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menshevixen's review
4.0
Slight tangent: when I was a kid I was super into [b:The Serpent's Shadow|13997|The Serpent's Shadow (Elemental Masters, #1)|Mercedes Lackey|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406635564s/13997.jpg|2616], which has some issues with Orientalism, exoticizing characters, and troubling racial tropes. So part of why I liked The Heart of a Bluestocking so much was that it reminded me of some of the best things about The Serpent's Shadow (Victorian lady doctor! biracial main character! suffragettes!) while clearly containing a lot more thought and sensitivity toward portraying its British-Indian characters. Other things I loved: an even-keeled, educated heroine who knows her worth; a charismatic, funny hero who's super invested in his lady's pleasure; top-notch banter; SANJAY, the low-key fave; queer supporting characters; and a good old-fashioned bookie scheme. I'll definitely be checking out the other books in the Bluestocking series!
julesg's review
5.0
The third book in the Bluestocking series does not disappoint.
When Claire and Ravi meet for the first time, Claire needs a lawyer and is caught off-guard by Ravi's obvious genetic heritage. Likewise, Ravi is astonished to see a female doctor who doesn't only take care of two practices but also helps her father with his company.
Claire doesn't want to get involved with a man, her reasons -which I am not giving away here- are plausible. Ravi needs to find a wife, but clearly Claire is the wrong person for so many reasons.
Finding their HEA is a wonderful story that also gives insight into British society at the end of the 19th century, when women were not allowed to get an education or even vote and would become their husband's property upon marriage, when skin colour mattered more than accomplishments even in higher classes, and when medicine was on the brink of becoming modern and stepping away from quackery.
I loved this book so much that I forgave the author the use of a word that wasn't to become part of the English vocabulary for another twenty to thirty years. ;-)
When Claire and Ravi meet for the first time, Claire needs a lawyer and is caught off-guard by Ravi's obvious genetic heritage. Likewise, Ravi is astonished to see a female doctor who doesn't only take care of two practices but also helps her father with his company.
Claire doesn't want to get involved with a man, her reasons -which I am not giving away here- are plausible. Ravi needs to find a wife, but clearly Claire is the wrong person for so many reasons.
Finding their HEA is a wonderful story that also gives insight into British society at the end of the 19th century, when women were not allowed to get an education or even vote and would become their husband's property upon marriage, when skin colour mattered more than accomplishments even in higher classes, and when medicine was on the brink of becoming modern and stepping away from quackery.
I loved this book so much that I forgave the author the use of a word that wasn't to become part of the English vocabulary for another twenty to thirty years. ;-)
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