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An Unusual Courtship
Percival Valentine is delighted by the arrival of new neighbours in the sleepy provincial town of Linston. Swiftly befriending the fashionable trio of Londoners, Percival sets out to court the elegant Miss Bolton, but soon comes to realise that he is being courted instead by the charming but secretive Mr. Everett. As Percival begins to uncover the circumstances behind his new friends’ arrival in Linston, he is drawn inextricably closer to Mr. Everett and his secrets.
150 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2015
34 people are currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Marlowe
7 books37 followersKatherine "Kitty" Marlowe is a writer of m/m historical romance novels and novellas. She has a degree in Classical history with a specialization in LGBTQ history, and can very easily be distracted into lengthy discussions on marginalized orientations and gender identities in dozens of different historical eras and subcultures.
When she isn't writing novels and novellas about handsome men smooching and living happily ever after, she is usually baking, hiking, or fighting eldritch deities in Arkham.
When she isn't writing novels and novellas about handsome men smooching and living happily ever after, she is usually baking, hiking, or fighting eldritch deities in Arkham.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 4, 2016
So, this is a book by a new-to-me author and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading it. I read this as a bit of a Jane Austen pastiche so if you don't like Jane Austen, don't read this book. And if you don't know Jane Austen, give it try and just forget anything I'm going say in this review.
Anyhow, a pastiche is not a bad thing if it's well done. IMHO the author did a rather decent job of capturing the language and sentiments of Jane Austen's books and I applaud. Incorporating the magically-gay-ok might be a bit of a stretch but that's what I read books for. If I want reality, I just can go outside.
Ms. Marlowe's voice is a little less lovingly and gently malicious than Ms. Austen's (though it's got enough of a sting in it to make it funny) but then again there are a lot less descriptions of elaborate gardens, mentionings of an inidividual's income or what have you... lace, so that's just fine.
I'll give you one quote, though, so you can understand what I'm talking about (it's a dialogue about a book shop in the village):
"I have not seen it." Mr Everett offered his arm to Percival. "I would be delighted if you would let me escort you there. I could use a new book or two for myself."
"How fortunate!" Percival said, who was always delighted by pleasant happenstances like this one.
You need to be able to read that with a straight face. Percy is bloody delighted. He really, really is. Take it as a portrait of more innocent times and don't worry too much if they ever really existed.
Warning: If you need a lot of graphic on-screen sex - nope. Stay away.
If none of the above makes your alarms go off - read it. I had a lot of fun!
There might be a malapropism (or three) in there but I'm not a native speaker, so what do I know?
There is fun to be had! Recommended.
Anyhow, a pastiche is not a bad thing if it's well done. IMHO the author did a rather decent job of capturing the language and sentiments of Jane Austen's books and I applaud. Incorporating the magically-gay-ok might be a bit of a stretch but that's what I read books for. If I want reality, I just can go outside.
Ms. Marlowe's voice is a little less lovingly and gently malicious than Ms. Austen's (though it's got enough of a sting in it to make it funny) but then again there are a lot less descriptions of elaborate gardens, mentionings of an inidividual's income or what have you... lace, so that's just fine.
I'll give you one quote, though, so you can understand what I'm talking about (it's a dialogue about a book shop in the village):
"I have not seen it." Mr Everett offered his arm to Percival. "I would be delighted if you would let me escort you there. I could use a new book or two for myself."
"How fortunate!" Percival said, who was always delighted by pleasant happenstances like this one.
You need to be able to read that with a straight face. Percy is bloody delighted. He really, really is. Take it as a portrait of more innocent times and don't worry too much if they ever really existed.
Warning: If you need a lot of graphic on-screen sex - nope. Stay away.
If none of the above makes your alarms go off - read it. I had a lot of fun!
There might be a malapropism (or three) in there but I'm not a native speaker, so what do I know?
There is fun to be had! Recommended.
July 11, 2024
I adore the way this author writes historical romances! Out of all the MM historical romance authors I've read (and I've read quite a few), I think this author comes closest to writing the way people actually wrote back in the 1800s. Every line of dialog sounds authentic and the author closely adheres to 1800s social etiquette at all times, which is something I adore. Some of the author's writing choices in other avenues left me feeling lukewarm about the romance, but I loved the rest of it.
The fact that the author stuck so closely to reality was what made this story special. In stories where authors don't take the historical setting seriously, there's instalust and the MCs make it clear in absurd ways that they want to bang ASAP. In stories where authors treat the time period with more respect but they also want the courtship to only be one plotline in the book, then the path to the MCs getting together takes longer and the MCs have to dance around each other for a little while until they realize the other person wants what they have. But what Marlowe did in this book is to depict things as seriously as possible. Percival knows he's gay (the word itself is never used which is another historical accuracy that I adored) but he knows his attractions to other men aren't socially acceptable so he's spent his life focusing on his work and social life, both of which he's very happy with. He's intelligent, kind and works very hard as the estate manager for his absentee Lord. Everybody loves him, he's very respected in the entire village and he can't walk two feet without somebody inviting him into their home for tea and gossip. But the man has no experience with romantic things and that's what made him such an endearing character.
The whole point of the story is to answer the question: how do you go about courting a man in the 19th century when the man a) would never assume that a man would be courting him (due to social conventions) and b) wouldn't recognize any courting that's happening due to his lack of experience? The answer: very, very slowly and very, very carefully. It was adorable how Percival and Mr. Everett circled around each other very cautiously throughout the majority of the story. Percy can't quite hide his attraction to Mr. Everett but openly expressing that attraction would destroy his life and more importantly in Percy's mind, it would be a major social faux pas and he'd never get over being the cause of a faux pas. Adhering to social etiquette is very important for Percy and that means his attraction to Mr. Everett is just a little inconvenient and it's something he has to work hard to get past. It's definitely not something that could ever lead to a relationship because Percy's thinking process never gets anywhere close to that. What's adorable is that the author deliberately stays in Percy's POV and while Percy can't read between the lines of Mr. Everett's behavior (ie his obvious attempts to subtly court Percy), readers can. It wasn't necessary to get Mr. Everett's POV because having readers be more knowledgeable about romantic things than Percy means we got all the information we needed and the only one left ignorant was Percy.
