to give myself credit, ive also been working a lot on commissions and some other projects, and so reading is a bit on the backburner rn. i find it hard to read when im emotionally overwhelmed, haha.

nothing wrong w that!!! reposting here is v much a part of the ecosystem, and super important!!

zhz keeps hitting me w the misinformation trope tho and i am constantly screaming internally abt it

im glad youre at least enjoying it 😭 the bad reads have been hitting me hard when i get them lately

imo bsky is much like tumblr used to be (still is? i havent been on tumblr in a long while tbh)-- this is a place for yapping lmao

i only ask that novoa research historical attire a bit more, because it's always infuriating to see the same nonsensical depictions of stays and corsets in media.

most ardently, for me, opens a door to a potential subgenre of romance i can actually enjoy. and there is something so wonderful about that, and about being reminded that people like myself have always existed and are present in the historical record.

all in all, most ardently is what i would usually categorize as cavity-inducing fluff. a marshmallow of a story. i very much enjoyed it for what it was, and am glad i was finally able to get my grubby little queer hands on it. it is the first time i have ever read romance and not just been annoyed.

there's something wonderful and unique about the art of taking pre-existing characters and placing them in a different situation, one that inherently changes who they are and how they act within the story. and i thoroughly enjoyed both oliver and darcy in this story.

... well, drastically changed to provide antagonists beyond just the original pride and prejudice the story covers. i still don't know how i feel about that. but at the same time, most ardently had the energy of a coffee shop au. which isn't a bad thing!

in some ways, i think that's both a blessing and a curse for most ardently; the characters were familiar enough that i found myself with fondness for them on the outset, but distinct enough from the originals that i didn't generally find myself tired of them. however, some characters are...

in fact, one of my only frustrations with this book focused on a misunderstanding of the basic functionality of stays and tightlacing, which is a practice that wouldnt exist until significantly later-- and rarely, even then. the story also bears little real resemblance to the original P&P.

i'll start with the things that may put one off reading it, because i believe that's important and i don't believe in wasting anyone's time with a recommendation that will not suit them. historical accuracy, at least in the clothing of this book, is not particularly high.

who are u deciding to romance?

i would love to be added if you have space!!