In Pursuit of a Gentleman

Forever After Retellings #6

by Arlem Hawks

He's running from love. Can she outfox him?

Andrew Backus was never supposed to be an heir. But with the possibility of a fine inheritance looming, every Society matron is throwing her daughters at him in hopes to catch the careless dandy. Unfortunately for them all, Andrew will not be caught and dragged into the responsibilities of matrimony.

The youngest of nine children, Isabella Todd longs for a match that would finally make her parents and Society take notice of her. When she crosses paths with Mr. Backus, she realizes a marriage to him could give her the desired recognition and she hatches a plot to snare the heir before he suspects.

Acting the part of friend, Isabella unintentionally falls for the fun-loving Andrew rather than his expected fortune. When he uncovers her plot just before Christmas, Andrew must decide if he can believe the truth of her love before her parents call her to London for their own schemes.

Genres: Regency, Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Retellings, Regency Romance, Novella

106 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2019

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me, the not-a-huge-Christmas-fan just read a Christmas book in July? What? In my defense, I didn’t realize this was set around Christmas. But it was cute.

It’s actually a retelling of the Gingerbread man?? Which feels like an odd choice but it worked in regards to his heart being quarter, half, 3/4th, and then fully gone for her. We’ll ignore part of the original morbid story that’s shared at the beginning of the novella.

The backcover doesn’t show her any favor and makes her out to be a gold digger, but, well, she kind of is—but its more about getting attention from her parents for snagging him than completely because of his money. That said, I was grimacing in anticipation of something going terribly, terribly wrong with that idea. And when it did, I wanted to scream. But, because it’s a short novella, things are resolved quickly.

It was overall a cute read despite the incoming angst I was anticipating for the majority of the book.



Main Content:
Isabella is comforted by a Carol being played at a church when she’s walking past the cathedral; Isabella thinks that Heaven “withheld” the blessing of children to a couple; Thanking the heavens and the stars; Mentions of churches, church going, & a Christmas Day service; A mention of trusting luck.

Isabella doesn’t feel as if her parents pay attention to her, which is why she planned to snag Andrew (a potentially rich heir) to get a reaction from them (she doesn’t feel as if anyone could love her for just being her); Isabella thinks of ways to get closer to Andrew (one of them being going into a shop he went into with the fake excuse that her aunt needed something from there).

Mentions of lies, lying, gossip, & rumors; Mentions of jealousy (including Isabella thinking about her sisters being jealous of her if she can catch Andrew); A couple mentions of men playing cards (Andrew enjoying cards; which for this time period would usually have betting/money exchanging hands, i.e. gambling); A mention of a possible thief; A mention of drinking at a gathering.

No language stronger than blasted, dash it all, idiot, stupid, wretched, what the deuce; Other phrases like “Heavens” and “Good Heavens” are exclaimed; A mention of begging “all that is holy”.

3 hand kisses,
1 kiss with no details,
5 kisses lasting a couple of sentences,
1 detailed kiss (lasting about ten sentences with a moan);
Wanting to kiss (a couple sentences); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, Smelling, & Noticing (up to a few sentences); Playing footsie under a table & he puts his hand on her knee (somewhat-scandalous for the time period);
A woman tries to warn Isabella that Andrew is a “cad and a fop who will lead along respectable young ladies, only to abandon them with their reputations tarnished beyond repair.” (Which Isabella doesn’t believe at all); Someone talks badly about a man who married beneath his station and says that he didn’t even get children out of the love match; Mentions of flirting & jealousy; A few mentions of kisses & kissing.

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first Arlem Hawks novella in this series so much, I leaped upon the chance to read another. And did not enjoy the exercise.

It was going along swimmingly, with Andrew dodging matchmaking mamas and their daughters because he had no interest in giving up his carefree bachelor existence for matrimony, and Isabella scheming to attach him, hoping to love him someday, but mainly motivated by her desire to garner some attention and pride from her parents.

But then Isabella did something so stupid and so UNLIKELY (author contrivance, anyone?) that Andrew was quite logically appalled, and both their relationship and my enjoyment lay in tatters. To make matters worse, Isabella then headed to London to marry someone else, and would have if Andrew hadn’t pursued. Was it practical for a girl to marry a sure thing while in love with another? Yes. Is it what I want to read in a romance novella? No. The book was ruined for me.

[Morgan's Endless Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not love the miscommunication, but Isabella and Andrew were really cute together!

[Staci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shropshire, England 1817

Cute retelling of "The Gingerbread Boy" written May 1875

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun quick read. I enjoyed it. Simple and sweet with a nice setting.

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Pursuit of a Gentleman was an utterly charming romance that retold The Gingerbread Man in the most clever and delightful way that I thoroughly enjoyed. I never imagined that fairy tale could be turned into a romance, and done so well, but it was.

