Anatomy: A Love Story follows an independent young woman from the 19th century who wants to become a surgeon. I picked this book up for a couple of reasons. First: The cover is absolutely gorgeous. Second: I love spooky books about 19th-century science. (Frances Hardinge’s The Lie Tree is an awesome example of this.) Eerie Victorian-era stories are perfect reads for autumn.

In a lot of ways, Anatomy: A Love Story fulfilled my expectations. The story is full of atmospheric historical tidbits, like books bound in human skin (which, yes, was actually a thing) and references to the classical anatomist Galen. In between chapters, tidbits from fictional journals, newspapers, and textbooks contribute to the worldbuilding. These tidbits, many of which give the reader more information about the “Roman fever” that’s plaguing London, are some of my favorite parts of the book.

In some places, Anatomy: A Love Story didn’t quite dig as deeply as I’d hoped. I never felt as though I got to know the main character, Hazel, beyond her desire to become a surgeon; and I never got to know her love interest, Jack, beyond his basic identity as the boy who robs graves. I wanted to know a little more about them as whole people. That said, the idea of a resurrection man love interest is awesome and I adore it.

Also, the characters’ perspectives sometimes felt a little more modern than I expected. The story is a feminist one—it’s all about a woman’s attempt to break into a male-dominated field—and I’m glad it’s feminist, but it sometimes feels like surface-level 2021 feminism. The main character, Hazel, has attitudes and opinions that occasionally don’t make sense for her time. For instance, she bemoans her corset as a restrictive device, essentially a symbol of women’s oppression, when my understanding is that a well-fitting corset wouldn’t have been oppressively restrictive. I am not a historian, however! And also, I think other readers might not mind that Hazel has a modern perspective. I know some readers—like my sister, who reads YA almost exclusively—actually prefer it when a historical main character feels modern because it makes them feel more accessible.

All told, Anatomy: A Love story was a fun read with a lot of great spooky details. If you want a YA story that has an eerie vibe without crossing the line into horror, definitely check this one out.

An eerie, mysterious, gothic tale that follows Hazel, a headstrong woman who aspires to become a surgeon rather than marry and a resurrection man who sells bodies for a living. As their lives cross paths, they work together to try to uncover the secrets in Edinburg.

This was an enjoyable story to read. It is advertised as a love story but there are more parts to the story than the romance which I really liked. The romance aspect also took a while to develop. I mostly enjoyed the book until the end. The ending felt abrupt to me, and I hope that there is a sequel to add more to the story. Overall, this is a great read for anyone looking for a gothic tale!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an arc!

A young woman in 1800's Edinburgh must navigate societal pressures while nurturing a secret desire to become a surgeon.

I liked the author's writing style and enjoyed the book for the most part. I just didn't understand why the actual romance part takes half the book to begin, that's too far in I think. The book is called a love story in the title but it's more focused on Hazel and her life and what she faces as a young woman during that time, which I liked but found odd. And then the end was rushed as well because of the exposition having taken up to much space

Interesting idea but odd pacing.

This story is a Gothic tale about a girl in 19th century Scotland who dreams of being a physician. As I read it, I was struck by just how thoroughly researched it was, which I expected nothing less from Dana Schwartz after listening to her podcast. The writing was impeccable and the story was intriguing and lush. And I loved Hazel as a protagonist. She was strong and well fleshed out.

That being said, for a book with "love story" in the title, it really isn't much of a love story at all. I also felt like at times there was too much going on with the plot, while other times it felt too simple. I think I would have enjoyed it more if one of the plotlines had been focused on more. And the ending seemed very abrupt. I felt like I was just getting into the meat of the story, and then it was over. All in all, this was a decent read if you like Gothic literature and history, but maybe not so much if you're looking for a heartwarming romance.

Anatomy: A Love Story is a gothic romance set against the backdrop of 1830’s Edinburgh, and follows an aspiring young female surgeon, the resurrection man who brings her bodies to study, and a reclusive aristocrat who tempts them both with immortality.

There is nothing like a good thrilling story to take you out of yourself and transport you into a another time, another world and into the life of characters that are believable and not only believable but that feel real and raw and you want to know, help, and hug along the way.

I gobbled this up and was left sad that it was over but also relishing all that I had read and looking forward to Schwartz 's next great read.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is not a book that I would typically read. I'm not a fan of romance but when I found out that Dana Schwartz the host of one of my favorite podcasts Noble Blood was releasing this novel, I couldn't wait to read it.

This story is set in Edinburg in 1817 and centers around a young woman named Hazel Sinnett. Instead of wanting to marry like most females her age, Hazel wants to be a surgeon. Hazel meets Jack Currer, who makes a living by digging up dead bodies to sell them to universities. When a plague hits the town, and other dark things lurk about, the two team up to save the living.

This was such a fun gothic, creepy thriller that I enjoyed from page one until the end. I loved Hazel’s character. She was such a quirky, intelligent, and passionate young lady. I loved reading about how she broke all the rules to follow her dreams.

The ending in this story was perfect and mind-blowing! Dana Schwartz did not disappoint with this one. You can tell that she did her research on the time period to write this novel. This book made me an even bigger fan of hers and I cannot wait to see what projects/books that she comes out with next!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Amazing read with historical fiction read with a dash of romance. I love the headstrong attitude of our main character and how she develops throughout the plot.

Let me get the synopsis out of the way so I can begin heaping praise upon this book:


Anatomy: A Love Story, is about Hazel Sinnett, a seventeen year old socialite in 1817 Edinburgh, who dreams of becoming a surgeon instead of following the path of a loveless marriage, having children and party planning that her mother--and society-- has planned for her. Jack Currer, an eighteen year old boy, who lives above a local theater is a "resurrection man" (a colorful term for someone who digs up graves and sells the bodies to doctors for them to study/experiment on). Hazel disguises herself by dressing in her brother’s clothing in an attempt to attend the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society school. She is soon discovered to be a woman and kicked out of the school. In a desperate attempt to realize her dream, Hazel makes a deal with the lead doctor: if she can pass the final physician’s examination without being present in class and studying on her own, she (and any other women interested in medicine) will be allowed to attend the school. During a chance meeting with Jack, Hazel strikes a deal with the resurrection man: he will unearth bodies for her to study and help her find a cure to the Roman fever that is plaguing the city. While working together, the two of them discover secrets and evil acts happening in the shadows of Edinburgh.

This book is going to be an instant bestseller! It’s going to be all over TikTok, Booktube and with a cover like that? It’s totally Instagrammable. I wish only the best for this book: I hope it gets everything on it’s Amazon Wishlist and lives happily in a peaceful seaside village because it gave me so much life! Gothic horror, romance and solid science all in one book? It seems impossible but Dana Schwartz did it.

I am so hungover from this book. How will I ever read again? Everything will pale in comparison to this. It’s part Frankenstein, part Stalking Jack the Ripper with a few dashes of The Alienist.

The characters are written so well, I had such empathy for them. I cringed with them, I cried with them, and I celebrated their bravery. The romance is light but powerful. I tried describing a scene to a friend and I couldn’t finish describing it before my voice cracked with emotion.

Our leading lady, Helen, is a strong woman but she is not irritating nor does she give off the tiresome trope vibe of “I don’t need no man!” Instead, she is smart, compassionate, willing to help others and also willing to accept help graciously when needed.

This was the perfect book for me to kick off the -Ber months with. I will be reading this every Autumn, it’s just that atmospheric.

HUGE thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s press for providing an eARC of Anatomy: A Love Story in exchange for an honest review. Releases 2/22/22

Just going to get it out of the way: the concept and execution of this cover design is stunning. I cannot get over how great it is and I keep coming back to stare at it some more. Wednesday never really disappoints in this regard but I always appreciate the thoughtfulness put into their designs.

But back to the book itself—I haven’t read anything by Dana Schwartz before, well besides her tweets, but I was really excited to dig into this one.

Hazel has always been fascinated by the human body. It’s a strange preoccupation for a young woman in 1817 Edinburg, but left to her own devices that’s all she would be doing. Studying anatomy and, hopefully, using what she’s learned to help people. Jack on the other hand deals in the dead. He digs up bodies and sells them to local medical schools as practice cadavers, a gruesome but ultimately necessary practice. There’s no reason for Hazel and Jack to ever cross paths, with her inevitable engagement to her cousin (ew) a future Viscount and his struggle to make ends meet. But when a sickness comes to town, a secret plan goes awry and something even darker lurks nearby, the two form an unlikely team to help protect the living from that which wishes to do them harm.

