Hazel Sinnett is one of my favorite characters to spend time with. Dana Schwartz writes in a way that immediately transports you to another time and place.

Early last year, I picked up Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz because, to be completely honest, the cover was beyond stunning. Though Dana’s writing was immaculate and I had a good time reading and enjoying the story, something about it just didn’t vibe with me in the same way that books I love and adore did so it felt a bit underwhelming. I figured that maybe Dana just wasn’t the writer for me, which is completely fine because she’s the one for someone else and that makes my heart sing. Fast forward a few months, I find out that there is actually a sequel! Maybe that’s what was missing for me, a sense of completion. So I requested and was granted an ARC through NetGalley.

Spoilers for Anatomy: A Love Story ahead.

At the end of Anatomy: A Love Story, we left Hazel Sinnett with heartbreak - Jack was dead and Beecham was gone. Now she continues on, treating those who can’t afford a physician and honing her medical skills. Until the day she is accused of a crime and sentenced to jail and then death. But fortunately, her medical services are requested to cure Princess Charlotte of an illness that is confounding all the physicians hired before her. As Hazel works to find the source of the Princess’s ailment, she stumbles upon a greater conspiracy that changes the path of her future.

Immortality: A Love Story is the conclusion to Hazel’s story that I didn’t know I needed. I went into Anatomy: A Love Story believing that it was a standalone and we wouldn’t see Hazel again. The question remained at the end of the first book and persisted through the second - is Jack Currer still alive? It was such a joy to be able to return to this world and find out the answer to that question.

This book also brought in a lot of historical figures and elements that pulled me in deep. I am not a history person by nature, but reading about these things and these people made me want to go digging through some history books to learn more. That is when I feel like historical fiction has done its job - when you become curious about the topics that arise.

I oftentimes have trouble reading “the classics” and books that are written similarly, but Dana is able to straddle the line between flowery prose and the ✨ vibes ✨ (I really am not sure how to better describe it) that really causes me to become engrossed in a story rather than disconnected. I found myself saying “just one more chapter” only to continue into the next chapter a lot more often than I expected and that is a testament to Dana’s ability to keep you on the edge of your seat even when it’s not a crazy action scene.

Seeing Hazel grow into her abilities and become the surgeon/physician that she always wanted to be was one of my favorite things about the book. She is still young, naive, and feels out of place among the glamour of London society, but the fire she has for medicine helps her to metaphorically puff up her chest and stand tall. The introduction of a brand new cast of characters always makes me wary when entering a sequel, but it was easy to get an idea of who they all were and where they fit in the puzzle of Hazel’s life. Some of them even had fun surprises that made me smile from ear to ear.

The only negative thing I have to say (and it’s so incredibly minor and is probably just a me thing) is that Hazel so completely left her life in Edinburgh. It was necessary for her to leave to London, of course, but there was a very specific loose end left at Hawthornden that Hazel was meant to tie up and, once she was in London, we never hear about it again. Again, this is probably just me nitpicking and it doesn’t affect the overall story or my enjoyment of the story - just something that picked at the back of my brain often.

If you read Anatomy: A Love Story and left feeling unsatisfied as I did, I highly recommend picking up Immortality: A Love Story. It is an excellent sequel that doesn’t feel redundant like it is presenting the same story as the first with different coloring. While some series have a standout amongst the books that make it up, this duology is strongest as a whole, both books working perfectly in tandem to tell a larger story.

After thinking about Anatomy’s cliffhanger ending over the last year, this conclusion to Hazel’s story was well worth the wait and I could not put Immortality down!

Hazel’s drive to treat everyone who appeared at her doorstep needing assistance with kindness and respect, no matter their station in life, was incredibly admirable,. Not only was Hazel committed to challenging convention by choosing to remain single, but her dedication to pursuing medicine and honing her craft as a surgeon would pave the way for other women to enter the field.

I did feel a significant portion of the beginning was more filler and didn’t further or match the pace of the rest of the story. That being said, once Hazel reached London, the pace picked up and turned into quite the page turner. And while not everyone’s cup of tea, I enjoy a well executed love triangle and thought the tension between Hazel and her two suitors was perfectly balanced. But what I most appreciated was that the science, medicine and mystery were at the forefront of the story. Yes, there was romance, but it was not the central focus.

While I am sad to say goodbye to these characters, the conclusion of Hazel’s journey was quite satisfying and full of wit, science, romance, secret societies and mystery!

4.5 stars!!

I very much enjoyed Anatomy: A Love Story so I was eager to jump into this book. Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Since I am in medical, I'm all for science, anatomy & physiology. Hazel Sinnet is a fun heroine to follow as she navigates her desires to be a surgeon in a man-driven profession. This book has Frankenstein like feels with gruesome detail. And I am always here for that, though some may give me chills. Great books to read around Halloween.

For me this book fell short in a few ways. We got introduced to a love triangle that seemed so out of place. I ended up rooting for Simon who wasn't supposed to be the target in this love story. I actually liked that side of the love triangle more...and it made me sad. Hazel's and Jack's chemistry was lacking despite the great tension in the first book. So I was left wanting more love story when it fell flat. And though I wanted to know what happened to Jack, I felt his POV in the second third of the book quite random.

