A review by readthesparrow
A Bluestocking's Guide to Decadence by Jess Everlee

lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

This review is based on an e-ARC from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I am extremely picky about my romances, especially when they’re historical. A Bluestocking’s Guide to Decadence met my standards with flying colors and a wonderful main couple.

One of the things that often turns me off from queer historical romances is when they flatten out the very real complexities (both painful and beautiful) of the period they’re set in. In my opinion, A Bluestocking’s Guide to Decadence did a good job of balancing the tone between lighthearted while acknowledging the dangers and anxieties that surrounded being ‘unconventional.’ 

Additionally, both Jo and Emily felt like real people with real lives, concerns, and relationships that exist outside the context of their romantic entanglement rather than fading into the background and being forgotten. Jo has her marriage and her bookshop, while Emily has her career and her family.

I do wish we had gotten a little more from Jo’s side before and during her
decision to move out from her apartment. Her relationship with her husband felt a little underdeveloped when compared to Emily’s relationship with her father. I also wish that we had seen them both spend more time with Vanessa, rather than just being told that they had become friends or grew fond of her.


I don’t know if I’ll read the other books in this immediately (as this is the third installment), but I am interested in returning eventually. I really enjoyed Everlee’s handling of the setting and her character writing.
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