A Hyacinth for His Hideousness

Ascot Crime and Drama #1

by Tharah Meester, Ian Notsnall (Translator)

Following a public humiliation, Hyacinth Black is on the verge of being beaten to death by his father. Of all people, the man who is commonly referred to as ‘Your Hideousness’ comes to his defence; but his intervention has a price. Hyacinth must marry his rescuer.

Since the murder of his brother, Gavrila Ardenovic has been on the trail of a secret society, but in the city where he is only mocked, he has few allies. Therefore he keeps his distance from others and is used to suppressing any hint of emotion.

Will lies and intrigues prevail or can Hyacinth succeed in battling the shadows of the past and break through his husband’s cold-hearted façade?


This romance novel is set in an alternate-universe Victorian Era without magic or other fantasy elements.

Genres: Historical, M M Romance, Mystery, Romance, LGBT, Fantasy, Queer

383 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2020

About the author

Tharah Meester discovered very early, that a good romance novel not only raises your heartbeat, but can also cause a tingling sensation in your stomach. Not much later she realized, that this feeling is strongest, when she writes those stories herself.

By now being an author has become her dearest passion and beyond that her career having written more than 25 short stories and novels. Her most beloved genre is Historical Gay Romance, where she most of the time resides in her fictive world of Farefyr, that she created with her husband. Together they live with their much-loved dog in a small city in Austria

Reviews

[Gabis Laberladen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darum geht’s:

Hyazinth fragt nicht lange nach, warum der hässliche Gavrila ihn davor retten möchte, mit Schimpf und Schande verjagt oder gar von seinem Vater erschlagen zu werden, weil Hyazinth sich in dunkeln Ecken der Stadt herumgetrieben hat, um auf dem Strich ein bisschen Geld für seine arme Familie zu verdienen. Als der Polizeichef Hyazinth vor allen bloßstellt, ist er heifroh, dass Gavrila ihn heiraten und damit alles wieder gutmachen will.

Gavrilas Lebensinhalt ist es, den Tod seines Bruders aufzuklären und dem Geheimbund, der offensichtlich auch an anderen Morden die Schuld trägt, das Handwerk zu legen. Dass er wegen seines Aussehens in der ganzen Stadt nur verspottet und beleidigt wird, hat Gavrila gelernt zu ignorieren. Schließlich ist er ja auch tatsächlich hässlich und kaltherzig.

So fand ich’s:

Der Mann, der Hyazinth in ein dreckiges Häuschen bringt, ist dem jungen Hyazinth nur kurze Zeit unheimlich. Schnell entdeckt er das gute Herz hinter der rauen Fassade seines Ehemanns und auch Gavrila ist nicht immun gegen den begeisterungsfähigen, aufgeweckten und vor allen Dingen sehr süßen Hyazinth. Es ist schön mitzuerleben, wie Gavrila, der sich aus gutem Grund eine harte Schale zugelegt hat, seine Seele für seinen liebenswerten jungen Ehemann öffnet.

Der Junge ist Feuer und Flamme für Gavrilas Besessenheit, den Tod seines Bruders aufzuklären und mit Angehörigen anderer Opfer eine Mörderbande dingfest zu machen. Hyazinth will helfen. Und während sich zwischen den ungleichen Eheleuten zarte Bande entwickeln, müssen sie zusammen ein paar heikle Situationen meistern und spannende Ermittlungen unternehmen.

Die Gruppe von Angehörigen anderer Opfer, die Gavrila um sich geschart hat, ist bunt und jeder hat seine eigenen Geheimnisse, die auch den Leser unterhalten und mit Spannung versorgen. Obwohl sich Gavrila selbst nicht leiden mag, gibt es doch mehr Leute um ihn herum, die loyal zu ihm stehen, als er bemerkt. Und dann will Hyazinth auch mehr über Gavrilas Vergangenheit und das Verhältnis zu seinem verstorbenen Bruder herausfinden.

Genau wie bei „Der Tischler und sein Stutzer“ hat es Tharah Meester wieder geschafft, eine Atmosphäre zu kreieren, die mich emotional erreicht hat. So angeschlagen die Gefühlswelt von Gavrila und Hyazinth auch ist, so zwangsläufig neigen sie sich zueinander hin. Mit einem Altersunterschied, der aus ihnen auch Vater und Sohn machen könnte, entdeckt Gavrila seinen Beschützerinstinkt, doch Hyazinth lässt sich nicht so leicht bändigen. Die beiden sind glaubwürdig in ihren Zweifeln und Ängsten, genauso wie in der zupackenden Art, wie sie die Mordfälle aufklären wollen und ein bisschen ängstlich, aber auch sehr wagemutig in kritische Situationen geraten. Die kriminalistischen Ermittlungen und die Liebesgeschichte sind sehr ausgewogen miteinander kombiniert.

