Cannot recommend this highly enough! Having read (and reread), the previous two installments in this lovely series, I was so excited when I saw who the love interests were. And this did not disappoint!

Jo Smith and Dr. Emily Clarke could not be more different. Jo is a bookseller, occasionally of the more scandalous sort, and Emily is buttoned-up bluestocking. They meet when Emily is searching for a doctor who will help the lover of her husband (who is really more of a friend) with a delicate pregnancy. Sparks immediately fly, but there's passion beneath the anger.

Emily's journey to loosen up a bit and not try to shoulder every responsibility herself really resonated with me. In general, Jess Everlee's characters are complex and lovable. Lots of interesting side characters too, including the main couples from the previous books making appearances, and some guinea pigs!

Shoutout the this novel for containing letter-writing, one of my favorite things in romance novels, and also for having the characters solve their miscommunication at the end of the book almost immediately. The epilogue has me wondering if this is the final book, but I sure hope not. I need like ten more!

Absolutely obsessed with this book! From the very first page, I was hooked. A Bluestocking’s Guide to Decadence takes place in Victorian London and follows Emily, or Dr. Emily Clarke, and Jo Smith, a bookshop owner. Jo is in a lavender marriage with her best friend and business partner, Paul, and lives an unconventional but simple and content life. When Paul’s companion, an actress named Vanessa, gets pregnant, Jo’s life is threatened to be upended. She decides the best course of action is to try to be useful, so she writes to Dr. Emily Clarke to request help caring for Vanessa. The two women are immediately at odds and do not get along. The natural way that Emily and Jo progressed from "enemies" to friends to lovers THROUGH LETTER WRITING (!!!) was so well-written. I think my favorite part of this story was the correspondence through letters that captured the unfolding romance between the two. The chemistry between them was undeniable and amazing. It made my heart so full!! I especially liked how communicative Jo and Emily were-- if an issue arose, they figured it out and it made their bond stronger.

I loved Jess Everlee's writing style and the way she brought every character to life. Every line of dialogue was well thought out and so realistic. I felt like I was living their lives alongside them and the other characters that made up their unconventional families. Speaking of families, the found family in this book was amazing. I can’t stop thinking about this story! It is definitely now one of my comfort stories.

A Journey of Forbidden Love and Intrigue in "A Bluestocking's Guide to Decadence" In the heart of London, amidst the vibrancy of 1885, Jess Everlee takes readers on a captivating journey through the pages of "A Bluestocking's Guide to Decadence". The narrative unfolds around Jo Smith, a lesbian navigating the complexities of a lavender marriage, where appearances deceive and secrets abound. Clad in pin-striped trousers, Jo exudes a captivating aura as she tends to her bookshop and mingles with a less-than-conventional crowd. However, Jo's world is soon thrown into disarray when her husband's pregnant lover seeks medical aid beyond the reach of reputable doctors. Enter Dr. Emily Clarke, a striking bluestocking serving at a rural hospital on the outskirts of the bustling city. Initially hesitant to entangle herself in Jo's scandalous predicament, Emily finds herself captivated by Jo's enigmatic presence, prompting her to offer assistance despite her reservations. As the narrative unfolds, the contrasting worlds of Jo's underground haunts and sapphic societies and Emily's prim and proper suburbs come to light. The societal chasm that separates them appears insurmountable, even in the face of their burgeoning desire. Yet, as the allure of the forbidden beckons, both women are propelled towards unforeseen adventures and undeniable risks. Everlee masterfully weaves a tale of forbidden love, societal constraints, and the tantalizing allure of the unknown in "A Bluestocking's Guide to Decadence". Through Jo and Emily's entwined fates, readers are transported to a realm where love knows no bounds and passion defies societal norms. With each turn of the page, the novel invites readers to explore the depths of human desire, the intricacies of love, and the transformative power of embracing one's true self. In conclusion, "A Bluestocking's Guide to Decadence" stands as a testament to the enduring power of love in the face of adversity. Jess Everlee's evocative prose and nuanced characterizations breathe life into a tale of love and intrigue that will linger in the hearts of readers long after the final chapter has been turned.

A wonderful sapphic romance. Jo is a printer in an untraditional marriage and Emily is a reserved doctor who is trying to find her own footing in a male dominated field. When Emily is requested to assist with Jo’s husband’s pregnant girlfriend these two collide and clash. Over the course of the books somehow these two break each others' barriers down and fall for own another. A really enjoyed the side characters too in this one and will likely go back and read the 1st two books in this series.

I found this sapphic romance really lovely, in a thoughtful kind of way: not a feeling I usually take away from books I sit down with expecting mindless escapist fun for an evening! But I shall take my pleasant surprises where I can find them. Emily was my favourite, but I guess the overall setting of arrangements surrounding Jo and Emily seemed complex in a nice way, something negotiated between limitations of the time and pragmatic way to obtain happiness where possible. If I had one criticism, it would be the lack of real motive for Jo to be so doubtful/secretive around her husband, who is meant to be her genuine friend, but if I let it slide, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

This sapphic regency romance was good. The language was a bit clunky and hard to get used to but I liked the supporting characters as well or more than the main couple. The story was wrapped up nicely and I’d read either a sequel or companion book about the other characters.

