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The General’s Gift by Giovanna Siniscalchi is the kind of historical romance that abounds in the best kind of tropes. While it’s apparently the second book in The Swans of Paris series, I haven’t read any of them and it reads perfectly well as a standalone. It’s a book that tells the story of the romance of the romance of General Alexander de Warenne, the Earl of Hawkhurst, a battle-scarred soldier who sees the world only in shades of grey, and Celeste Dubois—later revealed as Lady Cecilia Stratton—a French ballerina with a haunted past.
I’ll confess: I usually skip prologues. But Siniscalchi’s opener is genuinely well-done, introducing us to Alexander de Warenne, the battle-hardened Earl of Hawkhurst, amid Napoleon’s troops, before a traumatic incident leaves him colorblind. It’s a brief but effective scene, introducing us to his relationship with Cecilia’s father before a time jump of four years. Then we meet our heroine: Celeste Dubois, a young ballerina at Covent Garden hiding from her past as the aristocratic Lady Cecilia Stratton. She’s spirited, yet not exactly lady-like. Her world of dance is suddenly upended when a Bow Street officer arrives to reveal her true identity and escort her to the very man who once swore to protect her—Hawk himself.
Siniscalchi’s writing is undeniably fancy, in the best way. She deploys terms like tulle and pas de chat with confidence, and her sentences have a carefully polished, almost old-fashioned elegance. The book feels like it could have been a classic best-selling film adaption in the vein of Gone with the Wind, complete with sweeping cinematography and passionate declarations of love. The physical presentation matches the prose: beautiful formatting with illustrations above each chapter and evocative quotes. (Though I wouldn’t have minded chapter titles instead of just numbers—a minor personal preference.) Lines like “Their fingers touched, and the contact sent a thrill up her arm that left her blinking. The general’s hand was large, like everything else about him. And firm. Quite firm,” showcase the writing style well. It’s romantic, it’s lyrical, it’s perhaps a touch purple.
As I already touched on, The General’s Gift leans into its romance tropes with gusto: grumpy/sunshine, stoic soldier/dreamy artist, and Beauty and the Beast guardian/ward dynamics (with an age gap that may give some readers pause). Hawk reminds me of characters from Bridgerton or even Baron von Trapp from The Sound of Music, i.e. the rigid military man softened by an irrepressible spirit. Celeste believes in literature and love; Hawk believes in duty and the chain of command. Indeed, Celeste makes quite a lot of Shakespeare references which I appreciated, including to Ophelia, as in the recent popular Taylor Swift single.
Watching the general attempt to transform Celeste into a proper lady while she tries to coax smiles from his stern facade is fun to read. Their banter crackles with chemistry, “I like this kind of waltzing. Do you think I might attract a suitor by dancing instead of waking at dawn?” “It depends on what traits you value in a suitor.” “Do you mean there is a choice between dashing and fun-loving versus sleepy and red-eyed?” It’s the kind of flirting that makes you on the edge of your seat for them to kiss. Just don’t expect the most deep, three-dimensional characters.
This is very much a romance novel where tropes are a feature, not a bug, and where a happy ending is more or less guaranteed from page one. The power dynamic between Cecilia and the general as her guardian adds delicious tension, and Siniscalchi doesn’t shy away from spice. There are plenty of steamy scenes that are just as carefully crafted as the rest of the prose. The author clearly lavishes attention on every sentence, and that care shows.
Yes, it’s all a bit twee, a bit over-the-top in its romanticism, but for pure escapism it’s absolutely perfect. Hawk’s internal conflict, namely his vow to protect Celeste versus his growing feelings for her, creates genuine emotional stakes even as most of us will be able to guess exactly where things are headed. Or at least, maybe I’ve just seen too many romantic movies. The whole background of the Napoleonic Wars is also pretty interesting.
Overall, The General’s Gift is unabashedly romantic, sweeping, and full of heart—a lush Regency tale that feels both cinematic and intimate. I try to always include some constructive criticism, even if I love the book, but this book pretty much does exactly what it says on the tin. Siniscalchi writes with attention to historical detail and genuinely beautiful prose, crafting characters who feel real even in their most melodramatic moments. This makes it a treat for readers who want old-fashioned passion without apology. For anyone picking up a book about a colorblind general falling for a ballerina-turned-heiress, they’re more than likely here for exactly that kind of swooning escapism.
Final verdict: If you’re looking for a beautifully written Regency romance that embraces its genre conventions with confidence, The General’s Gift delivers in spades. A book for fans of classic historical romance and the authors Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, and Sarah MacLean.
You can preorder your copy of “A General’s Gift” here, out October 28!
