If you’re a fan of historical romance, there’s a new book you shouldn’t miss: a clean, Victorian love story by Rebecca Anderson (also known as Becca Wilhite). The book is called Isabelle and Alexander, and it’s been getting rave reviews from Library Journal, Booklist, and Foreword Reviews. If you love stories like North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, this is one you’ll want to add to your reading list.
Isabelle and Alexander tells the story of Isabelle Rackham, who always knew she wouldn’t marry for love. Her marriage to Alexander Osgood was arranged to combine her father’s wealth from coal mines with Alexander’s prosperous textile mills in Northern England. While Alexander is handsome and deemed a catch, he’s not one for romantic gestures. Isabelle, moving from her picturesque home in the lake country to the cold, dreary city of Manchester, finds herself feeling lonely and far from home as Alexander spends most of his time at the mill.
Realizing his wife’s unhappiness, Alexander proposes a trip to his country estate, giving Isabelle hope for a connection. Unfortunately, this trip doesn’t help them grow closer. In a twist of fate, Alexander is thrown from his horse and becomes paralyzed. This tragedy becomes an unexpected opportunity for Isabelle to care for Alexander and build a deep, romantic bond that wasn’t there before.
Isabelle and Alexander also features a touching scene where Isabelle and Alexander start to find a connection over dinner. Isabelle welcomes Alexander warmly, and he responds with the same courtesy. Isabelle shares her day’s activities and nervously mentions her dress, to which Alexander responds with a compliment. He even suggests she sit for a portrait in that dress, which flatters her deeply.
Their moment is interrupted by an urgent message about the mill, reminding Isabelle of her place in his life. She feels a pang of distress, but also a budding hope, as Alexander’s small gestures show that he might be opening up to her slowly.
Rebecca Anderson, under her pen name Becca Wilhite, is already known for contemporary romance novels. As a high school English teacher by day and a writer by night, she loves hiking, Broadway shows, good food, books, and movies. She is happily married and the mother of four exceptional children.
If you’re interested, Isabelle and Alexander is available for purchase on major platforms like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Book Depository.
