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Las Leonas #2
An Island Princess Starts a Scandal
An Entertainment Weekly "Best Romance Novels of Spring 2023" Pick!
One last summer.
For Manuela del Carmen Caceres Galvan, the invitation to show her paintings at the 1889 Exposition Universelle came at the perfect time. Soon to be trapped in a loveless marriage, Manuela has given herself one last summer of freedom—in Paris, with her two best friends.
One scandalous encounter.
Cora Kempf Bristol, Duchess of Sundridge, is known for her ruthlessness in business. It's not money she chases, but power. When she sees the opportunity to secure her position among her rivals, she does not hesitate. How difficult could it be to convince the mercurial Miss Caceres Galvan to part with a parcel of land she’s sworn never to sell?
One life-changing bargain.
Tempted by Cora’s offer, Manuela proposes a her beloved land for a summer with the duchess in her corner of Paris. A taste of the wild, carefree world that will soon be out of her reach. What follows thrills and terrifies Cora, igniting desires the duchess long thought dead. As they fill their days indulging in a shared passion for the arts and their nights with dark and delicious deeds, the happiness that seemed impossible moves within reach…though claiming it would cause the greatest scandal Paris has seen in decades.
One last summer.
For Manuela del Carmen Caceres Galvan, the invitation to show her paintings at the 1889 Exposition Universelle came at the perfect time. Soon to be trapped in a loveless marriage, Manuela has given herself one last summer of freedom—in Paris, with her two best friends.
One scandalous encounter.
Cora Kempf Bristol, Duchess of Sundridge, is known for her ruthlessness in business. It's not money she chases, but power. When she sees the opportunity to secure her position among her rivals, she does not hesitate. How difficult could it be to convince the mercurial Miss Caceres Galvan to part with a parcel of land she’s sworn never to sell?
One life-changing bargain.
Tempted by Cora’s offer, Manuela proposes a her beloved land for a summer with the duchess in her corner of Paris. A taste of the wild, carefree world that will soon be out of her reach. What follows thrills and terrifies Cora, igniting desires the duchess long thought dead. As they fill their days indulging in a shared passion for the arts and their nights with dark and delicious deeds, the happiness that seemed impossible moves within reach…though claiming it would cause the greatest scandal Paris has seen in decades.
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2023
305 people are currently reading
15730 people want to read
About the author
Adriana Herrera
46 books1,660 followersUSA Today bestselling author ADRIANA HERRERA was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last 15 years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings.
Her debut Dreamers, has been featured on Entertainment Weekly, NPR, the TODAY Show on NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Oprah Magazine.
When she's not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a social worker in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Her debut Dreamers, has been featured on Entertainment Weekly, NPR, the TODAY Show on NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Oprah Magazine.
When she's not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a social worker in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 684 reviews
March 15, 2023
The Sapphic Historical Romance I've wanted to write for a LONG LONG LOOOOOONG time...
I know I'm biased but I love this book a lot. I love the romance between Cora and Manuela.
I love the women in this story. I love their friendships.
I love that I got to write a romance where Latin American history is front and center. Where feminism means all women. Where we get to be messy, impulsive, complicated, a little fearful, a lot horny, magnificently brave, gloriously melodramatic, and fiercely loved.
I love that these two women get a BIG, UNAPOLOGETIC HEA.
If you love a historical with pretty dresses, a nice jaunt to the opera, but also a lot of DRAMA, STEAM and HELLA GAY...This one is for you!!
My dream was to write historicals where the world could be big enough to include us as our full selves and that is what I am doing. I'm so proud of this book. I really hope you give this one a chance!
I know I'm biased but I love this book a lot. I love the romance between Cora and Manuela.
I love the women in this story. I love their friendships.
I love that I got to write a romance where Latin American history is front and center. Where feminism means all women. Where we get to be messy, impulsive, complicated, a little fearful, a lot horny, magnificently brave, gloriously melodramatic, and fiercely loved.
I love that these two women get a BIG, UNAPOLOGETIC HEA.
If you love a historical with pretty dresses, a nice jaunt to the opera, but also a lot of DRAMA, STEAM and HELLA GAY...This one is for you!!
My dream was to write historicals where the world could be big enough to include us as our full selves and that is what I am doing. I'm so proud of this book. I really hope you give this one a chance!
December 27, 2023
Upon reread I’m bumping it up to five stars bc the audiobook was fantastic and I took in even more of the nuance and beauty of their romance! The pacing worked even better for me via audio.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
✨Like we were in Paris✨
I’m so happy that we returned to La Belle Époque Paris, especially with a sapphic historical romance between two Latin American heroines!!! I requested the eARC so fast. I enjoyed A Caribbean Heiress in Paris and Herrera’s Parisian novella, The Duke Makes Me Feel, and An Island Princess Starts a Scandal was no different.
The book was vibrant and lush and HOT. It took a bit to actually get into the main “pleasure guide” plot, but once that got rolling I was hooked. Both main characters, Manuela and Cora, had such depth and their motivations were incredibly compelling.
*minor spoilery things below*
Surprisingly, I enjoyed Manuela’s growth regarding her parents and her guilt/duty. I don’t generally like characters who die on the blade of self sacrifice, but it was framed a bit differently here. Manuela also liked shiny things and living well, so she did originally think she could marry Felix and be okay. I appreciated her realness because same lol. As for the fate of her parents, I still think she was too kind to them at the end. She’s a better person than I am because they wouldn’t get a CENT from me.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the third act (or at least parts of it) but sweet Jesus did I respect Cora for just absolutely bodying Felix. God is a woman and her name is Cora Kemp Bristol. (She also SHOT the man she was nearly forced to marry when she was younger.) She was giving Rebecca from Ted Lasso. There were other parts of the third act that I greatly enjoyed; sometimes we all just need a good sob and dramatic entrance. And I felt that.
Overall, the romance felt like it was written in swooping, sloping, cursive letters. Every time I read “her lover,” “her lady,” or “princess/princesa” I sighed a wistful sigh. Cora and Manuela went through a lot to get there (and it lost me a bit in the middle), but by the end they fought so passionately for their love. Their happily ever after was so well earned. Plus, I’m so excited for book three I can’t stop thinking about the promised dynamic 🤤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️*/5
*We were teased with face sitting and beep beep beep 911 I’d like to report a CRIME. There were a lot of sex scenes but some were pretty short or hinted at other acts but jumped to the aftermath.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
✨Like we were in Paris✨
I’m so happy that we returned to La Belle Époque Paris, especially with a sapphic historical romance between two Latin American heroines!!! I requested the eARC so fast. I enjoyed A Caribbean Heiress in Paris and Herrera’s Parisian novella, The Duke Makes Me Feel, and An Island Princess Starts a Scandal was no different.
