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Regency Imposters #3
A Delicate Deception
When Amelia Allenby escaped a stifling London ballroom for the quiet solitude of the Derbyshire countryside, the very last thing she wanted was an extremely large, if—she grudgingly admits—passably attractive man disturbing her daily walks. Lecturing the surveyor about property rights doesn’t work and, somehow, he has soon charmed his way into lemon cakes, long walks, and dangerously heady kisses.
The very last place Sydney wished to be was in the shadow of the ruins of Pelham Hall, the inherited property that stole everything from him. But as he awaits his old friend, the Duke of Hereford, he finds himself increasingly captivated by the maddeningly lovely and exceptionally odd Amelia. He quickly finds that keeping his ownership of Pelham Hall a secret is as impossible as keeping himself from falling in love with her.
But when the Duke of Hereford arrives, Sydney’s ruse is revealed and what started out as a delicate deception has become a love too powerful to ignore. Will they let a lifetime of hurt come between them or can these two lost souls find love and peace in each other?
The very last place Sydney wished to be was in the shadow of the ruins of Pelham Hall, the inherited property that stole everything from him. But as he awaits his old friend, the Duke of Hereford, he finds himself increasingly captivated by the maddeningly lovely and exceptionally odd Amelia. He quickly finds that keeping his ownership of Pelham Hall a secret is as impossible as keeping himself from falling in love with her.
But when the Duke of Hereford arrives, Sydney’s ruse is revealed and what started out as a delicate deception has become a love too powerful to ignore. Will they let a lifetime of hurt come between them or can these two lost souls find love and peace in each other?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2019
172 people are currently reading
1528 people want to read
About the author
Cat Sebastian
27 books5,065 followersCat Sebastian has written sixteen queer historical romances. Cat’s books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist.
Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of south. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.
The best way to keep up with Cat’s projects is to subscribe to her newsletter.
Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of south. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.
The best way to keep up with Cat’s projects is to subscribe to her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
December 9, 2019
So - a bi (or pan?) sexual woman (Amelia) with social anxiety and a bisexual Quaker civil engineer (Sydney) meet randomly while out walking in Derbyshire; complications ensue when each finds out the other has been unreasonably vague about who they are. Also here are his ex-lover/best friend Lex (a duke, who is gay and blind and gets all the best lines) and her friend/ex-governess Georgiana (who might be asexual? maybe aromantic?). Keating, from Unmasked by the Marquess, is here as Amelia’s groom/handyman and apparently making the rounds of the local gay men. AND ROBIN POPS UP RIGHT AT THE VERY END. This has to be the queerest historical I’ve ever read - all the straight people are either deceased (Syd’s brother/SIL), in America (his parents), or very minor characters (the vicar and his wife, Lady Stafford, etc). Sebastian seeds in bits from beloved English canon novels (you’ll know them when you read them) and also gives Amelia some really lovely things to say about how we view virginity and the position of children born to unmarried parents. Although I would have loved a few more scenes between Amelia and Syd “falling in love” - I didn’t quite feel them connect like Robin/Alistair and Verity/Ash did.
But PLEASE can we have the Perkin Warbeck slash-fic novel? Will read, I promise 😂
But PLEASE can we have the Perkin Warbeck slash-fic novel? Will read, I promise 😂
February 26, 2025
A sweet and easy romance with an unconventional ending.
This book is very much about not fitting into society’s expectations and has a cast of characters who live on the margins. It shows that love, family and acceptance can be had in small pockets of the most restrictive world but also doesn’t pretend those restrictions don’t exist and aren’t completely unfair. But it does so in an almost conventional historical romance (except for the ending).
It’s not a perfect book, it did need more plot. But I liked what the author was trying to do and see how she’s developed as an author from this book into her newer releases. They pack much more punch and are more cleverly woven than this. But still, this was an easy read with a nice message.
This book is very much about not fitting into society’s expectations and has a cast of characters who live on the margins. It shows that love, family and acceptance can be had in small pockets of the most restrictive world but also doesn’t pretend those restrictions don’t exist and aren’t completely unfair. But it does so in an almost conventional historical romance (except for the ending).
It’s not a perfect book, it did need more plot. But I liked what the author was trying to do and see how she’s developed as an author from this book into her newer releases. They pack much more punch and are more cleverly woven than this. But still, this was an easy read with a nice message.
February 6, 2023
A lovely bi-for-bi romance about two oddballs with social anxiety finding each other and making a little found family for themselves, their queer (ace and gay, respectively) best friends, a couple dogs, and a quirky little French kid. Just so lovely, there's no other way to describe it. I really liked how this switched up the usual third act breakup structure.
July 27, 2021
Funny, quirky, inclusive regency MF romp.
Female MC:
Bi/Pansexual
Severe social anxiety
Socially awkward
Writer
Removed herself from society
Male MC:
Bisexual
Socially awkward
Grieving for his brother
Quaker
Engineer
They meet
They meet
They meet
They have sex
Conflict
They come together again
HEA
GREAT narration by Joel Leslie.
Female MC:
Bi/Pansexual
Severe social anxiety
Socially awkward
Writer
Removed herself from society
Male MC:
Bisexual
Socially awkward
Grieving for his brother
Quaker
Engineer
They meet
They meet
They meet
They have sex
Conflict
They come together again
HEA
GREAT narration by Joel Leslie.
April 3, 2020
This was a bit rough, but charming in its roughness. It's my favorite of Sebastian's Regency Imposters books. At the beginning of the book especially when the lovers are in the "enemies" phase of "enemies to lovers," the banter and the narration both are very biting and witty, but in a gentle, non-threatening way for my emotions.
Amelia is our heroine, and I will admit it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize she was in both prior books in the series. She has retreated to the countryside to a life of solitude with her former governess. She has decided it is ultimately futile to try and participate in a society that doesn't want her, at the expense of her identity. The mental and emotional toll trying to fit in was too high. This is where our hero, Sydney, finds her. Through a series of tragic, flukish circumstances, he has found himself the owner of an estate, the ancestral lands of his friend, the Duke. It is to these lands that Amelia has fled, renting a cottage near the edge of the grounds. She has no idea he owns the land when they meet. And they have a truly delightful antagonism between them at first, which melts gradually into companionship, and then love.
