Scarlet

 

Scarlet (Scarlet Revolution 1)- Genevieve Cogman

Ace

Release Date: May 9, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: It is 1793 and the French Revolution is in full swing. Vampires—usually rich and aristocratic—have slaked the guillotine’s thirst in large numbers. The mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel, a disguised British noble, and his League are heroically rescuing dozens of aristocrats from execution, both human and vampire. And soon they will have an ace up their sleeve: Eleanor Dalton.

Eleanor is working as a housemaid on the estate of a vampire Baroness. Her highest aspiration is to one day become a modiste. But when the Baroness hosts a mysterious noble and his wife, they tell Eleanor she is the spitting image of a French aristocrat, and they convince her to journey to France to aid them in a daring scheme. Soon, Eleanor finds herself in Paris, swept up in magic and intrigue—and chaos—beyond her wildest dreams. But there’s more to fear than ardent Revolutionaries. For Eleanor stumbles across a centuries-old war between vampires and their fiercest enemy. And they’re out for blood. . . . 

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I'm a huge fan of Genevieve Cogman's Invisible Library series, so as soon as I heard she had another book coming out, I was signing up for it. Basic description: French Revolution, with vampires? I'm in! But remember, this is Genevieve Cogman, so be prepared for so much more!

Eleanor is a maid working on the estate of the Baroness Sophie, a vampire, safe in England where they read about the atrocities of the French Revolution but know it isn't something that would ever touch them. She dreams of becoming a lady's maid, and maybe one day a modiste, never imagining a wider world than that. But the Baroness knows Eleanor is the mirror image of Marie Antionette, and happens to know the English aristocrats working to save French aristocrats from the Terror, led by the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel. She loans Eleanor to them, they convince Eleanor to help them try and rescue the French Queen and her children. How hard could it be? 

The world building (as you would expect from Cogman) is excellent. Especially once we get to France, the reader really feels immersed in Eleanor's experiences. Not just the dust and dirt of the journey, but the fear in Paris itself was a palpable thing. The baying of a mob, the terror of seeing soldiers, just walking down a street to market became dangerous- not just an action but an emotional and physical feeling. I've read histories on the French Revolution and tried to imagine what the average person might have felt, Genevieve Cogman captures what I believe those daily emotions must have been. 

Watching Eleanor have her horizons expanded over the course of the book is an absolute joy. She grows in confidence, she realizes she's capable of thoughts and actions she couldn't have imagined before, and that she can question those above her. Eleanor's station means we get a unique, and frequently ironic, view of both the English aristocrats trying to help (specific) French and of the causes and goals of the Revolution itself. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité might be a great rallying cry, but as a servant, Eleanor questions what aristocrats might accept. It's a brilliant call on Cogman's part.

Another good decision Cogman made is to give us tantalizing clues about the magic that used to live in the world, about the hidden history of vampires and their great enemies, and to have Eleanor experience enough to begin questioning what she has always known about vampires being "just like everyone else", but not to give us too much. It leaves us with lots of questions but we already know there are more books in this series coming. The book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but certainly leaves us wanting to know more!

You don't need to have read the original Scarlet Pimpernel or seen the movies to enjoy this book (I haven't) but I'm curious about any crossover so I'm planning to read it while waiting for Book 2!  

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and AceBooks in exchange for an honest review

The Bride Wore White

 The Bride Wore White (Burning Cove Series)- Amanda Quick

Berkley

Release Date: May 2, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Being Madame Ariadne, Psychic Dream Consultant, wasn’t Prudence Ryland’s ideal gig, but it paid well which was reason enough to do the work—until she realizes that her latest client intends to kill her. But Prudence, a master at reinvention, finds a new job and home as far away as possible and is finally able to relax—which turns out to be a big mistake. Letting her guard down means being kidnapped and drugged and waking up in a bloodstained wedding dress in the honeymoon suite next to a dead man. With the press outside the hotel, waiting with their cameras and police sirens in the distance, it’s obvious she’s being framed for the man’s murder. Prudence knows who is responsible, but will anyone believe her?

It doesn’t seem likely that rumored crime boss Luther Pell or his associate, Jack Wingate, believe her seemingly outrageous claims of being a target of a ruthless vendetta. In fact, Prudence is convinced that the mysterious Mr. Wingate believes her to be a fraud at best, and at worst: a murderer. And Jack Wingate does seem to be someone intimately familiar with violence, if going by his scarred face and grim expression. So no one is more shocked than Prudence when Jack says he’ll help her. Of course, his ideas for helping her involve using her as the bait for a killer, but Prudence feels oddly safe with Jack protecting her. But who will protect Prudence from her growing fascination with this enigma of a man?