I think the gothic elements of this book are a little more understated than some other novels I’ve read recently. That’s not a knock against its credentials in the genre, just those staples and tropes may not be as evident at first. What I think this was more than anything was historical fiction, but a much more approachable version. There’s a dusting of magic near the end and at the very beginning, though for the most part the story is focused on Hazel’s life as a future Viscountess and an aspiring surgeon during this era.

Also, despite the subtitle and the shelving of this book on Goodreads, I didn’t think Anatomy was much of a romance. All of Hazel’s feelings fall second to her passion for anatomy, which honestly I think I prefer anyways. And though there’s eventually the kindling of something starting to happen, it’s well into the book to where it feels more like an afterthought than the main focus. The romantic storyline does play a crucial role in the final act, so credit where it’s due for that plot point.

There’s some interesting reflections on class and patriarchy, how someone’s gender and the socioeconomic circumstances they’re born into dictate the majority of how their lives turn out, especially in 19th century Scotland. Reading this in the midst of a pandemic underlines further the gaps between the rich and the poor when it comes to access to essential medical services. Who’s expendable and who’s connivence is worth more than someone’s life? The parallels between this time period and present day are probably too grim for many people to want to consider.

The ending was a little hurried compared with the level of detail present through the rest of the book. We’re left with a sort of resolution, but not an *Ending.* in all it’s finality. But granted that sometimes I feel like Historical Fiction can drag, I didn’t have any problem fully engaging with Anatomy. It’s just as readable as it is interesting, and I think it’ll be a popular choice when it comes out in 2022!

With a fierce protagonist and a heavy helping of mystery, corpses, and a charming cast of side characters, Anatomy: A Love Story makes for an enjoyable historical fiction read with the perfect touch of the fantastical throughout. Hazel Sinnett is an endearing main character and her efforts to realize her dreams of being a physician make for a great story, particularly set against 1817 Edinburgh. I thought it was an interesting read all around!

This was a really fun historical mystery that has stalking jack the ripper vibes. There are some fun gift options as well. There's a couple of scenes that may make some people squeamish but I think they are few enough that they shouldn't be a huge turn off for readers as a whole.

Hazel is an aspiring surgeon in 19th century Scotland, despite society’s plan for her. Hazel decides that she must learn medicine in secret, and pay a grave robber to bring her bodies so that she may continue her studies.

This story was creepy and perfect for fall. I loved Hazel’s passion and determination to become a physician even though it was frowned upon in the society she lived in. I loved the characters. I wish Jack, the grave robber, was a bit more fleshed out though. The story is well paced and if you love Stalking Jack the Ripper, you’ll definitely love this one!
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book. A romance with a mystery and a whole lot of science. I had read another review that the surgical moments were graphic, but it really wasn't anything more than what you see on a medical tv show. I adored these characters and felt the pace along with them.

I was really impressed by this story, and though it had some rough edges, overall I really enjoyed the story. Hazel is an aspiring surgeon in 19th century Scotland, though the entire world is inhospitable to her desires, including her parents and her cousin/fiance since childhood. The only way she can continue her studies is by paying a (handsome!) grave robber to bring bodies to her parents' castle's dungeon (!), where she operates on them. Add in some rainy graveyard scenes, and you've got yourself a story!

What I really enjoyed: Hazel is a nice mixture of vulnerable and tenacious. It's believable that she's confident enough to try to pursue something that society tells her she can't. She also doubts herself along the way, and when it comes to her romantic future, her practicality feels like the natural training of her station in life. I also really liked her journey as a physician because it felt earned, and you could see the research in the book without it feeling clunky. Also, I really did like the love story, which I wasn't sure about at first! It ended up being really sweet, and the ending actually really got to me, which I wouldn't have predicted!!!

What puzzled me: The social scene/Hazel's predicaments with marriage feel a bit rushed and pushed under the rug at times, so we can focus just on her physician journey. I get this. I just wonder if 30 more pages here and there could have fleshed this out. I liked what I read, but some parts felt thin. Also, I wanted more from Jack! He was a likeable enough character, but I wouldn't have minded a bit more color and characterization for him, as he kind of comes off as the lovable street urchin archetype without many other qualities. Finally, I love Scottish settings and Edinburgh specifically, and I wouldn't have minded more of this outside just the same few places over and over (but this is also how I am about all settings. Give me moody! Give me atmospheric!)

Overall, an enjoyable historical love story.

