North and South
When her father leaves the Church in a crisis of conscience, Margaret Hale is uprooted from her comfortable home in Hampshire to move with her family to the north of England. Initially repulsed by the ugliness of her new surroundings in the industrial town of Milton, Margaret becomes aware of the poverty and suffering of the local mill workers and develops a passionate sense of social justice. This is intensified by her tempestuous relationship with the mill-owner and self-made man, John Thornton, as their fierce opposition over his treatment of his employees masks a deeper attraction.
In North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell skillfully fuses individual feeling with social concern, and in Margaret Hale creates one of the most original heroines of Victorian literature.
- Spice
- 1/5
- Burn
- Slow
- Pages
- ~528
- Ending
- HEA
HEA means happily ever after: they end up together, for good.
How spicy is North and South?
North and South is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
- Steam: Glimpses and kisses
- Burn: Slow burn
- Pairing: One man, one woman
- POV: Multiple POVs
- Ending: Happily ever after
Content warnings
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Show 3 content warnings
- Death of a loved one
- Serious or terminal illness
- Suicide / suicidal ideation
Our editorial notes, which may be incomplete. If something is a hard limit for you, check the author's own content notes too.
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North and South: quick answers
How spicy is North and South?
North and South is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
Is North and South a standalone?
Yes, North and South is a standalone. You can read it on its own.
What tropes are in North and South?
North and South features enemies to lovers, opposites attract, victorian. It is a slow burn M/F romance that ends with a happily ever after.
Does North and South have content warnings?
Our notes for North and South include: death of a loved one, serious or terminal illness, suicide / suicidal ideation. This list may not be complete; check the author's own content notes if anything is a hard limit for you.
What should I read after North and South?
If you loved North and South, try Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell. They share its enemies to lovers and opposites attract energy at a similar spice level.