The book was vibrant and lush and HOT. It took a bit to actually get into the main “pleasure guide” plot, but once that got rolling I was hooked. Both main characters, Manuela and Cora, had such depth and their motivations were incredibly compelling.
*minor spoilery things below*
Surprisingly, I enjoyed Manuela’s growth regarding her parents and her guilt/duty. I don’t generally like characters who die on the blade of self sacrifice, but it was framed a bit differently here. Manuela also liked shiny things and living well, so she did originally think she could marry Felix and be okay. I appreciated her realness because same lol. As for the fate of her parents, I still think she was too kind to them at the end. She’s a better person than I am because they wouldn’t get a CENT from me.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the third act (or at least parts of it) but sweet Jesus did I respect Cora for just absolutely bodying Felix. God is a woman and her name is Cora Kemp Bristol. (She also SHOT the man she was nearly forced to marry when she was younger.) She was giving Rebecca from Ted Lasso. There were other parts of the third act that I greatly enjoyed; sometimes we all just need a good sob and dramatic entrance. And I felt that.
Overall, the romance felt like it was written in swooping, sloping, cursive letters. Every time I read “her lover,” “her lady,” or “princess/princesa” I sighed a wistful sigh. Cora and Manuela went through a lot to get there (and it lost me a bit in the middle), but by the end they fought so passionately for their love. Their happily ever after was so well earned. Plus, I’m so excited for book three I can’t stop thinking about the promised dynamic 🤤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️*/5
*We were teased with face sitting and beep beep beep 911 I’d like to report a CRIME. There were a lot of sex scenes but some were pretty short or hinted at other acts but jumped to the aftermath.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
June 9, 2025
➥ 5 Stars *:･ﾟ✧
There are few things I love more than a sapphic romance with two capable and powerful heroines. There is just so so much to love here, making it the best lesbian historical romance on the market. I need Netflix to get on making this series into a 3 season show IMMEDIATELY .
At first it is Cora (h) who seems most composed and seductive. Why wouldn't she be? She is experienced, wealthy and of high status in Paris.
But Manuela (h) gives her an all-too-entertaining run for her money. There's just something about a bubbly fmc bamboozling someone stoic with her charm and tenacity.
She is one of my favourite romance heroines, giving as good as she gets and fueling the charged interactions between them. Truly, the chemistry was off the charts, I just couldn't get enough. Manuela is an artist, intending to enjoy her last bit of freedom in Paris before her arranged marriage. There's just something about a truly earnest yet energetic heroine that I find extremely endearing.
The interwoven Latinamerican elements were exceptional. Not only was the spanglish written extremely well (which is rare), but the research Herrera incorporates is fantastic. She contextualises the story well and introduces the reader to some latinamerican history, which many of us have simply not been taught through our education system. Even smaller mannerisms and sayings I found to be heartwarming and familiar: the passing mention of Cora's mate, the 'querida', the cheek kisses etc. So lovely.
I will say that the writing style was not what I was expecting from a historical romance. It is not formal and historical in the way I like my HR to be, but the character interaction makes up for it.
Herrera's tension is fantastic. There's yearning, desperation, angst, passion, tenderness, vulnerability, teasing, banter, humour, steam... she just nails the romance formula.
It's not even just the protagonists that we grow fond of. They have incredible support systems of friends and family. There is real familiarity and warmth there.
There are other mini critiques I could make here and there. Like the slight overuse of "princess", the slightly slow start, the initial slightly obnoxious inner monologue comparing themselves to men, occasionally telling more than showing, and the aforementioned contemporary vocabulary. But honestly? It doesn't even matter, because this love story is just that good. Even the ending and epilogue I felt were perfect and appropriate.
This has a solid spot on the 'best of the best' list in my head. Again, incredible character work and incredibly touching romance story, a giggle and a great time. Cora and Manuela my wives 😌💘. Give it a chance to win you over and it will.
"I wouldn't dream of playing games, at least not ones we both wouldn't enjoy." She let the offer in her words hand in the air a moment, before pressing closer. "Your Grace."
━━━━━━━━━━━ ✯ ━━━━━━━━━━━
There are few things I love more than a sapphic romance with two capable and powerful heroines. There is just so so much to love here, making it the best lesbian historical romance on the market. I need Netflix to get on making this series into a 3 season show IMMEDIATELY .
At first it is Cora (h) who seems most composed and seductive. Why wouldn't she be? She is experienced, wealthy and of high status in Paris.
“Did I fulfill my promises?” Cora asked before swiping her tongue over Manuela’s navel.
But Manuela (h) gives her an all-too-entertaining run for her money. There's just something about a bubbly fmc bamboozling someone stoic with her charm and tenacity.
“Why me?” Cora heard herself ask.
Manuela smiled, but this time the brightness in her eyes shifted into something far less appealing. There was dread there, and resignation. But she when opened her mouth her voice was clear and unfaltering. “Because I can make you.” Her lips tipped up wickedly. Cora swallowed nervously. “And I like how you kiss.”
She is one of my favourite romance heroines, giving as good as she gets and fueling the charged interactions between them. Truly, the chemistry was off the charts, I just couldn't get enough. Manuela is an artist, intending to enjoy her last bit of freedom in Paris before her arranged marriage. There's just something about a truly earnest yet energetic heroine that I find extremely endearing.
The interwoven Latinamerican elements were exceptional. Not only was the spanglish written extremely well (which is rare), but the research Herrera incorporates is fantastic. She contextualises the story well and introduces the reader to some latinamerican history, which many of us have simply not been taught through our education system. Even smaller mannerisms and sayings I found to be heartwarming and familiar: the passing mention of Cora's mate, the 'querida', the cheek kisses etc. So lovely.
I will say that the writing style was not what I was expecting from a historical romance. It is not formal and historical in the way I like my HR to be, but the character interaction makes up for it.
Herrera's tension is fantastic. There's yearning, desperation, angst, passion, tenderness, vulnerability, teasing, banter, humour, steam... she just nails the romance formula.
“I’m sorry.” She pressed a gentle kiss to the spot right behind Manuela’s ear that fascinated her, and she exhaled in that soft, warm way she did when Cora touched her in the exact way she liked. “It was awful of me to be thoughtful,” she teased. “And just when we had finally agreed I was terribly rude.”
