Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: PTSD, ableism, self-medicating with alcohol and drugs, grief, abusive parent (past), use of a dead name, war injury, violence

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f (trans heroine) historical romance
-childhood best friends to estranged to lovers
-mutual pining
-amazing secondary characters
-this is just a hookup
-elements of forbidden romance

I'm going to do my best to review this book but honestly words fail me to describe how beautiful it was. It is not a light read, my heart broke for Viola and Gracewood. Viola making a difficult choice, live her life as her authentic self but leave her old life behind in a lot of ways, including Gracewood. I loved their transition from friends to lovers this story was so full of love and joy but also angst.

How they loved each other for themselves. The use of the historical setting to make the separation of the sexes so much clearer, their different classes, ugh this book was just so beautifully done and you can tell that each choice was just intentional, with Alexis Hall's sharp wit. The slow burn as these two just kept PINING for the other in the best way. Both dealing with inner demons and doubts, realizing they had to love themselves in order to trust and be able to love someone else.

And the secondary characters. Alexis Hall just writes secondary characters who sparkle. How adorably in love Louise and Badger were, and the soft aunt moments with Little Bartholomew. And Mira (I am rooting she gets her own book so badly). How accepting and loving everyone was, all about building the family of your heart.

Just please read this book and get ready for the journey your heart will take with this beautifully and tenderly written love story that wrecked me in the best way.

Steam: 3