<blockquote>Sure, she'd had her share of youthful infatuations at church and school, pointless and distracting though such feelings were. She'd even had what one might call a very close companion at the medical college. But unlike her brother's uncommon attractions, which were associated with bohemian artistry, European exploration, and forbidden passion, there was nothing more ordinary and dull than a couple of overeducated women who couldn't be bothered with the suffocating interest of men. Emily and her friend got their passions out of the way without any nonsense, the same way they approached their work, their dress, their social considerations. They no more needed to cast red shawls over their lamps than they needed to don sparkling jewelry.</blockquote>

I've said before, when reviewing Jess Everlee's previous books, that the thing that makes her most interesting as a writer is how in conversation she is with her genre. Lesbians have really struggled in historical romance; while some others have tried their hand at having two women leading their books, they tend to fall into the trap of assuming that female leads are inherently more mature, more composed, and generally less interesting than their male counterparts. Lesbians in historical romance dispense no-nonsense advice, they wear sensible clothes, and they talk about their problems like grownups (when they have any problems at all, which is rare.) They don't make mistakes, or hurt each other, or struggle to articulate their feelings. In short, they aren't human. And when I come across passages like the one I quoted above, I suspect Everlee knows that, and is consciously working against it.

That being said, Everlee is a low-conflict writer in general, and that bears out here: when Jo and Emily have misunderstandings, they tend to get cleared up within a few pages, and there is very little plot to be found. After the ball gets rolling with Jo telling an impulsive lie (that she knows midwifery), the engine of the story springs from their respective inner conflicts: Jo's tendency to cut and run when she thinks she's about to be left, and Emily's belief that she needs to manage everyone's lives because she's been slotted into that role since she was a child. Their path to happiness is, therefore, largely about them working out these issues for themselves, rather than having to deal with interpersonal problems. It's not my favourite mode of romance, but it is very clearly one done with care, and credit to Everlee: Jo and Emily actually feel like human beings. While I still yearn for a lesbian histrom between two absolute human disasters on the run from the law wearing ostentatious Pre-Raphaelite gowns, that's not really Everlee's style, and it wouldn't be fair of me to expect otherwise. What this book <i>is</i> is an Everlee romance, told exactly the same way as she tells all her romances, and while it's not necessarily to my personal narrative tastes, I cannot fault it on a craft level.

(Except the sex. Needs more sex.)

This book details the romance between Jo and Emily in Victorian England. It is the third in a series so I already knew both characters. I thought the book was lovely and highlighted the plight of women in England during this time period. However, I felt that the spicy scenes were not as engaging as they were in the first two novels which were written about gay male couples. Still a worthy read though!

The third installment of Jess Everlee's Lucky Lovers of London series brings the same heartfelt and hopeful outlook as her previous novels. A Bluestocking's Guide to Decadence offers readers a charming romance that gives a positive and warm approach to the hardships that women, especially those who are queer, faced during this time. The cast of characters were just as intriguing as the main romance, offering a found family dynamic that was greatly satisfying.

—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 3rd book in Lucky Lovers of London series.
If you love historical queer romances you’ll love this one. The writing was so flowery and the couple has my whole heart.

This series is just so damned CHARMING! I've been looking forward to Jo's romance since I saw that it was with Emily, and I'm just so pleased at how it all turned out. Everlee just has a gift for mixing serious topics with a light tone that is really a delight to behold.

(This is a review of an advanced copy given for free in exchange for an honest review.)

In 19th century London, Jo is a printer in an untraditional lavender marriage and Emily is a buttoned up doctor who is called in to tend to Jo’s husband’s pregnant paramour.

While I enjoyed reading about queer people existing in the 1800s, I had mixed feelings about the novel itself. The plot felt meandering and because of that was not entirely engaging for me. There were also modern words tossed into historical sounding dialogue that took me out of the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Books for the ARC!

I love this series and the found family nonsense that goes along with it.
Overall I found this book sweet and simple. There is not much plot within the romance, almost no issues between the couple once they get past their initial dislike. Even the outside forces are really not disruptive to their story. I think there could have been a lot less focus on Noah and David, they’ve had their story (And it’s a WONDERFUL one!) but this wasn’t about them. Jo and Emily are less different than they are made out to be and I think that helps to keep this a low stakes book.
PS. I LOVE. Love. Vanessa and Paul.

This is the third installment in Jess Everlees "The Lucky Lovers of London" series, and we find ourselves back again in the queer underground of London during the Belle Epoque of London! This story focuses on two female side characters who we were introduced to in the previous books--Jo Smith, a dapper lesbian smut-seller, and Dr. Emily Clarke, a buttoned up lady doctor.

The previous books introduced that Jo is in a open marriage to her best friend, Paul. When his long-term lover becomes pregnant and decides to have a baby, Jo takes up the task of securing pre-natal care for her (a daunting task for a unwed mother in an unconventional relationship). Jo fears that Paul will divorce her and marry his lover, because it seems to be the most secure path for the baby, and wants to make herself indispensable. Through her connections, she meets Dr. Emily Clarke. A suburban Doctor struggling to be respected in her field, Dr. Clarke is not eager to be pigeonholed into womens' medicine like most other female medical professionals. It takes some convincing for her to take on a new client, but her sizzling hot-and-cold connection to alluringly butch Jo definitely helps.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The slow burn romance between Jo and Emily was super fun, and there were some excellent spicy scenes. It was fun to explore the world of sapphic women in London that we had glimpsed in the previous books that had focused on relationships between men. However, I am still confused about some of Jo's motivations. It was kind of confusing to me in the beginning about why she would be so distrustful of Paul divorcing her, and wary of talking to him--she avoids communicating directly with him for most of the book. Their relationship really didn't make sense to me. Maybe if some of the history that was revealed later about her tendency to run away from situations had been hinted at more clearly earlier, it would have made more sense. I felt like Emily's character motivations--her profession, her family, her goals--were more clear, so it would have been better to understand more about Jo so she could be more multidimensional.