Flowers for the Devil

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dark Victorian romances are not my go to and I randomly found this book on Amazon. I’m really glad I did! This was chosen as part of a book club read and not only does it have romance, it has mystery, intrigue, deception and much more.

I liked the idea of Harlan Krow - a vigilante standing up for the people in poorer neighbourhoods and protecting those that can’t protect themselves. The flashbacks, or recounting of his story when he was a soldier, allowed us to understand how his dark side developed. Ultimately, Harlan wanted justice in the world against those who did wrong. It’s up to you whether or not you agree with his methods, but if the system fails you, or others, sometimes you take matters in your own hands.

Alina was such a beautiful character. I liked how her mind worked and it was lovely reading that she was into medicine and science. Given the time period, she couldn’t exactly use her voice the way she wanted to, but it was important that the men around her believed in her. Her mother was overbearing and made me laugh. I enjoyed the Russian cultural references throughout the story. The reason why her family were forced to England was sad but also believable.

The spice! If you’re after some, it’s heavily written towards the end of the book. I honestly wasn’t expecting it given the premise of the story. Some chapters did feel repeated to me through these scenes.

How I interpret the book is that it’s ultimately about having someone understand you through your darker moments and being loved for it anyway. Sometimes it’s rare to have someone so understanding that you find the light because of them.