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The Old Bridge Inn #3
The Oak and the Ash
A standalone M/M historical romance
Radical surgeon George Evans is called to the scene of a midnight duel between an earl and his cousin. Despite the strained atmosphere in the house, George finds he must stay and tend to the injured duellists. Fortunately, his sojourn is made more than bearable by the earl's quietly competent and oddly attractive valet, Noah Moorecott.
Under his reserved exterior, Noah turns out to have a wry sense of humour and a passion for reading to match George's own. The more time the two men spend together—whether enthusing over natural philosophy or arguing over politics—the closer they grow, quickly becoming friends, then lovers.
They live in two different worlds, but it seems nothing can keep them apart—until they find themselves on opposite sides in a murder inquiry.
The Oak and the Ash is part of the Old Bridge Inn Series, a collection of loosely related novels that can be read in any order. Each book contains a standalone romance.
Radical surgeon George Evans is called to the scene of a midnight duel between an earl and his cousin. Despite the strained atmosphere in the house, George finds he must stay and tend to the injured duellists. Fortunately, his sojourn is made more than bearable by the earl's quietly competent and oddly attractive valet, Noah Moorecott.
Under his reserved exterior, Noah turns out to have a wry sense of humour and a passion for reading to match George's own. The more time the two men spend together—whether enthusing over natural philosophy or arguing over politics—the closer they grow, quickly becoming friends, then lovers.
They live in two different worlds, but it seems nothing can keep them apart—until they find themselves on opposite sides in a murder inquiry.
The Oak and the Ash is part of the Old Bridge Inn Series, a collection of loosely related novels that can be read in any order. Each book contains a standalone romance.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2023
25 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
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January 17, 2026
Only for the night, I’m kiddin' / Only for life, yeah, homie for life, yeah / Only for life, let’s get it (LOVE. – Kendrick Lamar).
Hi. I’ve come here to tell everyone that this book is my kind of book. I don’t know why I worded this like the start of a canceled YouTuber’s apology video, but my muted tone is the only way I can convey my absolute love for this book without me just spamming a hundred exclamation points. Oh what the hell, I’ll do that anyway; I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! And so on, and so on. It really checks all the boxes and then some, because, while yes, it is a lovely queer romance, it’s also a story how all the different layers of privilege inherently mold our level of comfort and the way we participate in society. That sounds obvious, but this story was really interesting to me because while it’s centered around a relationship between two “common folk,” it actually takes the time to explore what a romance between two working class men of this particular time period (is it super obvious that I forgot the specific year?) would actually mean, and how they’d go about making it work. Dangerous repercussions and all. See, in most of the historical romances that I read, the pairing normally includes some kind of a duke or a lord or a prince or a whatever-the-fuck, and it gets a little boring after a while, you know? I assume authors do this because it adds a pretty little safety net for the main couple to have their “happy ending” in unhappy times. They'll buy land in a better place or find shelter in some other rich person's home or the bigoted people in their lives will magically turn over a new leaf when they realize the error of their ways. It's a nice thought, but what about the ones who don't have that privilege? Who’s going to tell their stories? I’d like to know. The worst ones are those books that have the rich, lordly, main character masquerade among the working class, pretending like they "get it," thinking they're doing something for the common folk on the ground when they're actually just walking around like Nickeled and Dimed or whatever. So, a million stars to this book for portraying a duke who’s actually just a dick (the dick duke, if you will). Because if we were going by normal story conventions, he'd probably be the main character! Oh wait, I should probably introduce him. The villain of this novel (the narrative is a lot kinder to him, but I think he’s a steaming pile of shit, so villain it is), Lord Warbury, is a gay man who has to go through life hiding pieces of himself, and while, yes, this is obviously sympathetic, it sure never stopped him from treating his valet, Noah (hey, that’s my name) Moorcott, with cold flippancy, or how his sexuality never stops him from using his power and influence to try to bury our other main character, George, another queer man. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Jeez, can this guy use any more commas!?” and to that, I’d say… yes. If I could, I’d be running on this run-on-sentence forever! But seriously though, I don’t think I’ve felt this level of visceral disgust for a character in a book in a long while. The way he’d probably realized a long time ago that he’ll have to live his life in secret meetings while also never once considering for a second that there are other queer folk around him that aren’t as fortunate as him… man, it had me feeling some type of way. Lord Warbury? Let’s be real; he’s not like us.
Let's move on to greener pastures, because the actual main romance between one Mr. George Evans and Noah Moorecott was absolutely exquisite, and I’ve literally never used “exquisite” to describe anything in my life! I’m not a fan of using film as the bar to which we should compare other mediums (“This video game is just like a movie! Soo~oo cinematic!”), but this book was just like a movie! The way it ends with a courtroom drama that leads into a fated duel? Ugh, I dig its cinema. And while I think I can safely say that I enjoy reading about any and all time-periods, as anything can be good (and if it’s gay, then doubly so), I will admit that I've veered away from contemporary romances in more recent years because the ones that I’ve read tended to feel a lot more focus-group-tested than I’d prefer. #He-falls-first #Rivals-to-lovers #HEA #Low-Drama... how about I just smash my head into a wall? Okay well, it’s not like I even hate well-oiled machine-type books (most of the time), but if I want to read a book that makes me stare at the wall blankly after finishing it, then I’m going to be over here with my queer historical-fiction. Sometimes I want the books I read to tear me asunder, and that’s what I got with this book. Torn asunder, I am. Go ahead and consider me torn... asunder. Everything about this book was incredibly sweet and loving in a way that’s achingly reminiscent of the best kind of YA novel. I mean, even down to the way that they had to be constantly tip-toeing around Lord Warbury like a couple of teenagers gave their romance a level of innocence that contrasted wonderfully against the backdrop of the tense plot. George and Noah's story made my heart ache from the get-go. And it must be said that their chemistry was electric (boogie woogie, woogie) despite the both of them being rather restrained, stoic men. Let’s just say that it didn’t take long for George to be yearning for more cock from Mr. Moorecott… heh, two conversations and he was already gunning to see his uncut gem! Okay, I’m done. What I'm getting at is that their relationship was portrayed beautifully, and even though their circumstances mostly forced their acquaintance to be met in hidden rooms at the disillusionment of ten o’ clock, it’s still as incredibly pure as it was heart wrenching. The thing is, I’ve noticed that queer relationships in fiction are often subconsciously associated with sentiments of sin and lust more often than something more classically romantic. I remember back in the day whenever I’d see fanart of gay relationships (ships), the artist would sometimes caption it by saying something like, “Oh no, I’m really sinning now by drawing these two together! Teehee!!” And while these were obviously said in jest or even adoringly, I think it’s interesting that in a lot of people’s minds, through word association, queer love is so naturally grouped together with illicit sin and moral failing. Our stories are told through fleeting clandestine meetings and not courtship and roses. And I think that’s the crux of it, that’s what made this novel so special to me. It manages a grand romantic epic without failing its duty as a historically accurate historical-fiction. The Oak and the Ash is a love story about solidarity, companionship, and accountability. But most importantly… it’s a story that’s written in good faith. Trust me, I can tell.
