Victoria-Margaret is the crown princess of the empire, a direct descendent of Victoria I, the queen who changed the course of history. The imperial tradition of genetically arranged matchmaking will soon guide Margaret into a politically advantageous marriage. But before she does her duty, she'll have one summer of freedom and privacy in a far corner of empire. Posing as a commoner in Toronto, she meets Helena Marcus, daughter of one of the empire's greatest placement geneticists, and August Callaghan, the heir to a powerful shipping firm currently besieged by American pirates. In a summer of high-society debutante balls, politically charged tea parties, and romantic country dances, Margaret, Helena, and August discover they share an extraordinary bond and maybe a one-in-a-million chance to have what they want and to change the world in the process.

Set in a near-future world where the British Empire was preserved not by the cost of blood and theft but by the effort of repatriation and promises kept, That Inevitable Victorian Thing is a surprising, romantic, and thought-provoking story of love, duty, and the small moments that can change people and the world.

"This witty and romantic story is a must-read."--SLJ, starred review

"Compelling and unique--there's nothing else like it."--Booklist, starred review.

"[A] powerful and resonant story of compassion, love, and finding a way to fulfill obligations while maintaining one's identity."--PW, starred review

This book has been graded for interest at 12+ years.

There are 336 pages in this book. This book was published 2019 by Penguin Books Ltd .

Emily Kate Johnston is a forensic archaeologist. She has lived on four continents, including summers spent in Jordan experiencing the desert first-hand. Her inspirations come from her work, travels and her university studies in Biblical Hebrew and Arabic. She loves telling stories, and has been doing so across different mediums for over ten years.