I loved that the author never increased the slow burn pacing of the romance and never compromised her dedication to historical accuracy, even when it led to frustrations for everyone (including me). A great example of this was that Percy (and readers) don't even learn Mr. Everett's first name until the halfway mark and we only learn it because a character close to Mr. Everett's refers to him by his first name while in an informal setting. In any other type of story, if you knew going in that the MCs won't know each other's first names for the majority of the book then you'd roll your eyes at the notion that these two genuinely fall in love with each other along the way. But in this case, it worked perfectly. Their romance progression doesn't follow modern milestones and that's the point - this doesn't take place in modern times. The author does a wonderful and respectful job of portraying how men like Percy and Mr. Everett might have gone from complete strangers to life partners in the 1800s and that was my favorite part of the story.
I also liked the big plot twist that's revealed near the end. I do want to pat myself on the back because I randomly guessed the twist at 17% due to a tiny little detail and I was thrilled to be proven right near the end of the story! Probably the twist isn't as mysterious as the author wanted it to be, but I won't spoil any of it.
Another thing I adored was the beautiful prose. If you're going to write authentic 1800s dialog, then you have to pair that with rich, flowing prose and that's exactly what the author did. This style is what I refer to as 'using 10 words when one would do' but each of those 10 words is carefully chosen and the vocabulary is rich and varied. This author is one of the few in the genre whose work is a joy to read even if I'm not keen on the characters or the actual plotlines. Here's a great example:
Percy is contemplating whether his 'distraction' (ie his attraction to Mr. Everett) qualifies as a sin due to the homosexual nature of the distraction and he decides he has no idea. This is how the author writes his thought process:
Wondering if that distraction itself was a sin, Percival considered inquiring of Mr. Humphrey (the rector) on the topic, but quickly decided that such an inquiry would be even more impossible than conversing with Mr. Everett as to the significance of their kiss. Percival went around in philosophical circles with himself on this topic for a bit, but found that philosophy and morality were not topics for which he had a natural propensity, and came to no resolution whatsoever.
I also adored the side characters. There weren't too many and the author did a great job keeping the named cast small even though the characters' social lives were as busy as they realistically would have been. The way the author found the perfect balance between showing the characters interacting with tons of people while only naming and describing important ones was great! In particular, the Bolton siblings were a wonderful addition to the story. I was particularly happy that both of them were solid characters who had their own arcs throughout the story but none of those things ever pulled the focus away from Percy and Mr. Everett's romance. I genuinely loved the Bolton siblings and I ended the story hoping that they'll end up as happy with their new lives as Percy and Mr. Everett will be.
So why only 3 stars? Unfortunately, the author was so busy focusing on details such as the historical authenticity and the mystery subplot that certain things fell by the wayside. A major detail that was left out was Percy's emotional reactions to things. There are multiple occasions in the story where something shocking happens to him (one of them is when Mr. Everett kisses him for the first time and I won't spoil the others) but Percy reacts way too casually during each of these times. It didn't feel natural - it felt like the author forgot to have Percy express an appropriate reaction. This is a man who's only kissed a handful of people in his entire life and he's had a massive crush on Mr. Everett for months but never thought those feelings would ever be returned. It made no sense that he'd react so casually during the kiss. This lack of reaction was even more disappointing at the end when the big reveal happens. Percy barely acknowledges it and stays focused on minor issues that aren't that important. Again, it didn't feel natural and because we're in Percy's POV, I expected to get more reaction from him. Maybe he doesn't show those emotions externally but that's the point of being in his POV - we should have gotten something.
Due to Percy's lack of emotions, I also felt little chemistry between the MCs. Since social etiquette restricted Mr. Everett's abilities to showcase his emotions too strongly, it meant that both MCs did little to physically express their feelings for each other. Even though it made sense that they had genuinely fallen in love with each other by the end, I never felt any of that love come across on page. That's purely due to the author's writing choices, not the characters or the pairing.
Overall, I felt this was a very unique historical romance that would likely appeal to fans of Jane Austen's work and other writers who wrote in the 1800s. The author's respect for history is clearly evident and reading the story was a joy, even though the romance wasn't as good as it could have been.
The fact that the author stuck so closely to reality was what made this story special. In stories where authors don't take the historical setting seriously, there's instalust and the MCs make it clear in absurd ways that they want to bang ASAP. In stories where authors treat the time period with more respect but they also want the courtship to only be one plotline in the book, then the path to the MCs getting together takes longer and the MCs have to dance around each other for a little while until they realize the other person wants what they have. But what Marlowe did in this book is to depict things as seriously as possible. Percival knows he's gay (the word itself is never used which is another historical accuracy that I adored) but he knows his attractions to other men aren't socially acceptable so he's spent his life focusing on his work and social life, both of which he's very happy with. He's intelligent, kind and works very hard as the estate manager for his absentee Lord. Everybody loves him, he's very respected in the entire village and he can't walk two feet without somebody inviting him into their home for tea and gossip. But the man has no experience with romantic things and that's what made him such an endearing character.
The whole point of the story is to answer the question: how do you go about courting a man in the 19th century when the man a) would never assume that a man would be courting him (due to social conventions) and b) wouldn't recognize any courting that's happening due to his lack of experience? The answer: very, very slowly and very, very carefully. It was adorable how Percival and Mr. Everett circled around each other very cautiously throughout the majority of the story. Percy can't quite hide his attraction to Mr. Everett but openly expressing that attraction would destroy his life and more importantly in Percy's mind, it would be a major social faux pas and he'd never get over being the cause of a faux pas. Adhering to social etiquette is very important for Percy and that means his attraction to Mr. Everett is just a little inconvenient and it's something he has to work hard to get past. It's definitely not something that could ever lead to a relationship because Percy's thinking process never gets anywhere close to that. What's adorable is that the author deliberately stays in Percy's POV and while Percy can't read between the lines of Mr. Everett's behavior (ie his obvious attempts to subtly court Percy), readers can. It wasn't necessary to get Mr. Everett's POV because having readers be more knowledgeable about romantic things than Percy means we got all the information we needed and the only one left ignorant was Percy.