The secondary characters are also quite lovely. There's a blind duke, an illegitimate daughter, dogs, the aforementioned governess (who is asexual, though they didn't have the words for it). Our hero and heroine are both bisexual. And the Duke is quite gay. I think this book pulls off LGBTQIA people living in Regency England in maybe a slightly more believable fashion than the first one did. I also liked that Sydney was a Quaker, and the way his family was used was something I haven't seen in a romance before.
This book also fixed the complaints I had with the first two books in the series. I thought the first book skipped my favorite part of romance, which is the characters getting to know each other. I don't think it's fun to read about characters who just fall in love instantly (other people feel similarly to me, which is why "instalove" is a much-despised trope). Here, you see them get to know each other, and it's great. My complaint with the second book is that it wasn't long enough, developed enough. It felt like she just skipped from place to place in that book to get it over and done with. She skipped the fun transitions, the scenes of characters actually doing and experiencing things. This book was the longest book I've read from her in some time, and no transitions were skipped. We're with them every step of the way that we should be.
Anyway, all this to say, A Delicate Deception was a fine closer to this series, but I really am very excited for her to finally continue the Seducing the Sedgwicks series in a couple of months, and the next book has an actual good cover! I almost fell over from shock when I saw it.
Amelia is our heroine, and I will admit it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize she was in both prior books in the series. She has retreated to the countryside to a life of solitude with her former governess. She has decided it is ultimately futile to try and participate in a society that doesn't want her, at the expense of her identity. The mental and emotional toll trying to fit in was too high. This is where our hero, Sydney, finds her. Through a series of tragic, flukish circumstances, he has found himself the owner of an estate, the ancestral lands of his friend, the Duke. It is to these lands that Amelia has fled, renting a cottage near the edge of the grounds. She has no idea he owns the land when they meet. And they have a truly delightful antagonism between them at first, which melts gradually into companionship, and then love.
The secondary characters are also quite lovely. There's a blind duke, an illegitimate daughter, dogs, the aforementioned governess (who is asexual, though they didn't have the words for it). Our hero and heroine are both bisexual. And the Duke is quite gay. I think this book pulls off LGBTQIA people living in Regency England in maybe a slightly more believable fashion than the first one did. I also liked that Sydney was a Quaker, and the way his family was used was something I haven't seen in a romance before.
This book also fixed the complaints I had with the first two books in the series. I thought the first book skipped my favorite part of romance, which is the characters getting to know each other. I don't think it's fun to read about characters who just fall in love instantly (other people feel similarly to me, which is why "instalove" is a much-despised trope). Here, you see them get to know each other, and it's great. My complaint with the second book is that it wasn't long enough, developed enough. It felt like she just skipped from place to place in that book to get it over and done with. She skipped the fun transitions, the scenes of characters actually doing and experiencing things. This book was the longest book I've read from her in some time, and no transitions were skipped. We're with them every step of the way that we should be.
Anyway, all this to say, A Delicate Deception was a fine closer to this series, but I really am very excited for her to finally continue the Seducing the Sedgwicks series in a couple of months, and the next book has an actual good cover! I almost fell over from shock when I saw it.
June 9, 2022
I liked the non-cliche characters and storyline. The writing was inclusive and the varied characters were able to find happiness in their lives in different ways from the usual HR HEA type scenario. Amelia and Sydney were very nice together. Although I didn't enjoy this book as much as #1, Unmasked By The Marquess, it was still worth a read.
November 21, 2019
I recently finished reading an ARC of Cat Sebastian’s A Delicate Deception which features two disarmingly lovely and grumpy people falling head over heels for each other, slowly but surely, after they keep running into each other on their morning jaunts.
Extremely tall Sydney with his stern eyebrows but kissable mouth and reclusive Lady Amelia Allenby living her best life free of the ballrooms and anxieties that plagued her in London society are an absolute treat.
I always adore how Cat Sebastian handles and subverts romance tropes. Lady Amelia's nonchalance about her "deflowering" yet her supreme happiness with being with Sydney was just *chef's kiss* lovely. This story also is absolutely queer, and I loved how the happily ever after worked out for both characters.
If you can’t wait for A Delicate Deception, Cat Sebastian has a wonderful back list of amazing titles you can jump in to right away!
I reviewed from a free copy downloaded from Edelweiss+
Extremely tall Sydney with his stern eyebrows but kissable mouth and reclusive Lady Amelia Allenby living her best life free of the ballrooms and anxieties that plagued her in London society are an absolute treat.
I always adore how Cat Sebastian handles and subverts romance tropes. Lady Amelia's nonchalance about her "deflowering" yet her supreme happiness with being with Sydney was just *chef's kiss* lovely. This story also is absolutely queer, and I loved how the happily ever after worked out for both characters.
If you can’t wait for A Delicate Deception, Cat Sebastian has a wonderful back list of amazing titles you can jump in to right away!
I reviewed from a free copy downloaded from Edelweiss+
November 20, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 since I love the author.
This was ok. It’s the story of two people finding love and family. Sydney is a grumpy guy who lost his brother in a fire. He is sent a letter from his ex-lover to meet him at the house that burnt down killing his brother and sister in law. Sydney now owns the house but wants nothing to do with it. Amelia we have met in the series before, she is the illegitimate sister of Alistair in book one of the series. She living in a home on the property of Sydney’s house with her old governess. Amelia has an anxiety disorder and doesn’t like to be around people. The two keep bumping into one another on their walks and start a friendship that quickly escalates. I didn’t feel them falling in love. I generally like this author and her characters who are outside the norm but these two didn’t quite do it for me.
This was ok. It’s the story of two people finding love and family. Sydney is a grumpy guy who lost his brother in a fire. He is sent a letter from his ex-lover to meet him at the house that burnt down killing his brother and sister in law. Sydney now owns the house but wants nothing to do with it. Amelia we have met in the series before, she is the illegitimate sister of Alistair in book one of the series. She living in a home on the property of Sydney’s house with her old governess. Amelia has an anxiety disorder and doesn’t like to be around people. The two keep bumping into one another on their walks and start a friendship that quickly escalates. I didn’t feel them falling in love. I generally like this author and her characters who are outside the norm but these two didn’t quite do it for me.
