A Private Gentleman

by Heidi Cullinan

To seal their bond, they must break the ties that bind.

Painfully introverted and rendered nearly mute by a heavy stammer, Lord George Albert Westin rarely ventures any farther than the club or his beloved gardens. When he hears rumors of an exotic new orchid sighted at a local hobbyist’s house, though, he girds himself with opiates and determination to attend a house party, hoping to sneak a peek.

He finds the orchid, yes…but he finds something else even more rare and Michael Vallant. Professional sodomite.

Michael climbed out of an adolescent hell as a courtesan’s bastard to become successful and independent-minded, seeing men on his own terms, protected by a powerful friend. He is master of his own world—until Wes. Not only because, for once, the sex is for pleasure and not for profit. They are joined by tendrils of a shameful, unspoken history. The closer his shy, poppy-addicted lover lures him to the light of love, the harder his past works to drag him back into the dark.

There’s only one way out of this tangle. Help Wes face the fears that cripple him—right after Michael finds the courage to reveal the devastating truth that binds them.

Contains wounded heroes, bibliophilic tendencies, orchid obsessions, a right bastard of a marquis, and gay men who get happily-ever-afters.

Genres: Historical, M M Romance, Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, M M Historical Romance, Abuse

284 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2012

About the author

Author of over thirty novels, Midwest-native Heidi Cullinan writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because they believe there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. Heidi’s books have been recommended by Library Journal, USA Today, RT Magazine, and Publishers Weekly. When Heidi isn’t writing, they enjoy gaming, reading manga, manhua, and danmei, playing with cats, and watching too much anime.

Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Whores are meant to be bought with money, my lord, not flattery."

Another quick reply, one Wes gave almost without thinking.

"Perhaps it is not the whore I am trying to buy."

Ugh, this book was SO AMAZING. I loved it.

I was struggling the other day to think of a genre I've neglected. It was very difficult because I read everything. But finally I was like, "I am challenging myself to read one m/m romance novel and one f/f romance." Boo-yah! How exciting for me! (Now, this is not completely new territory for me, but rare enough that I think it counts as a challenge.)

Unfortunately, a quick Amazon search revealed a bunch of garbage. I definitely wanted to avoid erotica and I definitely wanted to avoid poorly written PWP crap.

Quickly the Romantic Times Book Review magazine swooped in to rescue me. They usually feature one m/m fiction in among the hundreds of m/f romances they review. (However, f/f fiction is conspicuously absent.) This book was featured and it sounded like an amazing plot, actually.

"D-did s-someone h-h-hurt you?"

Vallant's sudden, careful stillness told Wes all he needed to know. I will kill him, he thought. His mind began to catalog the many, intricate plant-based poisons he knew, several of which were rendered tasteless in a simple cup of tea.

I was NOT disappointed.

This book just was slamming me with all the emotional and psychological drama I look for in romance. Not to mention two MCs who are sweet, patient and loving to each other. That's what is most important to me - no sneering asshole hero. I can't stand being told that jerks are "romantic" or "charming" or "sexy." Luckily, both these men were wonderful people who treated each other with kindness and respect. Yay!


...

Wes is a rich man in Georgian (?) or Regency (?) England. He has a bunch of problems. For one thing, he has a severe and pronounced stutter. This, combined with a good dose of social anxiety, makes him a near-recluse. His judgmental father criticizing him at every turn and his love of men which is seen as a sickness by society just add topping on the cake of nerves and anxiety that makes up Wes.

It's for this reason that he turns to opium.

I know, I know, this guy is a mess. Where can we even begin to help this man? One thing that helps him is his love of plants. He works for the Royal Botanist Society and he is great with flowers and orchids, even "bringing some back from the dead," as the book puts it.

But he is basically very unhappy.
...

Enter another unhappy man, stage left. This is the pretty, blond, well-dressed flirt (and prostitute) Michael. He seems to be fine, until (due to his very poor eyesight) he mistakes Wes for his... pimp(?) mentor(?) ex-lover(?) rescuer(?) Rodger. Well, let's just say Wes is shocked to be taken by surprise and felt up by this young, blond, gorgeous man. Once Michael realizes his mistake and everything is worked out, one thing leads to another and this book completely slams you into the ground with the feelings and psychology and messy pasts of both these main characters.

"I'm not in love with him. I couldn't be. I can't be." His hands tightened around his gown. "I WON'T be."

