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The Senator's Wife #0
The Colonel's Daughter: Prequel to the Senator's Wife
Win a free print copy of this book!
5 days and 22:09:39
5 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
Before the world knew her as Catharine Cleveland—a leader of industry, a pillar of polite society, a steward of philanthropy, she was:
A scholar.
A rower.
A promising pianist.
A dutiful heir.
But above all, she was a girl who fell in love.
From the ancient halls of Oxford to the sun-drenched vineyards of Bordeaux, and across the Atlantic to the political circus of D.C., meet Cate Brooks in The Colonel’s Daughter—the prequel to the best-selling series, The Senator’s Wife.
For a full list of content warnings, please visit the CW page on my website.
A scholar.
A rower.
A promising pianist.
A dutiful heir.
But above all, she was a girl who fell in love.
From the ancient halls of Oxford to the sun-drenched vineyards of Bordeaux, and across the Atlantic to the political circus of D.C., meet Cate Brooks in The Colonel’s Daughter—the prequel to the best-selling series, The Senator’s Wife.
For a full list of content warnings, please visit the CW page on my website.
430 pages, Paperback
Published December 4, 2025
159 people are currently reading
2390 people want to read
About the author
Jen Lyon
5 books946 followersJen Lyon is an avid lover of sports, travel, theatre, and the ocean. When she isn’t writing, Jen can be found sailing, browsing the shelves of her local bookstore, cheering ardently at an NWSL soccer match, or training horses at her Southern California horse ranch, where she lives with her wife, Donna, and their dogs and horses.
Follow Jen on IG @jenlyonauthor where she unapologetically spams her page with photos of her corgis, dachshund, horses and obscenely large Maine Coon cats.
Follow Jen on IG @jenlyonauthor where she unapologetically spams her page with photos of her corgis, dachshund, horses and obscenely large Maine Coon cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 27, 2025
Oh, Catharine...
When Jen Lyon said she was thinking of writing a prequel to The Senator's Wife series focusing on Catharine's college years at Oxford, I encouraged it with a very enthusiastic, "Yes, please!" Catharine is one of those tragic characters that never leaves you - one of my all-time favorites in sapphic fiction.
At just 17, Catharine was a brilliant prodigy at Oxford studying to take over her family's global shipping business. Growing up, she was not allowed to be like other children - she was expected to train in languages, business and economics. Her father, cruel and ruthless, only cared about how her actions affected the family business. He determined who she could associate with. Who was worthy of a match that would support her role in business, happiness be damned.
When she meets wild, free, beautiful French theater aficionado Nathalie Comtois at a nearby Oxford college, the actress opens her eyes to a whole different world. Catharine falls completely under her spell and begins to experience true happiness for the first time in her life. But as their college years come to a close, both realize as much as they wish otherwise, their time together is finite.
Those that read The Senator's Wife series know how their romantic relationship ends, but this story focuses on their time together and what happens between the heartbreak and the years when they become the best of friends. If you haven't already, you should read the Senator's Wife series to truly appreciate the history of these characters.
Lyon is an absolutely gorgeous writer and I loved revisiting this world - as much as I loathe Colonel Brooks and Carlton Cleveland. I am beyond thrilled that she is working on one more book in this series called Duplicity that will focus on Catharine and Alex, but as we know - Lyon loves to torture us, so goodness knows what she has in store. But I'd bathe in any and all words she publishes, so bring it on, Jen!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Jen Lyon said she was thinking of writing a prequel to The Senator's Wife series focusing on Catharine's college years at Oxford, I encouraged it with a very enthusiastic, "Yes, please!" Catharine is one of those tragic characters that never leaves you - one of my all-time favorites in sapphic fiction.
At just 17, Catharine was a brilliant prodigy at Oxford studying to take over her family's global shipping business. Growing up, she was not allowed to be like other children - she was expected to train in languages, business and economics. Her father, cruel and ruthless, only cared about how her actions affected the family business. He determined who she could associate with. Who was worthy of a match that would support her role in business, happiness be damned.
When she meets wild, free, beautiful French theater aficionado Nathalie Comtois at a nearby Oxford college, the actress opens her eyes to a whole different world. Catharine falls completely under her spell and begins to experience true happiness for the first time in her life. But as their college years come to a close, both realize as much as they wish otherwise, their time together is finite.
Those that read The Senator's Wife series know how their romantic relationship ends, but this story focuses on their time together and what happens between the heartbreak and the years when they become the best of friends. If you haven't already, you should read the Senator's Wife series to truly appreciate the history of these characters.
Lyon is an absolutely gorgeous writer and I loved revisiting this world - as much as I loathe Colonel Brooks and Carlton Cleveland. I am beyond thrilled that she is working on one more book in this series called Duplicity that will focus on Catharine and Alex, but as we know - Lyon loves to torture us, so goodness knows what she has in store. But I'd bathe in any and all words she publishes, so bring it on, Jen!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 10, 2025
Well, I'll be damned, but Jen Lyon has done it again.
Oh yes—the torture of the soul, the longing, the wishful thoughts, the anticipation, the hope… and then the reality of it all crashing down, reducing your poor heart to scattered glass on the cold ground. It’s up to the reader to pick up all those small shining crystals and piece the heart together again. Stitched, not by romantic love, but by a friendship whose roots run so deep into the earth that not even a tsunami of events could ever shake or dissolve them.
Through a beautiful hommage to many classic masterpieces of literature and theatre, we get the retelling of a young love destined to succumb to society’s customs, to the relentless patriarchy dictating a woman’s life and fate.
The Colonel’s Daughter is a full immersion into the making of Catharine Brooks/Cleveland’s character—who she was before, and who she became after a path in life was forced upon her.
I don't think I have ever wanted so much to intervene in a book as I did while reading this one. I hadn’t forgotten how Jen Lyon can create despicable human beings, but the anger I felt… I was about to explode.
It was like holding on to a thin thread of hope, cheering for Nathalie… even though we all knew the ending. Like watching Romeo and Juliet, right? You still wish for that “What if?”
It’s not normal how Catharine and Nathalie’s love story made me ache. Because it is a beautiful and romantic love story, full of wit, banter, adventure and… eroticism. I think this might be the most erotic and explicit book Jen Lyon has written… and damn, she did an outstanding job.
I loved every minute of it, and now I’m going to speed-read the three books of The Senator’s Wife, because I need karma to wash away the bile I taste in my mouth.
P.S. I know what you did in those few lines you wrote. They broke my heart all over again. You did not!!!
