Oh, I see why everyone was raving about this! I did think maybe it was a little longer that it needed to be, but the characters were just so wonderful I didn't particularly care. Both Viola and Gracewood are dealing with grief and trauma from war and they need each other. You can tell they have such a connection right from the moment they first meet, and the way their relationship evolves throughout the story it just beautiful.

Alexis Hall has such skill when writing relationships, and I loved that this was a historical romance that is unapologetically queer. Not only is the romance between Viola and Gracewood wonderful, but we also get a colorful cast of side characters that just add to the story. The way they interacted and supported each other was wonderful, and I would definitely read another story about them! The narrator also does an excellent job bringing them all to life.

If you're fresh off Bridgerton and want another historical romance, I'd recommend this when it comes out next week!