Re View

Well this was fun! I'm always down for a comedy of manners and while this is not entirely that, it's drawing from a similar well. And while the love story is fairly simple, the shades of satire are woven through it with great skill. I especially enjoyed the tension between Lucy and her dottering old cousin Charlotte who, as it turns out, may just have had her best interests at heart the whole time. It is interesting to see that this male author rewards his female lead for demanding her independence, despite a few digs at the rich not understanding what independence they already have, and that she is allowed to express to her male suitor that he is treating her like property and that is a good enough reason to end their engagement. Pretty progressive stuff!

But in the end I only found it compelling enough to finish and I don't suspect it will be one that stays with me. I might check out one of the film adaptations but it's not high on my list.

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca - 3.25⭐/5

An easy breezy read, and a fun twist on the classic newcomer in a small town romance. Very loveable characters, especially the ghosts, and some solidly spicy scenes at the end. Spoilers below the cut.