Wow, I just LOVE romance books that get into psychology and damaged characters and the healing power of love. Cheesy, I know, but I just eat it up. Unrealistic, I know, but it makes me so happy. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough I was so wrapped up in Wes and Michael's story and so eager to find out what would happen next. And at no point does the book slow down or let you go, because Cullinan has SO MANY issues to resolve. Which, to me, is super-fun!

And, there's tons of cute, sweet, adorable scenes. Full of love. I just really like love and stories about love and when two people are in love. I am a fan of love. <3

"You shall make me fat," Michael accused, falling to the sweet with relish.

Wes sincerely doubted that, but in any case, he wouldn't mind. He would feed Michael all day long, were he allowed. But he only said, "Eat quickly. There is a b-b-bookstore ahead."

Because Michael loves books! And there's lots of book-worship in this novel, too.

Another great thing about the book that I want to note is that there's no stupid misunderstandings, miscommunications, or dumb fights. I hate when those are in romance, they are very frustrating. But Cullinan neatly sidesteps that, to my relief.
...

How's the sex, Carmen?

I don't feel like I can really weigh in on this because I am not really interested in sex unless there are vulvae involved. If it's only penises, I just can't work up any excitement. I know tons of heterosexual women who enjoy gay porn (for example, a friend of mine watches it all the time), but it just leaves me bored. So... perhaps you should check other reviews to find out if this book is sexually exciting or not.

I will say that if you love the slow burn (and I do), then this book will be right up your alley. The romance between these two (even though they sleep together early on) is so slow, so gradual, so glacier-slow and that is JUST how I love it. I wish more romance books did this. I love slow-moving, "we actually are going to fall in love, not just fuck or instantly be a couple" plots.
...

TRIGGER WARNING: This book deals rather heavily with the sexual abuse of children. If that upsets you, SKIP THIS, I am warning you.
...

THREE REAL STARS, FIVE ROMANCE STARS Completely worth the $4 I paid for it. And that's saying a lot, for me.

P.S. I tried valiantly and I think successfully to ignore the cover picture and create my own imaginings of what Michael and Wes looked like. Not that the cover is bad, but I'm trying to fight it destroying my mind-pictures. o.O I am strange.

[Emma Sea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, the angst.

Michael is a rent boy with a heart of gold, who has developed PTSD-related panic attacks when he tries to work as a whore.

Wes/Albert/George is a lowly second son who loves Michael, and will pay for a month of Michael's time to do nothing more than keep him company on long carriage drives. And trips to gardens. And libraries. And more gardens. And Oxford. And gardens.

I loved both the MCs, and the botanical sub-plot was interesting (if a little overwraught metaphor-wise). The secondary characters were believable, and I'd like to read more about Rodger's brothel.

I was totally into the book until Michael and Wes made their deal, and then the whole non-romantic, non-erotic part just seemed to go on and on and on. I would have liked a bit more action. Yes, I like that they get to know each other, and it's sweet that Wes does nice things for Michael for no sexual reward, but honestly I was so over Wes's agoraphobia and stuttering before the book was half over. Because of their scorching opening encounter I had much higher hopes.

Also the whole anti-opium rhetoric (and Miss Brannigan herself) seemed very wearying, and reminded me of America's sad obsessive War on Drugs. It also made me confused about the exact decade the book was set in: train passengers travel in open carriages like cattle-cars, which dates it to the earlier 3/4 of the 1800s, yeah? But I thought anti-opium sentiments weren't prevalent till the last 1/4? So, I was a bit at sea there.

Wanted to love it; didn't.

EDIT: Also, the book should carry a trigger warning for child abuse.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautifully heartbreaking story.

Thankfully I know Heidi always ends a story with an HEA, but damn these two had to work for it. The secondary characters were perfectly done and added to the story so well. The story wouldn't have been nearly as strong if it weren't for Penny and Rodger. Those two were the backbone for the MC's when Wes and Michael were too broken to stand on their own. I loved every conversation they were a part of.

Both Wes and Michael were so much more than their stations in life prescribed for them. The author didn't take the easy way out and have Wes "Pretty Woman" Michael. Thank Jeebus. They both needed a ton of repairs to their psyche's and they did it for each other, but for themselves as well. It made their struggles more poignant for me. They were finding strength and fixing themselves for all the right reasons.

At first I was thinking the end wrapped up a little too quickly and the evil dispatched too cleanly but once I thought about it some more I think it was just right. He didn't deserve any more page time and his reign was over. Done and done.