[Marzipop · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't even. Started out rough, smoothed out, then went hurtling into the pits of wtfuckery at light speed.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, this book was a major chore to get through. I liked the romance between the two main characters or I would have rated it lower. The world building in this book was very poor. I understand that it's an alternate universe, but I didn't really understand the social rules which governed it, the different classes which were in it, or how our two main characters fit into the world at all. Vrila was sometimes addressed as "my Lord," but didn't seem to actually be a part of the aristocracy since he was a doctor and a soldier. Hyacinth seemed to be from a very poor family and I'm not sure what he was doing attending balls and soirees. The different countries people were from were never really explained, the mystery wasn't very mysterious and dragged on and on and on, and all in all I really can't recommend this book. It needs some very major revisions, and I mean major.

Trigger warnings: spousal abuse, dub con, suicide, murder

Bottom line: Fans of hurt/comfort might enjoy this, but you'll probably find yourself wanting some major comfort from poor writing by the time you're finished.

[Elaine White · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine

A Hyacinth for His Hideousness (Ascot Crime and Drama, 01)
by Tharah Meester, Ian Notsnall (Translator)
★★★★☆
383 Pages
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
Triggers: father-to-son beatings/abuse, one beating from husband-to-husband, uninformed consent


A Hyacinth for His Hideousness is a romantic, mysterious historical novel about one man finding his confidence and fighting his personal demons, while a young man discovers his heart and courage. It's a sweet, intriguing tale that is woven throughout a few weeks of intense drama and romance.

~

Breakdown:
Characters: ★★★★☆
Plot: ★★★★☆
Writing: ★★★☆☆
Editing: ★★★☆☆

I was eager to read this, just from seeing the cover. Then I read the blurb and – having been on a Historical kick lately – it was right up my alley. I'm sorry to say it took me a lot longer to get round to reading than I'd hoped, as some work commitments railroaded me.

The first 5% of the book has a few issues, but my rule of thumb for reviews is two-fold:
1) if I'm not intrigued by the characters/plot by 5%, I might DNF
2) if they do intrigue me, I give it until 10% to impress me.
With this book, I was pulled in by Gavrila from the first, and only minorly intrigued by Hyacinth, early on. They were what kept me reading, and the intrigue over Gavrila's back story and the story of his brother's murder. I kept reading, first and foremost, to discover the answers to those secrets.

The more I read, the more I saw the bones of the story and appreciated the depths of the book.

The story does have some triggers, especially in the first 5% of the book. There is no warning over this, so I'll just do a quick rundown of the extent to which they appear, to join the list above. As someone who reads a lot of historical stories, these are common in the genre. None of it is intensely described on page, only referenced to, with a minor description of the type of abuse.

Hyacinth becomes a rent boy to help his family financially
Hyacinth's father is abusive, verbally and physically. In the first 5%, he does attempt to kill Hyacinth by strangling him, after he's exposed as a rent boy, publicly.
Vrila marries Hyacinth to protect him from shame, and his father's beating. But, he's cold at first, and beats Hyacinth with a belt when he thinks Hyacinth has destroyed precious items.
There is a touch of dub-con in the fact Hyacinth is a virgin, but doesn't tell Vrila on their wedding night. Vrila isn't gentle with him, but Hyacinth gives consent for their wedding night, so it's kind of an uninformed consent between two strangers.
There is a history of family-abuse in both Hyacinth and Vrila's lives

~

The book is HUGE, however there is an intricate mystery plot to be explored, investigating and finding clues. There is a romance that takes our main characters from two strangers to two husbands who have fallen in love. That takes time, and I liked the way the romance was explored; slowly, with care, and through little touches, looks, and a slow increase of affection. The mystery was well handled, as well. It was slow in some places, to allow the romance to blossom, but there were hints and clues in every act, every encounter, every word that was spoken.

I love that this was an alternative version of a historical world, because it meant that gay marriage was accepted, and welcomed. No one looked down on them for being two married men, except those who were “old-fashioned”, and I enjoyed how it added another element to the story.
The book is slow-paced, giving the characters room to breathe, time for us to learn about them and their behaviours, their personalities, and time for two strangers who rushed into marriage to learn about each other. I'd rather have that than a rushed insta-love relationship, so the slower pace worked for me. Especially as I didn't warm to Hyacinth immediately.
When it comes to characters, I fell in love with the mysterious Vrila immediately. I liked how brash and blunt he was, that he didn't pander to social acceptance, and fought for Hyacinth. I am a sucker for irascible main character, with a dark past and demons, who is mysterious in many ways, and doesn't believe he's worthy of love. That always draws me in.

In turn, it took me time to warm to Hyacinth, who sometimes came across as childish in his behaviour. He wasn't a well-off member of the society class, but acted and read like someone who was only one rung from living on the streets. However, he wasn't presented as such in the first 5% (or on the cover) where he came across as rich, part of society, and well established with good social standing. I would have much preferred if he'd been a street rat that Vrila dragged off the street, to protect and save from harm, and then I could have much more easily, and quickly, believed in his characterisation. The way he was ignorant of food, cooking, basic skills; most society would recognise potatoes and vegetables, but Hyacinth didn't even recognise these simple things, or know how to read and write. His history of being abused and unwanted by his parents only accounts for part of that ignorance.

I think part of the problem with Hyacinth was that he was immediately thrown into a harrowing situation...before we were able to know him and feel sympathy or concern over his fate. If we'd seen a bit more of Hyacinth before the shaming event, I might have bonded with him more, because I would have been connected to his character enough to worry, to fear for his safety, to care that he was in this awful situation. But, I think this was rushed to get to the main crux of the story, which demands Hyacinth and Vrila work through their mystery and romance together.
For side characters, I think Sergei – Perkovic – was my favourite, right from the start. He was a homeless man with spirit and snark, who pushed Vrila, and supported Hyacinth. His story was sad and touching, but he was strong despite all he'd lost, never losing hope. I loved him from start to finish.

~

While I loved the central story – the mystery and the romance – the execution was shaky.
I feel the flow was hampered either by the translation, or because it needed another round of edits. There were short, chunky sentence, uncomfortable phrasing, and small things that could have been fixed by an editor or Beta reader who was well versed in reading historical stories. Someone to give it a bit of polish, to help it transition into a more seamless story.
The cover is deceptive. It implies there's a rich, aristocratic character, but none of our main characters actually fits that. Vrila admits he's not wealthy enough to send Hyacinth to university without assistance. Hyacinth can't read/write or take care of himself. In fact, the main cast are poor, with Vrila and Hyacinth living off his military pension.

I didn't believe the circumstances that led to Vrila buying Hyacinth's marriage. He was shamed in public for prostituting himself, with no evidence. Though he cried, it could have been at the accusation not because it was true. But no one dared doubt it, question it, or protest. Vrila was the only one who demanded evidence, but everyone else was too happy to have this public exposure shame Hyacinth, and have him expelled from society. Historical/Victorian shame often came through snubs, with people whispering and shunning them, with a public cut and prolonging the pain of the insult. Why wouldn't he marry one of his “suitors” to save his family, rather than turning to the streets? Why would he turn down “suitors” instead of turning to prostitution? It didn't add up, and I began to wonder if the word “suitor” was being used instead of “john/client” which made it more confusing. Normally, in this sense, a suitor is someone trying to marry you.

There were some issues with the editing that made it choppy, where movements, behaviours and positions were left unexplained. Transitions between movements weren't always described. We're told Vrila takes Sergei into the house and to the “bar” before there's any explanation of the room – which comes pages later – to describe in Hyacinth's POV the details of the room.

Other editing problems:
some of the fluidity seems to have been lost in translation; the word choices and flow are stilted and unnatural.
the story flits between historical and modern speech for about the first 10%
sentences have the wrong words italicised, e.g. “At least he was hoping” for new insights.” It happens often and sometimes hampers the meaning of the sentence.
over-explanation – “the moniker 'Your Hideousness.' His striking ugliness was the reason.” – that doesn't need to be explained; it's self-explanatory.
backwards quotation marks, e.g. “Your first one?“
misspelled words – saliver, flinche
slips of omni-present POV = within Vrila or Hyacinth's POV, we see a sentence of someone else's thoughts “It wasn't lost on Howard that they were keeping important details from him.”
there are too many names = Sergei goes by Sergei and Perkovic; Gavrila goes by that name, Vrila, Gavrii, and Mr Hideousness; Hyacinth goes by his name, Mr Black, Mr Ardenovic. It's difficult to keep track of the story with 8 recurring characters, each with multiple names.
some information is give too late – it takes 3 pages to learn that Howard is a policeman
Hyacinth's characterisation is inconsistent, stating he's part of society and nobility, then later referring to him as a guttersnipe
the world-building is slim. We're never told where this takes place. I'm assuming it takes place in Germany, because the titles were previously released in German, but it would be nice to have a little clarification, even if it's a fictional world.