A nerdy, nerdy novel, written so lyrically, with settings so vividly detailed it felt like being there. And the French? It was the cherry on top. Absolutely ad hoc.
I swear these books need to go to a production agency. They would make a heck of a TV series.
This is going to be another paperback I keep on the shelf forever.
Awesome read! More than 5 stars.
So ready for the next ride 😆.
Oh yes—the torture of the soul, the longing, the wishful thoughts, the anticipation, the hope… and then the reality of it all crashing down, reducing your poor heart to scattered glass on the cold ground. It’s up to the reader to pick up all those small shining crystals and piece the heart together again. Stitched, not by romantic love, but by a friendship whose roots run so deep into the earth that not even a tsunami of events could ever shake or dissolve them.
Through a beautiful hommage to many classic masterpieces of literature and theatre, we get the retelling of a young love destined to succumb to society’s customs, to the relentless patriarchy dictating a woman’s life and fate.
The Colonel’s Daughter is a full immersion into the making of Catharine Brooks/Cleveland’s character—who she was before, and who she became after a path in life was forced upon her.
I don't think I have ever wanted so much to intervene in a book as I did while reading this one. I hadn’t forgotten how Jen Lyon can create despicable human beings, but the anger I felt… I was about to explode.
It was like holding on to a thin thread of hope, cheering for Nathalie… even though we all knew the ending. Like watching Romeo and Juliet, right? You still wish for that “What if?”
It’s not normal how Catharine and Nathalie’s love story made me ache. Because it is a beautiful and romantic love story, full of wit, banter, adventure and… eroticism. I think this might be the most erotic and explicit book Jen Lyon has written… and damn, she did an outstanding job.
I loved every minute of it, and now I’m going to speed-read the three books of The Senator’s Wife, because I need karma to wash away the bile I taste in my mouth.
P.S. I know what you did in those few lines you wrote. They broke my heart all over again. You did not!!!
A nerdy, nerdy novel, written so lyrically, with settings so vividly detailed it felt like being there. And the French? It was the cherry on top. Absolutely ad hoc.
I swear these books need to go to a production agency. They would make a heck of a TV series.
This is going to be another paperback I keep on the shelf forever.
Awesome read! More than 5 stars.
So ready for the next ride 😆.
November 20, 2025
Oh man where do I even begin? This was everything and more I wanted in a prequel. Anyone that has talked to me for more than 5 minutes knows that I am positively obsessed with The Senator's Wife so having a closer look into Catharine's life before the events that landed her married to Carlton was a real treat.
The story starts us off with a 17 year old Catharine Brooks in her first year of university where we also meet 19 years old Nathalie. Nat is my most favorite character and she did not disappoint here. The banter between the two of them was everything.
We knew that Catharine's story would be rough and angsty and it is. But Jen brings a lightness and amount of humour that I was not expecting. There were parts that were laugh out loud funny, which I appreciated. It helped to cut some of the tension. As like with her other books, there are tough topics and scenes. But they are handled with tact and care.
I don't want to spoil anything so I will cut off this rant before it fully derails. But buckle up for some angst we knew was coming and lightheartedness and teenage shenanigans that we didn't.
I would like to note that while this is a prequel it is critical it is read after you read The Senator's Wife series to really get the full effect.
I cannot thank Jen enough for providing me with an ARC and I can't wait for the rest of the world to experience this story.
The story starts us off with a 17 year old Catharine Brooks in her first year of university where we also meet 19 years old Nathalie. Nat is my most favorite character and she did not disappoint here. The banter between the two of them was everything.
We knew that Catharine's story would be rough and angsty and it is. But Jen brings a lightness and amount of humour that I was not expecting. There were parts that were laugh out loud funny, which I appreciated. It helped to cut some of the tension. As like with her other books, there are tough topics and scenes. But they are handled with tact and care.
I don't want to spoil anything so I will cut off this rant before it fully derails. But buckle up for some angst we knew was coming and lightheartedness and teenage shenanigans that we didn't.
I would like to note that while this is a prequel it is critical it is read after you read The Senator's Wife series to really get the full effect.
I cannot thank Jen enough for providing me with an ARC and I can't wait for the rest of the world to experience this story.
December 24, 2025
As a reader, I want visceral, fervent, and indelible marks. I have arrived (yet again). Cate is a complex character who has been devastatingly abused, caged, controlled, stripped of life and love. Reader beware, for I cannot isolate the "feels" to just this book, this story, since Catharine (Cate) Brooks lives rent free in my head from the stories of three other books.
Reader beware: Spoilers everywhere...
It is undoubtably well understood how Catharine’s life is governed by rigid expectations: she is groomed to inherit her father’s company, her behavior tightly controlled, her brilliance acknowledged but subordinated by her father and the men around her. Polished, exceptionally intelligent, and emotionally restrained, she is denied agency over her own future. Her soul crying to be seen, to be heard, to be freed. And it is Nathalie’s love that touches Catharine’s soul and ignites life into it. Her first great love and now her closest friend. Their three-year affair, which unfolds while Catharine is studying at Oxford, is abruptly and forcibly ended when Catharine’s father discovers the relationship. Catharine is sent to America and coerced into marrying an unethical, abusive, and politically powerful man. It is here and in her previous books, Lyon reminds us romance and love stories aren’t the same thing. Pretty Woman is romance; Romeo & Juliet is a love story. Lyon writes the latter. She doesn’t follow the romance script, doesn’t protect the reader with tidy resolutions, and doesn’t promise a satisfying happily-ever-after. Instead, she drags you through every emotion, leaves you unsettled, and dares you to sit with it. You may feel cheated. You may want more. You may argue it’s unfair. And you’ll still be thinking about it long after you close the book. She wins. As the reader, you cannot help but want so desperately to wish away the tragic scene we all know is coming. You prepare (once again), for the wrecking of Catharine’s (and now Nathalies) soul -way deeper than their bleeding hearts. It happens, injured and anguished you persist.