To me this story arc just leveled off. The villains didn't seem like villains until near the end. I felt like we were just reading Hazel's diary without a purpose. But maybe that was the point? I also didn't like Charlotte's little side plot reveal which made me think it was added just for audiences.

Overall I'm a little disappointed in how this was executed. Curious what you all think. Happy to discuss.

This book felt like a lot of filler. The last 15-20% of the novel is where things really picked up and I got interested in the story, but it was a slog to get to that point. There were so many points in the story that made me wonder what the point of it being in the book. The whole chapter in the beginning with her puling out someone's tooth and being snubbed for being a woman—what was the point? The reader already knew that being a female doctor was a hard hurdle to overcome; the entire first book was based on that. The plot point of being arrested for murder? No repercussions or reverberations later in the story. It wasn't mentioned by anyone or had any adverse effect on Hazel. (It could have completely been cut out of the story while Hazel could've received a summons to be the princess' doctor anyway.)

Things really picked up at the end, and it was engaging. The ending was definitive enough that I wonder if there will be a sequel. I can see it going either way. I wish there was more meaning to this story overall. If you love historical fiction, then you'll enjoy this.

The beginning of the story did not hook you in at all, the rising action was the equivalent of a kiddy ride at your local church carnival. This was disappointing to say the least- this was not even the same entertainment calibre of her last novel.

DNF at 36%

I enjoyed last year's Anatomy: A Love Story (although I had a few issues with the pacing) and was very excited to see that it was going to be part of a duology. Immortality: A Love Story's synopsis certainly promised more gothic mystery, romance, and a whole heaping of royal intrigue as Hazel joins the royal court in the hopes of curing the sickly Princess Charlotte.

Once I started reading, however, I found myself immensely bored. The pacing issues that I had with the first book felt amplified here with the action promised in the synopsis not coming until about the 28% mark and even when we moved into that action, it didn't really feel like the stakes were elevating. On top of that, the exposition is either immensely repetitive, one-dimensional, or just past the bounds of believability considering the time period.

I might have considered pushing through if we had gotten a sense of atmosphere anchored in the historical details, which ended up being a highlight of the first book. Unfortunately, the portion of the book that I did read contained so few descriptions of the settings that if not for the few references to characters alive in the 19th century, this could have been confused with a contemporary novel. There is literally a scene where we could get a sense of how sumptuous the palace is and Hazel as a character is clearly set up to be able to describe what she is seeing by virtue of being a lady, but the author describes it simply as a room with fabrics and chairs.

Honestly, the prologue was the only part of this book that I enjoyed and that makes me so sad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

As someone who adored Anatomy: A Love Story, I was thrilled to see where Schwartz was going to take Hazel in her journey next,

This sequel really kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt like Schwartz carried over the ambiance from book one while also bringing in new characters and settings to keep the story moving.

There were a few critiques that I had including:
The pacing of the middle was a little slower, which had me wanting to take lots of breaks. I could see this leading to some people giving up on the book without completing it.
I wish we would’ve gotten a *little* more of Jack in this book! I felt like there was a big lead up with Hazel and Simon and then Jack got thrown back in after the audience had mostly forgotten about him. (I’ll forgive this one because Jack is amazing and I love his character!)

Overall, I was very pleased with the nods to history, the way the author executed the story, and the ending she gave us to this wonderful duology!

The exact opposite of every YA paranormal romance with immortality and I am here for it.

After the cliffhanger in Anatomy, this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and it did not disappoint. It's a bit bolder than the first book in some ways, but fans of the first book will love it.

Hazel is such a fantastic character. I'd happily keep reading books about her doing physician things and having adventures.

The story was so engrossing and unconventional that I couldn't tell which direction it was going, but I'm really happy with how things ended up. And just like in Anatomy, there were some genuinely macabre scenes that still make me shudder when I think about them.

Hazel Sinnett has made a name for herself as the local surgeon. One day, she attends a social gathering and ends up in jail. Things become more interesting when she is called upon by royalty requesting her services.
A smashing conclusion to the wonderful story of Hazel! Once I started reading this, I could not stop until the last page was turned. Schwartz does a fantastic job of keeping the energy from Anatomy going into the second story.

In this sequel, Hazel is taking care of patients while waiting for word from Jack. After he was hung for false crimes, Hazel hopes the immortality tincture worked and he's alive somewhere. But there is no word. Then after an unfortunate incident, Hazel finds herself in prison. Only later she's released to help Princess Charlotte recover from a mysterious illness. In the meantime, she encounters a secret society that might be what she needs in order to find Jack.

What worked: I really loved the first book in this series ANATOMY. The author's books are so much more than gothic romance historicals. In IMMORTALITY she continues where the first book left off. Only now Hazel is falsely imprisoned and languishes in a Scottish prison until she's released but only on the condition she tries to cure Princess Charlotte's mysterious illness.

