A historical novel set during the reign of Napoleon III, which is based on the true story of Victor Hugo, his wife Adele and her literary critic lover, Charles Sainte-Beuve. Humphreys is a bestselling author in Canada, and this is an atmospheric story of delicacy and emotion, and of the experience of professional jealousy and personal passion. 'Witty, sad and gorgeous in equal measure,' Emma Donoghue