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After the Swan's Nest #1
The Marquess of Gorsewall Manor
After being caught up in a raid on a molly house, Thomas Brook escapes on his way to the pillory. Collapsing from exhaustion on the moors of Yorkshire, he's rescued by the handsome Lord Elmsby and taken to Gorsewall Manor. As he recovers, Lord Elmsby offers him a position cataloging the library. It would be an ideal situation, isolated, with a handsome, solitary lord and servants who don't ask many questions, except for the strange sounds in the corners of the library and the feeling he's being watched. And then a body is found on the moors, a body that could be the long missing fiancee of Lord Elmsby, and Thomas must find out the truth of what happened at Gorsewall Manor.
A gay - m/m Regency romance, 82,000 words, print version 315 pages
A gay - m/m Regency romance, 82,000 words, print version 315 pages
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2018
382 people are currently reading
577 people want to read
About the author
Adella J. Harris
15 books33 followersAdella J. Harris lives in Ohio where she writes, watches far too much British television, and reads anything with words on it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
June 12, 2024
Dulce, romántico, inocente
Thomas es un respetable soltero, asistente de abogados en Londres, pero con un secreto que se descubre y por el cual es castigado con prisión. Sin embargo, con suerte y la ayuda de sus amigos logra escapar y llegar a un pequeño pueblo, dónde es encontrado por el lord. Así su vida da un giro, pero debe mantener su secreto, aunque el lord también tiene uno. Así pasará cuando sus secretos sean descubiertos? Cuál podría ser el castigo para ambos?
Es un libro dulce y romántico, muy bien ambientado en la época y con una trama sencilla pero bien llevada. Me gustó, especialmente, el desarrollo de Thomas, como se convierte en un hombre seguro de si mismo después de haber perdido casi toda la esperanza.
El misterio era fácil de resolver, pero no era el foco principal del libro, sino más bien un relleno para ver el desarrollo de los protas.
En fin, me gustó bastante este libro y quisiera leer un poco más de este universo (sobre todo saber que paso con William y Arthur), así que seguro leeré el próximo de está serie .
Thomas es un respetable soltero, asistente de abogados en Londres, pero con un secreto que se descubre y por el cual es castigado con prisión. Sin embargo, con suerte y la ayuda de sus amigos logra escapar y llegar a un pequeño pueblo, dónde es encontrado por el lord. Así su vida da un giro, pero debe mantener su secreto, aunque el lord también tiene uno. Así pasará cuando sus secretos sean descubiertos? Cuál podría ser el castigo para ambos?
Es un libro dulce y romántico, muy bien ambientado en la época y con una trama sencilla pero bien llevada. Me gustó, especialmente, el desarrollo de Thomas, como se convierte en un hombre seguro de si mismo después de haber perdido casi toda la esperanza.
El misterio era fácil de resolver, pero no era el foco principal del libro, sino más bien un relleno para ver el desarrollo de los protas.
En fin, me gustó bastante este libro y quisiera leer un poco más de este universo (sobre todo saber que paso con William y Arthur), así que seguro leeré el próximo de está serie .
September 9, 2018
Although I’ve managed to find a few authors that make it work for me, historical is never going to be one of my favorite subgenres in M/M romance. Mystery is, though, and usually a mystery subplot helps even when I’m reading a not-favorite subgenre.
Here even the mystery, such as it was, fell flat. It’s relegated to the second half of the story and it suffers from the general flaws of the book.
Don’t get me wrong, the book is well written and I’m sure it will be a winner for many readers. For me, it just lacked feeling and it was...kind of boring.
I feel awful saying this about a book that, again, is very well written, but the truth is that for the last 40% reading it felt like a chore. I didn’t want to give up and, like a petulant child on the backseat, I ended up asking (myself, my Kindle, the universe) every few minutes how long until the end.
There’s nothing overtly wrong with the plot, apart from the constant gossiping, or the characters, it just missed the spark, in every sense. Even when the MC was at his lowest, I felt it on an intellectual level, not an emotional one. I knew the MCs and yet I really didn’t, they only talked about inconsequential things, went together to look at sheep (I kid you not) and the chemistry between them was non-existent. The way they got together lacked all the tension tied to an historical setting, the fear of making an advance to the wrong person at a time when that would have meant prison was almost an afterthought, its absence even more out of place given one of the MC’s history.
Last, but not least, it would be great if blurbs stopped mentioning things that happen in the second half of the book.
Here even the mystery, such as it was, fell flat. It’s relegated to the second half of the story and it suffers from the general flaws of the book.
Don’t get me wrong, the book is well written and I’m sure it will be a winner for many readers. For me, it just lacked feeling and it was...kind of boring.
I feel awful saying this about a book that, again, is very well written, but the truth is that for the last 40% reading it felt like a chore. I didn’t want to give up and, like a petulant child on the backseat, I ended up asking (myself, my Kindle, the universe) every few minutes how long until the end.
There’s nothing overtly wrong with the plot, apart from the constant gossiping, or the characters, it just missed the spark, in every sense. Even when the MC was at his lowest, I felt it on an intellectual level, not an emotional one. I knew the MCs and yet I really didn’t, they only talked about inconsequential things, went together to look at sheep (I kid you not) and the chemistry between them was non-existent. The way they got together lacked all the tension tied to an historical setting, the fear of making an advance to the wrong person at a time when that would have meant prison was almost an afterthought, its absence even more out of place given one of the MC’s history.
Last, but not least, it would be great if blurbs stopped mentioning things that happen in the second half of the book.
November 13, 2018
2.8
A couple a friends are caught in a raid for their 'unnatural acts'. Thomas is been living until then a tranquil life; later run from prison. His choices are very questionables and ends in a manor employed to sort the library. There is a sort of intent of gothic thriller, but fell short.
The relationship with his employer is sort of too convenient without heavy pains not heat. More bucolic that anything maybe. But is well written , despite the obsession of Thomas with rats, mentioned over and over.
It's ok read, and maybe will be giving a chance to the second book to know what happen with William.
A couple a friends are caught in a raid for their 'unnatural acts'. Thomas is been living until then a tranquil life; later run from prison. His choices are very questionables and ends in a manor employed to sort the library. There is a sort of intent of gothic thriller, but fell short.
The relationship with his employer is sort of too convenient without heavy pains not heat. More bucolic that anything maybe. But is well written , despite the obsession of Thomas with rats, mentioned over and over.
It's ok read, and maybe will be giving a chance to the second book to know what happen with William.
dnf
October 21, 2021Read to 54%, skimmed to 69% (not on purpose)
This was clinically and technically good writing. It just wasn't good storytelling. It's long-winded. You got every single one of Thomas's thoughts. All of them. And you're told what he's feeling. You just never felt what he's feeling. Or at least I never did. Everything was at a remove, as if this were someone else telling Thomas's story rather than Thomas himself. There was no immediacy or intimacy, and the first-person POV was wasted. As for the romance, it was tepid at best.
So why did I read for so long? Because I'd DNF my previous three stories and was trying not to go for four. Ten days in this month gone and nothing to show for it but a very short 20-minute story by JCP. And because I wanted to see if the author would go full-gothic with the person behind the walls. Alas, no. I just didn't care enough at the point I quit to keep skimming to find out.
This was clinically and technically good writing. It just wasn't good storytelling. It's long-winded. You got every single one of Thomas's thoughts. All of them. And you're told what he's feeling. You just never felt what he's feeling. Or at least I never did. Everything was at a remove, as if this were someone else telling Thomas's story rather than Thomas himself. There was no immediacy or intimacy, and the first-person POV was wasted. As for the romance, it was tepid at best.
So why did I read for so long? Because I'd DNF my previous three stories and was trying not to go for four. Ten days in this month gone and nothing to show for it but a very short 20-minute story by JCP. And because I wanted to see if the author would go full-gothic with the person behind the walls. Alas, no. I just didn't care enough at the point I quit to keep skimming to find out.
September 8, 2018
What an incredibly DULL book! 2* may be generous.
Objectively the plot is good, pretty standard goth-romance fare; I've read my share, they vary in quality but generally entertain me, it's a genre I like. This story has all the necessary ingredients; the down on his/her luck narrator, the large rambling country mansion with rich titled recluse, a missing fiancée, locked room and strange noises in the walls. But it lacks emotion. There is no sense of the characters emotion and the story is told in such monotone that I felt nothing. Neither the mysteries conclusion or the romantic declarations held any impact.
The writing is decent, better than most. The authors grammar is better than mine; I stumbled over the occasionally awkward seeming 'an heiress' which google assures me it is in fact the correct wording. But the story fails for being all tell, there is very little actual conversation on page which creates far too much distance between the reader. The frequent 'gossips' with staff felt unnatural. Even when there is a brief flair of drama there's no sense immediacy to it. The culprit is immediately obvious on the grounds of being the only other man present, named and given a marginal character.
It's past halfway before we learn Lord Elmsby is named Julian - unfortunate because I work with a Julian! and on the same page we hear our narrator's name which brought home to me the fact he'd made so little impression -despite first person narrative- that I'd forgotten it. By the end of the book I know nothing of Julian he's not developed enough to have tastes in anything. A decent type, but bland. Thomas (and I had to check the blurb for that) is in his own description nondescript and dull. There's zero chemistry between them, one brief mechanical sex scene and polite summarised talk.
With a male lead we loose the girlish fright and startling at shadows in the big gloomy house but there's also nothing to adequately explain his motivation, why given his circumstances he doesn't simply keep his head down and categorise books. Nothing to show why either would prioritise the other's well-being.
It'd be frustrating but drains even that reaction. Everything that should make a good story of this genre but no feels to it. Technically well written and paced, but again no life to it. A shame, but forgettable.
Objectively the plot is good, pretty standard goth-romance fare; I've read my share, they vary in quality but generally entertain me, it's a genre I like. This story has all the necessary ingredients; the down on his/her luck narrator, the large rambling country mansion with rich titled recluse, a missing fiancée, locked room and strange noises in the walls. But it lacks emotion. There is no sense of the characters emotion and the story is told in such monotone that I felt nothing. Neither the mysteries conclusion or the romantic declarations held any impact.
The writing is decent, better than most. The authors grammar is better than mine; I stumbled over the occasionally awkward seeming 'an heiress' which google assures me it is in fact the correct wording. But the story fails for being all tell, there is very little actual conversation on page which creates far too much distance between the reader. The frequent 'gossips' with staff felt unnatural. Even when there is a brief flair of drama there's no sense immediacy to it. The culprit is immediately obvious on the grounds of being the only other man present, named and given a marginal character.