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Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the right career. Usually, those tries don't involve attempted murder or being framed for murder, but that's the sort of time Prudence Ryland has been having. Fed up with the attempts to have her murdered/arrested for murder, she calls Luther Pell to find out who has it in for her. Luther assigns Jack Wingate to her case. The two don't exactly hit it off but Prudence doesn't have many options. Now if only they can keep from killing each other long enough to solve the case.

I loved Prudence. She's a great character. Doesn't put up with anything from the men around her, has her goals strictly in mind, and doesn't apologize for who and what she is. Her end goal is to open a bookstore focused on paranormal publications and things like dream reading just pay the bills- until they almost get her killed. Unlike many other main heroines, she doesn't intend to solve the case herself. She's happy to give it to the professionals and expects that to be that. Instead, the professionals keep her involved. Jack wants to use her as bait and while Pru isn't thrilled, she sees the logic. Jack is fascinated by Prudence for a number of reasons and it is a lot of fun watching him deal with it all. He wants to keep things professional and detached, but with every fight they have he gets drawn a little closer to Prudence.

There was something very old Hollywood movie feel about this one. Not just the location, because obviously that's the glitz and glamour of Burning Cove at its finest. The pacing, the characters, the fighting, the dialogue, all felt like an especially fun movie-maybe an old Katherine Hepburn movie. While the mystery itself was pretty predictable as it played out, that wasn't really the point for me. The point was watching Jack and Prudence working together, overcoming their initial reactions to each other, and becoming both an excellent team and couple. Watching both as individuals also sort themselves out and settle into perhaps more of who they were supposed to be as well. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this newest installment of the Burning Cove Series. Fun, fast paced, and enjoyable characters made it a great book to read!   

Clytemnestra

 Clytemnestra- Constanza Casati

Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Date: May 2, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best…

You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.

But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.

Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.

If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself.

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In a world where women are considered more property than people, when the myths we know are never about women (and if they are, they aren't good stories), ancient Greece in no place to be a strong and independent woman. Current retellings of ancient myths are giving us new voices for women who have lived too long in the shadows, either voiceless or villains, and Clytemnestra is certainly one of them. Constanza Casati's debut novel wipes away any other attempt to tell Clytemnestra's story and should, in my opinion, become THE go-to retelling of the Queen of Mycenae's story.

A princess of Sparta, Clytemnestra grew up strong, learning to fight, hunt, and wrestle just like all the other children. The only rule? Don't get caught. She protects her younger sisters, physically and emotionally, but is always closest to Helen. Her husband Tantalus is a king, and unlike the men she knows-he listens to her, respects her strength, and doesn't try to overshadow her. But when Agamemnon and Menelaus come to Sparta, things change and Clytemnestra's world changes too. Seeing a strong woman as a challenge, Agamemnon decides to have her for himself and kills Tantalus and their baby, forcing her to marry him. As queen of Mycenae, wife of a man she hates, and mother to his children, she tries to live a new life- but when Helen runs away to Troy and gives Agamemnon the excuse he wants to start a war with Troy, disaster strikes again. 

If you know any of the stories of Clytemnestra, or the Trojan War, you won't be surprised by the basic plot. What I found wonderful was how well the author drew the reader into Clytemnestra's emotional life, easily making you feel her rage, pain, and grief and how it shaped her over her life. It balanced with her warrior nature and aggravation with the Greeks who felt they were better than her just because she was a woman. Over and over she has to prove herself, and does, and reminds them that her actions are the same as a man's- and a king's- so should be treated as such. 

There is a short, sweet, set of letters between the siblings late in the book where they are trying to console Clytemnestra and you really get each sibling's thoughts and feelings (as opposed to Clytemnestra's) for the first time. This might be my favorite part of the book. It is completely different from the rest of the book, and feels a bit like we're looking behind the scenes at something personal and private that Clytemnestra would keep to herself. It is also a nice reminder that not all men in this world are horrible, since one of the letters is from her brother Polydeuces.