It's not even just the protagonists that we grow fond of. They have incredible support systems of friends and family. There is real familiarity and warmth there.
There are other mini critiques I could make here and there. Like the slight overuse of "princess", the slightly slow start, the initial slightly obnoxious inner monologue comparing themselves to men, occasionally telling more than showing, and the aforementioned contemporary vocabulary. But honestly? It doesn't even matter, because this love story is just that good. Even the ending and epilogue I felt were perfect and appropriate.
This has a solid spot on the 'best of the best' list in my head. Again, incredible character work and incredibly touching romance story, a giggle and a great time. Cora and Manuela my wives 😌💘. Give it a chance to win you over and it will.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ✯ ━━━━━━━━━━━
August 10, 2023
Latina lesbians in Paris! ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
June 21, 2025
2025 reread - I enjoyed this even more the second time!!! 4.5 stars
_____________________________
A sapphic historical romance set in Paris between a colorful, feminine artist from the Caribbean and a buttoned-up duchess who has vowed to never again let a pretty face interfere with her personal and business interests. But Manuela is here to have a summer of fun and debauchery before she submits to a marriage she doesn't want, and she's going to upset everything in Cora's perfectly planned life along the way....
I loved seeing all the research into the vibrant queer communities and artist communities existing in Paris during this time period. It really feels like a celebration of and homage to all the women who have loved other women throughout history. I'm a big fan of Adriana Herrera's work and because I ADORED the first book in the series I went in with sky high expectations of Island Princess being a new favorite for me. It didn't quite live up to that, but it's still an excellent book and I love seeing more sapphic historicals coming out!
Note that this is quite a steamy book once you hit about the midpoint and descriptions are pretty explicit. There were a couple times that I wanted more sense of the emotion behind the sex than what we got, just because I know Herrera can deliver that. But I think that came further on in the book. One other thing though is this kind of assumes you've read the first book in the series. Manuela undergoes a pretty significant shift in perspective partway through that is driven by events detailed in book 1. So if you haven't read it, that might feel like a real leap. But overall, this was very good and I do recommend it. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
_____________________________
A sapphic historical romance set in Paris between a colorful, feminine artist from the Caribbean and a buttoned-up duchess who has vowed to never again let a pretty face interfere with her personal and business interests. But Manuela is here to have a summer of fun and debauchery before she submits to a marriage she doesn't want, and she's going to upset everything in Cora's perfectly planned life along the way....
I loved seeing all the research into the vibrant queer communities and artist communities existing in Paris during this time period. It really feels like a celebration of and homage to all the women who have loved other women throughout history. I'm a big fan of Adriana Herrera's work and because I ADORED the first book in the series I went in with sky high expectations of Island Princess being a new favorite for me. It didn't quite live up to that, but it's still an excellent book and I love seeing more sapphic historicals coming out!
Note that this is quite a steamy book once you hit about the midpoint and descriptions are pretty explicit. There were a couple times that I wanted more sense of the emotion behind the sex than what we got, just because I know Herrera can deliver that. But I think that came further on in the book. One other thing though is this kind of assumes you've read the first book in the series. Manuela undergoes a pretty significant shift in perspective partway through that is driven by events detailed in book 1. So if you haven't read it, that might feel like a real leap. But overall, this was very good and I do recommend it. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
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April 5, 20241890s f/f with Caribbean and Chilean/English MCs. Worked better for me than the first in the series, I think because the long period of UST gave the characters and world such terrific space for development (and I just like UST okay). Both heroines have a lot to learn about what they really want (starting from some not entirely sympathetic places, which I loved) and it makes for a very satisfying romance.
And the world building is great. Fabulous and clearly deeply researched depiction of fin de siecle arty-boho and queer Paris, plus a lot of interesting stuff on the struggles of women, especially of colour, in the very white male world of business. A satisfyingly meaty read along with some scorching sex.
And the world building is great. Fabulous and clearly deeply researched depiction of fin de siecle arty-boho and queer Paris, plus a lot of interesting stuff on the struggles of women, especially of colour, in the very white male world of business. A satisfyingly meaty read along with some scorching sex.
September 16, 2025
buying a plane ticket rn to go join the working exiled artists of paris collective ✈️
this was fun and steamy and i adored the setting of the belle époque period! between that and the historical latine american societal politics, it was researched well and it shows in the writing, i must learn more 🤓
2 latine fmc’s (Caribbean x Chilean/English) so it’s a combo sapphic sept x hispanic heritage month read!
this was fun and steamy and i adored the setting of the belle époque period! between that and the historical latine american societal politics, it was researched well and it shows in the writing, i must learn more 🤓
2 latine fmc’s (Caribbean x Chilean/English) so it’s a combo sapphic sept x hispanic heritage month read!
Read
December 7, 2023This was SO GOOD. A sapphic historical romance in Paris?? The dynamic between the two heroines was everything and I was so obsessed with them. I will say, I started off with the audio and it was har to get into, but once I switched to paperback, I couldn't put this down. The setting was so fun and intriguing for the time period and made the story that much so engaging. I loved how one heroine was damaged and didn't believe in love while the other just wanted to love and experience life. I honestly couldn't put this down and am so obsessed with them! A favorite historical romance of the year!!
June 19, 2023
Very sapphic. Very hot. Full RTC
April 27, 2024
Very fun and very steamy!
June 12, 2023
How do I give a book more than 5 stars?? Because 5 stars is not enough for this perfect blend of steamy swoony romance between two brilliant sapphic Latina leads (an artist/heiress & a entrepreneur/duchess), found family joy, healing journeys, queer history and labor organizing inspiration, and my favorite ending ever!
I cried, I blushed, I wanted to wrap our precious protagonists in bubble wrap so no one would ever hurt them, I wanted to take their hands and deliver a loving but stern intervention when they were hurting themselves, and then I cried again with joy.
The Leonas series is the perfect historical!
I cried, I blushed, I wanted to wrap our precious protagonists in bubble wrap so no one would ever hurt them, I wanted to take their hands and deliver a loving but stern intervention when they were hurting themselves, and then I cried again with joy.
The Leonas series is the perfect historical!
May 22, 2023
We are in love with the IDEA of this book: a sapphic rendition of a "reformed rakes make the best husbands" book featuring an outspoken young Dominican artist enjoying her final summer of freedom before marrying a rich man to save her family and a ruthless businesswoman/duchess? That young artist making a sex bargain with said duchess as a part of a business deal? A group of friends who support each other no matter how ridiculous they think the others are acting? Fin de siecle Paris as a supporting character underpinning the whole thing? It sounds delicious.
