My Latest 5 Star Read- Anatomy: A Love Story

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Does anyone else ever suffer from short term memory loss when it comes to remembering things that happened in a book? If I don’t immediately get my reviews together I have zero hope of remembering a single solitary thing that happened in a book. Names of characters? Gone. Setting? Not a clue. Plot? Yeah…no…dont know. So, I am really trying my best to get things typed up before they escape my brain. Especially when it comes to a book that I absolutely adore. I just finished Anatomy: A Love Story and it was an absolute 5 star read for me. Have you read it? Let’s chat!

Anatomy: A Love Story

Can we all just take a moment to pause over the absolute stunner of a cover this book has? I mean…come onnnn! Truth be told…the first few times I stalked this book on Amazon (oh I stalk books like a mad woman) I didnt realize that it was a woman in a dress. Completely thought it was just a heart. Huge round of applause for those responsible for this cover!

This book was everything. I can best describe it as Mary Shelley meets Downton Abbey but in all the best possible ways. So, there were a couple of things that I loved the BEST about this book…the setting, the love story, and the fierce main character. Let’s break that down a bit!

Spooky Setting Perfection

When I think of haunting, spooky, Gothic, and mysterious settings…my mind immediately goes to Edinburgh. There is just something so dark and mysterious about the old buildings, castles, and cemeteries…even the weather seems to have an air of melancholy to it! I’m also pretty sure that Edinburgh has a reputation of being more than a little bit haunted…right? The perfect setting. Now add to that the fact that this book takes place in the early 1800’s and you have set the stage for the perfect gothic mystery. Throw in some graves, cadavers, and shoddy sanitation…and the creepy gruesome meter is off the charts!

Love is in the Air…or is that Roman Fever?

Anatomy: A Love Story was the perfect blend of historic, creepy, mysterious, and gruesome. Now I know what you are thinking…how in the world is this a love story? Well, amidst all of the cadavers, surgeries, and 19th century medical tools…there is an absolutely sweet and delightful love story. It was such a perfect balance and it made me love the book that much more! It wasn’t an in-your-face romance which I so appreciated. But, it was a romance that you were rooting for! An unlikely pairing that made perfect sense!

A Young Woman Ahead of Her Time

Author Dana Schwartz truly transports her readers back in time…and I can honestly say I wouldn’t have lasted a minute in 19th century Scotland…or anywhere for that matter! I am glad that I got to experience it through the pages of her book and not in person. But it is a testament to her writing that I felt like I was right there with Hazel! And speaking of Hazel, our main character, I adored her! What a strong, confident, and fierce young woman…and so far ahead of her time! I was rooting for her from the very first pages! She is living in a time where there is literally no discussion of what she will do with her life. The choices have already been made. She is a woman…so she will get married and have kids. End of discussion. But, Hazel has other ideas. She has a big beautiful brain that is just itching to be used in a way that she knows she is fully capable. The whole world it seems thinks the idea of a woman surgeon is preposterous…but Hazel knows better. She is just a rock-star and I adored her!

About the Book- Amazon Book Summary

Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry.

Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die.

When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, Beecham will allow her to continue her medical career. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books―she’ll need corpses to study.

Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living.

But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets, and the dreaded Roman Fever, which wiped out thousands a few years ago, is back with a vengeance. Nobody important cares―until Hazel.

Now, Hazel and Jack must work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

For More Info

So, I just discovered some very exciting news. Anatomy: A Love Story is book one in a duology. Yep…there is a book two coming out and I am obscenely excited. Book two is called Immortality: A Love Story and it also boasts a most gorgeous and enticing cover. It is due out in March of 2023 and I am going to be first in line. I actually already signed up for an ARC (advanced readers copy) and am crossing my fingers that I will receive one because I may not be able to wait until March! Book one had a bit of a cliffhanger…so I must know what happens! Want a little peek at the cover of Immortality? Yeah ya do. Isn’t she a beaut?

I will be pre-ordering for sure. Im not sure which cover I love more.

You can grab your own copy of Anatomy: A Love Story here. If you decide to read it, let me know what you think! I would love to chat!