Ms. Smartarse's Reviews > An Unsuitable Heir

Pen and twin sister Greta Starling are living the charmed life as Music Hall acrobats. Dressing unconventionally without particular care for social norms, their life is never truly measured further than the next show... well Pen's at least. Greta definitely worries about a future where the starling flight may no longer be possible.

Enter Mark Braglewicz, handsome private investigator, who understands and likes Pen regardless of what appearance the trapeze artist may be donning for the day. Unfortunately, the detective also comes bearing an earldom, coupled with a mysterious "fogman" on a killing spree.



I love the romantic pairing to bits, and totally want to read more stories with similarly unconventional main characters: forced to work around the rules and regulations of their time, hoping to trick a rigid society into accepting their right to live. And well... I may have a thing for androgynous characters. 😅

Not having personally experienced gender dysphoria, I cannot say how accurate the parallel between Mark's disability and Pen's gender fluidity is, but I got a bit closer to understanding its complexity. Or so I like to think...



That said, I'm a bit ambivalent on the romance itself.
On the one hand, seeing Mark's bi(pan?)-sexuality allow Pen to feel more at ease in the relationship had me spout all sorts of endearing onomatopoeia. On the other hand, Mark's constant inner assurance of respecting Pen's (lack of) sexual desires felt like it was over explained and at times even somewhat patronising.

Score: 3.55 / 5 stars

In theory... I loved everything.
In practice... the preachy undertones and the neglected murder-mystery plot detracted quite a bit of the enjoyment of the story.
In the end I decided that Justin's witty quips were hilarious enough to up the rating.

"I'll say they weren't [married], and I'll engage a lawyer if I have to. I'll see you in court."
"To argue yourself a bastard?" Mr. Hapgood said incredulously.
Pen folded his arms. "If you try to assert Edmund Taillefer was my father, I'll sue."
"For defamation, I hope." Lazarus had a look of unholy awe in his grey eyes.

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Review of book 1: An Unseen Attraction
Review of book 2: An Unnatural Vice