The Great Misfortune of ­Stella Sedgwick

Gr 7-10–In this historical romance, Isabelle combines the playfulness of Bridgerton with the social jockeying of a Jane Austen novel. Stella Sedgwick, 18, lives on the outskirts of London in the 1860s. As a Black teenager, she has low expectations for making a good match in high society, but her fortunes may be on the rise as she has come into a sizable inheritance. Now, she and her cousin Olivia Witherson must navigate the tumultuous debutante scene, balancing their desires against the demands of family. This book nicely introduces concerns like race and class into an otherwise familiar romance template. Isabelle gives this story a playful edge with such details such as the Bridgerton-inspired Fiona Flippant gossip column, which Stella secretly manages following her mother’s death. Parts of Stella’s story are recognizable from other British romances, but she has her own style of banter that readers will no doubt enjoy.