It's past halfway before we learn Lord Elmsby is named Julian - unfortunate because I work with a Julian! and on the same page we hear our narrator's name which brought home to me the fact he'd made so little impression -despite first person narrative- that I'd forgotten it. By the end of the book I know nothing of Julian he's not developed enough to have tastes in anything. A decent type, but bland. Thomas (and I had to check the blurb for that) is in his own description nondescript and dull. There's zero chemistry between them, one brief mechanical sex scene and polite summarised talk.
With a male lead we loose the girlish fright and startling at shadows in the big gloomy house but there's also nothing to adequately explain his motivation, why given his circumstances he doesn't simply keep his head down and categorise books. Nothing to show why either would prioritise the other's well-being.
It'd be frustrating but drains even that reaction. Everything that should make a good story of this genre but no feels to it. Technically well written and paced, but again no life to it. A shame, but forgettable.
Read
August 26, 2023DNF @ 15%. Such an interesting writing style - just fact. Fact. Fact. Fact. Fact. In a sense I respect how - emotionally pared back? - it is. But a funny choice for a romance.
Otoh this author would be perfect if you need someone to give you directions to somewhere, or to write a manual or instructional booklet or something. This is not (entirely) a joke! Not everyone can be that clear and direct. It’s a real skill! Just maybe not, again, for a romance novel.
Otoh this author would be perfect if you need someone to give you directions to somewhere, or to write a manual or instructional booklet or something. This is not (entirely) a joke! Not everyone can be that clear and direct. It’s a real skill! Just maybe not, again, for a romance novel.
Want to read
September 4, 20189/4/18 Currently FREE via Amazon US: http://a.co/d/6PfJ22l
September 26, 2019
I want to title this review shop for gays elsewhere, lol.
Let me cut to the chase: this is a M/M romance (SANS the romance, really though) that plays at being a Jane Eyre knockoff in other respects. There is a newcomer to a manor house, a cryptic lord of the manor, stuff set on fire, potentially a ghost in the place. I should have been into it. But....
The male leads had little to no chemistry for me. The love scenes were unconvincing and a couple aspects did not seem anatomically correct - a lot of this read like m/m fanfiction, unresearched. The plot was thin and the book was too long for what there was to it.
None of this is to mention the readability - this needed a copy editor, and badly. Run-on sentences, the wrong word used (pursued as persuaded at one point?), horrible explication that should have been done away with altogether, or put into more convincing, organic dialogue. bleh.
This is also coming off of having read Red, White and Royal Blue - a far superior m/m romance, or Think of England, a far superior period piece m/m romance. I recommend those instead.
I will say I appreciate the minimal research put in to sodomy punishment by the law at the time - though am I incorrect in assuming they'd be hung, not merely sent to work camps? Hmm. Anyways. On to the next!
Let me cut to the chase: this is a M/M romance (SANS the romance, really though) that plays at being a Jane Eyre knockoff in other respects. There is a newcomer to a manor house, a cryptic lord of the manor, stuff set on fire, potentially a ghost in the place. I should have been into it. But....
The male leads had little to no chemistry for me. The love scenes were unconvincing and a couple aspects did not seem anatomically correct - a lot of this read like m/m fanfiction, unresearched. The plot was thin and the book was too long for what there was to it.
None of this is to mention the readability - this needed a copy editor, and badly. Run-on sentences, the wrong word used (pursued as persuaded at one point?), horrible explication that should have been done away with altogether, or put into more convincing, organic dialogue. bleh.
This is also coming off of having read Red, White and Royal Blue - a far superior m/m romance, or Think of England, a far superior period piece m/m romance. I recommend those instead.
I will say I appreciate the minimal research put in to sodomy punishment by the law at the time - though am I incorrect in assuming they'd be hung, not merely sent to work camps? Hmm. Anyways. On to the next!
March 27, 2020
This was a 4.5 star read (for a first time author - for me). It stands up with the best of them as a historical romance, comparing favorably to other favorite authors such as Sebastian Nothwell, K.J. Charles, Joanna Chambers and Catt Ford. Once the slow build romance between MCs Tom and Julian gets going, the author unveils the mystery of a missing fiancee and subsequent body on the moor, leading to a desperate search for the killer before the local authorities close in on the Marquess (Julian). The upstairs/downstairs dynamics is well played out with a couple of lovely secondary characters drawn from the manor's staff. I did guess the killer's identity long before the MCs did but that did not stop my enjoyment of the rest of the book; as such anticipating the next book in this series.
November 24, 2018
2.5 stars rounded down. I found this to be a pleasant read in some parts, but frustrating in others. Lots of convoluted thinking by the narrator, which became boring, and there are some plot issues that bothered me.
February 24, 2020
My first "junk" novel of the year. Ever so often, I feel the need to read something campy and mindlessly fun and when I came across this free ebook on Google's Play Books, I couldn't resist.
If you're looking for a period drama with gay romance, horror and mystery, then this book will fit the bill perfectly. How well it does these things is another thing though. Convenient plot twists, vapid characters and a dead body/possible ghost are all thrown together in this relatively short read. It is fun for the campy parts.
** spoilers ahead **
You can relate somewhat to the protagonist who does not seem to understand flirting and the build-up to the romance itself was passably entertaining. It gets stretched after a point though and you begin wondering how dumb our hero is. It does not help that he is almost put in charge as a local detective. Everybody seems to trust him automatically even though he is a complete stranger. You wonder about this and then you discover that the people who abound the township portrayed aren't known for their intelligence either. A woman in the titular manor goes missing and around the same time a stable boy decides to suddenly and suspiciously quit his job. No one wonders if the two are related, until our dashing hero figures it all out.
