I loved this book as much as I loved Anatomy! I love that Dana Schwartz takes actual history and turns it into fiction. It's especially fun when you know what she's talking about. Actually, I listened to her podcast about Princess Charlotte right before I started reading this, not realizing that she would be a character in the book. I really adore Dana's writing and the stories she tells are unlike any other that I've ever read.

We pick up with Hazel back at Hawthornden, treating patients and working on a medical treatise for the common population. She’s essentially finished her studies, but having never sat the final exam, she can’t call herself a doctor. But given that she’s something of a curiosity, being a female surgeon, people come to her frequently enough that she can continue her work. She’s still holding out hope that Jack may have survived the hanging, but she hasn’t had any communication from him beyond the “Find me in America” note. When she treats a patient who was about to bleed to death after a botched abortion, Hazel is suddenly on the wrong side of the law, staring down a potential hanging of her own. But at the eleventh hour, she’s summoned for an entirely different purpose - to be the personal physician to Princess Charlotte (granddaughter of King George III). The princess is the young, liberal hope for the country…just as soon as her mad grandfather and jerk of a dad are dead. But Princess Charlotte’s health has been fragile since her bout with Roman fever (I’m fairly certain this was a plot point in the first book), and she recently had to call off her engagement. Lots of other doctors have been unable to figure out what’s wrong with her, but maybe a lady doctor can crack the case!

Hazel begins treating the princess and of course immediately gets swept up in court drama - including a possible romance with the doctor treating the king. But she also receives another summons - this one to join a group called the Companions to the Death. The Companions are an influential group of scientists and artists (including some familiar historical faces), and although Hazel is initially thrilled to be included in their number, she senses something darker is going on.

As I mentioned, I wasn’t wild about the love story portion here. I felt like it brought the actual plot to a halt at times. But I thought the historical and scientific aspects were fascinating. Schwartz has clearly done the research (I confess I was hoping for a meatier author’s note! Perhaps in the published copy), and she manages to make a story that’s grounded in a pretty fantastical premise feel real to its time. We learn more about the Tincture here, and how it works, but also about its limitations (for instance that although it keeps you from dying, it doesn’t keep your body from breaking down - which is part of why the Companions are so keen to enlist Hazel in their ranks). I do enjoy an author who can make magic seem like science! I also enjoyed the fact that even though there are definitely contemporary issues being addressed here (jailing someone who provides life-saving services, sigh), the characters still feel authentic to the time period. Often in historical fiction - particularly YA and MG - the characters feel like they’ve time traveled from the 21st century. Not the case here!

As the end approached, I was concerned we were heading for surprise sequel territory, but without spoilers, the ending feels like a real ending. I suppose there’s the potential to revisit these characters and this world, but it definitely feels complete.

I was very excited to be approved for this ARC. Anatomy: A Love Story was a favorite from 2022 and I wanted to see how Hazel's story ends. The story picks up pretty much after the end of Anatomy. Hazel is reeling from the loss of Jack and trying to focus on her goal of becoming a surgeon. She thinks she sees Jack everywhere, so she focuses on helping others and learning more about surgery. After she saves a young woman's life, she is arrested and assumes she will die in prison or at the end of a rope. However, she is saved and is requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte who is suffering from a mysterious illness. Hazel is eager to save the princess, but is not excited to become part of the royal court. She discovers a group of people who call themselves The Companions to the Death and while she was eager to leave the idea of immortality behind, she may once again find herself intertwined with Dr. Beecham's vial.
I really enjoyed this story. My favorite thing about the story is that Hazel continued to be a strong character and didn't let the loss of Jack destroy her. She continued to pursue her passion and wants to be more than what society demands she become. Her grief over the loss of Jack felt genuine and was beautifully written. The whole story was wonderfully detailed and I couldn't stop thinking about it after reading it. I enjoyed the addition of the Companions of Death and what they brought to the story.
I did, however, feel like something was missing from the story. I didn't love it as much as Anatomy, but I thought it was the perfect ending for Hazel. I would definitely recommend it.

