Thanks to Dell/Random House Books and Netgalley for the ARC.


Now that I have dried the tears, I am definitely adding Natasha Siegel to my auto-read author list. I adored Solomon's Crown and so was very excited when I got the chance to read her sophomore effort. Needless to say, The Phoenix Bride more than lived up to my hopes and expectations and I once again found myself thoroughly enchanted with this story. Natasha's prose feels just effortless to read and her characters are so lovingly created on page that you immediately feel like you know them. In addition, she brings you to a particular place in time and allows you to understand the historical events in such an intimate way that you can't help but come away with a better understanding of the events of the time and empathy for the experiences of the characters.

Set in 1665 England, we find our two protagonists, Cecilia Thorowgood and David Mendes both reeling from loses caused by the plague that has recently swept through. Cecilia finds herself under the care of her sister and after numerous physicians have not been able to "cure"
Cecilia of her afflictions, as a last resort she calls upon a Jewish physician, David Mendes in hopes that he can help. David quickly comes to understand that simple physical cures are not what Cecilia needs, and he sees in her a kindred spirit also dealing with a devastating loss. Through the relationship they begin to build, both Cecilia and David begin to find their way to healing.

There are so many things I loved in this story. The world of 1665 London and how members of the Jewish community, who were recently allowed back to England, work to not only integrate into the city, but do so while maintaining all of the customs & beliefs that so many of them had to hide in other countries. The depiction of depression, anxiety and the different coping mechanisms is portrayed in truthful and heart-wrenching prose which makes you feel all of the emotions that Cecilia and David do. These characters suffer, rage, laugh, cry and find connections to each other in some unexpected ways. The romance in the story is brought along in such a realistic and heartfelt way that you can't help but root for Cecilia and David. In addition, I adored Sam and honestly just wanted to hug him. If you are looking for historical fiction that brings to life divergent characters across all spectrums and has wonderful LGBTQ representation, then you need to read this book and Solomon's Crown. Just make sure you have a box of tissues on hand.

"The Phoenix Bride" by Natasha Siegel, centers on Cecilia, who, after experiencing a profound loss early in her first marriage, is consumed by grief. Her sister enlists the help of a Jewish physician named David to help cure her melancholy, and despite their different religious beliefs, Cecilia and David are instantly drawn to each other. Despite the seeming impossibility of being together, Cecilia and David must navigate their connection amid the prejudice and societal expectations that surround them. Set against the backdrop of England in the 1600’s, "The Phoenix Bride" is a heartfelt exploration of grief, healing, resilience, and love.

I loved the idea of this book, and I appreciate that the author tried to reach for authentic language, but there were just so many errors of fact that I found myself thrust constantly out of the story. I wondered when we got to her wedding dress if this was actually a fantasy. Especially as they were drinking tea years a hundred years before it became a household custom. At this point it was barely being introduced in coffee houses, and there were no dedicated teapots left.

On the first page, a priest is "droning"--at a time when England had just finished religious wars, and Catholics had been burned at the stake not so long ago, their wedding is presided over by a priest and no one seems to notice? The wedding guests leave without a charivari? Here and there you could tell where the research had been done,--plague, the Great Fire--but no, the wealthy didn't live in "townhouses", etc, etc, etc.

I got a third of the way before giving up. I did like David's character, but the rest of them, including the heroine, seemed like cartoon caricatures.

eARC Review: The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel 🔥

This was a wonderful historical romance set in the time leading up to The Great Fire of London in 1666. Focusing on themes of grief, trauma, the treatment of Jews at the time, and interfaith relationships, it really hones in on how grief can not only drown a person, but also in a way, connect. 🥀

The story follows the two love interests, Cecilia and David. Cecilia is a widow who is struggling with her grief over the death of her late husband. Siegel did a fantastic job showcasing how all consuming a tragedy can be for someone. Along with her depression, her twin sister Margaret is keeping her hostage in the hopes of marrying her off to secure her own survival. I found her relationship with her twin rather interesting as it’s the opposite of what assumed twin love is. I felt for the women as they come to realize this situation and their status in life has come to be a wedge in their girlhood love of each other. Regardless though, I did find Cecilia rather reckless at times and found myself agreeing with her friends and sister here and there on her choices. 😅

David was the character that I found myself most interested in. As a Jewish man questioning his devotion to his faith, it really was an interesting look into how intertwined a person is with their religion and upbringing. I also found his relationship with his bisexuality endearing since it can be assume that being out was incredibly isolating and disastrous for some people. His desire to keep Cecilia from society’s scorn for her involvement with him did make me a bit annoyed here and there, but I understand his hesitancy and fears. 💕

The things I did wish a bit more of were a longer examination of Cecilia and David’s trauma bonding and bit more into The Great Fire of London as an event. I feel like both would have provided a more clear insight into the two’s attraction and also really help set the tone and title of the novel better. But those are my personal thoughts. ❤️‍🔥

In general, I had a wonderful time with this couple and their rendezvous through mid-17th century London. 🥰

Thank you goes out to Random House Group for reaching out and asking to be part of the early readers, and to the author for crafting a wonderful historical interfaith romance! ❤️

Publication date: March 12!