When it appears Andrew may inherit a fortune over his older brother, he becomes the most eligible catch for the zealous, marriage-minded women in his small town. Unfortunately for them, he doesn’t want to be ensnared into matrimony. When he meets Isabella, he believes he’s finally found the one woman he’s safe from, but unbeknownst to him, she’s determined to snag him for herself. Unlike the others, she works to ensnare the unwilling heir with fox-like cleverness and friendship, not planning on actually falling in love with him in the process. Although she succeeds in both losing her heart and gaining his, his eventual discovery of her scheme might cause her to lose him forever.

Not only was the premise of the plot enjoyable, but I loved the developing relationship between Andrew and Isabella, which was filled with many fun moments of his constant escapades from the women pursuing him and his deepening friendship with Isabella in the cozy bakery setting. (I adore bakery settings, especially ones set against such a charming winter wonderland Regency scene.) Their romance was as sweet as the gingerbread woven throughout the story. Overall, In Pursuit of a Gentleman was a fun premise that made for an even more adorable romance between two great characters who were seriously so cute together.

Now I need to bake some gingerbread…

[Shash · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a clever, unique, fun retelling! It's the first time I've read a retelling of The Gingerbread Man, and I loved it!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun retelling of the gingerbread man. I loved this story as a kid and never imagined it being made into a romance, but it was perfect. I loved Andrew and Isabella's relationship.  Their banter and wit was so fun. I loved watching them fall in love. Even though this was a novella, it didn't leave me wanting more. It's not that I don't want more Isabella and Andrew, but that I felt their story wrapped up beautifully and I wasn't left with any lingering  questions.  It was great. 

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance, clean, period setting;
This was a cute reimagining/retelling of "The Gingerbread Man" fairy tale! So many details were cutely set as a period romance, with the women 'chasing' the gingerbread man/heir to inherit the money. Love how A.H. figured out to add them in as part of her retelling. Sweet romance, and fun attraction between the two of them as they conspired to keep Andrew free of the machinations and clutches of the society matrons and their daughters, all the while as Isabella befriends him and 'lures' him towards herself as a choice. Fun, cut, romantic fairy-tale retelling with a lovely HEA.

[Marilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and unique regency romance adapted after The Little Gingerbread Man. Such creativity in crafting this well-written and charming novella. The characters were much more developed than is usually done in a story of this length and it made their chemistry stronger. Perfect afternoon read for any fan of regency romance!

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read but completely enjoyable. Fun characters with just enough wit and mischief to love. I didn’t even catch the retelling gingerbread man idea until I noticed someone else’s review. So I guess it’s low key. 😂

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

Well, I wasn’t much for this one. I didn’t really like Isabella. I kind of feel like she took advantage of Andrew. She started being like all the other ladies. And for what, so her parents would notice her. Ick.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delightful take on the Gingerbread Man. Would never have thought someone could make such a story so intrigued. Loved it. Don’t miss out.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, light retelling of The Gingerbread Man. The premise was clever and i thought it was executed well, though a pretty light story.

[David Mccowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the one that made me want to read the series. Then I read them in order, which wasn't needed.

Yes this was as emotionally satisfying as I hoped.

Each of these is short, 25k-30k words. Each is a retelling of a fairy tale in the Regency romance setting.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightfully sweet read which left me craving more... and gingerbread!
This is the second book I have read by this author - each one being a novella. I am looking forward to reading a full length novel one day. Her characters are always well developed with enjoyable traits & interactions.
A clean & wholesome read. Perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea... and some gingerbread. Seriously - I’m seriously thinking of baking some!
I received my copy of this book for free - I was not compelled to leave a review. All opinions are my own.

[Smasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content:

Profanity: None.

Violence: None.

Sexual: Mild. A few kisses that are a bit more passionate than I expected, but still tame. Foot wrapping around another's and hand on knee under the table. There is a sort of distracted desperation portrayed after one couple gets married and the husband wants to get away.

Trigger: One character comes from a large family and is consistently overlooked and often forgotten/abandoned and treated with mild disfavor for things outside of her control (like her red hair).


Really a 3.5, but I rounded up for cuteness.

I've never read anyone try to retell The Gingerbread Man before, and that alone made me chuckle. And also crave gingerbread. It's been a long time since I had any.

Isabella and Andrew are a fun mix of sweet and mischief when they're together. I found Andrew's ridiculous avoidance techniques to be snort-worthy and, as someone who has dodged seeing people I know in stores and such, to be totally relatable. Poor Andrew just wants to enjoy being the second son bachelor dandy, but his older brother's illness has made tongues wag about him being made heir instead. Cue all the ladies in his village going on the husband hunt. Andrew is less than enthused at the change.

