Partners: A Novel.

"Partners: A Novel" by E. Werner is a tale set in the late 1800s, exploring the tangled connections between Jessie, a wealthy young woman; Sandow, her concerned guardian; and Gustave, Sandow's brother newly arrived from Europe. The story centers on Jessie's struggle for self-determination amidst societal pressures relating to marriage, as her guardian presses her to marry Gustave for financial reasons. The narrative begins with a heated exchange between Jessie and Sandow, where she demands love and personal fulfillment, sparking with a conflict of ideals. Entering the mix is Gustave, who grapples with his obligations to family while secretly desiring another, Frida, a young woman he intends to involve in Jessie’s life under misleading pretenses, igniting a series of events that put their understanding of love, responsibility, and freedom to the test.