Anatomy A Love Story
Releases 2/22/22
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ BOOK REVIEW
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I enjoyed this one a lot. It has a mystery that was intriguing, a strong female character (Hazel) who was very likable, and interesting historical/medical details about what it was like to be a physician in the 1800s.
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Hazel won’t let love or her status as a woman deter her from becoming a physician. This pursuit has her clashing with the upper class that she’s a part of and her fiancé. Eventually, she befriends a resurrection man (someone who steals dead bodies and sells them to aspiring physicians like herself) and helps out the lower class in the area who need medical attention.
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I knew we were in for a big reveal at the end but boy was it surprising. The only complaint I have is that I wanted more……
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If you like the series Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, you’re going to love this one too.
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Thank you, St Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and #netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you for my early review copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I believe this book will be a huge bestseller.

I DNFed this at 30% because the gore just seemed over the top for a YA novel. To me it was just really gross and I enjoy the Stalking Jack the Ripper Series. I don't mind a little gore but this was all the way through. It gave me Stalking Jack the Ripper vibes but it wasn't done as well. Hazel and Jack were both kind of weird creepy characters, but not in a good way. Jack was pretty much stalking the actress at the theater he worked at. Hazel was just way to into her frog experimentation and watching men get their legs sawed off that it felt like she could be more of a serial killer than a surgeon. I'm sure some will enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I was fully prepared to give this book 4 stars up until the end, but it left me so unsatisfied that I almost gave it 2 stars out of spite. However, overall, I found the book to be interesting, unique, and well written, so I've settled on 3 stars as a compromise. (I'm still irritated, though.)

I liked the main characters. Hazel (17) was strong willed and determined to pursue her goals despite the limitations and expectations placed on her because she was a woman. Even though Jack (17) had a rather grim occupation as a resurrection man, he was good, kind, and caring. He viewed Hazel as an intelligent person rather than just a pretty face, and I liked that. Of course things were complicated because she had been expected to marry Bernard (17) since they were children.

Throughout the book, I had to remind myself that it likely wouldn't be a happy fairy tale ending because the prospects for Hazel if she did not marry Bernard were quite poor, as her mother pointed out. That said, the ending was not what I expected. Additionally, several important issues were left without a true resolution. I suppose there could be a sequel, but I'm not sure that was the author's intention. If there were one, I would probably read it with the hope that it would fix things.

Prior to this book, I had no idea what a resurrection man was. That aspect of the book was gruesome and fascinating at the same time, as was the work Hazel watched and practiced. It's rather strange that stealing a dead body from a grave was not as serious of a crime as stealing the personal items from the coffin (it's true--I did a little reading about resurrection men after finishing the book).

Note: Some swearing. Bloody medical descriptions.

First up: this is not a book to read at night. I’m not super squeamish, but I had some moments where I got a little grossed out. If this isn’t a deterrent, then this is a book for you! Horror gothic isn’t my usual genre, but I’ve read enough books that I have an appreciation for it. The book is advertised as a love story (literally in the title), but it wasn’t as romantic as I would have liked. The main character is rather young, although I realize that’s not really a big deal considering the book’s setting. However, I think the author did a great job with developing Hazel as an individual character.

Hazel wants nothing more than to be a physician. Which is great except she resides in Edinburgh in 1817. Instead of learning anatomy and studying corpses she’s expected to marry her cousin, the son of a Viscount, and lead a respectable life. Hazel is not willing to give into her fate so easily and what follows next is a tale of extraordinary lengths one young woman goes to in order to follow her heart’s desire.

The part of the title that classifies this book as a love story is a bit misleading to me. The two love interests don’t really start to interact in a meaningful way until well over half-way into the novel and from there they fall hard and fast.

Well I thought it was cute how a resurrection man falls in love with a society lady, I actually cared more for Hazel shattering the glass ceiling than I did for the romance. She was such a relatable character and her willingness to see right from wrong even when the wrong would have benefited her made her the ultimate heroine to root for.

The story was unintentionally creepy simply by modern standards of medicine. If you’re squeamish this may not be the book for you. This novel is extremely well researched.

Warning Spoilers Ahead: The part where Beecham reveals he is immortal kind of came out of left field and could have used further exploration. The story felt very real and then just randomly throwing in a fantastical element that was simply glossed over felt like it kind of cheapened the great storytelling up until that point.

Despite that small hiccup I’d highly recommend Anatomy: A Love Story. It was a delightfully creepy read.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.