I haven't read the original German edition, so I can't comment on whether the translations were faithful or not, or whether the faults existed in the original story or were a product of the translation. What I can say is that the faults aren't extensive. Yes, they are frequent, but they're not so overpowering as to hide the story or the character, or overshadow the main writing style, which is good. It just needs a little attention from a historical editor, who could give it that final boost into becoming a “great” rather than “good” telling of the story. The plot has the potential to be the prior, but the execution leaves it loitering much closer to the latter, and it doesn't need to.

~

I never like to end on a negative note, but I always try to point out anything that could help the author, critical points to consider in the future. At the same time, I loved the book and enjoyed the storytelling.

My favourite parts were the characters. Vrila and Hyacinth grew together, both as individuals and as a couple. I loved their progress, their learning experiences, how nothing was perfectly smooth and they had to fight through various trials to find their way. I loved Sergei and how his story unfolded, and was a great friend. The same goes for the lovely Seymour. I felt sorry for Laurent.
I'm hoping the next book will be Tornwauld, who thoroughly intrigued me, as a small character with a big personality and huge possibilities. I wouldn't say no to seeing more of Vrila and Hyacinth again, either, even if only as side characters.

I want to give the author MAJOR props for ignoring and defeating some of the most common pitfalls and clichés in novels, especially of a historical nature. A dying man manages to give a final message but dies before revealing who killed him? – squashed! The author bravely took the move of letting the character tell who killed him in his final moments. Someone being threatened into leaving their lover and being stupid enough to actually do it, to protect them? – ignored! The author boldly let this character run straight TO their lover, and confess everything, instead of taking the threat to heart and running off without a word. I couldn't have been happier about that, because those two clichés have ruined so many good books for me. This one avoided all those traps, thank God, staying true to the characters and their nature.

The ending was perfect. The romance was lovely. The mystery was intriguing. It was everything I could have hoped for, in a historical story, and not only provided a complete storyline with depth and purpose, but it crafted a romance with care and attention. Although there were some issues, I feel it's more a problem of translation and transition than a problem with the author's work or writing style. I'm excited to read more of their work, and to read more of this series.

The story is...unconventional in the best of ways. I'm honoured the author trusted me to read it and supply a review. I'll be buying every future book in this series.

~

Favourite Quotes

““Besides, you do enough.”
His young husband’s thin eyebrows creased in disbelief. “So, what is it then that I do?”
You make me laugh; you’re kinder to me than anyone has ever been before; you cause my heart to race and bestow on me a strange, unfamiliar feeling of affection, not to mention my desire; you are at my side when I need you; you… are here.
“Enough.””

““I prefer a hyacinth to any other flower, I just didn’t know it back then.””

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hyacinth is a sweet shy boy who works the streets for coins. Until he crosses the wrong man. Then his (not so) loving father starts beating him. A man referred to as his hideousness says he will take him to husband.

They are in fact quickly wed. Hyacinth hardy knows the man, Gavrila Ardenovic, his house is dismal, his cupboards bare, and his friends are so very odd. They are trying to solve a mystery but it’s not going well. Hyacinth wants to help and proves quite adept at the mystery game.

Gavrila (Vrila to Hyacinth) is not a typical hero. He considers himself so ugly he has no mirrors. Hyacinth begins to look past the physical and into Vrila’s heart, which is warming to the young man everyday. Love takes them by surprise, now they just have survive the mystery.

I liked how the author described their inner feelings. It was like reading a diary I thought. Good, strong characters are all through the book. Some likable, some not so much. The mystery was sort of solved and I was surprised by that. Vrila and Hyacinth had a really nice, surprisingly graphic private life. This is a long book and it took me a while to get through it. Nice book.

I received an arc of this book.

[Joscelyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hyacinth and Gavrila were complex characters to say the least. In this retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast tale Gavrila save Hyacinth from public humiliation and possible death at the hands of his father by marrying him.
As they hunt for clues in the death of Gavrila's brother they start to peel back each other's layers, their personalities grow and develop throughout the story as they start to lose their hearts to each other and Hyacinth starts to see Gavrila's inner beauty. This was a great alternate history read that kept me reading well into the night.

[Leslie]

DNF. Time of death: 51%. 😭

[Risa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Der Liebreiz einer Hyazinthe ist das erste Buch, das ich von der Autorin gelesen habe. Ich habe es bei einer Adventsverlosung in einer Facebook-Gruppe gewonnen. Sowohl die Story, als auch der Schreibstil konnten mich überzeugen.