I was excited to read this as I really enjoyed Anatomy and couldn't wait to see what was next for Hazel! A mix of gothic historical fiction, mystery, romance, fantasy elements, and a secret society with some famous members--this was fun!

Edinburgh 1818: Hazel is missing Jack and has no idea if he is alive or dead. She is treating patients and trying to keep Hawthorne Castle from falling into ruin when she is falsely accused of murder by a patient. Jailed and expecting to rot in prison, Hazel is shocked when she is explicitly requested to treat King George III's granddaughter, battling a mysterious illness. Hazel finds herself at court and in another kind of danger.

Despite her many obstacles and dangers, Hazel is a trailblazer pursuing her dream of becoming a surgeon, and I love books featuring trailblazing women! Hazel is a relatable and strong female MC. And there are other memorable characters in this, particularly the other trailblazer, Princess Charlotte, and a scene-stealing Lord Byron. I can't say more without major spoilers, but readers will find some intriguing twists throughout this book. Schwartz's writing was engaging and kept me invested. Atmospheric, with an intriguing plot and fantasy threads woven throughout, this is a satisfying conclusion to Hazel's story. If you enjoyed Anatomy, you will want to pick this up!

Also, the covers of the books in this duology are both clever and stunning!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Wednesday Books for this ARC.

Great follow-up. The ending was what I had hoped for & was entertaining for sure. The artwork on the cover was beautiful & added a nice gothic feel to the story.

This is a follow out to Anatomy- A Love Story. I really loved the first one and getting to know Hazel I really liked the first one as it was a pretty easy read, but enjoyable to read. Now we are back with the sequel and it was a bit different from the first as the focus made a big shift. In the first book Hazel was working on her reputation and building her knowledge working in medicine. This second book I feel didn’t live up to my own personal expectations. I found that while parts were enjoyable, it took me awhile to push through. I just think I wasn’t as invested in the sequel as I was in the first one.

known as the Companions to the Death.

As Hazel’s work entangles her more and more with the British court, she realizes that her own future as a surgeon isn't the only thing at stake for her. Malicious forces are at work in the monarchy, and Hazel may be the only one capable of setting things right.
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts: I enjoyed this one a lot but not quite as much as the first book. I didn’t love the name dropping of prominent historical figures through the secret club. I think this could have just been tied to the first book without trying to fictionally tie it to history. Hazel was great but I was totally team Simon. Overall a fun book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Hazel is fantastic but I feel like I didn’t get enough of her brilliance in solving tough cases. This one releases on 2/28. Thank you @wednesdaybooks and @netgalley for the advanced copy.
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QOTD: do you enjoy reading YA books ? What YA books do you recommend ?!
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#immortalityalovestory #danaschwartz #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bookofinsta #booksofig #bibliophile #bookworm #bookwormsunite #bookish #bookobsessed #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #read

A great follow up to the first novel! I enjoyed this continuation of the first novel as Hazel continues to become a doctor.

Been sitting on this review for a while because it hurts me to give this a negative review when I had such high hopes.

First- yay better clothing in this book!

I want to note that I’m maybe too close to the material of this story academically to enjoy it how I could have. I’m waist-deep in research for my thesis, which- in brief- focuses on women and trans folks in mid Victorian medicine, thirty years after this story takes place. I couldn’t always turn off my nagging research mind when subject matter intersected and that’s no fault of the book but I want to be open that it may have impacted my experience.

That being said, for I think mostly unrelated reasons, I didn’t love this book. The beginning threw me a little, but I was drawn in until the last third fumbled things royally.

The first novel ended on a cliffhanger which I expected the sequel to pick back up. It did not, but the story was going in an interesting direction, so I didn’t mind for very long. However, in the final third it decided to return to the cliff hanger of the first book, making the new plot of Immortality feel shunted to the side.

I enjoyed both plots well enough- I preferred the first book to this one but preferred the new storylines in this one over the old- but they didn’t feel well balanced or integrated.

