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Lady #2
Lady of Weeds
Beware the gift left too close to the sea...
Cold, isolated, and almost a thing of the sea herself, Carys keeps the seashore. It's a simple calling: collect the seaweed along the rocky shore every day before the selkies come out to play, or pay the consequences. She knows the workings of the laws between the sea and the shore, and she collects payment from the sea itself. Issues of King and country barely touch that moving, foamy border: only saltwater, selkies, and seaweed exist by the rocky shore. Every day is the same for Carys; a cold continuity of service.
Then a boy washes up in one of Cary's tide-pools: injured, amnesiac, and bearing with him a token of her past without the memories to accompany it. Now she will need to keep him safe from enemies both at land and at sea; but the land is a mystery to her, and as for the sea--no one knows better than Carys that a single slip of the foot means death by the rocky shore.
Or that for every gift given by the selkies, there must be payment in one form or another...
Cold, isolated, and almost a thing of the sea herself, Carys keeps the seashore. It's a simple calling: collect the seaweed along the rocky shore every day before the selkies come out to play, or pay the consequences. She knows the workings of the laws between the sea and the shore, and she collects payment from the sea itself. Issues of King and country barely touch that moving, foamy border: only saltwater, selkies, and seaweed exist by the rocky shore. Every day is the same for Carys; a cold continuity of service.
Then a boy washes up in one of Cary's tide-pools: injured, amnesiac, and bearing with him a token of her past without the memories to accompany it. Now she will need to keep him safe from enemies both at land and at sea; but the land is a mystery to her, and as for the sea--no one knows better than Carys that a single slip of the foot means death by the rocky shore.
Or that for every gift given by the selkies, there must be payment in one form or another...
346 pages, Paperback
Published February 19, 2020
41 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
W.R. Gingell
46 books1,080 followersW.R. Gingell is a Tasmanian author of urban fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, and madcap science fiction who doesn’t seem to be able to write a book without a body suddenly turning up. She solemnly swears that all such bodies are strictly fictional in nature.
W.R. spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and slouching in front of the fire to write. Like Peter Pan, she never really grew up, and is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I don't tend to friend anyone unless they're a personal friend or someone from my close author circle. I have a limited social battery which needs constant care. If you want to keep up with my reading/writing, you can absolutely follow me here or on pretty much any social media site.
W.R. spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and slouching in front of the fire to write. Like Peter Pan, she never really grew up, and is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I don't tend to friend anyone unless they're a personal friend or someone from my close author circle. I have a limited social battery which needs constant care. If you want to keep up with my reading/writing, you can absolutely follow me here or on pretty much any social media site.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 18, 2025
Full review coming soon but for now THIS IS FREE ON ALL PLATFORMS IN DECEMBER WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR
Review:
Read if you want any of the following!
♥️black cat/golden retriever sloooooooowburn gentle no spice romance focused on emotions
♥️competent 30 year old FMC
♥️alt Wales with cozy cottage/rocky beach in winter
♥️low magic
♥️tea and soup and nursing a handsome amnesiac back to health
♥️murder selkies outside but they can’t get in
This was such a lovely, soothing, comforting read. Personally, cozy fantasy doesn’t land for me unless there’s a bit of contrast, and the safe, comfortable cottage at the edge of the treacherous, possibly magic beach along with the slowly unfolding mystery was perfect for me. (Morally grey beach??)
The fantasy elements are very subtle. I loved the slow unfolding of the FMC’s backstory and that it doesn’t contain SA/abuse. The ambience was perfect and the love story poignant, sweet, and slow paced.
Just completely lovely, and Gingell’s effortless prose is a joy as always.
The companion novel is 99c in Dec and comes first chronologically. I read it years ago and don’t remember a great deal of it, but if you don’t want to know who the FMC in the first book ends up with, read that one first.
Review:
Read if you want any of the following!
