Though I wouldn't have known it, this book is #5 in Derr's Deceived series. Not to worry, though, I looked it up, and you don't need to have read the others to enjoy this one, buuuuut to be honest, I'll probably be seeking them out as well.

Her whole life, Adeline has been at the mercy of others, but all that's about to change. She's saved some money, sold off most of her jewels, and is planning to run away with her lover, Lisette, a maid in her aunt and uncle's household. All that changes, however, when Lisette takes off in the middle of the night with Adeline's savings.

Two years later, during her coming out year (the joke is not lost on me here), Adeline is busy trying to find a spouse and enjoying all society has to offer when she runs into Lady Wisteria, better known to her as Lisette. Things get more interesting from there.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, for sure. I started it about noon at work after finishing up another book, and I was done before Jeopardy at 7pm. I liked Adeline and Lisette well enough, and I appreciated their tension. It can be hard to build when much of the romance seems to have been in the past, but Derr knows how to pick it back up and keep the reader invested in their *possible* future. Plus, I had to get to the bottom of Lisette's nefarious activities.

If you're worried about hot and steamy scenes, fear not. I'd say it's a solid PG-13. There is plenty of romance, tension, and banter, but most talk of sex is just that, memories of encounters without much detail. So if you like romance without all of the detailed sex scenes, definitely give this one a go. 

I'm fresh off of a couple of Ocean's 8 screenings, so I am all about the jewel thieves, and Lisette didn't disappoint.

Adeline has saved the money she’s made from her embroidery and her fencing tournament wins so that she can run away with the maid she has fallen in love with. The following day, Lisette is gone along with all Adeline’s money and jewellery. Over two years later, Adeline sees a flash of the red hair she once loved.

This has a historical setting in terms of the nobility, hierarchical structures, dress and transport but also has an alternate-reality setting in terms of the openness with regard to sexual orientation. Even though it is the fifth book in a series I don’t feel I’ve missed anything by not reading any of the others.

It is an enjoyable, quick read with good characters, some intrigue and a sweet love story.

Book received from Netgalley and Less Than Three Press for an honest review.

I thought that this book was really cute, but it's not really my thing to read typically. I did however like the fact that people were incredibly open with their sexualities and no one was discriminated against as it is something that really needs to happen in real life more often.

This was a quick read (I read it all, according to my Kindle, in about an hour). And it was also really enjoyable! Adeline is an orphaned girl taken in by her aunt and uncle, who help provide for her and often remind her that she is lucky to have their help. Her only refuge appears to be Lisette, the maid she has fallen in love with. But Lisette vanishes one night - taking the family's money and prized possessions with her, and breaking Adeline's heart. Two years later, Adeline encounters a woman named Lady Wisteria - who looks strangely like Lisette . . .

The story takes place in the generic setting of nobility, with everyone being known by their titles and dressed up in fancy clothing. At the same time, it's extremely modern because everyone is open about their sexuality without facing judgement. There are casual references to a man's husband and to characters preferring both women and men (though no labels are given). Even when Adeline is of age to marry and out in society, everyone accepts that she wants a wife rather than a husband. It's a really cool subversion on the otherwise old-fashioned society presented in the novel with lords, ladies, and social conventions of needing to marry at a certain age.

I also liked how Adeline accepts her destiny to be married (keeping with the generic old-time setting), but she rebels by wanting to marry for happiness. She doesn't want a dull wife - she wants one she can have fun with and love.

I really liked Adeline's interactions with her cousin, Edith, and Lisette. (The scenes with the latter were typically very sexy and somewhat explicit, so warning if you don't like that kind of thing.)

However, I don't feel like there was a sufficient explanation for Lisette's behaviour: why she had to leave suddenly and steal jewels, and why she kept saying Adeline should stay in the country. She was frustratingly cryptic when things probably would have been resolved faster if she had just been straight-forward. Also, was she really Lady Wisteria? Why did she pose as a maid? I need answers.

It was also strange to have characters reference something called the Goblin Wars? And magic? Perhaps I'm missing something. I realized that this book is part of a larger collection so it's possible that those references are connected to those earlier stories that I haven't read. This is more of a smaller nitpick.

Overall, an enjoyable short story that subverts the usual premise of a heterosexual girl needing to marry.