I’m a big fan of books set in Scotland but have to admit I don’t know much about 1840s Glasgow, but this book felt to be strong in historical detail.
When Charlotte Nicholl discovers that the fortune she has been bequeathed by her father is tied up in a secret collection of erotic art, she is faced with a terrible dilemma: sell it and risk shaming her family’s good name or lose her home.
An encounter with Ellory Mann, a talented working-class photographer newly arrived in Glasgow, leads Charlotte to hope she has found not only someone who might help her, but also a friend. Yet Ellory is hiding secrets of her own – secrets that become harder to conceal as she finds herself drawn into Charlotte’s world.
I enjoyed the stories attached to both of the main characters, Ellory and Charlotte. Both characters have their own fish out of water moments and both are from different classes, but they each have their own struggles based around being women at the time and this leads them into an unlikely friendship.
The characters feel fully realised and the story even manages to add in some real life characters in order to help create a bit more realism
As I said I don’t know much about that time period but Sara Sheridan’s historical notes really help me to understand references and context that helps make the book more enjoyable. I would certainly recommend this to everyone who is interested in the time period and setting!