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To Love a Traitor
Wounds of the heart are the hardest to heal.
Solicitor’s clerk George Johnson has a secret goal when he moves into a London boarding house in the winter of 1920: to find out if his fellow lodger, Matthew Connaught, was the wartime traitor who cost George’s adored older brother Hugh his life.
Yet the more he gets to know his quarry, the more George loses sight of his mission -- and his heart. Blessed with boyish good looks and charm in abundance, ad man Matthew is irrepressibly cheerful despite having lost an arm in the Great War -- and soon makes plain his attraction to George.
As George’s feelings for Matthew grow, so does his desperation to know the truth about what happened that day in Ypres. Even if bringing all their secrets to light means he’ll lose the man he’s come to love.
Solicitor’s clerk George Johnson has a secret goal when he moves into a London boarding house in the winter of 1920: to find out if his fellow lodger, Matthew Connaught, was the wartime traitor who cost George’s adored older brother Hugh his life.
Yet the more he gets to know his quarry, the more George loses sight of his mission -- and his heart. Blessed with boyish good looks and charm in abundance, ad man Matthew is irrepressibly cheerful despite having lost an arm in the Great War -- and soon makes plain his attraction to George.
As George’s feelings for Matthew grow, so does his desperation to know the truth about what happened that day in Ypres. Even if bringing all their secrets to light means he’ll lose the man he’s come to love.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2015
9 people are currently reading
520 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Merrow
145 books1,324 followersJL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.
She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novella Muscling Through was a 2013 EPIC Award finalist, and her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy. Her novel Relief Valve is a finalist in the 2015 EPIC Awards.
JL Merrow is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.
Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow
She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novella Muscling Through was a 2013 EPIC Award finalist, and her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy. Her novel Relief Valve is a finalist in the 2015 EPIC Awards.
JL Merrow is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.
Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
September 19, 2015
3.5 Stars
This is a tough one to rate. I really liked the MCs, the writing was top-notch, but... The story seemed to not really get going until around the 85% mark. When it took off, it really took off, but I think a much shorter book would have worked better for me.
Thanks to my historical / war book squad leader, Alona, for reading with me.
This is a tough one to rate. I really liked the MCs, the writing was top-notch, but... The story seemed to not really get going until around the 85% mark. When it took off, it really took off, but I think a much shorter book would have worked better for me.
Thanks to my historical / war book squad leader, Alona, for reading with me.
September 26, 2015
You know how in almost every mystery (novel, TV show or movie) there are those people that are disgusted with the investigators? How dare this cop dredge up all this shit that’s best left forgotten or unspoken? What good does this PI do anyone? What kind of nosy housewife enjoys combing through other people’s misery?
I sympathize with those people, but at the same time I don’t entirely get it. In my own life I’d rather feel humiliated and depressed and know than live in uncertainty. And of course in real life there are always questions that will never get answered – so in my fantasy life I get a lot of satisfaction out of the definite answers found in mysteries. But I’ve always wondered if I’d have a different reaction if someone investigated my family or friends. Would I be equally disgusted?
Merrow based To Love a Traitor on her short story Dulce et Decorum Est. In that story George has a secret and he meets and falls in love with Matthew. I really love Dulce – the hurty comfort of it, the Britishness of it always gave me a cozy feeling. Like someone handed me a cup of hot Earl Grey Tea and didn't complain when I drowned it in cream. In Traitor, George has two secrets, one is that he believes Matthew to be the spy that is responsible for his brother’s death, but he falls in love with him anyway.
In Dulce Matthew is a bit of the “world’s most perfect boyfriend there there I’m just here to see to your needs” character. I loved it. While reading Traitor I had a really hard time imagining that his character was any different. It is, after all, a romance novel and the more I read the harder time I had believing that it was going to be a romance novel where George is in love with an actual traitor. And the more I read the more pissed I got that George even started this investigation. It wasn’t hard to figure out from Matthew’s conversation what had actually happened during the war, what caused George's brother's death, so all George was doing would just end in seriously upsetting my Matthew. How dare he dredge up all this shit? What is the point? What good is it going to do anyone really? George’s brother is dead and nothing is going to change that.
So, yeah, I had quite a different reaction to this book than I’ve had to any other. Which is interesting. And yes, you could make the very convincing argument that if George hadn’t started his investigation he never would’ve met Matthew – I don’t give a SHIT, people! Because in my mind that is just one reality – in the other is the alternate reality of Dulce where George & Matthew fell in love and were happy and there was no upset. I greatly prefer that one.
Another problem I had with Traitor is with...tone, maybe? On one hand there was the same cozy feeling I got from Dulce. There was Matthew’s jolly demeanor, playing in the snow, a comfortable house at Christmastime. On the other, there was war and death and shame. In other books Merrow has balanced such disparate themes (still not sure what words to use there) quite well – for instance in Pressure Head. On one hand it’s a humorous mystery, on the other there are darker themes of bullying and hatred, self or otherwise, of anything out of the “norm.” Even in Dulce there’s the shame George feels over his second secret (which would be a spoiler) – but I thought it blended seamlessly with the rest of the story. It made it better. I didn’t feel that way with Traitor. Instead I kept thinking how different it would be if it was written by someone like Aleksandr Voinov.
Anyway, the novel wasn’t only disappointing. I still liked George (even while I was pissed at him) and Matthew and their romance. I like Matthew’s family. I really enjoyed George’s big secret (the spoilery one) – it’s not something we often hear about in war novels. I like new characters Sheila and Mabel and what they had to say about women’s roles in WWI. I also liked George’s co-workers (whose names I’m blanking on at the moment) – they are completely different people but their friendship shows how you can respect people even while totally disagreeing with them politically or otherwise. And like in Dulce, I love how even in thought George was careful not to betray (until he's certain he won't be betrayed) his preference for the male sex. It's sad, yes, but that's how it was then and I love the realness of it.
In the end I liked the novel; it’s just never going to make a list of my favorite Merrow or my favorite historical novels.
Thanks for the BR Sofia and Therese!
I sympathize with those people, but at the same time I don’t entirely get it. In my own life I’d rather feel humiliated and depressed and know than live in uncertainty. And of course in real life there are always questions that will never get answered – so in my fantasy life I get a lot of satisfaction out of the definite answers found in mysteries. But I’ve always wondered if I’d have a different reaction if someone investigated my family or friends. Would I be equally disgusted?
Merrow based To Love a Traitor on her short story Dulce et Decorum Est. In that story George has a secret and he meets and falls in love with Matthew. I really love Dulce – the hurty comfort of it, the Britishness of it always gave me a cozy feeling. Like someone handed me a cup of hot Earl Grey Tea and didn't complain when I drowned it in cream. In Traitor, George has two secrets, one is that he believes Matthew to be the spy that is responsible for his brother’s death, but he falls in love with him anyway.
In Dulce Matthew is a bit of the “world’s most perfect boyfriend there there I’m just here to see to your needs” character. I loved it. While reading Traitor I had a really hard time imagining that his character was any different. It is, after all, a romance novel and the more I read the harder time I had believing that it was going to be a romance novel where George is in love with an actual traitor. And the more I read the more pissed I got that George even started this investigation. It wasn’t hard to figure out from Matthew’s conversation what had actually happened during the war, what caused George's brother's death, so all George was doing would just end in seriously upsetting my Matthew. How dare he dredge up all this shit? What is the point? What good is it going to do anyone really? George’s brother is dead and nothing is going to change that.
So, yeah, I had quite a different reaction to this book than I’ve had to any other. Which is interesting. And yes, you could make the very convincing argument that if George hadn’t started his investigation he never would’ve met Matthew – I don’t give a SHIT, people! Because in my mind that is just one reality – in the other is the alternate reality of Dulce where George & Matthew fell in love and were happy and there was no upset. I greatly prefer that one.
Another problem I had with Traitor is with...tone, maybe? On one hand there was the same cozy feeling I got from Dulce. There was Matthew’s jolly demeanor, playing in the snow, a comfortable house at Christmastime. On the other, there was war and death and shame. In other books Merrow has balanced such disparate themes (still not sure what words to use there) quite well – for instance in Pressure Head. On one hand it’s a humorous mystery, on the other there are darker themes of bullying and hatred, self or otherwise, of anything out of the “norm.” Even in Dulce there’s the shame George feels over his second secret (which would be a spoiler) – but I thought it blended seamlessly with the rest of the story. It made it better. I didn’t feel that way with Traitor. Instead I kept thinking how different it would be if it was written by someone like Aleksandr Voinov.
