Ana María and the Fox

 Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa, 341 pages.

Ana María Luna Valdés is the daughter of an important Mexican politician, and her father's strict control has made her terrified of being anything less than the perfect daughter. But when she and her sisters have to flee Mexico for London during the French occupation by Napoleon III, Ana María experiences a modicum of freedom for the first time, and finally gets to decide what she wants for herself. One of the things she wants for herself is Gideon Fox, a young abolitionist and member of the house of commons from humble beginnings. However, Ana María is still engaged to a man her father chose for her, and being associated would hurt both of them politically, so instead they have to dance around each other for months until circumstances force desperate measures.

This book was, unfortunately for me, not quite what I was expecting. I was expecting something that leaned more historical fiction, but this book felt much more Regency romance (despite technically being a Victorian setting). The first sentence of the blurb also reads "a marriage of convenience between a Mexican heiress and a shrewd London politician makes for a scandalous Victorian bargain," which while technically true is also very misleading. The "marriage of convenience" comes very near the end of the book when they are both fully aware they are in love, and is not in fact particularly scandalous. I personally found myself a little bored with this book, but the characters were solid, and I suspect people who are actually fans of the historical romance genre might really like it.