February 18, 2020
The third book in this series has Amelia Allenby retired to the country with her companion Georgiana. Amelia suffers from social anxiety and at times considers the quiet countryside where she currently is not secluded enough. The two ladies are renting a cottage on the lands of Pelham Hall, a manor house that was partially destroyed in a tragic fire that killed the Duke of Hereford's sister and her husband. The Duke of Hereford, "Lex" has invited his friend, brother-in-law and former lover Sydney Goddard to meet him at Pelham Hall, but ends up being delayed on the road. Sydney and Amelia meet each other while out walking and strike up a friendship which turns into something more.
This is great, on par with the second book, but I felt it was a little let down by the conclusion (I won't spoil it, and I think it makes sense, but I think other actions would have made better sense). I also think the story ends rather abruptly, particularly when I feel that the accommodation that Amelia and Sydney come to has plenty of story left in it.
While the central romance here is a traditional hetero one, the story itself is very queer-friendly. Both our leads are bi and Amelia's friend Georgiana is ace (although obviously without the terminology for it). Georgiana and Lex are one of the best things about this story. It's also worth pointing out that Amelia's anxiety is treated with respect and it's interesting seeing a mental health issue like this dealt with in this historical setting in a positive way.
This is great, on par with the second book, but I felt it was a little let down by the conclusion (I won't spoil it, and I think it makes sense, but I think other actions would have made better sense). I also think the story ends rather abruptly, particularly when I feel that the accommodation that Amelia and Sydney come to has plenty of story left in it.
While the central romance here is a traditional hetero one, the story itself is very queer-friendly. Both our leads are bi and Amelia's friend Georgiana is ace (although obviously without the terminology for it). Georgiana and Lex are one of the best things about this story. It's also worth pointing out that Amelia's anxiety is treated with respect and it's interesting seeing a mental health issue like this dealt with in this historical setting in a positive way.
August 14, 2021
This is such a terrific series! Each one better than the last (as if that were even possible lol). A lovely romance, with pan or bisexual characters, and a very creative meet-cute. Simply wonderful!
today-is-not-that-day
February 21, 2020I'm around about 25% but it's due in 3 days and stressing me out bc I don't feel like reading this one. So, it gets the shelf for now. I know CS magic exists. Hello, Turners....but I'm not feeling it here
dnf
May 30, 2020DNF at 25%
Boring. I liked prickly characters but Amelia was just plain rude. No sparks. I am bailing out. In my opinion this trilogy is underwhelming. I think I prefer Sebastian's MM books...
Boring. I liked prickly characters but Amelia was just plain rude. No sparks. I am bailing out. In my opinion this trilogy is underwhelming. I think I prefer Sebastian's MM books...
November 30, 2019
3.5 stars
I had read and enjoyed the previous book in the series and was intrigued by Amelia, so I was excited to see her getting her own story.
I loved Amelia and Sydney and all of the secondary characters. She’s a bit anxious, he’s a bit standoffish and they’re both bi. I loved their walks and talks and seeing this logical couple find something a bit out of the ordinary. I’m forever here for Lex and Georgiana and would absolutely love a book for them.
Plot wise, it was a bit of a struggle. It was slow and meandering and not in a good way. It felt like there were several plot threads added for no reason and the ending was a bit of a disappointment. I realize that it worked for the two of them, but at the same time, I think they deserved something more concrete.
Overall, it was Amelia and Sydney that kept me reading and if there are more books in this series, I’ll definitely continue.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I had read and enjoyed the previous book in the series and was intrigued by Amelia, so I was excited to see her getting her own story.
I loved Amelia and Sydney and all of the secondary characters. She’s a bit anxious, he’s a bit standoffish and they’re both bi. I loved their walks and talks and seeing this logical couple find something a bit out of the ordinary. I’m forever here for Lex and Georgiana and would absolutely love a book for them.
Plot wise, it was a bit of a struggle. It was slow and meandering and not in a good way. It felt like there were several plot threads added for no reason and the ending was a bit of a disappointment. I realize that it worked for the two of them, but at the same time, I think they deserved something more concrete.
Overall, it was Amelia and Sydney that kept me reading and if there are more books in this series, I’ll definitely continue.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
June 29, 2024
Reread 2024 - this was a nice comfort read.
Love the bickering, totally can empathize with how Sydney can't hide his feelings from his face (blushing, rbf, sadness, etc). Also I feel him on not being good at words and engineering! Can relate.
Original review:
Wait, this was really fun! Queer MF HR with a bi for bi relationship (or maybe pan, it's unclear but they're both into more than 1 gender)
This had so many cute elements:
-grumpy engineer that resorts to describing love in technical terms (apparently you can make 'structural' and 'mitigation' sound sweet.)
-recluse writer who has pretty intense social anxiety, but is super witty and outspoken with the few people she knows and trusts
-class and gender discussions
-academic sass offs
-epistolary moments
-lower angst, any miscommunication is quickly resolved, and the MC's both have friends that call them out on their bullshit.
-significant side characters that are also queer (gay MC and ace/aro FC)
I really enjoyed the verbal sparring and bickering in this! There's also some doggos, a slightly present little kid, and yelling about purity culture. Also, yay for engineering made kind of adorable!
Love the bickering, totally can empathize with how Sydney can't hide his feelings from his face (blushing, rbf, sadness, etc). Also I feel him on not being good at words and engineering! Can relate.
Original review:
Wait, this was really fun! Queer MF HR with a bi for bi relationship (or maybe pan, it's unclear but they're both into more than 1 gender)
This had so many cute elements:
-grumpy engineer that resorts to describing love in technical terms (apparently you can make 'structural' and 'mitigation' sound sweet.)
-recluse writer who has pretty intense social anxiety, but is super witty and outspoken with the few people she knows and trusts
-class and gender discussions
-academic sass offs
-epistolary moments
-lower angst, any miscommunication is quickly resolved, and the MC's both have friends that call them out on their bullshit.