** end of spoilers **
Don't go looking for anything except a way to spend some time in a waiting room being mildly entertained. The book is well-written and has all the necessary ingredients to keep you turning the page and in that way it delivers on what it promised. If only the characters had been written better, this book would have been much more entertaining!
If you're looking for a period drama with gay romance, horror and mystery, then this book will fit the bill perfectly. How well it does these things is another thing though. Convenient plot twists, vapid characters and a dead body/possible ghost are all thrown together in this relatively short read. It is fun for the campy parts.
** spoilers ahead **
You can relate somewhat to the protagonist who does not seem to understand flirting and the build-up to the romance itself was passably entertaining. It gets stretched after a point though and you begin wondering how dumb our hero is. It does not help that he is almost put in charge as a local detective. Everybody seems to trust him automatically even though he is a complete stranger. You wonder about this and then you discover that the people who abound the township portrayed aren't known for their intelligence either. A woman in the titular manor goes missing and around the same time a stable boy decides to suddenly and suspiciously quit his job. No one wonders if the two are related, until our dashing hero figures it all out.
** end of spoilers **
Don't go looking for anything except a way to spend some time in a waiting room being mildly entertained. The book is well-written and has all the necessary ingredients to keep you turning the page and in that way it delivers on what it promised. If only the characters had been written better, this book would have been much more entertaining!
March 4, 2021
I liked Julian and Thomas together although I would have liked a little more romance between them. I sometimes had the feeling as if they had nothing in common and didn't really seek each other out except when Julian was quoted as being angry that he hadn't been at breakfast. There are also some unanswered questions, like, what happens now, is Thomas going to work in Julians library till the day he dies? Did Julian start up his business again? Why was the brother of the girl such an ass and never apologized even after he learned of Julians innocence? How could Simon not know that she had money wearing expansive jewlery and fine cloths?
All in all the mystery was nice and the pair of them were nice and the few sweet moments were nice. Let's see what comes next.
" Lord Elmsby looked up at me. There was no question in my mind at that moment on his feelings. I stepped towards him, and Lord Elmsby didn’t hesitate. As soon as my head was resting against his chest, his arms were around me. "
All in all the mystery was nice and the pair of them were nice and the few sweet moments were nice. Let's see what comes next.
" Lord Elmsby looked up at me. There was no question in my mind at that moment on his feelings. I stepped towards him, and Lord Elmsby didn’t hesitate. As soon as my head was resting against his chest, his arms were around me. "
October 18, 2018
I'm more like 3.5 stars as I liked the characters, the set up, the interactions and dialogue but she really needed to make a timeline for her mystery because it got terribly snarled towards the end and I wasn't certain whether Miss Talbot disappeared six years prior or one year prior and how was one character in a place he shouldn't have been and how did M'lord know info that had only just been revealed to the reader when M'lord wasn't there? Also someone needed to proofread for anachronisms and bellies aren't taught they can be taut though.
Other than that the book is a nice easy pace, with a lot of classic Gothic tropes: a large house mostly empty, moody lord, talkative servants, mysterious fiancee, etc, without falling into cliches. The characters are interesting, the narrative is similar to that of the early 19th century writers without the extra verbosity. The romance is slow and very sweet, definitely not the book for anyone wanting copious Tab A in Slot B or C action.
Other than that the book is a nice easy pace, with a lot of classic Gothic tropes: a large house mostly empty, moody lord, talkative servants, mysterious fiancee, etc, without falling into cliches. The characters are interesting, the narrative is similar to that of the early 19th century writers without the extra verbosity. The romance is slow and very sweet, definitely not the book for anyone wanting copious Tab A in Slot B or C action.
April 26, 2021
A slow paced historical, where not much happened plot-wise (at least at times), but it is so descriptive and rich that you don't mind, just happy to taste a slice of life in a historical old manor. The romance between disgraced Thomas and Lord Elmsby moved at a similar slow pace, but you can feel the affection between them with each glance, each stolen touch, and I loved it.
Although this novel just mentioned the prosecution of gay men in the first chapter, Thomas, a fine upstanding citizen otherwise, was prosecuted and punished for loving other men, and it is shocking to see, even at a small glance, how horrible they were treated. The true criminal was the skewed justice system, and I wish we could say that finally, in 2021 we are free of those prejudices, but it is sadly not the case.
So this book was a nice historical, yet leaving the reader with food for thought.
Although this novel just mentioned the prosecution of gay men in the first chapter, Thomas, a fine upstanding citizen otherwise, was prosecuted and punished for loving other men, and it is shocking to see, even at a small glance, how horrible they were treated. The true criminal was the skewed justice system, and I wish we could say that finally, in 2021 we are free of those prejudices, but it is sadly not the case.
So this book was a nice historical, yet leaving the reader with food for thought.
December 20, 2018
A Great Story!
An arrest, a rescue and a mystery are all elements of the Thomas & Lord Julian story. What’s not to love, well written love story, an arrest at illicit club, prison, an escape, survival, a rescue and a murder mystery! Well developed characters in a historical setting. From the very beginning, I was hooked...I clapped with joy...I could sink my teeth into this good story! Yea me!
Personal note: I especially liked Thomas character. He handled devastating situations with strength of character, doing whatever it took to survive, with little angst.
I found a new author to love!