♥️black cat/golden retriever sloooooooowburn gentle no spice romance focused on emotions
♥️competent 30 year old FMC
♥️alt Wales with cozy cottage/rocky beach in winter
♥️low magic
♥️tea and soup and nursing a handsome amnesiac back to health
♥️murder selkies outside but they can’t get in
This was such a lovely, soothing, comforting read. Personally, cozy fantasy doesn’t land for me unless there’s a bit of contrast, and the safe, comfortable cottage at the edge of the treacherous, possibly magic beach along with the slowly unfolding mystery was perfect for me. (Morally grey beach??)
The fantasy elements are very subtle. I loved the slow unfolding of the FMC’s backstory and that it doesn’t contain SA/abuse. The ambience was perfect and the love story poignant, sweet, and slow paced.
Just completely lovely, and Gingell’s effortless prose is a joy as always.
The companion novel is 99c in Dec and comes first chronologically. I read it years ago and don’t remember a great deal of it, but if you don’t want to know who the FMC in the first book ends up with, read that one first.
September 9, 2019
I'm so addicted to this author's writing. This book is no exception. And now I want to go back and re-read LADY OF DREAMS. This is a wonderful romantic fantasy, but it's not like any other romantic fantasy I've ever read. Moody, thoughtful, painful, beautiful. Slow, but . . . in a good way (if that makes sense?). As in, it's not a terribly action-packed story (other than a few breathtaking scenes), but is instead completely focused on the relationship between the characters. And the result is an un-put-down-able read! I finished in in two days. And now I'm sad that I must wait for my next Gingell fix.
Read
December 22, 2025This gentle, cosy, windswept, twisty fantasy romance was a delight.
A sunshine boy washed up on the seashore. The brooding, heartbroken older woman whose task it is to keep the deadly selkies at bay. And the strangers hovering like vultures about her tiny fishing village, keeping a keen watch on the boy from the sea...
Expect impeccable prose, a cosy tale with salt-drenched gothic aesthetics, ultra-slowburn genderflipped grumpy/sunshine, and simmering mysteries that don't turn out the way you expect. Absolutely delicious. And it's free all December!
A sunshine boy washed up on the seashore. The brooding, heartbroken older woman whose task it is to keep the deadly selkies at bay. And the strangers hovering like vultures about her tiny fishing village, keeping a keen watch on the boy from the sea...
Expect impeccable prose, a cosy tale with salt-drenched gothic aesthetics, ultra-slowburn genderflipped grumpy/sunshine, and simmering mysteries that don't turn out the way you expect. Absolutely delicious. And it's free all December!
March 24, 2022
I'll give this a full review when it comes out August 31, but for now, suffice it to say this was worthy sequel to Lady of Dreams with a more wild atmosphere and political intrigue and SELKIES. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Full review:
So I meant to actually write a full review maybe a week or so after the book came out, but here we are, almost 3(??) years later from when this book came out and I have yet to wax poetic about how much I love this book.
Here are some thoughts:
—This is literally the epitome of grumpy/sunshine
—Political intrigue in the background of it all makes for an excellent balance. We get the focus on the relationship with little hints, and whispers and it’s all great.
—Enfys is the best old woman and also actual goals
— There are a fair share of secrets and tragedy, because who doesn’t love that?
—A surprising discussion on the difference on how love is shown and how that affects relationships.
As always, the things that make Gingell’s books so wonderful is the ability to write a story about excellent characters but to weave in universal truths that gives it so much more meaning than the rest of the books that fall in the same category.
Full review:
So I meant to actually write a full review maybe a week or so after the book came out, but here we are, almost 3(??) years later from when this book came out and I have yet to wax poetic about how much I love this book.
Here are some thoughts:
—This is literally the epitome of grumpy/sunshine
—Political intrigue in the background of it all makes for an excellent balance. We get the focus on the relationship with little hints, and whispers and it’s all great.
—Enfys is the best old woman and also actual goals
— There are a fair share of secrets and tragedy, because who doesn’t love that?
—A surprising discussion on the difference on how love is shown and how that affects relationships.
As always, the things that make Gingell’s books so wonderful is the ability to write a story about excellent characters but to weave in universal truths that gives it so much more meaning than the rest of the books that fall in the same category.
February 8, 2021
This...was a twisty story.
