reading_historical_romance's reviews
451 reviews

 This is reportedly the first in a series of cozy historical mysteries with the author, Jane Austen, as the main character acting in the role of amateur sleuth. The story opens in December 1795 when Jane turns twenty. When her older, disabled brother, George, is accused of robbery and murder, Jane takes it upon herself to identify the real culprit.

The concept of the series by debut novelist Jessica Bull is fun, if not original. Writing Jane as a detective has been done before, and quite successfully, by author Stephanie Barron, whose Bantam and Soho Press published Jane Austen Mystery series was popular with readers and critics alike during its 25-year run (1996 to 2023). Unfortunately, Miss Austen Investigates is an unsatisfying attempt to use Stephanie Barron’s developmental framework and recreate it. It appears to be geared toward a younger, less sophisticated literary audience than Stephanie Barron's works.

Plotwise, the mystery of the Hapless Milliner itself is so derivative it’s cliché. It utilizes nearly every negative and careworn mystery novel trope concerning female characters. There is the victim blaming and shaming as everyone speculates about the deceased's profession, societal station, virtue, and marital status. The female suspects are also neatly categorized into those familiar boxes of Immoral, Calculating, Devious, and Hysterical.

Due to the shallow plot, there are so many needless words that don't serve any purpose other than to bring the word count to novel length. I lost track within the first few chapters of the number of random tangents that the author went off on. At one point I’m pretty sure I was told what some character’s grandmother’s favorite food was. There was a paragraph dedicated to a description of Jane’s favorite cat of the Austen family cats. This had the effect of slowing the pacing so significantly that it erased the possibility of any tension or suspense for the reader.

Similarly, there is a mind-numbing level of minutiae as far as descriptions and actions. If we’re told that someone is shown the door and heeds the request, the reader knows what that means. We don’t need to be told that the doorknob of the closed door was turned, the hinges squeaked, a burst of rose-scented air came into the room, the sky was blue outside, the character walked three and three-quarter steps onto the porch, turned around, and watched as the door shut again.

We are also hit over the head with endless detail about every single room (including every piece of furniture and object within it), every piece of clothing, every hairstyle, and every leaf on every tree. An example: “Jane dresses with great care. She suffers the dreaded curling irons rather than relying on the buoyancy of her natural waves, and gives herself permission to borrow Cassandra’s cornflower-blue gown. Jane has her own gown, made from the same bolt of cotton, but since she has not taken as much care of it, the colour is washed out.” FOR THE LOVE OF PETE WHO CARES.

One of the weirdest things about this novel is that is written in present simple tense. I don’t think I’ve ever read a historical novel written in any form but past tense. And because present simple is the most simplistic tense, there were times when I felt like I was reading a middle-grade book. For example, this passage from chapter one: “James pushes open the door. He balks. Jane sidles up beside him.”

Putting aside the issues of execution, in my opinion, the most egregious aspect of the novel is the author’s portrayal of the sober-minded, highly intelligent, clergyman’s daughter, Jane. The Jane in this story is moody (described as “glowering” and “furious” one minute, and “choking on her tears” the next). She is meeting secretly with her sweetheart, Tom LeFroy, while acting the flirtatious coquette on one hand, only to turn her back on him the next and dash down the lane when he says something she doesn’t like. She gets drunk at an assembly and nurses a hangover the next morning. She doesn’t have any compunction about disregarding the social graces of the day, so flounces around town rudely interrupting, interrogating, and openly accusing people of wrongdoing, (Only to be completely embarrassed and ashamed when she is proven wrong, repeatedly.)

Ironically, this Jane doesn’t really do any investigating at all other than finding out the victim's real name, and then gossiping and engaging in idle speculation with her friends and family. The historical and revered Jane Austen is known for her razor-sharp wit, yet in this book she is an irresponsible, impetuous, indecisive, insufferable busybody who only figures out who the murderer is by wrongly accusing every other possible suspect first.

In sum, this debut is so cringy I cannot believe that this author has ever written a full-length novel before. If the next manuscript is anything like this one, it needs a seasoned editor with plot development experience who can help the author come up with an imaginative crime for Jane to solve, and who isn’t scared to say that padding the manuscript with irrelevant detail only distracts the reader’s focus on the plot. I would also nix the present tense. It doesn’t work.

Thank you Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own. 

