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takarakei's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Wish we got more of the 'dates'/ nightlife experiences on page (as opposed to just being told about them) as that was the basis for Cora and Manuela's meeting.
🌶️4/5
🌶️4/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Racism
Minor: Toxic relationship and Violence
emfass's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This one did not capture me as much as A Caribbean Heiress in Paris for whatever reason, but YES PLEASE to Adriana Herrera writing historicals and just anything, really. LOVED reading about a sapphic historical romance!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Misogyny
Minor: Toxic relationship and Alcohol
blakeandbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
meganbyrd77's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Lesbophobia
warlocksarecool21's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An Island Princess Starts a Scandal is a fun sapphic romp. While I don’t think everything in this book was for me, I appreciate it for what it was. Sapphic books (especially with non-white protagonists) aren’t as popular, and this book explores so many important themes of female desire, pleasure, and the queer community that it’s definitely worth a read. Manuela was a really engaging main character. I liked how she constantly subverted the expectation that she was this naive silly girl, but she was so smart and talented. Her passion and excitement for art was so cute, and I loved that part of her character. I also really enjoyed the exploration of art, trade and women’s financial independence throughout the story. I really liked Manuela’s development and she learned to live for herself.
I enjoyed Manuela and Cora’s relationship, I thought they had excellent chemistry and the tension in the beginning was 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻. The smut scenes were fine, I thought they were well-written I’m just too asexual to really enjoy that kind of content 😂. But if you like spicy books you’ll like this. I don’t think this specific type of romance is for me, I definitely like more plot-focused books with a romance subplot. I found myself wishing we got more out of the side characters (although I didn’t read this series in order so that might be my fault). But I did enjoy this book for what it was, and I really liked Manuela and Cora’s relationship.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Lesbophobia
bookish_afrolatina's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I've read this book twice this year and would not be surprised if I reread it again any time soon. An Island Princess Starts a Scandal is a tantalizing yet tender book about a couple of Latinas trying to bloom in a patriarchal garden (super relatable, huh?). Book two of the Las Leonas series follows Manuela del Carmen Caceres Galvan, a talented artist and vivacious woman who inherited an incredible piece of land from her grandmother. After reluctantly accepting a man's proposal, Manuela seeks to experience a summer of debauchery and bliss with her friends in Paris before committing to this duty.
Cora Kempf Bristol, Duchess of Sundridge, is a known hardass who believes she only needs a few things in life: to be have the same (or more) power in business as her male peers and to protect her family and friends. That is, until she meets the bewildering and beautiful Manuela. The same woman who happens to stand between Cora and her pursuit of a strategic parcel of land. The "princess" promises to hand it over for a price: proper monetary compensation and a series of thrilling sapphic adventures while she's in Paris.
This story is full of lusty longing and tender devotion. These two have an immediate infatuation that is playful but also intense! I loved Manuela's constant curiosity and sense of style. Being the "fun" friend does often come with an assumption of foolishness and, while Manuela can sometimes be foolish, I'm glad she got a chance to push those around her to take her seriously. She has pain she hides behind her mischievous smiles. I also liked that Cora had to confront how she was playing into the patriarchy by trying so hard to "measure up" or outdo her male counterparts in business. It can be hard to straddle the line between fighting back against a sexist society and seeking to be as powerful as men.
Once again, Adriana Herrera created an addictive story with nuance, passion, and beautiful dialogue.
Cora Kempf Bristol, Duchess of Sundridge, is a known hardass who believes she only needs a few things in life: to be have the same (or more) power in business as her male peers and to protect her family and friends. That is, until she meets the bewildering and beautiful Manuela. The same woman who happens to stand between Cora and her pursuit of a strategic parcel of land. The "princess" promises to hand it over for a price: proper monetary compensation and a series of thrilling sapphic adventures while she's in Paris.
This story is full of lusty longing and tender devotion. These two have an immediate infatuation that is playful but also intense! I loved Manuela's constant curiosity and sense of style. Being the "fun" friend does often come with an assumption of foolishness and, while Manuela can sometimes be foolish, I'm glad she got a chance to push those around her to take her seriously. She has pain she hides behind her mischievous smiles. I also liked that Cora had to confront how she was playing into the patriarchy by trying so hard to "measure up" or outdo her male counterparts in business. It can be hard to straddle the line between fighting back against a sexist society and seeking to be as powerful as men.
Once again, Adriana Herrera created an addictive story with nuance, passion, and beautiful dialogue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content
Moderate: Misogyny, Grief, and Lesbophobia
onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Racism
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was delightful. This is the kind of romance novel where it borders on litfic because it is so much about learning from each other and growing into who you need to be in addition to the fun tropey romance aspects. I love both the protagonists and so many of the side characters. I really had fun with this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Toxic relationship and Colonisation
carriepond's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
In An Island Princess Starts a Scandal, we meet Manuela del Carmen Caceres Galvan, a Venezuelan heiress who has convinced her parents to let her spend the summer with her two best friends in Paris during the 1889 Exposition Universelle. Manuela sees it as her last summer of freedom before she returns home to marry a man she barely knows in exchange for her family's financial security, and she intends to use that freedom to meet like-minded women, i.e. women who love women. She soon meets Cora Kempf Bristol, Duchess of Sundridge, a powerful businesswoman interested in buying a parcel of land Manuela's grandmother left her when she died. The pair strike an unusual deal-- in addition to paying a much higher price for the land, Cora also will show Manuela the side of Paris she longs to experience before she enters her loveless marriage. Of course, business quickly mixes with pleasure, and then love.
Okay-- I really loved this. It was so fun and interesting to read a story set in late 19th-century Paris from this perspective, where queer people and brown people could find a supportive and loving community in one another. I really enjoyed that the obstacles placed in front of our lovers felt very authentic (no contrived and unrealistic miscommunication here!) and I also like that Herrera both addressed the very real oppression and societal strictures that women, especially queer women, faced but also had them find ways to find agency and power within those strictures. And the female friendships and community-- chef's kiss. Also, there were a lot of sexy scenes in here- wowza.
I had a lot of fun reading this, so I guess I should read more historical romance (and definitely more books by Adriana Herrera!)
Okay-- I really loved this. It was so fun and interesting to read a story set in late 19th-century Paris from this perspective, where queer people and brown people could find a supportive and loving community in one another. I really enjoyed that the obstacles placed in front of our lovers felt very authentic (no contrived and unrealistic miscommunication here!) and I also like that Herrera both addressed the very real oppression and societal strictures that women, especially queer women, faced but also had them find ways to find agency and power within those strictures. And the female friendships and community-- chef's kiss. Also, there were a lot of sexy scenes in here- wowza.
I had a lot of fun reading this, so I guess I should read more historical romance (and definitely more books by Adriana Herrera!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism and Lesbophobia
hannahmichele5's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A little too heavy on the back stories of various side characters for my taste but you can tell how well researched the history is so I respected it. But, in true Adriana Herrera fashion, the steam was hot hot hot so it was worth it. Manuela can step on me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Lesbophobia