Spoiler-free Review!!
These Shallow Graves
By: Jennifer Donnelly
4|.|5 stars
Josephine Montfort is from one of New York's oldest, most respected, and wealthiest families. Like most well-off girls of the Gilded Age, her future looks set - after a finishing school education, she will be favourably married off to a handsome gentleman, after which she'll want for nothing. But Jo has other dreams and desires that make her long for a very different kind of future. She wants a more meaningful and exciting life: she wants to be an investigative journalist like her heroine Nellie Bly. But when Jo's father is found dead in his study after an alleged accident, her life becomes far more exciting than even Jo would wish. Unable to accept that her father could have been so careless, she begins to investigate his death with the help of a young reporter, Eddie Gallagher. It quickly becomes clear he was murdered, and in their race against time to discover the culprit and his motive, Jo and Eddie find themselves not only battling dark characters on the violent and gritty streets of New York, but also their growing feelings for each other.
"If you’re going to bury the past, bury it deep, girl. Shallow graves always give up their dead."
I have had These Shallow Graves on my shelf just sitting there ever since last year on my birthday. I was just avoiding it because I saw New York, 1890 on the back and I thought it would be all boring and historical. I was soooo wrong. I finished this in 2 days, over the weekend. I loved it!!!
Before I get in to the review, I just want to say that the cover is alright but it's ruined by that weird real person at the bottom. Like why?? Just why?
The story begins in 1890 New York. Josephine "Jo" Montfort is a young lady of marriagable age in New York society. She is from a very rich, respected, old money family. She has her whole life set up for her, and that includes getting married to Bram Alderich, her childhood bestie. Sure, she likes him but she doesn't want to marry him. Jo's real passion lies in writing. She wants to be a reporter like her heroine, Nellie Bly (author of 10 Days in a Madhouse). Unfortunately, she can't do that because it's not ladylike *eye roll*. Then one day her father is dead. It's said to be an accident, but Jo doesn't believe it and teams up with handsome reporter Eddie Gallagher🤤 to find out the truth...
I love Jo. I like her even more than Jo from Little Women. She's such a strong character. She is passionate, headstrong, ambitious and loving without falling into that annoying "not like the other girls" trope. I love she's so realistic and has her flaws. Her character development was perfect. I think Jennifer Donnelly really got the balance just right with Jo's character, she's literally gorgeous. Oh yes, I forgot to mention, she is really pretty.
Obviously, I was instantly smitten with Eddie. He is just so handsome, charming and cute and hot and attractive and allll that good stuff. Here's a really long quote describing all his amazing features 😍
“You might be a while, miss,” a voice said. “Would you care to sit?” Jo turned, startled. A reporter was standing close by, holding a chair. He looked to be eighteen or nineteen years old and had dark hair, a handsome face, and blue eyes—the bluest she’d ever seen. “I beg your pardon?” she said, flustered. She wasn’t used to speaking with strange men. “I said you might be a while. Stoatman’s got some lackey from the commissioner’s office in with him.” He put the chair down next to her. “Thank you,” she said. “You’re very kind.” She tried to look away, but couldn’t. His eyes were not only impossibly blue, but frank and amused. She felt that they could see inside her, that he could see her heart and its sudden, silly fluttering. Blushing, she sat down. As he returned to his desk, she glanced at him from under the brim of her hat. Had she thought him handsome? He was glorious. He wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a tweed vest. His shoulders were broad and his forearms muscled. Thick, wavy brown hair curled over his ears and down the back of his neck. His nose had a bump on its bridge, like a boxer’s. A strong jaw and high cheekbones gave his face character. His smile was slow and easy. Jo made herself look away.
See!! He's perfect! And his manners and cuteness and the way he says miss and when he acts sarcastic and cute ughhh just give me an Eddie plz.
Jo and Eddie had so many cute scenes. The first of those being an extremely hot scene in the close quarters of a broom closet 😳🥰. Then there's plenty of banter scenes and another extremely EEEK scene when he sneaks into Jo's bedroom!! 😍😍😍 And it's the one bed trope because he can't leave and then ends up sleeping with her head on his chest and it was THE CUTEST THING!!
“Eddie? Eddie! What are you doing?” Jo asked, panic-stricken. “Sleeping. At least, I’m trying to.” “You’re sleeping? Here? In my room? With me?” “You’re very fresh tonight, Miss Montfort. I’m sleeping here in your room, yes. But not with you. Let’s not rush things. I’m not that kind of boy.” Jo blushed scarlet. “I didn’t mean that! I—I meant sleeping, not … sleeping.”
Then there's this other absolutely adorable part in the same scene where he calls Jo beautiful! 😍
Eddie pulled a cashmere throw off her bed. “I just want you to know—” he started to say. Jo cut him off. “That you’re very sorry. And you’ll never do anything like this again?” “—that you look very beautiful right now. And if I were a cad, I’d kiss you.”
Then later on when Eddie's asleep on the chaise and she's trying to sleep in her bed... this happens. I'm sorry the quotes are so long but it's just soooo good!!
“Wish you were a cad, Eddie Gallagher,” she whispered. “Wish to God you’d kissed me.” “Do you?” Jo gave a startled gasp. “I thought you were asleep!” “I was. You woke me up. Can’t you ever stop talking?” “Sorry! I—I didn’t mean to,” she stammered. “I just … I wanted to—” “If you want a kiss so badly, come and get one.” Jo got out of her bed. Her heart was hammering even harder than it had when Eddie surprised her. She sat down on the chaise. Eddie’s eyes were open now. He took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. She leaned over him and kissed his lips. He tasted like cigarettes and coffee. He smelled of the crisp autumn night, coal smoke, and ink. Being close to him … it wasn’t like standing on the edge of a cliff, it was as if she were running for that edge just as fast as she could. She broke the kiss and traced the outline of his mouth. Wonderingly, she touched his cheek. His neck. The smooth V of bare skin in his open collar. He laughed. “I’ve stumbled into a den of iniquity. I’m safer with the Tailor and Pretty Will and every thief and cutthroat in the Bend than I am with Miss Josephine Montfort of Gramercy Park,” he said. Then he pulled her down to him, kissed her forehead, and closed his eyes again. Jo laid her head on his chest. He felt so warm, so strong, so strangely, wonderfully male. Folded into his arms, she could almost believe that the impossible was possible. She stayed awake for some time, blinking in the darkness; then finally she fell asleep, listening to the sound of his heart.
IS IT NOT THE CUTEST THING IN THE WHOLE WORLD?!?!? Okay I have to stop going on about the romance now!!
Something amazing about this book is the historical part. It was so well done! All the customs and traditions of 1890s New York upper class were so seamlessly done in this book. I love the fact that Jennifer Donnelly didn't just focus on the upper class, she also gave so much insight on the lower class people and the poor girls in the slums as well as the lives of prostitutes. It was really sad but also enlightening and insightful.
Also I just loved the historical upper class parties and dresses and just like the ~vibes~ in general. 😊
The plot and mystery was really well done. There were lots of twists and turns so even if you guessed one thing like me, then you'll still have some reveals waiting so don't worry.
I liked the ending! I just really really really wanted just one more chapter so I could see Jo and Eddie like kiss or like get together or something!! I wanted that so badly.
All in all, this a new all time favourite. Please go read it!! Now! You won't regret it.