Once again, the Overdrive algorithm picked me a winner. Emily is a young Victorian woman fed up with her mother’s demands and criticism. To get out from under her thumb she marries the next man to propose, despite barely knowing him. A few months into their marriage, Lord Ashton goes on Safari with friends, and never returns. Mourning a man she hardly knew rubs Emily the wrong way, so she sets out to learn more about him, uncovering a ring of art thieves and forgers at the same time.
I really liked Emily Ashton. She’s not a modern woman in a historical setting, but is realistically Victorian, learning about the world and reveling in the freedom of being a young, rich widow. Her parents and friends are shocked by some of her behavior, so she occasionally reins it in to make others more comfortable. She begins as an innocent, naive and expecting the best from people, then has to judge when men are lying to her, which she doesn’t always get right. She experiences loss, betrayal, discovery, disappointment, joy, love, and friendship, and always in a realistic and relatable way. I should like to be more like her, which is something I always like in a character. She inspires me to be my better self, as she becomes her better self, despite stumbling on her way. I’m looking forward to following her on her next adventure, which is waiting for me on my tablet.