We really, really wanted to love it, but the ideas weren't enough for us. We found Manuela and Cora's relationship to be founded on instalust. The sex bargain plot device ended up being way too chaste for our taste. And Cora's insistence on denying her own feelings went on way too long. Here's hoping the final book in the series can marry ideas with a romance we really love.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the book.
We really, really wanted to love it, but the ideas weren't enough for us. We found Manuela and Cora's relationship to be founded on instalust. The sex bargain plot device ended up being way too chaste for our taste. And Cora's insistence on denying her own feelings went on way too long. Here's hoping the final book in the series can marry ideas with a romance we really love.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the book.
May 31, 2023
It was always going to be this way. Cora capitulating to this hunger, walking into her own undoing with her eyes wide open.
4.5 stars. 4.25? I have a lot of feelings, and 85 percent of them are overwhelmingly positive. The remaining 15 percent aren't negative, but I'm still working out in my head how I feel about it, and kind of talking myself through how I feel and why I feel that way. This might end up being a ramble of a review. But basically, I adooooored this romance. Historical, steamy, sapphic, bit of an age gap, so much of what I love in romance. It's another hit from Adriana Herrera.
Emmanuel Manuela is a Venezuelan heiress in Paris with her friends, with a piece of land in Venezuela available for sale. Cora is a ruthless Duchess and businesswoman, and for her latest business venture, she wants to purchase said piece of land. Their meeting takes place against the backdrop of the Exposition Universelle, and sparks immediately fly. I completely adore both our main characters. Manuela is impulsive, tempestuous, a little bit of an innocent but very ready and willing to get rid of that, and she just wants to see and experience the world before her arranged marriage. I love the way that her yearning was articulated. She knows that she's a lesbian, and she has no grand dreams or flights of fancy about it, because she just assumes that there is no way to satisfy that part of herself, especially with all of her parental expectations. Seeing her blossom made me so happy. I love that Cora starts showing her that more is possible for her, and then Manuela herself takes the reins and starts making more possible for herself. Cora is my dream woman, stern and unyielding, greying at the temples; be still my heart! If she's an ice queen, she melts so quickly for Manuela that it's incredibly charming and really endearing. She has a lot of reasons to want to hold herself back: her position in society, her past with another lover, trying to secure her stepson’s station, trying to maintain the superior position she has managed to carve for herself in a woman-hating world. There are a lot of factors working against her, and I love how stalwart and no-nonsense she is. And I also love all of the sweetness and kindness and philanthropy that she doesn't show to the average person. And Manuela, of course, manages to make her weak in the best way.
If her teeth could unclench, she would’ve sneered at just how wrong the Greeks had gotten it.
Hades…could only be a woman.
And oh my god, the chemistry. There is an immediate physical attraction that's obvious, and Herrera writes about it in a way that made me want to giggle. Did make me giggle. There were a few Cinderella references that had me smiling from ear to ear, and when things get steamy it's so good. If Cora’s gonna do one thing, she’s gonna eat. But besides all that, the way these women talk about each other just made me want to constantly swoon. This isn't insta love, but the way they express their attraction and feelings just made this romance feels so momentous, like it was absolutely meant to be. In the moments before their second meeting, Manuela speaks about feeling like animals right before an earthquake, like her body is trying to tell her something. I don't know, there's just something so romantic about that. All of their banter was electric from the very start. The fact that Cora calls Manuela princesa just made me want to squeal. They were so lovely and inevitable together.
I really enjoyed all the historical titbits about South America and the Caribbean and queer life in Paris in the 1800s. As always, it's great to read a historical book that doesn't just acknowledge the existence of queer people and people of colour, but, in fact, is helmed by queer people and queer people of colour. I love the looks into the Parisian nightlife, lesbian clubs, what it's like to be a woman in society, and a woman who has to make her own way with a trade, sometimes after being shunted or abandoned by family. This is a small thing, but I really, really enjoyed the fact that the characters referred to themselves as lesbians. It’s period appropriate, because the word was coming into use around that time, and there was also just something very joyful about it. Every time Manuela claimed that the word for herself, I wanted to cheer for her.
Who could resist closing their hand over a star if it landed in the palm of their hand?
As for the 15 percent that I didn't really love... it is, of course, connected to the third act conflict. I'm probably going to ramble a lot, because I'm just sort of thinking this out as I type.
But the last chapter did do a lot to smooth over my disappointment, and I ended the book the overwhelmingly positive feelings. This is a romance, and it more than achieved the most important thing that a romance is supposed to do: make me truly believe that these two people belong together. It doesn't completely erase my nit-picks, but I still really love this book. I can't overstate how giddy and happy they made me as a couple.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Nneka Okoye, and it was again really wonderful. Great accents and timing. I love her voice for Cora; it was completely dreamy. I don't know if I'll read the third book in the series. While I love Aurora with my whole entire heart, she's the prickly, fussy woman of my dreams, Apollo didn't do anything more than irritate me in this book. But I guess we'll see. I'm desperately hoping that Adriana Herrera will be writing even more queer historical romances.
“Corazón.” Manuela always said her name like a benediction. “Your name, and the part of me you own.”
June 11, 2025
*Sigh.* Upon rereading, I’m once again reminded how I adore this book with every single fiber of my being. Seriously, parts of this feel like Adriana Herrera wrote this book specifically for me.
Manuela and Cora are so incredibly OTP. The way they come into each other’s lives, awaken something in each other, and show each other that there’s so much more to life than what they originally thought!! The delightful push and pull of their interactions, that delicious tension (the lead-up to their second meeting had me vibrating with pent-up energy) the scorching chemistry, and the deep regard for each other!!! Oh my. If I ever find a love like this, I swear I’ll never want for anything ever again. This book is defintiely, as described by the author herself, “insta-INSTA -lust,” which isn’t normally my vibe, but here I didn’t even care because every interaction between Cora and Manuela had me grinning like an idiot. Sometimes insta-lust really does end in forever 🥺.
Manuela is a wonderful, multifaceted, FUN main character with a contagious, unapologetic zest for life. I loved and empathized with her personal discovery arc. At first she’s resigned to a life with a man she could never love — her only consolation prize being the ability to buy pretty dresses — but then she comes to realize that there’s a whole world for people like her. And by golly, Manuela is such a freakin’ delight to spend time with! I couldn’t help but laugh at her outrageous antics and unabashedly lustful thoughts.