So, I've finished this book and it was so cuteeeee. I'm a very big fan of older (and taller!) girl, younger guy romances....so this was a satisfying addition to a tiny pool of them. I really enjoyed how Gingell handled the tragedies of the heroine's life and the amnesia plot line of the hero's. The twists kind of came at you all at once (but I really should have seen them coming) but weren't overwhelming or badly written. There was also a bit more worldbuilding in here, and though it was still a bit vague to me, it was nice to see what went on in the larger scheme of the world (and learn more about the magic). And the relationship was well built as well (and the previous book's characters showing up was so much fuuun!)
Asides from some twisty confusingness that seems to be part of Gingell's fun style, it was all so much fun. I'm very glad to have graduated from Spindle to finally get used to her style ;p. I still DO want to know more about how the world and all its magical stuff connects, though. And I'm looking forward for her other books....
Content: there is a bit of tragedy-prone violence (none of the bloody kind...just sad). And kissing
So, I've finished this book and it was so cuteeeee. I'm a very big fan of older (and taller!) girl, younger guy romances....so this was a satisfying addition to a tiny pool of them. I really enjoyed how Gingell handled the tragedies of the heroine's life and the amnesia plot line of the hero's. The twists kind of came at you all at once (but I really should have seen them coming) but weren't overwhelming or badly written. There was also a bit more worldbuilding in here, and though it was still a bit vague to me, it was nice to see what went on in the larger scheme of the world (and learn more about the magic). And the relationship was well built as well (and the previous book's characters showing up was so much fuuun!)
Asides from some twisty confusingness that seems to be part of Gingell's fun style, it was all so much fun. I'm very glad to have graduated from Spindle to finally get used to her style ;p. I still DO want to know more about how the world and all its magical stuff connects, though. And I'm looking forward for her other books....
Content: there is a bit of tragedy-prone violence (none of the bloody kind...just sad). And kissing
December 22, 2021
♡♡♡ I absolutely adore this series and am SO EXCITED for the third book!!!
Highly recommend for my fellow females who have a hard time relating to the typical overly emotional MCs.
Content:
brief kissing and mentions of people being naked. -mostly the selkies- and --non-detailed--
Highly recommend for my fellow females who have a hard time relating to the typical overly emotional MCs.
Content:
brief kissing and mentions of people being naked. -mostly the selkies- and --non-detailed--
October 14, 2023
All the stars. Genuinely could not put it down and now I am behind on housework, WHAT a surprise.
September 1, 2019
What a story it stayed with me for many days. The heroine reminds me so much of my mother and how hard her heart was for many years. It was sad to read about this young woman and how closed she had become but ultimately a young boy as she calls him is positive enough, up lifting, childish, warm and persistent enough to start her heart to thaw. But trouble and danger is at every turn. I felt like I was with them deeply and intimately in the small cabin or on the cliffs or village, maybe somewhere in Ireland, but a magical Island somewhere. I could feel the wind, the texture of the sea, tide pools and seaweed as she cleared it away everyday to keep the village safe. I live with them for a whole day as I read the book and waited hoping for a good outcome. If you love intimate books, windy cliffs, and a story woven with intrigue, perseverance and heart this book is for you.
June 21, 2021
This is a sort of sequel to Lady of Dreams, as a few characters do show up in this book. I wasn't sure what was going on for the first while, with the seaweed harvesting and rules of the magic in this part of the world. This book, set in a different location in the empire, has a very different feel from the first one. Gingell did a great job with Carys's character being taciturn, reserved, and cold. Unfortunately, she seemed to stay that way for the whole book. The developing relationship between Carys and Eurion was more parent-child than romantic.
September 24, 2019
this book was much more engaging for me than its predecessor. a lot of that can be owed to its well-realized, moody seaside setting and to its protagonist, carys. the focus in the story is definitely centered on the primary characters and their relationships - not the plot. but i didn't go into this expecting a fast-paced action adventure, so i found the slow-rolling pace to be cozy rather than boring.
August 31, 2019
Delicate romance that sweeps you away from a rocky shore
Another stellar story from this author. Read carefully, because every word is a carefully laid tile in a mosaic that catches your breath in surprise once complete. The slow thaw of the heroine’s heart is as beautiful as the smile from a man child saved from the sea.
