The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell stars Amelia, a girl who is sent to Baltimore by her brother to participate in the season and find herself a husband. She stays with her cousin Zora and the two develop a quick friendship. While at her first dinner party Amelia meets Nathanial an artist and they quickly find themselves in a forbidden romance which threatens the life she has planned. Amelia then starts seeing visions of the future which she shares with anyone who asks.
I liked this book. It seemed like a more innocent version of the historical romances that I read in college. It had all the excitement of the season with a forbidden romance with a forbidden love and a bit of paranormal thrown in. The girls experiences with freedom and rebellion is enjoyable.
Appropriateness: The heroine is in her late teens and spends her time looking for a husband and talking about marriage so I would put the interest level at 14+. There is a bit of drinking done by the girls but otherwise there is nothing inappropriate in the book. The main character is rebellious but not out of control and while Amelia talks about her relationship being hot it's in an 1800's way with a touch making her feel steamy.
