Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - The Beautiful Ones

I LOVED this hot mess of a love triangle. For historical romance readers, I would highly recommend this to lovers of Sherry Thomas. We have a cast of deeply flawed and self-absorbed characters caught between naivete and cynicism and heartbreak and hope. Nothing actually happens, except they ruin their lives and break each other's hearts. If you love character-driven historical fiction with a strong romantic through-line (and a happily-ever-after) and don't mind messy, often unlikeable people, this is a compelling and honestly gripping read (again, this is largely plotless, but if you love character work, this is delicious).

Be warned, romance readers, this is a heady love triangle, with a slow-paced build in the first half, some repeated light infidelity (betrothals in historical romance often feel more transactional, but I do know crossing even this line is a deal-breaker for some in Romancelandia, and I get that!). We also have a capital-V-villain/Other Woman with a dedicated POV throughout - again, a choice not all romance readers will care for, but I loved it.

I would also note how timeless and ethereal this feels. It's set in an imagined city that draws on the structure of European aristocratic society and la Belle Epoque era (though it feels really worldless in a lot of ways). I loved this decision to deny the reader a sense of being truly historically grounded, as it makes the romance feel that much more consuming and isolating. And the light touch of magical realism (the characters each have telekinetic abilities in a world where this is rare but not unheard of). This cemented Silvia Moreno-Garcia for me, looking forward to reading more of her backlist!

Note for audio readers: I loved the narration by Imani Jade Powers and how it brought to life Silvia Moreno-Garcia's vivid scene-setting and prose.

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blakeandbooks's review against another edition

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emotional tense 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

I am just such a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This was a bit different than other books of hers that I’ve read. This book didn’t focus so much on magical realism as it did the romance and the meaning of what being loved feels like. (There’s still magical realism though!!) It’s definitely a slow burn, but I felt like it was the perfect amount of anticipation.

I’m looking forward to continuing to read through SMG’s works!

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dejah_sowells's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I enjoyed the story, but I do feel it dragged in some parts.

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mjwhitlock18's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

3.5

Regency romance with a dash of magical realism. Overall entertaining and I love the character of Nina. In the end, I like Hector and the way he cares for Nina, but I spent 60% of the book just wanting to scream at him and shake him. My main gripe with this book is that so much of the conflict hinges on miscommunication/lack thereof, which I don’t usually like. But in the end

I love to see a bitch get what is coming to her.

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takarakeireads's review against another edition

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emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Having read some of Moreno-Garcia's other work, this wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I would categorize this as a historical romance, with a bit of magical realism. It's definitely not fantasy!

The basic premise is around a very messy melodramatic love triangle or almost like a love web of many characters (but not in a poly way haha). I found Hector to be a wet noodle. Many of the chapters from Hector's POV were hard to get through because of his whining. I found Hector and Nina to be a bit one-dimensional. Valérie at least has clear (evil/selfish) motivation behind her actions and that gives her character a bit of depth.

I hesitate to really say much more because it just wasn't for me because I'm not a bit fan of this genre, or the love triangle trope. If you are a historical romance fan you might enjoy this book more.

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jayisreading's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

3.0

I will read just about everything Moreno-Garcia publishes, especially because she writes beautifully and I love the way she approaches historical fiction. That being said, I probably should have taken the “romance” tag on this book a bit more seriously. Not being the biggest fan of the romance genre, I definitely was unprepared for what essentially was a historical telenovela that centered what was essentially a messy, messy (seriously, emphasize messy) love triangle full of melodrama. I thought the book was a bit predictable and had its fair share of clichés. One thing I felt was a bit forced was the telekinesis bit. It would have taken a lot away from the story if the author didn’t include it, but I also wish more was done with it, especially with the protagonist, Nina.

I didn’t hate reading this book, but it’s clear that I am not the intended audience, aha. But if you like messy romances, this is worth checking out.

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rorikae's review against another edition

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tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

‘The Beautiful Ones’ by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a novel of manners with a lightly fantastical edge.
The story circles three characters, Nina a young woman starting her debut year, Hector a magical performer who returns to reclaim lost love, and Valerie, his lost love who is now living in a loveless marriage. The story weaves between their different perspectives as relationships blossom and wither between the three as love, jealousy, and plotting reign.
This story is split into two parts and I found that the first part was incredibly slow while the second part picks up pace. The characters are the center of this story and unfortunately, during the first section, the only character that I cared for was Nina while I couldn’t stand Hector and Valerie. In the second half, Moreno-Garcia makes Hector far more interesting and likable while twisting Valerie further and further. She does a good job of making Valerie’s decisions and feelings understandable while also being despicable. I disliked her while also fully understanding the decisions she was making.
I went into this story thinking that the fantastical elements were going to be more overt but they are definitely a light spice to the romance and plotting that centers the story. If you are looking for those pieces, I think you will likely enjoy it though the beginning is definitely quite slow. The second half picks up and reads like a soap opera between terrible decisions, characters letting their emotions run their decisions, and a few twists and turns.

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