Quick Synopsis – A tender and engrossing historical novel about the unlikely love affair between two great 19th-century poets, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett.

Song This Reminds Me Of – A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

Release Date – March 12, 2024

Rating – 3.5 out of 5 ⭐

Review – This is such a lovely novel that traces the romance of real poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. There are parts of this novel that will really make your heart ache. I loved how clearly the author cared about her characters and she included appendices to explain real characters vs. invented. Most of the research for this book is based on the real letters passed between Barrett and Browning, so of course some of the included characters have to be either invented or embellished.

This novel to me is a little languid and I did wish the pace was a little quicker. However, this is a historical novel so the pace is to be expected. I thought the characters were so sweet for the most part with the exception of Elizabeth’s dad and brothers. Learning about how women in Jamaica were treated was just another disgusting piece of colonial history.

Overall I enjoyed the romance and the story; it was just a little slow for me.

Thanks to Algonquin Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.