From the Bookshelf of Mostly Sapphic…

The Paying Guests

Sarah Waters

Start date: December 7, 2014

Finish date: January 17, 2015

Discussion: Buddy Reads

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Buddy Reads

* Buddy Read general discussion
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last updated Nov 13, 2025 09:01AM

The Bear and the Nightingale
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last updated Mar 28, 2019 06:28AM

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What Members Thought

Apr 01, 2018 Kennedy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-angst-romance-enjoy-very-muc

Wait for it. Wait for it. Be patient. This read it quite enthralling from the time period, characters, detailed descriptions, and of course the love story. I enjoy a good build up getting to know not only the characters but the story surrounding the characters. The author does a marvelous job slowly bringing the reader in, making us feel a part of the intrigue and caring about what will happen next. Something that captivated me was the gender dynamics of the time period as well as expectations. ...more

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May 15, 2015 T.B. Markinson rated it really liked it

Shelves: glbt-lesbian, lesbian-romance, historical-fiction

I loved Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith and when I heard about The Paying Guests, I was thrilled. While I enjoyed this story, I did feel at times, it was a bit slow and a little too descriptive. Saying that, it's still one of the better books I've read in months, but it didn't wow me like the other two.

Real rating is 3.5. ...more

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Nov 09, 2014 Stephanie rated it it was amazing

I was so glad to read this awesome book by Sarah Waters. She is one of my all time fave authors. Tipping the velvet being one of my ALL TIME fave reads. Her last work The Little Stranger, was a difficult read for me...I must say I was disappointed in it. So, it was with trepidation , I read The Paying Guests.
It is very typical Sarah Waters. Beautiful, flowing Victorian prose. The kind I love. The kind that makes the scene before you come alive and the characters become real people that make you ...more

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Nov 15, 2015 genia added it

i gave up on page 566. It got really draggy and I'll admit it took me two months to get that far. I was really excited when I saw this book at my local bookstore so I was really disappointed with the way it turned out. ...more

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