Until then, you are taken through their journey. Lyon wrapping words rich in music, poetry, theatre, language and love. Catharine awakened by desire. “It wasn’t a demand, something only to be taken, but a sensation shared in equal measure. Given freely – with hands, with lips, with unadulterated devotion” (Page 156). Nathalie by lust “Ne t’ arête pas” (Page 189). Both spellbound. But then the Colonel arrives home where Catharine and Nathalie are visiting from university break. “If I’m – if I seem different tomorrow…will you promise to forgive me?” (Page 192). The truth, the reality of Catharine’s life – past, present, and future (which we are aware of) torture and strip us of our HEA fantasy. But they survive his ungodly brute and you, tense, remember to breathe again, and push on to enjoy whatever Lyon has left to give to these two. You declare, no beg for some reprieve. As you franticly move through the pages, the evil is coming and it hits harder then it did the first time. “Whatever came next, she would have to face it alone. She held her gaze, entreating. Nathalie stood and ran out the door” (Page 305). The visceral feeling has been achieved. You are left desperate to accept their future. Something I found myself internalizing and exercising with exhaustion to set aside while clinging on to all the moments that were given to these two. I’m going mad with one emotion changing after another with each page that is turned. With a few chapters left, acceptance settles in – although, I’m not sure I’m fond of it. And yes, I do get to return to Catharine and Alex; but the shift from lovers to friends (the reverse of a well-adapted, well-loved trope) is forced upon us. Alas, the love story.
Catharine: “I cannot pretend to know all the ways in which I hurt you. Yet I cannot also help but hope one day you will find it in your heart to show me grace I do not deserve” (Page 345).
And Nathalie, 15 years later – the loyal friend who promised never to leave her. The “catalyst or course, the axis who, since the day they’d met, had held her together” (Page383) is once again “the catalyst” to the end of a horrible life with Senator Cleveland and a beginning with Alex.
I’m going to say it – Nathalie deserves more. I know its coming.
There is mention of music throughout the book. When a piece is mentioned, find it. Play it. Continue to read. The pieces they both choose during the development of their relationship tips the experience for the reader in unknown territory. It moves from intense to earthshattering - we all know music can and does evoke emotion. Lyon alone can do that (along with one other author). Imagine the experience you have when playing a piece of music representing the feelings of each of these characters. The last of their love (although they suspect it is coming, they don’t realize it is within hours), Lyons words, coupled with the sounds of the music (YouTube offers!) their dance haunted by the melody of Ne me quitte pas – “If you go away” break you into a realism not often experienced in books.
I may be a “gentle reader” but in no way are these stories “gentle.” They are visceral. Tu es Magnifique! So, thank you Jen but I don’t accept your apology.
Reader beware: Spoilers everywhere...
It is undoubtably well understood how Catharine’s life is governed by rigid expectations: she is groomed to inherit her father’s company, her behavior tightly controlled, her brilliance acknowledged but subordinated by her father and the men around her. Polished, exceptionally intelligent, and emotionally restrained, she is denied agency over her own future. Her soul crying to be seen, to be heard, to be freed. And it is Nathalie’s love that touches Catharine’s soul and ignites life into it. Her first great love and now her closest friend. Their three-year affair, which unfolds while Catharine is studying at Oxford, is abruptly and forcibly ended when Catharine’s father discovers the relationship. Catharine is sent to America and coerced into marrying an unethical, abusive, and politically powerful man. It is here and in her previous books, Lyon reminds us romance and love stories aren’t the same thing. Pretty Woman is romance; Romeo & Juliet is a love story. Lyon writes the latter. She doesn’t follow the romance script, doesn’t protect the reader with tidy resolutions, and doesn’t promise a satisfying happily-ever-after. Instead, she drags you through every emotion, leaves you unsettled, and dares you to sit with it. You may feel cheated. You may want more. You may argue it’s unfair. And you’ll still be thinking about it long after you close the book. She wins. As the reader, you cannot help but want so desperately to wish away the tragic scene we all know is coming. You prepare (once again), for the wrecking of Catharine’s (and now Nathalies) soul -way deeper than their bleeding hearts. It happens, injured and anguished you persist.
Until then, you are taken through their journey. Lyon wrapping words rich in music, poetry, theatre, language and love. Catharine awakened by desire. “It wasn’t a demand, something only to be taken, but a sensation shared in equal measure. Given freely – with hands, with lips, with unadulterated devotion” (Page 156). Nathalie by lust “Ne t’ arête pas” (Page 189). Both spellbound. But then the Colonel arrives home where Catharine and Nathalie are visiting from university break. “If I’m – if I seem different tomorrow…will you promise to forgive me?” (Page 192). The truth, the reality of Catharine’s life – past, present, and future (which we are aware of) torture and strip us of our HEA fantasy. But they survive his ungodly brute and you, tense, remember to breathe again, and push on to enjoy whatever Lyon has left to give to these two. You declare, no beg for some reprieve. As you franticly move through the pages, the evil is coming and it hits harder then it did the first time. “Whatever came next, she would have to face it alone. She held her gaze, entreating. Nathalie stood and ran out the door” (Page 305). The visceral feeling has been achieved. You are left desperate to accept their future. Something I found myself internalizing and exercising with exhaustion to set aside while clinging on to all the moments that were given to these two. I’m going mad with one emotion changing after another with each page that is turned. With a few chapters left, acceptance settles in – although, I’m not sure I’m fond of it. And yes, I do get to return to Catharine and Alex; but the shift from lovers to friends (the reverse of a well-adapted, well-loved trope) is forced upon us. Alas, the love story.
Catharine: “I cannot pretend to know all the ways in which I hurt you. Yet I cannot also help but hope one day you will find it in your heart to show me grace I do not deserve” (Page 345).
And Nathalie, 15 years later – the loyal friend who promised never to leave her. The “catalyst or course, the axis who, since the day they’d met, had held her together” (Page383) is once again “the catalyst” to the end of a horrible life with Senator Cleveland and a beginning with Alex.
I’m going to say it – Nathalie deserves more. I know its coming.
There is mention of music throughout the book. When a piece is mentioned, find it. Play it. Continue to read. The pieces they both choose during the development of their relationship tips the experience for the reader in unknown territory. It moves from intense to earthshattering - we all know music can and does evoke emotion. Lyon alone can do that (along with one other author). Imagine the experience you have when playing a piece of music representing the feelings of each of these characters. The last of their love (although they suspect it is coming, they don’t realize it is within hours), Lyons words, coupled with the sounds of the music (YouTube offers!) their dance haunted by the melody of Ne me quitte pas – “If you go away” break you into a realism not often experienced in books.
I may be a “gentle reader” but in no way are these stories “gentle.” They are visceral. Tu es Magnifique! So, thank you Jen but I don’t accept your apology.
December 6, 2025
This book is about Cate and Nat, as always when Jen Lyon is the author a love story, not a romance. In this case no surprise about the outcome of this special first love not meant to be, it is a prequel after all, but still so painful and angsty, my favourite feeling when I read a book. This book gave me so much to think about, I now understand Catharine and Nathalie a bit better, and I must reread The Senator’s Wife series once more to get even more of them.