Anyway, the novel wasn’t only disappointing. I still liked George (even while I was pissed at him) and Matthew and their romance. I like Matthew’s family. I really enjoyed George’s big secret (the spoilery one) – it’s not something we often hear about in war novels. I like new characters Sheila and Mabel and what they had to say about women’s roles in WWI. I also liked George’s co-workers (whose names I’m blanking on at the moment) – they are completely different people but their friendship shows how you can respect people even while totally disagreeing with them politically or otherwise. And like in Dulce, I love how even in thought George was careful not to betray (until he's certain he won't be betrayed) his preference for the male sex. It's sad, yes, but that's how it was then and I love the realness of it.
In the end I liked the novel; it’s just never going to make a list of my favorite Merrow or my favorite historical novels.
Thanks for the BR Sofia and Therese!
July 21, 2015
I received this book as an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. The setting was really well drawn, and I felt like I learned a lot about the first World War, and conscientious objectors in Britain, something I had never learned about before. It was interesting, and I love learning about things that are usually left out of history classes. It added such depth, and richness to the story.
I liked the characters as well, and I appreciated that George is suspicious of Matthew, but he isn't rushing to condemn him either. He actually gets to know Matthew, and thinking that Matthew might have caused his brother's death really hurts him. I liked seeing Matthew and George learn to know about each other, and I love how close to the truth George stays. No outrageous stories or made up lives. I also love the secondary characters, and how much they add to the story. I love how the author also adds in women, and the role they played in the war, and what happened when to them when it was over. It made the story much bigger than just Matthew and George.
The plot was well drawn, and it felt like things progressed naturally, and felt authentic to the times. I liked that the setting felt period, but not some sort of idealized version of the past. The resolution was well drawn, and complex, and I appreciated that things are never as simple as they seem. Overall a really well done story.
I really enjoyed this book. The setting was really well drawn, and I felt like I learned a lot about the first World War, and conscientious objectors in Britain, something I had never learned about before. It was interesting, and I love learning about things that are usually left out of history classes. It added such depth, and richness to the story.
I liked the characters as well, and I appreciated that George is suspicious of Matthew, but he isn't rushing to condemn him either. He actually gets to know Matthew, and thinking that Matthew might have caused his brother's death really hurts him. I liked seeing Matthew and George learn to know about each other, and I love how close to the truth George stays. No outrageous stories or made up lives. I also love the secondary characters, and how much they add to the story. I love how the author also adds in women, and the role they played in the war, and what happened when to them when it was over. It made the story much bigger than just Matthew and George.
The plot was well drawn, and it felt like things progressed naturally, and felt authentic to the times. I liked that the setting felt period, but not some sort of idealized version of the past. The resolution was well drawn, and complex, and I appreciated that things are never as simple as they seem. Overall a really well done story.
August 1, 2023
Excellent book and a very ..”didactical” read as I had no previous knowledge of The white feather movement. It was so so interesting to read about it-I even went online for more details. The romance was a little too gentle for my liking but it suited the general vibe and the historical character of the book. I loved Jem (what’s with this name lately, I see it EVERYWHERE lol) and his infectious bright personality and his kindness. George was endearing too,all calm and serious-they were a perfect match. Very good book by this author but then again,almost all of them are ..
April 5, 2021
There's nothing better than finding a new book by a favorite author, and loving it. This story is set shortly after WWI - George Johnson lost a beloved brother in the war, and he's haunted by the idea that his brother's secret mission was betrayed to the enemy. There's just enough evidence to suggest a young Lieutenant named Matthew Connaught - a man who was fortuitously kept from going on the mission by a suspicious minor injury - might have been the traitor.
George goes to his old boss in Intelligence, and is given help in setting himself up with a room in the same boardinghouse as Connaught, under an assumed name. His plan is to befriend the man, and work out whether the suspicions carry weight. But the more time he spends with war-wounded, light-hearted, kind Matthew, the less like a traitor he seems. George finds himself falling into real friendship, and on the brink of more.
What isn't clear is how to move forward without betraying someone - his brother and the grieving fiance he left behind, his nation and its safety, Matthew, whom he is lying to behind every smile, or himself and all his hopes and dreams.
This book has a lot of historical detail woven into it, from war elements to the treatment of Conscientious Objectors, of whom George was one before he got a homefront job he couldn't tell anyone about. The details create a convincing and fascinating frame for two young men battered by life, but unbowed, finding their way forward. The romance is slow, sweet, with plausible obstacles. The men are surrounded by an entertaining cast of secondary characters, and the plot moves smoothly to its conclusion.
In many ways this is a quiet book. The stakes are high, but not dramatic in their progression; the slow details of daily life are where these two men linger and fall in love. I was torn between reading fast, to see it all work out, and reading slowly to savor the details. I decided one time of each will be just the ticket.
I recommend this story for folk who love an authentic historical setting, with characters who moved into my heart and took up residence there. This will be a reread.
George goes to his old boss in Intelligence, and is given help in setting himself up with a room in the same boardinghouse as Connaught, under an assumed name. His plan is to befriend the man, and work out whether the suspicions carry weight. But the more time he spends with war-wounded, light-hearted, kind Matthew, the less like a traitor he seems. George finds himself falling into real friendship, and on the brink of more.
What isn't clear is how to move forward without betraying someone - his brother and the grieving fiance he left behind, his nation and its safety, Matthew, whom he is lying to behind every smile, or himself and all his hopes and dreams.
This book has a lot of historical detail woven into it, from war elements to the treatment of Conscientious Objectors, of whom George was one before he got a homefront job he couldn't tell anyone about. The details create a convincing and fascinating frame for two young men battered by life, but unbowed, finding their way forward. The romance is slow, sweet, with plausible obstacles. The men are surrounded by an entertaining cast of secondary characters, and the plot moves smoothly to its conclusion.
In many ways this is a quiet book. The stakes are high, but not dramatic in their progression; the slow details of daily life are where these two men linger and fall in love. I was torn between reading fast, to see it all work out, and reading slowly to savor the details. I decided one time of each will be just the ticket.
I recommend this story for folk who love an authentic historical setting, with characters who moved into my heart and took up residence there. This will be a reread.
March 14, 2023
This was a wonderful post-WW1 historical romance! My favorite aspect was the historical authenticity and how well the author made this time period come alive on page. I also liked both MCs and their romance was done well but I wish there had been more conflict between them. That isn't something that would bother most other people so I still highly recommend this one.
This is yet another example of an author who is known for their contemporary work but they wrote a single historical romance that absolutely blew me away. Once again, I'm disappointed that the author clearly has the ability to write historical romances well, yet it doesn't seem to be a priority for them. Anyway, the best part of the story was the historical atmosphere. The author did a fantastic job portraying a post-WW1 England. This era is particularly interesting because Europe came out of that devastating war only to be thrust straight into the Spanish Flu pandemic with no break in between. The story takes place in 1920, after the pandemic is over and society is slowly picking up the pieces from the devastation of the past 6 years. The author cleverly used various side characters to portray different parts of society, different lifestyles, different circumstances and different viewpoints, which I really loved.
One thing I found particularly interesting is that George (I'm going to call him George and not Roger in this review, since he used the name George throughout the story) was a conscientious objector (CO) during the war and refused to fight. I haven't come across a WW1 book that explores the experiences of COs so I found the whole thing educational and very interesting. What was particularly interesting was that my opinion of George's CO stance kept changing throughout the story and I constantly stopped reading to think about the situation, which is always a sign of a good book.