Clytemnestra is an absolute must read for anyone who enjoys retellings or even just stories about strong women. This is a book that doesn't read as if it was a debut novel- the writing is more confident and polished than you often read in a first book. I would love to see Casati write her next book for Medea, since we might be able to trust her to tell Medea's story with the same emotional honesty she showed Clytemnestra. Here's hoping!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 

Woman of Influence

 

A Woman of Influence: The Spectacular Rise of Alice Spencer in Tudor England- Vanessa Wilkie

Atria Books

Release Date: April 18, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Alice Spencer was born in 1560 to a family on the rise. Her grandfather had amassed a sizeable estate of fertile grazing land and made a small fortune in sheep farming, allowing him to purchase a simple but distinguished manor house called Althorp.

With her sizable dowry, Alice married the heir to one of the most powerful aristocratic families in the country, eventually becoming the Countess of Derby. Though she enjoyed modest renown, it wasn’t until her husband’s sudden death (after he turned in a group of Catholics for plotting against Queen Elizabeth I) that Alice and her family’s future changed forever.

Faced with a lawsuit from her brother-in-law over her late husband’s fortune, Alice raised eyebrows by marrying England’s most powerful lawyer. Together, they were victorious, and Alice focused her attentions on securing appropriate husbands for her daughters, increasing her land ownings, and securing a bright future for her grandchildren and the entire Spencer family. But they would not completely escape scandals, and as the matriarch, Alice had to face an infamous trial that threatened everything she had worked so hard for. 

Now, the full story of the remarkable Alice Spencer Stanley Egerton is revealed in this comprehensive and colorful biography. A woman both ahead of and part of her time, Alice’s ruthless challenging of the status quo has inspired future generations of Spencers and will change the way you view Tudor women.

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Alice Spencer was born in 1560, at that interesting cusp of English gentry with "new money" looking to marry into the aristocracy- so many of whom had titles, but no money. This sounds like it could be the start of many a historical romance, but this book is nonfiction. Carefully researched from wills, lawsuits, and the most scandalous trial to hit the House of Lords in generations, Vanessa Wilkie pieces together the life of Alice Spencer, youngest daughter of a knight, who goes on to be the Dowager Countess of Derby. She becomes the successful matriarch to a large family of children, grandchildren, stepchildren, and in-laws who work together to raise the extended family's fortunes as a whole.

Vanessa Wilkie does an excellent job giving the reader fascinating details about what it was like to live in Tudor/Stuart England, including legal information for marriages that shows that there were times women could have more power or control than we might imagine.  In fact, Alice's entire life is an excellent case study in how it was possible for a woman to work through her husband, her friends or family, or in other behind-the-scenes ways to hold significant influence both with her family and in a larger political circle. 

There were times I felt Wilkie repeated herself a bit too often or re-emphasized too much the basic differences between today's society and family/personal goals and those of Alice's times. Perhaps this was to try and encourage the reader not to judge Alice and her contemporaries by our standards- which she then does during the Castlehaven trial and its aftermath. This is a tricky balancing act: seeing Alice as a mother and a Tudor matriarch mean that her actions and reactions to her daughter's trauma and the trial that follows meant something very different in her day than they would in ours, and Wilkie doesn't seem entirely sure what to do with it. She reports on the trial itself brilliantly, but it is obvious that she is uncomfortable with Alice's recorded actions and has to frequently remind the readers (and possibly herself) about the public social behavior that Alice needed to show in order to protect the rest of her extended family. Personally, I think that bringing her daughter back to live near her and seemingly protecting her for the rest of her life, shows a glimpse of what was still a close mother-daughter bond, but since there are no letters or diaries for either woman we can't know for certain. 

Overall, however, this was a fascinating book, showing how people could rise through the ranks, patronize art and literature, influence others- including monarchs- both directly and indirectly, and how dangerous the wrong alliance could be. Well-written, well-researched, history lovers will definitely need to read this book! 

Anyone who enjoyed The Duchess Countess by Catherine Ostler or Devices and Desires by Kate Hubbard will definitively enjoy Vanessa Wilkie's A Woman of Influence.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Return to Satterthwaite Court

 

Return to Satterthwaite Court- Mimi Matthews

Perfectly Proper Press

Release Date: April 11, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Lieutenant Charles Heywood has had his fill of adventure. Battle-weary and disillusioned, he returns to England, resolved to settle down to a quiet, uneventful life on an estate of his own. But arranging to purchase the property he desires is more difficult than Charles ever imagined. The place is mired in secrets, some of which may prove deadly. If he's going to unravel them, he'll need the assistance of someone as daring as he is.

At only twenty, Lady Katherine Beresford has already earned a scandalous reputation. As skilled with pistols as she is on horseback, she's never met an obstacle she can't surmount-or a man she can't win. That is, until she encounters the infuriatingly somber Lieutenant Heywood. But Kate refuses to be deterred by the raven-haired soldier's strong, silent facade. After all, faint heart never won handsome gentleman.