Another stellar story from this author. Read carefully, because every word is a carefully laid tile in a mosaic that catches your breath in surprise once complete. The slow thaw of the heroine’s heart is as beautiful as the smile from a man child saved from the sea.
October 12, 2022
This was even more my sort of book than Lady of Dreams, and what do you know, I loved it dearly. Sometimes I worry that I’m turning into some sort of rabid socialist, because it can be really hard for me to think nice things about characters who are all rich having rich people problems. Like, they’re people too.
Anyway, Carys is not a rich person, so it was a lot easier not to start rolling my eyes at the storyline, even though I like Clovis and Yong-hwa better than Carys and Eurion…but I like Carys and Eurion too, and I LOVE Clovis and Yong-hwa as side characters here.
Just everything about this story was perfect for me, okay. One, the wild seashore setting instead of the inland rich-people-mansions. I was born smack in the middle of a very big country, I literally couldn’t live farther from an ocean, but the sea is in my blood I’ll have you know and stories set by it always have a special draw for me. Selkies. I adore selkies, and these were done just the way I like them.
Two, the quietness of the plot threaded with big stuff, backstory mystery and political intrigue and magical sea creatures that will drown you because they like to “play” and possibly assassins oh no? But mostly just people doing their jobs and making tea and sitting by the fire and walking to the village and gossiping. The way the political and mystery threads did weave through was kind of absolutely perfect and necessary to the story being as good as it was.
Three, Carys’s backstory.
Four, Gingell’s heroines are always so good. In the Lady series, she’s had two heroines who are very similar in that they’re perceived as cold and apathetic and unloving… Clovis is actually a bit colder by nature, not naturally caring; whereas Carys loves very, very easily and it’s a combination of having been burned by that and the fact that she shows her love completely by actions, never in words, that allows her to be seen as cold. Gingell writes them both so well. I love how distinct, and in some ways unlikable, her heroines get to be.
(Also I just love that the villagers are like “why would we be concerned about politics? we can literally change nothing? people gonna be corrupt and do stuff they shouldn’t, we can do nothing about it, therefore we have stopped caring.” I am Gen Z and I relate.)
(Also I like sharp-tongued, nosy old ladies. Go Enfys.)
(Also it probably helped that there wasn’t a love octagon in this one.)
Anyway, Carys is not a rich person, so it was a lot easier not to start rolling my eyes at the storyline, even though I like Clovis and Yong-hwa better than Carys and Eurion…but I like Carys and Eurion too, and I LOVE Clovis and Yong-hwa as side characters here.
Just everything about this story was perfect for me, okay. One, the wild seashore setting instead of the inland rich-people-mansions. I was born smack in the middle of a very big country, I literally couldn’t live farther from an ocean, but the sea is in my blood I’ll have you know and stories set by it always have a special draw for me. Selkies. I adore selkies, and these were done just the way I like them.
Two, the quietness of the plot threaded with big stuff, backstory mystery and political intrigue and magical sea creatures that will drown you because they like to “play” and possibly assassins oh no? But mostly just people doing their jobs and making tea and sitting by the fire and walking to the village and gossiping. The way the political and mystery threads did weave through was kind of absolutely perfect and necessary to the story being as good as it was.
Three, Carys’s backstory.
Four, Gingell’s heroines are always so good. In the Lady series, she’s had two heroines who are very similar in that they’re perceived as cold and apathetic and unloving… Clovis is actually a bit colder by nature, not naturally caring; whereas Carys loves very, very easily and it’s a combination of having been burned by that and the fact that she shows her love completely by actions, never in words, that allows her to be seen as cold. Gingell writes them both so well. I love how distinct, and in some ways unlikable, her heroines get to be.
(Also I just love that the villagers are like “why would we be concerned about politics? we can literally change nothing? people gonna be corrupt and do stuff they shouldn’t, we can do nothing about it, therefore we have stopped caring.” I am Gen Z and I relate.)
(Also I like sharp-tongued, nosy old ladies. Go Enfys.)
(Also it probably helped that there wasn’t a love octagon in this one.)
