A review by cakt1991
Her Lady's Honor by Renée Dahlia

emotional slow-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’ve had Her Lady’s Honor on my TBR for a while, since around the time it first came out. Renée Dahlia has since published prequels, some of which I’ve checked out, but I didn’t get around to this book until now. But unfortunately, while I love some aspects, others fall short. 

I continue to love Renée Dahlia’s choice to focus on the period just after the Great War, highlighting its impact on people from varying walks of life. And to write it from an explicitly queer lens makes it stand out even more. I loved exploring the types of roles women could play, from the more conventional (Beatrice) to the slightly unconventional (Nell). And the fact that Nell’s profession as a veterinarian draws from Aleen Cust, who I also read about relatively recently was a nice surprise. 

As far as the characters, I did mostly like them. Renée Dahlia has a sense of self-awareness about the privilege Nell has, and I like how she grapples with that. But Beatrice is perhaps the harder of the two to really warm to, as she’s constantly on Nell’s case. I get where she’s coming from, but at times it felt like overcompensation to shift the dynamics, that it moved a little too far in the other direction for me. It ultimately sours the romance, which sucks, as they do have decent chemistry in other aspects. 

This was well-intentioned, but it missed the mark. However, I still enjoy it for what it is, as there are some interesting aspects: the plot is engaging, and Renée Dahlia’s interest in the time period comes through on page. If you’re open to trying a sapphic historical set in a different time period, it’s worth giving this a try to see how you like it.