When Agatha Griffin finds a colony of bees in her warehouse, it’s the not-so-perfect ending to a not-so-perfect week. Busy trying to keep her printing business afloat amidst rising taxes and the suppression of radical printers like her son, the last thing the widow wants is to be the victim of a thousand bees. But when a beautiful beekeeper arrives to take care of the pests, Agatha may be in danger of being stung by something far more dangerous…
Penelope Flood exists between two worlds in her small seaside town, the society of rich landowners and the tradesfolk. Soon, tensions boil over when the formerly exiled Queen arrives on England’s shores—and when Penelope’s long-absent husband returns to Melliton, she once again finds herself torn, between her burgeoning love for Agatha and her loyalty to the man who once gave her refuge.
As Penelope finally discovers her true place, Agatha must learn to accept the changing world in front of her. But will these longing hearts settle for a safe but stale existence or will they learn to fight for the future they most desire?
Release Date: Jul 28, 2020
Series: Feminine Pursuits
Book: 2
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon Impulse
Price: $3.99
A slow start with a matching slow burn, turns into a scorcher!
This is Waites second in her Feminine Pursuits series, and she’s fast becoming an easy go-to choice for delicious LGBTQ Historical Romance. Though, I will say that I almost put this one down because it starts off rather slow from the romance and plot perspective.
We have two heroines’ from very different backgrounds. Agatha Griffin, widowed owner of a printing press who is trying to get her eighteen-year-old son to grow up. Then there is Penelope Flood, married to a whaler and caretaker of bees, who has recently inherited beehives from a prominent sculptress in her small town. When a swarm of bees invades Griffin’s printing warehouse, Flood is naturally the person to help move the swarm.
Good things do come to all who wait. The connecting incident between Griffin and Flood starts a friendship that builds from there. Set against the backdrop of King George IV and Queen Caroline’s tumultuous marriage and trial for potential divorce the book tackles issues around women’s rights (or lack thereof), marriage, the power of men, and even libel. Flood and Griffin navigate all of this while falling for each other and FINALLY, after more than half of the book I got what I had been waiting for. Flood and Griffin to quit beating around the bush and come together. I don’t think that’s a spoiler in the least because like I said it’s a slow burn that leads to a flipping forest fire.
Waite does an amazing job of characterization and playing out the complexities of being queer in a time when it was not openly accepted. The characters are easy to relate to, and I could empathize with nearly everyone, even those who could be classified as villains. I’m kind of sad too because there is some fabulous gay characters in these stories, and I wish Waite would write their love stories (pretty please).
This book did take me a little longer to read, but I enjoyed the rich background, the small-town feel, the history lessons mixed in, and the interesting parallels that events of the past have with the current events of today. If you want something that will give you a good mix of emotions this book is perfect for you.
For readers who enjoy KJ Charles or Cat Sebastian.
~ Landra
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