Cate and Nat come from different worlds and at this stage in life Catherine is not strong enough to break free from her father, the Colonel, that has such power over her. As a reader, even though you know what will happen, you still really want Catharine’s choice to be different this time, choose Nathalie over the life her father dictates. I truly believe they could have lived a happy life together if only Catharine had been brave and strong enough. Now they never get a chance at romantic love, but their friendship is so special and what makes Catherine find a way to find love again and finally break free both from her father and husband. Nathalie is so amazing and after what she has endured I really hope we will get a book about her one day that shows us her finding a new chance at true love just like Catharine did with Alex.
Another masterpiece by the author, if you have loved her previous books run and buy this book!
Cate and Nat come from different worlds and at this stage in life Catherine is not strong enough to break free from her father, the Colonel, that has such power over her. As a reader, even though you know what will happen, you still really want Catharine’s choice to be different this time, choose Nathalie over the life her father dictates. I truly believe they could have lived a happy life together if only Catharine had been brave and strong enough. Now they never get a chance at romantic love, but their friendship is so special and what makes Catherine find a way to find love again and finally break free both from her father and husband. Nathalie is so amazing and after what she has endured I really hope we will get a book about her one day that shows us her finding a new chance at true love just like Catharine did with Alex.
Another masterpiece by the author, if you have loved her previous books run and buy this book!
December 7, 2025
Wow.....Still processing it all ...but suffice to say as with some other Jen Lyon's books prepare your emotions for some 'twisting'.
Its been a wee while since I read the 'Senator's wife trilogy' and I was worried I may have forgotten Catherine. By the end of chapter one in this prequel I need not have worried.
The desperate love story of Catherine and Nathalie is at the heart throughout.
Its emotional, descriptive, drama driven writing at its very best.
The narrative of their surroundings was done with such care and detail. Oxford, Bordeaux, Edinburgh at Hogmany. The Scottish Highlands where they come across a familiar Welsh family. Nice touches.
I think in the 'trilogy' I felt I did not truly understand Nathalie's feelings for Catherine. The context is all here! and makes me respect them both so much more as characters.
As in the foreword to appreciate this fully, sorry you do need to have read the trilogy first.
Which I may now have to read again.. again..thanks to Jen Lyon.
Its been a wee while since I read the 'Senator's wife trilogy' and I was worried I may have forgotten Catherine. By the end of chapter one in this prequel I need not have worried.
The desperate love story of Catherine and Nathalie is at the heart throughout.
Its emotional, descriptive, drama driven writing at its very best.
The narrative of their surroundings was done with such care and detail. Oxford, Bordeaux, Edinburgh at Hogmany. The Scottish Highlands where they come across a familiar Welsh family. Nice touches.
I think in the 'trilogy' I felt I did not truly understand Nathalie's feelings for Catherine. The context is all here! and makes me respect them both so much more as characters.
As in the foreword to appreciate this fully, sorry you do need to have read the trilogy first.
Which I may now have to read again.. again..thanks to Jen Lyon.
December 8, 2025
I really wasn’t expecting to love this. Still, it’s just so raw and painful. From her father to the senator, switching one set of chains for another. No one should have to endure that level of constant control, brutality and violence. More and more, I admire Catherine’s bravery in even starting something with Alex, to choose someone for herself, finally. And Nathalie is just amazing; her patience, love, support, and guidance in Catherine’s life are invaluable. I couldn’t even begin to think of what would happen otherwise. Anyway, now I’m going to re-read the senator’s wife with a new and layered perspective.
December 9, 2025
A young love that is carried forever!
Jen Lyon brings us the love between Catherine Brooks and Nathalie Comtois to full perspective in this beautiful book! Cat shackled by wealth and a cruel father and Nathalie a free spirit fall in love. This is their story, the prequel to The Senator's Wife. As with the series before it, this is a FAVORITE!! I LOVE THIS BOOK! More than 5 stars!
Jen Lyon brings us the love between Catherine Brooks and Nathalie Comtois to full perspective in this beautiful book! Cat shackled by wealth and a cruel father and Nathalie a free spirit fall in love. This is their story, the prequel to The Senator's Wife. As with the series before it, this is a FAVORITE!! I LOVE THIS BOOK! More than 5 stars!
December 10, 2025
Finishing a really good book is like finishing a great bottle of wine — you want to savour it for a while. You want to linger in that world just a little longer, to stay with the characters because somewhere along the way you grew to love them. The thing is, I already loved Catherine, having first met her in The Senator’s Wife series. What I didn’t realize was that it would be possible to love her more — but this book has accomplished exactly that.
Once again, Jen Lyon proves she isn’t afraid to tackle tough subjects. As she says, she writes love stories, not romance. While some writers wane after a few books, Jen Lyon manages to get better with each one and that’s saying something, because her debut was an excellent read.
The Colonel’s Daughter is meticulously researched and beautifully crafted — filled with English colloquialisms and French expressions that make the world feel vivid, authentic, and fully lived-in. It’s an emotionally resonant story that will linger long after the last page.
Once again, Jen Lyon proves she isn’t afraid to tackle tough subjects. As she says, she writes love stories, not romance. While some writers wane after a few books, Jen Lyon manages to get better with each one and that’s saying something, because her debut was an excellent read.
The Colonel’s Daughter is meticulously researched and beautifully crafted — filled with English colloquialisms and French expressions that make the world feel vivid, authentic, and fully lived-in. It’s an emotionally resonant story that will linger long after the last page.
December 2, 2025
I loved reading the story of Catharine and Nathalie! After reading The Senator’s Wife series I wondered about their back story. Jen Lyon filled in the gaps with another consuming story that is raw and engaging. The sweetness of their connection throughout the years is heartwarming and it left me wishing they had found a way to be together.
The story was well written and continued to ignite my contempt of the colonel and her forced marriage to Carlton (a true and complete asshole).
The Colonel’s Daughter is a must read for those that enjoyed The Senator’s Wife series.
Thank you, Jen Lyon, for the arc. I am happy to leave this honest review.
The story was well written and continued to ignite my contempt of the colonel and her forced marriage to Carlton (a true and complete asshole).
The Colonel’s Daughter is a must read for those that enjoyed The Senator’s Wife series.
Thank you, Jen Lyon, for the arc. I am happy to leave this honest review.
December 7, 2025
I’m a mess.
