Format: Paperback
Published: April 29th, 2025
Age: Adult
Genre: Historical (Regency) Romance
Rating: 5/5 Stars
This was fantastic.
Charlotte is a recent widow, after the death of Mr. Collins. Facing the idea of leaving her home, and the garden she has lovingly cultivated, she writes to Lizzie, who sends her sister, Mary to Charlotte in hopes of lifting her spirits. Mary has flourished since Charlotte last saw her, and the pair connect over a shared love of botany. Charlotte must face a choice – fully embrace her feelings for Mary and live a life few would understand, or marry again and have the security that comes with a husband.
I really loved this. McLeod has done an excellent job with the characters, not just Charlotte and Mary, but the supporting cast around them, who do so much to make this really feel like an Austen novel.
I appreciate queer fiction that deals with the reality of being queer, especially in historical settings, but sometimes it feels too much like diving into misery. It’s nice to see a historical queer novel that, although realistic in society’s ‘acceptance’ (or lack of), doesn’t make it This Huge Thing. What McLeod does instead is use this setting to propel the characters forward, to work in an older coming out tale where the main character is uncertain and unclear about how own sexuality, because she’s never known anything except heterosexual marriage (and yes, very relatable to those of us who grew up under Section 28!). Yet – still realistically – characters in this version of Regency England can still be queer, and McLeod also explores what that might have been like, and the way queer people would have helped each other, forming their own communities outside of the ‘mainstream’.
It really made this book feel special. One of my biggest frustrations with sapphic romance in general is that lack of community, that sense that neither character knows anyone else who is queer in their circles. But McLead includes the community even during a time period when it wouldn’t have been as easy to come by as it is today. We see the kind of life a queer woman can live, even with difficultly, and through Charlotte’s eyes, the other characters come to life, unfolding before us, revealing things to her as and when they think she’s ready, but otherwise understandably cautious around a newcomer, but never punished for it.
This is honestly such a great read, and I thoroughly loved every page. If you’re looking for sapphic historical romance, and especially if you’re a fan of Pride and Prejudice, absolutely pick this one up.
Reading Challenge
Romance Readers Diversity Challenge 2025 ❤️
Prompt: A historical queer romance
Progress: 9/12 + 1 Bonus
Unwrapping Words 