Do you ever feel like you have to give a book a high rating because it was the kind of book you *needed* to read as a child? 

"That Inevitable Victorian Thing" is a queer, Austen-esque, speculative fiction novel. Set in a world where the American Revolution failed, the British empire thrived, and "Society," as it were, established itself in Canada, this book opens up a world of possibility. HRH the Crown Princess, Victoria-Margaret, wants to debut as an alias, Margaret Sandwich, before her duty might take away the free choice in her marriage. Helena Marcus doesn't want to debut. She's all set to marry her childhood best friend August Callaghan, with whom she's shared a marriage pact since they were very young. When Helena gets called to Toronto to debut before the Queen, she finds herself swept up in the excitement of the debut season and makes fast friends with Margaret. They decide to spend the summer together at the same cabin Helena's family summered in during her childhood, the one next door to August's, and the entire company prepares to celebrate Helena and August's inevitable engagement. 

Nothing is as it seems. A potentially devastating genetic secret, hidden identities, piracy, and good ol' fashioned summer romance delightfully knot up even the most well-laid plans. 

At times, I found the characters shallow. In the end, I felt that they were a little two-dimensional and tropey, but I absolutely didn't mind. This sort of story would have saved my life as a young, queer teen. I read it for her, and I hope you will too.