Cate and Nat stole my heart. Strangely, I think this is the most romantic book Jen has written out of the entire series, perhaps to depict the urgency, passion and rawness of first love.
Don’t get me wrong, I adore Catharine and Alex but after reading this masterpiece, I almost wish Jen would make an AU where these two end up together. Can a woman have two loves of her life? I think this series’ answer is simply: yes, she can.
Cate and Nat stole my heart. Strangely, I think this is the most romantic book Jen has written out of the entire series, perhaps to depict the urgency, passion and rawness of first love.
Don’t get me wrong, I adore Catharine and Alex but after reading this masterpiece, I almost wish Jen would make an AU where these two end up together. Can a woman have two loves of her life? I think this series’ answer is simply: yes, she can.
December 7, 2025
As always, Jen Lyon delivers another an amazing story. I loved getting to see the start of Catherine and Natalie’s friendship and love story. Their relationship was beautifully depicted and while parts were tragic, there was such a sweetness and intensity to them that broke my heart open. If you haven’t read The Senators Wife series yet, do yourself a favor and read them. The way Jen Lyon writes love stories is unmatched.
December 7, 2025
I get a book hangover every time I finish a Jen Lyon book. EVERY TIME.
December 7, 2025
OK, it's official. Jen Lyon has proven everything she writes is gold.
When I first saw on her insta she was writing a prequel, I was bummed. That didn't hold my interest. I love Catharine and Alex too much.
But after reading the first three books in the series, I certainly wasn't going to NOT read it. So, I did.
And what! This book may be even better than the first three. and I don't say that lightly. Because Caught Sleeping holds my HEART.
But whatever this was, I couldn't put it down. It was NOTHING of what I expected. I thought it would be redundant and boring. A retelling of everything we already knew. And I was SO FRICKING WRONG.
Thank you, Jen Lyon, for making a believer of me. This story was seriously everything I didn't know I needed. You are a genius. Never stop writing, ok?
But also.... you promised us a 4th book for Catharine and Alex. Don't forget that, ok???
If you love the series, this book is a MUST READ. It makes the entire series better. If that's even possible.
Ok, I'm done.
READ IT!
When I first saw on her insta she was writing a prequel, I was bummed. That didn't hold my interest. I love Catharine and Alex too much.
But after reading the first three books in the series, I certainly wasn't going to NOT read it. So, I did.
And what! This book may be even better than the first three. and I don't say that lightly. Because Caught Sleeping holds my HEART.
But whatever this was, I couldn't put it down. It was NOTHING of what I expected. I thought it would be redundant and boring. A retelling of everything we already knew. And I was SO FRICKING WRONG.
Thank you, Jen Lyon, for making a believer of me. This story was seriously everything I didn't know I needed. You are a genius. Never stop writing, ok?
But also.... you promised us a 4th book for Catharine and Alex. Don't forget that, ok???
If you love the series, this book is a MUST READ. It makes the entire series better. If that's even possible.
Ok, I'm done.
READ IT!
December 10, 2025
Jen Lyons can’t publish books fast enough. The way she writes her love stories, with deep character development is truly so special.
December 15, 2025
now i have the biggest urge to reread the series🫠
December 17, 2025
this series is my Heated Rivalry
December 5, 2025
Another masterpiece from Jen, which is an expectation at this point. I’m not sure she could produce anything but gold. I fell in love with Catharine in the Senator’s wife series, but to have to privilege to know Cate, is something else entirely. This is a story you think you know from the glimpses you see in the original series, but it’s so much more than could have been imagined. I have a renewed respect for Nathalie and an admiration for the role they played in one another’s life. The emotional journey was splendid! 10/10
December 6, 2025
Another knockout!
Wow. Jen Lyon has done it again. Another masterpiece. Like all of her books, I couldn't put this one down. It's beautifully written, with a powerful, unforgettable story at its core. Five stars hardly feels enough for something this good.
Wow. Jen Lyon has done it again. Another masterpiece. Like all of her books, I couldn't put this one down. It's beautifully written, with a powerful, unforgettable story at its core. Five stars hardly feels enough for something this good.
December 9, 2025
5/5
i will come back later with a full review but i’m just speechless and i cried a lot and i need to drink like 10 liters of water to recover.
— /4 hours later/
if a book has catharine in it, i’ll cry. but if the book has young catharine, living her first love while navigating her father’s suffocating expectations, I’LL CRY EVEN HARDER. this was just… wow. i can’t stress enough how deeply i love catharine, and how this book somehow made me love her even more (like if that was remotely possible). she’ll live in my mind and heart RENT FREE for the rest of my life.
i adored reading about her relationship with nathalie🥹 even knowing it would end in a tragedy, i couldn’t stop myself from falling in love with them. seeing them together at this stage of their lives was both beautiful and devastating. their love, their tenderness, the way nathalie cared for cate(❤️) and wanted nothing but her happiness… it all felt so raw and hopeful. so incredibly sweet and naive and so so real. they were so young, so in love, so convinced that there could be a future where they didn’t have to hide, where catharine could finally be free from the life chosen for her.
and even after the most catastrophic thing happened to them (still have my whole face swollen from crying so much btw), they still carved out space for each other in their lives. even when it hurt. even when it meant accepting that the future they dreamed of would never be theirs. “giving up” on their relationship as a couple to be friends and support each other through life.
and as shakespeare wrote:
“love is not love which alters when it alteration finds”, no matter what, true love stays constant, even when everything around it falls apart.
p/s: i’m a natharine/cathalie— or whatever you wanna call it — shipper. i can’t help it. sorry alex xoxo
jen lyon did it again (give me a break, PLEASE!!!)
i will come back later with a full review but i’m just speechless and i cried a lot and i need to drink like 10 liters of water to recover.
