How to Grieve Like a Victorian

By: Amy Carol Reeves

Narrated by: Lindsey Dorcus

A LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF 2025!

It’s fine. She’s fine. Really.

When life’s turned you into a big hot mess, there’s still love, laughs, and snark to be had…

Dr. Lizzie Wells, professor of British literature and bestselling author, is not okay. She wasn’t consulted when her beloved husband died unexpectedly, so she’s going to grieve however she damned well chooses. Keeping a lock of his hair in a choker around her neck and donning widow’s weeds. You bet. Notifying colleagues and students that she will only accept paper letters instead of email. Why not? Very nearly kissing her late husband’s best friend, Henry. Unfortunately, er…yes.

So when she’s offered a trip to London, Lizzie grabs it. What better place to escape, heal, and be reborn than in the same city where Queen Victoria famously mourned her beloved Prince Albert? Encouraged by new friends to be bold, have champagne and oysters before noon, and celebrate the beauty and the messiness of life, Lizzie begins to embrace it all.

Still, there’s that almost kiss with Henry she just can’t forget. Their cross-Atlantic ‘check-ins’ turn into FaceTime hangouts and their friendship evolves into something more. When Henry shows up in London, Lizzie fears she’s falling in love with him… Will she bravely embrace this second chance, too?

Fun listen for a heavy subject.

I really enjoyed getting lost in this book and following along as Lizzie learns to live with grief while finding joy and love again. Readers who like Brontë works will find plenty of mentions and connections! Audio for the book was well done.

Real Feel

All the stages of grief - the devastation, the attempt at tricking ourselves into controlling/commanding the process, the guilt at moving forward, the joy of remembering - in a bright and beautiful novel with laughs along the way. you can tell it comes from a place of experience and rawness.

Lovely, unique novel about grief and resiliency!

I loved this book so much. Kudos to ACR for writing it and to LD for bringing it to life so beautifully. It's perfect for fans of the Victorian period / Victorian literature, especially the Brontë sisters and Wuthering Heights. What a perfect way to finish out my 2025 reading year!

Thank you for taking us with you on this journey…

So many gems, inside of one well written and perfectly narrated journey. I laughed, and I cried. Thank you for taking us with you…..