The characters themselves are enjoyable, especially as they are initially set up as foils to one another. It offers a complicated picture of characters and their relationships with one another. With a shifting point of view between the three leads of the book, the reader gets ample perspectives on the events as they unfold. What happens when a courtship is based on a lie? And how do you grow from your first love (and first heartbreak) without letting it consume you? These are the questions Moreno-Garcia asks in her novel, giving readers a glimpse into how the choices we make shape our lives. In this novel, she explores a budding romance between two gifted telekinetics rife with secrets. If nothing else, this book proves that Moreno-Garcia can tackle just about any genre (or genres) in her work. Originally published in 2017, The Beautiful Ones returned to print in April 2021, allowing Moreno-Garcia’s historical romance novel to find a whole new audience in the wake of Mexican Gothic’s (2020) well-deserved success. Due to my fondness for them, so it was no surprise that The Beautiful Ones–filled with to the brim with romance and drama–was right up my alley. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for historical romance novels, devouring everything from the original Bridgerton books (and more recently the Netflix series) to Tessa Dare and Cat Sebastian’s newer forays into the genre. This is certainly the case with Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Beautiful Ones, which tackles class structure, expectations, and magic alongside the consequences of first love (and heartache). It’s always a treat to find a book that blends genres seamlessly. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.īut great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina-and himself-that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis-neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse-and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife.

The beautiful ones novel