One word: epistolary 

Did I summon you? Because there was letters.

LETTERS.

Letters between a Captain fighting Napoleon in Spain and someone, anyone, back home—except she’s your best friend/Lieutenant’s sister. The hella awkward forced proximity of ‘uh oh, I overshared in letters to you and now we’re meeting irl’ Was. Everything. 

This novella was, quite frankly, excellent. 

We had:
❄️ falling for each other through letters 
❄️ brother’s best friend (in an especially angsty way)
❄️ meet her face to face to get get out of my system (hahaha)
❄️ class difference trope done the only way I will accept
❄️ a Luddite revolt

This was just my favourite kind of historical romance: deeply deeply emotional plus super historical. The Luddite part of this book was so good—you know I was comparing 19th century frame breaking revolts against mechanization to AI and contemporary work precarity to anyone who would listen.

Am I a Luddite now?