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Mood: Silly ]
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Currently: Listening to My son object to having a toothbrush taken away. ]
As a teacher, I have read a lot of dreck. Much of it seems to come from the teen romance genre. It pretty much sucks. Trust me.
Not so with The Luxe. The book tells the tale of young socialites in New York in the late 1800s. Our main character is Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of an old money family, who finds that due to diminished circumstances, she must marry wealthy ner-do-well Henry Schoonmaker. Nevermind that she is in love with her childhood friend (and family coachman) Will. Nevermind that her best friend, Penelope (who is from a new money family and is a little bold, our bad girl as it were) has her sights set on Henry. Nevermind that Henry seems to be falling in love with Elizabeth’s sister Diana. One thing Elizabeth knows she must do is her duty.
Or does she?
Author Godbersen has created a rich, meaty, historical romance for the YA set that is full of gossip and backstabbing. But this book owes more to Jane Austen than Gossip Girl, and that is a good thing. Slow to get going, once this book hits its stride you can’t put it down. Godbersen has also done her research, giving the story a rich backdrop full of fancy dresses and disreputable New York neighbourhoods. She has also been careful to weave in the story of the underclasses, with the characters of Will and Lina (Elizabeth’s maid) woven into the story as more than spear carriers.
I recommend this for the young woman in your life who loves reading, but for some strange reason isn’t really into genre fiction.