September 1, 2022
Eurion gave a delighted little chuckle. "You're always so mean," he said. "But you'll love me in the end."
More dryly still, Carys said, "Will I?"
"I'm like a creaky floorboard," Eurion said, still smiling happily up at her. " Or a bit of carpet that's torn. You keep stumbling over it or hear it squeak and it's annoying. But one day it's part of your life what the house was like without it.""
<3 <3 <3
This is an entirely refreshing and well-paced (it's slow in terms of plot BUT at the same time the perfect prose make it FEEL fast...? idk how to describe it other than Gingell is a genius at it and there's absolutely nothing wrong with the pacing whatsoever) grumpy+sunshine story (ahem, in which the girl is the grumpy one, AND is older ;) filled with mysteries of the sea as well as mysteries of the heart.
Eurion is the relentless/ruthless sun in Carys' life. Period. And I'm so here for it.
I love these characters to death.
proper rtc after a reread ;)
More dryly still, Carys said, "Will I?"
"I'm like a creaky floorboard," Eurion said, still smiling happily up at her. " Or a bit of carpet that's torn. You keep stumbling over it or hear it squeak and it's annoying. But one day it's part of your life what the house was like without it.""
<3 <3 <3
This is an entirely refreshing and well-paced (it's slow in terms of plot BUT at the same time the perfect prose make it FEEL fast...? idk how to describe it other than Gingell is a genius at it and there's absolutely nothing wrong with the pacing whatsoever) grumpy+sunshine story (ahem, in which the girl is the grumpy one, AND is older ;) filled with mysteries of the sea as well as mysteries of the heart.
Eurion is the relentless/ruthless sun in Carys' life. Period. And I'm so here for it.
I love these characters to death.
proper rtc after a reread ;)
May 25, 2023
Rather slower of a vibe than I'm used to with Gingell's books, and I liked it a lot! Carys and Eurion are darlings, though I do feel sorry for Aled xD The selkies were a bit more feral-fae than I've seen much before, which was also interesting. Glad I bought this one--and excited to get it signed in just a few weeks!
March 2, 2024
Cute little story. I enjoyed this one more than book one. I am mostly a fan of her City Between series but every so often I’ll wander through her other work.
December 23, 2021
The first thing that drew me to this book was the beautiful cover, which represents the tone of the story well. The description intrigued me, and with a price of just $3.99 I couldn't resist buying it. For the most part, Lady of Weeds lived up to the promise of its cover image and blurb, though I found some of the middle dragged, and the ending felt rushed. There was such a long build up, with so much mystery hinted at, that things just resolved too easily and simply to be completely satisfying.
October 17, 2020
4.5 Stars
I really liked this one. It has a slow start, but suddenly you realize you're more than halfway through the book and really need to know how it ends as soon as possible. I may need to read Lady of Dreams again then reread this one. So good.
I really liked this one. It has a slow start, but suddenly you realize you're more than halfway through the book and really need to know how it ends as soon as possible. I may need to read Lady of Dreams again then reread this one. So good.
February 9, 2025
Bits of dark sea that was Carys and status of sunshine that were Eurion.
Had a similar vibe to the first of the series but more sharper less sleepy. Eurion was delightful if a bit on the immature side
Had a similar vibe to the first of the series but more sharper less sleepy. Eurion was delightful if a bit on the immature side
March 19, 2022
Better than the last
I didn’t read this book immediately after the first because it looked dull. It wasn’t, however.
If Gingell has a gift, it’s that she’s writes distinct characters who grow slowly. In terms of action, there wasn’t much in this book. But there were questions and mysteries, and the two characters very slowly grew together. The ending felt satisfying.
The only thing that made me roll my eyes was that the boy loved her from the get-go. It would have made more sense for him to be curious, not worshipful, at the beginning of their relationship. Also, I felt that things with Steele and Aled weren’t resolved. But that was a little thing.
Some on reviews have said that Carys doesn’t change, and she only sees Eurion as a puppy. However, if you read carefully and notice the subtle shifts in the relationship and personalities, it’s clear that’s not the case.