— /4 hours later/
if a book has catharine in it, i’ll cry. but if the book has young catharine, living her first love while navigating her father’s suffocating expectations, I’LL CRY EVEN HARDER. this was just… wow. i can’t stress enough how deeply i love catharine, and how this book somehow made me love her even more (like if that was remotely possible). she’ll live in my mind and heart RENT FREE for the rest of my life.
i adored reading about her relationship with nathalie🥹 even knowing it would end in a tragedy, i couldn’t stop myself from falling in love with them. seeing them together at this stage of their lives was both beautiful and devastating. their love, their tenderness, the way nathalie cared for cate(❤️) and wanted nothing but her happiness… it all felt so raw and hopeful. so incredibly sweet and naive and so so real. they were so young, so in love, so convinced that there could be a future where they didn’t have to hide, where catharine could finally be free from the life chosen for her.
and even after the most catastrophic thing happened to them (still have my whole face swollen from crying so much btw), they still carved out space for each other in their lives. even when it hurt. even when it meant accepting that the future they dreamed of would never be theirs. “giving up” on their relationship as a couple to be friends and support each other through life.
and as shakespeare wrote:
“love is not love which alters when it alteration finds”, no matter what, true love stays constant, even when everything around it falls apart.
p/s: i’m a natharine/cathalie— or whatever you wanna call it — shipper. i can’t help it. sorry alex xoxo
jen lyon did it again (give me a break, PLEASE!!!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2025
Just beautiful. I wasn’t too sure what to expect, obviously wanting and needing more insight into Catharine’s life growing up. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be enchanted with Catharine’s and Nathalie’s love story, knowing how it already ends, not wanting their story to over cloud how I already feel about Catharine with Alex. Even though Alex pissed me off sometimes🙄.. I ship their relationship so hard and I didn’t want reading ‘The Colonels Daughter’ to make me feel otherwise, in wishing Catharine ended up with Nathalie instead. Nonetheless as always, Jen blew my expectations out of the water (iykyk) and into a new dimension. I am no writer and can’t even begin to articulate how lovely yet heart breaking this story is. I will say it is exactly what’s ‘missing’ and what this series needed. It answers so many questions about Catharine… why she made the ‘choices’ she did, not only why she wasn’t with Nathalie but why it made sense, why Catharine couldn’t stay away from Alex, why Alex indeed is who Catharine needs. Alex not only saw Catharine the way only one other person had, but she healed her inner young adult; the heart broken young woman who was too worried about the consequences to choose love. For that I always had a love/ hate relationship with Nathalie, sometimes it seemed she was projecting her jealously onto Alex.. maybe because Alex was worth the consequences and she wasn’t, but it is so so SO much more than that and I was clearly off base. This book really shows insight on both woman so well it makes you see why Nathalie is the way she is with Catharine throughout the series with new eyes. I now not only love Nathalie, have a new love for Catharine but understand both woman so much more now.
Ugh.. thank you Jen for another stupidly amazing book🥹 now I have to read the first three all over again with my renewed perspective.
Please, just do yourselves a favour if you haven’t already and read the books in this beautiful series (in order of release) and thank Jen later ❤️
Ugh.. thank you Jen for another stupidly amazing book🥹 now I have to read the first three all over again with my renewed perspective.
Please, just do yourselves a favour if you haven’t already and read the books in this beautiful series (in order of release) and thank Jen later ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2025
The Colonel’s Daughter is a graceful and emotionally resonant prequel that adds depth, vulnerability, and poignancy to the formidable woman readers know from The Senator’s Wife series. Jen Lyon peels back the polished layers of Catharine Cleveland to reveal Cate Brooks, the young woman shaped by intellect, discipline, expectation, and first love.
What makes this novella especially compelling is its quiet confidence. Rather than dramatizing events for spectacle, Lyon focuses on formation: how identity is shaped long before ambition hardens into authority. Cate’s life as a scholar, rower, and pianist is rendered with care, grounding her in discipline and achievement while allowing space for longing and emotional risk. These details never feel ornamental; they explain who Catharine becomes.
The novel’s settings, Oxford’s ancient halls, Bordeaux’s vineyards, and the charged atmosphere of Washington, D.C., are deftly used to mirror Cate’s internal evolution. Each location marks a shift in awareness, agency, and understanding of power, both personal and political. Lyon’s prose is elegant and controlled, allowing the emotional beats to land with quiet force rather than melodrama.
At its heart, this is a love story, but not a simplistic one. First love here is transformative, formative, and ultimately instructive. It shapes Cate’s worldview and her understanding of sacrifice, restraint, and ambition. Readers familiar with the series will find this especially rewarding, as it reframes later choices with empathy and nuance.
The Colonel’s Daughter stands confidently on its own while enriching the larger narrative arc of the series. It’s a thoughtful, character driven work that will resonate with readers who appreciate emotional intelligence, subtle storytelling, and portraits of women becoming, not yet powerful, but already formidable.
What makes this novella especially compelling is its quiet confidence. Rather than dramatizing events for spectacle, Lyon focuses on formation: how identity is shaped long before ambition hardens into authority. Cate’s life as a scholar, rower, and pianist is rendered with care, grounding her in discipline and achievement while allowing space for longing and emotional risk. These details never feel ornamental; they explain who Catharine becomes.
The novel’s settings, Oxford’s ancient halls, Bordeaux’s vineyards, and the charged atmosphere of Washington, D.C., are deftly used to mirror Cate’s internal evolution. Each location marks a shift in awareness, agency, and understanding of power, both personal and political. Lyon’s prose is elegant and controlled, allowing the emotional beats to land with quiet force rather than melodrama.
At its heart, this is a love story, but not a simplistic one. First love here is transformative, formative, and ultimately instructive. It shapes Cate’s worldview and her understanding of sacrifice, restraint, and ambition. Readers familiar with the series will find this especially rewarding, as it reframes later choices with empathy and nuance.
The Colonel’s Daughter stands confidently on its own while enriching the larger narrative arc of the series. It’s a thoughtful, character driven work that will resonate with readers who appreciate emotional intelligence, subtle storytelling, and portraits of women becoming, not yet powerful, but already formidable.
November 25, 2025
Reading the much anticipated prequel to The Senator’s Wife was a surreal and wonderful experience. Knowing the vague outline; that Nathalie and Catharine had been lovers. The heartache foreshadowing the appearance of the detestable Carlton Cleveland, because before him, there was Colonel Brooks. It was exhilarating; it felt like we knew the characters, yet didn’t at the same time.
What Jen has marvellously managed to achieve is a whole new book, introduction to new characters and a whole new storyline, whilst staying true to those already created. Catharine and Nathalie were the same in name only, well maybe not only. There were a few character quirks that are impossible to outgrow- Nat’s unrelentingly high brow attitude towards the theatre, her lust for life. Catharine’s poise, elegance and supreme intellect.
However, they are two young women, discovering life, discovering themselves and discovering each other. It’s a beautiful love story, tragic in its own way, although despite a few penetrating, emotional daggers, I can’t help but think Jen’s reigned it on the pain scale. Just a bit.
I adore Jen’s writing. Her skill at creating imagery, characters and plots that utterly absorb you, is second to none. Her attention to detail is unrivalled and the scope of her elucidations phenomenal.
