Sabrian wipes the nervous sweat from his brow and checks his hair in the mirror. The time has come! Abigail is officially moving into the royal bedchamber (ooh lala!), only, when she arrives, there’s a little face peeking around the doorframe behind her! Romantic plot foiled! Or is it? Turns out, Princess Blanche is a pretty decent wingwoman as she innocently insists on everyone giving each other goodnight kisses—far more than Sabrian and Abigail would have gotten up to if left to their own devices, bless! And so, the happy fam is finally just that…right? We can leave them in peace now, right?! Bwahaha, of course not! Enter the Queen Mother, accompanied by a side dish of politicking ponces, including a very sus “music teacher” who wheedles his way into Blanche’s sphere, or is it Abigail he’s after? How will our favorite fam fair in the face of these forces that threaten to undo all the growth they’ve managed together, and reduce them to isolated pawns once again?
TL;DR: Our beloved fam is really bonding and growing in trust and affection for one another as they face outward challenges from scheming royals and shady nobles.
Be warned, spoilers abound below!
Initial Thoughts
Wow. This volume has the sweetness, joy, and emotional depth we’ve grown to love and expect of the series, but it also has some real strength on display here as our favorite fam faces some unpleasantness head-on. I love how they (and the author!) don’t beat around the bush, fraught with indecision for chapters and chapters, but instead put into action the courage and confidence that has been growing in each one of them, and really displaying the trust they have grown to have in one another, particularly Abigail and Sabrian. Yes!
Trust
If I had to name the theme of this volume it would be trust. And more specifically, this volume shows us that trust is an action, not just a warm fuzzy or an abstract notion. Trust does things, and more importantly, it does things differently. It’s there on display when Blanche tells her parents what’s actually going on with her grandmother; when Sabrian stands up for his family; when Abigail overcomes her hesitation to go with her gut and take the initiative to protect Blanche; when Sabrian supports Abigail’s plan on this front; and also when Abigail shares the truth about Verite, her friend in the mirror, and introduces him to her family.
This is a massive change for all three, and involves a deliberate willingness on their parts to learn to think differently both about one another and, just as importantly, about their own duties and responsibilities. Each has to be open to redefining what they believe “doing the right thing” looks like.
This is why trust takes such courage! Very often when we choose to trust, we are rewriting our own pasts and the mindsets they’ve shaped in us; we are rewriting our wounds and hurts and the coping mechanisms and survival tactics that have blossomed from them and to which we may often give pious names, like “being responsible for myself”, “not burdening others”, “minding my own business” or “living sacrificially”, when what we’re really doing is playing it safe by keeping others at arm’s length. When we trust, our plans, strategies, tactics, and priorities need to change to allow others to join with us. And yes, when we invite others in close they may hurt us, but as this volume shows us, it’s worth the risk—and it makes for a better story too. Sabrian, Abigail, and Blanche are each being transformed, and their cup of joy as a family is filling up! And it is trust that is at the heart of this transformation.
It’s at the heart of our own transformation too, in real life, where the best possible story for each one of us begins the moment we first return the trust of the most trustworthy one of all.
Stopping the Cycle
By far the most intense plot development in this volume was the arrival of the Queen Mother and her attempts to manipulate Blanche. I was practically biting my nails, fighting against a sick feeling that we were about see a tale unfold about how innocence equates to gullibility and is a recipe for exploitation; how innocence is vulnerability or even weakness. This could have been a long, drawn-out, painful arc. But instead, Blanche’s parents step up, Blanche herself opens up (off page), and we get a satisfyingly decisive end of a cycle of child exploitation that has marked the royal family, possibly for generations.
I love this message of hope: destructive patterns and cycles etched into us as children can be overcome. An abused child like Sabrian can become a champion of a father! A woman like Abigail who submitted to the opinions of others to the point of death can find the courage to rise up against injustice and intervene. And a child like Blanche who has been taught to think poorly of herself can learn to see her own value. What an incredible tale of freedom and agency this is becoming!
The Romance
Now, unlike my esteemed colleagues with whom I normally write these reviews, I’m not really a fan of romance or rom-com. But I must say, I’m finding the blossoming feels here between Sabrian and Abigail to be most compelling. All the little details are lovely, but what stands out to me most is the way that the two complement each other so well, in that neither of them is the stereotypical “leader” in the relationship; instead, each serves to encourage, support, and protect the other at different points—and also take turns being clueless, awkward, and uncertain! This co-service puts me in mind of Paul’s description of godly marriage, which is mutually sacrificial, and I’m here for it! It also makes Sabrian and Abigail feel like genuine, three-dimensional characters, rather than types who fulfill certain tropes in a romance plot to move it along. The author is giving each of them space to shine, and to each reveal where they need a little help growing. And the fact that care for Blanche is what brings them together unquestioningly every time there’s any wavering is a beautiful thing.
Three Especially Winsome Things, and a Fourth
First off, Blanche as wingwoman is utterly adorable! I love the innocence of her scheming to get her parents together. So sweet!
Second, Miss KAREN. Yassss! Good to see her again, and though it was but a brief scene, it is clearly signposting the redemption arc we’re all waiting for. I love how the author, Iru, is not rushing this one. Just another example of how Iru’s sense of pacing is really spot on: not making us endure the kinds of frustrating relapses and miscommunications that could easily have taken over the plot in this volume while giving us just enough of Miss Karen to keep that subplot gently warming on the backburner. It gives you confidence that there is still so much more to come in this story! With no need to rush or linger unwarrantedly.
Third, little boy Verite?! As in, Snow White is finally meeting the Magic Mirror, and they will be playmates?!? It’s nice to have these intermittent reminders of the original inspiration for this tale, as it makes you appreciate just how far our not-sew-wicked stepmom has come! Very happy for Blanche to finally have a friend her own age (?) too.
Finally, is it possible that the art is becoming even more gorgeous?
That’s all for this one! Be sure to join us for Volume 6!
Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom is published by Yen Press.
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Yes, this is such a fun series! I was so worried about Blanche when Sabrian’s mom showed up, thank goodness she has two loving parents that recognized the problem and stood up for her. Definitely love that Miss Karen is getting a redemption arc, she deserves a second chance. Yeah she was kind of nasty at first, but she was just trying to be a good daughter and doing whatever her father told her. I’m glad that as she matures she’s taking a step back from her father’s influence.
Yes! You’re so right, on both counts! I don’t think I can express how much I’m looking forward to Miss Karen’s arc. I don’t think she’s ever had a friend, and it’s going to be splendid to see the impact that friendship has on her. This is really such a lovely series!