A review by theverysleepygirl
Lady Eve's Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

 

I am obsessed. I am utterly, and completely, enraptured, with this story. It has everything. Hidden Identities. High Tech Ballroom Scenes. Forbidden Romance. I can’t say any more that the pitch doesn’t already sell you on: a sapphic sci-fi romcom about a con artist falling for her target’s sister… need I say more?  

I will. 

Fraimrow’s novel is a delicious blend of revenge, tension and, most importantly, heart. Our dear Lady Eve (legally Ruth Johnson) is on a mission to scam a young heir for his money as revenge for breaking her sister’s heart and leaving her without a father for her soon-to-be-born child. Unfortunately, her sister’s ex’s sister seems to be onto her... and into her. 

Fraimrow’s character work was just amazing. I was immediately invested in Ruth’s story, and the love she felt for her sister was literally pouring from the page. Their relationship was so funny and fun to read about, especially the “Best Sister in The World” thing, which was so sweet. I especially think it was cool to see the way that their relationship was contrasted by the rather quiet, yet still loving nature of the siblingship between Esteban – the target – and his sister, Sol. Their situation is rather complicated due to the implications behind the status of their family, but there is still a kinship there that can’t be destroyed. 

Now, Sol and Eve absolutely killed me. Massacred me. Crushed me. Fraimrow knows how to write banter, and how to write it well. Every interaction between them had me literally screaming, because of the amount of chemistry between them.  They played off each other so well, it was insane. 

Even in the plot and worldbuilding department, this book did what it needed to do. I was at the edge of my seat trying to discover what was going on the entire time that Ruth was, and I have to admit that that buildup and climax was incredibly satisfying to read about. My greedy self would have liked a little more at the end to see how our characters took everything, but I say this about every 5-star read. 

I almost couldn’t believe I was reading this book because of how perfect the premise was, and really look forward to exploring more of Fraimrow’s work. For now, I’ll be buying a copy ASAP and re-reading it over and over. Thank you for coming to my TEDTalk, and to NETGalley as well as Solaris for providing me with an eArc copy in exchange for my honest review.