This long-awaited prequel will not disappoint. It will enrapture, enrage, break and rebuild you within it’s pages; the story of a girl who falls in love with someone she’s not meant to, in a life that’s not her own.
What Jen has marvellously managed to achieve is a whole new book, introduction to new characters and a whole new storyline, whilst staying true to those already created. Catharine and Nathalie were the same in name only, well maybe not only. There were a few character quirks that are impossible to outgrow- Nat’s unrelentingly high brow attitude towards the theatre, her lust for life. Catharine’s poise, elegance and supreme intellect.
However, they are two young women, discovering life, discovering themselves and discovering each other. It’s a beautiful love story, tragic in its own way, although despite a few penetrating, emotional daggers, I can’t help but think Jen’s reigned it on the pain scale. Just a bit.
I adore Jen’s writing. Her skill at creating imagery, characters and plots that utterly absorb you, is second to none. Her attention to detail is unrivalled and the scope of her elucidations phenomenal.
This long-awaited prequel will not disappoint. It will enrapture, enrage, break and rebuild you within it’s pages; the story of a girl who falls in love with someone she’s not meant to, in a life that’s not her own.
December 24, 2025
I can’t really explain what this series means to me. Whatever I say will never be strong enough for everything it makes me feel. These characters live in my head rent free.
I even went to London because of these books — to walk the same streets, see the places from the story, and understand it better. Now London is my favorite city I’ve ever visited. That’s how much this series means to me.
I think about these characters all the time, especially Catharine, and The Colonel’s Daughter only made that love stronger. Reading this was painful in the best way. Knowing where her story is going, knowing what awaits her, and still hoping with everything in me that she would somehow fight back, free herself from her father, from the abuse, the trauma, the control that defined her entire life… It felt like watching a car crash — knowing exactly what will happen and being completely powerless to stop it.
What surprised me the most was how much I cared about Catharine and Natalie together. I knew they wouldn’t end up as a couple, that their story leads back to friendship — and yet I rooted for them so hard. By the end, it felt perfect. Not a romance, but a real love story about healing, forgiveness, and finding your way back to each other.
Now I want Natalie’s story more than ever. I need her book. And I need her happy ending.
The Colonel’s Daughter broke my heart and somehow made this series even more special to me.
I even went to London because of these books — to walk the same streets, see the places from the story, and understand it better. Now London is my favorite city I’ve ever visited. That’s how much this series means to me.
I think about these characters all the time, especially Catharine, and The Colonel’s Daughter only made that love stronger. Reading this was painful in the best way. Knowing where her story is going, knowing what awaits her, and still hoping with everything in me that she would somehow fight back, free herself from her father, from the abuse, the trauma, the control that defined her entire life… It felt like watching a car crash — knowing exactly what will happen and being completely powerless to stop it.
What surprised me the most was how much I cared about Catharine and Natalie together. I knew they wouldn’t end up as a couple, that their story leads back to friendship — and yet I rooted for them so hard. By the end, it felt perfect. Not a romance, but a real love story about healing, forgiveness, and finding your way back to each other.
Now I want Natalie’s story more than ever. I need her book. And I need her happy ending.
The Colonel’s Daughter broke my heart and somehow made this series even more special to me.
November 23, 2025
Lyon's words flow across the paper, slowly, intentionally, like the nib of a pen lightly scratching across the surface, pausing for thought, for occasional dips into the inkwell. There's a cadence, a purpose, the lines drawing the reader in until the outer world ceases to exist. Happenstance doesn't occur in her writing. Everything is measured, each word carefully chosen like a precious gem being placed into an awaiting setting.
Catherine Brooks and her family have money. The reader isn't told this. They're shown in a bevy of ways. By the silver service, the napkin placed beside the plate according to rules of etiquette, the tortoiseshell inlay in a clock, the espaliered trees in the estate's garden. It's wonderful, this sense as a reader, to be given enough credit to absorb the details without the obvious being stated. This encapsulates Lyon's writing. Rather than force-fed a character's emotions, the reader experiences them through the straightening of Catherine's back, the sharp intake of her breath, or her refusal to make eye contact. The author doesn't handle her readers with kid gloves, and it's refreshing. It can also rip out your heart.
With The Colonel's Daughter, Lyon has changed this reader's opinion of prequels. Truth be told, I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. Turns out, I absolutely loved it.
Catherine Brooks and her family have money. The reader isn't told this. They're shown in a bevy of ways. By the silver service, the napkin placed beside the plate according to rules of etiquette, the tortoiseshell inlay in a clock, the espaliered trees in the estate's garden. It's wonderful, this sense as a reader, to be given enough credit to absorb the details without the obvious being stated. This encapsulates Lyon's writing. Rather than force-fed a character's emotions, the reader experiences them through the straightening of Catherine's back, the sharp intake of her breath, or her refusal to make eye contact. The author doesn't handle her readers with kid gloves, and it's refreshing. It can also rip out your heart.
With The Colonel's Daughter, Lyon has changed this reader's opinion of prequels. Truth be told, I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. Turns out, I absolutely loved it.
December 8, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Heartbreaking, unforgettable read
Where do I even begin? Bittersweet doesn’t even scratch the surface of what this book made me feel. Going into it already knowing how it would end somehow made the journey even more emotional. I found myself more angry at her father’s failures, yet even more impressed by how Catherine became who she is despite the brutality of her upbringing. Her strength is staggering.
This story is a reminder not to pass judgment on people who live in gilded cages, quietly suffering in silence. Jen Lyon writes this perspective with such care and honesty that you can’t help but feel deeply connected to the characters. The buildup to the inevitable conclusion is so well written that you feel every moment—dreading it and needing it at the same time.
Lyon is simply a master storyteller. She immerses you so fully that you feel like an observer standing just outside the scene, watching a life unravel and a love fight to survive. My heart ached for Natalie. She fought for their love even knowing the ending that awaited her.
This book doesn’t just fill in the blanks; it answers every lingering question from the previous novels and ties the emotional threads together in a devastating but beautiful way. I could not put it down. Very much looking forward to the conclusion of this series.
Where do I even begin? Bittersweet doesn’t even scratch the surface of what this book made me feel. Going into it already knowing how it would end somehow made the journey even more emotional. I found myself more angry at her father’s failures, yet even more impressed by how Catherine became who she is despite the brutality of her upbringing. Her strength is staggering.
This story is a reminder not to pass judgment on people who live in gilded cages, quietly suffering in silence. Jen Lyon writes this perspective with such care and honesty that you can’t help but feel deeply connected to the characters. The buildup to the inevitable conclusion is so well written that you feel every moment—dreading it and needing it at the same time.
