So opens Violet, a time-travel romance about a woman haunted by alternate timelines, an artist with the opportunity to change her future, and the ultimate choice--your love, or the only life you knew? After hitting her head on the morning of her best friend's wedding, our narrator wakes up in 1916 with the instruction to join her cousin Violet on a seaside journey for her health. Of course, it's not about her health at all--her father is biding his time until she can be committed for being an artist and a lesbian. (He dies horribly. It's very satisfying.) They make a daring escape from England--but where, and more importantly, when--will our narrator end up?
Violet is a very romantic story with beautiful writing. However, I have to give two serious caveats: (They could be considered spoilers, so skip this if you want to read it regardless.)
1. The 1916 in the book exists in a timeline where France has either not entered World War 1, or where its impact is greatly reduced. This was confusing, and I would have appreciated it being framed or commented on in a way to bring the reader up to speed.
2. The resolution of the plot may be distasteful to people who are sensitive about suicide or suicidal ideation. (As the book hinges on this, I think it's better y'all know before reading.)
With that knowledge, it's a very romantic story and worth reading for the unusual premise. Looking forward to more from Lily Hammond and Sapphica books!