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Regency Cheesemakers #1
A Bloomy Head
Army surgeon Thomas Holyoke never planned to return to Shropshire, to a life and a gender forced upon him. But after a terrible accident leaves him injured and feverish, he has no choice but to return to England with his faithful surgical assistant.
Newly widowed Kate Easting is determined to save her family's failing farm with her cheesemaking skills. However, she must also contend with an unnerving number of chaotic siblings and the handsome, difficult doctor her twin brought home for her to nurse back to health.
When a decapitated body is found near the farm, Kate and Thomas find themselves at odds. Investigating the murder might bring dangerous attention to Thomas and Kate's family, but letting a murderer roam free may have even more dire consequences. To make things more complicated, a spark of mutual respect and desire kindles between lonely doctor and cheesemaker. But what future can they possibly build together, when old secrets threaten to destroy them both?
Historical mystery romance, trans m/cis f.
Newly widowed Kate Easting is determined to save her family's failing farm with her cheesemaking skills. However, she must also contend with an unnerving number of chaotic siblings and the handsome, difficult doctor her twin brought home for her to nurse back to health.
When a decapitated body is found near the farm, Kate and Thomas find themselves at odds. Investigating the murder might bring dangerous attention to Thomas and Kate's family, but letting a murderer roam free may have even more dire consequences. To make things more complicated, a spark of mutual respect and desire kindles between lonely doctor and cheesemaker. But what future can they possibly build together, when old secrets threaten to destroy them both?
Historical mystery romance, trans m/cis f.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 24, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 26, 2024
As soon as I heard what was it about, I knew that I had to read it. Caretaking romance is my absolute favourite bar none, plus a murder mystery? Trans characters? Cheesemaking? Focus on ordinary people and not dukes? Come on, it couldn't be more up my alley.
Thankfully, it doesn't disappoint. It's well-written, compelling (I read most of it in one evening, just a day after release), and the cast of characters is also absolute perfection. I especially loved every single one of the Gravenor siblings with all their peculiarities. Some stuff about the French revolution made me raise an eyebrow as someone who used to hang out with French revolution nerds for a few years, but...no matter. If you're a fan of murder, cheese, and somewhat spicy romance, you should absolutely read it. Me, I will be first in line for the sequels :)
Enjoyment: 4/5
Execution: 4/5
Content warnings: sexual violence, abuse (both in the past), some on-page transphobia
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Thankfully, it doesn't disappoint. It's well-written, compelling (I read most of it in one evening, just a day after release), and the cast of characters is also absolute perfection. I especially loved every single one of the Gravenor siblings with all their peculiarities. Some stuff about the French revolution made me raise an eyebrow as someone who used to hang out with French revolution nerds for a few years, but...no matter. If you're a fan of murder, cheese, and somewhat spicy romance, you should absolutely read it. Me, I will be first in line for the sequels :)
Enjoyment: 4/5
Execution: 4/5
Content warnings: sexual violence, abuse (both in the past), some on-page transphobia
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
December 31, 2024
I don't read a lot of romance (no disrespect to the genre), but I was promised cheese and murder, and the combination of all three turned out pretty well. I was certainly reminded of WHY people read romance. 😳 And is there anything more sweetly humorous than a wannabe misanthrope who is utterly besotted? He thinks she's wonderful and he's so angry about it! Not without reason, but still funny.
As a cis woman I can't judge the portrayal of the trans male characters, but I felt I was in good hands after reading the introduction, including the mention that the cis female lead's infertility would not be healed in the course of the book.
I'll let other people discuss the requirements of a Regency Romance and its various offshoots, but I really loved reading a historical romance that wasn't centered on the upper classes. I enjoyed the historical content, especially the way the French Revolution informed the story of the female lead's mother and the Napoleonic Wars informed the story of the male lead.
I am cheered to see the plan is for there to be more of 'The Regency Cheesemakers sequence'. I'd love it if one of them was a prequel centered on female lead's mother, but I can also see why that wouldn't be in the cards.
As a cis woman I can't judge the portrayal of the trans male characters, but I felt I was in good hands after reading the introduction, including the mention that the cis female lead's infertility would not be healed in the course of the book.
I'll let other people discuss the requirements of a Regency Romance and its various offshoots, but I really loved reading a historical romance that wasn't centered on the upper classes. I enjoyed the historical content, especially the way the French Revolution informed the story of the female lead's mother and the Napoleonic Wars informed the story of the male lead.
I am cheered to see the plan is for there to be more of 'The Regency Cheesemakers sequence'. I'd love it if one of them was a prequel centered on female lead's mother, but I can also see why that wouldn't be in the cards.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews