This was such a fantastic Victorian romance. The main characters were absolutely delightful. I loved the feminist and progressive undertones. I didn’t realize it was the second in a series and it definitely stood alone. Since I enjoyed it so much, I will probably go back and read the first one! 

Despite my middling rating, I do believe that this series is a really good starter for those looking to foray into historical romance. Both of our main characters are deeply interesting and play off one another very well, and there's the right amount of pining and wit. I wish they weren't closed door, but I understand not all authors feel comfortable writing those scenes. That and the slow pacing to reveal the final conflict (I guessed both twists before the 40% marking which made things quite frustrating) keep this from a higher start ranking for me personally.