Zur Handlung. Da seine Eltern in finanziellen Schwierigkeiten stecken, will Hyacinthe Black ihnen helfen. Um ein wenig Geld zu verdienen prostituiert er sich. Leider wird er dabei erkannt und bei einem Ball öffentlich gedemütigt. Anstatt seinem Sohn beizustehen, wird er von seinem Vater aufgrund der Ehrverletzung beinahe getötet. Ein Mann kommt ihm zu Hilfe, der von vielen Stadtbewohnern nur Abscheulichkeit genannt wird. Doch dafür verlangt er, dass Hyacinthe sein Ehemann wird. Verzweifelt willigt dieser ein.
Gavrila Ardenovic ist ein ehemaliger Soldat und Arzt, hat nur wenige Freunde, die wie er am Rande der Gesellschaft leben. Da er nicht dem gängigen Schönheitsideal entspricht, wurde er von Kindheit an verspottet und gequält. Er hat gelernt, seine Gefühle zu verbergen und wirkt nach außen hin eiskalt. Doch zu Hyacinthe fühlt er sich auf besondere Art hingezogen, der jüngere Mann weckt seine Beschützerinstinkte.
Beide Männer haben eine unschöne Kindheit erlebt, Hyacinthe bei lieblosen Eltern und Gavrila bei seinem in höchstem Maße homophoben und grausamen Bruder. Als dieser ermordet wird, macht sich Gavrila trotz allem auf die Suche nach dessen Mördern. Er verdächtigt einen mysteriösen Geheimbund, die Tat begangen zu haben.

Die Geschichte von Hyacinthe und Gavrila hat mir von Anfang an gefallen. Es war schön zu lesen, wie das ungleiche Paar zueinander findet und gemeinsam gegen seine Widersacher kämpft. Dabei hat es Hyacinthe nicht leicht, seinen Ehemann von seinen Gefühlen zu überzeugen, denn dieser wurde so oft verletzt, dass er sich einredet, niemand könne ihn lieben. Aufgrund seiner erschütternden Vergangenheit hält sich Gavrila selbst für wertlos und muss erst langsam lernen, dass Hyacinthe ihn aufrichtig liebt.
Zusätzlicher Pluspunkt neben der berührenden Lovestory war für mich, dass ich bei dem enthaltenen Krimiplott bis zum Ende nicht ahnte, wer der Mörder ist. Das hat die Story für mich umso spannender gemacht.

Die Story erhält von mir 5 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung.

[Rolito · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Dann war er verschwunden und Vrila grinste gegen seinen Willen die Decke über ihm an, ehe er die Hände vors Gesicht nahm und leise lachte.“
Ein wundervoller Moment, der mir ein Lächeln aufs Gesicht gezaubert hat.. 🥰

Trotz seiner furchtbaren Kindheit, besitzt Hyacinthe ein Herz aus Gold, mit dem er Vrila -der auf so vielen Ebenen eine gequälte Seele ist😢- Stück für Stück aus seinem Schneckenhaus holt. Ich liebeliebeliebe die Entwicklung der beiden im einzelnen und auch das, was zwischen ihnen entsteht.. langsam aber stetig. 🥰

Seymore Wiplay 😔❤️

Die ganze Story über bleibt immer eine gewisse Spannung erhalten und
Tharah Meester hat einfach das Talent, einen die komplette Gefühls-Palette mitfühlen zu lassen, die ihre Protas durchleben. Ich liebe ihren Schreibstil, ihre Geschichten, ihre Haupt-, und einige Nebenprotas und ihren Humor.

Ich glaube, liebe Tharah, du hast nun ein Fangirl mehr… 😅🙌🏼 und ich freue mich sehr drauf, nach und nach all deine Bücher zu lesen. Die Ascot Crime & Drama Reihe hat ja Gottseidank grade erst für mich begonnen.. und „Der Tischler und sein Stutzer“ wartet schon auf mich. 🤓📖❤️

[Ramona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine dramatische Liebesgeschichte vor einer düsteren Kulisse.
Stellenweise etwas langatmig, aber durchaus empfehlenswert.

[S.A. Locryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a sucker for good historical fictions, and if it's a story taking place in a realistic, well developed alternative historical period, all the better. And because I like my fictions believable and entirely realistic, I want it to make me believe if I search for the imaginary country or regions, I would find them on a historical map.

Strong points of the story making it worth (more than) 4 star

● The description of sentiments and the portraying of the human soul, how torture and cruelty can destroy anyone
● The system of Gavrila's nicknames. His friends call him Gavrii and Hyacinth calls him a more affectionate name, Vrila. This latter is the more important one, because as Gavrila accepts Hyacinth's feelings towards him, he slowly becomes the man the young man loves, finally becoming Vrila who always takes care of his dearest one.
● The dynamics among the characters.
● The character development, both Gavrila and Hyacinth becomes new men, strong together saving each other from their past.