-significant side characters that are also queer (gay MC and ace/aro FC)
I really enjoyed the verbal sparring and bickering in this! There's also some doggos, a slightly present little kid, and yelling about purity culture. Also, yay for engineering made kind of adorable!
May 19, 2020
This is fine. I liked reading it, but it’s my least favorite Cat Sebastian to date.
You might like it for the following things:
- quiet and low-angst
- epistolary element (and an epistolary “mistaken” identity that ends up not being a big deal)
- reluctant pet ownership -> mangy dogs worm their way into humans’ hearts
- decent people falling in love amidst grief and anxiety
- silly historical arguments/theories about the Tudor Era and more
- queer found family and a HEA that doesn’t involve marriage
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I’ve interacted with the author, but these are my honest opinions about the book.
You might like it for the following things:
- quiet and low-angst
- epistolary element (and an epistolary “mistaken” identity that ends up not being a big deal)
- reluctant pet ownership -> mangy dogs worm their way into humans’ hearts
- decent people falling in love amidst grief and anxiety
- silly historical arguments/theories about the Tudor Era and more
- queer found family and a HEA that doesn’t involve marriage
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I’ve interacted with the author, but these are my honest opinions about the book.
October 3, 2022
sometimes a family is just two social awkward bisexuals idiotically in love with each other, an eccentric gay duke, a milf governess and a french street urchin <3
August 5, 2020
3.5 stars
November 28, 2019
A Delicate Deception
The Regency Impostors Book 3
Cat Sebastian
https://www.facebook.com/catsebastian...
Release date 12/10/2019
Publisher Avon
Blurb :
When Amelia Allenby escaped a stifling London ballroom for the quiet solitude of the Derbyshire countryside, the very last thing she wanted was an extremely large, if—she grudgingly admits—passably attractive man disturbing her daily walks. Lecturing the surveyor about property rights doesn’t work and, somehow, he has soon charmed his way into lemon cakes, long walks, and dangerously heady kisses.
The very last place Sydney wished to be was in the shadow of the ruins of Pelham Hall, the inherited property that stole everything from him. But as he awaits his old friend, the Duke of Hereford, he finds himself increasingly captivated by the maddeningly lovely and exceptionally odd Amelia. He quickly finds that keeping his ownership of Pelham Hall a secret is as impossible as keeping himself from falling in love with her.
But when the Duke of Hereford arrives, Sydney’s ruse is revealed and what started out as a delicate deception has become a love too powerful to ignore. Will they let a lifetime of hurt come between them or can these two lost souls find love and peace in each other?
My review :
When a woman hiding from society encounters a man running away for his past, do they have future written for them together ...
This is my first read by Mrs Cat Sebastian, I have read many praises for her work, I could not past her next release. I confess at first, I was a bit lost, I had to accustom myself to her writing style and also the kind of characters she writes about. They first appear very peculiar with their view of life. I needed some time to understand their weirdness was due to their discomfort among their peers.
Then slowly I came to love them with all their flaws, as those same flaws make them even more lovable.
Both awkward among society and they each faced it in their own way, she wearing a bland mask to hide her fits of panic until it was too much when he avoided it, turning his back to everything remotely social.
As I do not use English in my today’s life, I had need of more time to understand the subtle humour and quips instilled all along this awesome tale.
This was not a story with a lot of action, it is more an interior quest to find what they truly feared, longed and needed.
A story of how life carries on and people reacts to it.
As Amelia goes forward, she is fast to pinpoint what are her expectations, yet she also knows her limitations prevent her to an easy journey. When Sydney tends to fear attachement and go backward, when things become too serious, he is inclined to change of course. He battles with his old demons, so believing he is unworthy of love. Why he always puts distance between him and those he came to care for, why he tried to keep Amelia at arm’s length. He doubts everyone’s bond to him, thus he expects the worst from everyone.
Why by misjudging Amelia he created a rift between them. Sure, it was painful to see them hurt by their own misconceptions, yet by having to start all over again, they get an insight of who is really the other.
Amelia does not do well with society’s expectations, why she masquerades to hide her true self. She steeled herself to endure this life for years, but now she has set herself free, even if she longs for company, she can’t bear to go back living among her peers. Her borderline personality, oscillating between OCD and agoraphobia, wards her off from life in a city. Smoothly Sydney breaches inside her defense because he is matter of fact genuine, his own insecurities when with people make him straightforward.
I loved all the so unconventional protagonists in this story, sure I wrote mostly about Amelia and Sydney but I just loved Georgiana, Lex and Leontine.
5 stars for this wondrous tale of making do with how life can be switched to one’s will when one is very amenable.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Avon via Edelweiss, I purchased too my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
The Regency Impostors Book 3
Cat Sebastian
https://www.facebook.com/catsebastian...
Release date 12/10/2019
Publisher Avon
Blurb :
When Amelia Allenby escaped a stifling London ballroom for the quiet solitude of the Derbyshire countryside, the very last thing she wanted was an extremely large, if—she grudgingly admits—passably attractive man disturbing her daily walks. Lecturing the surveyor about property rights doesn’t work and, somehow, he has soon charmed his way into lemon cakes, long walks, and dangerously heady kisses.
The very last place Sydney wished to be was in the shadow of the ruins of Pelham Hall, the inherited property that stole everything from him. But as he awaits his old friend, the Duke of Hereford, he finds himself increasingly captivated by the maddeningly lovely and exceptionally odd Amelia. He quickly finds that keeping his ownership of Pelham Hall a secret is as impossible as keeping himself from falling in love with her.
But when the Duke of Hereford arrives, Sydney’s ruse is revealed and what started out as a delicate deception has become a love too powerful to ignore. Will they let a lifetime of hurt come between them or can these two lost souls find love and peace in each other?
My review :
When a woman hiding from society encounters a man running away for his past, do they have future written for them together ...
This is my first read by Mrs Cat Sebastian, I have read many praises for her work, I could not past her next release. I confess at first, I was a bit lost, I had to accustom myself to her writing style and also the kind of characters she writes about. They first appear very peculiar with their view of life. I needed some time to understand their weirdness was due to their discomfort among their peers.