We didn’t get to see enough of Jack with Hazel in this book. He’s horrible to her most of the time he’s around. It made the ending not sit right with me the way it would have if they’d run away together at the end of book one.

I just didn’t like it unfortunately and that makes me sad, but it’s true. I like the fantasy elements, I liked the middle, I liked the better attention to fashion!! But I didn’t like the book. And that’s okay.


I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

I was extremely excited to know that there was a second book to Anatomy: A Love Story. The ending broke my heart and I need to know what happened to Jack. There’s no doubt that
Dana Schwartz writing is captivating and beautiful. Immortality follows Hazel continuing to work as a surgeon and moving on after Jacks disappearance. Hazel ends up getting arrested and is then requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte. Hazel meets another surgeon and establish a relationship. I am not a fan of love triangles but I am pleased how the book ended. Of course no one can be better than Jack! I can’t wait to have a physical copy because the cover is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me this amazing opportunity to receive an early copy. I can’t wait to introduce the second installment to my students.

I devoured the first book in this duology, Anatomy: A Love Story, and Immortality: A Love Story was no different. Dana Schwartz is enormously talented at weaving fact with fiction in a way that both informs and compels. These feminism-forward YA novels are hugely entertaining and propulsive, with just the right amounts of morbidity and romance. Gratitude to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded down!

It’ll be hard to say much about this book in a spoiler free way given the way the first book ends but I will do my best🫡

I’ll start off by saying this isn’t a bad book by any means!! However, I think the plot could’ve used *a lot* of tightening and streamlining. There were some good ideas but the execution wasn’t fully there.

The way the first book leaves off sets up pretty well for the plot in the second book….or so I thought! When this book begins, it appears to basically throw away and divert from the set up book one gave and although a reason is given, it’s not very convincing!! Then, you’re left to figure out where the plot is going and what the point of the book is because I’d say the first approximately 30% of this book is a whole lot meandering and nothing really going on.

Things did start to pick up though and there were aspects of the book that I enjoyed. I like Hazel as a main character for the most part, I enjoyed how well history was woven into the fabric of this story, and I really enjoyed Charlotte’s plot line and story.

However, this wasn’t enough to make me feel super excited or fall in love with the book. I had some problems with the way the last 25-30% of the book played out. Although it made for a nice ending, certain choices made by certain characters didn’t make sense. Two characters in particular (the main character and someone I cant even hint at because again, spoilers) seemed pretty rooted in their original decisions and opinions about some things I can’t talk about because of spoilers, and then they both do a complete 180 at the end of the book. Sure, it *can* be explained away I guess, but not in a satisfactory way and the book didn’t even take the time to try and do that. And these aren’t small decision, I’m talking life!! Altering!! Decisions!! They were on completely different pages and then they magically both changed their positions and it just wasn’t very well executed.

If I’m being honest, I don’t think this series really needed to be a series. I think the ending of book one was better and made more sense for the characters than the ending of book two. I love a good love story, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t love a main character suddenly abandoning their beliefs for the sake of a happy ending. If anything, I think there could’ve been a novella that took a different route to get to a happy ending.

In summation, it really wasn’t a bad read by any means, I’m happy to have read the duology but it’s not something that stands out to me or something I’d reach for to read again.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC!!

Title: Immortality: A Love Story
Author: Dana Schwartz
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Hazel Sinnett is alone and half-convinced the events of the year before—the immortality, Beecham’s vial—were a figment of her imagination. She doesn’t even know whether Jack is alive or dead. All she can really do now is treat patients and maintain Hawthornden Castle as it starts to decay around her.

When saving a life leads to her arrest, Hazel seems doomed to rot in prison until a message intervenes: She has been specifically requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte, the sickly daughter of King George IV. Soon Hazel is dragged into the glamor and romance of a court where everyone has something to hide, especially the enigmatic, brilliant members of a social club known as the Companions to the Death.

