𝙴𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I enjoy a good historical romance, but when you add POC into the historical romance, I really love it! If you are wanting young adult, low stack, historical romance, Bridgerton meets The Davenports by Krystal Marquis, I highly recommend this book to you. We have Stella, a young Black female, strong, not wanting to get married and wanting to start a writing career, trying to navigate 1860s London society. But 1860s England offers little opportunity beyond marriage or servitude for a sharp-tongued, dark-skinned girl. When her late mother’s former employer summons Stella to London, he tells her of his intention to bequeath one of the family’s great estates to her. It’s a life-changing inheritance, but one that will precipitate a legal battle that would be easier if Stella were married. With her cousin Olivia by her side, Stella is thrust into London society and must navigate fashion and balls, insults and stares, and a rekindled connection to Nathaniel, her childhood best friend with a rakish reputation.

I really enjoyed the storyline and also the pacing of this story. Sometimes I find that historical romances move a little slow for me, but this storyline had the perfect pace. The characters were likeable and also relatable.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Harper Collins for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and S. Isabelle for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick coming out July 8, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I have a couple books by this author, but this is the first one I’ve read. I think it was definitely an interesting plot. The time period is rich with history. A lot was going on at that time. I enjoyed the book. It felt a little Dickensian. I think there were some things that were happening too fast for me. I would’ve liked more romance. But overall, I enjoyed it. I would check out other books by this author.

The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick is a smart and empowering historical romance that follows a sharp-tongued Black heroine navigating race, class, and love in 1860s London. Stella’s inheritance sparks a legal and social storm, forcing her into high society — where expectations clash with her dreams of independence and a writing career.

With a slow-burn romance, a secret advice column, and pointed social commentary, this book blends wit and heart in a way that feels fresh and meaningful. Think Bridgerton meets The Davenports with more edge and emotional depth.

Stella is unforgettable — flawed, fiery, and fiercely relatable. A must-read for fans of historical fiction with a modern voice.

This was a sweet surprise with some standout moments and strong writing. While it didn’t fully blow me away, I really enjoyed the journey and the characters. I’d absolutely recommend it to readers who love

Thank you to NetGalley, author S. Isabelle, and HarperCollins Children's Books: Storytide for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I adore historical romances, especially YA ones, that bring something unique to the table! For The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick, this book both celebrates Stella and exposes struggles she faces as a Black woman who is not a servant during this time. I appreciated the author's note by Isabelle at the start of the novel that clarified she did take some creative liberties throughout but still wanted to speak on injustices faced while providing joy for her protagonist as well. I thought this read was extremely well balanced, and I truly adored the entire host of characters! Stella was so spunky, and I was cheering her on throughout as she stood up for herself throughout. However, I also thought that the side characters through the Fitzroys, Olivia, Lady Tess, etc. were just as developed as Stella and added a lot to the story. The romance, not only through the love triangle but also through Olivia and Mr. Desir, was fabulous all around. There were lots of swoony moments, and although I don't always love a love triangle, I really enjoyed Stella's connection with Lord Ogden and was nervous how it would all play out! In the end, things definitely were wrapped up a little neater and easier than I personally would have preferred, but I loved the characters so much that I was okay with it. I would love to see this be expanded into a series or read more historical romances from Isabelle because I really enjoyed her writing and characters.

This book was an incredible fun read. I really enjoyed our main character. Stella is outspoken and stubborn. 
We follow our main character as she finds her place in society as a young black woman. 

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC

The yearning in this was so fun!!! Childhood friends to lovers gets me every time and this book was no exception. I had a blast with this book. I loved Stella's fierce independence and determination to follow her goals. I also loved how she didn't take shit from any of the racist members of the ton no matter their rank. I'd definitely recommend this to fans of Bridgerton!

Short and Sweet Review

It’s the 1860s and most woman are supposed to be mild mannered and looking for a husband, but not Stella she just recently got banished from her etiquette lessons, but its okay because she has bigger dreams than chasing a man. Stella wants to pursue writing and be independent but things are harder for her because of her smart mouth and her skin tone. When Stella’s late mother’s former employer calls her to London she’s surprised but when he tells her of his plans to give her the estate she’s shocked. Getting the estate would be easier if Stella were married, now she’s in London with her cousin Olivia trying to navigate high society and balls. Stella even gets the chance to start writing as her mother for the advice column she once had. Stella has a lot to face and she learns she can either go with the flow or break the rules and follow her heart.