Problematic points due to which the story lost a star

● Gavrila and Hyacinth's jealousy even in case of the most innocent or harmless happenings, flaming every other page, which is not even justifiable in most of the cases. This creates a lot of misunderstanding between them, making me roll my eyes in a "not again" fashion.
● The plot twist... I saw it coming from 200 miles.
● There is a lot of unnecessary exclamation marks in the text. I think its over-usage makes the text unnecessarily aggressive, not to mention that it breaks the flow of the reading.
● Difficult language. I'm not a native English speaker, and the problem is not the fact I didn't now some words, but that my Oxford dictionary didn't know them either... I know this book was translated from German, and its language is elaborate and rich (which should be a huge plus), but not knowing a lot of words when reading can be unnerving. These words might originate from the Victorian era, but I think some of them can be challenging for native speakers too.

Conclusion

Give it a shot if you want a good historical fiction in a creatively imagined and built alternative world, hop on this emotional roller coaster and let it sweep you off your feet.

Check out full review on my blog: https://hundredmoors.com/2020/06/28/a...

[Shweta · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eclectic story centered around themes of crime, mystery, angst, overcoming traumas of the past and finding love when you least expect it.

Set in an alternate universe with settings inspired by the Victorian era, the story revolves around the tender bond that develops between Hyacinth and Gavrila 'your hideousness' Vrila as they race to uncover the mystery behind the death of Gavrila’s brother and the notorious secret society behind the strange happenings in the city. 

The author has done a great job in perfecting the balance between mystery and Romance. Also love how as the story unfolds we get to see the complex layers of Hyacinth and Vrilla's personalities and the influence the demons of their past have in shaping their demeanor. Despite the burden of their insecurities (some serious angst there), the two have wonderful chemistry and their romance was heart-warming to read. 

|"There was something. He’d have characterised it as friendship if he weren’t so terribly in love. The one didn’t exclude the other, but it was actually more than friendship. More than passion. More than anything he’d ever felt for a human being."|

The writing complements the fast paced plot and the back-stories of the side characters-Sergie and Mr Winplay were a treat to read. Considering this is the author's debut novel, very well done! 

If you are looking for a good romance inspired by Victorian themes with suspense, angst and tender romance in the mix, I recommend you give this a try.

[Elin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a heavy book to get through, both because of its content and language. It keeps to the theme in being a historical novel, with the way they act, speak and the society they live in.

A world where men can just as well marry men, but the attraction is still seen as wrong by some, depending on ones upbringing.
Hyacinth and Vrila's relationship is one of many ups and downs from the moment they meet and most of it expands through their first two weeks together. So much happens that I could hardly believe it was such a short time, it felt like it should have been months at the very least.
While their love story can seem rushed in some sense, it becomes clear why it's not the case.
The mystery that lingers from start to finish makes an intriguing read as well, at times it does take the backseat and it could feel very lengthy but it speeds up half way through or so.

There is so many tragic fates within their small circle of friends, that at some point I found myself clinging to their love to hold me up at the worst of times. Even though their difficult moments and separate struggles added to the heavy read.

While I loved the book and will give it a full score, I found some of the names difficult to keep track of because of similarity. Along with a wording that is at times very unfamiliar for me as a foreign reader. I used far longer than normal to finish this book, but it is worth it if you are willing to put in the time.

[Anabela.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite thing about this story was the general atmosphere and its evolution. The beginning was all gloom and dark environments, which slowly transformed as the relationship between Hyacinth and Gavrila developed. I'm not saying that the ending brought sunshine and rainbows, but if you'll give this book a chance, you'll notice the progressive presence of more color and lightness amidst tension, uncertainty and danger.

I really wish you'd pick up this book, because it's different. You'll meet Hyacinth who just wanted to make the best of his situation, and found excitement, so to speak, involved in a mystery. And you don't want to miss out on getting to know Gavrila. He was rough, at times hateful and made no excuses for himself. He had a goal and a mission, and nothing else mattered. You'll grow to love them and be invested in their story, just like it happened to me.

Recommended.

[RACHEL REED · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being publicly humiliated, Hyacinth is on the verge of being beaten to death by his father Joseph, who is stopped in the act by his wife for the reason being he will be taken to prison. Hyacinth is saved from his misery by a stranger Gavrila Ardenovic who announces that he intends to marry him despite the shame caused by him.
Gavrila is a stoic man who shows no emotion towards Hyacinth despite marrying him.
This is a Victorian-inspired gay romance with a HEA.
I loved the slow- burn romance between the characters as well as the world-building.