Then slowly I came to love them with all their flaws, as those same flaws make them even more lovable.
Both awkward among society and they each faced it in their own way, she wearing a bland mask to hide her fits of panic until it was too much when he avoided it, turning his back to everything remotely social.
As I do not use English in my today’s life, I had need of more time to understand the subtle humour and quips instilled all along this awesome tale.
This was not a story with a lot of action, it is more an interior quest to find what they truly feared, longed and needed.
A story of how life carries on and people reacts to it.
As Amelia goes forward, she is fast to pinpoint what are her expectations, yet she also knows her limitations prevent her to an easy journey. When Sydney tends to fear attachement and go backward, when things become too serious, he is inclined to change of course. He battles with his old demons, so believing he is unworthy of love. Why he always puts distance between him and those he came to care for, why he tried to keep Amelia at arm’s length. He doubts everyone’s bond to him, thus he expects the worst from everyone.
Why by misjudging Amelia he created a rift between them. Sure, it was painful to see them hurt by their own misconceptions, yet by having to start all over again, they get an insight of who is really the other.
Amelia does not do well with society’s expectations, why she masquerades to hide her true self. She steeled herself to endure this life for years, but now she has set herself free, even if she longs for company, she can’t bear to go back living among her peers. Her borderline personality, oscillating between OCD and agoraphobia, wards her off from life in a city. Smoothly Sydney breaches inside her defense because he is matter of fact genuine, his own insecurities when with people make him straightforward.
I loved all the so unconventional protagonists in this story, sure I wrote mostly about Amelia and Sydney but I just loved Georgiana, Lex and Leontine.
5 stars for this wondrous tale of making do with how life can be switched to one’s will when one is very amenable.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Avon via Edelweiss, I purchased too my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
March 18, 2021
Overall: 2.5 stars. A queer/feminist historical with clever banter than unfortunately doesn’t have much depth
Initially, I thought this was going to be a 4-5 star book for me, but once the charm of the clever banter wore off as we went along, it started to feel a little empty. The book is an unusual length - right at about 200 pages - and I was excited to get a quick read focused on Amelia and Sydney’s developing relationship, as the book initially appears to be about. Partway through, however, the author introduces an orphaned girl plot line, which is relatively minor, but with 100+ fewer pages than your typical romance, there’s not a lot of space here for superfluous narratives. Trying to squeeze in the orphan plot leaves the romance little room to grow, and the end result is a bit...not “insta-love” but “fast-forwarded love,” perhaps. We’re told that Amelia and Sydney are now in love, but don’t really see their emotional connection build for ourselves, which is disappointing for me.
Still the banter is very charming and fast-paced, Amelia and Sydney are likable characters, and there’s some queer and feminist rep (which is honestly much too modern for the time period: a 19th century feminist is not going to utter the phrase “demystify the hymen” lol. But I’m not holding the book’s ahistorical nature against it). It’s a quick, fun read that’s a definite change of pace from your typical historical romance novel: but don’t expect much depth.
Initially, I thought this was going to be a 4-5 star book for me, but once the charm of the clever banter wore off as we went along, it started to feel a little empty. The book is an unusual length - right at about 200 pages - and I was excited to get a quick read focused on Amelia and Sydney’s developing relationship, as the book initially appears to be about. Partway through, however, the author introduces an orphaned girl plot line, which is relatively minor, but with 100+ fewer pages than your typical romance, there’s not a lot of space here for superfluous narratives. Trying to squeeze in the orphan plot leaves the romance little room to grow, and the end result is a bit...not “insta-love” but “fast-forwarded love,” perhaps. We’re told that Amelia and Sydney are now in love, but don’t really see their emotional connection build for ourselves, which is disappointing for me.
Still the banter is very charming and fast-paced, Amelia and Sydney are likable characters, and there’s some queer and feminist rep (which is honestly much too modern for the time period: a 19th century feminist is not going to utter the phrase “demystify the hymen” lol. But I’m not holding the book’s ahistorical nature against it). It’s a quick, fun read that’s a definite change of pace from your typical historical romance novel: but don’t expect much depth.
April 25, 2020
4.5 stars. This was wonderful. Queer m/f ftw! This is super queer, super non-heteronormative, and charming and unconventional in that way that Cat Sebastian does so well. It's light, but there's so much depth, as I usually find with her books. Two slightly awkward, slightly grumpy queers meet and discover, in time, that they have found their person. It's sweet and funny and pretty much everyone in the cast is queer. There's also some mental health issues in these characters and it's handled so beautifully. Sydney is kind of grumpy and very practical (he's an engineer) and so full of grief and guilt. Amelia (who we have met in previous books) is also kind of grumpy and has anxiety and is very unconventional. They are both a bit wary of other people and they both blossom in each other's company. The dialogue is funny and they are great together. The plot is pretty thin, and it's really all about these two people connecting out in the countryside.
I love the secondary characters. Sydney's best friend and ex, Lex, is the charming blind gay duke who is hilarious and brilliant and Amelia's bestie, Georgiana, is her former governess who is aro/ace (though the terms don't exist yet) and super smart. I would like a whole book about the dazzling duo of Lex and Georgiana, please. The dog and the kid are also great. Keating is always a delight and I appreciated the cameo by Robin (of book one) at the end.
This book is about found family and doing things your own way and being who you are with the people you love most and making your own choices. There's some really refreshing ideas put forth here and it's delightful and so unlike most m/f historical romance and I totally loved it! I continue to be impressed with Avon for publishing Cat Sebastian's unconventional, trope-averse queer romances. I am always excited for more Cat Sebastian. Lucky for me there's a new one coming soon.
I love the secondary characters. Sydney's best friend and ex, Lex, is the charming blind gay duke who is hilarious and brilliant and Amelia's bestie, Georgiana, is her former governess who is aro/ace (though the terms don't exist yet) and super smart. I would like a whole book about the dazzling duo of Lex and Georgiana, please. The dog and the kid are also great. Keating is always a delight and I appreciated the cameo by Robin (of book one) at the end.
