Nowhere Book Bingo: 2024 Debut Release
Smart Bitches Summer Bingo: New to Me author
CBR16 Bingo: Scandal (Gwen and Beth’s friendship lead to a scandal in the latter half of the book)
Beth is the daughter of the Viscount Demeroven, but has no brothers, and as a result, the title will pass to her cousin. If Beth doesn’t find a wealthy and suitable husband during her first season, she and her mother will be left with barely anything (because her father was a very unpleasant man who didn’t settle any money on them in his will). She hates being out in society, though, smiling and nodding and pretending to be a ninny just so some man might like her.
Her season gets a bit more bearable when she befriends Gwen, the daughter of a notorious rake. Gwen is in her fourth season, but since her father is wealthy, there is no real need for her to marry, and with each passing year, she becomes more certain she probably doesn’t even want to. She takes an instant shine to Beth and promises to help her find a suitable match. The young ladies also notice that there is something strange going on with their parents, and discover that Beth’s mother and Gwen’s father were friends, and possibly more, back before Beth’s mother got married. Now they seem determined to avoid one another, which is difficult as their daughters are becoming best friends.
Beth wouldn’t have to get married if her mother married someone wealthy, so the young ladies start scheming (rather ineffectually) to get their parents to fall in love. While trying to push their parents together, the girls grow ever closer, and it becomes obvious that one of the reasons neither of them want to get married, is because they are madly in love with each other. Meanwhile, Beth has managed to catch the attention of a very eligible young man, and their matchmaking plan isn’t going as well as they are hoping. Will our young lovers be separated because of Beth’s need to secure her future?
A Victorian romance novel with a pair of lesbians with a title inspired by a Taylor Swift song? Sign me up. Full review here.