Perfection. I knew Lex Croucher could do it. Each standalone entry in this not-quite-series has been good, better, best. This one is THE BEST. In Emily, Croucher has written the prickly heroine of my dreams, who isn’t required to sand down any sharp edges for plot or relationship reasons. She is loved for what she perceives as her faults, her choices aren’t condemned but understood, and if that isn’t the ultimate fantasy, historical or otherwise, I don’t know what is. The rest of the cast, the plot, the obstacles are brilliant too. As much as I’ve liked the other books, this is the first Lex Croucher that I’m flat out eager to re-read.