The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick was perfection. It delivers on comparable titles of Bridgerton, Pride & Prejudice and is an utter delight. I adored reading this one! Keep reading this book review of The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick for my full thoughts.
Summary
Eighteen-year-old Stella Sedgwick is a lost cause. While 1860s England offers little opportunity beyond marriage for a sharp-tongued, dark-skinned girl, Stella dreams of a writing career and independence.
When her late mother’s former employer—the wealthy Thomas Fitzroy—summons Stella to London, he bequeaths her one of the family’s great estates on his deathbed. But such an inheritance will precipitate a legal battle, one that would be much easier if Stella were married. Suddenly thrust into lily-white London society with the goal of finding a husband, Stella also reunites with the Fitzroy heir Nathaniel, her childhood best friend, now somewhat of a stranger.
But London presents other opportunities, like picking up her mother’s old advice column, where “Fiona Flippant” anonymously guided readers through upper-class perils. It turns out the dresses and balls aren’t so bad, though the stares and insults sometimes feel impossible to navigate. Things only grow more complicated with the attention of handsome suitors and Stella’s increasingly tempestuous relationship with Nathaniel. As new opportunities arise and old secrets are uncovered, Stella must decide when to play by the rules, when to break them, and when to let herself follow her heart.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick is everything I wanted and more. This historical fiction had me giggling and swooning. While there’s very much the romance and the swoons full of the gentlest brush of hands, it also examines the racism and prejudice against black women and the intricacies of security. For Stella, will she be able to secure a marriage to make inheritance easier? In this way, The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedwick also feels like it drifts into Little Women territory. What futures are available in this world of buttoned up laws, prejudice, and strict rules? Stella is very much trying to figure out how she can have a future she loves, and wants, while also being able to support herself.
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For Stella, does she want more than she can have? What happens when we haven’t even seen all the possibilities, when the future we want isn’t even given as an option? But moving aside from the setting – which was delightful – the romance had the signature yearning and tension. If you love the scene in Pride & Prejudice with the hand? This is for you. There’s the signature confusion about feelings, about not being able to be open, and having to balance opinion and the heart. The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick is full of swoons. This is the perfect read if you love historical fiction, agonizing silence, and the privilege of choice.
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