Truth be told, I think I’m giving all of these a pass because of how much I liked her first novel. That book was well researched, had novel elements grounded in real history, horse-girl-ness, all the female friend interaction your heart could desire and such! sumptuous! descriptions of clothing! that I almost wanted to become a Victorian era cosplayer. But since then, the books have moved away from these elements that I loved or kept them at an arm’s length.
This book owes a debt to Persuasion (as do we all), but there’s something about watching two people find their way back to each other that just gets me every time. What really worked for me was how organic the character growth felt. Anne didn’t have to fundamentally change who she was to get her happy ending. She just needed to find her voice and stand up for herself, even though the person she had to push off was her own mother. Parents don’t always know what’s best, loves.
But re: her mother, the occult element was a bit out there, sure, but it kept things interesting. I found myself eagerly flipping to the author’s note, curious about the real-life practices that inspired this plot point. It’s like finding a hidden history lesson tucked into your romance novel – unexpected, but definitely welcome.
That said, I can’t help but miss some of the elements that made me fall head over heels for Matthews’ earlier work – they’re all a bit muted here. It’s not that they’re entirely absent, but they don’t take center stage the way they used to. Still, I think Matthews knows how to craft a compelling romance. The tension between Anne and Felix I enjoyed, esp their shared history. You can feel the weight of their past decisions, the what-ifs and almost-weres that hang between them.
In the end, while this might not hit all the same high notes as The Siren of Sussex, it’s still a solid read and I’m looking forward to the fourth book out later this year! edited to add: I have read this now ha
