The Belle

By Violet K Zellara

This book was previous published as The Belle by Violet Knight

England, 1554.

After a forbidden love affair with a noblewoman in France ends in betrayal, violence, and exile, Antoinette flees to England with her father, determined to keep her heart - and her desires - under control.

Then she meets Lavinia.

Lavinia is Deaf, hidden from society, and far more dangerous than she appears. Where Antoinette expects shame and secrecy, Lavinia offers patience, defiance, and a love that speaks through touch, expression, and stolen moments. As the two women grow closer, they build a private language - and a bond powerful enough to threaten everything around them.

In a world where women are bartered, queer love is punished, and men decide women's fates, loving Lavinia could cost Antoinette her safety, her family, and her life.

But this time, she may finally have someone worth fighting for.

The Belle is a sapphic historical romance filled with forbidden love, slow-burn intimacy, trauma and healing, disability representation, and found family. Explicit, emotionally rich, and ultimately hopeful, it is a story about choosing tenderness in a brutal world - and surviving long enough to claim happiness.

✨ Includes:

Sapphic / F-F historical romanceExplicit, consensual intimacyDeaf heroine representationSlow burn & hurt/comfortFound familyHappily-ever-after

For readers who love emotional, feminist historical romances where queer women survive - and win.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1069780154
• ISBN13: 9781069780157
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Vk Books
• Length: 106 Pages
• Weight: 0.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"