The Spellmaster of Tutting-on-Cress

The Spellmaster of Tutting-on-Cress (2024) Sarah Wallace (Meddle & Mend #5)

Set in Tutting-on-Cress in 1818

Gerry has been hoping to fall in love the way two of her brothers did, but has never felt the way she thought falling in love should be. So she figures she’ll be content running her shop and living with her brother and friends.

But her friends have other ideas.

Rose grinned, making Gerry immediately suspicious. “Oh, we don’t mind!” Rose said cheerfully.

“Would next Sunday do?” Julia said.

Gerry saw that she had fallen into a trap.

Basil Thorne went away to school soon after his mother died, and never quite managed to come back, especially after his father remarried.

When Basil was still at Eton, his father remarried and started to have a great many children. Basil quite liked his stepmother, but he also felt as though his father’s new family was something separate from himself.

Now that his father has died, he suddenly has more family than he knows what to do with, and has decided to stay in Tutting-on-Cress to help take care of everything.

Then she opened the door of the sitting room where the children had been crowding to eavesdrop. Mary seemed thoroughly unsurprised to find them there.

“We have some good news at last,” she told them. “Your brother is allowing us to stay at Verdimere Hall.”

The children gasped as if they hadn’t overheard the conversation

Unfortunately for all of them, they have guests.

“How long are they staying?”

Gavin turned his head a little, waiting for Charles to answer.

“A few months, probably.”

Gerry and Gavin both groaned.

“I am hopeful that John, at least, will learn to be more pleasant by the time he leaves.”

“That’s quite a generous expectation,” Gerry said. “Even for you.”

First off, the children are not adorable plot-moppets, but full-fledged characters, and you can often tell which kid is speaking without being told.

“Does it really matter if the ports are friendly? After all, we could be armed.”

“Yes,” Basil said. “You could be. But you would do better to think in terms of peace first.”

Arabella looked dubious and Basil wondered if it was possible to acquire a position for her in the navy.

Second, I liked the exploration of romance and romantic feelings, and what is normal.

“Just think about it,” they said. “And consider the possibility that you are waiting for a feeling that might not actually come to you.”

This is another lovely queer cozy story where queerness is simply one of many ways of being.

Characters: Geraldine ‘Gerry’ Hartford, Charles Kentworthy, Gavin Kentworthy, Seb Hartford, Mr. Laurence Ayles, Mr. Robert Ayles, Pip Standish, Viscount Bertie Finlington, Julian the Dukex of Molbury, Basil Thorne, Mary Thorne, Levinia, Arabella and Elias Thorne, Grace Thorne, Martin Thorne, Sophia Thorne, Lucy Thorne, Modesty Munro, John and Veronica Hartford, Lily and Gregory Talbot, Julia, Lizzy Canterbury, Rose Hearst, Lady Caroline Windham, Maria Windham, Roger, Mrs. Bailey, Mr. Milton Weatherbee, Mr. Applebough, Mr. and Mrs. Canterbury, Nell Birks, Betsy, Harriet, Patience, and Lino, Mr. Reginald Hartford, Lord Antony Caldwell, Mr. Haines

Rating: 8.5/10

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