From the wilds of rural Somersetshire to the glittering ballrooms of early-Victorian London, Charles and Kate embark on a cross-country quest to solve a decades' old mystery. Will the greatest danger be to their hearts-or to their lives?

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Years after the characters of Mimi Matthews' wonderful A Work of Art and Gentleman Jim had their happy endings, their children meet. The moment Charles Heywood and Lady Katherine (Kate) Beresford see each other, there's something there. Something more than a small, half-feral dog attacking Kate's skirts. Charles may have too much on his mind at that moment to know how to follow up on his mystery lady, but fortunately, Kate is able to track him down. And fortunately, their families live close enough to each other in the country that she can pursue the accidental meeting, and Charles, to make sure he's what she has bee looking for all Season. A man interested in her for more than her looks or her money. One who might treat her as an equal, even make her happy.

Charles is adorable in his confused reaction to Kate's pursuit. He doesn't know what to make of her, let alone the fact that she invites herself into his investigation of the mystery of Satterthwaite Court, his mother Phyllida's family home. Entail broken, the home is up for sale, but the owner won't sell it to Charles for any amount of money. At first Charles is a little too overwhelmed with his own family issues of going into the Navy without his parents' blessing and now, almost ten years later, leaving it, plus Satterthwaite Court, plus trying to decide his future to know what to do about Kate. Is she serious or is this a game to her? He's been away from Society long enough that he can't tell.

Kate is delightful. She chafes at Society's rules and we see several good examples of how those rule almost seem designed to hurt women instead of help them here. But Kate is adventurous, strong-willed, and confident, and when she is sure of something, she doesn't want to waver from her path. Her few moments of self-consciousness and doubt are all the tougher to see in such a strong woman, but remind readers that we are all allowed to be a mix of strong and emotional, solitary and in need of support.

Mimi Matthews once again creates a delightful set of characters who learn how to come together to make the perfect couple. They learn when to give and when to stand, to bring out the best in each other and to support each other along the way. Return to Satterthwaite Court is a lovely, fast-paced book that will make you smile until the last page. You don't have to have read A Work of Art or Gentleman Jim to enjoy this spin off, but they are great books by themselves and I highly recommend them.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Ana Maria & the Fox

Ana Maria and the Fox (Luna Sisters Book 1)- Liana de la Rosa

Berkley

Release Date: April 4, 2023 

Rating: 📚📚📚

Synopsis: Ana María Luna Valdés has strived to be the perfect daughter, the perfect niece, and the perfect representative of the powerful Luna family. So when Ana María is secretly sent to London with her sisters to seek refuge from the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom far from the judgmental eyes of her domineering father. If only she could ignore the piercing looks she receives across ballroom floors from the austere Mr. Fox.

Gideon Fox elevated himself from the London gutters by chasing his burning desire for more: more opportunities, more choices. For everyone. Now, as a member of Parliament, Gideon is on the cusp of securing the votes he needs to put forth a measure to abolish the Atlantic slave trade once and for all—a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. The charmingly vexing Ana María is a distraction he must ignore. 
 
But when Ana María finds herself in the crosshairs of a nefarious nobleman with his own political agenda, Gideon knows he must offer his hand as protection . . . but will this Mexican heiress win his heart as well?

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Seeking safety from the French occupation of Mexico, Ana Maria and her two sisters are sent to London while her powerful father remains in Mexico to help the government fight for freedom. In London they experience their first taste of freedom from their father's strict rule, and set out to charm London Society in the hopes of making a good impression that might help Mexico. Gideon Fox, grandson of an escapes slave, is determined to use his position as an MP to end the Atlantic slave trade forever. He doesn't have time for anything but work- especially not distractions like a beautiful woman. But Ana Maria and Gideon can't seem to stay away from each other, so will that help or hurt their causes?

There were things about this book that I really enjoyed, and things that didn't work as well for me. I loved the cover and whenever Ana Maria is describing Mexico to Gideon, or missing Mexico and thinking about it, this cover and its beautiful colors hit perfectly. Ana Maria could describe what she was missing and you could feel the warm sun, smell the food, the colors were vibrant- everything was lovely and alive. So very different from how she and her sisters experienced England! I also loved learning a bit about a different part of history than what we normally see in an 1860s romance- between the book and the author's note I really want to go find some nonfiction books to fill in even more about Mexico and the French occupation etc. at this time.

