A historical twist on the classic "twins pretending to be one person" trope (which is an odd thing to be a trope but there you go) - this book is fun, a little romancey, and an easy read

Loved the twin angle and this was well written. I'm just sorry it took me so long to get to it! I don't read a lot of historical YA but I'm glad I made an exception for this.

I have elected not to read and review this book due to time constraints. Thank you for the opportunity.

The Invention of Sophie Carter was an enjoyable work of YA historical fiction. I appreciated the glimpse into a time period I knew little about, blended with the sort of classic twin switch-a-roo and fall-out we have seen elsewhere in literature/film.

Honestly, I tried to read the entirety of THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER multiple times and I just couldn't get through it. It feels too slow and yet there isn't enough actual detail to make me care about the twins Mariah and Sophie. Giving it a 2 out of 5, if only because I am assuming that the book just wasn't right for me, but can be right for someone else.

A splendid tale of a sisterly scheme complete with hijinks and plucky ambition will satisfy readers with its historical detail and adorably awkward situations. THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER by Samatha Hasthings is a well-crafted YA historical romance that readers will find charmingly addictive.

this was such an adorable rom-com with shades of the iconic film THE PARENT TRAP. and to make it even better? it's set in Victorian England, one of my favorite historical periods. all the books i've read set in that era are usually bleak and gloomy, but this time it was quite the refresher, with historical cameos (you will see them when you read it ehe) and a solid mix of Bronte/Austen-style romance!

A charming Victorian romance laced with humor, intrigue and adventure, The Invention of Sophie Carter is a delightful historical tale readers won’t be able to resist.

Sophie and Mariah Carter are twin girls who want more from life than a constant whirl of back-breaking work, drudgery and hard labor at the hands of the Ellis family, who had taken the two girls in when they had nowhere else to go. While Mariah would love nothing more than to go to balls and enjoy the social whirl, Sophie has an inquisitive mind and would love to be an inventor. Sadly, however, the future seems bleak for the two girls – until they receive a letter from a long-lost aunt living in London that could change the entire course of their lives. But there is a catch: only Sophie is invited and Mariah must stay behind at the Ellis residence.

While Mariah is heartbroken, she will certainly not stand in her sister’s way. This is Sophie’s chance to make something out of herself and to have a future which will be otherwise denied her if she remains slaving for the Ellis family. But her sister is not going to leave her behind. If Sophie is going on a great adventure to London, then her sister is going to be by her side. And as they are identical twins, then all they need to do is merely ensure that their aunt doesn’t catch them out. Seeing she is old and frail that certainly should not be a problem. However, little do Sophie and Mariah realise that their sojourn in London is going to be fraught with intrigue, peril…and romance!

When two gentleman enter the fray who think they have fallen in love with Miss Sophie Carter, the girls begin to wonder whether the game is finally up…or whether there might be further surprises in store for the two of them…

A thoroughly enjoyable Victorian romp, The Invention of Sophie Carter is a delightful historical novel written with plenty of wit and ingenuity. Samantha Hastings does a wonderful job of bringing the 19th Century to life and readers are sure to cheer for Marian and Sophie Carter and keep their fingers crossed for their much-deserved happy ending.

Heartfelt, captivating and atmospheric, The Invention of Sophie Carter is a charming historical novel that is immensely enjoyable.

First Thought After Finishing: What a fun trip back to historical London!

I’m a fan of historical fiction and foreign settings, so I knew I had to read this book. Samantha Hastings is also a local author, which made me even more eager to dive in. This book was a fun summer read full of sisterhood bonds, adventure, and romance.

Sophie and Mariah Carter maybe next twins, but they couldn’t be more different. Sophie is outspoken, always wanting to know how things work and to take care of their little family. Mariah longs to find love and acceptance. To get away from a bad situation, Sophie writes her aunt in London and asks for help. Her aunt agrees to let her come for a season, but only Sophie. So the twins hatch a plan—they’ll both go and pretend to be one person. Mariah will look for a husband, and Sophie will find an apprenticeship to an inventor. But the best-laid plans are never quite reality. Both twins discover hidden secrets about themselves, and each other, and find adventures they never dreamed of. But as the season draws to a close, they realize they can’t stay “Sophie” forever. Will they lose everything they worked for, or will all their dreams come true?

As an only child, I love books about sibling bonds—especially twins—because it’s one more way to live vicariously. The bond between Sophie and Mariah was felt throughout the whole book, even as they started to find their own paths as individuals. I can only imagine how difficult it is to find an individual identity when one has always been part of a set, and this book handled it very well. I also enjoyed the journey to London as well as the past. The excitement of seeing a new city and being on the brink of so many advancements was also quite fun. Both twins grow into their own strength—one quiet, one more exuberant—and it was quite an emotional journey.

The two budding romances were definitely the stars of this book. Reading Victorian classics has given me a soft spot for rich British gentlemen who are unapproachable or unavailable, and these stories helped me relive those romances that I love. The references to other great novels as well as the appreciation for an intelligent, independent female helped endear both of the male leads to me. Both of the romances are also wrapped up in family obligations, secrets, and class politics, which kept the tension high throughout the story. Although there were some family members that I wanted to reach through the pages and shake, there were other family friends whose witty repartee or unwavering kindness struck just the right balance to all the hardships the twins faced.

After everything Sophie and Mariah went through in their childhood, it was so easy to root for both of them finding their happily ever after and have all of their wishes come true. This book certainly runs the reader through a range of emotions, which made the story all the more impactful. Samantha Hastings has woven a story that will transport and delight readers, and I look forward to seeing what her next novel will be!

Most Memorable Aspect: The sisterly bond between the twins.

Step through time into British history and find a world of classic romances. Samantha Hastings delivers an entertaining read that explores the bonds of sisterhood, family, and love. Give this book a chance, and you will not be disappointed.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

What an amazing read!!!

Yep I adored this book of two twins pretending to be one another.

The strong young women who want to be on their own and live their lives.

The forgiveness that had to be so hard to give.

The love that was found while allowing independence at the same time!

Being a twin can have its perks and also can be a lifesaver. Meet Sophie and Mariah Carter, identical twins orphaned at birth, fostered by strangers, and as a older teens, cared for by a blood relative. Being abandoned leaves indelible scars on both sisters, but as they discover what really matters in life, they begin to dream their own dreams. One sister wants to find a husband while the other wants to be independent, both hard to accomplish in England in the 1850s for girls without titles nor money. With a clever plan to accept their only living relative’s invitation to live with her for the season, Sophie and Mariah secretly act as one person fooling almost everyone around with their twin subterfuge. Recommended to readers of English settings, twins, sisterly support, 1850s, society and rules, and swooning relationships, and strong women roles.

Samantha Hastings brings back the classic twin switching trope in her Victorian-era young adult romance novel, The Invention of Sophie Carter. Deviating from the mystery genre of her debut, The Last Word, Hastings opts to maintain the Victorian setting in her sophomore novel. Centering on painting, invention, books, and self-discovery, The Invention of Sophie Carter takes a closer look at love—in romance and beyond. . .

Identical twins, hiding true identity, romance, a desire to become more than what society deems—delightful doesn't even begin to describe this fun tale about two very adventurous girls.

Sophie and Mariah are identical twins, who have had a rough start in life. Their parents died when they were very young, and the foster parents they were given to sent them away when a son was born. The two girls then spent many years working for a unkind couple. So, when their only existing relative, an aunt who hated their mother, invites Sophie to London with the hopes of bringing at least her into a solid marriage, Sophie can't leave Mariah behind. Secretly, they live in their aunt's bedroom, acting as Sophie as they switch places, and Sophie heads out into London to follow her true dream—to become an apprentice and later an inventor. She's sure that with income, she can support both her and Mariah, but society isn't nearly as progressive as she wishes. Unfortunately, many other things keep popping up, which even makes it questionable how long the two can even keep up the scherade.

The minute I read the first page, I knew I was going to like this one. The writing style is easy to read and yet holds a nice, historic flare. But then, the author has not only placed this tale in an historical time period, she's also added true historical figures and tried to build in a few facts, while weaving these into the story. It creates a world, which comes to life and invites to get lost in. These girls are easy to get swept away with, anyway.

Sophie is risk friendly, shares her opinions fairly openly, and works to achieve her dreams. Mariah, on the other hand, is quieter, polite, and not nearly as out-spoken. The two stick together no matter what, and even when they do disagree, find ways to iron things out again. It's a wonderful sibling relationship, but one with enough pricks and pokes to make it fun.

The pacing is smooth and fast enough to keep me from laying the book down. Not only do Sophie and Mariah have to go up against a very unpleasant aunt, but they thread interesting relationships with those around them. The side characters are packed with personality, and add quite a bit of tension as well as humor. Of course, all of this is made more difficult as the two girls try to keep their secret from being discovered. It's simply fun to watch how things slip and twist, and emotions flip in all directions along the way...especially on the romance end.

It's simply a sweet, historical tale, which not only demonstrates how women were scene at that time, but inspires with sisterly love.

4.5 Stars. Set against the backdrop of the London Exhibition in 1851, THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER is the story of two identical twins sharing a single identity in London society. Sophie seeks an apprenticeship, something unheard of for women at the time, and her twin, Mariah, seeks a husband. With only one of them interested in romance, what could possibly go wrong? Enter Ethan, the wealthy son of factory owners who captures Sophie’s heart. But since things aren’t going to go smoothly, Mariah’s heart belongs to her aunt’s ward, Charles, though her aunt has warned her to not engage his interests. As the two pursue their individual goals, entanglements get messy until things come to an inevitable head. This lighthearted historical romance is full of humor, heart, and cutting edge technology, Victorian style.

Plot
The plot is forked with each sister having her own goal and her own arc. We get dual third-person point of view getting deep into both Mariah’s and Sophie’s heads. As each sister chases her own goal, the are also deeply affected by the events that impact the other. Though they are unique individuals, they are tied together by more than just blood and identical DNA, since they are pretending to be the same person. This is my second novel by Samantha Hastings and she is excellent at plotting and brings her historical world to life both accurately and in a way that makes even nearly 200 years ago feel fresh and familiar.

The Characters
All of the characters are amazing. From the selfish, vile adults who treated the girls so poorly as children, to the rich cast in London, from the super wealthy to the average citizens, fro, eccentric artists to snooty aunts. The story is inhabited by amazing, three-dimensional personalities that made this an easy, engaging read.

Top Five Things I Enjoyed About THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER
1. Mariah. She’s the softer of the two sisters and loves art. She’s a talented self-trained artist with dreams of her own beyond just finding a husband.

2. Sophie. She’s tenacious, driven, and stubborn to the core. She is me if I would have been born in Victorian times.

3. Charles. He’s hot and cold, but there is so much more underlying his aloof facade.

4. Ethan. It’s evident from the beginning that he is the perfect match for Sophie. I love that he never gives up.

5. Victorian London. The setting is as much a character in this story as its human counterparts.

Bottom Line
A wonderful historic romance with breathtaking characters against a colorful backdrop.

An adorable story of identical twin sisters, identical in appearance, but not at all the same in personality. Orphaned at birth with no loving guardian, Sophie jumps on the opportunity to come out in London…but it’s only for one season…and her sister Mariah isn’t allowed to come. Sophie, not to be deterred by rules, concocts a plan for both of them to travel to London and live under Sophie’s identity until they can find employment and gain their freedom.

Like I said, this story was adorable. I loved the relationship between Sophie and Mariah and how supportive they were of each other. I honestly went into this story expecting some competition between them to become a large part of the plot. But there was absolutely ZERO competitiveness…they didn’t even go after the same love interest. Yes, there is romance! Of course my favorite was Sophie’s. Plus, Sophie and Mariah have completely different perceptions and expectations of love.

4 stars because the writing felt a little stiff and I think the reader’s connection with Sophie and Mariah could have been made stronger if their story would have been told in first person POV rather than third.

Recommended for anyone in the mood for a light hearted, sweet historical. I should also point out this book falls in the YA category, so there’s no sexing…but there is KISSING!!

The Invention of Sophie Carter is a story of sisterhood and growing up. It shows the layers and complexity of the deep love, history, devotion, resentment, and conflict that make up the sisterly bond. It also explores the messy imperfections of family and belonging.

Orphan twins Mariah and Sophie Carter travel to London to stay with their estranged aunt, but only Sophie is invited. They grasp the opportunity to rise from poverty and seek their fortunes while both posing as Sophie in their aunt's home. Sophie is chasing her dream of becoming an inventor, and Mariah hopes to find a husband. However, Sophie must confront her fear of becoming attached to anyone beyond her sister, and Mariah will grow into the artist and person she never imagined she could be.

I love a book that focuses on sisterhood, and this one does it well. I also appreciated that Sophie and Mariah's difficult history as orphans finds closure, but not in a pristine, unachievable way-- in a tangled and more emotional, human way. This is what I enjoyed most about the story. The girls' romantic interests push forward most of the plot, however, and I found myself much less interested in that part of the story.

**Come visit me at Smada's Book Smack **

I do not really ever seek out historical fiction to read, it is usually just not my thing, but after hearing this author talk about her debut book The Last Word at a book event last year (she is one of my local authors so I met her before her book came out) I knew I had to read it- and I did and absolutely adored it (you can read my review HERE). When I discovered she had a second historical fiction/romance coming out, there was no doubt I was going to read it. And I am happy to report that The Invention of Sophie Carter is just as adorable, engaging, and swoony as I hoped it would be. Basically, this was just plain fun for me to read.


“Can you say that you are whole and complete?"
“No,” she said, pressing her hand to the center of her chest. “My life has been an empty canvas, and I thought I had to wait to find someone to paint my life into a masterpiece. But I was wrong. I am the painter and I am the only person who can make my life into a masterpiece. And I’m the only person who can make me whole and complete.”


