Siegel, Natasha

Brilliantly narrated by Hardingham and Haynes, this lush historical novel smoothly incorporates complicated topics into a quiet, hopeful tale.

Narrated in alternating points of view and featuring diversity along multiple axes, including religion and LGBTQIA+ identity, this lyrically written and utterly romantic novel from Siegel (Solomon’s Crown) will appeal to readers of historical fiction and epic love stories.

The love story between Richard and Philip is achingly romantic, but some readers may be disappointed by the lack of a lasting happily-ever-after. Those who can accept that part of the ending will find themselves swept away into a heart-wrenching, romantic historical saga.