The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick, was one of a kind. From the first page I was hooked. Our main character is Stella and she’s very outspoken and in this time period she’s not afraid to speak her mind. After her mother’s death, Stella has been staying with her aunt and cousin, Olivia. When Stella is called to London she’s unsure how to feel but it’s kind of exciting to see the place she grew up. Stella is told that she’ll soon inherit the estate but it’ll be an easier process if she were married. Stella also reunites with Gwen and Nathaniel the other kids who grew up at the estate. Stella stays in London with Olivia and begins going to balls and tries to find a husband. We also get to see Stella write for an advice column that used to be her moms. There’s some romance in the book but Stella’s romantic interest is Nathaniel and I think Stella was just uncomfortable with the idea of being someone that it led her to push him away but this match was undeniable. Through the course of the book we see Stella grow and learn more about who she is and what she wants in life. I loved Stella she was unapologetically herself and though she did have her faults, she did make up for them. I also enjoyed the time period and seeing how well written this book was, it really made you feel like you were there with the characters.

Overall, this was such a good book, it’s engaging and funny. Stella is a character you want to root for and her story will have you hooked. This is the perfect book for the summer and for anyone who enjoys historical romance novels.

📖 Title: The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: S. Isabelle-new to me author

📅Publication date: 7/8/25 | Read: 7/8/25

📃 Format: eBook 384 pgs.

Genre:
*Historical Fic
*YA
*Romance
*AA Interests

Tropes:
*writer h
*marriage market
*inheritance
*the ton


👆🏾POV: 1st person

⚠️TW: racism, death of a parent, classism


🌎 Setting: London 1868

Summary: Stella is a stubborn, outspoken, and fierce 18- year-old orphan. She lives with her aunt and cousin Olivia but wants her independence. She writes stories and wants to stay far away from society. Unfortunately, she is called by her mother's former employer-Thomas Fitzroy-to receive one of his estates as an inheritance. It soon turns into a problem in the courts and Stella must marry to inherit. Her childhood BFF Nathaniel-the Fitzroy heir- comes back and now has a rakish reputation. Can they rekindle a friendship into a marriage, or will Stella get her wish of single independence?


👩🏾 Heroine: Stella Sedgwick,18 -wants to be an independent writer and not marry.

👨🏾 Hero: Nathaniel Fitzroy-the heir, Stella's childhood BFF

🎭 Other Characters:

* "Fiona"-Stella's mother alias (deceased)
*Olivia-Stella's cousin
*Aunt Eleanor-Stella's guardian, Uncle Edward (deceased)
*Thomas Fitzroy-Nathaniel's father



🤔 My Thoughts: This was a great addition to my Bridgerton Netflix obsession. I've also read The Davenports which focus on AA heroines finding love and marriage. Stella confronted racism and classism honestly and stood up for herself. She kept her mother's memory alive through "Fiona Flippant." Stella and Nathaniel's relationship was a light-hearted, YA love where he championed her.

Rating: 4/5 ✨

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books | Storytide, and S. Isabelle for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

Did not like this. Couldn't really get into it, although I tried. It just wasn't what I thought it would be, African-American characters in the historical romance world that aren't servants is a cool thing, but this author just didn't sell it right, in my humble opinion.

4.5/5

I absolutely adored this spellbinding tale of love, honesty, living up to one's personal goals, and the importance of diversity in friendships and life. As a black woman, I saw myself in this book. I remember there being times where I felt like I'd never fit into modern society, let alone regency society. The strength and personality of the characters absolutely shined through and felt so delightfully real.

All my thanks to both Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

THE GREAT MISFORTUNE OF STELLA SEDGWICK, a YA historical novel by S. Isabelle, does a skillful job of spotlighting upper class black families in 1860s London.

Stella grew up within the high society household where her mother worked as a servant. She spent her days with the family’s children and considered them close friends. That was until her mother moved them in to live with her newly widowed sister. Stella never heard from her friends again, not even after her mother’s death.

But when Stella receives a summons from the family patriarch, her mother’s former employer, she goes to his bedside to pay her respects. She is informed that a significant inheritance will be bequeathed to her upon his death - the stately manor where she lived for much of her life. But, of course, there is a catch. Women are not legally allowed to own property, so she must have a husband in order to inherit.

I adored Stella and the loyal friendship she shared with her cousin Olivia. I loved the scenes where Stella both impresses and scandalizes when attending the biggest events of the season. She always kept her head up and refused to be insulted, regardless of the social consequences.

The blazing romantic tension between Stella and her childhood friend Nathaniel added a fun complication, especially as they struggled with their jealousy over each other’s suitors.

The author also tosses in a gossip column, an eligible young French businessman, and a family secret to make this story a page-turning delight that both teens and adults would enjoy.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. I love Stella personality. I definitely would recommend it if you love Bridgerton

4.5 ⭐️ Although I’m not a fan of one POV when there are multiple characters, I enjoyed this story so much!!! I LOVEDDDDD Stella!!! Like REAL BAD! When this drops, I want to read this in tandem with the audiobook! This was definitely a great read & so worth the read!

So, I almost passed this one up due to time, but I’m so glad I didn’t! I picked this one up and was hooked immediately! I loved the story in how it kind of reminded me what the Bridgerton tv show did with trying to give a little bit more “color” to the past. This was historical, and so it is obvious that for the most part people were still only thinking of people who weren’t white as below them. So seeing Stella being from a background where she was not treated that way, but still dealing with how most people in society were was the perfect way to tell this story.

Anyone who reads romances very much knows that the whole deal with Nathaniel was going to turn out the way it did, with him having had feelings for her the whole time. It was also a bit obvious what was going on with the Ogden fellow who was courting Stella as well. But with how that went, when the big scandal that almost ruined Stella’s cousin’s chance at happiness went down, he was definitely a possible suspect. There were so many people in Stella’s life though, that showed there were good people out there. Even Ogden wasn’t that bad of a guy, other than he was obviously trying to marry rich to save his estate. He probably would have treated Stella fairly in the end, even though it would not have been a love match as she wanted.

The family that Stella had grown up with was made up of more than just Nathaniel. There was Gwen, so much like a sister/best friend for Stella as well, and I adored all her parts in the book. I had an inkling about a possible love interest for her early on in the story that was proven true at the end as well. And then there was the oldest sister, Jane. Ugh. She was so easy to dislike. Even with the part she did in the end to kind of make up for what she’d done, still, I wouldn’t be a fan of her, same as Stella.

Nathaniel had so much more to him though than just the wealthy heir of Fitzroy. Even though there was the one moment he said something to his friends that Stella overheard, we got more that I didn’t guess ahead when Stella and her cousin visited Paris. I liked that little bit thrown in. He definitely won me over even as Stella was being so stubborn and refusing to give him that chance.

It was fun reading about the parties, the things they did around town during that historical period as well. And I mentioned Bridgerton at the beginning, and there was even more of a little similarity when the column Stella was asked to do became a sort of gossip one, like Lady Whistledown. Picturing the gowns they would wear and the homes they visited, all of that was so much fun for this historical romance. Although the HEA was a bit more of an HFN, there was talk of the HEA in the future. Can’t wait to get this one for my school library and my students to read!

4.75/5 stars
0/5 spice (kissing only)

Tropes:
Childhood friends to lovers
Black love
Outspoken & Independent heroine
Writer FMC
Class differences
Close proximity
It was always you
Single POV

I was thoroughly entertained by this book, I couldn't put it down. I loved these characters so much but honestly, I want to be Stella's friend. She is so strong in the face of blatant racism and misogyny but also shows vulnerability when it's needed. I was immediately drawn into the drama that unfolded from the very first chapter and just wanted the story to keep going. We got an epilogue but I wanted more! I really enjoyed the development of all the characters. Even though it was single POV I could get a clear picture of Nathaniel as a character based on his interactions with Stella and other side characters. I loved the little plot twists since they did add to the intensity of the 3rd act break-up. There were moments of angst but I wouldn't have complained if there was more... I just love some angsty tension!

Overall, a quick read with likable characters. This is the first book I've read from this author but I've had her other books on my TBR for a while now. I'm definitely going to check those out and read her future projects. I highly recommend this book for historical romance fans, friends-to-lovers, and diverse characters. Please read trigger and content warnings before starting this book because it deals with heavy themes that could be triggering.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

4.25/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!
The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick is a historical romance starring a young, Black woman fighting for her independence within white, upper-class society.
I had a good time with this. It was a light, quick read with a lot of heart and defiance of expectations.
I loved Stella’s personality and stubbornness. She’s so funny and independent, and I loved seeing a depiction of a Black woman working her way into the upper echelons of London society.
However, Stella’s romance was pushed so far to the back burner that I was a little disappointed when it got brought back at the end. I was far more invested in the side characters and their romances, and it felt like the author was, too.
Still, I had a fun time and I don’t think I stopped smiling while reading this.

CW: racism; sexism; bullying; death (parent)

This book is so full of anachronisms that I wasn’t able to enjoy it. Unmarried women in the 19th century were able to inherit property. This book is a fairytale. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This was an exciting read with cursed girls, found family, and just the right dash of salt. S. Isabelle weaves grief, girlhood, and generational magic into a story that’s equal parts spooky and sincere.

I received this book an ARC last year with zero clue what it was about. I am so glad I did. There is a reason that diverse authors are needed. You get unique and special stories like this that can only be told by their voice. Stella is a black woman who craves independence and the freedom to write. She has limited prospects in life as this world is not made for her joy and happiness. They see her as an oddity in their white world and more servant material than anything. Stella is prickly, aggressive and stubborn. Don’t be deterred. I loved this about her once I saw the amount of micro aggressions and overt racism she faced and realized she is totally justified to act the way she does. She is protecting herself. This is not a meek woman. She is also not perfect and she makes mistakes! The author crafted a story I sorta predicted but then did not. (Oh, to still be surprised at my age) I couldn’t believe how quickly I worked my way through this story. It was perfectly edited yet rich in detail. (The mention of her hair braids and the anise in her soup…) The story was incredibly believable and just lovely. The ending was a twist that was just right. This is a YA story so there is no spice but the yearning and angst is peak. I highly recommend this book and would love for you to give it a chance. I’m glad I did.