THE SWAN’S NEST is a compelling read, a literary love story that hooked me from the first paragraph. It might also be one of my favorite novels of 2024.

The writing is gorgeous, the characters are rich, and every detail reverberates with the hypocrisy and stifling morality of the Victorian era. A powerful subplot about British colonialism in Jamaica adds another layer.

Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, two 19th-century English poets, seem to fall in love even before they meet. They admire each other’s works, and when she reaches out through a letter, his reply talks of love. An enthusiastic correspondence leads to friendship, but Elizabeth is an invalid who rarely leaves her London home.

Months pass before they come face to face, and there are many forces threatening to keep them apart, even as friends. Robert is not of the right class for her wealthy family, and her father and siblings are fiercely protective of Elizabeth’s poor health. Their love affair blossoms in secret.

History tells us they married, but I still read much of this novel fearful for their relationship, even after they created an elaborate plan to wed (yes, also in secret).

To quote Elizabeth: How Do I love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways.