Such a delightful read! I was really hooked from start to finish. Loved the overall vibe of the story: pretty modern, clearly written in the twenty-first century for the contemporary reader, but still with a clear focus on certain realities of the era being depicted, from women’s position in the society to the troublesome hoop skirts. The first half of the book is so glittery and charming, and then past the middle the stakes that have been there a ll along really loom large. I worried for the characters, got upset with them, and ultimately cheered for the happy ending they’ve earned.

While this is primarily the story of Beth and Gwen, two young women who meet at the beginning of the season, quickly befriend each other, and then catch feelings against all odds, there’s also the Parents Trap-like subplot about their parents. That storyline had me almost as invested as the main romance, probably because I’m such a sucker for second-chance romances in general, but also, Beth’s mother and Gwen’s dad are both such compelling characters. I loved Dashiell for his personality and Cordelia for her arc and how it was handled. Speaking of, I felt like the book did an excellent job with the portrayal of learned helplessness and how trauma gets passed from generation to generation under the guise of care—and I loved how Beth rejected that trauma and pushed her mother to reject it, too.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out in August, especially since I’ve glanced at some of the ARC reviews, and it appears that while the next novel focuses on different characters, it also includes direct continuations of the first one’s storylines and I can expect to meet all my favorites again.