Niki Smith

Well crafted, I liked that there was much more showing than telling making the most of the graphic novel format, letting the pictures tell the story as much as the prose. I also appreciated that the author trusted in the reader’s patience and their comprehension, that there wasn’t a big info dump up front about the trauma Manuel experienced instead revealing everything over the course of the story at a natural pace.

Manuel’s mental health, specifically PTSD from a violent incident is show more at the heart of this story, his arc through it is handled thoughtfully, never pretending it’s an easy state to navigate and focusing on the value of friendship and therapy. show less

A pleasing romance about a marriage of convenience between a broke English aristocrat and a woman with a stained reputation from a rich family. They're basically good people with a lot of emotional luggage who are now stuck together in a run-down manor when they'd each rather be elsewhere.

It's all formality and manners and societal obligations, but that doesn't mean there aren't some adult sexy times.

I haven't seen the Bridgerton series or read the books, but this seems to want to be in that show more zone.

UPDATE, July 2, 2024:

I saw a notation on LibraryThing that this book was expanded from a story in Fresh Romance that was also printed on its own as Ruined, Volume 1. I had read Fresh Romance back in 2016, but this story from the middle of the anthology had slipped my mind. I checked it out again from the library and re-read it and have to say that the new version is much better for having moved around scenes and dialogue. Sarah Winifred Searle's art is terrific in both versions, but I'd give a slight edge to the redrawn version. show less

The artwork complemented this story so well. It was delicate and lovely with thin linework. At times, I did think the heads were a little too long though.

This is an inclusive, Bridgerton-ish tale. But I’m sorry I just couldn’t care about Catherine. Baby girl was dull. I understand the conflict she had with Andrew no one wants to feel like option #2., but it also felt like she creating problems/self-sabotaging.

On the other hand, I really enjoyed Gemma's, Andrew’s sister, struggles show more with grief, introversion, and social anxiety. show less

Really beautifully done graphic novel about being the survivor of gun violence -- witnessing, coming to terms with what you could and could not do in the moment, and how you cope with the trauma of everyday reminders. Subtle LGBTQ relationship, maybe, gorgeous illustrations. It's got a quiet peacefulness to it that stands in contrast to the vast depth of emotions that the book evokes and channels. Gorgeous.