[Xochitl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read of Ms Meester and I am fascinated by this intricate and twisted plot. You'd find difficult situations, heroes, antiheroes, and villains all involved deeply in one of the purest love story I' ve ever read. I got caught in morbid fascination for all the situations that led to Vrila and Hyacinth got together but not only that, there were so many happening at once, many mysteries and intrigue that you'd feel that if you got distracted for a few minutes you'd get lost forever. I couldn't breath freely until the epilogue. A very captivating read. Simply WOW!

[J.J. Anatoliy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something completely fresh and different

This book is so different than anything I’ve read done in the genre but in the best way. I love perfectly imperfect characters and this book had a plethora of them! So intricate and fascinating, thanks to the author for such an interesting read.

[Skylar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot dragged at times but I loved both the characters and I'll probably end up reading this one again.

[Trefoil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this. This is apparently the first of the series? I'm certainly interested in what the second book will be like!
I enjoyed the development of the story and characters. I liked both main characters, and absolutely adored all their sweet moments. That being said, there was a lot of darker elements in this story - mention of abuse (emotional, physical), bullying, death, dubious consent (at the very beginning of the book), etc.

[Dokun888 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel and old fashioned at the same time

It was different from what I normally read (I'm not a fan of historical romance) but since here the book had a mix of progressive and old fashioned stuff it was fun to read. Gavrii's appearance definitely added in to the plot although in my head I made him pretty gross I don't know why XD I can't say I liked the main couple but the story was interesting to read.

[Maria E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hyacinth is a beautiful young man who is publicly humiliated and abused by his parents, and is about to be savagely beaten, when Gavrila, an older man considered to be quite ugly, surprisingly steps in. He tells Hyacinth's parents that he wants to marry Hyacinth. He offers to pay a dowry for him, and the parents agree. Gavrila is harsh with Hyacinth, but Hyacinth is grateful that Gavrila took him away from his parents and that he now has a safe home, and he puts up with Gavrila's moods and rough treatment. He thinks Gavrila might throw him out if he isn't a good husband, and Gavrila thinks the beautiful Hyacinth will one day run away from him because he is so ugly (when in fact neither one plans to leave the other). In addition, Gavrila is tormented by the death of his brother, and he's resolved to find out who killed him and how did he die. His investigations put his life in danger and Hyacinth's as well, since Hyacinth persistently insists on helping. There is a conspiracy theory, a secret society, other deaths, lies, secrets, covert acts, and treason. There is even jealousy by both Gavrila and Hyacinth. I absolutely love how these characters develop, how love grows, friendships are forged, and bonds are formed. It's a "Beauty and the Beast" type type story, where the Beast doesn't change his appearance, but we change our perception of him. By the end of the story, you will no longer find him ugly at all.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schöne Geschichte mit viel Spannung, Tiefgang und noch mehr Herz
"Der Liebreiz einer Hyazinthe" ist wirklich ein schönes Buch, das schon lange auf meiner Wunschliste stand. Endlich habe ich es gelesen, genossen, geliebt, mit gefiebert und mit gelitten. Tharah Meester schafft es halt immer wieder, dass man ihre Protagonisten von der ersten Seite an sofort ins Herz schließt, egal wie naiv, mürrisch oder schrullig sie auch manchmal sein mögen. Jeder ist auf seine Weise liebenswert, auch wenn man dem einen oder anderen gerne mal eine kleben möchte, weil er sich WIEDERMAL unter aller Kanone benimmt und sein Liebchen verletzt (auch unbeabsichtigt). Man man man man... Aber man hat sie als Leser dennoch lieb und drückt mal eine Auge zu, ganz der Hoffnung, dass sie die Kurve zum Happy End noch kriegen. Gavrila und Hyacinthe sind da genau solche Kaliber. Der eine mürrisch, grummelig und miesepetrig. Der andere liebenswert, leicht naiv und mit einem großen Herz aus gold, das für zwei zu reichen scheint. Ach ja, seufz,... Vrilas und Hyacitnes Geschichte ist wirklich einmalig. Wie die beiden zueinander finden und sich jeden Tag selbst und auch den anderen neu kennenlernen und sich mehr und mehr ineinander verlieben, einfach schön, zwar manchmal zum Haare raufen, aber auch schön. Beide haben keine Ahnung und Erfahrung in Gefühlsdingen und können sich daher nur herantasten und treten dabei in das ein oder andere Fettnäpfchen, als hätten sie ein eingebautes Sonar, um ja alle davon zu finden. Herzschmerz ist da nun wirklich vorprogrammiert und ich konnte meist nur schwer seufzen und den Kopf schütteln, weil er es mal wieder vermasselt hat, es zwar auch selber weiß, aber keine Ahnung hat, wie er es wieder gut machen soll... Gespickt ist diese jungfräuliche Romanze mit einem spannenden Hintergrund, bei dem die bunt zusammengewürfelte Gruppe um Vrila und Hyacinthe den Mord an Vrilas Bruder aufklären, der in irgendeiner Weise mit einem Geheimbund und noch mehr Morden in Verbindung zu stehen scheint. Es bleibt also immer spannend und der Leser wird auf die eine oder andere Art regelrecht an die Buchseiten gefesselt. Diese Mischung hat es wirklich in sich, so dass der Lesespaß nie aufhört und man immer wieder gerne zu den Charakteren zurückkehrt, wenn man das Buch doch einmal aus der Hand gelegt haben sollte. Ich liebe es, zu beobachten und mit zu erleben, wie sich Tharah Meesters Charaktere während der Handlung weiterentwickeln und über sich hinaus wachsen. Vrila und auch Cinthe sind da nicht anders, da vergießt man auch schon mal ein paar Tränen.... Trauer und Freude liegen bei ihr manchmal sehr nah bei einander, aber man kriegt halt nie genug.
Ich kann dieses Buch nur empfehlen, es lohnt sich wirklich sehr!!

