by Naomi
There are a lot of books I read and enjoy, but I don’t feel like I have enough to say for it to qualify as a Book Review. I thought it would be fun to group books that have some things in common together, so that readers who are looking for something specific get some options. You can never have too many books on your TBR! In this round of mini-reviews, I have three historical romances! Historical romantic fiction might be my favorite genre, considering the amount of books I’ve rated five stars and how often I reread them. I find them the ultimate form of escapism, and want to share some options with you. Happy reading!
The Very Definition of Love by Sophia Benoit
Bridgerton meets Emily Henry in this fresh take on regency romance about a wallflower writing a dictionary of bawdy slang who arranges her own marriage to the ultimate instructor: the town rake.
I’m a sucker for a story where a rake thinks he’s immune to love, and then falls head over heals for his own wife. This was a very fun (and sexy) book, with only some minor issues. The characters’ points of view were inconsistent sometimes, which just means the book might have needed some more editing. It’s quite a chunky book at 400+ pages, and while I had great fun while reading, some bits could have been taken out. On the other hand, the ending was a bit rushed, and there I actually wanted more! The book was very, very sexy, and I wish that had been carried through to the end. It’s a very character-driven romance, and luckily the characters are great fun. Harriet is a bluestocking wallflower who is endlessly curious, and Alexander is an unrepentant rake who is confused by his own wife. It has all those classic scenes romance readers love, and it’s kept fresh by great writing and witty banter! For another recommendation of a marriage of convenience where the husband finds himself inconveniently in love with his own wife, check out Convergence of Desire by Felicity Niven.
The Last Lady By by Eloisa James
Lady B may have married Bluebeard; she may have fallen in love with a gorgeous, grumpy solicitor; she may have met a ghost and survived to tell the tale!
You can’t really go wrong with Eloisa James, who is one of the biggest names in historical romance! She does something a little different in The Last Lady B, which has a gothic twist to it. I adore the main character, Genevieve, who is truly the best kind of heroine: plucky, pragmatic, kind and a great narrator. I had so much fun with this book, which has so many great characters and so much drama! Also lots of Shakespeare references, which is no surprise since James is a Shakespeare professor in her spare time. The romance was absolutely wonderful, the pining! the lusting! Add in a brooding hero, twists and turns, and you’ve got an excellent book for escapism. As always, it’s so well written and engaging, it had me on the edge of my seat!
Behind Five Willows by June Hur
In this swoonworthy YA homage to Jane Austen set in historical Korea, two teens secretly waging a war against government book banning find themselves irresistibly drawn together.
Behind Five Willows is a young adult historical romance, but it will definitely appeal to a more adult audience. It has all the wonderful elements of historical romance that I look for! This is a Pride and Prejudice retelling, and an excellent one at that. It’s so incredibly romantic, and June Hur does a great job of conveying all the pining and yearning (so! much! yearning!) that Pride and Prejudice evokes. I loved seeing scenes from Jane Austen’s work be reimagined in a historical Korean setting, which lends itself very well to the themes of Pride and Prejudice. The backdrop of a new edict on book banning is very current, and there are some excellent, poetic, musings on the importance of books and reading. I loved it!