At the beginning, we're led to believe that George just refused to fight out of moral principle and he sat around in England while other men his age were dying and living through horrendous experiences on the front. When comparing George to Matthew, the CO issue was even harder to swallow. Matthew is a cheerful, sunny person who doesn't have a violent bone in his body. But he went to fight and did his duty, despite the horrible conditions he had to endure and he ended up . But then my feelings changed when readers learn why George is a CO . George did end up doing his part for the war effort by . The reveal of why George was so adamant about his CO stance is revealed slowly and many side characters react to George's CO status in different ways with Matthew being fully sympathetic and supportive of George, which allowed me to examine the issue from all sides in a way that didn't make me feel pressured to think a certain way. By the end of the book, my knee-jerk reaction to hating George's CO stance and having no respect for him had changed but at the same time, I'm still not fully supportive of his choice. Basically, I have no idea what to think of the situation and that's an interesting experience.
I also enjoyed the very British way that the characters spoke, particularly Matthew. The author did a fantastic job of incorporating period-accurate slang into the younger characters speech and the slang was woven into the dialog in such a seamless way that I always understood what was being said, even when I didn't understand the actual words being used. Matthew's very, VERY formal British accent was just on the verge of being too much but I still enjoyed it. He has the type of British accent where you use ten words when only one would do and there are constant tangents being thrown into sentences but it was a unique reading experience.
Another aspect I liked was the whole mystery regarding whether or not Matthew had anything to do with George's brother's death during the war. It's actually not a big part of the story and while I didn't want the story to focus too heavily on the investigation, I felt it wasn't an important part of the story until the end. I was 99% sure that Matthew wouldn't turn out to be the traitor and George is on the same page, which puts the investigation on the back burner. The situation does play a big part in the last few chapters of the story and I did like the reveal of who the real traitor was and why he did what he did, but it meant the rest of the story had very little plot.
This lack of plot was also why I didn't fully emotionally connect with the romance. There were lots of elements that could have introduced more conflict: Matthew being an amputee, George's COs status, Matthew's PTSD, Matthew's cat Marmaduke, Matthew's past relationship etc. Unfortunately, the majority of these things weren't an important part of the story when they could have been. Since the war ended a few years before, Matthew is accustomed to living with only one arm and conveniently, he still has his dominant hand. He has one nightmare throughout the story and PTSD isn't referenced the rest of the time. George gets a job given to him by his former Navy contacts and the people at that job fully support George's CO stance. There's a nice little bit of conflict where Marmaduke goes missing but that's resolved within a few pages. And Matthew's past relationship is only important as part of the traitor investigation storyline. Overall, I felt the author's focus was purely on making this time period come alive and making all characters be interesting. They accomplished that extremely well but this story could have rivaled other spectacular WW1 MM romances like Sally Malcolm's The Last Kiss and GN Chevalier's Bonds Of Earth if the plot had been given more attention. But despite the lack of plot, I still thoroughly enjoyed this and I loved how it had a unique twist on the usual post-WW1 tropes.
This is yet another example of an author who is known for their contemporary work but they wrote a single historical romance that absolutely blew me away. Once again, I'm disappointed that the author clearly has the ability to write historical romances well, yet it doesn't seem to be a priority for them. Anyway, the best part of the story was the historical atmosphere. The author did a fantastic job portraying a post-WW1 England. This era is particularly interesting because Europe came out of that devastating war only to be thrust straight into the Spanish Flu pandemic with no break in between. The story takes place in 1920, after the pandemic is over and society is slowly picking up the pieces from the devastation of the past 6 years. The author cleverly used various side characters to portray different parts of society, different lifestyles, different circumstances and different viewpoints, which I really loved.
One thing I found particularly interesting is that George (I'm going to call him George and not Roger in this review, since he used the name George throughout the story) was a conscientious objector (CO) during the war and refused to fight. I haven't come across a WW1 book that explores the experiences of COs so I found the whole thing educational and very interesting. What was particularly interesting was that my opinion of George's CO stance kept changing throughout the story and I constantly stopped reading to think about the situation, which is always a sign of a good book.
At the beginning, we're led to believe that George just refused to fight out of moral principle and he sat around in England while other men his age were dying and living through horrendous experiences on the front. When comparing George to Matthew, the CO issue was even harder to swallow. Matthew is a cheerful, sunny person who doesn't have a violent bone in his body. But he went to fight and did his duty, despite the horrible conditions he had to endure and he ended up . But then my feelings changed when readers learn why George is a CO . George did end up doing his part for the war effort by . The reveal of why George was so adamant about his CO stance is revealed slowly and many side characters react to George's CO status in different ways with Matthew being fully sympathetic and supportive of George, which allowed me to examine the issue from all sides in a way that didn't make me feel pressured to think a certain way. By the end of the book, my knee-jerk reaction to hating George's CO stance and having no respect for him had changed but at the same time, I'm still not fully supportive of his choice. Basically, I have no idea what to think of the situation and that's an interesting experience.
I also enjoyed the very British way that the characters spoke, particularly Matthew. The author did a fantastic job of incorporating period-accurate slang into the younger characters speech and the slang was woven into the dialog in such a seamless way that I always understood what was being said, even when I didn't understand the actual words being used. Matthew's very, VERY formal British accent was just on the verge of being too much but I still enjoyed it. He has the type of British accent where you use ten words when only one would do and there are constant tangents being thrown into sentences but it was a unique reading experience.
Another aspect I liked was the whole mystery regarding whether or not Matthew had anything to do with George's brother's death during the war. It's actually not a big part of the story and while I didn't want the story to focus too heavily on the investigation, I felt it wasn't an important part of the story until the end. I was 99% sure that Matthew wouldn't turn out to be the traitor and George is on the same page, which puts the investigation on the back burner. The situation does play a big part in the last few chapters of the story and I did like the reveal of who the real traitor was and why he did what he did, but it meant the rest of the story had very little plot.
This lack of plot was also why I didn't fully emotionally connect with the romance. There were lots of elements that could have introduced more conflict: Matthew being an amputee, George's COs status, Matthew's PTSD, Matthew's cat Marmaduke, Matthew's past relationship etc. Unfortunately, the majority of these things weren't an important part of the story when they could have been. Since the war ended a few years before, Matthew is accustomed to living with only one arm and conveniently, he still has his dominant hand. He has one nightmare throughout the story and PTSD isn't referenced the rest of the time. George gets a job given to him by his former Navy contacts and the people at that job fully support George's CO stance. There's a nice little bit of conflict where Marmaduke goes missing but that's resolved within a few pages. And Matthew's past relationship is only important as part of the traitor investigation storyline. Overall, I felt the author's focus was purely on making this time period come alive and making all characters be interesting. They accomplished that extremely well but this story could have rivaled other spectacular WW1 MM romances like Sally Malcolm's The Last Kiss and GN Chevalier's Bonds Of Earth if the plot had been given more attention. But despite the lack of plot, I still thoroughly enjoyed this and I loved how it had a unique twist on the usual post-WW1 tropes.
September 25, 2015
George Johnson (née Roger “Conchie” Cottingham) moves to a rented London lodging to find out whether Matthew Connaught, one of the renters, is responsible for the death of George's older brother. As a premise, I thought this was pretty appealing. It had potential of internal (and external) conflict, no matter what George finds out, especially since Matthew comes as a likable guy with his sunny disposition.
Unfortunately, I felt that the story just stuck in flat ground -- the 'investigation is rather non-existent, and when it is resolved (pretty much near the end), it is wrapped up really quickly. My reaction to that was, "Really? That's it?". It felt dragging (seriously, all those letters back and forth between George and his deceased brother's fiancée?? I could do without those)
I did learn few things about England in 1920s including those of conscientious objectors. That part is interesting. The rest though? Just 'okay' but not great.
Unfortunately, I felt that the story just stuck in flat ground -- the 'investigation is rather non-existent, and when it is resolved (pretty much near the end), it is wrapped up really quickly. My reaction to that was, "Really? That's it?". It felt dragging (seriously, all those letters back and forth between George and his deceased brother's fiancée?? I could do without those)
I did learn few things about England in 1920s including those of conscientious objectors. That part is interesting. The rest though? Just 'okay' but not great.
September 29, 2015
Oh YES!!! Give me an historical novel with an intriguing plot, throw in great period characters and an excellent writing style, suitable language for the period and you have me hook line and sinker. I devoured this book by JL Merrow, from the word go I knew there was going to be no putting this book down. We learn about the after effects of WWI and how it left people divided, hurt and wounded. Not only physically but emotionally as well.
George has come to London to take up a new job and has found digs, a room in the house of Mrs Mac. Here he meets Matthew Connaught a veteran of WWI who has lost his arm. It all seems quite innocuous at the beginning although from the very start my heart went straight out Matthew. this is what I love about JL Merrow’s writing, there is an immediate connection to the characters, easily obtainable and I feel like they have been part of the story forever even after the first chapter.
We learn however that George’s reason for coming to Mrs Mac’s is another one. He lost his older brother in the war on a raid and there is a suggestion that his death was due to a traitorous act of someone sending information to the Germans, warning them of the raid. He is also here because his brother’s fiancée also suspects foul play in the death of what would have been her future husband. What I found even more fascinating was the aspect that during WWI George had been a contentious objector, went to prison due to it and still feels a sense of shame and guilt. However, I guess the thing we never think about as JL Merrow shows in the story that in his own way George was also very brave, standing up for his beliefs and going against what is required, despite your reasons, also takes a lot of strength. In so many historical novels we always get the perspective the C.O.s were cowardly, people to be despised, loathed and shunned as the real heroes were off fighting. Here however I came to totally sympathise with George and his reasons and respected him all the more because of it.
So he is planted at Mrs Mac’s undercover to get the information he needs of Matthew’s treachery. What he gets is something quite the opposite. Bit by bit I could feel George falling for Matthew, who couldn’t? He is such a lovely guy, it’s almost impossible to suspect him of such a thing. This places George a right quandary, his heart telling him one thing and his head trying to rational and telling him another. So which one do you follow? Your head or your heart? On my lord, Matthew is adorable! Considering what he went through in the war it’s amazon that he still so happy, cheery and upbeat. Always positive in his outlook. Have I already mentioned that I loved the guy? Yes? Oh well then I guess I was completely infatuated by him then.
The more George gets to know Matthew the more his heart tells him he can’t have done anything wrong. It just wouldn’t be in his nature. However, disaster strikes and George’s cover is blown which puts him in a horrendous dilemma. By the time this has happened then both guys have already fallen for each other big time. Oh the heartache was unbearable. True to the time though JL Merrow never uses the word love and both MCs never say once to each other, “I love you.” This would never have happened in this day and age, other words are chosen like “fond” for example. But with JL Merrow’s writing talents you know exactly what these two guys feel for each other and when George’s unveiling drives a rift between them it was as heart-breaking as any other modern day break up.
But true love or should I say fondness wins through and they consider their positions and find a way to come together again. At least there was no cheating, at least in the romantic stakes, but another kind of cheating from George. The truth will out and eventually we get the whole story of exactly what happened to George's older brother or the circumstances of his death. Not the one I was expecting at all, so once again a brilliant piece of writing and when we get to the truth it is as surprising as it is harrowing. Oh lord, I had tears and a lump in my throat. To have lived in this time must have been in many respects horrid if you were gay. Unbelievable by today’s standards and that is why I love reading historical novels. When excellently written and researched, it makes me realise how lucky we are today, how far we’ve come and yes we still have work to do but lets keep things in relation and never get too despondent.
An excellent, historical novel that has been well researched. A thrilling read of spies and treachery but this is balanced out with people caught up in circumstance and impossible situations, so even the treachery is sad, understandable and heart-rending in its nature. So no good guys, no bad guys, just people caught up in life and being people, loving each other and again being disappointed, but always hopeful of a better future to come.
George has come to London to take up a new job and has found digs, a room in the house of Mrs Mac. Here he meets Matthew Connaught a veteran of WWI who has lost his arm. It all seems quite innocuous at the beginning although from the very start my heart went straight out Matthew. this is what I love about JL Merrow’s writing, there is an immediate connection to the characters, easily obtainable and I feel like they have been part of the story forever even after the first chapter.
We learn however that George’s reason for coming to Mrs Mac’s is another one. He lost his older brother in the war on a raid and there is a suggestion that his death was due to a traitorous act of someone sending information to the Germans, warning them of the raid. He is also here because his brother’s fiancée also suspects foul play in the death of what would have been her future husband. What I found even more fascinating was the aspect that during WWI George had been a contentious objector, went to prison due to it and still feels a sense of shame and guilt. However, I guess the thing we never think about as JL Merrow shows in the story that in his own way George was also very brave, standing up for his beliefs and going against what is required, despite your reasons, also takes a lot of strength. In so many historical novels we always get the perspective the C.O.s were cowardly, people to be despised, loathed and shunned as the real heroes were off fighting. Here however I came to totally sympathise with George and his reasons and respected him all the more because of it.
So he is planted at Mrs Mac’s undercover to get the information he needs of Matthew’s treachery. What he gets is something quite the opposite. Bit by bit I could feel George falling for Matthew, who couldn’t? He is such a lovely guy, it’s almost impossible to suspect him of such a thing. This places George a right quandary, his heart telling him one thing and his head trying to rational and telling him another. So which one do you follow? Your head or your heart? On my lord, Matthew is adorable! Considering what he went through in the war it’s amazon that he still so happy, cheery and upbeat. Always positive in his outlook. Have I already mentioned that I loved the guy? Yes? Oh well then I guess I was completely infatuated by him then.
The more George gets to know Matthew the more his heart tells him he can’t have done anything wrong. It just wouldn’t be in his nature. However, disaster strikes and George’s cover is blown which puts him in a horrendous dilemma. By the time this has happened then both guys have already fallen for each other big time. Oh the heartache was unbearable. True to the time though JL Merrow never uses the word love and both MCs never say once to each other, “I love you.” This would never have happened in this day and age, other words are chosen like “fond” for example. But with JL Merrow’s writing talents you know exactly what these two guys feel for each other and when George’s unveiling drives a rift between them it was as heart-breaking as any other modern day break up.
But true love or should I say fondness wins through and they consider their positions and find a way to come together again. At least there was no cheating, at least in the romantic stakes, but another kind of cheating from George. The truth will out and eventually we get the whole story of exactly what happened to George's older brother or the circumstances of his death. Not the one I was expecting at all, so once again a brilliant piece of writing and when we get to the truth it is as surprising as it is harrowing. Oh lord, I had tears and a lump in my throat. To have lived in this time must have been in many respects horrid if you were gay. Unbelievable by today’s standards and that is why I love reading historical novels. When excellently written and researched, it makes me realise how lucky we are today, how far we’ve come and yes we still have work to do but lets keep things in relation and never get too despondent.
An excellent, historical novel that has been well researched. A thrilling read of spies and treachery but this is balanced out with people caught up in circumstance and impossible situations, so even the treachery is sad, understandable and heart-rending in its nature. So no good guys, no bad guys, just people caught up in life and being people, loving each other and again being disappointed, but always hopeful of a better future to come.
December 7, 2015
It would be a sin to read a "war/historical" without my buddy in crime, so... BR with Nick.
The book started wonderfully and the highly interesting plot captured me instantly.
But then, it got dragged. I just kept waiting and waiting for something to happen.
It was so frustrating, it felt like the story was stuck on neutral for about 40% of the middle part of the book.
At about 70% the story picked up, and I LOVED the final 30% of it. LOVED it!
I wish the author kept a faster pace to the story earlier than that, but my final conclusion was of a positive read.
I loved the writing style and the "proper" British language. I LOVED the two dashing MCs a lot.
When Matthew and George finally get together... Absolutely beautiful AND hot!!
So, basically, if you are OK with a very slow-moving book, you'll love it!
I've only just learned that this book is based on a short story that was previously released under the name Dulce et Decorum Est. if it's the start and the end of this one, it should be perfect!!
The book started wonderfully and the highly interesting plot captured me instantly.
But then, it got dragged. I just kept waiting and waiting for something to happen.
It was so frustrating, it felt like the story was stuck on neutral for about 40% of the middle part of the book.
At about 70% the story picked up, and I LOVED the final 30% of it. LOVED it!
I wish the author kept a faster pace to the story earlier than that, but my final conclusion was of a positive read.
I loved the writing style and the "proper" British language. I LOVED the two dashing MCs a lot.
When Matthew and George finally get together... Absolutely beautiful AND hot!!
So, basically, if you are OK with a very slow-moving book, you'll love it!
I've only just learned that this book is based on a short story that was previously released under the name Dulce et Decorum Est. if it's the start and the end of this one, it should be perfect!!
January 6, 2024
Solid, lovely story. I didn’t regret a moment of the time I spent with it, I stayed entertained, and being with these characters was... comforting, for lack of a better word. Because of the mystery around one of the MCs, my main note is a spoiler, so behind the tag it goes.
The odd thing was, I didn’t react how I typically do. For something that didn’t burn that much on the trip, I still felt the heat on the landing. For something largely good feeling, it still wasn’t sappy. And for something without many surprises, I still never rolled my eyes. So don’t hesitate to sprinkle whatever magic dust that is onto some hot cocoa and curl up with this one.
The odd thing was, I didn’t react how I typically do. For something that didn’t burn that much on the trip, I still felt the heat on the landing. For something largely good feeling, it still wasn’t sappy. And for something without many surprises, I still never rolled my eyes. So don’t hesitate to sprinkle whatever magic dust that is onto some hot cocoa and curl up with this one.
September 25, 2015
*3.5*
If I would have rated this book based on the writing and language used, as well as the atmosphere/ knowledge of the post-WWI society, I would probably have given it 5 stars. However, there was just something lacking in the story for me.
If I would have rated this book based on the writing and language used, as well as the atmosphere/ knowledge of the post-WWI society, I would probably have given it 5 stars. However, there was just something lacking in the story for me.
July 15, 2015
~ Arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for honest review ~
3.5 stars
This review is posted on Way Too Hot Books.
War brings out the darkest side of human beings- fighting, killing, death...And what is even worse, if you're one of the lucky ones who survive, later on you have to learn how to live with the consequences, guilt, memories and nightmares of your sins which keep haunting you til' the day you die.
If anyone knows the dark side of the war it's the solicitor’s clerk Roger George Johnson who did the one thing the society despises and condemns the most in the time of war- he refused to take part in it and became C.O. a.k.a conscientious objector. Conscientious objector is a person who refuses to serve in the military because of his moral or religious beliefs, but the society doesn't forgive or care about your reasons, so that was the one mistake which in the end costed him almost everything in his life.
In search to redeem himself to his family and best friend Mable he undertakes sort of an "undercover mission" to investigate the suspicious circumstances around his brother murder in one secret military operation. On this mission he meets his main suspect, the person who was potentially a war traitor and who costed his brother his life- Matthew. But Matthew is definitely not the person he suspected him to be. He is in fact a genuine, charming, inspiring person, the spirit of every conversation and everyone seems to be fond of him, even Roger himself. That kind of person could never be a traitor or could it all be an act?
The heart of this post-war story was definitely the lovely Matthew and his loving family who won me over completely, even though we didn't get his pov. Ex-soldier who lost his arm in war, but who despite every horrible thing he's been through hasn't lost his will or joy for life. Such an endearing and awe-inspiring character. And don't let me forget his lazy, mischievous, but adorable cat named Marmaduke.
The whole book was written from Roger's pov. Even though Matthew stole the show, I liked Roger too. Unlike Matthew, it seemed that the war left even bigger emotional and psychic scars on Roger and it was impossible not to feel sorry and protective of him. I also liked the fact that he wasn't a drama queen when it came to his investigation and that he didn't jump to conclusions without strong evidence.
The romance was sweet, slow-building and light on the heat. In around 160 pages Merrow has managed to touch many sensitive subjects- war history, the strict measures and influence of society, the inferior and hard position of women and homosexuals during that time, family and friendship bonds etc. When it comes to the plot- it was one of those I've enjoyed it, but I didn't love it types. The suspense part and the ending could have been done a bit better in my opinion and maybe be a bit longer, not so rushed. That is why 3.5 stars. All in all- it was an interesting story. It was my first book by this author, but it won't be the last.
3.5 stars
This review is posted on Way Too Hot Books.
War brings out the darkest side of human beings- fighting, killing, death...And what is even worse, if you're one of the lucky ones who survive, later on you have to learn how to live with the consequences, guilt, memories and nightmares of your sins which keep haunting you til' the day you die.
If anyone knows the dark side of the war it's the solicitor’s clerk Roger George Johnson who did the one thing the society despises and condemns the most in the time of war- he refused to take part in it and became C.O. a.k.a conscientious objector. Conscientious objector is a person who refuses to serve in the military because of his moral or religious beliefs, but the society doesn't forgive or care about your reasons, so that was the one mistake which in the end costed him almost everything in his life.
In search to redeem himself to his family and best friend Mable he undertakes sort of an "undercover mission" to investigate the suspicious circumstances around his brother murder in one secret military operation. On this mission he meets his main suspect, the person who was potentially a war traitor and who costed his brother his life- Matthew. But Matthew is definitely not the person he suspected him to be. He is in fact a genuine, charming, inspiring person, the spirit of every conversation and everyone seems to be fond of him, even Roger himself. That kind of person could never be a traitor or could it all be an act?
3.5 very emotional, touching, thought-provoking, suspenseful and quite charming stars.
The heart of this post-war story was definitely the lovely Matthew and his loving family who won me over completely, even though we didn't get his pov. Ex-soldier who lost his arm in war, but who despite every horrible thing he's been through hasn't lost his will or joy for life. Such an endearing and awe-inspiring character. And don't let me forget his lazy, mischievous, but adorable cat named Marmaduke.
The whole book was written from Roger's pov. Even though Matthew stole the show, I liked Roger too. Unlike Matthew, it seemed that the war left even bigger emotional and psychic scars on Roger and it was impossible not to feel sorry and protective of him. I also liked the fact that he wasn't a drama queen when it came to his investigation and that he didn't jump to conclusions without strong evidence.
The romance was sweet, slow-building and light on the heat. In around 160 pages Merrow has managed to touch many sensitive subjects- war history, the strict measures and influence of society, the inferior and hard position of women and homosexuals during that time, family and friendship bonds etc. When it comes to the plot- it was one of those I've enjoyed it, but I didn't love it types. The suspense part and the ending could have been done a bit better in my opinion and maybe be a bit longer, not so rushed. That is why 3.5 stars. All in all- it was an interesting story. It was my first book by this author, but it won't be the last.
September 18, 2015
4.5 stars for this lovely + gentle romance set in the aftermath of World War I
The setting is post-WWI London, which is a period I always enjoy reading about.
The basic premise it that Roger and his brother's former fiancé believe that a traitor may have been responsible for the brother's death during the war. They have reason to believe that Matthew Connaught is that traitor. Roger, who has just moved to London to begin work as an articled clerk at a law firm, moves in to Matthew's rooming house to discover the truth.
But, from the first moment Roger meets Matthew, he has serious doubts that he could be the traitor. Although missing an arm as a result of the war, Matthew is a nice, charming man who finds the joy in the small things in the world. He befriends Roger immediately and their friendship becomes so much to Roger.
Although Matthew fought in the war and physically bears the scars of the war, Roger bears other burdens. He was a conscious objector who refused to fight. He was shunned by family and outsiders because of this, even sent feathers by his female cousins. Other CO's also shunned him because his conscious objection was not political; rather, he could not bear to kill another man. During the war, he spent a year in gaol because of his conscious objection. Now that the war is over, he still feels tremendous guilt over his "cowardice" (as he thinks of it) and is having difficulties moving on. Post-war England was not a welcoming place for CO's with many job advertisements coming with the proviso, openly stated or not, that No CO's need apply.
Matthew is a spark and a light that helps Roger move past this guilt. What I really liked is that so much of the book focuses on the development of their relationship from acquaintances to friends to lovers. Along the way, there are snowball fights and rescues of cats and winter afternoons just spent reading the newspaper together and, eventually, a visit to Matthew's family. Matthew's family was delightful and his father was an amazing man -- I can only hope that there were men like him at that time.
To me, the way the relationship progressed and their first intimacies all seemed true to the time. The romance was gentle and sweet, although there was some nice on-page intimacy as well.
I recommend this for all fans of historical m/m romance. I also recommend this if you're interested in post-WWI England and what it meant to be a conscious objector at that time.
The setting is post-WWI London, which is a period I always enjoy reading about.