I loved that the author never increased the slow burn pacing of the romance and never compromised her dedication to historical accuracy, even when it led to frustrations for everyone (including me). A great example of this was that Percy (and readers) don't even learn Mr. Everett's first name until the halfway mark and we only learn it because a character close to Mr. Everett's refers to him by his first name while in an informal setting. In any other type of story, if you knew going in that the MCs won't know each other's first names for the majority of the book then you'd roll your eyes at the notion that these two genuinely fall in love with each other along the way. But in this case, it worked perfectly. Their romance progression doesn't follow modern milestones and that's the point - this doesn't take place in modern times. The author does a wonderful and respectful job of portraying how men like Percy and Mr. Everett might have gone from complete strangers to life partners in the 1800s and that was my favorite part of the story.
I also liked the big plot twist that's revealed near the end. I do want to pat myself on the back because I randomly guessed the twist at 17% due to a tiny little detail and I was thrilled to be proven right near the end of the story! Probably the twist isn't as mysterious as the author wanted it to be, but I won't spoil any of it.
Another thing I adored was the beautiful prose. If you're going to write authentic 1800s dialog, then you have to pair that with rich, flowing prose and that's exactly what the author did. This style is what I refer to as 'using 10 words when one would do' but each of those 10 words is carefully chosen and the vocabulary is rich and varied. This author is one of the few in the genre whose work is a joy to read even if I'm not keen on the characters or the actual plotlines. Here's a great example:
Percy is contemplating whether his 'distraction' (ie his attraction to Mr. Everett) qualifies as a sin due to the homosexual nature of the distraction and he decides he has no idea. This is how the author writes his thought process:
Wondering if that distraction itself was a sin, Percival considered inquiring of Mr. Humphrey (the rector) on the topic, but quickly decided that such an inquiry would be even more impossible than conversing with Mr. Everett as to the significance of their kiss. Percival went around in philosophical circles with himself on this topic for a bit, but found that philosophy and morality were not topics for which he had a natural propensity, and came to no resolution whatsoever.
I also adored the side characters. There weren't too many and the author did a great job keeping the named cast small even though the characters' social lives were as busy as they realistically would have been. The way the author found the perfect balance between showing the characters interacting with tons of people while only naming and describing important ones was great! In particular, the Bolton siblings were a wonderful addition to the story. I was particularly happy that both of them were solid characters who had their own arcs throughout the story but none of those things ever pulled the focus away from Percy and Mr. Everett's romance. I genuinely loved the Bolton siblings and I ended the story hoping that they'll end up as happy with their new lives as Percy and Mr. Everett will be.
So why only 3 stars? Unfortunately, the author was so busy focusing on details such as the historical authenticity and the mystery subplot that certain things fell by the wayside. A major detail that was left out was Percy's emotional reactions to things. There are multiple occasions in the story where something shocking happens to him (one of them is when Mr. Everett kisses him for the first time and I won't spoil the others) but Percy reacts way too casually during each of these times. It didn't feel natural - it felt like the author forgot to have Percy express an appropriate reaction. This is a man who's only kissed a handful of people in his entire life and he's had a massive crush on Mr. Everett for months but never thought those feelings would ever be returned. It made no sense that he'd react so casually during the kiss. This lack of reaction was even more disappointing at the end when the big reveal happens. Percy barely acknowledges it and stays focused on minor issues that aren't that important. Again, it didn't feel natural and because we're in Percy's POV, I expected to get more reaction from him. Maybe he doesn't show those emotions externally but that's the point of being in his POV - we should have gotten something.
Due to Percy's lack of emotions, I also felt little chemistry between the MCs. Since social etiquette restricted Mr. Everett's abilities to showcase his emotions too strongly, it meant that both MCs did little to physically express their feelings for each other. Even though it made sense that they had genuinely fallen in love with each other by the end, I never felt any of that love come across on page. That's purely due to the author's writing choices, not the characters or the pairing.
Overall, I felt this was a very unique historical romance that would likely appeal to fans of Jane Austen's work and other writers who wrote in the 1800s. The author's respect for history is clearly evident and reading the story was a joy, even though the romance wasn't as good as it could have been.
November 23, 2015
3.5 stars
This had a much different feel than most other historical m/m books set in the regency period in that it was more like a traditional regency but with two male characters, i.e. there was only one glimpse into the bedroom. The romance itself was quite delightful. Lots of uncertainties about what the other was thinking. Lots of blushing. Percival, the main character, is worried that he will be seen as a country bumpkin when the three more polished visitors, including Mr. Everett, come to stay in his village. And he was delightfully innocent. Completely taken unaware by the "distracting" Mr. Everett and not really understanding the pull he felt towards him. It was sweet and fun watching Percival come to terms with these feelings.
I did, however, have some issues with this book. I'm in no ways an expert on the regency period, but I have read many books set in this time period. A number of things here did not feel true to the period. For instance, I'm not sure that it would have been at all acceptable for two men to dance together at a country party. I also don't think two men would have slept together in the same bed without any disregard for what the servants would think in the morning. There were also a number of plot points that I didn't think were satisfactorily addressed.
Possible historical inaccuracies aside, this was an enjoyable read.
This had a much different feel than most other historical m/m books set in the regency period in that it was more like a traditional regency but with two male characters, i.e. there was only one glimpse into the bedroom. The romance itself was quite delightful. Lots of uncertainties about what the other was thinking. Lots of blushing. Percival, the main character, is worried that he will be seen as a country bumpkin when the three more polished visitors, including Mr. Everett, come to stay in his village. And he was delightfully innocent. Completely taken unaware by the "distracting" Mr. Everett and not really understanding the pull he felt towards him. It was sweet and fun watching Percival come to terms with these feelings.
