Named Best Romance of 2025 by Amazon, Kirkus, Chicago Public Library, and more . . . A pair of Gothic novelists trade rivalry for love in this swoony, steamy, sapphic Regency by USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti. Celebrated authoress Lady Georgiana Cleeve has achieved fame and fortune. Unfortunately, she's also acquired an enemy: the enigmatic Lady Darling, whose spine-tingling plots appear to be pulled straight from Georgiana's own manuscripts. What's a stubborn, steely writer to do? Unmask her rival, of course. But unmasking doesn't go according to plan--because Lady Darling is actually Cat Lacey, the butler's daughter and object of Georgiana's very secret, very embarrassing teenage infatuation. Cat Lacey has spent a decade clawing her family out of poverty. The last thing she needs is to be distracted by the stunning(ly pretentious) Lady Georgiana Cleeve. But Cat can't seem to escape her infuriatingly beautiful rival--including at the eerie manor where they both plan to set their next books. The plot unexpectedly thickens, however, when the novelists find themselves trapped in the manor together. In between ghostly moans and spectral staff, Cat and Georgiana come face-to-face with real danger: the scorching passion that's been haunting their rivalry all along. "I'm obsessed with this book." - Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care"Alexandra Vasti's Ladies in Hating . . . marks her as a star of historical romance." - Shelf Awareness
I did not realize this was the third book in the series. However I found it really good as a standalone and did not feel like I was missing out on too much. That being said, I am no interested in seeing what is in the other two books because this was such a sweet, hilarious, slightly spooky (wish there had been more spookiness!) cozy romance between two very lovely ladies that deserve all the happiness they can find! Both Cat and Georgiana had very tough pasts but they did not let that stop them from becoming famed gothic novelists (under pen names of course) who start to realize their novels are so similar. Cue the hilarity of finding each other, blaming games, and then still visiting the same places for ideas. I loved that bit with all the banter and awkward situations before things come to a head at the haunted manor (spooky complete with a possible ghost!) and then things get downright sultry with trysts and feelings. Lots of feelings! But nicely tempered with past issues that needed to be addressed and letting people in your life (especially Georgie!). It was a lovely adventure romance, much like what Cat and Georgie would write!
I also enjoyed the historical note at the end, where the author explains how she used real life influences and people when writing this historical romance. It was a great book and I am glad I got to read this and be introduced to another great author!
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