The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick

In 1868 London, Black 18-year-old Stella has been orphaned since her mother’s death four years prior. She lives with her biracial cousin Olivia and aunt Eleanor, who pressures both girls to marry into wealthy families. But Stella doesn’t want to be a wife; she wants to write, like her mother. Things get complicated when Stella is named heir to Kendall Manor, where her mother also worked as a nursemaid prior to her death, and learns that she must marry in order to inherit the property. Soon, Stella, accompanied by Olivia, becomes embroiled in the complex machinations of high-society affairs with elite, affluent families, including Stella’s childhood friend, Nathaniel. As Stella courts various suitors, she buries her feelings for Nathaniel, who is already betrothed. Then Stella is hired to take over her mother’s anonymous advice column in the newspaper, State of London. But when her writing begins causing issues for her family and her prospects—both professional and romantic—she must consider the cost of her passion. Isabelle (Shadow Coven) crafts a compelling lead in Stella; her dissatisfaction with her society’s gender norms chafes against her secret desire to experience true love in this sweeping period romance. Ages 13–up. Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary. (July)