This book is about found family and doing things your own way and being who you are with the people you love most and making your own choices. There's some really refreshing ideas put forth here and it's delightful and so unlike most m/f historical romance and I totally loved it! I continue to be impressed with Avon for publishing Cat Sebastian's unconventional, trope-averse queer romances. I am always excited for more Cat Sebastian. Lucky for me there's a new one coming soon.
December 10, 2019
I really liked this. There are so many feminist truth bombs dropped, Sydney is sensitive to the dangers women face, and Amelia is unapologetic about thinking the hero is lickable and wanting to do the bang bang with him.
And bang bang she does. Cat Sebastian writes wonderful sexual tension. Reading Amelia and Sydney’s first ~nearly pash~ scene feels like ... I don’t know, someone lightly tickling your weenus? Pleasant but feather light? I’m going to call sexual tension weenus tickle writing from now on ...
Anyway, I won’t give away spoilers, but this is one of the most feminist first time sex scenes ever. Writers should go through this post-coitus dialogue with a highlighter and a notepad.
Amelia and Sydney are bi and there’s an asexual secondary character too. It was wonderful to have this representation, I would like more of this in mass market.
Shoutout to Lex, my new all time favourite side character.
The reason this isn’t a five for me is that I found the plot a little slow and at times the couple’s logic for not being together felt a little thin.
All in all though, a fun read.
And bang bang she does. Cat Sebastian writes wonderful sexual tension. Reading Amelia and Sydney’s first ~nearly pash~ scene feels like ... I don’t know, someone lightly tickling your weenus? Pleasant but feather light? I’m going to call sexual tension weenus tickle writing from now on ...
Anyway, I won’t give away spoilers, but this is one of the most feminist first time sex scenes ever. Writers should go through this post-coitus dialogue with a highlighter and a notepad.
Amelia and Sydney are bi and there’s an asexual secondary character too. It was wonderful to have this representation, I would like more of this in mass market.
Shoutout to Lex, my new all time favourite side character.
The reason this isn’t a five for me is that I found the plot a little slow and at times the couple’s logic for not being together felt a little thin.
All in all though, a fun read.
December 14, 2019
Cat posted on Twitter that in this book, everyone is queer and has an anxiety disorder. I didn’t even know that was a thing I wanted but it 100% worked. ❤️ Such a sweet, quiet book and I loved it. 4.5 stars.
February 14, 2020
You have your bi characters, your ace characters, your physically and mentally disabled characters, and a whopping dose of found family. Plus a dog.
October 3, 2023
where can i get me a sydney is what i want to know
content/trigger warnings; social anxiety, ocd, self-harm, grief/loss, past death of sibling, past fire, injury, kissing, explicit sexual content,
rep; amelia (mc) is bisexual and has social anxiety and ocd. sydney (mc) is mspec. lex (sc) is gay, blind, and has an injury leg. georgiana (sc) is implied aroace.
(labels are obviously not used in text, but the author has confirmed amelia is bisexual, and i didn’t find any labels for the others, but sydney is explicitly mspec regardless of labels, lex is said to only be interested in men, and georgiana is said to not be interested in men or women and that romantic love is not in the cards for her.)
god this book had me emo so many times, specifically when it came to sydney, he really hurt my feelings lmao. but we love an insecure, anxious man who doesn’t know his worth and doesn’t think he’s lovable. seriously i was super charmed by him and think he deserves the world. and speaking of anxiety, amelia’s social anxiety is very refreshing. not because i don’t see social anxiety rep often, but because of how it’s handled. not only is relatable a lot of the time, but not a single person in her life ever pressures her to just push through her anxiety or get out of her comfort zone. instead of immediately encouraging her to go to a dinner or travel to see sydney, georgiana expresses concern for if those things are something that will be hard or upsetting for amelia. every boundary amelia sets or limitation she makes known is respected. it’s kind of incredible.
one thing i really appreciate about the romance is seeing amelia and sydney get to each other slowly over walks, little picnics, and letters (shoutout to the epistolary girlies!). it’s really easy for authors to sort of skim over the initial days/weeks of their acquaintance to the part where they’ve known each for a while to be able to get to the romance. but part of what i love about strangers to lovers romance is the getting to know each other part, so i’m glad there weren’t mini time jumps to speed things along (the only time jumps, as small as they were, that happened were when sydney went away for business. we’d see him leave and then we’d see him arriving back, but usually during that time we’d see the letters they wrote each other, so it didn’t feel like we were missing time).
another aspect of the romance that i love is just their general dynamic, the way they interact with each other. it’s very banter, very silly and lighthearted (and i just can’t get enough of silliness in romance). there’s also a level of openness, respect, and support that i always appreciate in a romance. which ties into their happily ever after, which i fucking love. sydney’s job requires him to travel often and amelia’s anxiety limits where she is comfortable going, and instead of one person sacrificing their needs and happiness to be with the other, they both agree that they don’t need the standard happily ever after in order to be in love and happy together. they don’t need to get married or live together or see each other every single day. they’ll see each other and live together in amelia’s home when sydney isn’t away on business and the rest of the time write letters. that’s what works for them and it doesn’t mean they love each other less just because their relationship looks or functions differently than most. this sentiment is also reflected in lex and georgiana’s relationship; he’s not attracted to women and she’s not attracted to anyone, but they’re getting married and plan to raise kids together. seeing their friendship develop and them coming to an agreement on a queerplatonic relationship or lavender marriage, whichever you want to call it, is so so nice. it should be more common to see a variety of different types of relationship configurations/dynamics in romance.
other general things i love: the humor, amelia’s general ridiculousness, how slow and quiet the book is, the animals!!!, and the conversations about class, family, sex, and purity culture.
this truly would have been a five star favorite if it hadn’t been for the third act conflict (which kind of happened earlier on, so...midway conflict?). my issue isn’t so much the conflict itself, for once it didn’t aggravate me because it felt like a natural way for the story to progress. my issue is how it was handled afterwards.
the conflict is the two of them meeting out in public and she doesn’t acknowledge him and he goes along with it. they both are hurt by the other not acknowledging them and then spiral in their heads about it. they are 100% both to blame for this situation. but when he expresses his hurt and assumptions, she’s hurt and slaps him*. he is then entirely blamed for the whole situation. he is told by her and lex that he’s asshole who was cruel and their falling out is completely his fault.
