What a charming queer Victorian romance! I loved the warmth, the banter, and the colorful cast of characters. Both protagonists were well-rounded and delightful. I’m not sure who I have the bigger crush on, Emily or Jo, so I suppose I’ll just have to mentally date them both. They had fantastic chemistry and balanced each other out perfectly in an opposites-attract way. I also enjoyed the unconventional dynamic of a platonic marriage where both spouses have their own lovers (not in a cheating way—they’ve both agreed to the arrangement and are fine with it). That’s not something I’ve seen in a romance novel before, and I found it refreshing.

Although it’s book three of the Lucky Lovers of London series, it stands alone well (I haven’t read the other two books and I was able to follow everything just fine). I may have to read the other two at some point, since I do also enjoy MLM romances, even though I mostly read sapphic books.

My only disappointment was that several months of Emily’s and Jo’s relationship were sped through in a told rather than shown way, and I would’ve liked at least a few glimpses of them growing together as a couple over that time.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

A debaucherous sapphic and a bluestocking doctor are totally at odds with each other in this book by Jess Everlee. This book is a fun romp

Set in London in 1885, Jo Smith is in a lavender marriage so that she can carry on with her sapphic lifestyle. But, all that is thrown into turmoil when her husband’s girlfriend gets pregnant. She gets in contact with a bluestocking (a woman of science and learning) doctor through a friend of a friend.

The two do not mesh well. Dr. Emily Clarke is a woman of logic and science, whereas Jo talks about the humors and handwriting analysis. Will they ever see eye to eye?

This book is the third in the Lucky Lovers of London series, but it is a standalone book. Featuring a great supporting cast, this book is great for the grumpy x grumpy trope and the enemies-to-lovers trope.

This book comes out on June 4th, 2024 from Harlequin - Romance. 4/5 Stars

Thank you so much to Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel in exchange for my honest feedback.

Review posted to gmpotter.com/reading-club/a-bluestockings-guide-to-decadence

It took me a minute to get into this, but once I did, I really liked it! Everlee is a charming writer that clearly knows her history in a way that made me (someone who reads a lot of histrom) excited to learn something new and different than the usual fare.

A lesbian in a lavender marriage finds herself in a difficult situation when her husband's pregnant paramour needs medical help and the only doctor that will take them is the strict and slightly odd female doctor who keeps drawing her in. It is London, 1885 and Jo Smith is a lesbian in a lavender marriage. She spends her time wearing trousers and running her bookshop, yet this stable life is put into jeopardy when her husband gets his paramour pregnant and she needs medical help, they all know that no reputable doctor will help her... cue Dr. Emily Clarke. Emily is trying to make it as a female doctor in a society that is barely accepting female doctors. She is hesitant to take on Jo's case but can't resist. Despite their rocky start and polar opposite personalities, both Jo and Emily begin to fall for each other as they write letters to one another. Can they find a way to make it work in a society that isn't accepting of queer romances? This is the third book in the series but can absolutely be read as a standalone. I had really high hopes for this one because I liked the other two books but this one unfortunately missed the mark. I really wanted to like this one but it kind of felt meh to be honest. The premise of the book sounds so delightful and fun yet the actual plot and pacing felt a bit off to me. I just couldn't find myself invested or believing in the romance between Jo and Emily. Despite the book missing the mark for me, I do think that if you are looking for a historical sapphic romance with opposites attract, to give this one a go!

Release Date: June 4,2024

Publication/Blog/Outlet: Ash and Books (Tumblr Blog): https://ash-and-books.tumblr.com/

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin - Romance | Carina Adores for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A unique romance that had me rooting for the main characters and side characters alike! I am such a fan of period romances, particularly queer ones, and this is a real standout within the genre. Incredible tension between the main pairing and such a fun premise!

3.5 rounded up because the supporting cast is great!

If you like banter, grumpy x also grumpy dynamics, and innuendos disguised as very proper letters, then you’ll enjoy this most recent 1800’s romp from Jesse Everlee!

Joe and Emily were both pretty fun to read, what with their stubborn personalities and constant battle of words, but I did find them to be the least compelling of pairs in this book series. I do think this wasn’t entirely the characters fault themselves, I just felt the plot didn't serve them well. Whilst the other books of this series have stakes that come from outside forces - the threat in this story seems entirely self constructed on both Joe and Emmily’s parts. Sure, their relationship was enjoyable to read, but did I really care/worry about their individual plots/struggles? Not necessarily.

If you are looking for a charming sapphic romance with low stakes and a fantastically queer supporting cast then I recommend this read!

Special thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin - Romance | Carina Adores for the arc of this book! I am leaving this review voluntarily!