The ending was so sweet and completely swoon worthy.

"Wes wanted to laugh - laugh, cry, shout, leap through the air. For the first time in his life, even, he wanted to run out into the street and run up to strangers and shout in their faces and spin them around. I can dance. I can dance, and I can speak. I can love, I can laugh - I can live. There's nothing wrong with me. There never was. I just needed to find the right way to do it. The right place to do it.

He looked down at Michael.

The right man to do it with."

[Cadiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good historical and this re-release from Heidi Cullinan is just that, filled with wonderful characters and the flavour of London life.

This isn't the typical historical though, our heroes have serious issues, one's a professional sodomite, the other's an opium addict with a debilitating stutter.

But together they find the courage to be more and they truly are beautiful when they learn to live with their demons. There's some other drama keeping the plot tension going too and I loved all the secondary characters like Rodger and Penny.

There is a bit of a nice tidy "tie all the ends up" plot development which kind of felt a bit too convenient, but it did fit in with the previous behaviour of the villain, so it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility.

I also loved all the botanical references, this point in the Victorian time period was a fascinating one for the natural arts and sciences.

#ARC kindly provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Aeren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es una historia bastante sólida, la trama no es nada nuevo pero la autora sabe llevarla muy bien, a mi en lo particular me resulta muy agradable leerla. Me ha gustado en particular cómo describe a los personajes y sus circunstancias, no hace apología de sus decisiones y no pide 'disculpas' por sus errores. En especial el chico que es prostituto, me ha encantado que no trivialice un tema que (en mi opinión es serio) y lo convierta en una anécdota sobre la que echarse unas risas, como he visto en muchas otras novelas, donde se romantiza la profesión de un modo que es bastante frívolo y para mi, ofensivo.
Es lento, pero creo que el tono de la narración es el que la historia pide. Muy recomendable si te van las historias de 'redención'. Se ayudan el uno al otro sin ser algo instantáneo y mágico, lo cual agradezco.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was absolutely charming. It had a much darker theme than I was expecting but I didn't doubt for a minute there would be a HEA, and there certainly was. Slightly over the top ending but perfect.

[Sonia ~Ruber's fiancé in Crystal Court universe~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite love story between a whore and a stammerer opium addict.. I know, I know it doesn't sound very fairytaleish, but is was such a pleasure following their struggle to be together while trying really hard to overcame their inner demons (and boy do they have big ones!).
Their love, their pain, their hope felt so real, I was there with them every step of the way.. It was absolutely adorable to watch them become to enthralled and mesmerized when they got to explore their passions (Wes with the plants and Michael with the books).
The end was kind of too nicely packed and things seem to resolve too neatly but I was so satisfied with the outcome that I didn't even care; this is fiction after all.

I feel so good about reading this book.. So, so good!

[Mouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book.

Be warned, though, if you're into historically accurate books: THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. From the way they address each other (okay, really? That, at the very least, wasn't right? WHY NOT?) to the situations they find themselves in. It felt like the historical portion of this book was more of a vehicle for the characters verses an actual setting.

I label this: historical-fantasy. :)

[Erastes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not very often that I am charmed by a book almost from the first page–but this book blew a fresh wind into the rather overworked 19th century area of the m/m historical romance genre and I found myself won over and wooed.

I have to say that I took to Cullinan’s protagonist immediately. In fact I took to both of them because they were so refreshing in these days of perfect hunks of men. Granted they are both gorgeous as hell, but Lord George Albert Westin has a stammer that would make King George VI look fluent, and Michael Vallant wears glasses–without them, he’s as blind as Marilyn Monroe’s character in How to Marry a Millionaire.
These two disabilities are used with comic effect (without making light of the disabilities at all, I hasten to add) to get our two main characters into an amusing and tight situation where they get to know each other in a manner that I don’t think I’ve ever read before. In fact it’s the way that these two characters get together that was a refreshing change to read.

Both men–aside from their handicaps–are also damaged psychologically. I won’t reveal the nature of this damage as it would spoil a good deal of the plot but it creates the main part of the conflict in the book and due to both men’s inability to deal with real life in general nearly leads to their downfall.

There’s a good deal of research that’s gone into this book and it shows–but in a way that draws you in, intrigues you and makes you think “oo – I must look that up!” It’s not the kind of book that info dumps you with detail, rather, it makes the detail part of the story so you are mopping up facts about early Victorian London without realising it. I’m not sure of the exact date, but Euston Station is in existence, so it’s sometime after 1837.

