Book Review: Of Trust & Heart by Charlotte Anne Hamilton

 

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Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC!

Content Warning: homophobia, death, misogyny, sexual assault.

Lady Harriet Cunningham knows what she wants, and it isn't to be married to a man she knows she'll never love. During the Great War, Harriet served as a nurse and discovered her attraction and romantic inclination towards women. It's now 1923, and in order to protect her status and reputation, Harriet needs to marry. Spending the season in New York with her playful cousin, Charlie, Harriet's adventure to a gay club goes awry when she meets (and starts to fall for) the beautiful singer, Rosalie Smith. Can Harriet find a way to bring both of her worlds together? And can the relationship between her and Rosalie ever be more than a fling?

When it starts to get chilly outside, I look for two things in my books: something that will either scare me, or something that will fill me with warm, cozy feelings! This sweet romance definitely falls into the second category, and although it's being released on October 18th, this beautiful story of family and love is going to make a perfect Christmas read.

Every day I'm excited by the fact that there are so many great new releases that feature a main romance between two women. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction (which you probably know, if you read this blog or have been on my Goodreads page), and I especially love them when they include diversity -- characters of color, those on the LGBT+ spectrum, you name it! So for me, this was a perfect pick. It's fun to imagine a time when alcohol was illegal, but having a good time was not only expected but encouraged, and I enjoyed the New York (and later Scottish) setting. 

The relationship that develops between Harriet and Rosalie was both sweet and sometimes steamy, and their conversations together usually brought a smile to my face. Her cousin also brings a touch of humor, as well as depth, to Harriet's life. The entirety of Harriet's journey is sweet and heartwarming, the kind of happy story we so often don't get.

 I do have a few nitpicks, though: it's slightly expected in such a short book, but I sometimes felt as if the dynamics were rather underdeveloped. Rosalie was almost without personality, aside from being beautiful, kind and a bit sarcastic. The whole novel suffers from this problem, mainly because the writing does so much telling and so little showing.

Now, in spite of those issues, it didn't stop me from enjoying this book -- or rating it four stars. Sometimes, you just need a book that feels like a big hug, and that's what this provided for me. I also think it's difficult to really flesh a relationship out in such a short format, as I mentioned above, and so I think that's something you have to take into consideration with books like these. This was like watching a historical, lesbian Hallmark movie...something we've never gotten the chance to experience. If you're like me, and that idea sounds way too appealing, you should pick this one up!

I'll be looking into more books by Hamilton, and I highly recommend this novel if you're a fan of any of the listed: lesbians, Christmas, the 1920s, or having a wholesome romantic romp!