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shoelessmama 's review for:
The Portrait
by Emilia Kelly
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
It's been a while since I've read a well-done gothic suspense/romance. This one perfectly scratched that itch. If I had to pick one genre to read for the rest of my life it would be in this arena. Iris irritated me at first... those who overly dote on family members, especially to the level of self-sacrificing their own happiness, often do. However, as I learned more behind why she was that way it made sense and felt more believable and less of a trope. Thomas James had just a dash enough Darcy while also completely being a distinct character himself... really loved the brooding artist. Winston gave me the ick from the get-go and I don't think him being a creep is much of a spoiler. While I saw that coming I was fully invested in what the mystery was behind his ickiness. Even though it was quite clear where this story was headed I really enjoyed filling in the missing details of how we were to get there. I also had fun researching the glass palace (I've seen the remains and never knew what they were), the Great Exposition of 1851, and the paintings that served as inspiration for the author. Highly recommended.