There is a fair bit of weeping, and that would normally irritate me, but actually it works well here, and Ms Cullinan has worked to portray men who are at the edge of precipices they didn’t even know they were on, and it takes one small push to send them into the abyss. There’s a hugely touching scene in the Bodliean Library where Michael catches sight of himself in a glass case and metaphysically he almost disappears, because he doesn’t know who he is, and realises that he needs to “find himself” and I fully believed that he would break down at this point. It’s very realistically played. The psychology that is explored, in a time before everyone had a shrink, is well done and convincing.

I think I would have liked a little more interaction with Wes’s brother, and his nephew and even his father, because much of what we learn about the father doesn’t gel with what we actually see on the screen. But, the secondary characters are all well done, my favourite was Rodger, Michael’s procurer.

I have one minor quibble, and that’s some of the language was a little modern, and there was a lot of talk of “blocks” e.g. He drove six blocks, and that kind of thing, which was a tad jarring but that’s not enough to dent the mark, because this was a pleasure to read and I hope Ms Cullinan continues to write historicals because she’s made a great debut into the genre with this one.

A lovely long read, with two protagonists thatwill have you rooting for them from the first, I highly recommend A Private Gentleman. It’s ludicrously cheap–and ebook only, and I hope that Samhain get this into print asap, because I want a forever copy.

[Barb Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Private Gentleman by Heidi Cullinan is at its core the love story of Lord George Albert Westin and Michael Vallant; it's a tale of failure and redemption in families, friendships and society. Cullinan paints a vivid tapestry of passion and pain, of love gone down to the depths of hell and reclaimed at great costs.

Cullinan is not a gentle writer. She can draw beautiful imagery, such as her descriptions of Wes' orchids and Michael's books. However, her power as a writer is in her depiction of emotional trauma. As she explores the contours of Wes' addiction to opium, Cullinan delivers some gut-wrenching scenes; likewise, with the recounting of Michael's early life with his courtesan mother.

While Cullinan is hyper-focused on the romance between Wes and Michael, she peoples A Private Gentleman with characters who step onto the stage with their own powerful history. Her secondary characters are not mere stand-ins or tools to move the tale. They have their own stories to tell.

Penelope and Rodger are just two of the secondary characters who demand attention on Cullinan's stage. On the surface, it appears that Penelope, the crusader, stands at one end of the social spectrum while Rodger, the brothel owner, stands at the other end, but neither character is so clear cut, both are good and bad.

A Private Gentleman is a great read! Cullinan's Wes and Michael make you root for them. You want them to win through the pain and trauma of their lives because they deserve to win. There should be 10 stars just for this book. A Private Gentleman is definitely a keeper.

A Creative Ink Book Review

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. This is a re-release with no content change simply editing corrections and a new cover.

I've wanted to read A Private Gentleman for a while and I've never gotten around to it. When I learned Heidi was re-releasing it, I thought this would be the perfect time to read it. I have not read a lot of MM historicals but I've read several MF so I am very familiar with the genre. A Private Gentleman is a wonderful historical romance and it felt so real and despite the period it's set in, it felt so current and I could connect with the characters (ALL of them) and I love when that happens.

Albert is a shy and nervous man who stutters, which has made him a sort of social outcast. The people of society put up with him only because they fear his father. Albert loves plants and flowers and works for a botanical society garden (I believe it's owned by the crown in some way). Anyway, all Albert wants is to be surrounded by his gardens and be left alone. It's his curiosity and love of flowers that forces him out of his secure life and into a dreaded party because he's heard rumor the hostess own an unseen orchid, and Albert can't resist seeing it. To muster the courage to go out in public, he takes a ridiculous about of opium. Things don't go quite according to Albert's plan with trying to see the orchid, but he does get to sneak a look at the orchid, which makes Albert happy. :)

While at the party, Albert meets Michael, a prostitute. I am not going to spoil that meeting, but let's just say they get to know each other well. ;) Michael has his own torments and demon filled past, which is closely tied in with Albert's. These two thru circumstances find comfort in each other and thru love find peace and happiness.

Warning, possible triggers. There is on page description of sexual abuse of minor children.

I found this whole story to be extremely well written and I enjoyed all the characters. I highly recommend this and give it 4.5 stars.

