Scan barcode
kelisabeth's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
mayaism_01's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Alexis Hall's trans-heroine is such a fresh perspective in the historical romance genre that it's hard not to enjoy! Viola is such a strong and empathetic protagonist, and Gracewood is charismatic as the love interest. It's really fun seeing a male lead who has a lot of shit (trauma) but is actually trying to fix his shit (healthy coping mechanisms)! The love story has a lot of respect, good communication, and healthy boundaries that aren't typical of the genre that you love to see, I'd say my only shortcoming with the novel is that it's definitely too long and the last 15% had situation thrown in for some increased tension that I didn't really care for. Besides that, Hall continues to be one of my favourite queer romance writers and I'd definitely recommend all their books, including this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Grief, Dysphoria, and War
Moderate: Gun violence
jenna_gilb's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Transphobia
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
twistykris's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm so glad that this historical fiction book exists. I think it did a great job of showcasing queerness, transness, and disability in a thoughtful, emotional way. We love to see a happy trans woman live her happily ever after with a childhood friend-turned-lover! I also loved how Viola being trans wasn't a major source of conflict in the book. Viola is who she is and it was a relief to see her friends and loved ones accept and love her for it and it was so lovely to bask in her joy.
Admittedly, I don't read much historical fiction, so I did struggle with the dialogue and certain terms used (thanks, Kindle, for allowing me to pull up a dictionary so easily haha). There were also a couple pacing issues, as halfway through the book, things seemed to die down significantly, and I started to lose the joy I was feeling. I can appreciate a slow-burn, but a slow-burn plus the intricacies of relations between men and women in the 1800s was just agonizingly drawn out at times. However, I acknowledge that that's probably a Me thing, as I'm not used to historical fiction and “proper” regency era romance books.
Also the wild event that happens at 90% of the way into the book felt sort of thrown in? But the epilogue was so sweet and made me tear up.
Admittedly, I don't read much historical fiction, so I did struggle with the dialogue and certain terms used (thanks, Kindle, for allowing me to pull up a dictionary so easily haha). There were also a couple pacing issues, as halfway through the book, things seemed to die down significantly, and I started to lose the joy I was feeling. I can appreciate a slow-burn, but a slow-burn plus the intricacies of relations between men and women in the 1800s was just agonizingly drawn out at times. However, I acknowledge that that's probably a Me thing, as I'm not used to historical fiction and “proper” regency era romance books.
Also the wild event that happens at 90% of the way into the book felt sort of thrown in? But the epilogue was so sweet and made me tear up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism, Deadnaming, Mental illness, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Transphobia, and Kidnapping
danaslitlist's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to read a historical fiction book that handled queerness, transness and disability in such an intentional and considerate manner. In a genre where elitist readers claim wanting historical accuracy, while also allowing for all rules to be broken if it fulfills tropes and desires, in order to exclude characters who queer, trans, BIPOC, disabled in leading roles, etc it was a wonderful surprise to have so many characters be of these groups or be supportive allies. And guess what? That doesn’t jeopardize the believability or immersion of the text.
Queer and trans people have always existed. Point blank period, we have been in the world, and it’s about time we have more novels like this exist and are praised.
Not to mention that the book itself is beautifully written and feels like a “proper” regency era romance and not like a book trying to be one. The prose is spectacular, the flirting and building of tension between characters was palpable, and the cast of characters all felt real and genuine.
I think one of the strongest areas of this book is the way that Viola being trans is not the main source of conflict in this book; in that her identity and being herself is not the basis for resentment. And that Viola is loved and respected and cared for by so many allows for the readers to bask in trans joy.
This would’ve been a five star read but I felt that the last plot point that was introduced around the 90% mark was a bit out of the blue and unnecessary. The book would’ve been fine without it, if not better had it not been included so last minute.
Queer and trans people have always existed. Point blank period, we have been in the world, and it’s about time we have more novels like this exist and are praised.
Not to mention that the book itself is beautifully written and feels like a “proper” regency era romance and not like a book trying to be one. The prose is spectacular, the flirting and building of tension between characters was palpable, and the cast of characters all felt real and genuine.
I think one of the strongest areas of this book is the way that Viola being trans is not the main source of conflict in this book; in that her identity and being herself is not the basis for resentment. And that Viola is loved and respected and cared for by so many allows for the readers to bask in trans joy.
This would’ve been a five star read but I felt that the last plot point that was introduced around the 90% mark was a bit out of the blue and unnecessary. The book would’ve been fine without it, if not better had it not been included so last minute.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexism, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Minor: Transphobia
shingekiyes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
this book is 👩🏼🍳💋 such a beautiful, emotional look into the trans experience in an era where femininity and masculinity were so rigidly defined and performative. really calls into question what it means to be a woman, a man, a person. AND there’s a gorgeous, heart wrenching friends-to-lovers romance that i didn’t expect to feel so deeply.
the final chapters (Mira’s plot) were a
bit jarring and confusing, but i felt like they added a fun, adventurous element to an overall slow story.
i adore Viola, i adore Gracewood (he’s so pathetic and dumb i love it), i adore Mira, and i LOVED the epilogue of their future.
what a fantastic read! i will be recommending to all my romance/regency era fan friends.
the final chapters (Mira’s plot) were a
bit jarring and confusing, but i felt like they added a fun, adventurous element to an overall slow story.
i adore Viola, i adore Gracewood (he’s so pathetic and dumb i love it), i adore Mira, and i LOVED the epilogue of their future.
what a fantastic read! i will be recommending to all my romance/regency era fan friends.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia and Violence
ireadinbed's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is the first *romance* i have finished and loved this year!
Very well written, the characters were so lovable, it subverted a lot of my expectations and really let my brain conjure a lot of texture in my brain movie.
Maybe one too many big hinge mom3nts but i was hooked!
Will read more from this author.
Very well written, the characters were so lovable, it subverted a lot of my expectations and really let my brain conjure a lot of texture in my brain movie.
Maybe one too many big hinge mom3nts but i was hooked!
Will read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Violence and Vomit
Minor: Gun violence and Transphobia
rhythmofryn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I feel like a weirdo for saying this but I wanted more conflict that Viola was trans in a society that had no cultural perception of transgender people. I feel like the other characters basically accepted her almost immediately and even today, that doesn’t happen when someone transitions. The author, Alexis Hall, raises some interesting questions about what does historical fiction even mean and if there’s value in writing stories that are just constant suffering for queer people in the name of historical accuracy. This book definitely is good for thought. I definitely could have also done without the last 25% of the book because that particular conflict felt unnecessary and overly seedy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Sexual assault
tesshersh's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Loved the first 75%, the last quarter could’ve been completely cut out and I would’ve been totally fine :P but all in all very enjoyable!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Deadnaming, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and War
Moderate: Child abuse
analenegrace's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I've read most of Alexis Hall's books, and I do think this might be my favorite. From a cis-gendered perspective, I found that Hall took on the topic of being trans in this historical period and did it fairly well while making all of his characters accepting of Viola's identity because, at the end of the day, it's fiction and its romance, which needs a happy-ever-after. Hall did a good job of taking modern ideas, of transness, PTSD, bisexuality, etc, and fitting them into a historical context in a natural way that did not feel like prescribing modern terminology to the characters and the period. I enjoyed Justin and Viola's relationship greatly, and I liked that it had some aspect of adventure to it, and I look forward to reading the sequel, which I imagine will be about Mira.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Transphobia, Grief, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism