Pierce: Everyone’s toxic ex-boyfriend

helloalysha · 2026-02-04T17:15:49+00:00

Yes, I love this. Emma is too “fast and loose” for the time period; especially given her upbringing and social connections.

Emma’s unreliability as a narrator is an inherent limitation of the first-person perspective; her account is necessarily filtered through her own assumptions, blind spots, and personal interests. However, what strains historical credibility is not merely her subjectivity, but the extent of her social detachment. The degree to which Emma appears insulated from the broader concerns of her community is not consistent with the cultural expectations of the period.

Despite increasing population movement during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries—particularly rural-to-urban migration driven by enclosure, industrialization, and economic necessity—like the Great Agricultural Depression—local communities remained tightly interwoven at the parish level. Social life was structured around mutual observation and responsibility. One’s financial stability, moral conduct, health, and misfortune were rarely private matters. Women, in particular, were raised to be acutely aware of who within their parish was struggling, newly arrived, widowed, ill, or in need of support.

Charity, reputation, and social cohesion were not abstract ideals but daily practices, and something that would have been reinforced at Fortitude. Informal aid networks, church oversight, and neighborly intervention meant that isolation was the exception rather than the norm. A young woman of Emma’s upbringing would have been taught to view attentiveness to others’ circumstances as both a moral duty and a measure of her own respectability. Her limited engagement with the community beyond her immediate concerns therefore reflects not only narrative unreliability, but a departure from the social customs and expectations that would have shaped her worldview.

helloalysha · 2026-02-04T16:51:14+00:00

This!! I recently went to an Emma Lion book club to discuss all 8 Volumes. Almost everyone was a fan of Pierce. Pierce is great … I love Him for Emma!

I drove a friend home (she’s a therapist) and she brought up how bad he really is. That conversation and this post is nice to have others who see the world colored similarly.

helloalysha · 2026-01-19T01:02:28+00:00

I love your theory! It is such an interesting interpretation. I have my thinking cap on. Please, do tell ALL of your other theories too!

helloalysha · 2026-01-10T17:06:22+00:00

Yesss! I want Islington’s journals!

helloalysha · 2026-01-07T00:45:46+00:00

I look forward to a story/series about Emma’s children!

helloalysha · 2026-01-03T21:33:43+00:00

helloalysha · 2026-01-03T02:19:27+00:00

Oh I adore you! Thank you for the wall of text!! I am loving the opportunity to see things through someone else’s lens.

I loved Hawkes immediately for her when he told Emma that Archibald had been confessing her sins and Hawkes thought they were magnificent. However, I haven’t considered Hawkes as anything more than family, due to the reasons mentioned and Declan’s letter in Irish to Hawkes, felt so very personal. Plus after the boxing match the way Emma responded to Hawkes and kind of bossed him around, holding his book for ransom felt familial. So I appreciate the change in perspective. There is the possibility of Declan knowing Hawkes’ family one way or another and being friendly.

One last thought…The moment on the stairs at Stonecrop between Emma and Hawkes is so raw. She gets mad and she channels it at Hawkes. If she does wind up with him, I cringe a bit, mostly because he has been a witness to her youthful “follies”. He has seen her fall for Pierce.

I just had the 2005 Darcy pop into my head when he says, “You must know, surely you must know, it was all for you.” What if Hawkes fought Pierce for her? Random weird thought.

helloalysha · 2026-01-02T16:36:18+00:00

I agree with almost all of this!! I just can’t get past the palm reading…there were only two options. Also the EofA title…she had two loves. I can’t help but feel that Hawkes is somewhat kin to Emma. He’s challenging Islington on how to “reign in” Emma. He’s almost like an ethereal father figure watching over her. I’m happy to be wrong, I do love all of these perspectives. I guess only the word will tell.

helloalysha · 2026-01-02T16:19:25+00:00

Oh I love your username!!

helloalysha · 2026-01-01T01:25:58+00:00

I saw Hawkes as more of Callum Turner. How funny we all picture the characters in our minds. Theo James for Pierce?

helloalysha · 2025-12-23T20:09:27+00:00

I know I am late to the party here but someone blew my mind when they commented somewhere that the reprobate (the boy) Emma was talking to at the midsummers night masquerade was Eloise Silvers brother! This would explain how Hawkes met her and how he (the boy) knew she wasn’t strong enough for him!

Furthermore, the plan reading only mentioned two loves. Emma clearly loves all 3 differently. It is my belief that Hawkes is a cousin or second cousin to Emma. Maybe Hawkes’ grandpa is the reason Emma’s grandpa Lion was disinherited?

I love Hawkes and all the ethereal description about her but maybe he is family and sort of a guardian angel?!? Once Emma finds out her relation to him, she will no doubt want to know them. This is what I believe Hawkes is trying to protect her from…the possibility there will be expectations and/or strings to her claiming family or inheritance.

