Jane Walsh's lesbian romance novel, Her Lady to Love (2020), was released this fall from Bold Strokes Books, and it's the perfect novel to read over the holidays if you love gorgeous writing, beautiful settings, and literal bodice ripping!
Set in the Regency period, Walsh's novel follows Lady Honora Banfield who, after spending several of her eligible seasons ensconced in the country mourning the deaths of her parents, arrives in London with her aged aunt, looking for a husband. Looking to secure a future for herself and increase her financial security, Honora plans to go above and beyond to make a match. Her ambition leads her to ally with the most beautiful woman of the season-and the most controversial-Jacqueline Lockhart. Jaqueline's a familiar face in London's matchmaking circles and she has no plans to marry a man and settle down. She's in her sixth season when she suddenly bumps into Honora on the dancefloor.
Nora and Jaquie's alliance quickly turns into romance, but they both agree their affair cannot continue after Nora finds a husband. However, as the prospect of a proposal becomes more and more real for both of them, the two women struggle between convention, duty and love.
I had such a brilliant time with this book. Walsh's novel has such an excellent sense of the time period she's writing in and her specificity and interest in the historical aspects of her plot really allow the characters to shine. The inclusion of details, specifically related to women's behaviour or dress, made for a vivid and exciting setting. This novel reminded me a lot of something like Vanity Fair (1847)(but with lesbians!) because of its gorgeous setting and intriguing plot.
For a shorter novel, I was surprised at the amount of characters it contained, but they were all so much fun to read. A kaleidoscope of Regency queer life, the characters maneuver around the heterosexual marriage market and showcase a range of London life. The romance between Nora an Jaquie is lovely; it felt sweet and realistic in the context of the setting. It can be difficult to write a happily ever after lesbian romance in a period where heterosexual convention and women's lack of social mobility limited so much, but Walsh's writing is thoroughly heartwarming and delightful.
Lesbian historical novels are totally my thing and I'd wanted to read this one for ages. It definitely didn't disappoint. While characters were witty and the romance was generally lighthearted, I was thrilled to see that Walsh didn't shy away from the sadder aspects of queerness in Britain in the nineteenth century. This legitimized her novel, but it also created a context in which the bravery of her lesbian/queer characters could have a significant impact. The writing was easy to read and flowed wonderfully, with a distinct blend of modern/historical dialogue that grounded the story without weighing it down.
If you're looking for something fun to read over the holidays, I highly recommend Her Lady to Love.
Please visit Jane Walsh on Twitter or on her website, and put Her Lady to Love on your TBR on Goodreads, or purchase it from Bold Strokes Books.
Content Warnings: Homophobia, violence.
Rachel Friars is a creative writer and academic living in Canada, dividing her time between Ontario and New Brunswick. When she's not writing short fiction, she's reading every queer novel she can find. Rachel holds two degrees in English literature and is currently pursuing a PhD in nineteenth-century lesbian literature and history. You can find Rachel on Twitter @MsBookishBeauty or on Goodreads @Rachel Friars.