A BLUESTOCKING'S GUIDE TO DECADENCE is a delightful victorian romance about two women who get off on the wrong foot but can't help their attraction for each other. jess everlee is an author whose books have been on my tbr for ages, so i was really excited to read an advanced copy of this book and let me just say, it did not disappoint!!! jo and emily's chemistry was incredible from the get-go and the build up of their relationship was very well done. i also really loved and appreciated that they were surrounded by fellow queer friends because it's a universal truth that queer people gravitate toward each other, and i loved seeing that represented in a victorian romance.

read if you like:
- lots of bickering and bantering
- victorian sexting and nudes 😏
- historical queer spaces
- found family

thanks to netgalley and harlequin for the advanced copy! A BLUESTOCKING'S GUIDE TO DECADENCE comes out june 4th!

This was a sweet, sapphic grumpy/sunshine historical romance that reminded me quite a lot of Cat Sebastian's writing style in the way the plot becomes more of a character study and interpersonal conflict rather than anything much external, and the main characters seem to delight in the absurd.

What really struck me was despite the cartoon cover and the dry humor that carries throughout, this book is *quite* serious and that feels immediately apparent. Both Emily and Jo are dissatisfied with their lives in a way you feel weighs on them and comes across in every action they take. Even Jo's relative lightheartedness belies a deep fear that the life she built for herself as a queer woman in a lavender marriage and a printer will be destroyed by a husband who might not want his child to live with the stigma of illegitimacy, and therefore he could divorce Jo to marry his girlfriend. And the thing is, her husband isn't a malicious person at all— he's easy-going but naive enough to suddenly change his mind without considering the ramifications for Jo.

Emily, on the other hand, is all grim earnestness and duty (very nuch the bluestocking of the title). She is determined to have a career as good as any male doctor's; Interestingly, a part of that is refusing to go into obstetrics, a field she feels pigeonholed into as a female doctor, thus her initial refusal to help Jo and co. And that's tough to stomach as a reader— both women are radical in ways that don't line up as easily as you may assume, and that's much of the conflict between them.

That being said, Emily and Jo get together around midway through the book after a cute epistolary courtship and setting most of their differences aside. What follows is the slow process of them making space for each other in their lives and creating a found family between themselves— re-found in some senses after coming to better understandings with their respective, supportive family members.

The sex:

There is an on-page masturbation scene (with a toy!), and while we see kissing and some of the build-up to sex, the actual sex scenes are either less descriptive or glossed over. That doesn't mean we don't see them, they're just written in a way that is less explicit, if that makes sense.

Overall:

There is a lot I appreciated about this book— the portrayal of a vibrant queer community, the politics of prenatal care and how discriminatory it was in the nineteenth century that feels very pointed to our current situation here in the United States, as well as the anti-censorship themes. The romance itself was sweet and quite tender, though I wish there was more conflict overall because to me, most of it fell away around midway save one situation but even that was far less dramatic than I would have imagined. While this book was not for me, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a softer, more introspective sapphic historical romance.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.75/5
Heat Level: 2/5
Publication Date: June 4th

I hadn't read the previous two books in this series and was worried I'd be lost -- but I wasn't at all! This worked perfectly as a stand-alone novel and it was a delightful read that was the fast-paced cozy romance I was wanting at the moment!! I'll definitely be adding this on my list of recommendations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review of this book.

I have not read the other two books in this series but have had them on my tbr for a long time. I waa excited bu this book Emily and Jo are wonderfuly unquie characters and a intresting idea. But, i do think the book falls flat. The romance just felt fine nothing ground breaking. I often felt frustrated with Jo and Emily for either being too at each other throats then suddenly on perfect terms with each other. They needed more time with the early steps of their relationship. Overall the book was just fine.

This was actually my favorite standalone romance out of this entire series. I loved the sapphic queer historical romance between Jo and Emily, and that one of them was in a “lavender marriage,” which is basically a marriage of convenience to conceal the socially unaccepted sexual orientation of one or both of the partners. I appreciate this representation, because I would guess that this was not unique, especially for the time. I think Jess Everlee’s writing shined with this installment, and I can’t wait for this to get into more readers’ hands.

A perfect opposites attract romance! I loved getting Jo's POV - she's a woman of mystery and intrigue, with a saucy smile, daring clothes, and penchant for peddling smut. By contrast, Dr. Emily Clarke is about as prim and proper as one can get... or so it seems. These two have a rocky start, but mutual attraction, and the medical condition of a friend, bring them back together. Their slow blooming friendship and romance is not without stumbles, but overall is light and fun. I liked learning more about their unique hobbies and communities - Jo with her queer set of friends and coworkers, Emily with her non-conforming fellowship and family ties. Perhaps my favorite thing was watching these two worlds - which seem so very different - collide, mesh, and become something even better. It's also a delight to revisit characters from the previous books in the series. Thrilling, sweet, and perfectly balanced.

