it would be easier to understand and read. Otherwise, this is a great historical read with exciting twists and turns!



Jasmine