And Cora…oh my god. HOOOO BOY!! 🔥🔥🔥 This woman has me in such a chokehold. Definitely in my top five character crushes ever, oftentimes #1 depending on my mood. The way she absolutely knocks me on my ass... 😵 There are few things I love more than a slightly terrifying woman with the deepest, most ardent emotions in her heart. Cora’s shrewd mind, the way she eats men for breakfast, her protectiveness toward those she loves, her dominant energy…can someone say yummmmm? But it’s the vulnerability that’s revealed throughout the book that had me truly falling for her. She loves SO hard and SO intensely, it feels earth-shattering, and she’s endearingly human beneath the icy exterior. God, even her name makes me swoon (I feel you, Manuela). Anyway, not that I’m an astrology expert or anything, but Cora gives major Scorpio vibes and I am sooo here for it.
Aside from the romance, there are so many other things to enjoy in this book. I loved the snapshots of lesbian/sapphic life in Paris during the 1880s, and I acutely felt the way Manuela’s brain shifted as she realized there was a place in the world for people like her to live authentically. There are some awesome themes of female empowerment: women working and supporting themselves without men, the way Manuela and other female artists draw for the female gaze…it’s all *chef’s kiss.* I also enjoyed learning about how Paris was so vibrant and multicultural during the 1880s, and I learned a lot from the author’s note.
I adored like, every single side character (aside from the ones we’re meant to hate, of course) in this book. The love among the Leonas is truly a treasure, and if I were more of a crier, I’d probably cry at the way the other Leonas support Manuela unconditionally. We don’t see too much of Luz Alana in this book, but I could tell she’s a badass and a great pillar of support. We see PLENTY of Aurora, though, which worked perfectly for me. I freaking love Aurora, she made me LOL so many times, and I can’t think about her without grinning. Gotta love a brilliant female doctor who eschews social convention at every turn and can be bribed with delicious chicken. God, I kind of have a crush on Aurora too, and I can’t wait to read her book (I don’t think she’s sapphic, which isa shametotally fine because she and Apollo have a great dynamic going on)! Cora also has some amazing people supporting her: her aunt, stepson, and friends are all delightful. I just love love love this world Herrera has created.
What did I not like? Not much, and the things I didn’t care for aren’t gonna make me lower my rating. But…
1. I wish we had gotten a better idea of how Cora would be content with her career/philanthropic efforts after the events of the book, and how she truly wanted the path she was set to take. But it’s implied throughout the book that she wasn’t exactly happy with her business dealings, so…I guess I’m not too mad about it.
2. Cora’s violet eyes. It’s such a small thing, but afaik violet eyes aren’t a thing unless the person has albinism, which I’m almost certain Cora doesn’t. I kinda wish she’d been given a more realistic eye color so that she’d feel just that more real. Plus she’d be just as breathtaking with brown, hazel, blue, green, or grey eyes.
Anyway, it’s probably redundant of me to give any more praise at this point, but I LOVE THIS BOOK! Phew. It’s been a long time since I’ve written such a long-ass review. Well, if any book can pull me out of my review-writing slump, it’s this masterpiece!
——
Original read (2023):
Absolutely screaming at how much I LOVED this book! The drama! The angst! The joy! The gayyyyyyy! Cora being one of the hottest characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about!! AHHHH! Review to come maybe
Oh and the audiobook narration my Nneka Okoye is incredible. Especially her Cora voice oh my godddddddddd
Manuela and Cora are so incredibly OTP. The way they come into each other’s lives, awaken something in each other, and show each other that there’s so much more to life than what they originally thought!! The delightful push and pull of their interactions, that delicious tension (the lead-up to their second meeting had me vibrating with pent-up energy) the scorching chemistry, and the deep regard for each other!!! Oh my. If I ever find a love like this, I swear I’ll never want for anything ever again. This book is defintiely, as described by the author herself, “insta-INSTA -lust,” which isn’t normally my vibe, but here I didn’t even care because every interaction between Cora and Manuela had me grinning like an idiot. Sometimes insta-lust really does end in forever 🥺.
Manuela is a wonderful, multifaceted, FUN main character with a contagious, unapologetic zest for life. I loved and empathized with her personal discovery arc. At first she’s resigned to a life with a man she could never love — her only consolation prize being the ability to buy pretty dresses — but then she comes to realize that there’s a whole world for people like her. And by golly, Manuela is such a freakin’ delight to spend time with! I couldn’t help but laugh at her outrageous antics and unabashedly lustful thoughts.
And Cora…oh my god. HOOOO BOY!! 🔥🔥🔥 This woman has me in such a chokehold. Definitely in my top five character crushes ever, oftentimes #1 depending on my mood. The way she absolutely knocks me on my ass... 😵 There are few things I love more than a slightly terrifying woman with the deepest, most ardent emotions in her heart. Cora’s shrewd mind, the way she eats men for breakfast, her protectiveness toward those she loves, her dominant energy…can someone say yummmmm? But it’s the vulnerability that’s revealed throughout the book that had me truly falling for her. She loves SO hard and SO intensely, it feels earth-shattering, and she’s endearingly human beneath the icy exterior. God, even her name makes me swoon (I feel you, Manuela). Anyway, not that I’m an astrology expert or anything, but Cora gives major Scorpio vibes and I am sooo here for it.
Aside from the romance, there are so many other things to enjoy in this book. I loved the snapshots of lesbian/sapphic life in Paris during the 1880s, and I acutely felt the way Manuela’s brain shifted as she realized there was a place in the world for people like her to live authentically. There are some awesome themes of female empowerment: women working and supporting themselves without men, the way Manuela and other female artists draw for the female gaze…it’s all *chef’s kiss.* I also enjoyed learning about how Paris was so vibrant and multicultural during the 1880s, and I learned a lot from the author’s note.
I adored like, every single side character (aside from the ones we’re meant to hate, of course) in this book. The love among the Leonas is truly a treasure, and if I were more of a crier, I’d probably cry at the way the other Leonas support Manuela unconditionally. We don’t see too much of Luz Alana in this book, but I could tell she’s a badass and a great pillar of support. We see PLENTY of Aurora, though, which worked perfectly for me. I freaking love Aurora, she made me LOL so many times, and I can’t think about her without grinning. Gotta love a brilliant female doctor who eschews social convention at every turn and can be bribed with delicious chicken. God, I kind of have a crush on Aurora too, and I can’t wait to read her book (I don’t think she’s sapphic, which is
What did I not like? Not much, and the things I didn’t care for aren’t gonna make me lower my rating. But…
1. I wish we had gotten a better idea of how Cora would be content with her career/philanthropic efforts after the events of the book, and how she truly wanted the path she was set to take. But it’s implied throughout the book that she wasn’t exactly happy with her business dealings, so…I guess I’m not too mad about it.