[Feliz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was like one of those vending events where a well-versed eloquent salesperson effortlessly as anything manages to convince you that you can't live without their goods - and you listen raptly nodding your head and open your purse wide since you're sold, literally. Only once you're outside the sales room with your absolutely superfluous overpriced heating blanket, you wake from your daze enough to take a break to think, and then you shake your head at your own gullibility. But do you storm back in to demand a refund? No, you just walk off with a shrug. After all, it was a nice event, and you had fun listening to the salesperson. You clutch your blanket tighter with a slightly embarrassed self-indulgent smile. All things considered, it's a nice blanket.

What I'm trying to say is that while reading this story, I was totally engrossed in it and I bought every word I read. Only afterwards, when I thought about it, I realized what total wimps both main characters were, Wes even more than Michael. Dreadful childhood experiences and a**hole of a father aside, wallowing in self-pity like he did is a luxury few of his contemporaries could afford. Putting the blame for all that's wrong with your life on everybody else, circumstances and bad luck is a behavior for which I can't muster much patience, either in real life or in fiction. And he didn't fight his way out of it on his own, no, it took some kind of fairy godmother to pull him free of the swamp.
Michael, whose lot in life admittedly was dire, lucked out tremendously with Rodger. Okay, Rodger pimped Michael, but he put up with a lot from him, too, showing almost superhuman patience and support when Michael's belated PTSD hit hard and square. And eventually Michael was miraculously cured by love (another stumbling stone in fiction with me).

But did I throw the book across the room in annoyance? Obviously not. Will I shout a "stay off this" warning all over the place? Not at all. This book was engrossing, poignant, sweet and heartwarming and above it all, so beautifully written that I had an incredibly good time reading it. Let the warm blanket of the writing enfold you, and you'll close this book with a sigh and a smile, like I did, and forgive the small niggles that will take their time to pop up anyway, if they do with you at all. ;-)

[Bitchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a LOT of things going on. I think it would have been better served to not have so much conflict. I don't expect all fluffy bunnies, especially from this author, I just think all the conflict and angst overwhelmed things a bit.

We had Michael, the hooker with a heart of gold, who had a period of child rape/abuse in his past, who is suddenly, after all these years, crippled by fear and nightmares, and then we have a stuttering, agoraphobic opium addicted bullied "worthless" second son, Wes/Albert/George, who just so happens to be the son of the man who bought and abused Michael when he was 12. It just all felt like TOO much for one story.

However, I did really LIKE the characters of Michael and Wes/Albert/George. I found their initial encounter very hot, and wish we didn't have to wait so long before we got more.

[Dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent historical m/m romance set in Victorian times (not sure the cover conveys that period). I very much enjoy Heidi Cullinan's writing: this book had an intelligent plot and fully developed likeable characters.

The stammering opium-addicted Lord George Albert Westin (Wes or Albert) meets beautiful short-sighted whore Michael Vallant and his world begins to change..

'She shrugged. "Life is pain, Lord George. We all deal with it as we can. Some of us hide in our anger. I prefer not to judge the method of coping but to do what I can to help others let go of the pain."

[WhatAStrangeDuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm on a re-reading binge and gorram if I didn't have to eat crow several times over now. *sigh*

Yes, this is a well-made historical romance that deals with some seriously nasty spit RL would have thrown at people throughout the ages. It's also just a plain good book and I enjoyed reading it again. I was wrong before by rating it three stars and I regret it. So here are shiny four stars. Not five because that is reserved for books that I basically just want to start reading all over again immediately after I finished them. But still.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one - the characters were wonderful, unusual, and not perfect, although Michael came close. The historical setting felt real but not intrusive. I was caught by surprise by where the story went plot-wise in the penultimate climax, with a nod to the reality of addiction. The secondary characters added depth and complexity. (Actually, I'd love to see Rodger get a story of his own - he really caught my imagination about who he is, how he ended up the way he did, and where his life might go.) As an added bonus, that cover is perfect.

[Anke · Rating 5 out of 5]

No idea why I didn't read this sooner! Perhaps when it was released I wasn't a fan of historicals. But since then I read several great ones. This one was another addition. Wonderful story, great characters and a wonderful happy ending.

Full 5 stars.

[Julio Genao · Rating 2 out of 5]

(sigh)

[CrabbyPatty · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb for A Private Gentleman checked off so many items on my book wish list. M/M historical? Why, of course. A tortured hero? Another check mark. A prostitute with a dark past? Yes, please! Issues to overcome, such as an opium addiction and a heavy stammer? Sign me up! However ...

