Cora Montague and William Watkins, both from wealthy New York families, return from the First World War aching for more than their pampered lives now offer them. After working at the woman-run Endell Street military hospital in London during the war, Cora longs to pursue medical studies to become a doctor, while Bill wishes to study with a famous painter in Paris. They concoct a plan to pretend to be engaged so they can spend the summer studying and painting without their parents pressuring them to seek spouses or, in Bill's case, work with his stepfather in finance. At the end of the summer, however, they find they've fooled themselves as well as everyone else.
While a work of fiction, CORA'S SECRET ENGAGEMENT follows the real struggle of women to be taken seriously in the field of medicine, and the visionary woman philanthropist who made sure Johns Hopkins Medical School was open to women from its founding.
Plot/Idea: 9 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Prose: 8 out of 10
Character/Execution: 8 out of 10
Overall: 8.25 out of 10
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: This is a highly enjoyable historical fake engagement romance. By nature of the genre, there's a formulaic component to the plot. Nevertheless, the author adds a layer of complexity and introduces wholly charming characters that make the story feel fresh.
Prose: The author is equally adept at dialogue, detail, and action. The work authentically captures the actions, attitudes, and language of the era.
Originality: Malin delivers on the expectations of the genre, while providing an original storyline and substantive characters.
Character/Execution: Characters are not only individually compelling, but they collectively create a vivid depiction of the age. The reader is provided a first row seat into Cora and Bill's perspective and experiences, while less central characters, like Cora's parents, add to the overall reading experience.
Date Submitted: April 04, 2023