Lyon is simply a master storyteller. She immerses you so fully that you feel like an observer standing just outside the scene, watching a life unravel and a love fight to survive. My heart ached for Natalie. She fought for their love even knowing the ending that awaited her.
This book doesn’t just fill in the blanks; it answers every lingering question from the previous novels and ties the emotional threads together in a devastating but beautiful way. I could not put it down. Very much looking forward to the conclusion of this series.
December 17, 2025
So, let me start by saying this was spectacularly well written, and the fact that I’m giving it four stars not five is on me not on Jen Lyon. It’s that… the end of her author’s note could have addressed me by name, lol. I mean, it’s not quite right to say her books are not my cup of tea, but the element I struggle with in her books was more pronounced than ever here.
And that is, more or less, that the bad guys win. The good parts of this are SO SO good; sweet and lovely and, I dunno, you can probably read about them in every single other review here. But I personally just have trouble enjoying them with the way the bad parts are always there, lurking, and regularly actually show up to mess up the world for Cate and Nat. And while the one heinous boyfriend does get a bit of a comeuppance (thank you Jen for THAT at least!), the Colonel and eventual-Senator don’t.
Which… I knew going in. I mean, we all knew where this had to end, right? And I did read it anyway, so that’s on me.
I don’t know, I think I’m giving this four stars to say, this was an incredible story that’s just not quite for me. I need more escape in my escapism, I suppose. 🤷♂️ But that doesn’t make the book any worse, just… a bit less generally-applicable, perhaps.
And that is, more or less, that the bad guys win. The good parts of this are SO SO good; sweet and lovely and, I dunno, you can probably read about them in every single other review here. But I personally just have trouble enjoying them with the way the bad parts are always there, lurking, and regularly actually show up to mess up the world for Cate and Nat. And while the one heinous boyfriend does get a bit of a comeuppance (thank you Jen for THAT at least!), the Colonel and eventual-Senator don’t.
Which… I knew going in. I mean, we all knew where this had to end, right? And I did read it anyway, so that’s on me.
I don’t know, I think I’m giving this four stars to say, this was an incredible story that’s just not quite for me. I need more escape in my escapism, I suppose. 🤷♂️ But that doesn’t make the book any worse, just… a bit less generally-applicable, perhaps.
December 24, 2025
I don’t like prequels. Why would I want to read an entire book about what happened before in a character’s life when I know how her story ends? That said, I do love a well-written book with literary mastery. The Colonel’s Daughter is just that and so, so, so much bloody more.
What I most admire about this book, along with Jen Lyon’s other novels, is that she writes for grown ass women. She says it more politely than I in her author’s note: “If you’ve read my other novels, you already know I tend to write love stories, not romances. As do all of my preceding works, this book contains subjects that some readers may find difficult… If my other novels weren’t your cup of tea, I’m afraid this one won’t be either. My apologies.”
To this, I say: WOMAN, please stop apologizing for basing your stories on some semblance of reality. Not every book has to bend the knee to Happily Ever After Land. Sometimes horrid things happen. I, for one, admire your ability to pen books that are not only brilliantly written, well researched, and deeply emotional, but that don’t sugarcoat hard truths about the human condition. People can be weak. People can be vile. People can be stupid. People can be, well, human.
I absolutely loved this…even if it was a prequel.
What I most admire about this book, along with Jen Lyon’s other novels, is that she writes for grown ass women. She says it more politely than I in her author’s note: “If you’ve read my other novels, you already know I tend to write love stories, not romances. As do all of my preceding works, this book contains subjects that some readers may find difficult… If my other novels weren’t your cup of tea, I’m afraid this one won’t be either. My apologies.”
To this, I say: WOMAN, please stop apologizing for basing your stories on some semblance of reality. Not every book has to bend the knee to Happily Ever After Land. Sometimes horrid things happen. I, for one, admire your ability to pen books that are not only brilliantly written, well researched, and deeply emotional, but that don’t sugarcoat hard truths about the human condition. People can be weak. People can be vile. People can be stupid. People can be, well, human.
I absolutely loved this…even if it was a prequel.
December 25, 2025
Even though I knew how it eventually ended having read the original Senators wife series I kept hoping so badly that Cate would stand up to the awful men in her life and grow a back bone and run off with Nathalie. Though we all know it would take her 25 more years of misery before she finally meets Alex, breaks free and we get our happy ending.
Such a good story though and prequel to get to know Catherine and Nathalie when they were at University. Jen Lyon does an amazing job building the world of Catherine and writing the desire between the characters. I loved the little tid bits of French and references throughout like Cate Blanchett being in a play with Nathalie and meeting Dillon and Serene when they were young.
Despite the whole book that feels like a bonus into their world I’m still left wanting more, I think I’ll just have to reread the senators wife now! Can’t wait for more from Jen Lyon!
Such a good story though and prequel to get to know Catherine and Nathalie when they were at University. Jen Lyon does an amazing job building the world of Catherine and writing the desire between the characters. I loved the little tid bits of French and references throughout like Cate Blanchett being in a play with Nathalie and meeting Dillon and Serene when they were young.
Despite the whole book that feels like a bonus into their world I’m still left wanting more, I think I’ll just have to reread the senators wife now! Can’t wait for more from Jen Lyon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 11, 2025Jen Lyon has become an auto buy author for me. This book was amazing. Knowing how it would end having read the Senator’s Wife series didn’t detract at all. And the cameos of other characters in her world was masterfully done. (If not a little heartbreaking with little Dillon and Seron)
It was tough reading Catharine without much of a backbone at all. By the time we meet her in The Senator’s Wife she is freer than she felt at any point in this book.
Selfishly I admit to wishing this wasn’t the first book of Jen to not having an alternating POV each chapter. I would have loved to see this through Nathalie’s eyes as well, not just the three journal entries. This wish is just me being greedy, I love the French woman she steals the scene always. And I eagerly await a novel in which Nathalie is the main character, hopefully with Elle at her side.
It was tough reading Catharine without much of a backbone at all. By the time we meet her in The Senator’s Wife she is freer than she felt at any point in this book.
Selfishly I admit to wishing this wasn’t the first book of Jen to not having an alternating POV each chapter. I would have loved to see this through Nathalie’s eyes as well, not just the three journal entries. This wish is just me being greedy, I love the French woman she steals the scene always. And I eagerly await a novel in which Nathalie is the main character, hopefully with Elle at her side.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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