Overall: 4/5 ⭐️

An atmospheric and emotional historical romance featuring an unusually diverse group of characters. David and Cecilia alternately tell their story of grief, friendship, and love in 1666 London. David, a Jewish physician lost his best friend Manuel to the plague and Cecilia her new and much loved husband. Now, her sister Margaret has hired David to treat her but this turns into so much more. Even as their relationship grows, an arranged marriage to Lord Grey- Sam-lurks for Cecilia. Manuel's sister Sarah proposes to David. Can these two be together. This rises above the genre with the supporting characters- with David's pal Jan, with Elizabeth the house keeper (what a hoot), with Sam, who is so much more than he seems at first. And then there's the fire. Siegal pulled me in from the first and her storytelling kept me reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this- highly recommend.

The Phoenix Bride is well written historical fiction, with a lyrically flowing writing style. The historical time period written about really captured my interest and having David as Jewish and a physician was a really interesting twist to the typical English period historical fiction. Cecelia's character is also well written, sympathetically written, but highlighting her strength within despite her mental health struggles. A really fascinating read...and the chemistry between David and Cecelia was spot on.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the ARC.

Historical fiction and Jewish MC? I'm hooked! Except this tried to be too many things and tell too many stories at once. It felt like a jumbled mess and I found it impossible to keep track of everything going on. Plus I struggle with this author's writing.

A story of plague and fire, grief and loss, hope and joy, love and surrender. The writing is poetic, the story is beautiful, the characters are relatable. I loved this book. It was one I wanted to savor as I read it.

***Thank you to Dell for providing a copy of The Phoenix Bride via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I loved The Phoenix Bride from the moment I picked it up. The beautiful, lyrical writing sucked me in and just would not let go. I sped through the story in two sittings because I was completely engrossed in the characters and their world. I was so emotional at several different points, and the way the story delivered a hopeful message despite the difficulties faced by the characters really spoke to me.

The world-building in The Phoenix Bride was fantastic. I enjoyed traipsing around London with the characters. There were so many small details, like visiting a 17th-century coffee shop and information on musical instruments of the time, that just helped bring everything to life in an organic way. I also appreciated getting to learn more about medicine during this time period and loved how it was weaved throughout the story. There was just so much to experience, from disasters like the plague and the London fire to lovely walks in the park, and Siegel described it all brilliantly.

The character work was the real star of The Phoenix Bride, though. Siegel did a marvelous job of making me care about Cecilia and David. I liked the dual POV because it allowed the reader to get to know them both so well, while also providing space to introduce a great cast of supporting characters for them both. Even the characters that had relatively little page time felt realistic and fleshed out.

Both Cecilia and David were struggling with grief in The Phoenix Bride. They lived as a shell of their former selves, largely disconnected from others. The progression of their relationship was slow burn and fraught with peril given their differences in status and David being a Jew and a foreigner. I liked how the structure of the story allowed their relationship room to breathe. It illustrated how connecting with someone who understands your pain can be transformative while also showing that the spark of healing must be nurtured by each individual if it is to grow. The story could have easily relied on the relationship being the cure to their grief, and I am glad it did not.

My only complaint about The Phoenix Bride is that I would have loved to see an epilogue. By the end, the couple still had some massive roadblocks to their happily ever after, and I really wanted to see how they might overcome them. I'm still satisfied knowing that they decided to prioritize their relationship in the end. It just felt like a bit of a cop out for the author to avoid showing us how they accomplished it.

Finally, I can't finish this review without saying how wonderful it was to read a story where the bi male lead ended up with someone with a different gender from his own. The Phoenix Bride was wonderfully queer, and I really appreciated seeing that type of representation because so often a bi man ends up with another man in the end. I always enjoy seeing stories where that is not the case.

