In case you’re new here, just know this about me: my small nightstand is mostly taken up by an unstable tower of stacked novels, memoirs, and, yes, self-help books.

Each December, I offer my favorite reads of the year. Some of these books were published during the course of that year, but most were simply new to me.

In case you’ve not heard of it or seen it, the film is set in Edwardian England...think horses and carriages. It’s protagonist, Paula, is a wealthy young woman who is swept off her feet by a handsome older man named Gregory. They quickly marry, and things start to get...difficult.