Nearly perfect and very farcical, this romance feels different from a lot of others for a few reasons. 1. The main conflict is over the construction of a canal. 2. The MMC is an absolute fountain of emotion. The starchiest thing about him is his neck cloth. 3. The vibe is funny but also very serious at times? It’s a balance. 4. Between the naval captain and botanist side characters you get a BOATLOAD of old timey science and nautical references? Plus the canal, of course.

In the end it works beautifully and Kate Reading’s narration is a DELIGHT.