2. Cora’s violet eyes. It’s such a small thing, but afaik violet eyes aren’t a thing unless the person has albinism, which I’m almost certain Cora doesn’t. I kinda wish she’d been given a more realistic eye color so that she’d feel just that more real. Plus she’d be just as breathtaking with brown, hazel, blue, green, or grey eyes.
Anyway, it’s probably redundant of me to give any more praise at this point, but I LOVE THIS BOOK! Phew. It’s been a long time since I’ve written such a long-ass review. Well, if any book can pull me out of my review-writing slump, it’s this masterpiece!
——
Original read (2023):
Absolutely screaming at how much I LOVED this book! The drama! The angst! The joy! The gayyyyyyy! Cora being one of the hottest characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about!! AHHHH! Review to come maybe
Oh and the audiobook narration my Nneka Okoye is incredible. Especially her Cora voice oh my godddddddddd
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2023
I can't believe I'm giving an Adriana Herrera book 3 stars. I wanted to love this. I wanted to be swept away in the romance, while being grounded in the history like I was in the first book in the series. I wanted this sapphic romance to be brimming with fun, tenderness, heat, and take a closer look at queer afro-latinx women in history. The history is there. This was clearly deeply researched, and grounded in the facts of the place, time, and kind of people who would be moving and shaking up city like Paris in the 1800s. But for me, the rest fell flat. Manuela and Cora didn't leap off the page for me. They felt like vehicles to move the story forward rather than fully fleshed out characters.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about representation and story and romance. Excellent representation does not automatically translate to a good story, and while this rep is top notch, the story suffered.
The pacing of the story was problematic. The premise of the relationship is that Manuela, an artist trying to live wildly for the last six weeks of her time in Paris, makes a deal with Cora, a Duchess known for loving other women, to be shown the nooks and crannies of the sapphic community of Paris. And if they can spend some time in bed together too, all the better. But it takes until 50% for them to really start this journey, which means that they don't really get to know each other in the beginning. There is clear attraction, and they have a few moments together, but the first half of the book has no plot or character development of note.
Once Cora and Manuela start on their journey of debauchery, Cora (in a move true to her character but which is very dull for the reader) keeps to the letter of the law by only taking Manuela to sedate, settled events with older lesbians. Much of their interactions in this section take place off page, and so, I never really got to believe their connection as anything beyond the physical. Luckily, there was plenty of spice here.
This story is hot, with multiple steamy scenes between Manuela and Cora. I never doubted their attraction or lust, and it was nice to see their relationship deepen in the bedroom. If half the historical groundwork and setting had been cut and replaced by more realistic relationship development and stronger character arcs for both characters, I would have been much happier. I appreciate the light Adriana was trying to shed on the real history that tends to be whitewashed and heterosexualized, but it was infodumpy and I was bored too frequently by the exposition. Honestly, if this was my first book by the author, I probably would have DNFd it in the first 30%.
I am confident that this is just a bump in the road for me, and I can't wait for the next book in the series. The enemies to lovers vibes we are already getting is enticing.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about representation and story and romance. Excellent representation does not automatically translate to a good story, and while this rep is top notch, the story suffered.
The pacing of the story was problematic. The premise of the relationship is that Manuela, an artist trying to live wildly for the last six weeks of her time in Paris, makes a deal with Cora, a Duchess known for loving other women, to be shown the nooks and crannies of the sapphic community of Paris. And if they can spend some time in bed together too, all the better. But it takes until 50% for them to really start this journey, which means that they don't really get to know each other in the beginning. There is clear attraction, and they have a few moments together, but the first half of the book has no plot or character development of note.
Once Cora and Manuela start on their journey of debauchery, Cora (in a move true to her character but which is very dull for the reader) keeps to the letter of the law by only taking Manuela to sedate, settled events with older lesbians. Much of their interactions in this section take place off page, and so, I never really got to believe their connection as anything beyond the physical. Luckily, there was plenty of spice here.
This story is hot, with multiple steamy scenes between Manuela and Cora. I never doubted their attraction or lust, and it was nice to see their relationship deepen in the bedroom. If half the historical groundwork and setting had been cut and replaced by more realistic relationship development and stronger character arcs for both characters, I would have been much happier. I appreciate the light Adriana was trying to shed on the real history that tends to be whitewashed and heterosexualized, but it was infodumpy and I was bored too frequently by the exposition. Honestly, if this was my first book by the author, I probably would have DNFd it in the first 30%.
I am confident that this is just a bump in the road for me, and I can't wait for the next book in the series. The enemies to lovers vibes we are already getting is enticing.
January 24, 2024
I was really excited about this one -- how often do we get historical queer Latina love stories!! -- but it ended up falling a bit flat for me. Something about the writing and/or characterization didn't quite work for me, but I'm finding it hard to put my finger on it exactly. I did love all the details about sapphic Latin American expats in Paris in the 1880s. I would love to time travel to go to one of those lesbian get-togethers!
June 11, 2025
three things i really liked the most:
1) how this book talks about how you can’t gain a system that was meant to exclude you by working within the system’s terms and means. very much master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house which i always love in books, specially in the feminist sense because for some reason, feminism seems to be the one where this idea that working with the system is actually going to change anything is perpetuated the most (damn you choice feminism).
2) how this book emphasizes the sexual connection between the two while not taking away from other aspects of their romantic bond. a lot of lesbian books either go the overcorrection route in a response to lesbian sexualization where they never deal with sex and if they do it’s in a cheeky way and the characters feel like bland sexless dolls. or some may struggle to find the balance and have me question if they even like each other outside of sex because there’s nothing to like. this author did a good job developing the character’s personalities inside and outside the relationship AND have some really good sex scenes so this never felt like an issue.
