Thank you to Penguin Teen UK and Netgalley for the eARC! The synopsis and cover drew me to this book 😍

The story is told through switching POVs between Beth and Gwen but told in third person so we are being told their feelings instead of being shown. It’s described as Parent Trap meets Bridgerton but then set in the Victorian Age and sapphic. I was Immediately pulled in but slowly started losing interest by about 20% in.

Although it’s set in 1857 it reads very modern. For a historical romance it also isn’t very historically accurate, as I said it read very modern but also had a touch of Regency, maybe trying to lean too hard into the Bridgerton vibes. I wasn’t super invested in the romance, it happens very quickly and without any inner turmoil, pining, or tension.

Gwen and Beth read younger than they are at times. The characters also don’t have much depth to them, I feel like I barely know them despite reading 40% of the book. Their POVs blend together and sadly they don’t have a distinct voice.

My interest really starting waning because of the pacing; it was all over the place. Where is the pining? Why are they together in the first half when it’s friends to lovers, it’s just too quick! I assume based on what I read so far and other reviews, the second half will be just them trying to stay together which I never find interesting.

I so wanted to love this, it sounded amazing 😭 but it just wasn’t for me. I wasn’t invested in the romance or plot and I’m okay with a plot being average in romance novels if the romance is good but it wasn’t here.

Also found out that They end up step sisters?!? 🤮 I know going into it that they were trying to set up their parents but was hoping it was more in a way of the parent trapping would fail and through trying to get their parents together they fall in love and so when their parents don’t get together, only then they’d end up together in the end. STOP MAKING STEP SIBLINGS INTO A THING ITS NOT ROMANTIC 🤮😭