The basic premise it that Roger and his brother's former fiancé believe that a traitor may have been responsible for the brother's death during the war. They have reason to believe that Matthew Connaught is that traitor. Roger, who has just moved to London to begin work as an articled clerk at a law firm, moves in to Matthew's rooming house to discover the truth.
But, from the first moment Roger meets Matthew, he has serious doubts that he could be the traitor. Although missing an arm as a result of the war, Matthew is a nice, charming man who finds the joy in the small things in the world. He befriends Roger immediately and their friendship becomes so much to Roger.
Although Matthew fought in the war and physically bears the scars of the war, Roger bears other burdens. He was a conscious objector who refused to fight. He was shunned by family and outsiders because of this, even sent feathers by his female cousins. Other CO's also shunned him because his conscious objection was not political; rather, he could not bear to kill another man. During the war, he spent a year in gaol because of his conscious objection. Now that the war is over, he still feels tremendous guilt over his "cowardice" (as he thinks of it) and is having difficulties moving on. Post-war England was not a welcoming place for CO's with many job advertisements coming with the proviso, openly stated or not, that No CO's need apply.
Matthew is a spark and a light that helps Roger move past this guilt. What I really liked is that so much of the book focuses on the development of their relationship from acquaintances to friends to lovers. Along the way, there are snowball fights and rescues of cats and winter afternoons just spent reading the newspaper together and, eventually, a visit to Matthew's family. Matthew's family was delightful and his father was an amazing man -- I can only hope that there were men like him at that time.
To me, the way the relationship progressed and their first intimacies all seemed true to the time. The romance was gentle and sweet, although there was some nice on-page intimacy as well.
I recommend this for all fans of historical m/m romance. I also recommend this if you're interested in post-WWI England and what it meant to be a conscious objector at that time.
May 8, 2020
This was my third book by J.L. Merrow. A Trick of Time is definitely one of my comfort reads and I go back to it quite often, whilst I found Muscling Through to be a really adorable contemporary story of 'opposites attract'. I had quite a lot of expectations about To Love a Traitor that has on paper many of my favourite things: historical novel, post-WW1 England, the struggle and bravery of Conscientious Objectors etc.
Most of my expectations have been met. Merrow's writing style is faultlessly elegant and smooth, her characters are convincing and it'd be hard not to fall for the lovely Matthew Connaught and for the troubled George Johnson.
I was slightly less convinced by the pace of the storyline. Other reviewers, such as Nick Pageant (hi, Nick!) have already pointed out that the story has a very slow build-up and it only takes off in terms of major events from the 85% mark. The last 15% of the book is, therefore, rather packed with things: journeys, discoveries, confessions, and secrets that somehow feel a little crammed in.
I'm aware that To Love a Traitor is an expanded version of a Christmas short story with an expanded/added storyline to it. Perhaps my biggest complaint would be that at times this expansion didn't feel entirely absorbed into the new version of the story.
All in all, however, this was a very pleasant read - very well written, good, rounded characters - that I would recommend to all lovers of historical m/m fiction.
A solid 3.5-star rating for me.
Most of my expectations have been met. Merrow's writing style is faultlessly elegant and smooth, her characters are convincing and it'd be hard not to fall for the lovely Matthew Connaught and for the troubled George Johnson.
I was slightly less convinced by the pace of the storyline. Other reviewers, such as Nick Pageant (hi, Nick!) have already pointed out that the story has a very slow build-up and it only takes off in terms of major events from the 85% mark. The last 15% of the book is, therefore, rather packed with things: journeys, discoveries, confessions, and secrets that somehow feel a little crammed in.
I'm aware that To Love a Traitor is an expanded version of a Christmas short story with an expanded/added storyline to it. Perhaps my biggest complaint would be that at times this expansion didn't feel entirely absorbed into the new version of the story.
All in all, however, this was a very pleasant read - very well written, good, rounded characters - that I would recommend to all lovers of historical m/m fiction.
A solid 3.5-star rating for me.
September 25, 2015
3.5 stars
I liked reading this, it is basically an extended version of Dulce et Decorum Est with another plotline added. Not my favourite Merrow but an enjoyable read. I like her explorations into mainly unexplored territories.
I did have the same niggles like I had with the short. The original short was written as a Christmas novella and as such it was written to be a light hearted fun Christmassy read, so me coming along expecting the war angst/blues is like coming at this novella from a totally different angle. Different expectations, different results.
a great BR with Rosa & Therese
October 19, 2025
George's brother died in the war. To find out if there was something not right about his broters death as rumors say, George goes undercover, He seeks up the man who could have something to do with all this and maybe be involved. Really liked this heartfelt historical - 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 29, 2015
This is not a long book, but there's a lot of detail, and a lot of interesting facts to learn.
Not that we read romance to learn, but I am constantly surprised by how much I do learn reading mm books.
So, our main character Roger/George is on the hunt for a suspected traitor, possibly responsible for the death of his brother during war. George's keen focus is trying to solve the mystery, clearly as a way to reconcile losing Hugh, and there's the whole other matter of his ungracious parents, who haven't forgiven George for living.
I learnt most about the life of a conscientious objector. As one, George is treated to all sorts of humiliation and incarceration. It's dreadful.
I loved the characterisation of the suspect - Matthew - such a humorous contradiction. I loved all the scenes with his family at Christmas. I loved how bold he is, when he approaches George. Look, there's no lovey dovey, or even much smexy, but the intense feelings that develop, and are expressed late in the book make up for the slow build up.
I love this author's writing. I will almost anything by her. Copy provided by Netgalley. Due out Sept 1st.
Not that we read romance to learn, but I am constantly surprised by how much I do learn reading mm books.
So, our main character Roger/George is on the hunt for a suspected traitor, possibly responsible for the death of his brother during war. George's keen focus is trying to solve the mystery, clearly as a way to reconcile losing Hugh, and there's the whole other matter of his ungracious parents, who haven't forgiven George for living.
I learnt most about the life of a conscientious objector. As one, George is treated to all sorts of humiliation and incarceration. It's dreadful.
I loved the characterisation of the suspect - Matthew - such a humorous contradiction. I loved all the scenes with his family at Christmas. I loved how bold he is, when he approaches George. Look, there's no lovey dovey, or even much smexy, but the intense feelings that develop, and are expressed late in the book make up for the slow build up.
I love this author's writing. I will almost anything by her. Copy provided by Netgalley. Due out Sept 1st.
November 2, 2024
Nothing much happens.
But I love post-World War I
Romance, so it’s fine.
Challenge reread:
Long walks in London,
tremulous confidences,
brave kisses, now trust.
(srsly, nothing happens)
But I love post-World War I
Romance, so it’s fine.
Challenge reread:
Long walks in London,
tremulous confidences,
brave kisses, now trust.
(srsly, nothing happens)
February 7, 2016
This was one of those books I just bought on the strength of the authors name. Well I was not disappointed. A man sets out to discover if his brother was the victim of a traitorous fellow solider. Matthew is one of the most fun characters I've read in a while. I adored him so much. Merrow is so good at taking her time and allowing the characters time to connect and doesn't use sex as a filler. When they do come together it means so much more. All in all a good show.
Slight Spoiler:
I would have loved to get more of Matthews family and understand the way they seemed to love him unconditionally.
Slight Spoiler:
I would have loved to get more of Matthews family and understand the way they seemed to love him unconditionally.
September 30, 2015
Hey folks, I read this... and it's not contemporary! I know, crazy right? I even liked it a lot. Check out Boys In Our Books to see what I had to say.
November 28, 2018
One of the things I like about J.L. Merrow as an author is I regularly get disability rep that doesn't rub me the wrong way. I'm disabled, so disability rep is kind of touchy for me (I want it, but when I get it, it often is really bad). Because Merrow writes a wide range of disabled character, not really the person to ask if the particular disability in question was done well, but my non-expert sense has always been positive. These are people who have disabilities and those disabilities impact their lives, but those disabilities don't decrease their value as human beings. This very much applies in this book.
Pleasantly, I rather liked many of the secondary characters in this book, some of them enough that I would have liked reading more about them. They were nuanced, well fleshed out, and interesting in their own right. Many books have a tenancy to ignore side characters in favor of main characters, and I think that really decreases the reading experience.
Something I hadn't really expected was that I felt a lot of tension around whether or not Matthew had done something treasonous. I absolutely had not expected this going in; I fully expected it to be very much "Of course he's not a traitor, but we're going to pretend he might be for the sake of the plot." Instead, I sat there wondering, "Could he be responsible for Hugh's death? If so, what were the circumstances? What happened? To what degree is he responsible?" Clearly Matthew still had to end up being forgiven in the end (he's a MC in a romance novel, it's a given), so how could we resolve the situation if he did end up being responsible for Hugh's death to some extent? Note that the following spoiler is NOT a small spoiler (it's a very large spoiler), but it does explain why knocked a star off:
I did give the MCs the side-eye at times. "George" was terrible at his spying job (stop dropping those personal hints that could get you exposed, man! Gah, you're so bad at this!) and Matthew was so cheerful as to be inhuman.
Learning about some of the stuff that went on in WWI was incredibly interesting.
PS: I got this review up for you, Teal!
Pleasantly, I rather liked many of the secondary characters in this book, some of them enough that I would have liked reading more about them. They were nuanced, well fleshed out, and interesting in their own right. Many books have a tenancy to ignore side characters in favor of main characters, and I think that really decreases the reading experience.
Something I hadn't really expected was that I felt a lot of tension around whether or not Matthew had done something treasonous. I absolutely had not expected this going in; I fully expected it to be very much "Of course he's not a traitor, but we're going to pretend he might be for the sake of the plot." Instead, I sat there wondering, "Could he be responsible for Hugh's death? If so, what were the circumstances? What happened? To what degree is he responsible?" Clearly Matthew still had to end up being forgiven in the end (he's a MC in a romance novel, it's a given), so how could we resolve the situation if he did end up being responsible for Hugh's death to some extent? Note that the following spoiler is NOT a small spoiler (it's a very large spoiler), but it does explain why knocked a star off:
I did give the MCs the side-eye at times. "George" was terrible at his spying job (stop dropping those personal hints that could get you exposed, man! Gah, you're so bad at this!) and Matthew was so cheerful as to be inhuman.
Learning about some of the stuff that went on in WWI was incredibly interesting.
PS: I got this review up for you, Teal!
September 23, 2015
Roger George Cottingham is a scourge to his noble family. The younger son, a bookish sort, continually passed over for affection by his parents in favor of his gregarious elder brother, Hugh, Roger knows he's second best. When it was time to enlist in the war against the Hessians, he balked. No, he didn't just balk, this Cambridge-educated man who speaks several languages refused to join up--knowing he was unable to kill a man. He was jailed for a miserable year as a Conscientious Objector before he was sprung and worked as a cryptographer for the Navy.
Hugh was killed in a mission that seems quite dodgy on its surface. Roger's been tasked by Hugh's bereaved fiance (and Roger's close childhood friend) to find out if there's truth to the rumor that Hugh's espionage mission was leaked to the enemy beforehand. Inquiries have led Roger to a boardinghouse, home to Matthew Connaught, an amputee veteran of the war--and the man who Hugh replaced in the covert mission. Roger takes a room at the house under the pseudonym, George Johnson, in order to befriend Matthew, and glean information regarding Hugh's death--information which might implicate Matthew as a spy.
Trouble is, Matthew is a fantastic man. He's upbeat, and lovely, and he and George immediately hit it off. Not only that, George is attracted to Matthew--and it seems that Matthew may return his interest. For George this is a revelation that is fraught with pain. Could he possibly be falling for the man who had a part in Hugh's death?
All of his instincts say no, that Matthew is too kind and honest a man to have been a spy, but the deeper he gets involved, the more he recognizes that Matthew has some deep secrets--and he knows more about Hugh's death than George could have predicted.
I absolutely enjoyed this book. Do not expect a lot of steam--though there is some, for sure. George has a day of reckoning in his future, and his inquiries result in peace for more than one family--though it causes a significant amount of distress for Matthew, and himself. For his part, Matthew finds himself in more than one uncomfortable position, and his confessions are a balm to George, as well as Hugh's fiance. I ached for George throughout. He's been abandoned and cast off his whole life, and Matthew provides the compassionate friend and partner that George has been too afraid to admit needing. This is a true hurt/comfort story, with an HEA for men who've suffered much, and carry on in the face of grief and loss. Plus, the historical details were a delight. I truly felt as if transported to that era, and was glad for it.
I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
Hugh was killed in a mission that seems quite dodgy on its surface. Roger's been tasked by Hugh's bereaved fiance (and Roger's close childhood friend) to find out if there's truth to the rumor that Hugh's espionage mission was leaked to the enemy beforehand. Inquiries have led Roger to a boardinghouse, home to Matthew Connaught, an amputee veteran of the war--and the man who Hugh replaced in the covert mission. Roger takes a room at the house under the pseudonym, George Johnson, in order to befriend Matthew, and glean information regarding Hugh's death--information which might implicate Matthew as a spy.
Trouble is, Matthew is a fantastic man. He's upbeat, and lovely, and he and George immediately hit it off. Not only that, George is attracted to Matthew--and it seems that Matthew may return his interest. For George this is a revelation that is fraught with pain. Could he possibly be falling for the man who had a part in Hugh's death?
All of his instincts say no, that Matthew is too kind and honest a man to have been a spy, but the deeper he gets involved, the more he recognizes that Matthew has some deep secrets--and he knows more about Hugh's death than George could have predicted.
I absolutely enjoyed this book. Do not expect a lot of steam--though there is some, for sure. George has a day of reckoning in his future, and his inquiries result in peace for more than one family--though it causes a significant amount of distress for Matthew, and himself. For his part, Matthew finds himself in more than one uncomfortable position, and his confessions are a balm to George, as well as Hugh's fiance. I ached for George throughout. He's been abandoned and cast off his whole life, and Matthew provides the compassionate friend and partner that George has been too afraid to admit needing. This is a true hurt/comfort story, with an HEA for men who've suffered much, and carry on in the face of grief and loss. Plus, the historical details were a delight. I truly felt as if transported to that era, and was glad for it.
I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
October 6, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
There was something remarkably fascinating about this novel, To Love A Traitor, that kept me glued to the page. There was no huge mystery here, but rather a subtle chipping away at the puzzling question of who really was the traitor Roger was pursuing. Wrapped around this confusing question was a growing love story that was tremendously sweet and tender. Matthew was fragile in many ways and yet within him was an unquenchable joy, a desire to live despite having lost an arm in the war. Roger (called George, which was his middle name and an attempt to disguise who he was from Matthew) had never really experience the charms of being with another man romantically or sexually. In many ways both of these men were innocents with terrible secrets to hide.
As the plot slowly unfolds, Roger is faced with one opportunity after another where he could reveal his masquerade to Matthew, but each time the idea that this could be the man responsible for his brother’s death held him back. When the big reveal finally occurs, it is devastating to read and the repercussions nearly kill the romance between the two men before it can even fully take root. Here is where Merrow’s writing is perhaps the most poignant and dramatic. Filled with such pain and sadness, the final chapters of this story leave this relationship hanging in the balance and rather than force a bright and happy ever after, we are given a sweet ending loaded with possibility. It was so well done!
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
There was something remarkably fascinating about this novel, To Love A Traitor, that kept me glued to the page. There was no huge mystery here, but rather a subtle chipping away at the puzzling question of who really was the traitor Roger was pursuing. Wrapped around this confusing question was a growing love story that was tremendously sweet and tender. Matthew was fragile in many ways and yet within him was an unquenchable joy, a desire to live despite having lost an arm in the war. Roger (called George, which was his middle name and an attempt to disguise who he was from Matthew) had never really experience the charms of being with another man romantically or sexually. In many ways both of these men were innocents with terrible secrets to hide.
As the plot slowly unfolds, Roger is faced with one opportunity after another where he could reveal his masquerade to Matthew, but each time the idea that this could be the man responsible for his brother’s death held him back. When the big reveal finally occurs, it is devastating to read and the repercussions nearly kill the romance between the two men before it can even fully take root. Here is where Merrow’s writing is perhaps the most poignant and dramatic. Filled with such pain and sadness, the final chapters of this story leave this relationship hanging in the balance and rather than force a bright and happy ever after, we are given a sweet ending loaded with possibility. It was so well done!