3) the use of the word lesbian! it’s just a nice thing where a lesbian book openly and proudly declares their characters as lesbians. it’s especially cool that a book set in the 1800s did it considering people often use time as a reason they won’t (despite the fact that a lot of books set in modern day don’t either). both the main characters (as well as some lovely side characters) are openly lesbian and say it as so. we do love to see it!
however, i don’t know why but this book just didn’t particularly stand out to me. it’s not that anything was particularly bad, it’s just that nothing was particularly great. it’s a nice read but i don’t see it as an all time fav or anything. i would recommend nevertheless tho. not everything needs to be show stopping for it to be worthwhile and i DO think this book is worthwhile (as i said before, nothing in the book is bad, they have all the elements of a good book, good main characters, plot that keeps moving, fun side characters that also feel like real people, lesbians, good writing, etc. it’s just not an AMAZING book)
but side note, as someone from the caribbean. it genuinely had me tweaking out the way the audiobook continuously pronounced caribbean. like…can that pronunciation stay with just the pirates please. NO MORE
edit: the more i think about this book, the more i don’t understand why the hell i didn’t give it five stars. i have to reread but i just remember this book with so much fondness, i think it’s a fav actually.
June 9, 2023
This is the best sapphic historical romance I’ve ever read in my entire life. Found family? Check. Yearning, pining, angst? Check. Incredibly sizzling chemistry? Check. Heart, warmth, hope while also being true to the times they lived in? Check! My god, Adriana can simply do no wrong in my eyes, and I think this might be my favorite romance series that I’m in the middle of. I’m going to DIE while waiting for Apollo and Auroras story!
October 18, 2025
4 stars. Well-researched, steamy, and containing a wonderful depiction of the livelihood of queer women in 1880's Paris, An Island Princess Starts a Scandal was an excellent queer historical romance that perfectly balances the educational with the entertaining.
June 29, 2023
A smutty punch to the chest about a woman arranged to be married, her two months of freedom to navigate all the Parisian lesbian circles she’s always dreamed of, and a Duchess she’s entered an arrangement with who has been hurt by love before.
Not only is this a passionately and unapologetically queer novel about Latina’s in Paris but also an experience that left me in ruins.
Where is my duchess? Who will call me querida and tell me she misses me more than air?
Adriana Herrera doesn’t miss. Ever.
CW: explicit sexual content, homophobia (including from loved ones/parents), threat of violence, discussions of misogyny and sexism, brief moments (and discussions of) racism
Not only is this a passionately and unapologetically queer novel about Latina’s in Paris but also an experience that left me in ruins.
Where is my duchess? Who will call me querida and tell me she misses me more than air?
Adriana Herrera doesn’t miss. Ever.
CW: explicit sexual content, homophobia (including from loved ones/parents), threat of violence, discussions of misogyny and sexism, brief moments (and discussions of) racism
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 27, 2024
I see you and your anti-colonialism, Mrs. Herrera and I LOVE IT.
This is divestiture in progress. This is romance. This is queerness. This is art. This is two people daring each other to change—for each other, for themselves, for the community they find and make and invest in.
Fuck the scandal, full speed ahead!
This is divestiture in progress. This is romance. This is queerness. This is art. This is two people daring each other to change—for each other, for themselves, for the community they find and make and invest in.
Fuck the scandal, full speed ahead!
June 5, 2023
Y’all, this book! When I tell you my earbuds were sweating, you best believe it! I needed a good HR read and I’m so glad I used my credit on this one because the narration was so good & sultry. This was a slow burn, but once it hit that sweet spot—okay now! I’m so looked forward to book 3!!
June 17, 2023
I love Strong heroines!!!
I have come to expect excellence from Adriana Herrera and this one didn’t disappoint. I initially chose this book for the beautiful cover but it also fit for a pride month read. This story featured two strong heroines who held their own in business. Trying to keep their attraction behinds the scenes was a whole other issue.
I have come to expect excellence from Adriana Herrera and this one didn’t disappoint. I initially chose this book for the beautiful cover but it also fit for a pride month read. This story featured two strong heroines who held their own in business. Trying to keep their attraction behinds the scenes was a whole other issue.
June 13, 2024
4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟✨ real lovergirls are ACTUALLY so back and I used to pray for times like this!
Latina lesbians in Paris?? Oh I was UP! I didn’t expect to literally wanna scream cry and throw up, but also squeal giggle and kick my feet during this, but here we are. I love how the women are actually PEOPLE in this. They have their own lives and personalities and emotional journeys.
Manuela and Cora both had so much pressure on them but they found such love, comfort and joy in each other. Their arrangement was dumb as hell BUT I think that was the point- it was a disaster to begin with. They’re both so fun and full of life that I really connected with, even if I didn’t always like their choices (looking at YOU Cora).
The historical and feminist aspects of this were so important to the story and added so much more to it, as opposed to just being dressing to a romance. There were real stakes and real consequences, and I respect that a lot. It was really interesting as well, because a lot of (if not most) historical romances really erase a lot of the real historical aspects in service of the aesthetics and romance itself.
In terms of the romance itself… ♾️/10 I’m absolutely a wh0re for these two and I have accepted that. The pet names/terms of endearment, the yearning, the spice, the actual chemistry, them genuinely liking each other and loving each other as the flawed people they are… if it ain’t this then I don’t want it! Fvck R&J I want what these chaotic lesbians have!
Latina lesbians in Paris?? Oh I was UP! I didn’t expect to literally wanna scream cry and throw up, but also squeal giggle and kick my feet during this, but here we are. I love how the women are actually PEOPLE in this. They have their own lives and personalities and emotional journeys.
Manuela and Cora both had so much pressure on them but they found such love, comfort and joy in each other. Their arrangement was dumb as hell BUT I think that was the point- it was a disaster to begin with. They’re both so fun and full of life that I really connected with, even if I didn’t always like their choices (looking at YOU Cora).
The historical and feminist aspects of this were so important to the story and added so much more to it, as opposed to just being dressing to a romance. There were real stakes and real consequences, and I respect that a lot. It was really interesting as well, because a lot of (if not most) historical romances really erase a lot of the real historical aspects in service of the aesthetics and romance itself.
In terms of the romance itself… ♾️/10 I’m absolutely a wh0re for these two and I have accepted that. The pet names/terms of endearment, the yearning, the spice, the actual chemistry, them genuinely liking each other and loving each other as the flawed people they are… if it ain’t this then I don’t want it! Fvck R&J I want what these chaotic lesbians have!
