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A review by ericas_bookshelf
Mrs. Martin's Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This romance is so sweet and tender, and yet somehow full of pure feminine rage as well. Literally the only reason this wasn’t a full 5⭐️ for me was because I wanted MORE. The romance just didn’t occupy enough of the story for me haha. Honestly if it was a full length novel, I think I would’ve liked it more. Because the romance genre desperately needs more representation like this. The discussions of aging, falling in love, and desiring intimacy as you age, were so beautiful to read. Again, I wish this was a full length novel. I especially loved the scene where they discuss how nature is perceived and admired vs women’s aging bodies, it was so therapeutic and full of rage. I adored it!
Overall this is a light, fun read, with lesbians falling in love, making cheese toasties, and fighting the patriarchy together 🥳
Some quotes I loved:
“Her heart was wrapped in suffocating folds of cloth, each layer a regret made of things she’d never said.”
“Lover wasn’t a close enough word. What did you call the person who made your life worth living? What did you call her, when you weren’t supposed to even have her at all?”
“I am lonely and I’m sad and I’m so, so scared. People tell me that I am supposed to mellow with age, but I care as fiercely as ever. And caring hurts. I’m frightened of caring.”
“You really shouldn’t blame men for everything.”
“No, just the ninety-eight percent of society’s ills they’re responsible for.”
“It was amazing how years of mere existence had taught Violetta to hate herself, as if simply existing in the impossible sea of society’s expectation put hateful scales over her eyes and made her believe that her own body was unworthy of love.”
Overall this is a light, fun read, with lesbians falling in love, making cheese toasties, and fighting the patriarchy together 🥳
Some quotes I loved:
“Her heart was wrapped in suffocating folds of cloth, each layer a regret made of things she’d never said.”
“Lover wasn’t a close enough word. What did you call the person who made your life worth living? What did you call her, when you weren’t supposed to even have her at all?”
“I am lonely and I’m sad and I’m so, so scared. People tell me that I am supposed to mellow with age, but I care as fiercely as ever. And caring hurts. I’m frightened of caring.”
“You really shouldn’t blame men for everything.”
“No, just the ninety-eight percent of society’s ills they’re responsible for.”
“It was amazing how years of mere existence had taught Violetta to hate herself, as if simply existing in the impossible sea of society’s expectation put hateful scales over her eyes and made her believe that her own body was unworthy of love.”