About the Book:
Title: Ruined
Author: Sarah Vaughn, illustrated by Sarah Winifred Searle & Niki Smith
Publication Date: Nov. 28, 2023
Publisher: First Second (Macmillan)
Synopsis: For fans of Bridgerton comes a Regency-era romance graphic novel about the unexpected passion that blooms from a marriage of convenience.
The whole town is whispering about how Catherine Benson lost her virtue, though they can never agree on the details. Was it in the public garden? Or a moving carriage?
Only a truly desperate man would want her now―and that’s exactly what Andrew Davener is. His family’s estate is in disrepair, but Catherine’s sizable dowry could set it to rights.
After the two wed, Catherine finds herself inexplicably drawn to Andrew. but could falling in love with her husband tear her marriage apart? In this richly detailed Regency romance, duty and passion collide in a slow-burn tale of intertwined fates.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links.
My Review:
I’m so happy to be on the tour today for Ruined, a new Regency romance graphic novel. I was really drawn to the gorgeous cover, and when I realized it was a graphic novel, I jumped at the chance to be on the blog tour. This story has been compared to Bridgerton, and I can totally see why. With a fantastic cast of characters, LGBTQ representation, and swoon-worthy love stories, it has many similarities.
The art style is lovely, and I liked the colors and how well the story flowed. Since it’s a graphic novel (my first Regency romance graphic novel!), the story must rely on the illustrations for mood, character development, and tone. I feel like this was done really well, and each panel’s art enhances the overall story. The artists did a particularly great job of showing each character’s emotions and the growing feelings between Catherine and Andrew.
Catherine and Andrew have a grumpy/sunshine, marriage of convenience love story, which I adored. These are two of my favorite tropes, and seeing Catherine and Andrew slowly fall for each other is so sweet. Their marriage of convenience becomes so much more than either expected, but their road to happiness is pretty rocky. Catherine has been burned before, and though she still believes in love, she doesn’t see a romantic relationship happening with Andrew. Andrew solely married her for her money and is not interested in love. Their relationship begins as a transaction, but it becomes a lot more than that. This is not a closed-door romance, and there are a few steamy scenes, which are done tastefully.
The secondary characters are great, too, and I enjoyed the different subplots and conflicts presented, though they weren’t as fleshed out as the main plot. I also loved that the story included diverse characters, LGBTQ rep, and body positivity. The sapphic secondary romance was so sweet, as was the romance between Catherine’s lady’s maid and her paramour.
Special thanks to Turn the Page Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating:
Tropes:
- marriage of convenience
- grumpy/sunshine
A Regency romance graphic novel – I think that alone is enough to make me want to give it a try. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks, Ali! It was interesting – I’ve never read a historical romance graphic novel before.
A regency era graphic novel? That’s so interesting. I did love Bridgerton, so I might just have to try it. Great review!
Thank you!
Sounds like so much fun! I’m hoping my library gets a copy. Thanks for sharing!