I did, however, have some issues with this book. I'm in no ways an expert on the regency period, but I have read many books set in this time period. A number of things here did not feel true to the period. For instance, I'm not sure that it would have been at all acceptable for two men to dance together at a country party. I also don't think two men would have slept together in the same bed without any disregard for what the servants would think in the morning. There were also a number of plot points that I didn't think were satisfactorily addressed.
Possible historical inaccuracies aside, this was an enjoyable read.
March 18, 2021
Lovely
What a charming little jewel of story An Unusual Courtship turned out to be.
Beautifully written , well researched , light hearted , very funny , romantic and sexy . Loved it.
What a charming little jewel of story An Unusual Courtship turned out to be.
Beautifully written , well researched , light hearted , very funny , romantic and sexy . Loved it.
October 30, 2015
Percival Valentine enjoys his role in overseeing the provincial town of Linston, but that doesn't mean he doesn't look forward to the promise of something new brought by his new neighbors from London. They are all three rather intriguing, and while Percival makes an attempt at courting the lady of the trio, Miss Bolton, he finds he must come to terms with the distraction that is Mr. Everett. Percival isn't sure he should give in to his feelings--after all, he barely knows Mr. Everett, does he not?--but the mystery that is the man just might prove too alluring. But what is lingering below the surface? And what of the rumors of Mr. Everett's bad behavior before he left London? Percival will certainly find out.
What a fun and lighthearted read! I absolutely loved the style in which this was written. I found myself easily imagining seeing this on the stage, just like one of those familiar British comedies, dare I say something right along the lines of Wilde. The language, the social norms of the time, and the people themselves are so well-rounded and clearly well-researched and constructed, that it's difficult not to get lost in the story right along with them.
One of the things I enjoy about well-written historical m/m stories is that I feel like they present us with a forgotten history. We know that LGBT people existed in history, but their stories were often hidden in the attic and those that were more open weren't recorded (save a few very tragic stories that we are left with). While we won't likely know for certain all of the stories that were lost, we can try to imagine what would have and could have been within the lines of what we do know about the people of the times and how they lived. And I think this is definitely one of those stories...
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
What a fun and lighthearted read! I absolutely loved the style in which this was written. I found myself easily imagining seeing this on the stage, just like one of those familiar British comedies, dare I say something right along the lines of Wilde. The language, the social norms of the time, and the people themselves are so well-rounded and clearly well-researched and constructed, that it's difficult not to get lost in the story right along with them.
One of the things I enjoy about well-written historical m/m stories is that I feel like they present us with a forgotten history. We know that LGBT people existed in history, but their stories were often hidden in the attic and those that were more open weren't recorded (save a few very tragic stories that we are left with). While we won't likely know for certain all of the stories that were lost, we can try to imagine what would have and could have been within the lines of what we do know about the people of the times and how they lived. And I think this is definitely one of those stories...
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
September 25, 2021
This was such a sweet read, I just adored seeing these two fumble their way around their attraction to each other. I really liked the side characters and how supportive they were, but most of all I loved Percival who was such a sweetheart. Bonus points for all the blushing, it made me happy every time it happened.
May 29, 2019
The hats on the cover do not appear, which is obviously devastating. This was a lot of fun nonetheless. Exactly the kind of book to read when you're feeling a bit mopey and just want some lighthearted jokes about elbows.
December 9, 2015
Very Unusual, Indeed
Well this one is actually a bit of a hoot. Even if you are a bit off put by the cover as I was, the way these two wonderful characters develop a friendship, and then a love, for each other is perfectly in keeping with the reticence the cover may imply (though I think Percival and Everett are a bit hotter than the way they are depicted).
What is so surprising here is the dominance of the entire plot by Miss Bolton, who just is one savvy and very amusing young lady. Even though her twin brother didn't play such a big role, he, too, is critical to the plot as are so many other characters who spring up here and there and make sure the proceedings move right along.
You can probably figure out what is likely to happen somewhere around the middle of the book--but you are not likely to figure out how things are revealed and how everything comes together so logically.
If one would want to be cynical, this is more of a fairy tale (shut up, I mean it in the right way) than a true MM Regency romance. But its style and its characters make it a swift, lively, lovely read nonetheless. Enjoy!
Well this one is actually a bit of a hoot. Even if you are a bit off put by the cover as I was, the way these two wonderful characters develop a friendship, and then a love, for each other is perfectly in keeping with the reticence the cover may imply (though I think Percival and Everett are a bit hotter than the way they are depicted).
What is so surprising here is the dominance of the entire plot by Miss Bolton, who just is one savvy and very amusing young lady. Even though her twin brother didn't play such a big role, he, too, is critical to the plot as are so many other characters who spring up here and there and make sure the proceedings move right along.
You can probably figure out what is likely to happen somewhere around the middle of the book--but you are not likely to figure out how things are revealed and how everything comes together so logically.
If one would want to be cynical, this is more of a fairy tale (shut up, I mean it in the right way) than a true MM Regency romance. But its style and its characters make it a swift, lively, lovely read nonetheless. Enjoy!
August 4, 2016
An engaging Regency romance with good characterization and lively dialogue. Just delightful!
April 11, 2023
This was so sweet! I adored Percival and Mr. Everett. They had good chemistry, and the story was cozy and quiet. I wish the attraction between them had more time to build and wasn't so instantaneous, so that I could've seen more scenes of Mr. Everett clearly enamored with Percival, and vice versa, after . Other than that, though, this was very charming.
November 8, 2015
4.5 STARS
“I would still have you,” Percival said. “If you would be willing. And perhaps indeed it may lighten your mood, for I would most earnestly desire to do anything I might which would make you smile.”
That did make Mr. Everett smile, a little. “You are entirely too good and earnest, Mr. Valentine.”
Someone catch me as I swoon in the face of all this politely, earnest Regency flirting! This is the second book that I’ve read by Katherine Marlowe and I can safely say that she has a fan in me. What strikes me when I begin a story by this author is the immediate recognition that this is a regency period tale. For someone who is use to reading contemporaries, the contrast is a slap in the face as the physical setting and the “old fashioned” characters are presented in a convincing, well written manner. In my opinion, and I have no idea if this comparison will make sense to anyone else, Katherine Marlowe writes Regencies with two male main characters, rather than m/m romances set in a Regency period. Although the romance is the whole point of the story, the focus always remains on the fact that this is a historical setting. You never lose your awareness of that. And I greatly appreciate that the author never makes a huge fuss of the fact that these are two men in love. In such a time period, it could obviously be cause for endless angst, drama and violence, but in both books I’ve read so far, Katherine Marlowe treats the issue with a minimum of fanfare.
This story is told from the point of view of Mr. Valentine, though his friends call him…err, Mr. Valentine. Well, one wouldn’t want to be overly familiar, but for the sake of this review we shall call him Percival. Percival loves his life, overseeing the country town of Linston where he was born and has happily remained. Though not at all bored with his simple life he is, however, rather excited by the arrival of three Londoners who have arrived to spend the remainder of the summer in the quiet town. Percival decides he should court Miss Bolton, who seems perfectly suited to be the kind of wife he is suppose to want. The trouble is, he’d much rather spend his time with Mr. Everett, who is decidedly not the kind of life partner Percival is meant to yearn for, for obvious reasons. When Percival begins to suspect that Mr. Everett may also share
“…his inclination to be distracted by members of his own gender…”
he needs to decide just what he is prepared to do about it.
I’ve always loved the gentleness of Regency romances, and though I’m new to m/m historicals this book has all of the characteristics of a well written period story. The language, mannerisms and the thought processes were all perfect as far as I could tell, although, I in no way claim to be an expert, simply a voracious Regency romance reader. I particularly liked the humor the author managed to inject into the story, while remaining faithful to the time period.
“the fashion of wearing a long tail in the back was now embarrassingly eighteenth-century.”
And
“Sir, I question the etiquette of your wayward elbows.”
Ha! Wayward elbows indeed! You know, I promise that those lines sounded a lot funnier in the context of the story. I actually chuckled.
The characters themselves were interesting yet a little held back from us, which I can only assume was deliberate considering the skill this author demonstrates. It gave the characters an added air of reserve and in Mr. Everett’s case, romantic mystery. This reserve was however offset by the fabulous secondary characters, Hermione and Horatio Bolton, who added refreshing bursts of liveliness to whichever scene they popped into.
The sex was appropriately brief and fairly non-explicit. Any salacious goings on wouldn’t have fit with the tone of this book at all. Yet I was happy to get a little boudoir time with Mr. Everett and Mr. Valentine, because I always love to see how character’s public personas translate into their bedroom behavior. In a book like this I’m especially interested to see how the men would react in a sexual situation. I like a buttoned down man who will let it all go in bed.
“I am indeed,” Percival insisted, lifting his chin proudly at his very slender claim to being a rake-shame. “I am even so profligate as to kiss certain ladies upon their cheeks.”
My one and only complaint about this book is the cover. It’s probably very fitting but, in my opinion at least, it’s not at all appealing. It’s all just so…brown, and at first glance the men appear off-puttingly unattractive. Any prospective readers, I urge you to look past it.
If this is a genre you like then I feel confident in recommending this book to you. And if, like me, you “don’t read m/m historicals” well, guess what…I still feel confident in recommending this book to you.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/11/0...
“I would still have you,” Percival said. “If you would be willing. And perhaps indeed it may lighten your mood, for I would most earnestly desire to do anything I might which would make you smile.”
That did make Mr. Everett smile, a little. “You are entirely too good and earnest, Mr. Valentine.”
Someone catch me as I swoon in the face of all this politely, earnest Regency flirting! This is the second book that I’ve read by Katherine Marlowe and I can safely say that she has a fan in me. What strikes me when I begin a story by this author is the immediate recognition that this is a regency period tale. For someone who is use to reading contemporaries, the contrast is a slap in the face as the physical setting and the “old fashioned” characters are presented in a convincing, well written manner. In my opinion, and I have no idea if this comparison will make sense to anyone else, Katherine Marlowe writes Regencies with two male main characters, rather than m/m romances set in a Regency period. Although the romance is the whole point of the story, the focus always remains on the fact that this is a historical setting. You never lose your awareness of that. And I greatly appreciate that the author never makes a huge fuss of the fact that these are two men in love. In such a time period, it could obviously be cause for endless angst, drama and violence, but in both books I’ve read so far, Katherine Marlowe treats the issue with a minimum of fanfare.
This story is told from the point of view of Mr. Valentine, though his friends call him…err, Mr. Valentine. Well, one wouldn’t want to be overly familiar, but for the sake of this review we shall call him Percival. Percival loves his life, overseeing the country town of Linston where he was born and has happily remained. Though not at all bored with his simple life he is, however, rather excited by the arrival of three Londoners who have arrived to spend the remainder of the summer in the quiet town. Percival decides he should court Miss Bolton, who seems perfectly suited to be the kind of wife he is suppose to want. The trouble is, he’d much rather spend his time with Mr. Everett, who is decidedly not the kind of life partner Percival is meant to yearn for, for obvious reasons. When Percival begins to suspect that Mr. Everett may also share
“…his inclination to be distracted by members of his own gender…”
he needs to decide just what he is prepared to do about it.
I’ve always loved the gentleness of Regency romances, and though I’m new to m/m historicals this book has all of the characteristics of a well written period story. The language, mannerisms and the thought processes were all perfect as far as I could tell, although, I in no way claim to be an expert, simply a voracious Regency romance reader. I particularly liked the humor the author managed to inject into the story, while remaining faithful to the time period.
“the fashion of wearing a long tail in the back was now embarrassingly eighteenth-century.”
And
“Sir, I question the etiquette of your wayward elbows.”
Ha! Wayward elbows indeed! You know, I promise that those lines sounded a lot funnier in the context of the story. I actually chuckled.
The characters themselves were interesting yet a little held back from us, which I can only assume was deliberate considering the skill this author demonstrates. It gave the characters an added air of reserve and in Mr. Everett’s case, romantic mystery. This reserve was however offset by the fabulous secondary characters, Hermione and Horatio Bolton, who added refreshing bursts of liveliness to whichever scene they popped into.
The sex was appropriately brief and fairly non-explicit. Any salacious goings on wouldn’t have fit with the tone of this book at all. Yet I was happy to get a little boudoir time with Mr. Everett and Mr. Valentine, because I always love to see how character’s public personas translate into their bedroom behavior. In a book like this I’m especially interested to see how the men would react in a sexual situation. I like a buttoned down man who will let it all go in bed.
“I am indeed,” Percival insisted, lifting his chin proudly at his very slender claim to being a rake-shame. “I am even so profligate as to kiss certain ladies upon their cheeks.”
My one and only complaint about this book is the cover. It’s probably very fitting but, in my opinion at least, it’s not at all appealing. It’s all just so…brown, and at first glance the men appear off-puttingly unattractive. Any prospective readers, I urge you to look past it.
If this is a genre you like then I feel confident in recommending this book to you. And if, like me, you “don’t read m/m historicals” well, guess what…I still feel confident in recommending this book to you.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/11/0...
July 2, 2020
Finding What You’re Not Looking For!
A light breeze, charming, Regency romance between estates manage Gentleman Percival Valentine & mysterious Mr. Frederick Everett; special mention the Boltons. Likable MCs, simplicity sweet premise. Enjoyable! Rating: 3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A light breeze, charming, Regency romance between estates manage Gentleman Percival Valentine & mysterious Mr. Frederick Everett; special mention the Boltons. Likable MCs, simplicity sweet premise. Enjoyable! Rating: 3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 30, 2015
Original review on Molly Lolly
Four and a half stars!
This story was so enjoyable. I loved getting to know Percival and Mr. Everett. There are parts of this story that reminded me of everything I loved about some of my regency favorites. The writing is so well done of the period that you can almost forget it was written recently.
Percival is very sweet and you can’t help but fall for him. He despairs some that his new friends would find him too countrified. However you can tell he loves his job and where he lives. The excitement comes through in his words and actions. Mr. Everett is dashing and so swoon worthy. He’s a gentleman but slightly reserved due to the nature of his “inclinations”. I loved the support characters of the Bolt siblings. You can tell their relationship to Mr. Everett is long standing and with deep affection.
The one thing I would have liked was a bit more of a happy ending. I realize the time period precludes any kind of open and out love and relationship. But a bit more to show how they’re going to make a relationship work under those constraints would have made me that much happier.
This story has everything that makes a historical romance wonderful. I hope to read more by Ms. Marlowe in the future.
Four and a half stars!
This story was so enjoyable. I loved getting to know Percival and Mr. Everett. There are parts of this story that reminded me of everything I loved about some of my regency favorites. The writing is so well done of the period that you can almost forget it was written recently.
Percival is very sweet and you can’t help but fall for him. He despairs some that his new friends would find him too countrified. However you can tell he loves his job and where he lives. The excitement comes through in his words and actions. Mr. Everett is dashing and so swoon worthy. He’s a gentleman but slightly reserved due to the nature of his “inclinations”. I loved the support characters of the Bolt siblings. You can tell their relationship to Mr. Everett is long standing and with deep affection.
The one thing I would have liked was a bit more of a happy ending. I realize the time period precludes any kind of open and out love and relationship. But a bit more to show how they’re going to make a relationship work under those constraints would have made me that much happier.
This story has everything that makes a historical romance wonderful. I hope to read more by Ms. Marlowe in the future.
March 31, 2020
The payoff in this story is watching the flowering of Percy from a lonely man into one with not just a lover, but a deeper understanding of himself, and new friends as well. The romance is full of heated glances, and then finally more than that in a decently paced buildup and payoff set in a plausible historical setting.
The plot is thin, the devices very obvious, and the conflict later in the book is a touch contrived, but this is a character-driven story of Percy and Mr. Everett, who opens the door to a whole new world of bright colours and real emotions. So if that's your narrative cup of tea, you'll have a nice fun read.
Good female character with side romance and a meaningful friendship added a lot to the fun here.
The plot is thin, the devices very obvious, and the conflict later in the book is a touch contrived, but this is a character-driven story of Percy and Mr. Everett, who opens the door to a whole new world of bright colours and real emotions. So if that's your narrative cup of tea, you'll have a nice fun read.
Good female character with side romance and a meaningful friendship added a lot to the fun here.
January 26, 2016
Percy, struck with admiration for 'Fred', literally fell off his chair trying to avoid it and him.
The 'tempo' of the story [sweet, funny, clean] is sort of Heyer / Balogish -who happens to be two of my historical faves.
Just as in A Wager of Love, in certain circumstance, it was sort of acceptable for men to dance with each other. I wonder if this is historical fact, or only the author's imagination. In any case, it was cute.
This is so worth reading.
The 'tempo' of the story [sweet, funny, clean] is sort of Heyer / Balogish -who happens to be two of my historical faves.
Just as in A Wager of Love, in certain circumstance, it was sort of acceptable for men to dance with each other. I wonder if this is historical fact, or only the author's imagination. In any case, it was cute.
This is so worth reading.
December 9, 2017
What an utterly charming story this was! Nothing like any MM period pieces I have read in the past, oh, this one reminds me of all the fun fluffy Regency movies I love! Very much recommend this, Percy and William were so adorable together, honestly I pictured Charles Bingley and Mr. Knightly as the two leads (not a fan of the cover though it's nice in its own way, it doesn't give much to the imagination for our characters). Love, love, LOVE this!
April 14, 2021
I mostly enjoyed this but would probably give it 2.5 stars if GR were kind enough to allow that.
This a pretty low angst and sweet regency romance between two men. I liked the set up and the writing was fine. I prefer low angst and this was that. But it nearly ignored the issues of two men being together in the regency. There is almost no discussion of how they will behave in public or arrange for things like heirs. To me it seemed to be a HFN which left me slightly unsatisfied.
This a pretty low angst and sweet regency romance between two men. I liked the set up and the writing was fine. I prefer low angst and this was that. But it nearly ignored the issues of two men being together in the regency. There is almost no discussion of how they will behave in public or arrange for things like heirs. To me it seemed to be a HFN which left me slightly unsatisfied.
December 31, 2015
I really enjoyed this story. The characters were wonderful, and their interactions were sweet, fun, and romantic. I'll be reading all of Kitty's other books in the near future!
April 28, 2017
loved all the characters and the community
November 13, 2018
Originally posted on You Have Your Hands Full
An Unusual Courtship was written by Katherine Marlowe. This is a Regency-era m/m historical romance novel, and I first found out about it because of its availability on Kindle Unlimited. If you don’t want to read my entire review, all you need to know is that I enjoyed this book so much that I purchased my own copy.
Percival Valentine likes his quiet life in the village of Linston, where he works in an informal capacity as estate manager. There’s a more detailed explanation, involving an extinct barony and an inherited house, but needless to say, Percival is a gentleman. When he finds out that Linston Grange has been rented to a trio of young people, he looks forward to the new opportunities for socialization.
Mr. and Miss Bolton are delightful, but it is their friend the enigmatic Mr. Everett who really catches Percival’s eye. There is clearly a spark of mutual attraction, but they skirt around it and never talk about it because of the forbidden nature of such a relationship.
But Mr. Everett has secrets of his own- are they enough to doom the potential for anything more than friendship?
This was such a good book. The book moves along at a gentle pace, which suits the bucolic setting. This is definitely a slow burn, and it was utter agony watching Percival and Mr. Everett tiptoe around their feelings. It’s clear that they like other, but neither wants to act on it because of the potential consequences. The ending was simply delightful- I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect resolution to any conflict.
I would absolutely recommend An Unusual Courtship. Aside from what I have already touched upon, I also enjoyed Marlowe’s writing style. It has shades of a traditional Regency novel, and I thought it paired well with the nontraditional (but sorely needed) plot. This is my first experience reading any of Marlowe’s books, but I am definitely going to add her other books to my reading list.
An Unusual Courtship was written by Katherine Marlowe. This is a Regency-era m/m historical romance novel, and I first found out about it because of its availability on Kindle Unlimited. If you don’t want to read my entire review, all you need to know is that I enjoyed this book so much that I purchased my own copy.
Percival Valentine likes his quiet life in the village of Linston, where he works in an informal capacity as estate manager. There’s a more detailed explanation, involving an extinct barony and an inherited house, but needless to say, Percival is a gentleman. When he finds out that Linston Grange has been rented to a trio of young people, he looks forward to the new opportunities for socialization.
Mr. and Miss Bolton are delightful, but it is their friend the enigmatic Mr. Everett who really catches Percival’s eye. There is clearly a spark of mutual attraction, but they skirt around it and never talk about it because of the forbidden nature of such a relationship.
But Mr. Everett has secrets of his own- are they enough to doom the potential for anything more than friendship?
This was such a good book. The book moves along at a gentle pace, which suits the bucolic setting. This is definitely a slow burn, and it was utter agony watching Percival and Mr. Everett tiptoe around their feelings. It’s clear that they like other, but neither wants to act on it because of the potential consequences. The ending was simply delightful- I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect resolution to any conflict.
I would absolutely recommend An Unusual Courtship. Aside from what I have already touched upon, I also enjoyed Marlowe’s writing style. It has shades of a traditional Regency novel, and I thought it paired well with the nontraditional (but sorely needed) plot. This is my first experience reading any of Marlowe’s books, but I am definitely going to add her other books to my reading list.
November 14, 2021
A fairly bog standard historical romance - except where it tries so hard to not be.
Pros
+ Both boys are so likable and awkward and sweet and fumbling and they get an extra star for not being all dark brooding alpha male.
+ Lovely trio (soon to be quartet) of friends. (Possibly a...quintet(?) Whatever the five is.)
+ The boys do not suffer from internalized homophobia.
Cons
- To such a degree that they dance a waltz at a party and kiss hands in public. (While it is possible, I'll admit, it is improbable to such a degree that they would be unaware/indifferent to the danger to them that...it kind of took me out of the story and made me wonder if the author had wanted to write a straight romance.)
- One of the boys was in an abusive relationship at that was the impetus for the late story misunderstanding/separation. It was, however, neatly swept under the rug in favor of wrapping up the romance instead of actually, you know, dealing with it.
- Some information seems contradictory. Miss Bolton says about Mr. Everett: 'I would be very surprised of it, he has been careful to keep it from the knowledge of his friends.' And then, later the same page, says: 'Mr. Everett has spoken to us frankly before about his ... inclinations, and that has set us on the watch for any time that such inclinations might be reciprocated.'
- (I would have been happier without the sex scene as it really added nothing to the narrative that couldn't be conveyed with a fade to black.)
Not bad, not great. Honestly, gets worse the more I think about it. Pretty standard romance with an above average couple and several nitpicks for me.
Pros
+ Both boys are so likable and awkward and sweet and fumbling and they get an extra star for not being all dark brooding alpha male.
+ Lovely trio (soon to be quartet) of friends. (Possibly a...quintet(?) Whatever the five is.)
+ The boys do not suffer from internalized homophobia.
Cons
- To such a degree that they dance a waltz at a party and kiss hands in public. (While it is possible, I'll admit, it is improbable to such a degree that they would be unaware/indifferent to the danger to them that...it kind of took me out of the story and made me wonder if the author had wanted to write a straight romance.)
- One of the boys was in an abusive relationship at that was the impetus for the late story misunderstanding/separation. It was, however, neatly swept under the rug in favor of wrapping up the romance instead of actually, you know, dealing with it.
- Some information seems contradictory. Miss Bolton says about Mr. Everett: 'I would be very surprised of it, he has been careful to keep it from the knowledge of his friends.' And then, later the same page, says: 'Mr. Everett has spoken to us frankly before about his ... inclinations, and that has set us on the watch for any time that such inclinations might be reciprocated.'
