An Island Princess Starts a Scandal is the second book in the Las Leonas historical romance series by Adriana Herrera. Fortunately, it can be easily read as a standalone if you’re interested. Sadly, it is the only sapphic entry in the series, but I’m so happy I picked it up!
The novel is set primarily in Paris in 1889 and follows Caribbean artist and heiress, Manuela. Manuela is set to enter a loveless marriage to pay off her parents debts, but has set herself up to have one last summer of freedom with friends as she exhibits some of her artwork at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. In Paris, she meets wealthy widow and duchess, Cora, a ruthless businesswoman determined to buy a plot of Manuela’s land for a business deal. Seeing an opportunity, Manuela pitches an agreement: if Cora will show her the ins and outs of the underground sapphic scene in Paris, she will sell her the land. What follows is a summer filled with art and nightlife as the two take advantage of all that 1800’s Paris has to offer—while, of course, unsuccessfully trying not to fall for each other.
Whatever outdated notions you might have about historical romance will be swept right away with this read. The author manages to pack in a wealth of information about the historical queer community in Paris while making sure everything feels real, human, and also realistic about the constraints of the society these two women inhabit. The complications to Cora and Manuela’s relationship are fairly straightforward, and comes down mostly to societal and historical constraints. However, it manages to be melodramatic, messy, and steamy all the same. Herrera does a fantastic job of fleshing out these characters’ internal conflict and the very real consequences of what a happy ending would look like for them. She also doesn’t shy away from the fact that it is wealth that was what could provide real access to freedom in this era—for women, those in the queer community, and artists alike.
Overall, this was a delightfully fun romance that felt like a fantastic modern update to the old-school bodice rippers. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a solid beach read this summer!
