"Women's ideas are treated as though they sprung from nowhere, to be claimed by the first man who comes along. Every generation had women stand up and ask to be counted - and every generation of brilliant, insightful, educated men has raised a hand and wiped those women's names from the greater historical record."
This historical romance is true to how difficult life was for certain people at the time, but it doesn't revel in the misery, like some historical books can do. The story shows how some are able to find pockets of happiness and goodness. It's a story of friendships and women supporting other women just as much as a romance, which is so important!
The main romance is strong and believable and at no point does the plot hinge on any huge misunderstanding that could easily be cleared up by a single conversation (a huge pet peeve of mine). There are still challenges and obstacles to the main pair, don't get me wrong! It's just so refreshing to see a couple struggle through things with clear love and respect for each other throughout.
The plot lines outside of the relationships are just as well thought out and fantastic. I highly highly recommend this book.