- (I would have been happier without the sex scene as it really added nothing to the narrative that couldn't be conveyed with a fade to black.)
Not bad, not great. Honestly, gets worse the more I think about it. Pretty standard romance with an above average couple and several nitpicks for me.
September 27, 2020
This was a delightful step back into a historical time period with very friendly and funny characters. I enjoyed this book and discovered it one day when it popped into my queue. Katherine Marlowe is a new author to me so I'm looking forward to reading her regency MM romances.
The beginning chapters reminded me a little bit of Pride & Prejudice without the ladies and marriage-inclined mother. It was the description of the country and the fact that three new neighbors were moving into the neighborhood and estate. Percival Valentine is a country gentry and landowner of the estate where his three new tenants reside on, so he does the gentlemanly thing and proceeds to make a social call. He and Mr. Everett strike up a quick friendship along with the Bolten siblings. One of the funniest moments from this book came about mid-way through when poor Percival is dumbstruck and learns that Mr. Everett is courting him! The thoughts that ran through his mind after this discovery was sweet and really adorable. Actually, their entire friendship and courtship was adorable. Once he discovers the past connection, everything just fell into place. Great read that will leave you feeling happy.
The beginning chapters reminded me a little bit of Pride & Prejudice without the ladies and marriage-inclined mother. It was the description of the country and the fact that three new neighbors were moving into the neighborhood and estate. Percival Valentine is a country gentry and landowner of the estate where his three new tenants reside on, so he does the gentlemanly thing and proceeds to make a social call. He and Mr. Everett strike up a quick friendship along with the Bolten siblings. One of the funniest moments from this book came about mid-way through when poor Percival is dumbstruck and learns that Mr. Everett is courting him! The thoughts that ran through his mind after this discovery was sweet and really adorable. Actually, their entire friendship and courtship was adorable. Once he discovers the past connection, everything just fell into place. Great read that will leave you feeling happy.
July 21, 2021
A lovely romance
This was an excellent and sweet and engaging story and I would highly recommend it!
SPOILERS AHEAD
.
.
.
.
.
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but I really did not find Me. Everett's reason for kind of ghosting Percival to be at all compelling. Having had your heart toyed with and broken is really, truly not an excuse for doing it to do someone else. He claims he didn't know he was hurting Percival so much by cutting him off emotionally which...is itself a red flag! It's so weird because up until that point I absolutely adored Everett and the hard left at the end seemed very out of character.
Oh well. I still super enjoyed the book and will be reading all the rest of the author's books.
This was an excellent and sweet and engaging story and I would highly recommend it!
SPOILERS AHEAD
.
.
.
.
.
.
but I really did not find Me. Everett's reason for kind of ghosting Percival to be at all compelling. Having had your heart toyed with and broken is really, truly not an excuse for doing it to do someone else. He claims he didn't know he was hurting Percival so much by cutting him off emotionally which...is itself a red flag! It's so weird because up until that point I absolutely adored Everett and the hard left at the end seemed very out of character.
Oh well. I still super enjoyed the book and will be reading all the rest of the author's books.
December 10, 2021
While I usually prefer a chaste Regency romance, this I found completely satisfying even with the one sex scene, which was not at all gratuitous, but distinguished the relationship as serious and not simply a flirtation or more tentative than it was. There are a couple twists in the plot, and at the same time it's a wholesome feeling, light romance. I fear that I came to think of the protagonist as a bit of a dimwit, but he is sweet and innocently dimwitted, or maybe just naive. Still, I enjoyed this low-angst story, and found the writing to be excellent and flawless. Highly recommended, to anyone interested in stories of male-male romance.
April 23, 2021
One of the things this book did surprisingly well, given the genre, was not making the language cringe. I feel like the books I love are more likely to lean into the "we are not portraying history, we are viewing an era through a modern lens" and are actively trying for the flavor of the regency, not the experience. Marlowe tries for the experience and does a pretty good job, overall.
And also reading this soon after The Duke Who Didn't does the actual plot no favors.
And also reading this soon after The Duke Who Didn't does the actual plot no favors.
September 28, 2020
This book had everything I look for in a Regency romance. The slow burn of the courtship was perfect and all the characters felt realistic and integral. Unlike the previous book I read by Marlowe, this plot made more sense and the reveal at the end wasn't obvious to me so it was a fun twist. Definitely recommend if you're in the mood for a light yet fiery MM historical romance.
December 8, 2023
I'm afraid I found the first half of the tale a little on the slow side but I stayed with it, there was enough there to hold me. After Percival's return from London things got a lot more interesting, a lot more intense, and a lot more dramatic, it wove itself into a mystery, a proposal, and a huge, and I mean huge surprise. So, aside from the slow start it was a lovely read.
July 25, 2017
The best KM book I've read so far. I thought I'd just die when I saw one small love scene😉 never saw this on her other books. The story was witty, enjoyable with the extended cast, and the MCs only did one slightly stupid thing each, which is forgivable. ❤
February 17, 2019
Courting the new fun-loving tenant, in the face of her capivating guest
Gently romantic, fun, and light gay regency romance
The author pens her usual smooth and enjoyable writing into a quick-moving, low angst story. The play of a country gentleman of noble heritage managing new tenants for a neighboring, neglected manor provides plenty of regency flavor for a very enjoyable and attractive quartet of characters. The draw of the local agent to a captivating visiting gentleman compared to the smart match of the new female tenant sets up a light ménage a trois conundrum to drive the story.
Gently romantic, fun, and light gay regency romance
The author pens her usual smooth and enjoyable writing into a quick-moving, low angst story. The play of a country gentleman of noble heritage managing new tenants for a neighboring, neglected manor provides plenty of regency flavor for a very enjoyable and attractive quartet of characters. The draw of the local agent to a captivating visiting gentleman compared to the smart match of the new female tenant sets up a light ménage a trois conundrum to drive the story.
February 12, 2020
This was just cyute. Two boys blush at each other for 200 pages. I mean there's some plot, as well, and they are both just so COMPLIMENTARY (as well as complementary). But mainly, it's a pile of fluff to roll around in and delight over.
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