After reading Charlie Jane Anders’s Lessons in Magic and Disaster last month, I particularly enjoyed reading about two women writing books and falling in love in Georgian England. In Lessons, Jamie was researching magic and queer subtext in a fictional novel written by real 18th century woman, Sarah Fielding. In Ladies in Hating, Georgiana and Catriona are each authors of gothic books under pseudonyms. It is still scandalous for a woman to be an author, especially of gothic literature, though Georgiana’s identity is somewhat of an open secret. They too find themselves in the position of decoding sapphic love letters.
If you read the first book in the Belvoir’s Library series, Ne’er Duke Well, you met Georgiana when she was presented as a prospective bride for Peter Beck, the new Duke of Stanhope. Georgiana isn’t interested in marriage, so she affects an airhead persona, and later reveals herself to be an author of gothic romances to protect Belvoir library from her father’s wrath. Her father, Earl of something, kicks her out and her mother goes with her. When Ladies in Hating begins, it’s a few years later and Georgiana is supporting herself and her mother on her earnings as an author. To protect her brothers from social harm, she’s cut off contact with them, though their father has died and her elder brother is now Earl. The fly in her ointment is a new gothic romance author, Lady Darling, whose books have some striking similarities. Lady Darling is Catriona Lacey, on whom Georgie has had a crush since she was a teen. Naturally, she accuses Cat of deliberately copying her work.
The two keep finding themselves in the same place while researching their next books, and then end up sharing a crumbling, possibly haunted manor for two weeks. In close proximity, they are able to talk enough to set aside most of their assumptions, and even reveal their mutual attraction. Georgiana and Catriona are less a bantery hate to love, and more an awkward intense pining to love. Georgiana is so sure that she is poison to anyone close to her that she (tries to) bravely withhold herself and protect Cat. In turn, Cat isn’t at all sure she can trust this aristocrat. Their desire is so specific and so horny though, that they can’t stay apart. And once they start talking to each other and explaining themselves, they work past their difference. It’s a lovely book and a very nice ending to the series.
I wouldn’t call this a gothic romance, but I enjoyed the gothic elements that Georgie and Cat investigated for their books. Alexandra Vasti did a lovely job of situating them within a queer tradition and within a tradition of women making their way in a world not designed for them.
I received this as an advance reader copy from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.