November 4, 2023
A sapphic historical romance set in Paris with two strong heroines?! I really did enjoy a lot about this one: Manuela is a Dominican artist who wants one last summer of freedom in Paris before she has to enter into a loveless marriage, the vibrant Parisian setting, a ruthless-in-business badass duchess heroine named Cora, the friend group, the art scene, some lessons, a bargain between the two heroines. 👀
This book started strong and ended strong, while the middle did start to lose me a little bit, I think maybe it was just me feeling like it was a little too long (and that’s why it’s 4 stars for me). I did just love seeing Manuela and Cora and all of the women around them in this lush Parisian setting. It had sweepingly romantic moments and grand gesture moments (when Cora gets Manuela’s art exhibit moved to the front instead of the attic). I did feel like we got teased with a lot that we don’t get to actually see (as far as the steam), but I still enjoyed them as a couple. And the light tension with the “will she or won’t she” marry someone else once the summer ends.
I did read the first book in the series, A Caribbean Heiress in Paris, but these can definitely be read as standalones and you won’t be lost. They just follow the same friend group. The author’s note at the end was fantastic. If you want a historical romance that feels like a breath of fresh air with an exciting setting, Latin American history, feminism, and a sapphic romance…then check this one out!
This book started strong and ended strong, while the middle did start to lose me a little bit, I think maybe it was just me feeling like it was a little too long (and that’s why it’s 4 stars for me). I did just love seeing Manuela and Cora and all of the women around them in this lush Parisian setting. It had sweepingly romantic moments and grand gesture moments (when Cora gets Manuela’s art exhibit moved to the front instead of the attic). I did feel like we got teased with a lot that we don’t get to actually see (as far as the steam), but I still enjoyed them as a couple. And the light tension with the “will she or won’t she” marry someone else once the summer ends.
I did read the first book in the series, A Caribbean Heiress in Paris, but these can definitely be read as standalones and you won’t be lost. They just follow the same friend group. The author’s note at the end was fantastic. If you want a historical romance that feels like a breath of fresh air with an exciting setting, Latin American history, feminism, and a sapphic romance…then check this one out!
December 19, 2023
“I don’t want you to love me in spite of your common sense, Cora. I want you to love me because nothing else in the world could stop you…I want to be loved because the idea of a life with me is enough to change everything, not something you do against your better judgment.”
I had such a good time reading this book, it hit all the right marks that I love in a historical romance. This was my first sapphic historical romance and the first book by this author I’ve read and I can’t wait to read more. Cora and Manuela the main characters had so much chemistry and great banter. Both characters were great but I loved Manuela so much, her openness, flirting, outspokenness and general character spoke to me. The romance was super cute and steamy with a third act conflict/breakup that made sense with the characters and the world that they lived in. I also really like the author portrayed the 1889 Paris world, female artist and queer communities it was very interesting to read. I need Aurora and Apollo’s book to be next cause their foreshadowing was so good 👀.
Read for:
- Sapphic romance
- Bipoc fmc’s
- Opposites attract
- Historical romance
- Forbidden romance
- Tight knit female friendships
- Art/artists scenery
I had such a good time reading this book, it hit all the right marks that I love in a historical romance. This was my first sapphic historical romance and the first book by this author I’ve read and I can’t wait to read more. Cora and Manuela the main characters had so much chemistry and great banter. Both characters were great but I loved Manuela so much, her openness, flirting, outspokenness and general character spoke to me. The romance was super cute and steamy with a third act conflict/breakup that made sense with the characters and the world that they lived in. I also really like the author portrayed the 1889 Paris world, female artist and queer communities it was very interesting to read. I need Aurora and Apollo’s book to be next cause their foreshadowing was so good 👀.
Read for:
- Sapphic romance
- Bipoc fmc’s
- Opposites attract
- Historical romance
- Forbidden romance
- Tight knit female friendships
- Art/artists scenery
June 6, 2024
i really enjoyed the characters in this romance, but i didn't enjoy the parallel of events with book 1 and the plot line RE the railroad and land sales went over my head a bit.
read for my work romance book club - other book club members were very enthusiastic
reviewed as assigned for library journal
read for my work romance book club - other book club members were very enthusiastic
reviewed as assigned for library journal
June 25, 2023
A swooping romance story!
This book truly will be ingrained in my memory for years to come. What I mean my swooping romance is that the love story between Manuela and Cora truly took me by surprise.
Yes, this is a romance book and we know when the love interest meet, yadda yadda, dont make fun of me!
But what feels the most unlikeliest pair, at face value. But what Adriana did for us was take a deep dive and establish these two women with such depth. As the reader with each chapter, and each conversation I only felt the bond between these two form and it felt stronger and stronger (especially with Cora's resistance.)
I was swooped off my feet with the plot as well, this was so refreshing to read a leading lady "stuck in a pickle" and a DUCHESS be the one to "help" her out of it.
The opulence of this book gives me the most wonderful feelings. I drank and indulged this book, the slow burn was the ultimate tease to my senses. The couples hard earned HEA was so beautiful, I think I was a bit breathless with the love declarations.
Adriana really did it with this book. I am truly stunned. This is a favorite of the year for sure.
Also the STEAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM oh ma gah! Yeah I will shut up now.
This book truly will be ingrained in my memory for years to come. What I mean my swooping romance is that the love story between Manuela and Cora truly took me by surprise.
Yes, this is a romance book and we know when the love interest meet, yadda yadda, dont make fun of me!
But what feels the most unlikeliest pair, at face value. But what Adriana did for us was take a deep dive and establish these two women with such depth. As the reader with each chapter, and each conversation I only felt the bond between these two form and it felt stronger and stronger (especially with Cora's resistance.)
I was swooped off my feet with the plot as well, this was so refreshing to read a leading lady "stuck in a pickle" and a DUCHESS be the one to "help" her out of it.
The opulence of this book gives me the most wonderful feelings. I drank and indulged this book, the slow burn was the ultimate tease to my senses. The couples hard earned HEA was so beautiful, I think I was a bit breathless with the love declarations.
Adriana really did it with this book. I am truly stunned. This is a favorite of the year for sure.
Also the STEAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM oh ma gah! Yeah I will shut up now.
December 7, 2023
This has EVERY element that makes a romance novel remarkable. Manuela is an artist who wants to ✨experience✨ some things before she has to get married. Cora is an insanely intelligent business woman with a plan for said ✨experiences✨. In addition to jaw dropping smut, and giggle inducing banter, Adriana is a master at weaving in important themes (like the reality being a lesbian in the 1800’s) into a swooping romance.
This book will steal your heart and have you finishing it feeling full of hope and love. Highly, HIGHLY recommend.
This book will steal your heart and have you finishing it feeling full of hope and love. Highly, HIGHLY recommend.
June 19, 2023
4.5 maybe I do like historical romances as long as it’s sapphic
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