An arrest, a rescue and a mystery are all elements of the Thomas & Lord Julian story. What’s not to love, well written love story, an arrest at illicit club, prison, an escape, survival, a rescue and a murder mystery! Well developed characters in a historical setting. From the very beginning, I was hooked...I clapped with joy...I could sink my teeth into this good story! Yea me!
Personal note: I especially liked Thomas character. He handled devastating situations with strength of character, doing whatever it took to survive, with little angst.
I found a new author to love!
September 27, 2019
This was a very good story. The romance was nicely drawn out and the mystery had me wondering about each character. I was wrong in my conclusion so the murderer was a bit of a surprise.
The descriptions are wonderful (even the yucky pillory bits). I would like to have known more as to why their excuse during the molly house raid was not believed.
All of the characters were nicely developed. Definitely a great writer!
The descriptions are wonderful (even the yucky pillory bits). I would like to have known more as to why their excuse during the molly house raid was not believed.
All of the characters were nicely developed. Definitely a great writer!
February 8, 2020
★★★☆☆ ~ 3 Stars
July 16, 2019
3.5 stars.
This had a very gothic vibe, down even to the writing style.
This had a very gothic vibe, down even to the writing style.
January 13, 2021
DNF at 25%
Thomas is a respectable solicitor...until he gets caught during a raid on a molly house and imprisoned. He does manage to escape but only with the clothes on his back so he takes to prostitution to earn money for food but eventually, he collapses from exhaustion...and that's the end of chapter one...
Fortunately, he gets picked up by a hot Marquess whose library is in need of cataloguing and after only a few more pages Thomas lets the hot Marquess know that he wants to jump him...I had expected him to be a bit more careful after his prison experience but then, the way he talks about it does make it seem like it was mostly uncomfortable beds and subpar food so it probably wasn't that bad anyway...and that's my problem with the book: the characters didn't seem to feel much and so neither did I...
Thomas is a respectable solicitor...until he gets caught during a raid on a molly house and imprisoned. He does manage to escape but only with the clothes on his back so he takes to prostitution to earn money for food but eventually, he collapses from exhaustion...and that's the end of chapter one...
Fortunately, he gets picked up by a hot Marquess whose library is in need of cataloguing and after only a few more pages Thomas lets the hot Marquess know that he wants to jump him...I had expected him to be a bit more careful after his prison experience but then, the way he talks about it does make it seem like it was mostly uncomfortable beds and subpar food so it probably wasn't that bad anyway...and that's my problem with the book: the characters didn't seem to feel much and so neither did I...
December 1, 2019
The Marquess of Gorsewall Manor (2018) by Adella J. Harris is the first book in the After the Swan’s Nest series by the author.
The story follows Thomas Brook who is been sent to the pillory after been caught in a molly house raid where he was getting intimate with his friend William. In the era this book was set, it was illegal for two men to be intimate. But thankfully Thomas excapes, goes on the run and eventually ends up at Gorsewall Manor which is the home of Lord Elmsby who Thomas fancies instantly and vice versa. He begins working in the library of the house and gradually he and Lord Elmsby get to know each other and their romance begins to bloom. But among all this, the body of Lord Elmsby’s fiancée from years back is found out on the moors which leads to Thomas investigating her death in order to prove Lord Elmsby’s innocence.
This is a wonderfully engrossing read which combines romance, mystery and historical fiction all into one. I think it is great for awareness that the author wrote about the cruelty and injustice many people faced back years ago due to hatred over their sexual and romantic feelings. Those scenes were incredibly hard to read. But I think it is right that the author showed these situations in an honest way, showing how ugly the actions of many people back then were. I was so glad that Thomas escaped but I felt awful for William who without been in the book very much was a character I liked because he seemed like this ordiniary bloke but who had a steel and a hero way about him when push came to shove. So it was great to see that book 2 in this series is William’s story with his Earl.
The book has wonderful characters. Thomas and Julian (that’s the Lord’s name) have great chemistry, there is a great build-up in their romance with a definite will-they-won’t-they plot where you are on the edge of your seat hoping they will. Harris beautifully shows how much they care about each other through Thomas putting himself in danger of being caught to clear Julian of the murder and Julian deciding that it is best for his name to continue to be rumoured about in connection to the murder rather than put Thomas in danger. It’s dead cute. While Thomas is struggling to survive, he sells himself and it is so lovely to see that Julian doesn’t judge him badly on his previous work.
This book is stunningly wrote, very detailed and paced wonderfully. It has a great mix of genres which are combined very well. The book speaks about important issues and the entire book is very well-written. On the first book, this bodes very well for this series.
A must-read.
The story follows Thomas Brook who is been sent to the pillory after been caught in a molly house raid where he was getting intimate with his friend William. In the era this book was set, it was illegal for two men to be intimate. But thankfully Thomas excapes, goes on the run and eventually ends up at Gorsewall Manor which is the home of Lord Elmsby who Thomas fancies instantly and vice versa. He begins working in the library of the house and gradually he and Lord Elmsby get to know each other and their romance begins to bloom. But among all this, the body of Lord Elmsby’s fiancée from years back is found out on the moors which leads to Thomas investigating her death in order to prove Lord Elmsby’s innocence.
