Once upon a time she married in secret…
An activist painter of radicals and harlots, Cornelia Ludgate dismisses love and marriage as threats to freedom. But when an inheritance gives her the chance to fund the cause of women’s rights—on the condition she must wed—she is forced to reveal a secret: she’s already married. To a man she hasn’t seen for twenty years.
Oh…and her husband is a duke.
A horse breeder with a clandestine taste for revolution, Rafe Goodwood never expected to become a duke. But now that the title is his, he is plotting to shock the ruling class with ambitions of reform—and reveal the infamous Cornelia is his duchess. That just presents one problem: he must not fall in love with her—again.
Now they must resist the temptation to rekindle an affair…
Although determined not to sacrifice her principles for passion, Cornelia is still drawn to the man whose very being threatens her independence. Hurt too many times, Rafe can’t risk love again—especially with the woman who once shattered his heart. But a conspiracy to upend the inequalities of the aristocracy bring Cornelia and Rafe closer, forcing them to finally decide what—and who—they hold dear.
Release Date: Mar 7, 2023
Series: Society of Sirens
Book: 2
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon Books
Price: $6.99
Feminist forward, eat the rich mentality, and sheer joy in the shameless pursuit of pleasure romance.
This series breaks all conventions, and it’s some of the freshest historical romance I’ve read in years. We have a biracial heroine and artist, Cornelia Ludgate. Our hero is the recently inherited Duke of Rosemere and horse breeder Rafe Goodwin. Both have an intertwined past and an even more involved future if they choose to fight against their previous issues to take hold of a chance at happiness by doing what they love best.
As far as tropes, this is all age gap, polyamory, unrequited love/second chance romance, and a marriage of convenience. Yes, pearl clutchers beware, both Cornelia and Rafe enjoy an open relationship with multiple partners, some of which are featured in the story. This added some elements to the story that made it steamy and showcased a trend not written as much in traditionally published historical romances without an erotica tag.
A lot of the tale between these two is provided via flashbacks, which is difficult not to include in a second-chance romance. What keeps this from a five for me is that very thing. I wanted more of the present-day story versus the flashbacks. I felt the book plot didn’t have as much substance or ability for Cornelia and Rafe to work through their issues. Also, some of the present-day problems were left off page, and I feel like that could have replaced the flashbacks.
What I enjoyed about the story included the setting, the world of historical romance from the lens of those fighting against the patriarchy. These women are trailblazers with risky, difficult lives. It’s refreshing to see them wage war against archaic practices and belief systems while falling in love at the same time. Not to mention this book was like a bridging gap to help move another overarching piece of the story forward. I’m interested to see where all these lead, and can only hope that other readers agree they want more.
Overall, the book could stand alone, but it’s better enjoyed by those who’ve read the first in the series, The Rakess. This is for readers who enjoy historical romance with a more political, feminist undertone, and it’s not anyone seeking a light and fluffy read.
~ Landra
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