*romance authors, please stop having women be physically violent with their male love interests instead of communicating their feelings in a normal, healthy way. y’all wouldn’t ever support a man slapping his female love interest because she hurt his feelings. please stop normalizing women doing that to men.
this blaming of sydney for a situation they both caused continues for the rest of the book. the narrative tells us over and over that he should’ve just known why she didn’t acknowledge him and remedied the situation and done whatever it was that she needed him to do. she paints him out to be this cruel monster, as if him expressing how he felt undid everything she knew about him, and it did feel like she was digging her heels in just to stay mad at him. because really, he thought you were mocking someone and that is just the worst possible thing he could ever think of you and makes him a vile person? be real.
lex chimes in to make sydney feel like shit even more by saying he did the same thing to him; abandoned lex when he needed him, because sydney was just supposed to know that lex needed him even though all signs pointed to the opposite. everyone around sydney gets to have their feelings and gets to never once communicate them to sydney, but he’s supposed to just somehow know how they’re feeling and what they need, while never getting to have his own feelings about anything. his insecurities are consistently criticized and downplayed, as if they’re something sydney chooses to have and is at fault for. sydney is not allowed the same humanity that amelia and lex are and it’s honestly disgusting. neither one of them takes accountability for the way their relationships with sydney played out, as if they didn’t have a part in them whatsoever, as if relationships aren’t a two way street.
this aspect of the romance, her not taking accountability for her part in their fallout, and him shouldering all of the blame and having to apologize, grovel, and prove his love and worthiness feels like it’s part of some fantasy romance authors have where women do no wrong and men exist to serve them. it doesn’t make for a balanced, mutual romance. and neither does having the woman make these contrived “feminist” and “girlboss” speeches at the expense of the man, when she was also in the wrong (and fucking assaulted him!!!!). i don’t need all of this in my romances. i don’t want it. it’s not cute, romantic, or feminist.
other annoyances: the “socially anxious character suddenly overcomes their anxiety in a dire situation” trope (i’m not saying concern/care for someone else can never override your anxiety, but making it a staple in stories about anxiety sets a bad precedent). and i’m not the biggest fan of the surprise orphaned niece subplot. it came out of nowhere and i just wasn’t interested, even though the kid had some cute scenes.
also. uhhhhh fucking ew @ a reviewer saying the characters in this book being queer “lends nothing to the story or plot” and that they determined the book wasn’t queer by the cover because it “looks cis het to them” but babe a man and a woman can date each other and still be queer. queerness and same gender exes don’t have to drive the plot or conflict in order to exist in a story. and guess what, queer people have always existed, so shut the fuck about the time period. (it’s interesting how queerness is what this person decided didn’t add anything to the story/plot, when amelia being an author and sydney’s niece’s existence didn’t either. you could pluck out every mention of those and overall nothing about the book/romance would change. but sure, bitch about the queerness.)
content/trigger warnings; social anxiety, ocd, self-harm, grief/loss, past death of sibling, past fire, injury, kissing, explicit sexual content,
rep; amelia (mc) is bisexual and has social anxiety and ocd. sydney (mc) is mspec. lex (sc) is gay, blind, and has an injury leg. georgiana (sc) is implied aroace.
(labels are obviously not used in text, but the author has confirmed amelia is bisexual, and i didn’t find any labels for the others, but sydney is explicitly mspec regardless of labels, lex is said to only be interested in men, and georgiana is said to not be interested in men or women and that romantic love is not in the cards for her.)
god this book had me emo so many times, specifically when it came to sydney, he really hurt my feelings lmao. but we love an insecure, anxious man who doesn’t know his worth and doesn’t think he’s lovable. seriously i was super charmed by him and think he deserves the world. and speaking of anxiety, amelia’s social anxiety is very refreshing. not because i don’t see social anxiety rep often, but because of how it’s handled. not only is relatable a lot of the time, but not a single person in her life ever pressures her to just push through her anxiety or get out of her comfort zone. instead of immediately encouraging her to go to a dinner or travel to see sydney, georgiana expresses concern for if those things are something that will be hard or upsetting for amelia. every boundary amelia sets or limitation she makes known is respected. it’s kind of incredible.
one thing i really appreciate about the romance is seeing amelia and sydney get to each other slowly over walks, little picnics, and letters (shoutout to the epistolary girlies!). it’s really easy for authors to sort of skim over the initial days/weeks of their acquaintance to the part where they’ve known each for a while to be able to get to the romance. but part of what i love about strangers to lovers romance is the getting to know each other part, so i’m glad there weren’t mini time jumps to speed things along (the only time jumps, as small as they were, that happened were when sydney went away for business. we’d see him leave and then we’d see him arriving back, but usually during that time we’d see the letters they wrote each other, so it didn’t feel like we were missing time).
another aspect of the romance that i love is just their general dynamic, the way they interact with each other. it’s very banter, very silly and lighthearted (and i just can’t get enough of silliness in romance). there’s also a level of openness, respect, and support that i always appreciate in a romance. which ties into their happily ever after, which i fucking love. sydney’s job requires him to travel often and amelia’s anxiety limits where she is comfortable going, and instead of one person sacrificing their needs and happiness to be with the other, they both agree that they don’t need the standard happily ever after in order to be in love and happy together. they don’t need to get married or live together or see each other every single day. they’ll see each other and live together in amelia’s home when sydney isn’t away on business and the rest of the time write letters. that’s what works for them and it doesn’t mean they love each other less just because their relationship looks or functions differently than most. this sentiment is also reflected in lex and georgiana’s relationship; he’s not attracted to women and she’s not attracted to anyone, but they’re getting married and plan to raise kids together. seeing their friendship develop and them coming to an agreement on a queerplatonic relationship or lavender marriage, whichever you want to call it, is so so nice. it should be more common to see a variety of different types of relationship configurations/dynamics in romance.
other general things i love: the humor, amelia’s general ridiculousness, how slow and quiet the book is, the animals!!!, and the conversations about class, family, sex, and purity culture.
this truly would have been a five star favorite if it hadn’t been for the third act conflict (which kind of happened earlier on, so...midway conflict?). my issue isn’t so much the conflict itself, for once it didn’t aggravate me because it felt like a natural way for the story to progress. my issue is how it was handled afterwards.
the conflict is the two of them meeting out in public and she doesn’t acknowledge him and he goes along with it. they both are hurt by the other not acknowledging them and then spiral in their heads about it. they are 100% both to blame for this situation. but when he expresses his hurt and assumptions, she’s hurt and slaps him*. he is then entirely blamed for the whole situation. he is told by her and lex that he’s asshole who was cruel and their falling out is completely his fault.