This is a wonderfully engrossing read which combines romance, mystery and historical fiction all into one. I think it is great for awareness that the author wrote about the cruelty and injustice many people faced back years ago due to hatred over their sexual and romantic feelings. Those scenes were incredibly hard to read. But I think it is right that the author showed these situations in an honest way, showing how ugly the actions of many people back then were. I was so glad that Thomas escaped but I felt awful for William who without been in the book very much was a character I liked because he seemed like this ordiniary bloke but who had a steel and a hero way about him when push came to shove. So it was great to see that book 2 in this series is William’s story with his Earl.
The book has wonderful characters. Thomas and Julian (that’s the Lord’s name) have great chemistry, there is a great build-up in their romance with a definite will-they-won’t-they plot where you are on the edge of your seat hoping they will. Harris beautifully shows how much they care about each other through Thomas putting himself in danger of being caught to clear Julian of the murder and Julian deciding that it is best for his name to continue to be rumoured about in connection to the murder rather than put Thomas in danger. It’s dead cute. While Thomas is struggling to survive, he sells himself and it is so lovely to see that Julian doesn’t judge him badly on his previous work.
This book is stunningly wrote, very detailed and paced wonderfully. It has a great mix of genres which are combined very well. The book speaks about important issues and the entire book is very well-written. On the first book, this bodes very well for this series.
A must-read.
March 4, 2020
Something kept me reading but I really don't know what it was. I like Thomas well enough, likely only in sympathy for his legal troubles, but his habit of determining something and then completely flipping on it for no reason made me want to strangle him. Thomas is the most fleshed out character and even he is very flat. I really wanted to love Lord Elmsby for his kindness to Thomas and others but there just wasn't enough of him there to become invested in. The mystery was barely hinted at for the first half of the book and then it was too muddled, leaving me frustrated rather than intrigued. There was a lot of redundancy, while many things were left unexplained. Also, needs a good editing for clarity and consistency.
June 21, 2019
Historical mystery with Gothic flair and a love story
It's always a good sign when I get so engrossed in the suspenseful part of a story that I snap at my husband for the slightest interruption. This is an intriguing mystery and also a nice love story after the desperate straits our narrator initially endures. I also love that Gothic flavor of mysterious noises, locked rooms, and phenomena that might be mundane or might be ghosts.
I'm certainly interested to see more in the series, as it seems the sequel follows the bravely self-sacrificing William and I'm excited to see his story.
It's always a good sign when I get so engrossed in the suspenseful part of a story that I snap at my husband for the slightest interruption. This is an intriguing mystery and also a nice love story after the desperate straits our narrator initially endures. I also love that Gothic flavor of mysterious noises, locked rooms, and phenomena that might be mundane or might be ghosts.
I'm certainly interested to see more in the series, as it seems the sequel follows the bravely self-sacrificing William and I'm excited to see his story.
December 24, 2018
Very nice
I'm ordinarily not a big fan of romance novels - gay, straight or otherwise but this was nice and there's an interesting bit of a mystery wrapped up in the story as a bonus. What I really like is the emotional angle and the way it all happens so gradually and just builds.
I was glad there was a positive solution to the mystery and our protagonists got a happy ending. Definitely will read more of her books.
I'm ordinarily not a big fan of romance novels - gay, straight or otherwise but this was nice and there's an interesting bit of a mystery wrapped up in the story as a bonus. What I really like is the emotional angle and the way it all happens so gradually and just builds.
I was glad there was a positive solution to the mystery and our protagonists got a happy ending. Definitely will read more of her books.
May 14, 2020
i liked the writing style, though no writer worth their salt would say "fall" in place of autumn (north american term for the season???? in ENGLAND?????) and "hung" in place of "hanged" in a proper historical english novel.
'twas more a(n easy) whodunit than a romance, and there were a few loopholes left untied (who was it that said "don't say that" to tom when there was no one else around? yes it's prolly talbot but we don't hear anything about it afterwards????)
'twas more a(n easy) whodunit than a romance, and there were a few loopholes left untied (who was it that said "don't say that" to tom when there was no one else around? yes it's prolly talbot but we don't hear anything about it afterwards????)
November 24, 2018
Meets expectations. The mystery is rather silly, but it tried.
October 27, 2020
I've read a bunch of historical m/m but I have to admit, this is the first time that someone has actually used the criminal system of the time to set up the rest of the story, so I'm left unsure whether I'm impressed or horrified. In this case, our protagonist is arrested in a molly house raid while in the company of another man, one of the two with whom he spends a lot of time, and both are sentenced to the pillory and hard labour. Managing to escape the former, partly by his friend taking his place in the confusion of the sentence being meted out, Thomas flees London and heads north in search of somewhere to hide.
Eventually, he finds himself in Yorkshire, having spent a good part of his journey in dark alleys with local men in order to earn a coin or two to keep body and soul together. During his latest illicit encounter, Thomas' path crosses with a mysterious well-dressed man and when he later passes out on the moors and wakes to find he's been rescued, no prizes for guessing whose house he's in!
Mysterious well-dressed men who pick up unconscious people from the moors are also apparently in the habit of finding reasons for said people to stick around, in this case a job cataloguing the hall's extensive library, no strings attached. Which is a bit disappointing for Thomas, who would very much like to repay this kindness by a little attention to his employer's needs much like the ones that got him into trouble in London.
All this is complicated by a bit of a murder mystery, as our host's fiancee disappeared before the wedding, with her father insistent that she was murdered and everyone else suspecting she'd run off with someone else. Yes, there's a lot going on in this plot, along with a bunch of servants who can't seem to decide how deferential they're going to be at any one time, which jarred a bit - Thomas is in one of those limbo positions, technically, not quite a servant but not a guest either, and everyone below stairs seemed to accommodate him no matter what.
Anyway, everything gets resolved by the end of the book, apart from Thomas' poor friend who's still doing hard labour, though it appears as though he'll get his end away in book 2 of this series. Not sure whether I'll bother, though.
Eventually, he finds himself in Yorkshire, having spent a good part of his journey in dark alleys with local men in order to earn a coin or two to keep body and soul together. During his latest illicit encounter, Thomas' path crosses with a mysterious well-dressed man and when he later passes out on the moors and wakes to find he's been rescued, no prizes for guessing whose house he's in!
Mysterious well-dressed men who pick up unconscious people from the moors are also apparently in the habit of finding reasons for said people to stick around, in this case a job cataloguing the hall's extensive library, no strings attached. Which is a bit disappointing for Thomas, who would very much like to repay this kindness by a little attention to his employer's needs much like the ones that got him into trouble in London.
All this is complicated by a bit of a murder mystery, as our host's fiancee disappeared before the wedding, with her father insistent that she was murdered and everyone else suspecting she'd run off with someone else. Yes, there's a lot going on in this plot, along with a bunch of servants who can't seem to decide how deferential they're going to be at any one time, which jarred a bit - Thomas is in one of those limbo positions, technically, not quite a servant but not a guest either, and everyone below stairs seemed to accommodate him no matter what.
Anyway, everything gets resolved by the end of the book, apart from Thomas' poor friend who's still doing hard labour, though it appears as though he'll get his end away in book 2 of this series. Not sure whether I'll bother, though.
November 8, 2019
An easy read but don’t dig too deep: the author didn’t.
Historical accuracy: No explicit date is given, but the mention of the Battle of Salamanca gives a good idea of the time. Unlike other gay, historical novels, the facts of the period are accurate as far as they go. I should think the narrator would be aware of and concerned about capital punishment for buggery. Even though the characters were not caught in the act, they’d be aware of the possibility of a false conviction. As it was, their punishment was standard for “attempted sodomy,” but even the pillory, no matter how gruesomely described, also would have meant a risk of death from a frenzied mob. Beyond that and beyond the confines of London, the details are consistent with many PBS Georgian/Regency melodramas.
Romance: The narrator is very analytical about the relationship. This is appropriate given his situation, but I missed a slow growth in his feelings. All he seems to consider is his physical attraction. And when the body is discovered, he doesn’t immediately reject the idea that his lover did it. He ultimately does defend his lover but, again, we miss a slow evolution of his conviction. And, at the end, he is willing to go to jail for his lover, but it seems a pretty big and sudden shift from his thoughts.
Mystery: The biggest problem was that it took much too long to get to the mystery. All the creaks, smells and voices made me think it was going to be a Daphne du Maurier-style story. When we finally get to the mystery, the ultimate solution suffered from a lack of credible suspects. While very little pointed to him along the way, he was just too “’out of place” not to be the killer. Still, it all fit together neatly; beside, the novel was not presented as a whodunit.
Style: The writing was consistently good, although the first person POV worked against (probably appropriately so) any poetic or ‘authorly’ descriptions. Few editing errors until the last couple of chapters. (Perhaps the editor ran out of time.)
Historical accuracy: No explicit date is given, but the mention of the Battle of Salamanca gives a good idea of the time. Unlike other gay, historical novels, the facts of the period are accurate as far as they go. I should think the narrator would be aware of and concerned about capital punishment for buggery. Even though the characters were not caught in the act, they’d be aware of the possibility of a false conviction. As it was, their punishment was standard for “attempted sodomy,” but even the pillory, no matter how gruesomely described, also would have meant a risk of death from a frenzied mob. Beyond that and beyond the confines of London, the details are consistent with many PBS Georgian/Regency melodramas.
Romance: The narrator is very analytical about the relationship. This is appropriate given his situation, but I missed a slow growth in his feelings. All he seems to consider is his physical attraction. And when the body is discovered, he doesn’t immediately reject the idea that his lover did it. He ultimately does defend his lover but, again, we miss a slow evolution of his conviction. And, at the end, he is willing to go to jail for his lover, but it seems a pretty big and sudden shift from his thoughts.
Mystery: The biggest problem was that it took much too long to get to the mystery. All the creaks, smells and voices made me think it was going to be a Daphne du Maurier-style story. When we finally get to the mystery, the ultimate solution suffered from a lack of credible suspects. While very little pointed to him along the way, he was just too “’out of place” not to be the killer. Still, it all fit together neatly; beside, the novel was not presented as a whodunit.
Style: The writing was consistently good, although the first person POV worked against (probably appropriately so) any poetic or ‘authorly’ descriptions. Few editing errors until the last couple of chapters. (Perhaps the editor ran out of time.)
April 2, 2025
Getting lost, solving a murder, finding love
Poor Thomas and his friends are caught and jailed for being gay, but Thomas manages to escape with his friend’s help. He runs all the way through the moors, until he collapses from exhaustion and hunger.
He’s rescued by Lord Elmsby, whom he tells he was robbed by highwaymen, and he’s able to recover, then hired to organize Elmsby’s library.
The two become friends, and Thomas suspects Julian knows the truth of his arrest, which he later confirms. They become close and start an affair, then Julian is accused of murdering his fiancée years earlier when her remains are found.
Thomas goes in search of clues as to who the woman’s paramour was, as Julian knew she wanted to run away with someone and had no problem, but didn’t know who it was.
