by Ciji Ware
First published 2010
A talented young woman arrives in 18th century London with her scripts and dreams of seeing her plays performed on the stages of Drury Lane and Covent Garden. The theatrical world glitters with promise, but beneath the stage lights lies a ruthless business where theatre owners steal work from aspiring writers and withhold their earnings. Competition breeds vicious backstabbing among actors, patrons, and playwrights scrambling for success. For women writers, the obstacles multiply. Government censors routinely reject scripts by "petticoat playwrights," and the male-dominated industry offers few allies. She must navigate this treacherous landscape where fortunes change overnight and reputations crumble without warning. Ciji Ware weaves real historical figures into this story of ambition and survival, capturing both a passionate romance and the daily struggles of an independent woman determined to succeed in a world designed to exclude her.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, historical-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, independent-woman, underdog
Setting: Covent Garden, Drury Lane, London
Period: 18th Century
624 pages · Paperback · Sourcebooks Landmark
Content warnings: sexism