Tuesday Intro: Song for Sophia by Moriah Densley

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon.

Anne-Sophronia jolted awake into darkness, a choked sob coming from her throat. She fought a battle with twisted ropes of sheets she finally realized were not restraining, cruel hands. A frantic brush over her arms, and she found them slicked only with sweat. No blood. No cuts and glass shards, only scars. She trailed her shaking fingers over the embossed lattice of fine lines on her wrists and the underside of her forearms. The motion stoked her anger as she emerged from her dreamlike state to wakefulness.

Song for Sophia by Moriah Densley

Song for Sophia is a beautiful historical romance filled with mystery, suspense, sizzling chemistry, and truly wonderful dialogue. It is set in the victorian era and wholly a character driven novel. 

Anne-Sophronia Duncombe disguises herself and is employed as a maid in Rougemont, home to the insane Earl of Devon. She is on the run and hiding from her abusive father. Wilhelm Montague, the Earl of Devon, is thought to be insane by everyone. He was a war hero but his past is filled with scandals. He has savant autism and is well aware of his shortcomings. His tortured soul can only find solace in music and he is happy composing brilliant music; a necessary release of his illness. He is a brilliant mathematician. 

His path crosses with Sophia and he can connect with her instantly. He can sense instinctively that she has secrets and finds himself drawn to her beauty and intelligence. He realises that she needs to be protected and feel secure and he offers those to her without reserve. He does not ask her about her secrets but he has his own sources to seek those. 

The chemistry between Sophia and Wilhelm sizzles and we are with them, all the way. The interactions between them are delightful. The dialogues between one another, both internal and external, are filled with wit and touch our heart. I loved Wilhelm for giving Sophia everything unreservedly. I loved Sophia for caring for Wilhelm with all she had.