There was just so much to love in The Phoenix Bride. The writing, setting, character development, and mental health and queer representation were all phenomenal. With all of these factors in mind, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

This book was absolutely stunning! I loved the alternating POV's between Cecilia and David. The writing itself was beautiful. I thought the historical setting was intriguing and captivating and loved how medicine was a key part of the story. The Jewish representation was so well done and I adored David entirely. Cecelia was a nice contrast and I enjoyed her character arc throughout the book. This was quick-paced and lyrical and I was invested from page one. It's diverse not only in faith and religion but also in sexuality, mental health, and neurodivergence. The way Natasha described certain events or certain feelings was absolutely brilliant. There was also a nice balance of lightness amidst all the heavy moments and I thought it was done so well. I loved this book! Thank you to Random House for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review!

I read this on a trip to England and it could not have been better. History, slow burn romance, and drama?? Yes please. This book was a quiet read and one I really enjoyed.

Absolutely STUNNING. A beautiful story about 2 broken people seeking answers and solace from the trauma and sacrifices that haven damaged them. This book is proof that you can find love even if you are struggling and that you cannot heal without a support system.

A love story, filled with sadness and hope, set in the early 17th century London, is beautifully written. Cecilia is happily married to Will, even though he was originally supposed to marry her sister, Margaret. When a rich suitor marries Margaret, Cecilia is ecstatic, until she loses Will to the plague. Falling into deep depression, not eating or sleeping, Cecilia is living with her sister when the physician, David Mendes, comes to treat her. David is Jewish, living in London after leaving Portugal. The book weaves their stories, while honoring David’s history and traditions. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for this very satisfying book.

The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel is a beautiful historical novel.
With meticulous attention to historical detail and deeply drawn characters, this novel captivates not only with its fascinating history but also with its poignant exploration of love, resilience, and the pursuit of one's true self.

Thank You NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine & Dell for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A lovely, powerful, atmospheric story. Loved the setting and the character development, and the writing was gorgeous.

With the excitement of Bridgerton coming soon, l've been trying to satiate my hunger for historical romances and came along this gem.
The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel very quickly caught my attention with its lyrically written story of Cecelia, a recently widowed woman trying to heal through her grief after the loss of her husband.
David is a physician who has been hired by Cecelia's sister to
"cure" Cecelia of this depression through tonics to have her up and well before the next season so that she may marry her off once more.
Set in 17th-century London, this dual POV forbidden romance is founded on a connection through grief that will have you giggling and kicking your feet. As a big fan of P&P's attention to hands and subtle details of longing, I find that this book does a fantastic job of showing one's love and interest more subtly and charmingly that I absolutely adore. I lost count of the amount of passages highlighted as they were so well described in a such a delicate and lyrical way.
I also admire both the representation of LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent people that were very much looked upon in this day.

The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel is a poetic and romantic novel that immerses readers in the vibrant setting of seventeenth-century London. Set against the backdrop of this historical era, the story follows two star-crossed lovers who are brought together amidst turbulent times. The narrative unfolds through alternating points of view, offering a unique perspective on their journey. Siegel's rich prose and vivid descriptions bring the characters and setting to life, making this a captivating and immersive read for fans of historical romance.

What an absolutely beautiful book. It is heartbreaking but also tender, soft, and full of yearning.

I was absolutely captivated by the writing and the way Siegel brought 1660's London and its characters to life. I loved David and Cecilia and the slow way that they were able to overcome their trauma amidst the backdrop of political and social upheaval following the plague and Great Fire. This book is a journey of discovery and hope and also sacrifice. It's such a beautiful love story between two people who have loved and lost and are reaching out to one another while trying to overcome insurmountable obstacles.

Honestly, I thought with the beautiful cover and the enticing blurb that this would be a little more compelling - but it was probably meant for people who solely read historical romance. I did not enjoy it - I don't love the whole religious undertone, and it was depressing from the start. Just wasn't my jam.

Like a phoenix that rises from the ashes, love can grow from grief. Two individuals, separated by class and faith in a society that can never allow them to be together, fall in love against all odds. Set against the backdrop of 1600s London, this story follows a widow and a Jewish doctor as they process their respective losses in the face of societal expectations.

I loved this book, and couldn't put it down. The writing was poetic and powerful. Natasha Siegel creates a brilliant, lovable cast of characters in a complex world that feels real from its historical grounds. Most importantly and impactful, I loved the reference to a range of real issues that still plague the modern world: women's rights and independence, LGBTQ+ relationships, inter-faith and interracial relationships, anti-Semitism, and more.

I can't recommend this book enough. I am very grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Let me know if you check it out!