If you’ve been looking for a historical fiction romance with some serious pining, then you have to read Ana María and the Fox. This is perfect for fans of sisters and main characters who shake up the Ton. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Ana María Luna Valdés has strived to be the perfect daughter, the perfect niece, and the perfect representative of the powerful Luna familia. So, when Ana María is secretly sent to London with her sisters to seek refuge during the French occupation of Mexico, she experiences her first taste of freedom far from the judgmental eyes of her domineering father. If only she could ignore the piercing looks she receives across ballroom floors from the austere Mr. Fox.
Gideon Fox elevated himself from the London gutters by chasing his burning desire for more: more opportunities, more choices. For everyone. Now as a member of Parliament, Gideon’s on the cusp of securing the votes he needs to put forth a measure to abolish the Atlantic slave trade once and for all–a cause that is close to his heart as the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman. The charmingly vexing Ana María is a distraction he must ignore.
But when Ana María finds herself in the crosshairs of a nefarious nobleman with his own political agenda, Gideon knows he must offer his hand as protection…but will this Mexican heiress win his heart as well?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Ana María and the Fox is one of those historical fiction romances which feels so vivid in its setting. I loved the ways De la Rosa is able to describe both the Ton – and its disconnection with the world and Mexico – and the ways the Valdés feel out of place. I think if I had to pick what I loved the most about Ana María and the Fox it has to be the sisters and the setting. The authors note is a true delight for anyone who wanted to know more about the historical context. It certainly sent me off in a rabbit hole!
At the same time, Ana María and the Fox has some truly vivid and detailed characters. I adored how Ana María and her sisters are all reconciling this new freedom and new setting with their past. The ways their entire worlds have changed, opened up, and wondering who they want to be. This theme was extremely moving considering how Ana María and the Fox is focused on these characters. While the ending certainly sets up the future for the sisters – which took a bit of the pacing away from the main story line – I cannot wait to see the other sisters have some more spotlight.
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Plus the tension between Ana María and Gideon is sizzling from the start. The banter and the balancing on the knife edge of decorum? It makes Ana María and the Fox fly by. Find Ana María and the Fox on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & The Book Depository.
About the Author
Liana De la Rosa is a historical romance author who writes diverse characters in the Regency and Victorian periods. Liana has an English degree from the University of Arizona, and in her past life she owned a mystery shopping company and sold pecans for a large farm. When she’s not writing, Liana is listening to true crime podcasts and pretending she’s a domestic goddess while she wrangles her spirited brood of children with her patient husband in Arizona. Learn more online at www.lianadelarosa.com.