February 12, 2024
A desolate widow finds new hope and forbidden romance in this poignant and commendably diverse historical from Siegel (Solomon’s Crown). After Cecilia Thorowgood loses her beloved husband to the plague in 1666 London, she falls into a depression. When no Anglo doctor proves able to help Anna, her sister, Margaret, summons a foreign-born Jewish physician to treat her. David Mendes and his father left Portugal to practice their religion freely in London, but David knows even in England Jews are barely tolerated. He prescribes tinctures that help Cecilia recover but it is his budding friendship that really begins to heal her heart. As they get to know each other better, attraction sparks, though David is still getting over his unrequited first love for his male best friend. Meanwhile, Margaret, who is well connected at the court of Charles II, is determined that Cecilia will marry a family acquaintance and attempts to keep the couple apart. As the Great Fire of London ravages the city, Cecilia and David’s burgeoning love is tested. Siegel sets this sweeping, emotional story apart by focusing on the experiences of people often overlooked in historical romance. The results are genuinely moving. Agent: Catherine Cho, Paper Literary.
Starred review from February 1, 2024
Set in 17th-century London, this sumptuous romance tells the story of two star-crossed lovers drawn together under tumultuous circumstances. Cecilia, a young noble widow, has recently lost her beloved husband to the bubonic plague. David, a Jewish doctor recently emigrated from Portugal in the hope of living his life free from religious persecution for the first time, is carrying the weight of his own past tragedies. When David is called upon to treat Cecilia's melancholy, they become close despite the chasm that their class and religious differences present. But their shared experiences of loss provide a connection, and their fledgling but passionate love binds them together irrevocably. Although David is able to live openly as a Jewish person in 1666 London, it's not a safe place for foreigners or non-Christians, and he and Cecilia know that a shared future is impossible. Then the Great Fire of London breaks out, altering their paths and forging new ones from the ashes. VERDICT 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.--Migdalia Jimenez
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February 15, 2024
After losing her first great love to illness, a 17th-century Englishwoman falls for a forbidden man. Cecilia couldn't believe her good luck when she married William Thorowgood, the boy she'd always loved. Unfortunately, soon after the wedding, William falls victim to the plague and succumbs to a quick death. Following this loss, Cecilia spirals into a deep depression. Her sister, Margaret, takes her in, hoping to nurse her back to health. When days turn to weeks with no improvement, Margaret's power-hungry husband, Robert Eden, declares Cecilia must take a new husband or remove herself from their home by the end of summer. Desperate to save Cecilia from an uncertain future, Margaret seeks help from David Mendes, a Jewish doctor from Portugal with a reputation for fixing incurable ailments, including melancholy. Cecilia is initially taken aback by David's unfamiliar customs, but she soon begins to appreciate his quiet manner and thoughtful care. Before long, the pair develop a genuine friendship, and David's visits help Cecilia improve--so much so that she begins sneaking out of Margaret's home to explore London. These outings lead to a chance meeting with David, which ignites a new relationship between them. It's clear they're developing deeper feelings for each other, but given their vastly different backgrounds, their love is an impossibility. With rich prose and a plethora of delightful period details, shifting between Cecilia's and David's first-person perspectives, the story deftly explores their feelings of unlikely connection, as well as the isolation and hopelessness that can accompany loss of a loved one. Despite the sorrow burdening both main characters, the plot moves forward at an engaging clip, and the author manages to include sprinkles of levity at just the right pace to prevent the book from feeling oppressively bleak. While the writing often feels too modern, with characters acting in a manner too familiar or uttering surprisingly modern phrases, the story is sufficiently engaging to render the anachronisms forgivable. A well-crafted and enchanting historical love story.
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