I was really eager for this book because I adored In For a Penny, and while A Lily Among Thorns wasn't quite as good as that book, I was not disappointed in it.

Basically the only reason I've given it a four-star rating is that it starts off pretty rough. A lot of information about the characters and different plot threads are thrown at you in a very short amount of time, the scene transitions are quite choppy, and overall it was just disorienting to try to keep track of everything before I'd gotten a feel for who all of the characters were and how the various parts of their backstories related to each other. I found myself wondering if I was reading a book that had had to be cut down for length without removing any of the threads of the complex plot. Luckily after a few chapters things get a little less frantic and all of the plot threads come together nicely by the end.

I fell in love with the book after it slowed down a bit and really began to focus on the characters, who really make the novel shine. Serena is so heartbreakingly terrible at feelings, and Solomon is so lovely and understanding. I loved that their romance moved slowly and that it felt like they had a real understanding of each other by the happily ever after. Just like in In For A Penny, I was struck by the little details the author included to show how thoroughly they had come to know one another (in that book, for example, it was a scene where Nev cut up Penny's food for her at the buffet). I also enjoyed the rather unconventional b-plot romance, which I don't want to say too much about for fear of spoiling it.

On a side note I've seen a few other reviews mention that Serena seems to be too competent at everything to be believed, but I did not get that at all. While I'll admit that I didn't fully understand how a high-class courtesan ended up having such extensive ties with the underworld, it wasn't improbable enough to take me out of the story.

All in all this was an emotionally satisfying romance with wonderful characters and a delightfully authentic happily ever after. While it didn't quite live up to In For a Penny, Rose Lerner is still going to be an autobuy author for me.