“The blank sheet of paper was still waiting for him on the little table in his room. He picked it up and read over the two sentences he had written. His heart sank. But didn’t they say that starting was half the battle?”
Hi. I’ve come here to tell everyone that this book is my kind of book. I don’t know why I worded this like the start of a canceled YouTuber’s apology video, but my muted tone is the only way I can convey my absolute love for this book without me just spamming a hundred exclamation points. Oh what the hell, I’ll do that anyway; I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! And so on, and so on. It really checks all the boxes and then some, because, while yes, it is a lovely queer romance, it’s also a story how all the different layers of privilege inherently mold our level of comfort and the way we participate in society. That sounds obvious, but this story was really interesting to me because while it’s centered around a relationship between two “common folk,” it actually takes the time to explore what a romance between two working class men of this particular time period (is it super obvious that I forgot the specific year?) would actually mean, and how they’d go about making it work. Dangerous repercussions and all. See, in most of the historical romances that I read, the pairing normally includes some kind of a duke or a lord or a prince or a whatever-the-fuck, and it gets a little boring after a while, you know? I assume authors do this because it adds a pretty little safety net for the main couple to have their “happy ending” in unhappy times. They'll buy land in a better place or find shelter in some other rich person's home or the bigoted people in their lives will magically turn over a new leaf when they realize the error of their ways. It's a nice thought, but what about the ones who don't have that privilege? Who’s going to tell their stories? I’d like to know. The worst ones are those books that have the rich, lordly, main character masquerade among the working class, pretending like they "get it," thinking they're doing something for the common folk on the ground when they're actually just walking around like Nickeled and Dimed or whatever. So, a million stars to this book for portraying a duke who’s actually just a dick (the dick duke, if you will). Because if we were going by normal story conventions, he'd probably be the main character! Oh wait, I should probably introduce him. The villain of this novel (the narrative is a lot kinder to him, but I think he’s a steaming pile of shit, so villain it is), Lord Warbury, is a gay man who has to go through life hiding pieces of himself, and while, yes, this is obviously sympathetic, it sure never stopped him from treating his valet, Noah (hey, that’s my name) Moorcott, with cold flippancy, or how his sexuality never stops him from using his power and influence to try to bury our other main character, George, another queer man. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Jeez, can this guy use any more commas!?” and to that, I’d say… yes. If I could, I’d be running on this run-on-sentence forever! But seriously though, I don’t think I’ve felt this level of visceral disgust for a character in a book in a long while. The way he’d probably realized a long time ago that he’ll have to live his life in secret meetings while also never once considering for a second that there are other queer folk around him that aren’t as fortunate as him… man, it had me feeling some type of way. Lord Warbury? Let’s be real; he’s not like us.
Let's move on to greener pastures, because the actual main romance between one Mr. George Evans and Noah Moorecott was absolutely exquisite, and I’ve literally never used “exquisite” to describe anything in my life! I’m not a fan of using film as the bar to which we should compare other mediums (“This video game is just like a movie! Soo~oo cinematic!”), but this book was just like a movie! The way it ends with a courtroom drama that leads into a fated duel? Ugh, I dig its cinema. And while I think I can safely say that I enjoy reading about any and all time-periods, as anything can be good (and if it’s gay, then doubly so), I will admit that I've veered away from contemporary romances in more recent years because the ones that I’ve read tended to feel a lot more focus-group-tested than I’d prefer. #He-falls-first #Rivals-to-lovers #HEA #Low-Drama... how about I just smash my head into a wall? Okay well, it’s not like I even hate well-oiled machine-type books (most of the time), but if I want to read a book that makes me stare at the wall blankly after finishing it, then I’m going to be over here with my queer historical-fiction. Sometimes I want the books I read to tear me asunder, and that’s what I got with this book. Torn asunder, I am. Go ahead and consider me torn... asunder. Everything about this book was incredibly sweet and loving in a way that’s achingly reminiscent of the best kind of YA novel. I mean, even down to the way that they had to be constantly tip-toeing around Lord Warbury like a couple of teenagers gave their romance a level of innocence that contrasted wonderfully against the backdrop of the tense plot. George and Noah's story made my heart ache from the get-go. And it must be said that their chemistry was electric (boogie woogie, woogie) despite the both of them being rather restrained, stoic men. Let’s just say that it didn’t take long for George to be yearning for more cock from Mr. Moorecott… heh, two conversations and he was already gunning to see his uncut gem! Okay, I’m done. What I'm getting at is that their relationship was portrayed beautifully, and even though their circumstances mostly forced their acquaintance to be met in hidden rooms at the disillusionment of ten o’ clock, it’s still as incredibly pure as it was heart wrenching. The thing is, I’ve noticed that queer relationships in fiction are often subconsciously associated with sentiments of sin and lust more often than something more classically romantic. I remember back in the day whenever I’d see fanart of gay relationships (ships), the artist would sometimes caption it by saying something like, “Oh no, I’m really sinning now by drawing these two together! Teehee!!” And while these were obviously said in jest or even adoringly, I think it’s interesting that in a lot of people’s minds, through word association, queer love is so naturally grouped together with illicit sin and moral failing. Our stories are told through fleeting clandestine meetings and not courtship and roses. And I think that’s the crux of it, that’s what made this novel so special to me. It manages a grand romantic epic without failing its duty as a historically accurate historical-fiction. The Oak and the Ash is a love story about solidarity, companionship, and accountability. But most importantly… it’s a story that’s written in good faith. Trust me, I can tell.
“The blank sheet of paper was still waiting for him on the little table in his room. He picked it up and read over the two sentences he had written. His heart sank. But didn’t they say that starting was half the battle?”
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December 11, 2023Excellent. I think the best in the series in that the author has got the balance of romance and plot and politics just right for me. The MCs are both lovely--practical, self-respecting working men. The milieu is done really well-- the drive for self improvement through education, the oppressive politics and repressive laws, the gross inequality. I love how it presents Georgian Britain as a place where people were queer and trans and had unconventional relationships and mostly managed to live perfectly good lives under the radar. (There is quite a lot of available middle ground between 'doom' and 'candyfloss' though you might not often think it.)