For the most part, I found Ana Maria didn't stand out as much for me as her sisters did. Maybe this was the eldest sister still trying to be what her father wanted, even when she was trying to be her own person, but I never quite figured out who Ana was beyond a devoted daughter, a fierce protector of her sisters, a person who wanted to help others, and someone who was drawn to Gideon. Maybe that would have been enough if she wasn't being contrasted to her fiery little sister Gabby or her bookish and secretive, quiet sister Isabel, both seemed to overpower her personality at times. Gideon also seemed like someone who didn't want to stand out. He was so devoted to his work and his cause he seems to have forgotten he was also supposed to have a life of some sort and always felt guilty thinking about anything but work. Admirable compared to some of the young men you meet in these books who do nothing but drink and gamble- there's never a doubt that Gideon is a good man. But the hot and cold waffling that he and Ana Maria do through most of the book got old pretty fast for me. They clearly enjoy spending time together, they like talking, but Gideon worries any time he spends with her will damage progress on his bill in Parliament. And it loops like this over and over. The end result is a slow burn until we finally get to the marriage of convenience about 70% through the book, in a way that felt more hurried and forced than I had expected. 

The general pacing of the book was slower than I tend to like, dragging in the middle. It picks up any time Ana talks about Mexico and does an excellent job highlighting the lack of focus on the world outside of England usually seen in books like this-from lack of mention of the war in the newspapers to some of the sisters' admirers not knowing that Spain and Mexico aren't the same country- and really celebrates the potential for more multicultural options in historical romance books moving forward. The idea was great, but I have to admit the execution of plot and characters needed a little more work for me. 

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 

What Happens in the Ballroom

 What Happens in the Ballroom (Designing Debutants 2)- Sabrina Jeffries

Zebra Publishing

Release Date: March 28, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: A young military widow, Eliza Pierce is enjoying both freedom and financial success as part of Elegant Occasions. When her late husband’s best friend, Nathaniel Stanton, the Earl of Foxstead, hires Elegant Occasions to help another young widow of an officer become part of high society, Eliza wonders why. Is the woman a relative? Or is she the earl’s mistress and her adorable toddler his child? If so, why does he take Eliza in his arms every chance he gets . . .

Foxstead’s family situation makes it difficult for him to marry, so his visceral attraction to his best friend’s widow is an unwelcome complication. Burdened by family secrets and those of his commanding officer, he’s determined to do his duty even when it means being around Eliza every day. But how can he resist when the fetching Eliza keeps tempting him to break his own rules? For if he dares to expose the truth, will she ever forgive him? Or will she banish him from her life forever . . .

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This was a fun, quick book continuing Sabrina Jeffries' series of three sisters trying to make a living by running a small but elegant business of catering parties and helping debutants. This time eldest sister and widow Eliza meets her match with Nathaniel, Lord Foxstead, when he asks Eliza and her sisters to help his ward Jocelin enter society in order to find a husband. While Nat and Eliza have known each other to some degree for years through her husband, spending more time together because of Jocelin leads to a slow burn romance. Neither is quite ready for marriage- Nat because of his duty to Jocelin and Eliza because her marriage and her parent's example has turned her off the idea. But the more they try to convince themselves a brief affair is all they need, the less they believe it!

I enjoyed this story, and how strong Eliza was despite what she's been through before we meet her. She works to be the strong one in the family and refuses to admit when she needs anything, even to herself, so she finds enjoying Nathaniel's company a surprise. I admire how she grew after her emotionally and psychologically abusive husband went off to war- even if he had come back I don't think he would have found her so easy to manipulate as he did when she was young and impressionable. She did what she needed to do- like start a business- because she and her sisters knew they couldn't rely on anyone but themselves. The fact that three young women were strong and smart enough to do that is great. Nathaniel knows he's emotionally attracted to Eliza early on, but he makes things complicated. By the end you understand why and from his point of view I get it. But he ended up doing quite a bit of lying- or at least playing fast and loose with the truth. He thought he was protecting people, and he was. But he had to learn that sometimes you can protect one person while trusting another at the same time. I loved that Eliza never let him get away with anything, and he had to really think and learn from his mistakes. I wish for Eliza's sake he hadn't had to make quite so many along the way, but  you were quite sure he wasn't going to repeat any of the ones he did make!

A light book about learning to trust others with your heart and becoming partners in all senses of the word, with some steamy scenes and delightfully romantic moments. Can't wait for Verity's turn!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review