I enjoyed the premise of this book. The love story was cute but I wish there was more of a dynamic between the two main characters. The plot was good but felt like there needed to be more. Overall it was a cute book and I would recommend it to others. We need more sapphic romances!!!

Thank you Netgalley!

3.5 stars, rounded up
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In this next installment of the Lucky Lovers of London series, we follow Jo and Emily on their unlikely love story.

This book was as good as the others. The relationship dynamic was fun, the cameos by previous installment characters was a delight. I really enjoyed Emily and Jo as individual people. Their pasts perfectly dictated their present selves in the best way. I loved seeing “uptight” Emily loosen up around free spirited Jo and their banter. I wish there had been a deeper build up to their romance. The plot really could have took a bit of the beginning out and shift the setting and plot backwards to really help establish them as people. I get the world building helps to establish it as it’s own book to be read as a standalone, I just wish the building up had taken up less time so we could get into the story quicker.

The book lacked a solid plot. The vibes were good, I got the intention. But overall, I just find I’m not 100% sure I understand the point of the book, for lack of better terms. It highlighted the discrimination if Victorian London well, it highlighted these illicit relationships, including that of our MCs, but it really lacked that depth of plot I was hoping for. Had the author just shifted some of the content around, I think it would have made for such a wonderfully told story. The climax of the book just lacked the true climax feeling for me. The ending felt rushed and left open. This is probably all just me, but I just wanted more from the plot in this one.

I certainly enjoyed the book, but I don’t know that I would rush out to buy a copy.

This was a great continuation to the series! I really enjoyed getting to know Jo and Emily away from the shadow of the boys. I do think th chemistry between the characters was a little flat, but it was believable enough. Overall this was a very enjoyable read!

AHHHHHH! I was accepted?!?!?! IM SCREAMING!! I was a MASSIVE fan of the first two installments in this series so I HAD to request this one as an arc! I’m so glad I was able to read this early! It is everything I was hoping it would be and I’m going to cherish this story for YEARS and YEARS! When it releases, it’s also near the date for when my book club meets AND it’s my turn to suggest a book!! IM DEFINITELY SUGGESTING THIS ONE! I need everyone in my life to read this one!

I've enjoyed the entire lucky lovers of London series, and was excited to see a sapphic couple in the mix.I just would have killed for a little more drama and tension between our main pair here. Most of the tension came from Jo's life outside of Emily, when I so wanted more between them. But I love a queer little found family, especially when the odds are as fucking stacked against them, so I was a sucker for the ending

I was so excited to read Decadence and it did NOT disappoint. It far exceeded my hopes!!
Jo and Emily are both strong, splendid, characters with distinct individual voices that are exquisitely their own, throughout the dual-POV narration. I was laughing so much in so many places - especially when Jo was narrating. Amazing main characters AND side characters.
I love their ragtag family - all unique.
The conversation was written extremely well, it felt so natural and I felt like I was actually there.
It was beautiful to read about Emily learning to let go of responsibilities and embrace decadence - and learning that life will still go on and others will step up as needed. It was beautiful to read about Jo falling in love, letting herself be loved and making a place for Emily in her life.
The happy ending truly tied it all together. So beautiful.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

OH WHAT A DELIGHTFUL BOOK! From a truly delightful cast of characters and an interesting premise to a heartwarming and very hot romance between Emily (ehem, Doctor Emily) Jo, this book was a treasure. Historical queer fiction, found family, exploration of grief, gender, and growth- what's not too love? It's also a quick read, a perfect cozy rainy day vibe.

Jess Everlee has a beautiful way with words and her world is as immersive as it is lovely. I'm quite excited to snag more of her books.

I'd love to see more stories about this cast in the future. Maybe Miss Withers can save me a seat at the table for supper too?
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It's both comforting and frustrating to read about the issues and choices a woman faces in her life set in the Victorian era- and have them be relatable today. I'm getting a STEM PhD and I still hear sentiments similar to what Emily would hear at the hospital. A quite timely and oddly cathartic read. I will, like our Emily, continue to pursue my passions and see where life takes me. And make peace with my ghosts along the way.

A Bluestocking's Guide to Decadence is a sapphic take on historical romance. Two incredibly different women come together under scandalous circumstances and find themselves tangled together many a way.