Emma R. AlbanRezensionen

Beautifully written, such a subtle take on a theme that can be quite controversial.

Could not put this one down! I CANNOT WAIT for the sequel!

It was all fun and sapphic longing and beauty and sadness but I can't help but thinking how convienent that their parents had the connection they did. What are the chances? So in the back of my mind I keep thinking how unrealistic the situation is and then I think about all of the women in the 19th century who went through this and lived through the worst possible circumstances. Then I got sad.

Which is not the book's fault I'm just an overthinking lesbian.½

I didn't love this as much as the first book, but I think that's because I don't love the enemies-to-lovers trope. I did love the characters -- Bobby and James and the whole extended family (the good ones), and I love love love queer characters succeeding at found family and setting up safety for themselves. Very satisfying on that front. The one note that really felt off was the wedding scene -- is this supposed to be Victorian? Somehow I thought it was meant to be earlier, and the costumes described were really off for me. Especially given that there's a photographer? Eh, ok, I think it works as late Victorian. Anyway -- it is exactly as advertised, and that's sweet and infuriating and full of people fighting to care for each other.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.

It's the mid 1850s London and Beth and Gwen are each attending coming out balls in order to find a suitable match. It's Gwen's fourth and Beth's first. Beth is in dire need of finding a rich husband as she and her mother will be kicked out of their house at the end of the 'season'

The girls meet at the first ball and become fast friends. They soon realize that Beth's widowed mother and Gwen's widowed father were once a 'thing' and it seems that the spark, though tamped down, is still there. Their marriage would also eliminate the need for Beth to find a husband.

As the two girls scheme to get their parents together, they find that their friendship is blooming into something more...a relationship that is not tolerated in Victorian times. Could their parents' marriage be the answer to their prayers as well?

A fun read.

I enjoyed the fact that Gwen and her father were so similar, with them both being troublemakers with a heart of gold. I will say the first half of this book really did feel like a straight romance with only a side of F/F. But it did pull back around in the latter half of the book. I also appreciate the fact that the big challenge wasn't the taboo of women loving women or the society's expectations/pressures, that felt like something a little different in this niche? It was cool that their friends were involved in the plotting and hijinks. Definitely curious to see where the next book goes from here.

A lighthearted historical Sapphic friends to lovers story with a parent trap subplot.

Beth and Gwen became fast friends at Beth's first ball of the season. When the two women (ages twenty and twenty-one) find out Beth's mother and Gwen's father were in love with each other in their own youth, the two can't resist matchmaking their widowed parents. As they scheme, Beth and Gwen start falling for each other, but Beth needs to marry to ensure security for herself and her mother. What are two debutantes to do?

I love a story with supportive friends and family, and this one does not disappoint. I did find it a bit weird that Beth and Gwen were scheming to become stepsisters in no small part so they could stay together, but it fits the historical setting, and the author did a good job of not making it seem too strange. I also liked the political background of the act passing that would allow women to divorce.

Beth and Gwen are interesting, dynamic characters who care deeply about their parents and other family. Gwen is just a little bit spoiled and petulant, and Beth has the righteous attitude of being young. I'd definitely recommend this for people who love historical Sapphic romance with a splash of spice.

Sweet and hot, with wonderful characters and more than a few hijinks. I love that Gwen and Beth are kind of bad at overcoming obstacles, because it allows their delightful wider circle of friends and family members to get in on the action and help out. Love the double romance, love the kindness that lurks throughout, love the intensity. Great fun!

Advanced reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.