jjares reviewed on 4/11/2023 + 3413 more book reviews

It is unusual for a Victorian story to emphasize someone with melancholia (what the Victorians called depression). Through the kind offices of her Aunt Hortense, Beryl Burnham has spent a year in Paris, gathering a wedding trousseau for her marriage to Sir Henry Riverhall.

It is shocking to see how barbaric some remedies for depression were in Victorian times. Many physicians thought it was a character flaw. Others suggested that the family ignore the "antics" of the depressed.

When Beryl gets back home, and her wedding is a mere three months away, Beryl starts doing some deep thinking. However, when the Curate, Mark Riverhall kisses her, Beryl realizes she must think about what she wants from life.

This novella wasn't as compelling as other Mimi Matthews books. The outcome was well-defined, and there were few surprises. Overall score = G+.

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