As Hazel’s work entangles her more and more with the British court, she realizes that her own future as a surgeon isn't the only thing at stake. Malicious forces are at work in the monarchy, and Hazel may be the only one capable of setting things right.

I enjoyed this read, more than I enjoyed the ending of the first book. Hazel was a much stronger character in this one, and I liked her more. The Companions to the Death were fascinating—Byron was just like I imagine him—and I liked that aspect of the story. I liked Jack….but I really like the doctor, too.

Dana Schwartz lives in L.A. Immortality: A Love Story is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

The sequel to Anatomy a love story and it lived up to my hopes! I was so excited to find out there was going to a sequel, I needed more of Hazel! This time Hazel is brought to London to take care of a sick Princess and she's tasked with solving a mystery that has seemed unsolvable. I really enjoyed seeing her back working as a doctor and dreaming of Jack. Quick and full of questions I flew through it. There are so many new characters that bring this story more to life, you care about them quickly and so does Hazel. I really liked the way it all wrapped up I don't want to ruin anything so I won't say more but I'm hoping we get more then just a duology.


Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for my advance copy for review

I love Immortality: A Love Story even more than I loved it's predecessor, Anatomy: A Love Story. With a secret society, a love triangle I wasn't expecting, and a strong female main character, I finished this book in 24 hours and was completely engrossed in the story.

With the last book, the focus was on Hazel and her journey to proving herself as a surgeon, and to herself. Here, she has already proved that time and time again and has more confidence in her abilities and herself when it comes to what she wants and how to obtain her dreams. Now, she has become part of the royal household as private physician to Princess Charlotte after she experiences mysterious illness. I loved this different focus. It did not feel jarring, but a natural progression for a character that was stifled in her current position as an outcast in Scotland simply because she is a female surgeon. She never sacrifices herself or her ambitions for anyone or to be more agreeable to fit in. I thought the plot flowed seamlessly in this continuation of her story.

In my review of the previous book, I said the love story was really a love story between Hazel and herself, for all women who have had to juggle personal fulfillment and their ambitions with a society who tells them their value is to be what society says they should., rather than between two characters. This continues here in this book, but is more balanced with that traditional aspect, WITH a love triangle. I really did love that there were characters out there who saw how truly amazing Hazel is and appreciated her for who she is. I thought the author struck a great balance between these ideas, without sacrificing the message she previously established in Anatomy.

Overall, I really loved and enjoyed this book. Thank you so much to Dana Schwartz for writing this book, and Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ability to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Anatomy: A Love Story so I was super excited to read the sequel.

I was definitely not disappointed. Hazel continues to be 100% her own person and pushes against societal expectations. I loved getting to watch her continue her journey as a surgeon. I loved the new characters and the Companions of Death plotline.

This was a great sequel and was a great ending to Hazel's sorry.

I was a bit disappointed by the ending of Anatomy and not just because of the ambiguous ending. I thought the book was a straight historical fiction book and then… magic? Popped right in there to solve all the problems? Meh.
This time around I knew what I was getting into. I was ready! And Dana Schwartz didn’t disappoint. I loved spending time in the London palace and seeing Hazel continue her work as a surgeon. This time there is a DEFINITE ending that is unambiguous and everything felt wrapped up nice and neat in a very satisfying way.

Overall, I liked the first one better. I really enjoyed getting to see Hazels journey continue with becoming a doctor as a woman in the 1800s. I feel this book could have been a bit shorter, there was a lot of filler, and personally I am not a huge fan of Jack and wish she picked Simon. This is a great series and I am so happy to have been given an ARC. The one thing I wish this book had would have been a bit more action and suspense, there wasn’t as much as the first one.

This was so good and I think it was just as good as the first. I am completely obsessed with these books. I think the idea behind them are completely original and I am here for it,!
I just reviewed Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

The book didn't land the way that I hoped. I wasn't sure there needed to be a sequel, and when there was, I was excited, but this didn't really add much. Hazel's time in prison was essentially pointless and the ending went a bit off the rails for me. Still, Ms. Schwartz can turn a phrase like very few other people.