The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics - by Olivia Waite (Paperback)

About the Book

In 1816 London, widow Catherine St. Day hires Lucy Muchelney to translate a French astronomy text and thus finish her husband's scientific legacy, and they unexpectedly find themselves falling in love.

Book Synopsis

As Lucy Muchelney watches her ex-lover's sham of a wedding, she wishes herself anywhere else. It isn't until she finds a letter from the Countess of Moth, looking for someone to translate a groundbreaking French astronomy text, that she knows where to go. Showing up at the Countess' London home, she hoped to find a challenge, not a woman who takes her breath away.

Catherine St Day looks forward to a quiet widowhood once her late husband's scientific legacy is fulfilled. She expected to hand off the translation and wash her hands of the project--instead, she is intrigued by the young woman who turns up at her door, begging to be allowed to do the work, and she agrees to let Lucy stay. But as Catherine finds herself longing for Lucy, everything she believes about herself and her life is tested.

While Lucy spends her days interpreting the complicated French text, she spends her nights falling in love with the alluring Catherine. But sabotage and old wounds threaten to sever the threads that bind them. Can Lucy and Catherine find the strength to stay together or are they doomed to be star-crossed lovers?

From the Back Cover

As Lucy Muchelney watches her ex-lover's sham of a wedding, she wishes herself anywhere else. It isn't until she finds a letter from the Countess of Moth, looking for someone to translate a groundbreaking French astronomy text, that she knows where to go. Showing up at the countess' London home, she hoped to find a challenge, not a woman who takes her breath away.

Catherine St. Day looks forward to a quiet widowhood once her late husband's scientific legacy is fulfilled. She expected to hand off the translation and wash her hands of the project--instead, she is intrigued by the young woman who turns up at her door, begging to be allowed to do the work, and she agrees to let Lucy stay. But as Catherine finds herself longing for Lucy, everything she believes about herself and her life is tested.

While Lucy spends her days interpreting the complicated French text, she spends her nights falling in love with the alluring Catherine. But sabotage and old wounds threaten to sever the threads that bind them. Can Lucy and Catherine find the strength to stay together or are they doomed to be star-crossed lovers?

Review Quotes

"Waite delivers a luscious gem with The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics...a bittersweet read that will make your heart ache, bursting with genuinely funny, remarkable surprises." -- Entertainment Weekly

"Utterly charming and subtly subversive." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"This superbly written debut by Waite, the first in her new Feminine Pursuits series, is simply stellar in every way...everything in this resplendent romance is done to perfection."
-- Booklist (starred review)

"This superb novel, set during Regency times, unveils the love story between two intelligent women... Waite gives full voice to the unfair prejudice that women faced. She also provides a multi-ethnic Regency world that comes alive with scientific curiosity. Highly recommended for fans of both Remarkable Creatures and Gentleman Jack, this first in the Feminine Pursuits series deserves widespread attention." -- Historical Novels Review

"Waite delivers a sweet lesbian romance with a hint of spice, fitting into the decorum of the era." -- Library Journal