Mrs. Victoria Buys a Brothel

by Talhí Briones

1865, United States— It took thirty years and a dislocated arm for Victoria to leave her abusive husband. Heartbroken, she has to choose her own life over the hope of ever seeing her son again. She escapes the manor in the dead of night, only bringing with her a white wedding dress.

She ends up in Swainsburg, a minuscule town in Wyoming, where she’s adopted by the local prostitutes. To save them from expulsion, she buys the building and learns that in these parts, entertainment is worth more than gold. It’s almost easy, even fun, to organize piano recitals and cancan shows for the cowboys of the area, but being a Madam comes with responsibilities and dangers she isn’t ready to face. Her husband, after all, has contacts everywhere.

It’s hard to navigate the delicate tensions between respectable ladies and whores, between white society and the ‘others.’ Her new friends are women who carved their place in this merciless life; people who, like her, ended up in Swainsburg when they got tired of running.

Victoria falls in love. She doesn’t notice, she can’t even imagine the possibility. The townfolk say the widow Díaz is strange. Natane is actually incredibly awkward, kind, and very lonely. Victoria has no name for this burning friendship, but the feeling grows and demands to be acknowledged.

This is a story about women who age, gossip, drink, love, and help you hide the body of your dead husband.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Queer, LGBT, Fiction, Westerns, Found Family

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 20, 2025

About the author

Talhí Briones is a writer, on top of being an artist, graphic designer, and generally someone who makes creative projects happen. She wrote Hieroglyphs in French, got it professionally published, designed the cover, and promoted it. Then she tackled the English translation and did it all over again.

This is her first novel but not her first book. She illustrated and coauthored the comic Emmanuel Just Wants to Die (Original English version self-published in 2018; French version published by Glénat Québec in 2020); and is the artist behind the children international cookbook Le Monde dans ma Boîte à Lunch (Centre Multi-Ressources de Lachine, 2018).

Her future projects include writing a next installment in the Hieroglyphs universe and drawing a series of books for girls who love adventure.

Reviews

[Aster]

that was so boring I thought it would never end. surprisingly lack of chemistry and feelings for a romance

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

(rounded up from 4.5)

This was really sweet and optimistic. Lots of action, cozy momma bear vibes from Mrs. Victoria, who is fleeing an abusive husband and lands in this tiny town full of interesting people and a very small brothel. She and the three girls working at the brothel have some super cute mom-daughter dynamics, and we see Victoria's transition from a woman with PTSD from abuse to a woman who stands up to armed bandits for her found family and summons the courage to chase a new love with the gorgeous local reclusive widow.

This was fast-paced, hopeful, and lovely, and I had a great time reading it. It's not the most historically accurate book, but if you're looking for a cozy found family and sapphic read, this is a fantastic pick.

[Elysia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was delightful from beginning to end. From the culture shock of the rich lady from Salt Lake City discovering a run down little village, the hilarious cast of main and side characters who all have their own little things going on just barely out of sight, and the cowboys ! A hilarious, delightful lesbian western that manages to take into account darker historical truths, and to have moments of fear for the characters, while being a genuinely lighthearted read. It's great. I loved it.

[Hunter Athena · Rating 3 out of 5]

The world needs more sapphic westerns stat! It was also absolutely delightful to read a book that featured middle aged MC’s which is so rare in romance novels, let alone romance with some action novel. I also deeply enjoyed having such a diverse cast of characters which is so rarely depicted in westerns.

I do however feel like this book wasn’t the most historically accurate (which I recognize is a taste of personal preference) and I wish there had been more buildup/development between the characters. Mrs. Victoria slept one night in the brothel and then suddenly wanted to buy it for all the help they gave her? I think I would have liked to see more development between the bonds of the characters instead of an immediate leap to besties. I also found myself wishing to see more chemistry between the two MC’s which I felt was a bit lacking. I’m also a sucker for spice so in a personal vein, I would have appreciated seeing a touch more spice in this read as well. Side note to add: there also was a tiny undercurrent of “sex work is bad and these women want to get out of it”.

All in all it’s not a bad story, it has really good bones, I think for me it would have felt better if the relationships between all the characters had more depth and more relationship building done and perhaps a touch more historical accuracy. It was a solid 3 star read and I do see a lot of promise in this author!

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗠𝗥𝗦｡ 𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔 𝗕𝗨𝗬𝗦 𝗔 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗟 is the second book I’ve read by Talhi Briones, and once again, I’m thoroughly enjoying her writing and layered characters. In this queer historical novel, Talhi excels at blending humor and drama in a way that feels natural and compelling. Victoria’s journey from a sheltered, abused wife to a brothel-owning, piano-recital-hosting Madam in the Wild West is both empowering and unexpectedly heartwarming. I found myself rooting for her from the start! The maps at the beginning of the book were a great addition—they helped me picture the setting and added richness to the reading experience. The story balances social tension, emotional growth, and a slow-burn sapphic romance with the mysterious and kind widow Díaz. I’m so glad the author sent me a copy for review, and I’d happily recommend it to fans of queer romance with a fun, unique historical twist.

[Vincens]

Mrs. Victoria Buys a Brothel is a delightfully original novel with a premise that immediately grabs your attention and refuses to let go. The story is filled with colorful, endearing characters who leap off the page and make you care deeply about their quirky, heartfelt journeys. It's the kind of book that’s nearly impossible to put down once you’ve started — charming, witty, and full of unexpected warmth. A truly refreshing read!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs. Victoria buys a Brothel is a captivating read. I read this book over a weekend and it was funny, moving, and delightful. The author creates really interesting, fleshed out characters and I wanted to learn about their stories. I thought the pacing was really good and I was rooting for Victoria and Natane throughout the book.

[Cheri Ebisu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy, romantic, and delightful. I’ve been following this title’s progress on Tumblr and Kickstarter and am so excited to finally have gotten my hands on the physical copy. The Western lesbian antics did not disappoint. All the characters are interesting and well-developed, and the slow burn romance is beautifully done.

[Jen Desmarais · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored everything about this. (Except needing to put it down. Not a big fan of waiting to read the next chapter.) I laughed, flinched, cried, and read so fast that my eyes were a blur.
Beautiful work.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful, dramatic, and sincere

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging historical-romance! Equal parts funny and dramatic. You will be routing for Victoria to succeed from the start!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5- the character writing in general and the chemistry building between Victoria and Natane was great!

[Marjo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really fun coming of age story featuring a middle-aged protagonist.

[Tabi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes I wanted to beat Victoria and myself

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book stated out lightly but soon delved much deeper. A look at spousal abuse, and redemption. A look at forbidden love and it’s consequences.

[Glfzyenzwfcwsb · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely story

Worth the read, and the slow burn. So very good!

I couldn’t put it down, honestly. Will be on the lookout for more from the author.

[Carla C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found family tropes that make me sob.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Paris Jordanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've finished in 1 day in YEARS (and I would kill for book 2)

[Meghan Bohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old West sapphic romance.

[Ella Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️