Content: No swearing. Some nudity as Carys strips Eurion of his wet cloths and tends to his injuries, but nothing is described. He also bathes at some point. Mild kissing. Little to no violence. There was one sentence near the beginning in which we learn what the selkies do to people (gruesome), but that’s it.
I didn’t read this book immediately after the first because it looked dull. It wasn’t, however.
If Gingell has a gift, it’s that she’s writes distinct characters who grow slowly. In terms of action, there wasn’t much in this book. But there were questions and mysteries, and the two characters very slowly grew together. The ending felt satisfying.
The only thing that made me roll my eyes was that the boy loved her from the get-go. It would have made more sense for him to be curious, not worshipful, at the beginning of their relationship. Also, I felt that things with Steele and Aled weren’t resolved. But that was a little thing.
Some on reviews have said that Carys doesn’t change, and she only sees Eurion as a puppy. However, if you read carefully and notice the subtle shifts in the relationship and personalities, it’s clear that’s not the case.
Content: No swearing. Some nudity as Carys strips Eurion of his wet cloths and tends to his injuries, but nothing is described. He also bathes at some point. Mild kissing. Little to no violence. There was one sentence near the beginning in which we learn what the selkies do to people (gruesome), but that’s it.
July 27, 2022
So far I’ve loved everything I’ve read by this author. I’m pulled between reading all her books back to back in a frenzy of enjoyment, and slowing myself down to better draw them out and savor the experience of reading them and of knowing I have still more books to go that I haven’t read yet.
I liked this one too for the amazing characters and their depth. It probably isn’t as good all around as it’s prequel, Lady of Dreams though I spaced them out enough for it not to matter to me. I’m sorry there don’t seem to be more in this series since originally there we’re supposed to be more. On the one hand the two there are aren’t all that strongly connected and each has a definite ending. I don’t have enough to hunger for answers to multi-book plot questions. On the other hand, having read all ten Between books, I know what Gingell is capable of developing given enough time and space, so I miss the potential for this series to have grown greater than the Sun of its parts.
In the meantime, selkies as I’ve never read them portrayed before, seaweed, and international politics mixed up with love and amnesia and grief, not in that order. A great book. It’s possible my favorite character was actually Enfys.
I liked this one too for the amazing characters and their depth. It probably isn’t as good all around as it’s prequel, Lady of Dreams though I spaced them out enough for it not to matter to me. I’m sorry there don’t seem to be more in this series since originally there we’re supposed to be more. On the one hand the two there are aren’t all that strongly connected and each has a definite ending. I don’t have enough to hunger for answers to multi-book plot questions. On the other hand, having read all ten Between books, I know what Gingell is capable of developing given enough time and space, so I miss the potential for this series to have grown greater than the Sun of its parts.
In the meantime, selkies as I’ve never read them portrayed before, seaweed, and international politics mixed up with love and amnesia and grief, not in that order. A great book. It’s possible my favorite character was actually Enfys.
August 25, 2020
Excellent story
I'm not sure what took me so long to read this book but I'm glad I did. I was immediately swept away into this beautiful and dangerous seaside that Carys works to keep clear of seaweed in order to protect the villagers from the selkies. I was enchanted figuring out Carys and why she did what she did each day and why she was so reluctant to let anyone in. When she rescued the youth from the sea and cared for him I fell in love along side her with this sunny charming character. The story is rich with entertaining characters and exciting adventures and excellent description so you can imagine yourself there with them.
What a fun read. I love that the romance stays clean and pure making it a great recommendation for anyone.
I'm not sure what took me so long to read this book but I'm glad I did. I was immediately swept away into this beautiful and dangerous seaside that Carys works to keep clear of seaweed in order to protect the villagers from the selkies. I was enchanted figuring out Carys and why she did what she did each day and why she was so reluctant to let anyone in. When she rescued the youth from the sea and cared for him I fell in love along side her with this sunny charming character. The story is rich with entertaining characters and exciting adventures and excellent description so you can imagine yourself there with them.
What a fun read. I love that the romance stays clean and pure making it a great recommendation for anyone.