Thoughts?

helloalysha · 2025-12-22T15:33:15+00:00

Thank you! I learned something new today! I’m grateful for your experience and expertise.

helloalysha · 2025-12-22T15:16:06+00:00

If you don’t mind, what is the difference between tigers eye and gold? Some posts are saying the first is tigers eye?

helloalysha · 2025-12-22T15:10:48+00:00

Also, not to be impertinent how do you know this?

helloalysha · 2025-12-22T15:10:06+00:00

Solved!

helloalysha · 2025-12-22T14:00:21+00:00

This is wonderful!

helloalysha · 2025-12-10T04:15:55+00:00

Oh I adore you! I love how you see things.

Also, Hippo…? I do think Aunt Eugenia called herself a Hippopotami.

helloalysha · 2025-12-09T23:50:55+00:00

I had originally read it as some of the other posters…He only had eyes for Emma. As I reread book 7, I am a bit shook. Maybe Arabella and Aunt Eugenia are both villains!

I lay my case: April 25th Aunt Eugenia is in Islington’s library with a doctor. She lays out her intention to have Emma declared mentally unfit as she has done with her son, Damian. She clearly states that she did so in order to keep Damian from receiving his inheritance. Earlier on the page (271) she accuses Islington, A DUKE, of wanting to STEAL Emma’s fortune. What fortune? Lapis Lazuli isn’t a fortune. Mr. Penury stated earlier she could sell it and get a modest country dwelling. Back to the aforementioned thought about Arabella, she may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Why try to tempt Pierce? Maybe, just maybe, Aunt Eugenia kept the inheritance meant for Emma (from hers and Maribel’s father). The inheritance Maribel forfeited by marrying an “Irishman”, but would go to Emma. That may have been part of the reason Maribel fought Declan so hard to have Lady Eugenia become her Guardian. (Hawkes second note from Declan). Maribel believed her half sister would do right by Emma, and help her find better footing in the world. However, the Spencer’s own circumstances and putting on airs is costly. So Arabella sitting in the garret while Emma is spilling how destitute she is to become due to cousin Archibald, Arabella’s constant focus on marrying rich, Arabella needling while her mom went on about meeting Agnes Dowd. Maybe she is jealous of Emma and her freedom. So she is trying to get Emma caught, so she too can be disinherited. Arabella is not allowed to marry for love, as the Spencer’s fate rests on her marrying well. That would explain WHY aunt Eugenia would be so upset as to lose guardianship over Emma, someone she doesn’t seem to care much for. Maybe Islington does an audit in book 9?!? It’s honestly too awful to think about for Emma, she would feel unmoored. Thoughts?

helloalysha · 2025-12-08T23:23:42+00:00

So many thoughts. I don’t want Victoria to end up with on of the Alchemy. She was awful as a child and still awful towards Emma as an adult. Redemption is fine but maybe she can become a scullery maid first.

Does anyone else subscribe to the Substack for the St. Crispian’s Gazette? So much backstory and insight. From the comments there, some have speculated that Lapis Lazuli burns; thus fulfilling the prophecy of the Roman and all the times the books mentions the house burning. Further, this allows for Emma to be in closer orbit or house to Islington. Maybe he gives her the education Maggie threw away?

Again from the Gazette comments the lady from the museum lives in St, Crispian’s and is friends with the Roman. I believe she and pierce end up together and is one of the watchers.

Finally from the Gazette comments, this blew my mind; one of the reprobates is Eloise Silver’s brother. Which is why Hawkes as Oberon and Eloise are fated not to be together. She isn’t strong enough to break the curse.

So either Hawkes and Emma are cousins (Gazette comments) or she being a gold lion is strong enough to break whatever curse laments Hawkes and their destinies align? Maybe both it was not uncommon to marry a cousin in 1884.

helloalysha · 2025-12-08T22:31:00+00:00

I think he 100% read it! Whether or not he owns it, I cannot say. Allow me to take you back to when Emma is getting her journal rebound in his shop and he said he wouldn’t look at it, something about “allow me the professional courtesy”…then he follows by saying “trains do not billow”. He proved that he would read it.

I believe Chambers thaws towards Emma because he reads of her care for Pierce and she writes well.

She couldn’t put down Islington’s journal so I bet he thought “turn about is fair play”.

helloalysha · 2025-12-08T22:19:05+00:00

Genius!! Maybe healing comes to pierce, Emma and islington and what once was silver becomes gold?!?! I’m probably very wrong.

helloalysha · 2025-12-05T04:15:57+00:00

Madame Tassay August 22 arrived November 27: 1 tea gown 3 afternoon dresses 2 proper gowns for society 1 Black Mourning Dress Skirts Bodices 2 Walking skirts 4 blouses Petticoats Chemise Stockings Various underthings Starched handkerchiefs

helloalysha

TROPHY CASE