I was swept away in the drama of the story and I am always a sucker for great family dynamics and you can;t beat the relationship between the sisters. I really appreciated that the story was narrated by both Sophie and Mariah and they had very distinct voices and personalities- and lets not forget to mention the ridiculous, wonderful twin shenanigans! I enjoyed watching both girls grow into the women they were meant to be, capable in their own ways and able to find love in two very charming, endearing men.


“I understand why you like to read— I prefer books to people, too. But I’m not a heroine in one of your novels. Love is not the answer to all of my problems.”
“You’d more likely be the villainess of the book.”
“I’d actually prefer that. They’re always more interesting than the saintly heroine,” Sophie said with a laugh and tugged at one of Mariah’s curls.


I know I am sounding like total fan girl, but I am proud to admit that I am! This is the perfect book choice for any one who likes historical fiction, very proper romance stories with just the right level of kisses, spunky heroines who help themselves, sisterly love, and the best kind of ending (or really beginnings).

This was so cute! Two twins swap places in order to stay together, posing as one person. I loved the themes of sisterhood in this story along with sweet romances. Like Little Women and Pride and Prejudice, there are feminism themes for the time period. Highly recommend this one for a fun escape!

Thank you to the publisher for the free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know how I would feel about this book because it’s historical fiction (and I NEVER read that), but I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would! It was a pleasant surprise.

Things I liked:
- The sister dynamic was the best thing about this book! I absolutely love books with sisters, and this book was no exception! Mariah was shy and outspoken as a result of her upbringing, while Sophie was unafraid to speak her mind and super witty. Their dynamic felt so real and authentic that I found myself loving reading about them :)
- I also really enjoyed the historical setting. While this book could totally be set in a modern time period, I think the historical setting made it feel super unique and so unlike anything I’ve read recently that I found it super refreshing. I found myself googling a lot about al the figures and places that were mentioned throughout the book, especially the Crystal Palace and the Pre-Raphaelite movement among painters.
- The romance was also super cute, and the drama was a bit silly, but still entertaining. While it didn’t blow me away, I was still very much swooning over both of the British boys.

Overall, The Invention of Sophie Carter was super cute. The writing wasn’t my favorite, so I didn’t totally fall in love with this book. Still if you like historical fiction and sister relationships, this is definitely the book for you!!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for a digital copy of The Invention of Sophie Carter by Samantha Hasting in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Carter and her sister Mariah are identical twins in Victorian England. Their parents have died, their first foster family has abandoned them, and their second foster family is abusive and living in abject poverty. When their aunt offers Sophie an opportunity to live with her in London for one season (the time in which eligible young men and women interact to form advantageous marriages), Sophie concocts a plan to have both sisters living in their aunt's house, taking turns pretending to be Sophie.

I appreciated that while Sophie and Mariah are physically identical, their characters are completely different. Sophie bucks against the societal norms of the time. She does not want to marry, giving up her independence. Instead, she wants to be an inventor and continue working with clocks and mechanics. Sophie does not trust easily: my favorite part of her characterization was how her past neglect related to her current romantic relationship. Mariah is more traditional and softer. She cries over Gothic novels and believes the best in people. She does want to marry well, but she also struggles to believe in a possibility where she'd be able to pursue her own career in art. The two men vying for the affection of the sisters are also distinct characters. Charles, Mariah's love interest, is vaguely Gothic, with his standoffishness, hidden insecurity, and elegance. Ethan, Sophie's love interest, is intuitive, easy-going, and patient. Neither man could compliment the opposite sister. The danger in a plot involving two people playing the same role is that those people will meld into one. Samantha Hastings avoids this well.

This is not a book to read if you are bothered by historical fiction that does not adhere in tone to the period they are set in. The narration is not particularly Victorian, and the characters do not adhere to Victorian standards with fidelity. There needed to be some leeway to allow Sophie to be the adventurous inventor that she is, but multiple characters pay little heed to the societal norms of the time. There is no discussion of class distinctions or chaperoning. There is no acknowledgement that the art world was not considered a fully respectable place, especially for a woman. There's an opportunity to relate Sophie to some of the women's movements at the time, but there is no mention of suffragists and barely a mention of female cyclists. Towards the end of the book, two characters take an action that absolutely would not have been acceptable to upper-class members of Victorian society. When one character points that out, he is brushed off as unreasonable. The two characters have no consequences for their action. I believe the target young adult audience could handle more complexity and historical realism in this story. </p>

Overall, this is not a book to read if you want a realistic piece of Victorian fiction. Instead, it is a cute, fluffy story that delivers happy endings all around.</p>