I love how this story is a mixture of suspense, mystery, romance, and hints of immortality. Hazel is a strong protagonist who against great odds refuses to let society dictate her fate in life. Her interactions with the secret society of other immortals are intriguing. What's even more surprising is her response to their invitation to join them. **Don't worry, no spoilers here!

Hazel and Jack's relationship continues, but not until the midpoint in the novel. There's another love interest-a Swedish doctor at court who is trying to help the King's madness.

Totally engaging with its premise of what if there is in fact a way to become immortal. Likable characters who get themselves in more than a few precarious situations.

Swepting gothic historical romance with fantasy elements. A satisfying sequel to ANATOMY.

LOVED LOVED LOVED!!

I wish a third book was coming that how much I loved it! Although it ended perfectly.

Dana Schwartz very quickly became an insta buy author for me!!

Immortality: A Love Story was an excellent second book in this duology. I love Hazel's character and her determination to achieve her goals and dreams in life. I also really enjoyed where the author took the immortality part of the story and thought it was unique for famous scientists, artists, poets, etc to be a part of an immortal "club" so to say. I also enjoyed that this book took Hazel from Edinburgh to London where she was charged with treating Princess Charlotte and also enjoyed her character as well. This book was so well written and kept me on my toes. I was pleased with how long it took for Jack to appear again as it gave more focus on Hazel but love what the author did with Jack and Hazel's story once he reappeared. I honestly wish this duology was more than that and we readers could have more of Hazel and Jack's adventures and was sad to see the ending of such a unique and lovable story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an early copy of the book for a honest review.

I wanted to like this book so badly after loving the first book. I went into this expecting gore and horror and got gossip, a hot doctor, and straight up boredom.

I am very disappointed this wasn't the same flavor of the first one. I know this will satisfy a wide audience but was not for me.

This book was a great sequel! I really enjoyed how the plot ties in with the prevois book, while also containing new elements and freshness!
Beecham's scene was so unexpected, I really didn't think he'd show up like that.
My only complaint is that Hazel and Jack had almost no development. Their relationship did not really evolve until the last pages of the book. Not that they were a bad couple, but I found myself rooting for her to end up with Simon.
Simon and Gaspar were great characters! Simon ended up being one of Hazel's biggest supports and he helped her without questioning every time. Gaspar also ended up being a source of comfort for Hazel.
The story of Princess Charlotte and Elzia was adorable! I'm so happy with how thigs ended for them!
The plot with Marie-Anne was quite interesting. I thought it was a little predictable, but it was also fun!
If you loved Anatomy, you'll fall in love with Immortality for sure!

TW:death, mentions of surgery and body parts, ilness, implied sexual content.

A big thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

Immortality is an excellent follow-up to the enjoyable Anatomy. I love the weaving of history and science with just the right amount of fantasy.

Immortality: a love story picks up where Anatomy: a Love Story leaves us. Jack is gone or perhaps even dead. Hazel Sinnet is alone again and practicing medicine with more and more regularity even though she is not openly recognized as a surgeon due to her gender. When Hazel unexpectedly finds herself at the British Court treating a mysteriously ill princess Charlotte, she finds herself caught in a complex tangle of relationships with romantic partners from her past and present, pressure from the prince reagent for a clean bill of health, and a group of brilliant scientists and creators who have a dark secret.

I both listened to and read this book. The audiobook is a delight. The story itself didn't captivate me quite like the first in the series, but I still find Hazel an interesting, compelling and complex character who manages to navigate both being a woman of science and reason and being a product of the era in which the stories are set.

🫀I really enjoyed reading this book! I read the first book in this series and I was not impressed. The last 100 pages of the last book ended up hooking me and left me intrigued enough to want to pick up the second one. SO GLAD I DID!!! 𝑰𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚: 𝑨 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒔𝒐 𝒔𝒐 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅! I love Hazel as a character, she’s truly fantastic. She’s a force to be reckoned with. She’s independent, stubborn, strong-willed, intelligent and benevolent. Everything she does is for the good of others and it’s amazing to watch the kind of surgeon she becomes. I loved Dr. Ellis, Princess Charlotte, and Eliza as characters. It was just such an enjoyable book to read!

I came into this book with high expectations after reading Anatomy, and I think this is a pretty decent follow-up. The book took some interesting turns with the royalty and secret society storylines. Hazel getting arrested in the beginning, however, felt a bit jarring. It did seem like the author wanted to write about royalty and made it fit no matter what (you should listen to her podcast), but I think it felt more natural toward the end. I also appreciated seeing Hazel grieve for Jack and come into her own a bit more. Overall, this duology had a very satisfying end. I will definitely be recommending this series to YA fans looking for a weird or dark read.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

This book is both very easy to read and probably shouldn't exist. I was hoping for closure on Hazel and Jack's story - which we do get - but Immortality could comfortably be a novella, there simply isn't enough story here to truly justify a full book length.
For plot beyond Jack and Hazel: the Princess Charlotte mystery was immediately solvable, but I would've enjoyed more from the perspective of the secret society - to me, their twisted minds were the most interesting part of this sequel

Thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an arc for review.