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
October 28, 2015
To Love a Traitor
By JL Merrow
Four stars
This is JL. Merrow at her subtle, British best. The subject of World War I and its aftermath has always haunted me. Not from the heroic side, but from the outcast side: the conscientious objectors who were so vilely treated. People who dared to say no to an idiotic, jingoistic war that destroyed a generation.
Well. This gently, elegantly written love story takes us back to the year right after the war and the devastating Spanish flu epidemic. Roger Coddington, more or less rejected by his family as a coward for refusing to fight in the war, starts a new career in London, and at the same time sets out to unmask the man suspected of betraying his late brother and causing his death.
But Matthew Connaught seems an unlikely traitor, and Roger finds himself caught in a web of lies and might do more harm than good.
Merrow knows how to recreate a period with such tact and lightness of touch that you forget your’re reading a contemporary book. Even with the introduction of explicit sexuality that would never have appeared a century ago, the story feels authentic and the emotional responses of the various characters never once ring false.
The author doesn’t just tell us, she shows us who Matthew Connaught really is. She draws us along, through Roger’s eyes, as suspicion is replaced with affection, and the inevitable emotional upheaval looms ever larger.
I was moved to tears by the tenderness here, the desperate desire to find happiness in a world that seems to reserve happiness only for those who follow the rules.
By JL Merrow
Four stars
This is JL. Merrow at her subtle, British best. The subject of World War I and its aftermath has always haunted me. Not from the heroic side, but from the outcast side: the conscientious objectors who were so vilely treated. People who dared to say no to an idiotic, jingoistic war that destroyed a generation.
Well. This gently, elegantly written love story takes us back to the year right after the war and the devastating Spanish flu epidemic. Roger Coddington, more or less rejected by his family as a coward for refusing to fight in the war, starts a new career in London, and at the same time sets out to unmask the man suspected of betraying his late brother and causing his death.
But Matthew Connaught seems an unlikely traitor, and Roger finds himself caught in a web of lies and might do more harm than good.
Merrow knows how to recreate a period with such tact and lightness of touch that you forget your’re reading a contemporary book. Even with the introduction of explicit sexuality that would never have appeared a century ago, the story feels authentic and the emotional responses of the various characters never once ring false.
The author doesn’t just tell us, she shows us who Matthew Connaught really is. She draws us along, through Roger’s eyes, as suspicion is replaced with affection, and the inevitable emotional upheaval looms ever larger.
I was moved to tears by the tenderness here, the desperate desire to find happiness in a world that seems to reserve happiness only for those who follow the rules.
March 28, 2023
I truly enjoyed this, more than usual. When I sacrifice my own writing time to read, it means that I'm really invested in a book. I was blown away by how alive the historical setting was, especially in language. As I'm not native English speaker, I had to look up a few words and that was a nice feeling. I had no idea what a "conchie" was before this book, the more you know!
Also, George being a CO was one of the main points of interest in the book, imho. His constant sense of shame and guilt and how he was perceived by society... made me feel for him very much. Same as with Matthew's nightmares and ptsd, which unfortunately wasn't well delved into, imho. The last part of the book went away quite too quickly, considering how slow the first chunk is. I don't mind slow stories with barely any plot at all if the characters and the setting are endearing, but the imbalance with the last third of the story was very stark. I didn't feel too connected to the romance at that point, and didn't feel the extreme tragedy of Matthew's and Donald's story. Like most books, this needed a good 20k more words for me to be happy 😂
Still, a lovely depiction of post-war Britain, with a brilliant historical setting and a quiet, sweet romance as well, even though not the most fleshed out. 4 stars because mm books have been sucking recently and I'm just happy that I've found something decent for once.
bye now
Also, George being a CO was one of the main points of interest in the book, imho. His constant sense of shame and guilt and how he was perceived by society... made me feel for him very much. Same as with Matthew's nightmares and ptsd, which unfortunately wasn't well delved into, imho. The last part of the book went away quite too quickly, considering how slow the first chunk is. I don't mind slow stories with barely any plot at all if the characters and the setting are endearing, but the imbalance with the last third of the story was very stark. I didn't feel too connected to the romance at that point, and didn't feel the extreme tragedy of Matthew's and Donald's story. Like most books, this needed a good 20k more words for me to be happy 😂
Still, a lovely depiction of post-war Britain, with a brilliant historical setting and a quiet, sweet romance as well, even though not the most fleshed out. 4 stars because mm books have been sucking recently and I'm just happy that I've found something decent for once.
bye now
June 18, 2016
I thought this was one of JL Merrow's better books (which is still a bloody fantastic book, all in all) - the best one being still Muscling Through and that is one of my all-time favourite M/M books and a very hard act to top. That one is really one of my comfort reads.
But anyway, "To love a traitor":
The research seemed sound - well, I can't vouch for details but from what I know about WWI and the aftermath it seemed sound - which is always a huge plus. I liked the characters (Matthew is such a ray of sunshine - awww) and George/Roger, whose POV we are following the story is maybe a little distant but then again, this is not a very long book, so I got enough information to get him. If the book had been a little longer, I would have liked to get more information about his special brand of fuckedupness but I'm fine with that.
There is a tiny bit of *magically-okay-gay" going (Matthew's parents) but that why I read Romance(TM), so that is alright.
Gah, tired, I probably didn't explain properly why I liked that book but only why it wasn't five stars but only four. I'm sorry. I had a rather trying day.
I liked that book. Go forth and read it and ignore my very tired reasoning before.
But anyway, "To love a traitor":
The research seemed sound - well, I can't vouch for details but from what I know about WWI and the aftermath it seemed sound - which is always a huge plus. I liked the characters (Matthew is such a ray of sunshine - awww) and George/Roger, whose POV we are following the story is maybe a little distant but then again, this is not a very long book, so I got enough information to get him. If the book had been a little longer, I would have liked to get more information about his special brand of fuckedupness but I'm fine with that.
There is a tiny bit of *magically-okay-gay" going (Matthew's parents) but that why I read Romance(TM), so that is alright.
Gah, tired, I probably didn't explain properly why I liked that book but only why it wasn't five stars but only four. I'm sorry. I had a rather trying day.
I liked that book. Go forth and read it and ignore my very tired reasoning before.
November 21, 2016
2016 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: To Love a Traitor by J.L. Merrow
1) A deceptively quiet book that does more than tell a love story. Historical detail is succinct and well placed, and there is an overall tone of sweetness, despite the setting. In particular, I enjoyed Merrow's handling of George and Matthew's sexuality, and the equitable friendship that developed between them before they gave into mutual attraction.
2) Although a re-writing of an existing story, well done, wonderful characters, excellent writing.
3) Loved the historical details - very grounded and very well done.
4) I like historical novels, and the description of post Great War Britain is pitch-perfect, absolutely convincing to this Yankee. It is a bit (too) reminiscent of contemporaneous "love-that- dare-not-speak-its-name" novels of the period, up to and including a suicide, so it doesn't feel as sharply original as other Merrow stories. Still, a fine read.
1) A deceptively quiet book that does more than tell a love story. Historical detail is succinct and well placed, and there is an overall tone of sweetness, despite the setting. In particular, I enjoyed Merrow's handling of George and Matthew's sexuality, and the equitable friendship that developed between them before they gave into mutual attraction.
2) Although a re-writing of an existing story, well done, wonderful characters, excellent writing.
3) Loved the historical details - very grounded and very well done.
4) I like historical novels, and the description of post Great War Britain is pitch-perfect, absolutely convincing to this Yankee. It is a bit (too) reminiscent of contemporaneous "love-that- dare-not-speak-its-name" novels of the period, up to and including a suicide, so it doesn't feel as sharply original as other Merrow stories. Still, a fine read.
January 20, 2016
This is an expanded edition of
. Unfortunately, it pales in comparison with the original short story. Where have the charm and magic gone? I still would recommend this book because the MC's are so lovable.
. Unfortunately, it pales in comparison with the original short story. Where have the charm and magic gone? I still would recommend this book because the MC's are so lovable.
September 26, 2015
** 4.5 Stars **
A very nicely written and heart warming novella!
September 29, 2015
Absolutely lovely. Looking forward to rereading it.
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