The romance is really sweet and engaging slow burn, and thoroughly convincing, with a terrific climax. The threat element does get pretty tense due to the MCs' all too realistic powerlessness in the face of wealth and authority, but the resolution is terrific, and I loved the light we get on the earl's relationship with his valet.
I really enjoyed this. Highly recommended.
The romance is really sweet and engaging slow burn, and thoroughly convincing, with a terrific climax. The threat element does get pretty tense due to the MCs' all too realistic powerlessness in the face of wealth and authority, but the resolution is terrific, and I loved the light we get on the earl's relationship with his valet.
I really enjoyed this. Highly recommended.
April 21, 2025
This was such a lovely little historical queer romance. Despite dealing with some heavy subject matter there was something undeniably cozy and almost slice of life about this story and these characters.
Noah and George meet when Noah appears at George’s Inn one night requesting his services as a surgeon due to a duel which the Earl he works for was involved in.
This story is set in late 1700s London. I thought that it offered a rather unique facet of historical romance I haven’t often come across and thought some of the topics explored were fascinating including the culture of self driven learning and academics, class inequality and injustices, societal unrest during the time and how queerness existed during the era.
The slow build friendship to romance between George and Noah was very sweet and I really enjoyed their relationship and romance together. Also I love me some romantic leads who are both confident, competent and able in their professions and lives. George’s friends in the academic club were also lovely side characters, especially his business partners (and found family) of Rosie and Benjamin, who have their own interesting back story and Verity.
I had a really delightful time with this read. I think if you are after a low stakes cozy historical romance this story could hold alot of value for you.
Noah and George meet when Noah appears at George’s Inn one night requesting his services as a surgeon due to a duel which the Earl he works for was involved in.
This story is set in late 1700s London. I thought that it offered a rather unique facet of historical romance I haven’t often come across and thought some of the topics explored were fascinating including the culture of self driven learning and academics, class inequality and injustices, societal unrest during the time and how queerness existed during the era.
The slow build friendship to romance between George and Noah was very sweet and I really enjoyed their relationship and romance together. Also I love me some romantic leads who are both confident, competent and able in their professions and lives. George’s friends in the academic club were also lovely side characters, especially his business partners (and found family) of Rosie and Benjamin, who have their own interesting back story and Verity.
I had a really delightful time with this read. I think if you are after a low stakes cozy historical romance this story could hold alot of value for you.
October 19, 2023
You know how we always say after a short novel “I wish it were a full-length book” ? Well, I wish this book here were a short novel. I think it would have been a 5 stars read had it been shorter and more ..concentrated on the important parts. For the longest time nothing happens, it’s just filled with the everyday life of our MCs and though fascinating I got a little bored at times. As for our heroes and the story I must say that I loved it. The book is well written and both the historical setting and the reality of that period was nicely explored and depicted. The class difference and the opposite way our MCs looked at that social structure-one with resigned acceptance and the other with resentment, rebellion and eagerness for change-made it a very interesting read. There’s also a lot of representation -gay, lesbian, trans, bi/pan -and it was refreshing because everything was realistic and showed in a very natural way, without any exaggeration or making a bit deal out if it (George’s friends were awesome) . The romance was quite subtle but tender and realistic and very well done without any OTT reactions and sappiness. Excellent read .
January 21, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Hist-rom where both MCs are working men? Sign me up!
This was, empirically speaking, good, and the fact that I'm not ranking it higher is mostly a me-thing. This is a slow-burn tale of a valet, Noah, and a surgeon (jobbing, not gentleman), George, thrown together when the valet's boss, earl something-something, injures his opposite in a duel. Once back in London they find excuses to seek each other out, with George -- who moonlighted as an editor for a seditious political newspaper -- volunteering to edit a scientific paper that the meteorologically-obsessed Noah is working on with a similarly clever housemaid. Eventually the consequences of the duel come due, and the last third or so of the book shifts into legal suspense-shenanigans-action mode.
My main quibble is that the left-turn into *gasp* potential consequences for earl whatshisname sits oddly against the slow-paced, day-in-the-life quality of everything that's come before. We go from a closely observed study of two richly quiet lives to mustache-twirling villain-vibes in the blink of an eye. Also . . . yeah, your reviewer is a basic bitch, because I actually prefer the mustache-twirling villain-vibes? I mean, I am very happy these two (and their like-minded friends) are invested in learning and expanding their horizons and all, but must they expand their horizons THROUGH SCIENCE???? Your girl dead-eye stared her way through four years of high school, and now this???? There was just. Too much. Science. I don't care about blah blah temperature something something pressure. I don't care, and you can't make me! And they're talking about it and writing about it and meeting about it and I'm delighted they're following their passions, I just don't wanna read about it at this length, thanks!
(Also humbling to realize that historical-me would have been a slack-jawed yokel all her life, because I would have gone to one improving-myself meeting, heard a science, and fled screaming into the night. RIP historical me, you ignorant slattern.)
So, yeah: this book was great! But also [Kathleen flees screaming into the night]! Mustache-twirling villains ftw!
Hist-rom where both MCs are working men? Sign me up!
This was, empirically speaking, good, and the fact that I'm not ranking it higher is mostly a me-thing. This is a slow-burn tale of a valet, Noah, and a surgeon (jobbing, not gentleman), George, thrown together when the valet's boss, earl something-something, injures his opposite in a duel. Once back in London they find excuses to seek each other out, with George -- who moonlighted as an editor for a seditious political newspaper -- volunteering to edit a scientific paper that the meteorologically-obsessed Noah is working on with a similarly clever housemaid. Eventually the consequences of the duel come due, and the last third or so of the book shifts into legal suspense-shenanigans-action mode.
My main quibble is that the left-turn into *gasp* potential consequences for earl whatshisname sits oddly against the slow-paced, day-in-the-life quality of everything that's come before. We go from a closely observed study of two richly quiet lives to mustache-twirling villain-vibes in the blink of an eye. Also . . . yeah, your reviewer is a basic bitch, because I actually prefer the mustache-twirling villain-vibes? I mean, I am very happy these two (and their like-minded friends) are invested in learning and expanding their horizons and all, but must they expand their horizons THROUGH SCIENCE???? Your girl dead-eye stared her way through four years of high school, and now this???? There was just. Too much. Science. I don't care about blah blah temperature something something pressure. I don't care, and you can't make me! And they're talking about it and writing about it and meeting about it and I'm delighted they're following their passions, I just don't wanna read about it at this length, thanks!
(Also humbling to realize that historical-me would have been a slack-jawed yokel all her life, because I would have gone to one improving-myself meeting, heard a science, and fled screaming into the night. RIP historical me, you ignorant slattern.)
So, yeah: this book was great! But also [Kathleen flees screaming into the night]! Mustache-twirling villains ftw!
January 18, 2026
Beautiful.
My first book by this author, and I was impressed.
I loved the storyline, the carefully drawn characters, the subtly developing romance between two working class men (a surgeon and a valet), and I appreciated the historical and political setting, that clearly showed the time's social inequality between working class and aristocracy.
The first (longer) part focuses on the two MCs George and Noah, their lives, work and what is important to them. We watch their everyday lives, and how they slowly, very slowly get closer. In the second (shorter) part the pace picks up, George and Noah get entangled in investigations following a murder.
I loved both parts equally, the author did a tremendous job with the plot, starting with a duel, then immediately slowing down the pace and keeping it steadily low, only to pick it up in the last third of the book. The very last part was awesome and very satisfying.
Highly recommended.
My first book by this author, and I was impressed.
I loved the storyline, the carefully drawn characters, the subtly developing romance between two working class men (a surgeon and a valet), and I appreciated the historical and political setting, that clearly showed the time's social inequality between working class and aristocracy.
The first (longer) part focuses on the two MCs George and Noah, their lives, work and what is important to them. We watch their everyday lives, and how they slowly, very slowly get closer. In the second (shorter) part the pace picks up, George and Noah get entangled in investigations following a murder.
I loved both parts equally, the author did a tremendous job with the plot, starting with a duel, then immediately slowing down the pace and keeping it steadily low, only to pick it up in the last third of the book. The very last part was awesome and very satisfying.
Highly recommended.
October 15, 2023
I very nearly DNF'd early on, when a bullet wound to the shoulder (gentlemen will persist in dueling) proved to be a graze of the upper arm for which a tourniquet has unfathomably been applied, though not by the surgeon MC at least. As for the other party to the duel, he's been shot in the abdomen but the bullet didn't hit any "major arteries," and casual Googling didn't get me any reliable-looking info about treatment of abdominal wounds or the survival rate, so I let that pass with some side-eye.
I'm glad I did. Annick Trent isn't in KJ Charles's histrom league -- their prose is solid and readable rather than sparkling, the plot's straightforward rather than twisty, and the sex scenes are pretty good rather than smoking hot, and all that sounds like damning with faint praise but I really don't mean it to be. KJC's in a league of her own and the comparison is unfair even though, since she and AT are playing in the same ballpark, it's also inevitable. The point is that The Oak and the Ash is an enjoyable story with appealing characters and (like the author's other Old Bridge books) a pleasing concern with the lives of servants, in particular the way their time is not their own. George and Noah have to snatch what time they can and hoard every moment and memory because, until the story's happy outcome is achieved, they get precious little.
A touch I greatly appreciated here is that Noah's employer the earl, as well as the earl's lover; the countess; and the countess's lover, aren't really malicious people; rather, they live oblivious to the inner lives and the value of those in the lower classes -- servants, like Noah; surgeons, like George. (An irony I wouldn't mind seeing explored is that the earl's lover is a bookkeeper ...). So when their own safety -- precarious, because the earl's lover is a man and because the countess has a lover at all, and the earl's heir isn't the earl's biological son -- is threatened, they don't pause to consider that saving themselves at the expense of possibly ruining George's life might be, you know, wrong.
Anyway, I dinged a star and a half for the iffy medical stuff at the beginning, so 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 because everything else was pretty darn good.
I'm glad I did. Annick Trent isn't in KJ Charles's histrom league -- their prose is solid and readable rather than sparkling, the plot's straightforward rather than twisty, and the sex scenes are pretty good rather than smoking hot, and all that sounds like damning with faint praise but I really don't mean it to be. KJC's in a league of her own and the comparison is unfair even though, since she and AT are playing in the same ballpark, it's also inevitable. The point is that The Oak and the Ash is an enjoyable story with appealing characters and (like the author's other Old Bridge books) a pleasing concern with the lives of servants, in particular the way their time is not their own. George and Noah have to snatch what time they can and hoard every moment and memory because, until the story's happy outcome is achieved, they get precious little.
A touch I greatly appreciated here is that Noah's employer the earl, as well as the earl's lover; the countess; and the countess's lover, aren't really malicious people; rather, they live oblivious to the inner lives and the value of those in the lower classes -- servants, like Noah; surgeons, like George. (An irony I wouldn't mind seeing explored is that the earl's lover is a bookkeeper ...). So when their own safety -- precarious, because the earl's lover is a man and because the countess has a lover at all, and the earl's heir isn't the earl's biological son -- is threatened, they don't pause to consider that saving themselves at the expense of possibly ruining George's life might be, you know, wrong.
Anyway, I dinged a star and a half for the iffy medical stuff at the beginning, so 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 because everything else was pretty darn good.
January 21, 2026
~4.25~
Such a lovely story, perhaps overly political in places, and I learned more about barometric pressure than I ever wanted to know, but the author got so many things right.
For one, the MCs are superbly sketched. Quirky, brilliant George, a surgeon/apothecary and outspoken dissident who strongly believes in freedom of speech, meets Noah, a valet, who's calm, collected, and a scientist at heart, in the aftermath of a duel between Noah's employer, Lord Warbury, and one Mr. Thurlow.
Georges patches up both men and agrees to stay for a while to oversee their care. During this time, a beautiful friendship blossoms between him and Noah.
The slow burn was exquisite!
I loved the supporting cast of characters, including Lord Warbury, who was narrow-sighted but not a bad guy at heart, as illustrated by the way he treated his family. He and his wife had quite the arrangement going!
The middle of the story was a little slow, but overall the pacing was smooth, with the narrative naturally broken up into three parts:
- the initial meeting and quiet conversations at Lord Warbury's hunting estate;
- the men's reunion in London, which includes a very intriguing book club and tidbits about George's work as a doctor (which I found fascinating);
- and the final stretch with a focus on a potential murder trial in which George would serve as a key witness (personally, I was Team Noah all the way here; Thurlow started the whole thing in a very dishonorable fashion!).
The skillful writing, attention to historical detail, and engaging narrative were more than enough to keep me glued to my Kindle.
I haven't read the other books in this series (two are F/F), but The Oak and the Ash works just fine as a standalone. Highly recommended for lovers of historical romance.
Such a lovely story, perhaps overly political in places, and I learned more about barometric pressure than I ever wanted to know, but the author got so many things right.