 3.5 stars for this witchy, intense, age 16+ YA

Two years ago, Rune was preparing to embark on her training in witchcraft when a violent revolution swept across the country. The primary goal of the New Republic was the complete genocide of witches, and resulted in the brutal torture and murder of Rune’s witch-born grandmother. Rune has now dedicated her life to saving other witches from the same horrific fate by moonlighting as the mysterious Crimson Moth. No Blood Guard army soldier is more intent on capturing the Crimson Moth than Rune’s arch-enemy, Captain Gideon Sharpe. Gideon and Rune ultimately find themselves ensnared in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, putting not only their lives at risk, but their hearts as well.

The premise of this novel is a great one. In the acknowledgments, the author notes that the plot was loosely inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, and she does incorporate several of my favorite aspects of that story here. Not only is there an aristocrat with a secret identity fighting to save innocent lives, but the heroine falls in love with the one person with the power to ruin all of her plans.

I loved the pacing of the book, and when paired together with the push and pull between the main characters and the plotline, I was eager to keep reading. There are some fun twists along the way, and touches of sweet romance that make the MMC, Gideon, sympathetic. One of the best parts of the book is the scene in the mine, as the intensity and tension between Gideon and Rune crackle as they match wits one-on-one. I liked the element of spell casting marks being visible on the skin, and that each witch’s magic has a unique smell, and leaves an original casting signature behind.

The problem with the novel as a whole is that there isn’t enough world-building to provide the reader with any meaningful context. This challenges the reader's ability to invest in the characters and their journeys. It is unclear whether there are true “holes” in the plot, or if the author purposefully left things out so that she would have more of a story to tell in the sequel.

For example, we weren’t told anything about the Witch Queens’ reign that would justify their genocide at the hands of the people. It is also unclear why the revolutionaries believe that all witches must be eradicated, as opposed to just the Queens themselves who were the supposed source of the conflict.

I didn’t like the "love triangle" aspect of the story for Gideon and Alex, although I liked the way that the author resolved it. To this point, I didn’t understand why Rune developed feelings beyond physical attraction for Gideon, and vice versa. Yes, they both have suffered severe emotional trauma in their pasts, but that just didn’t cut it for me to make their romance believable. Rune and Alex make a lot more sense as written on the page than Rune and Gideon do.

I love the cover, but I don’t like the title. I would have titled it The Crimson Moth, which is unique and makes more sense anyway.

I would caution that this novel is not for younger YA readers due to the degree of violence, and sex on the page. Although the sexual content is not explicitly described, it is sufficiently detailed that the reader will not doubt what acts are being performed as they occur. The sexual aspect is even more problematic when considering that the MMC conspires to seduce the FMC at the urging of another person.

I did enjoy this read. I like the writer’s style and her storytelling. I think that she strikes a good balance between the number of "good guys" and "bad guys" so that the novel isn’t all over the place with too many characters and subplots that take away from the central narrative arc. I will read the sequel because it did end with an interesting cliffhanger.

Tropes: secret identity, cat and mouse, brother’s best friend, class difference,

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own. 

Persephone Honeyfield is twenty-seven and resigned to spinsterhood as a permanent fixture of her father’s estate in the rural English countryside. But fate has made other plans, and Persephone soon finds herself in a compromising situation with neighboring estate owner, Aidon Barrington. Reformed rake and owner of the most exclusive funerary services firm in London, Aidon has been christened “Lord of the Dead” by the scandal sheets. Persephone initially dismisses the gossip as ridiculous, and agrees to accept Aidon’s offer of marriage to preserve her reputation. But after being safely ensconced in her new home at Aidon’s manor, Gallowsgate, Persephone is alarmed to discover that her serious but attentive new husband is harboring dark secrets that threaten to destroy their blossoming romance.

Within the few first pages, I could immediately see why this author was signed. Her voice is absolutely suited to the historical romance genre. Her prose is gentle and measured, the pacing is even, the tone is airy with a whimsical quality. She hits all of the notes that a charming historical romance should have, like elegance, comportment, longing, repression, and sexual tension. I loved the way that the author incorporated consent into the story, which empowered Persephone to chart the course of her and Aidon's sexual relationship. The book is sex positive, which is always refreshing to see in a hist-rom.

Unfortunately, there is just not enough story here to justify a full-length novel. As is, I think this would have worked much better as a novella because Aidon and Persephone’s story, as written, is not complex. The secrets Aidon is keeping aren't earth shattering or particularly interesting, nor do they require much resolution to facilitate his and Persephone's HEA.