In 1844 London, Lord Westin (Wes) has a very heavy stammer and spends his time nurturing his gardens and working with the Botanical Society. Wes needs "a dangerous amount of Doctor Jacob’s wicked little pills mixed in with his usual laudanum" just to get out the door, and in society he's treated like an idiot because of his speech, so being gay as well is just the icing on a not-so-tasty tea cake.

Michael had the best schools his courtesan mother could afford, and dreamed of being a scholar of books, or more practically a lawyer, but due to a devastating loss of innocence, became a whore. After meeting Wes at a society ball and following a sizzling sexual encounter, Michael reverts back to the terror he experienced when he was a child and has issues similar to PTSD.

The majority of the book focuses on these two men as they heal, and as they create the foundation of a life together. At close to 400 pages, the pace of Michael and Wes' relationship was so protracted that I lost interest at times. Yet other matters that would have benefited from a bit more detail (Wes' withdrawal from opium) were rushed over. In addition, that Wes' father was Michael's sadistic rapist seemed way too coincidental in the grand scheme of things, and while I liked that Michael and Wes had a HEA, it didn't seem to fit the time period to have them happily living together with "a small cache of servants who wouldn’t blink at two men sharing a bed together." Given that homosexuality was punishable by death or deportation at the time, this seemed a bit too ... cavalier with reality.

While the slow pace of the book drove me batty, I liked the premise of the story very much and gave it 3 stars (1.5 stars for pace, and an average of 4 stars otherwise.) As always, please note that "your results may vary!"

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!

[Page Crusherz · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED! This was excellent. I was dying for a great romance where I could lose myself and have that "I can't stand to stop reading" feeling. THIS WAS IT! I carried my kindle around all day in case I could get a glimpse! I made myself almost late to work! I love Heidi's work, in particular Special Delivery and its sequel. (I frequently debate which I love more, and its about a 50/50 split.) In those, she took characters I didn't think I could love, and made me love them. Here, she took characters I knew I would love and made me love them even more!

The MC's were great, and the plot was dramatic without being too much for me. I love some angst, but I would characterize this as deeply emotional, but not angsty. It worked so well. At one point I did think that things would never work out in a way that I might believe, though I never lost my love for the novel. In the end, I was so pleasantly surprised and it felt real and right. As in all romance, there is some suspension of disbelief required, but very little. I loved it and cannot wait for more from her.

Update 3/24- needed to reread- and LOVED it all over.

And again on 10/13/15- STILL THE LOVE

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet, gentle, yet passionate and emotional romance. I really enjoyed seeing Wes and Michael learn to love each other. They were great characters, and they felt very real. It was beautiful how they could just be themselves around one another, and they accepted each other without questions, flaws and all. The plot is pretty intense, and it grabbed my attention from the very beginning.

Note: There were pretty major editing oversights that detracted from my experience. For example, one character's name kept switching from Brannigan to Barrington, and the character Rodger sometimes had a "d" in his name and sometimes did not.

Content warning regarding children: There are some flashbacks and descriptions of child rape, which is itself a pretty integral part of the story.

[Simsala]

Before reading...
Not a review just self-encouragement...

As my dear friend Vio told me good-naturedly - this will end tragically.
Not for the characters....for Sims!
But -
a.) I`m incorrigible (what shall I do,I love the blurb..!)
b.) I`m prepared
- Disbelief got kicked out of the window,dislike of historicals completely ignored,CwD-allergy rigorously suppressed and my other pet-peeves...what are pet-peeves?

...that should work...*deep breath*

After reading...

It didn`t work...
I had a serious problem with this book that had nothing to do with pet-peeves or chicks-with-dicks but I have to go back and re-read some parts to be sure.
I`m not in the mood for that now...so more later...

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and tender love story between a whore and the second son of a lord, who happens to be a stammerer and opium dependant. Though it turned into too sweet territory at times, it was never cheesy and those two were so sweet together and so obviously in need of each other, that I didn't mind it at all. I really enjoyed reading it, even if it's not what I'd call my usual 'fare'.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

So I knew nothing about this book going in other than it was written by one of my favorite authors, so naturally I'm in. Then of course I run into one of my least favorite tropes, make that two of my least favorite tropes, in the first few pages. Great rent boys and insta-love. Ugh. But as per usual, Heidi Cullinan makes both of those tropes palatable for me. First by making the insta-love more of a subconscious thing and not both characters instantaneously screaming it for all the world to here. And second by having circumstances happen that keep Michael faithful to Albert pretty much from the moment they meet.