*romance authors, please stop having women be physically violent with their male love interests instead of communicating their feelings in a normal, healthy way. y’all wouldn’t ever support a man slapping his female love interest because she hurt his feelings. please stop normalizing women doing that to men.
this blaming of sydney for a situation they both caused continues for the rest of the book. the narrative tells us over and over that he should’ve just known why she didn’t acknowledge him and remedied the situation and done whatever it was that she needed him to do. she paints him out to be this cruel monster, as if him expressing how he felt undid everything she knew about him, and it did feel like she was digging her heels in just to stay mad at him. because really, he thought you were mocking someone and that is just the worst possible thing he could ever think of you and makes him a vile person? be real.
lex chimes in to make sydney feel like shit even more by saying he did the same thing to him; abandoned lex when he needed him, because sydney was just supposed to know that lex needed him even though all signs pointed to the opposite. everyone around sydney gets to have their feelings and gets to never once communicate them to sydney, but he’s supposed to just somehow know how they’re feeling and what they need, while never getting to have his own feelings about anything. his insecurities are consistently criticized and downplayed, as if they’re something sydney chooses to have and is at fault for. sydney is not allowed the same humanity that amelia and lex are and it’s honestly disgusting. neither one of them takes accountability for the way their relationships with sydney played out, as if they didn’t have a part in them whatsoever, as if relationships aren’t a two way street.
this aspect of the romance, her not taking accountability for her part in their fallout, and him shouldering all of the blame and having to apologize, grovel, and prove his love and worthiness feels like it’s part of some fantasy romance authors have where women do no wrong and men exist to serve them. it doesn’t make for a balanced, mutual romance. and neither does having the woman make these contrived “feminist” and “girlboss” speeches at the expense of the man, when she was also in the wrong (and fucking assaulted him!!!!). i don’t need all of this in my romances. i don’t want it. it’s not cute, romantic, or feminist.
other annoyances: the “socially anxious character suddenly overcomes their anxiety in a dire situation” trope (i’m not saying concern/care for someone else can never override your anxiety, but making it a staple in stories about anxiety sets a bad precedent). and i’m not the biggest fan of the surprise orphaned niece subplot. it came out of nowhere and i just wasn’t interested, even though the kid had some cute scenes.
also. uhhhhh fucking ew @ a reviewer saying the characters in this book being queer “lends nothing to the story or plot” and that they determined the book wasn’t queer by the cover because it “looks cis het to them” but babe a man and a woman can date each other and still be queer. queerness and same gender exes don’t have to drive the plot or conflict in order to exist in a story. and guess what, queer people have always existed, so shut the fuck about the time period. (it’s interesting how queerness is what this person decided didn’t add anything to the story/plot, when amelia being an author and sydney’s niece’s existence didn’t either. you could pluck out every mention of those and overall nothing about the book/romance would change. but sure, bitch about the queerness.)
February 27, 2020
A novel in which anxiety gets in the way of romance, making it one of the most believable I've ever read. Also featuring an ace/aro character, which thrills me to no end.
May 23, 2022
Fun and sweet. I loved the casual inclusion of queerness but I wasn't super invested in the characters.
3.25 stars
3.25 stars
May 29, 2022
Some of the jibber jabber between the hero and the heroine was a bit boring.
February 7, 2020
Another awesome read from Cat Sebastian! I think this might be my favorite so far. I love that the "silly" historical romance genre can be a vehicle for things that aren't silly after all. I wasn't surpised by the queer themes/characters in this book, as it's a common theme in Sebastian's works, but what was a pleasant surpise was the - for lack of a better term - neurodivergent characteristics of certain characters, and the sensitivity in which those themes were handled... or to be more accurate, NOT handled, as in it wasn't that big a deal because we all work and think in different ways and have different preferences and tolerances. I love how things that the characters themselves often saw as flaws were presented as just part of who they are, and things to be loved as part of the whole person and not things for a person to love them in spite of. That really resonated with me, as someone who struggles with my own mental health.
February 8, 2022
God, I adore Cat Sebastian. I've waxed grandiloquent on her manifold talents/delights before, so this time I'll be brief: it's so so SO refreshing to find historical romances that are a) queer, b) heavy on the found family theme, and c) feature characters that feel real and flawed, who struggle with so many damn relatable issues (mental illness, anxiety, grief, disabilities, etc.) and real issues beyond bigotry or societal disdain. Love that both of the leads in this are bi/pan, and that the supporting cast features gay men and an ace woman (God, it makes me so so SO happy every time I find an ace character in ANYTHING, but ESPECIALLY in a romance). And I love how overall light and comforting Sebastian's stories are; even when the heroes have been traumatized in the past, or face misunderstandings/problems in the present of the story, we can always rest assured that the current difficulty will be surmounted pretty quickly and that a HEA awaits by the last page. How dang soothing.
November 11, 2021
Ugh. DNFed. The heroine is super annoying; I cannot stand her. This one is also plotless and aimless. It reminds me of The Duke Who Didn't by Maura Milan, actually, which I also disliked. Diverse m/f historical romance in the country about miscommunicated/secret identities, stubborn heroine, zero plot, all conversation and conveniences that force the couple to meet up and talk some more. Literally so bored, and yet it's so short too.
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