For one, the MCs are superbly sketched. Quirky, brilliant George, a surgeon/apothecary and outspoken dissident who strongly believes in freedom of speech, meets Noah, a valet, who's calm, collected, and a scientist at heart, in the aftermath of a duel between Noah's employer, Lord Warbury, and one Mr. Thurlow.
Georges patches up both men and agrees to stay for a while to oversee their care. During this time, a beautiful friendship blossoms between him and Noah.
The slow burn was exquisite!
I loved the supporting cast of characters, including Lord Warbury, who was narrow-sighted but not a bad guy at heart, as illustrated by the way he treated his family. He and his wife had quite the arrangement going!
The middle of the story was a little slow, but overall the pacing was smooth, with the narrative naturally broken up into three parts:
- the initial meeting and quiet conversations at Lord Warbury's hunting estate;
- the men's reunion in London, which includes a very intriguing book club and tidbits about George's work as a doctor (which I found fascinating);
- and the final stretch with a focus on a potential murder trial in which George would serve as a key witness (personally, I was Team Noah all the way here; Thurlow started the whole thing in a very dishonorable fashion!).
The skillful writing, attention to historical detail, and engaging narrative were more than enough to keep me glued to my Kindle.
I haven't read the other books in this series (two are F/F), but The Oak and the Ash works just fine as a standalone. Highly recommended for lovers of historical romance.
December 28, 2023
Very good. As accomplished as anything by KJ Charles, Cat Sebastian, or Joanna Chambers.
It is enlightening to read about the 'lower orders' and how little freedom they had. Which makes their quest for happiness that much the more poignant and satisfying.
It is enlightening to read about the 'lower orders' and how little freedom they had. Which makes their quest for happiness that much the more poignant and satisfying.
November 4, 2023
I quite enjoyed this one! Another great historical MM romance in this series, where the main characters are in the servant and working classes. The valet here made a brief appearance in book one (and the valet from that book briefly appears here, which was fun and felt natural) and I really enjoyed the relationship between him and the somewhat jaded surgeon. This was a bit steamier, which I appreciated, and I enjoyed the look at sort of the practical realities that they'd have had to consider. I did find George's judgement about Noah's work as a valet to be a little frustrating, particularly because, given the ending, I never felt like he was really forced to reckon with his hurtful behavior. I also didn't totally buy Noah just deciding to find a totally different job--it felt a little sudden and neat to me, and I wish the author had taken the more complex route. But still, I quite liked it on the whole and will definitely be on the look out for more from this author!
March 14, 2024
An engaging plot featuring two endearing MCs. The author also provides significant discourse around some meteorological scientific endeavors carried out by laymen of that era. At least one MC from book #1 makes a brief appearance (I didn't read book #2 but I believe a MC from there also gets a cameo). Now I'm wondering if secondary character Henry Thurlow might get featured in some upcoming title in this great series.
January 12, 2024
Well written with great period detail/feel, but slow in spots in the first half as I wasn’t interested in Noah’s meteorological studies. With some tightening this would be excellent. Rounding up.
April 21, 2025
Of course, I have no idea what life was like for a surgeon or valet in 1790s England, or how they might navigate moving from interest to infatuation to slowly exploring the possibility of something more. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it was exactly like this!
A really great mix of romance, good old-fashioned science (!), found family, politics, and intrigue as the two protagonists find themselves caught up in events outside their control.
A really great mix of romance, good old-fashioned science (!), found family, politics, and intrigue as the two protagonists find themselves caught up in events outside their control.
December 21, 2023
This novel is about early meteorological science and social equality. It is well written, well researched and has greatly rendered characters. But I was bored for a third of the novel. I want the romance in the front and center.
January 15, 2025
B / 4 stars
The prompt New Year, Who Dis? kicks off the 2025 TBR Challenge, so I chose to read a book by a new-to-me author. The Oak and the Ash is the third book in Annick Trent’s The Old Bridge Inn series, but there are no overarching plotlines so each of the books in the series stands alone. It’s that rare historical romance in which neither lead is an aristocrat, and it’s set in the late Georgian era, which is also something of a rarity in historicals. It’s a lovely, quiet read that takes the time to explore how a relationship between two working class men of this period could actually work, and it features some insightful social commentary, especially around the new laws designed to repress the growing enthusiasm for radical change in Britain that were enacted in the wake of the revolution across the Channel.
Surgeon-apothecary George Evans is on his way back to London (from Dorset) and has stopped to spend the night at an inn, when the quiet evening he anticipates is interrupted by a dark-haired, smartly-dressed man asking George to accompany him to nearby Dunstan Lodge to attend his employer, the Earl of Warbury. Weary from a long day of travelling, George will be damned if he’ll go out of his way to bandage some gentleman’s bruised finger or provide a remedy for his indigestion, but then the man – Mr. Moorecott - quietly reveals that there are actually two patients, both with gunshot wounds. George quickly bundles the necessary equipment and supplies into his bag, and the two men depart in haste.
Arrived at the small hunting box, George discovers that the earl’s opponent, Mr. Thurlow, is in a bad way and that getting out the bullet lodged in Thurlow’s stomach is a matter of urgency. While the quietly competent Moorecott arranges somewhere for George to operate, George quickly attends the earl, who has suffered a graze to the upper arm. With Moorecott’s help, George extracts the bullet and cloth fragments from Thurlow, and George can’t help but be impressed by the other man’s calm and steady demeanour. With the combatants out of danger, Moorecott offers George a bed for what’s left of the night, and goes to watch over Thurlow.
George ends up staying at the Lodge for a few weeks, where he and Moorecott – Noah – strike up an easy friendship, spending quiet but companionable evenings together talking and reading together. But this comes to an abrupt end when Thurlow insists on returning to his home in London. As that is where George is bound eventually, it makes sense for him to accompany Thurlow and his son, and it’s with regret that both men realise this is the end of their time out of time together. There’s a real sense of simmering attraction beneath their friendship and of a longing for something more, but Noah knows that, once back in London, he will have little time to pursue a friendship with George. Still, he seeks George out anyway and the two of them find reasons to continue to see each other.
George and Noah are thoroughly likeable, decent men, and I appreciated that they are both confident and assured in their abilities and in themselves. I enjoyed the slow-build friendship-to-romance between them, but a relationship is not an easy thing between working people of this era; not just because George and Noah are both men, but because Noah’s position as valet to a nobleman means he’s at his employer’s beck and call. One of the things the author does so well here is to convey exactly how little time a servant – even an ‘upper’ servant like Noah – had to themselves and the extent to which Noah’s life is not his own. He and George have to snatch what time they can to be together and make the most of every moment.