Isabella, overlooked in her family of nine siblings, the youngest of the bunch, decides that Andrew is exactly what she needs to finally get noticed. The approval of her parents is something she's never really had, but if she can snatch the heir to a barony before she even has her first season in London, as well as a man worth more monetarily than any of her sisters has married? They'll surely finally admire and approve.

Isabella becomes a friend and confidant to Andrew, helping him escape the husband hunters. Andrew falls in increments, and Isabella even more slowly, until her schemes come to light and she might lose the one thing she never thought she'd have: someone who loves her simply for herself.

While parts of the novella go a bit too fast for me, and the side characters are either heinous or lovely, the entirety of the novella was too cute. I enjoyed it and read it in one sitting (which wasn't my intention). Miss Thresher was so grabby I was rolling my eyes. But I wanted to see much more of Steven, Andrew's ill brother, who seemed to be the steady lovely sort. Isabella's aunt and uncle didn't get near enough page time either. This is only the second book I've read from Arlem Hawks, but I would happily read more from her.

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, short read that’s perfect for a free afternoon.

While I greatly enjoyed this story, I would’ve liked to see Isabella (the main character) learn to hold her tongue by the end of the story (this is what caused Andrew to find out that she was trying to “catch” him). I really wanted to see character development, but there was only a perspective shift. They realized that their love for each other triumphed over all else…

Another piece of character development I wanted to see was Andrew’s maturing in taking responsibility. As the reader, I felt like the sympathy was really turned up towards Andrew’s character. He didn’t want to be the heir; it wasn’t fair that his brother was sick; etc. While there is obviously sympathy to be had for someone in his tough situation, I would’ve liked to see Andrew grow into the role of taking responsibility - because someone needed to, and he was the only someone left. (In the story, it’s played off as “stealing” the inheritance from his brother).

Overall, while this was a delightful read, I would’ve enjoyed seeing more character development in both of the main characters. I feel like the lack of development was excused by their learning to love each other for who they are, as they are. However, this is me being picky and I still highly recommend this book! I did love how Isabella and Andrew formed a genuine connection and friendship (even if she had something more in mind). This book was very entertaining, full of witty banter, and set beautifully in an old English-y sort of world. This was a wonderful book!

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Backus detests everyone has decided he is to be the heir as his brother is ill. He has managed to evade all the young ladies society matrons have thrown at him. When he meets Miss Isabella Todd, he believes he has finally met a friend. Will the truth destroy his trust in the young lady?

This was a cute story. I liked that Andrew and Isabella were friends first and that is what led to love. Andrew's loyalty to his brother, who is ill, made him even more of a hero for me. I was amused at the lengths he went to escape the overly eager young ladies.

That said, it was difficult to like Isabelle. She meets Andrew when he is trying to avoid another young lady, hears how much he dislikes being chased, and decides she will succeed because her tactics will be different. Because a match with him will benefit her. Obviously, as a romance, we know this will ultimately work out for her, but her selfishness was difficult to get past.

The Gingerbread Man is the fairy tale this is based on, and so there is a great deal of gingerbread in the story. Given that the versions of this tale I've read end with the fox eating the gingerbread man, it cast a bit of a negative pall over the story.

Readers who enjoy sweet Regency romance will enjoy this for an afternoon read.

[AnnaMay · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite aspects of this story was the dialogue. How does Arlem Hawks do it? I just put down a book by a different author the other day after struggling through the first chapter because the dialogue and so much else was just not 'there'. Arlem Hawks' story is about as far from that as possible. Her characters are genuine, the dialogue is witty but real, and somehow within 100 pages, she managed to include meaningful conflict I could relate to and resolve the conflict in a believable, very satisfying way (all the while keeping me smirking, smiling, giggling, sighing and eager to read on).
I'm so relieved there are authors like Arlem Hawks who produce fun, uplifting love stories to remind people like me about the aspects of love that often get overlooked. Reading this inspired me in ways that have me naturally smiling more, naturally wanting to have fun and relish in the spontaneity that comes with living with 6 children and a husband. I need a daily dose of books like this.
Oh---one more note: I love the names of the characters in this story :)The attention to detail in the names, scenery, fabrics, tastes and smells really brought this alive for me.

[Hillary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Backus is comfortable as the spare, not the heir, but his brother’s worsening health leads some to believe he’ll inherit wealth and a title after all. In running from his pursuing admirers, Andrew finds refuge is the local bakery with Isabella Todd, a young lady visiting her aunt and uncle for the Christmas season. Relieved to find at least one lady in town not pursuing him, Andrew quickly develops a friendship with Isabella, but her intentions might not be as pure as Andrew thinks.

When I learned about this retelling of The Gingerbread Man, I was intrigued and curious to see how this story could be retold in a regency novel. Arlem Hawks pulled off this retelling brilliantly! This story was creative and fun and a clear retelling of the classic fairytale. I loved both Andrew and Isabella. They were wonderful characters who worked well together. I also loved the role gingerbread played in the delightful Christmas read.

[Melissa (christianbooksandcoffee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Run run run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me I’m the gingerbread man. Or perhaps he can be caught. Oh my goodness what a cute and wonderful retelling of the gingerbread man. I was very intrigued by this idea. The story was so cute and I just loved it! Mr Andrew Backus is desperately trying to not get caught by the women of Market Foxley. They literally chase, and follow him everywhere. He finds refuge in a bakery that makes amazing gingerbread. He meets Miss Isabella Todd, whose Aunt and Uncle run the shop, and they form a friendship. She rescues him from the other women but little does he know she is trying to catch him herself. But in her pursuit she finds herself falling for him as well. So many cute moments, and funny moments. Just an overall wonderful Christmas story. If you are looking for a great quick Christmas read then this one is perfect!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Maria Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story this afternoon without realizing I was reading a fairy tale retelling. (That is what happens from letting my reader read it to me instead of looking at the page myself.) When I figured it out I realized I don't know the story of the Gingerbread Man at all. After reading The Gingerbread Man I could see that there were so many things that the author drew into her retelling that were from the tale. It was fun to discover the similarities. It is a cute story. I enjoyed the beginnings of Isabella and Andrew's relationship. They were cute together. Cute, clean, quick read for a quiet afternoon or evening. And it has a better ending than the fairy tale.

No sex, language or violence
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Desiree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author can write a story to hold the reader's interest. I think novellas can be tricky to write since you don't have as much time to develop the story and characters. In addition you want the reader to feel satsified at the end. I did feel satisfied with the story and romance. I didn't think it too rushed or things thrown in just to move the story along. I enjoyed the scenes with the H & h. Some were pretty funny and made me laugh. The story had a natural and realisitc flow to it. I'm such a horrible liar that when there's a bit of deceit in a story I get so nervous for the person. The author handled it all well though. This is a pefect read for the Christmas season. After reading this story I never wanted ginderbread more in my life!

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun! That is how I would describe reading this charming Regency take on the tale of the Gingerbread man. Author Arlem Hawks weaves a delightful story of a might be heir, Andrew, who has no desire to be caught by all the zealous country misses seeking him for a husband. Isabella Todd has a funny encounter with Andrew in which she determines to snag him for herself unbeknownst to him. Problem, both their hearts quickly get in the way as they fall in love amidst a winter wonderland scene. This is a quick read and very enjoyable. I received an advance reader copy, but this review is voluntary and my own opinion.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with cookies!!! ❤️

Great little story and ending to the series. I never thought of the Gingerbread man song as a fairytale but I’m assuming that the gentleman in question was the gingerbread man. There was so much mention of gingerbread cookies that I found myself craving them with my tea the entire time reading this story. Very cute and fun, light hearted. Plus I’m a sucker for a good flour fight scene. Lots of sweet and fun moments in this story.
I highly recommend it, especially if you have cookies!
Rating: G, clean

[Jerry Jares · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written novella with, understandably, little going on. It is a pleasant read if you want some escape reading.  Andrew is in town to spend the Christmas season. However, he is constantly bombarded by unmarried ladies looking to trap him. Isabella takes a different way to enchant the reluctant, unmarried man. There's nothing wrong with the story, but it is a common trope used often without any creative slant to make it more interesting.

Forever After Retellings – Total of 6 Novellas with Multiple Authors  
3. The Steadfast Heart (2019)
** 6. In Pursuit of a Gentleman (2019) 

[Sharleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to start off with the caveat that it is important to remember that this is a novella and not a full-length novel. I thought the author did a great job of developing the characters in such a short span of pages. I would have loved this story to be a full-length novel. The main characters are delightful. They aren't perfect but they are good and interesting. This is the perfect book to cozy up with at Christmas time.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabella becomes friends with Andrew after a chance encounter when he was trying to escape a conniving young lady. Isabella decides the best way to catch a man that doesn’t want to be caught is by making him think she isn’t also in pursuit. So she becomes his friend and teases and laughs with him about the other young lady’s trying to snare him. This ends up backfiring on her a bit. I enjoyed their antics as they fall for each other. Great characters. This was a fun and flirty clean read.

[Luci Jamison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good clean romance

Andrew and Isabella’s story is the last in a delightful series and this did not disappoint.
While Andrew struggled against match making aunts and mothers, Isabella struggled to be noticed at all by society and her family.
The humor and fun of their friendship warms into something much more.
The writing is done well and the descriptive language for both area and characters bring the story to life.