‘Look, love is…it’s a terrifying thing. Love is handing someone every sharp edge within you, every weakness – and trusting them not to hurt you with it. That’s what makes it so…so awful. So extraordinary.’
Around this time last year, I fell in love with Sophie Austin’s wonderful debut, The Lamplighter’s Bookshop; the storytelling and worldbuilding swept me away (you can read my full review here). So I had high hopes for her second novel, The Storyteller’s Secret—and Austin has once again delivered a charming historical romance that captured my heart.
Taking us back to 19th-century England, The Storyteller’s Secret follows Ava Adams, a woman with a surprising gift: She can help people remember long-buried memories through hypnotism, attracting adoring theatre crowds and following in the footsteps of her famous mother. But when Ava has her heart broken, she runs from the spotlight and searches for purpose elsewhere.
Enter Damien Carter, a man on the run with more secrets than scruples; he can’t help but be drawn to Ava’s magnetism, and she’s intrigued by his easygoing manner. Her gift might just be the key to facing his past—can they overcome the shadows of who they once were and start a new chapter together?
I devoured The Storyteller’s Secret; Austin cuts right to the soul of each story with searing precision. Through lightly lyrical prose, she brings the hazy glow of Liverpool to the page, painting the thrill of possibility at the turn of every street corner. But it’s the characters who truly bring this story to life, with their arcs reflecting the novel’s theatrical themes—they each must go through a transformation to step into the spotlight.
‘She supposed that was the trouble with words – with their power. For when people tell you something over and again – you start to believe it. You stop questioning it. Instead, you let it sink beneath your skin. Let it define you.’
The story’s romantic tropes are deftly executed, switching between Ava and Damien’s perspectives so we can feel the ache of desire and the pain of deception from both sides. Their respective character arcs, alone and together, make you root for them throughout; the romance is just the right mix of tense and swoon-worthy. It is incredibly healing to read about characters who strive to be better despite everything they’ve been through, even when that journey towards inner fulfillment is difficult.
As for the supporting characters in their love story, there’s Jem, Ava’s ex-fiancé, who still holds out hope they can stay friends; Ava’s father, a man lost in his own grief; and her brother Oliver, a boy learning how to be a better man with a gentle fierceness about him. Oliver is a lovely character whose arc is as bittersweet as it is encouraging, and I hope to meet him again one day.
The addition of Mr Jane as Damien’s gruff confidante with a heart of gold is also a highlight; we could all use a little more Mr Jane in our lives. And he acts as a parallel to Ava’s old boss, Lillian, a complicated and cunning woman who runs the theatre and has a vested interest in getting Ava back on stage. Much like the theatre, not everything is as it seems, and each character has a surprising amount of depth, no matter how seemingly small a part they have to play.
The Storyteller’s Secret pulls at your heartstrings in multiple ways—familial grief, guilt and regret, romantic love—to play a symphony of beautifully raw emotions. So settle in and enjoy the show—this novel deserves all the applause.