Besides those things though this is a bit of a dark and twisty tale that has both out main characters dealing with traumatic events that have shaped the entirety of their lives. Neither of them has handled their childhood trauma well up until now. They have been surviving not really living and this story really forces them to see and address what they've been running from. Both of these guys are stronger together and have their flaws. I liked both of them a lot. I felt for them and what they had been through. I enjoyed the path this story went down and the help each of them got to move forward in their lives as individuals and together.

[Heather C · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Private Gentleman has been on my TBR list for a while now and since this week was set aside for “Heidi Cullinan Week”, I figured it was the perfect time to read it.

While snooping around at a house party searching for a rare orchid, Lord George Albert Westin, social outcast and stutterer, encounters Michael Vallant, professional whore. Both men have some dark demons: Wes is a slave to the poppy and Michael has a really bad history with Wes’s father. I don’t want to get into too much plot review, but the story revolves around Wes and Michael’s mental weaknesses and how instead of helping each other, they initially make each of their problems worse.

I’m really not sure what to say about this book. I mean, I read it and liked the characters, but I never really cared about them. Both were pretty fucked up…in BAD ways, but I never felt that deep connection that I would have hope for with two such damaged characters.

Also, I struggled with getting into it in the beginning. I usually have a certain enjoyment for the slower books, but it seemed like it took forever for anything to happen…and when something happened, I just couldn’t get excited about it. I feel guilty saying that because I DID like Wes and Michael, I just never felt any urgent desire to find out what would happen with them next.

I really liked the botany aspects and found myself Google searching many of the plants. And Penny was probably my favorite character…and Rodger. I think those two had more convictions alone than Wes and Michael combined.

I think, for me, this is one of those cases where its “not the book, its me” situations because I really can’t pinpoint any specific barrier of why I was never emotionally invested in Wes and Michael’s story.

Reviewed for The Blogger Girls

[♥ Rebecca ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this more of a 3.5/5. I was looking forward to reading about a shy, socially awkward lead. I enjoy awkward and endearing characters. I was expecting him to be like Jeremey from Carry the Ocean. And although I did enjoy Wes, I enjoyed Michael more. Wes was not really what I had expected. He was far more deeply troubled than just a stutter and shyness.

Carry the Ocean is the only book by Heidi Cullinan that I have read before, and although it was heavy and dealt with some dark issues such as suicide, A Private Gentleman felt even more so. It had 2 attempted suicides and one successful one, and dealt with some other disturbing issues which took away from the romance for me. Perhaps I should have tried something lighter. But Michael and Wes were great together and Michael was a sweetheart.

[Shelby P · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked Penny and thought she was a refreshing character. I was quite surprised how open some of these men were with buying whores. For something that was punishable by death, a lot of these characters seemed to indulge and it wasn't very clandestine.

I was also thrown my the use of the word fucking for just kissing and groping. That was odd. Although I liked Michael and Wes I didn't really come to care for them as a couple. This book started to drag and it was a chore to finish.

In the beginning didn't Michael know Penny Barrington??? Wasn't she the woman who told him to go find Rodger? That was weird in the end when they met and he didn't realize that was the same woman. Maybe I read it wrong

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice!

This was a very sweet historical romance with some angst on the side.
The lord with a severe stammer falls in love with the whore he meets at a party. Wes and Michael were incredibly sweet together. Both scarred and traumatized and so perfect for each other.

But I really hated Rodger. I wanted him to die a slow and painful death. I know he’s one of the good guys, but I still hated how he made Michael doubt himself all the time.

There were some plot holes, but if you ignore this, everything will be fine.

[Melyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought the book not really sure how I would like a m/m story in a historical setting. The setting I could handle, the emotional and physical abuse the characters endured was much harder - only in that it was very heart breaking to read. It was filled with broken people, evil perpetrators, people trying to cope with the aftermath, people looking for healing and love.

If you are looking for light historical romance, this is not it. I am happy it ends on a positive note.

[Elizabetta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really no stars or maybe a 1/2 star. I really really tried to finish this book but I just lost interest about half-way and couldn't bring myself to care. This is especially frustrating since I am a fan of Cullinan's other work. The historical genre is just not one of my favorites and it has to be freaking good to keep me going. I'll give this one a rest and maybe try it sometime much later.