The tender romance is set against an interesting background of the scientific exploration and social unrest prevalent at the time. Noah is a keen amateur meteorologist (the author has clearly done their homework on this, but there’s a bit too much weather-geekery in the book!) while George writes and edits pieces for radical newspapers and pamphlets – or used to until his main outlet, The Southwark Reporter, shut up shop owing to the threat of the severe penalties being meted out for those running such operations. Places such as reading clubs, worker’s libraries and improvement societies, all of them designed to foster education among the working class, are losing members who fear being caught up in accusations of sedition, and many of those that continue to operate have had to enforce strict rules forbidding all political discussion in the face of increasingly restrictive laws against “disloyal assembly”. It’s all integrated into the story extremely well, and so is the thoughtful portrayal of queerness among the lower classes.
For around two-thirds of the book, the story is a quiet slice-of-life affair, with ordinary people going about their ordinary business – until the other shoe drops and puts George in a situation that could cost him his livelihood and reputation – even his life. It’s something of an abrupt turn, but it’s a good contrast to the earlier part of the story and thoroughly brings home the reality of the systemic inequality of the time and how helpless the ‘common’ folk were against the rich and powerful. But the ending is very satisfying, and the background is interesting and clearly well-researched, which is something I always enjoy in an historical romance. I can’t deny I’d have liked a little less detail about the meteorological experiments (I admit I glazed over once or twice) but I enjoyed The Oak and the Ash and will look for more from this author.
The prompt New Year, Who Dis? kicks off the 2025 TBR Challenge, so I chose to read a book by a new-to-me author. The Oak and the Ash is the third book in Annick Trent’s The Old Bridge Inn series, but there are no overarching plotlines so each of the books in the series stands alone. It’s that rare historical romance in which neither lead is an aristocrat, and it’s set in the late Georgian era, which is also something of a rarity in historicals. It’s a lovely, quiet read that takes the time to explore how a relationship between two working class men of this period could actually work, and it features some insightful social commentary, especially around the new laws designed to repress the growing enthusiasm for radical change in Britain that were enacted in the wake of the revolution across the Channel.
Surgeon-apothecary George Evans is on his way back to London (from Dorset) and has stopped to spend the night at an inn, when the quiet evening he anticipates is interrupted by a dark-haired, smartly-dressed man asking George to accompany him to nearby Dunstan Lodge to attend his employer, the Earl of Warbury. Weary from a long day of travelling, George will be damned if he’ll go out of his way to bandage some gentleman’s bruised finger or provide a remedy for his indigestion, but then the man – Mr. Moorecott - quietly reveals that there are actually two patients, both with gunshot wounds. George quickly bundles the necessary equipment and supplies into his bag, and the two men depart in haste.
Arrived at the small hunting box, George discovers that the earl’s opponent, Mr. Thurlow, is in a bad way and that getting out the bullet lodged in Thurlow’s stomach is a matter of urgency. While the quietly competent Moorecott arranges somewhere for George to operate, George quickly attends the earl, who has suffered a graze to the upper arm. With Moorecott’s help, George extracts the bullet and cloth fragments from Thurlow, and George can’t help but be impressed by the other man’s calm and steady demeanour. With the combatants out of danger, Moorecott offers George a bed for what’s left of the night, and goes to watch over Thurlow.
George ends up staying at the Lodge for a few weeks, where he and Moorecott – Noah – strike up an easy friendship, spending quiet but companionable evenings together talking and reading together. But this comes to an abrupt end when Thurlow insists on returning to his home in London. As that is where George is bound eventually, it makes sense for him to accompany Thurlow and his son, and it’s with regret that both men realise this is the end of their time out of time together. There’s a real sense of simmering attraction beneath their friendship and of a longing for something more, but Noah knows that, once back in London, he will have little time to pursue a friendship with George. Still, he seeks George out anyway and the two of them find reasons to continue to see each other.
George and Noah are thoroughly likeable, decent men, and I appreciated that they are both confident and assured in their abilities and in themselves. I enjoyed the slow-build friendship-to-romance between them, but a relationship is not an easy thing between working people of this era; not just because George and Noah are both men, but because Noah’s position as valet to a nobleman means he’s at his employer’s beck and call. One of the things the author does so well here is to convey exactly how little time a servant – even an ‘upper’ servant like Noah – had to themselves and the extent to which Noah’s life is not his own. He and George have to snatch what time they can to be together and make the most of every moment.
The tender romance is set against an interesting background of the scientific exploration and social unrest prevalent at the time. Noah is a keen amateur meteorologist (the author has clearly done their homework on this, but there’s a bit too much weather-geekery in the book!) while George writes and edits pieces for radical newspapers and pamphlets – or used to until his main outlet, The Southwark Reporter, shut up shop owing to the threat of the severe penalties being meted out for those running such operations. Places such as reading clubs, worker’s libraries and improvement societies, all of them designed to foster education among the working class, are losing members who fear being caught up in accusations of sedition, and many of those that continue to operate have had to enforce strict rules forbidding all political discussion in the face of increasingly restrictive laws against “disloyal assembly”. It’s all integrated into the story extremely well, and so is the thoughtful portrayal of queerness among the lower classes.
For around two-thirds of the book, the story is a quiet slice-of-life affair, with ordinary people going about their ordinary business – until the other shoe drops and puts George in a situation that could cost him his livelihood and reputation – even his life. It’s something of an abrupt turn, but it’s a good contrast to the earlier part of the story and thoroughly brings home the reality of the systemic inequality of the time and how helpless the ‘common’ folk were against the rich and powerful. But the ending is very satisfying, and the background is interesting and clearly well-researched, which is something I always enjoy in an historical romance. I can’t deny I’d have liked a little less detail about the meteorological experiments (I admit I glazed over once or twice) but I enjoyed The Oak and the Ash and will look for more from this author.
June 22, 2024
Absolutely loved this book!!! Just average working folks trying pursue their dreams and build a relationship while earning a living and avoiding the trouble the aristocracy creates! A wonderful blend of realism, hopefulness and cosy.
November 3, 2024
4.5*
Come for the romance, stay for the textured, thoughtful portrayal of queer working class Georgian life. In many ways this reminded me of classic KJ Charles and Cat Sebastian - a historical m/m that centres issues of class, grassroots politics, and the disruption of privilege. But here, the follow through is even more complete and determined.
Our two MMCs are both decent, intellectually curious people, who have found ways to pursue their interests and beliefs in constrained circumstances. Noah is a meteorologist, working quietly at his experiments while serving as valet to Lord Warbury; George is a surgeon-apothecary who also edits a radical newspaper and runs a local reading club with his neighbours. They meet when Warbury - a gay man himself, with a long term partner and an open marriage - fights a duel with a distant cousin, leaving his opponent fighting for his life. By coincidence, George is the closest thing to a medical man in the vicinity, embroiling him in the affairs of an aristocracy that he disdains.
