Certainly the best of the series so far, even if I still had some issues with this installment. It felt like the stakes were finally starting to be realized in this book, and I enjoyed the focus switching to different characters to get a bit of an expanded perspective of the world and conflict. I continue to have qualms about how the women in this series are written and I continue to think the writing is repetitive and takes too long to get where we’re going, but those were things I expected when starting this series. I’m waiting for the emotional impact to build even more—we’re starting to build to it but I wanna feel it!

A classic of the mystery genre, but not quite exciting or moving enough for me. I tend to enjoy books with more emotion at the heart or, lacking that, a really interesting and complex plot, and this didn’t really have either for me. The characters of Holmes and Watson and their relationship were the standout elements for me. I could see myself reading more Sherlock Holmes as fun, cheeky stories, but I don’t see this becoming a favorite.

What a pleasant surprise this was! I had low to no expectations going into Hyacinth’s story but it turned out to be so delightful. The background plot/mystery was actually relevant and added to the story instead of feeling contrived or pointless (which is usually what happens in historical romances). The relationship development from friendship to more between Hyacinth and Gareth was so endearing, and I really felt attached to both of them. What a hit!

After loving book 1 of a series, I am always nervous going into book 2, but I was very satisfied with the direction this went and the story Bethany Jacobs is telling here. It feels like we zoomed in a lot in this second installment, which I didn’t enjoy quite as much as the broader scope of book 1, but the twists and turns and intricately-woven plot absolutely delivered. While the pacing was a bit slower in comparison to book 1, this is not at all a slowly-paced book, and the ending was explosive and sets up our final conflict for book 3. The characters are so layered and the setting is truly magnificent and deeply grounded. I cannot wait for the final book!

This was the best one yet in this series! I absolutely loved Francesca and Michael’s love story, and I really liked how this felt different than many other historical romances I’ve read in how the premise was set up. While this series overall hasn’t been my favorite of the genre, this was a great one.

I had a really good time with this. Because it’s so short, it did feel a bit shallow in this first installment, but I see a ton of potential for the characters to be more fleshed out as the series continues, and I’m excited to see what antics Emma encounters next!

Wow wow wow. This book was not really on my radar until it got picked for a book club that I’m in, but I am so glad that I read it. It’s poignant, emotional, honest, and devastating. It captures so much about the experience of loss and grief and the way that it changes everything. The setting is so vivid, and the descriptive nature of the writing was beautifully haunting. I felt this book deep in my soul—it’s one that I don’t even know if I’ll be able to reread because it was so emotional. I absolutely can’t wait to see the movie adaptation!