September 9, 2024
What a dreamlike telling of a strange little tale. I liked it. My only quibble is that, for who the "boy" turns out to be, his sweet and innocent demeanor seems at odds with his position. It's no wonder she calls him a boy, with his childish wonder and attempts to "court" her. There are hints, but reconciling the reality with the pre-amnesia person makes me wonder if Carys will find him much changed when his memories are fully restored.
December 29, 2020
Carys starts out a lost soul and throughout the course of the story realizes that she is important. I love watching the growth in her character. Eurion is a dear, if a bit energetic. I loved seeing Clovis and Ma Yong Hwa again. I only have two questions:
March 2, 2020
Delightful
What a lovely story! Carys and Enfys and Eurion... I giggled, I snickered, I sighed... what a beautiful story. I loved seeing how this shifted up against Clovis’ story in book 1. And I loved watching the inevitable happening. Loved this!!!
What a lovely story! Carys and Enfys and Eurion... I giggled, I snickered, I sighed... what a beautiful story. I loved seeing how this shifted up against Clovis’ story in book 1. And I loved watching the inevitable happening. Loved this!!!
November 11, 2020
I loved the first book in this series, and this one wasn't quite as strong to me, but it was still very good.
May 28, 2021
Reasons I Love This Book
1) Tea
2) Subtle, clever writing style
3) Subtle, clever characters
4) Twists within plot twists
5) Vivid setting
6) Atmosphere conducive to tea drinking
This book is basically all my favorite things carefully blended and steeped to produce a perfectly smooth, fragrant pot of tea. Reading books like this every day would have approximately the same effect as eating cinnamon rolls daily. But for the occasional supplement to a healthy diet, I couldn't find a flavor of book to suit me better.
The writing style reminds me of Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series. Substitute a lot of political intrigue and a little romance for a little political intrigue and a lot of romance, and Queen's Thief becomes the Lady series! Kind of. I think that fans of one series will usually not be fans of the other; I'm the weird exception who loves both and tries to compare the two.
1) Tea
2) Subtle, clever writing style
3) Subtle, clever characters
4) Twists within plot twists
5) Vivid setting
6) Atmosphere conducive to tea drinking
This book is basically all my favorite things carefully blended and steeped to produce a perfectly smooth, fragrant pot of tea. Reading books like this every day would have approximately the same effect as eating cinnamon rolls daily. But for the occasional supplement to a healthy diet, I couldn't find a flavor of book to suit me better.
The writing style reminds me of Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series. Substitute a lot of political intrigue and a little romance for a little political intrigue and a lot of romance, and Queen's Thief becomes the Lady series! Kind of. I think that fans of one series will usually not be fans of the other; I'm the weird exception who loves both and tries to compare the two.
July 24, 2024
“Don’t wriggle into the cracks of my life. Don’t sit in my thoughts and make me smile at you when I wouldn’t smile.”
*Grumpy (the grumpiest!) x sunshine (he's sunshine)
*hidden identities and secrets
*evocative coastal setting (modeled on Wales, I think)
*lost memories
*Selkies
Carys lives alone by the sea spending each day clearing the seaweed from the rocky shore so that the selkies don’t use it for dangerous mischief. One day she finds a young man dying by one of the deep pools and rescues him. He’s lost his memory and she thinks he may know something she wants to learn.
This is book 2 of the Lady series and it’s one of my favorites of Gingell’s. The cold coastal setting is wonderfully done and the mystery of the young man is excellent. Carys' romance is sweet and a little sad and I also enjoyed seeing Yong-hwa and Clovis again.
September 5, 2019
From the very beginning, I was captured by the characters and couldn't wait to find out what would happen for them. There were little hints of the adventure to come that needed to be searched for just by the reader as the heroine did her own exhaustive searching to fulfil her life's mission. The added complications introduced by the other characters made it a delightful read, and I couldn't wait to turn the next page.
The ending was a delightful surprise too )i(
The ending was a delightful surprise too )i(
October 9, 2019
Liked this novel better than the prequel ( Lady of Dreams). This book also features a mysterious and introverted heroine, but in this book the heroine has a tragic backstory that gives her character more substance. The seaside setting and selkie mythology gives it a moody and magical atmosphere.
September 21, 2019
3.5 Stars
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