Where There's Room For Us by Hayley Kiyoko (2025)
First let me say that I'm truly impressed at how much more assured and skilled Haley Kiyoko has become as a writer. This new book, an alternate universe YA romance set in late 19th century Victorian England, reads as if this author was born to write richly imagined stories spun from her own fairy tale, snow globe versions of long ago times.
And I say that as somebody most definitely NOT a fan of alternate universe takes on familiar historical settings.
Slowly at first, but inevitably I found myself taken in (and very taken by) this sweet charming re-creation of an England where women may still be, in many ways, second class citizens but queer romances and marriages are not categorized as the Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name. On the contrary, amid the upper classes there's a sort of live-and-let-live acceptance going on.......except when sapphic relationships interfere with the traditions of male heirs inheriting their family estates.
Our sweethearts here could not possibly be more lovable and sympathetic than the daring, outspoken American poetess Ivy and the gentle, warm hearted Lady Freya Tallon. Ivy's recently arrived from across the pond to help her brother, who by birthright is now the Viscount of a sprawling estate and landlord to its residing tenants. Their nearest neighbor is the equally impressive estate of Lord Tallon and his large family, including Freya and her sisters. Nuclear powered sparks fly between Ivy and Freya, but Lord Tallon expects Freya to be courted and wed to a noble young Lord,......and thereby providing a male heir that Freya's sisters have yet to a bring into the world.
The romantic chemistry reaches a boiling point. Freya;s torn between family obligation and her newly discovered passion while Ivy finds herself forced to inhibit her bold independence to help Freya somehow navigate their way to a happy ending. And the growing political movement for women's equal rights, bitterly opposed by Lord Tallon, threatens to forever rip apart and divide our two adorable lovers.
As much as I go out of my way to avoid alternate universe fantasies, this one, I'm forced to admit seduced me into its Never Never land completely (Practically every time Ivy and Freya encounter each other qualifies as a sigh-worthy experience.) I also don't want for forget to point out that author Kiyoko has taken on the effort of creating her unique fact-and-fiction England with enough detail to make it seem real while you're reading it.
Well then, , I guess I've said more than enough to explain why this ended up as a surprising (to me, anyway) 4 star review. (****). Anyone entranced with a head-over-heels romance set in sumptuous English landscapes, here's a book vacation worth booking.
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