What follows is a lovely slow burn romance as Noah and George circle each other, each trying to work out how far the other wants to take their friendship. Both are, to some extent, already operating in a queer milieu. George lives with his best friend Ben, a trans man, and Ben’s wife Rosie, while Noah is intimately familiar with Warbury’s decades long love affair with the bookkeeper Mr Allam. They have their own histories of lovers. It’s a picture of Georgian London alive with diverse sexualities and gender difference. More than half the joy for me was in exploring this setting, which Annick Trent brings to vivid life. Best of all in an mm romance, the strong cast of secondary women characters with their own desires, ideas and loves.
While our eyes are kept on Noah and George, the book generates a wholly more typical m/m storyline around Warbury and his friends and family. I was tickled by the way Trent kept dangling this more conventional narrative of aristocrats whose delicate arrangements are imperilled, and asking me to shed my sympathies for them. It was a masterclass in the complexity of injustice - I couldn’t help trying to read that other romance out of the corner of my eye, and feeling sympathy with Warbury, in spite of the dissonance with my politics. Why did I keep feeling sorry for an Earl?! It was a brilliant lesson in how class inflects historical romance - there are no villains here, but there is systemic inequity and all too often we hand wave it away. The plot gets incredibly tense and angsty towards the end, in a way that constrasts the gentle first half. I was lulled into a false sense of security, just in time to be slapped around the face with the reality of Noah and George’s social situation. It made the HEA all the sweeter.
Anyway, this was so so good - highly recommended. I can’t wait to read another book from the series.
Come for the romance, stay for the textured, thoughtful portrayal of queer working class Georgian life. In many ways this reminded me of classic KJ Charles and Cat Sebastian - a historical m/m that centres issues of class, grassroots politics, and the disruption of privilege. But here, the follow through is even more complete and determined.
Our two MMCs are both decent, intellectually curious people, who have found ways to pursue their interests and beliefs in constrained circumstances. Noah is a meteorologist, working quietly at his experiments while serving as valet to Lord Warbury; George is a surgeon-apothecary who also edits a radical newspaper and runs a local reading club with his neighbours. They meet when Warbury - a gay man himself, with a long term partner and an open marriage - fights a duel with a distant cousin, leaving his opponent fighting for his life. By coincidence, George is the closest thing to a medical man in the vicinity, embroiling him in the affairs of an aristocracy that he disdains.
What follows is a lovely slow burn romance as Noah and George circle each other, each trying to work out how far the other wants to take their friendship. Both are, to some extent, already operating in a queer milieu. George lives with his best friend Ben, a trans man, and Ben’s wife Rosie, while Noah is intimately familiar with Warbury’s decades long love affair with the bookkeeper Mr Allam. They have their own histories of lovers. It’s a picture of Georgian London alive with diverse sexualities and gender difference. More than half the joy for me was in exploring this setting, which Annick Trent brings to vivid life. Best of all in an mm romance, the strong cast of secondary women characters with their own desires, ideas and loves.
While our eyes are kept on Noah and George, the book generates a wholly more typical m/m storyline around Warbury and his friends and family. I was tickled by the way Trent kept dangling this more conventional narrative of aristocrats whose delicate arrangements are imperilled, and asking me to shed my sympathies for them. It was a masterclass in the complexity of injustice - I couldn’t help trying to read that other romance out of the corner of my eye, and feeling sympathy with Warbury, in spite of the dissonance with my politics. Why did I keep feeling sorry for an Earl?! It was a brilliant lesson in how class inflects historical romance - there are no villains here, but there is systemic inequity and all too often we hand wave it away. The plot gets incredibly tense and angsty towards the end, in a way that constrasts the gentle first half. I was lulled into a false sense of security, just in time to be slapped around the face with the reality of Noah and George’s social situation. It made the HEA all the sweeter.
Anyway, this was so so good - highly recommended. I can’t wait to read another book from the series.
March 19, 2026
This book didn’t really work for me... I was bored for most of it.
There was too much politics, a lot of discussion about meteorology and the consequences of the duel… and the romance felt tepid at best. and it’s a pity because the plot was promising and the valet x doctor pair had a lot of potential imo.
i would have liked more focus on the romance, but in the end i was more curious about what would have happened to Warbury and his friends, so yeah it went that bad this story for me.
There was too much politics, a lot of discussion about meteorology and the consequences of the duel… and the romance felt tepid at best. and it’s a pity because the plot was promising and the valet x doctor pair had a lot of potential imo.
i would have liked more focus on the romance, but in the end i was more curious about what would have happened to Warbury and his friends, so yeah it went that bad this story for me.
April 6, 2024
This was so cozy and sweet. I really enjoyed it!
March 3, 2024
3.5 stars
After finding out the woman he's interested in has married someone else, surgeon George is licking his wounds before he heads back home. However, he's then called to the scene of a duel to tend to both parties' wounds - an earl and his cousin. George is forced to stay in the manor for a few days to monitor the injuries. Luckily the earl's quiet and capable valet, Noah, makes this more than bearable for George.
The duel at the start pulls you into the story but after that the plot meanders (almost disappears) until we get to the halfway point. A lot of time is spent on George and Noah's day-to-day life. So much so that it drags and feels repetitive. There's a loooot of talk about science (specifically relating to temperature and weather). Basically this is an interest of Noah's and while I'm happy for him that he's got a passion and love to see him chasing goals, I also really didn't care to know all the details of said interest. Maybe if it had linked to the main plot in some way it might have seemed more relevant. Luckily the story does pick up after this section.
George and Noah were a very sweet couple. I liked the slow-burn. You can feel how much they're smitten with each other and it's adorable. They were likeable characters individually too. I've read a lot of historical romances but I don't think I've read one where the two main characters are working class, so this was refreshing. I just wish the main plotline had been brought in earlier and some parts were trimmed down. Still, it was sweet.
After finding out the woman he's interested in has married someone else, surgeon George is licking his wounds before he heads back home. However, he's then called to the scene of a duel to tend to both parties' wounds - an earl and his cousin. George is forced to stay in the manor for a few days to monitor the injuries. Luckily the earl's quiet and capable valet, Noah, makes this more than bearable for George.