We are told that there are a lot of things in Persephone and Aidon’s pasts that inform the choices they make as adults, but we aren’t shown any of it. There are no flashbacks, or even any dialogue between any of the characters that would give us a solid frame of reference for Persephone’s persistent and lifelong insecurity, or Aidon’s compulsion to prove himself a man after his father’s death.

As a result, I was never fully invested in the main characters' internal or interpersonal conflicts. By 50%, I realized that Aidon and Persephone are just not that interesting as people. Aidon is boring, Persephone is insecure. We never seem to get past those two aspects of their characters. To some extent, I really have to look at the editor on this one. It is the editor’s responsibility to facilitate story development, plug the holes, tighten the narrative, and put the focus where it needs to be when it comes to the romance arc and the major themes. I actually felt a little frustrated at times while reading, as I think that under a better editor’s guidance, this could have been a 4-star read based on the author’s writing ability and style.

The characters that I want to know more about are the ones that have real stuff going on in their lives. Ezra and Christianna: mild-mannered and innocent for all to see, but behind closed doors they both make radical choices for the time. And Cassius, who is written like a real human person fighting serious demons as opposed to the “I’m emotionally scarred so all I do is work like an automaton even though I hate my job” Aidon.

I will be watching for the next book from this author because I believe she does have potential as she perfects her craft, and given the opportunity to work with an experienced editor who has story development skills.

Tropes: Regency romance, forced marriage, slow burn, insta-love, spinster, brooding hero, fated mates

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own. 

 Sherry Thomas did me dirty.

I really, really should have DNF’d at 25% when it became crystal clear that this book is essentially Georgette Heyer’s A Civil Contract, but worse. MMC Fitz makes Heyer’s Adam look like a prince in comparison; and FMC Millicent’s life of martyrdom is only missing a burning at the stake. But because Sherry is a brilliant writer, here I am, bitter, betrayed, and writing this review.

There is no doubt that Sherry can craft a singularly angsty novel that is also a page turner. Readers who enjoy bathing in their own tears will not be disappointed in this one, and will love it. While my finger itches to 1-star the hell out of this travesty, I have to give this book 3-stars because, SHERRY THOMAS. There is nothing to criticize here in terms of execution. The pacing, the use of flashbacks, the intense characterizations, the prose, the pathos – this novel is well-written, and has surprising layers of complexity. Personally, do I want emotional complexity in my romance novels? No. Personally, do I care about any of these characters? Also no.

Ravishing the Heiress is the story of two literal teenagers (Fitz is 18 and Millie is 16) who are forced to grow up in an arranged marriage. Their immaturity and naiveté are apparent from the moment they meet, as Millie “falls in love” with Fitz at first sight, while Fitz has his head in the clouds over some pretty cheerleader-esque chick named Isabelle that he met when he was 15, and with whom he wants to live happily ever after. Millie is crushed that Fitz is “in love” with someone else, and Fitz just wants out of this situation, so they make a pact not to consummate their marriage for 8 years.

I really try not to negatively review books based on storyline, because my opinion is personal and subjective. So, personally, I did not enjoy this book because of the storyline. On the one hand, Fitz truly believes that Millie has no interest in a romantic (or even sexual) relationship with him. On the other, he is one of the most narcissistic, self-absorbed assholes I’ve ever read, and he has no awareness (or interest) in anything or anyone around him. He thinks and behaves like the same 18 year old entitled, punk ass kid at the end of the novel as he was at the beginning.

Millie is equally self-absorbed but in a different way. She is so caught up in her own dreams of "what might have been" that she can’t or won’t just grow the hell up and get over her teenage crush. It would be easier to understand her quiet, steadfast devotion to Fitz over 8 interminable years if he did anything whatsoever to merit it. (Other than be handsome, of course). He’s a serial adulterer throughout their marriage and he doesn’t give a second thought to what Millie thinks or does. Ever. He literally runs around destroying things and never notices that she’s cleaned up the mess behind him.

But then, in the last 30 pages, Fitz sees the light like Saul in Damascus, stops debating who he “loves more” (Millie or Isabelle), and decides to commit himself fully to his marriage. (Which they finally consummated for all the wrong and full-on infuriating reasons.) He never apologizes for having his head perpetually stuck so far up his ass he hasn't seen the sun in a decade, but why should he given that Millie has never once called him out on how hurtful and selfish he is?

tl;dr: This is the worst romance storyline I’ve read in a long time; Fitz and Millie deserve to have a long and nasty divorce; and they should never be allowed to marry anyone else because not a single human should have to endure either one of them. And Sherry Thomas is a heckin’ queen, and I will love her forever and ever.