With putting some clues together and discovering a secret passage, they find the culprit, who eventually confesses.
Both Julian and Thomas are safe, as Thomas is thought to be dead in London, and they can finally live their lives together in peace.
This was an interesting g mystery with lots of pieces finally getting put together. It took me some time to realize who did it, but it was entertaining regardless. I loved the housekeeper and Eddie and his sister, kids who love working for Julian.
Poor Thomas and his friends are caught and jailed for being gay, but Thomas manages to escape with his friend’s help. He runs all the way through the moors, until he collapses from exhaustion and hunger.
He’s rescued by Lord Elmsby, whom he tells he was robbed by highwaymen, and he’s able to recover, then hired to organize Elmsby’s library.
The two become friends, and Thomas suspects Julian knows the truth of his arrest, which he later confirms. They become close and start an affair, then Julian is accused of murdering his fiancée years earlier when her remains are found.
Thomas goes in search of clues as to who the woman’s paramour was, as Julian knew she wanted to run away with someone and had no problem, but didn’t know who it was.
With putting some clues together and discovering a secret passage, they find the culprit, who eventually confesses.
Both Julian and Thomas are safe, as Thomas is thought to be dead in London, and they can finally live their lives together in peace.
This was an interesting g mystery with lots of pieces finally getting put together. It took me some time to realize who did it, but it was entertaining regardless. I loved the housekeeper and Eddie and his sister, kids who love working for Julian.
May 23, 2020
Yes, the cover is a choice, I know. We've acknowledged that. Moving on.
This book...I'm not sure what I was expecting when I first picked it up. It wasn't the cover that drew me in, it was the plot. Which upon reading it it seems pretty basic and gets you thinking "Ok, quick read" which it is. But the plot is so much more than what it says.
This was SO GOOD YOU GUYS! OMGOSH!
Long and short of it is. This is a Regency M/M romance, two things I didn't know existed together so naturally I was quite curious. It's a free ebook, I'll leave the link for it so anyone can read it. Basically you have the main character Thomas Brook who was caught at a Molly House. He manages to escape before his prison sentence of hard labor.
Hearing that, I'm sure you're like "Cool cool" Y'all. THIS IS A REGENCY MURDER MYSTERY BOOK WITH M/M ROMANCE. The main characters are so sweet and the rest of the characters are so fun and have great layered personalities. I loved it. I will say, if you're someone who likes the real smutty smut...probably not for you.
I'm completely shocked by this. 5 Stars. Amazing. See link below to download for free!
Book Link
This book...I'm not sure what I was expecting when I first picked it up. It wasn't the cover that drew me in, it was the plot. Which upon reading it it seems pretty basic and gets you thinking "Ok, quick read" which it is. But the plot is so much more than what it says.
This was SO GOOD YOU GUYS! OMGOSH!
Long and short of it is. This is a Regency M/M romance, two things I didn't know existed together so naturally I was quite curious. It's a free ebook, I'll leave the link for it so anyone can read it. Basically you have the main character Thomas Brook who was caught at a Molly House. He manages to escape before his prison sentence of hard labor.
Hearing that, I'm sure you're like "Cool cool" Y'all. THIS IS A REGENCY MURDER MYSTERY BOOK WITH M/M ROMANCE. The main characters are so sweet and the rest of the characters are so fun and have great layered personalities. I loved it. I will say, if you're someone who likes the real smutty smut...probably not for you.
I'm completely shocked by this. 5 Stars. Amazing. See link below to download for free!
Book Link
July 13, 2020
Unread shelf project 2020: book 47.
This was a freebie on Kindle that I snapped up at a period when I was craving Regency romances. It was my first m/m Regency romance and was fairly good. The two MCs did lack chemistry to a degree — I felt like there was SOME chemistry but not as much as I’d expected — but how they got to know each other was sweet.
The tension of engaging in m/m romance/sex, however, was not there as much as I’d expect either, given the times and the fact that homosexuality was a guaranteed prison sentence then. I felt a little like Julian trusted his staff not to betray him, which seems to be a little TOO trusting.
The mystery was definitely not key to the story — as in, I would not describe this as a murder mystery but a romance that contains a murder — and as such, it was not super convoluted or difficult to guess.
But that being said, overall it was a relaxing and enjoyable way to while away the hours when I wished I was sleeping. (Hello post-op insomnia...) I most likely will not seek out other books by this author as this one was slightly bland, but I would also not be opposed to reading others that she has written if they catch my eye at some point in the future.
This was a freebie on Kindle that I snapped up at a period when I was craving Regency romances. It was my first m/m Regency romance and was fairly good. The two MCs did lack chemistry to a degree — I felt like there was SOME chemistry but not as much as I’d expected — but how they got to know each other was sweet.
The tension of engaging in m/m romance/sex, however, was not there as much as I’d expect either, given the times and the fact that homosexuality was a guaranteed prison sentence then. I felt a little like Julian trusted his staff not to betray him, which seems to be a little TOO trusting.
The mystery was definitely not key to the story — as in, I would not describe this as a murder mystery but a romance that contains a murder — and as such, it was not super convoluted or difficult to guess.
But that being said, overall it was a relaxing and enjoyable way to while away the hours when I wished I was sleeping. (Hello post-op insomnia...) I most likely will not seek out other books by this author as this one was slightly bland, but I would also not be opposed to reading others that she has written if they catch my eye at some point in the future.
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