The duel at the start pulls you into the story but after that the plot meanders (almost disappears) until we get to the halfway point. A lot of time is spent on George and Noah's day-to-day life. So much so that it drags and feels repetitive. There's a loooot of talk about science (specifically relating to temperature and weather). Basically this is an interest of Noah's and while I'm happy for him that he's got a passion and love to see him chasing goals, I also really didn't care to know all the details of said interest. Maybe if it had linked to the main plot in some way it might have seemed more relevant. Luckily the story does pick up after this section.
George and Noah were a very sweet couple. I liked the slow-burn. You can feel how much they're smitten with each other and it's adorable. They were likeable characters individually too. I've read a lot of historical romances but I don't think I've read one where the two main characters are working class, so this was refreshing. I just wish the main plotline had been brought in earlier and some parts were trimmed down. Still, it was sweet.
December 31, 2023
Lovely, character-driven historical M/M romance between a surgeon and a nobleman's valet. The early 19th century setting is not mere window dressing; it figures significantly in the plot, from George's inability to understand why Noah remains in a position where he is always at his lord's back and call, to the threat of treasonous accusations that shadows George's newspaper article writing and participation at a local reading society. The story is mostly comprised of small moments - George reading aloud to Noah, Noah and housemaid Verity struggling to write a scientific paper on meteorology - until Chekhov's gun(-shot wound) goes off in the third act, putting Noah and George's fledgling relationship (and possibly George's life) in danger.
I read The Oak and the Ash slowly, not because I was bored but because I wanted to linger over Trent's carefully chosen words, especially the contrast between the MCs' careful, respectful dialogue prior to admitting their mutual attraction and the passionate declarations once the floodgates have been opened. Recommended for fans of Tamara Allen and Sally Malcolm's historical queer romances.
I read The Oak and the Ash slowly, not because I was bored but because I wanted to linger over Trent's carefully chosen words, especially the contrast between the MCs' careful, respectful dialogue prior to admitting their mutual attraction and the passionate declarations once the floodgates have been opened. Recommended for fans of Tamara Allen and Sally Malcolm's historical queer romances.
November 9, 2023
A nice, low stress read. I enjoyed the first two instalments a lot, and am happy to say the same is true for this third one.
What I really enjoy about these books, is the fact that it’s a historical romance where the main characters are not part of the aristocracy. There are very few hist roms who can claim that! Beyond that, I am glad that there usually aren’t big dramatic fights between the love interests, because honestly I am so tired of forced misunderstandings and the like. The past few books I’ve read, the main characters have been insufferable in parts, when I read these to find comfort and joy! Some drama is fine by me, but when it feels like the author makes the characters purposely obtuse sometimes and I can’t say I like that.
The romance and the plot were nicely interwoven, I was satisfied with both, even though I kind of wished for some more domesticity at the end - I always get kinda sad when the story ends just as the lovers finally get to be together. But that’s being a bit nitpicky probably. All in all, very enjoyable, and I loved the tie ins with the previous books a lot!
What I really enjoy about these books, is the fact that it’s a historical romance where the main characters are not part of the aristocracy. There are very few hist roms who can claim that! Beyond that, I am glad that there usually aren’t big dramatic fights between the love interests, because honestly I am so tired of forced misunderstandings and the like. The past few books I’ve read, the main characters have been insufferable in parts, when I read these to find comfort and joy! Some drama is fine by me, but when it feels like the author makes the characters purposely obtuse sometimes and I can’t say I like that.
The romance and the plot were nicely interwoven, I was satisfied with both, even though I kind of wished for some more domesticity at the end - I always get kinda sad when the story ends just as the lovers finally get to be together. But that’s being a bit nitpicky probably. All in all, very enjoyable, and I loved the tie ins with the previous books a lot!
January 26, 2026
Enjoyed this one. George reminded me a lot of Silas Mason in KJ Charles A Seditious Affair...very principled, intelligent and honest to a fault. Noah was a good match for him, and of course, as we all know, the common man in those days had little to no say in what went on around him or even in his own future. The aristocracy were above the law [were the law in fact], and nothing anyone else said, truth be damned, mattered so yes, I'm sure a lot of them did get away with murder.
December 24, 2023
DNF, stopping at 41%, because I'm bored. I'd thought this was going to be good, and it had been: the prose wasn't repetitive, the two points of view were distinct, each character is self-possessed and acts according to their intelligence, and the author uses archaic language like fine seasoning.
But then it slowed way down, not because Feelings, but because plot things, sort of.
Sigh.
I considered skimming, but I have a (virtual) pile of books waiting. I have no reason to endure something that's become boring.
But then it slowed way down, not because Feelings, but because plot things, sort of.
Sigh.
I considered skimming, but I have a (virtual) pile of books waiting. I have no reason to endure something that's become boring.
December 9, 2024
I've been craving romance lately and this was fantastic. I absolutely adore that for once, we get to follow two common people (a valet to an earl and a surgeon) instead of the billionth goddamn duke. It was sweet and slow-paced and delightful for the most part, then abruptly got way too stressful near the end once the murder inquiry subplot was finally introduced. I found it a little weird that a plot element mentioned in the blurb came to pass so late, as well as the sudden shift from chill to intense, but it resolved well, so I can't be too mad. I also really liked the exploration of the tense political atmosphere at the time and the relationships between the classes. Will definitely read the rest of the series!
Enjoyment: 4/5
Execution: 4/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Enjoyment: 4/5
Execution: 4/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
February 6, 2024
Almost as boring as death by silver.
It’s a book I read
It’s a book I read
December 27, 2023
Sweet, with a very satisfying resolution. But a bit oddly paced, and I could have done with less meteorology.
January 7, 2026
The last historical romance novella I read set me on this path. I found this title on Listopia, and its relative obscurity, along with positive reviews, made it especially appealing to me.
Quite satisfactory, I must say. I took longer reading it than I usually would a contemporary romance, but it was a pleasant and refreshing change of pace.
George Evans and Noah Moorecott’s love story was very well written. Engaging and well-balanced. It wasn’t overly intense or angsty, which I appreciated, and it made for a quietly enjoyable read.
Quite satisfactory, I must say. I took longer reading it than I usually would a contemporary romance, but it was a pleasant and refreshing change of pace.
George Evans and Noah Moorecott’s love story was very well written. Engaging and well-balanced. It wasn’t overly intense or angsty, which I appreciated, and it made for a quietly enjoyable read.
December 29, 2023
That was a pleasant surprise.
18th century romance between two working class men, a valet and a surgeon, in a background of natural sciences and mild sedition. Paced a bit too slowly for my current mood but it was overall lovely.
18th century romance between two working class men, a valet and a surgeon, in a background of natural sciences and mild sedition. Paced a bit too slowly for my current mood but it was overall lovely.
June 14, 2024
Definitely a little slow but still interesting.
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