⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
4.5 rounded to 5

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“He certainly met the description of a man in love. Unhappy, uncomfortable, uninterested in any quim that wasn’t Caro’s. He had become one of those other men he had so pitied in the past. Phineas Edge, at last, had fallen in love. “
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Felicity Niven brings a unique voice to historical romance. Her books include unconventional characters, often breaking the mold of the traditional heroine. While some other authors do indeed offer female leads who break societal convention, those heroines often maintain a beauty and overall passable presentation that’s acceptable to society.

But, Niven’s heroines are further afield than that. She’s written neurodiverse characters, “ugly” heroines, and mature heroines. In this case, the heroine has a lisp and a stutter.

I found it difficult sometimes to reconcile the character’s voice- her lisp and stutter- with her beauty and appeal. I realized that, even though unintentional, I had judgement of the character’s voice, and this novel challenged me to shed that perception.

If you can go along with his schtick, you’ll find Phineus very funny and charming. But, you definitely have to be a bit open to his quarks. I got used to Phineus’s use of the third person and ultimately found it very funny. His dopey softness sometimes felt like too much, but overall came to feel charming to me.

I found myself staying up late to finish this book. I really recommend it as a refreshing historical romance read.