[Gartenforte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der Liebreiz einer Hyazinthe von Tharah Meester
Inhalt:
Hyacinth ist ein junger Mann, den das Schicksal in die Arme von Gavrila treibt. Er kennt den Mann nur unter dem grausamen Spitznamen 'Eure Abscheulichkeit', da er so hässlich ist, dass ihn niemand lange ansehen mag. Trotzdem ist Hyacinth Gavrila zu Dank verpflichtet, da dieser ihn ehelicht um Hyacinth zu beschützen.
Was Hyacinth nicht weiß, dass dadurch seine Probleme ein ganz neues Ausmaß bekommen, denn Gavrila ist einem Geheimbund auf den Fersen, der verantwortlich für die Ermordung seines Bruders sein soll. Dadurch geraten beide in tödliche Gefahr.

Ich hatte das Glück, das die Autorin bei Instagram auf mich aufmerksam geworden ist, mich daraufhin anschrieb und fragte ob ich Interesse hätte ihr Buch zu lesen.
Ich freu mich immer sehr über diese Anfragen, da ich dadurch bisher immer wieder an Bücher gekommen bin, die sonst wahrscheinlich nie mein Interesse geweckt hätten. So wie auch dieses.

Das wäre echt schade gewesen, da mir das Werk einige schöne Lesestunden beschert hat. Nicht alles ist in meinen Augen stimmig und perfekt in diesem Buch, doch tatsächlich kommt es darauf nicht an.
Es ist sehr spannend geschrieben, auf vielerlei Hinsicht unvorhersehbar und voller Gefühl.
Mich hat die Grundhandlung ein bißchen verwirrt, da ich das Gefühl hatte, dass die Geschichte in einer anderen Zeit spielt, allerdings Gegebenheiten auftauchen, die in der Zeit sicherlich nicht realistisch gewesen wären. Wie zum Beispiel die Ehe unter Männern.
Ich bin also von vornherein an das Buch ran gegangen als würde es sich um eine Fantasy Geschichte handeln, die in einer fiktiven Welt stattfindet. Unter diesem Gesichtspunkt konnte mich die Geschichte gut erreichen.
Die Charaktere haben zwar die unmöglichsten Namen, allerdings sind sie liebevoll ausgearbeitet und auch die Nebencharaktere bekommen ausreichend Raum. Dadurch sind sie allesamt authentisch.

Ich mochte besonders Seymour und Sergej, ihre Geschichten sind mir besonders ans Herz gegangen.
Ich mochte es auch sehr, wie sich die beiden Hauptcharaktere näher gekommen sind, trotz einem sehr schweren Start. Wobei mir gerade Gavrilas Verhalten zu Beginn nicht ganz einleuchten wollte.

Im Großen und Ganzen hat mir das Buch sehr gefallen. Auch wenn es einige Punkte gibt, die mich nicht ganz überzeugen konnten.
Ich würde das Buch trotzdem jedem empfehlen, der gerne Liebesgeschichten mit Krimianteilen im Gay Bereich mag.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warning: Dub-con on page near the beginning of the book.

This story has me conflicted about how to rate and write an accurate review. I did really enjoy this book, but at the same time, it irritated me to no end! There is great world building and the main and secondary characters are well developed, but the passage of time seems to flow through this world differently than my brain can easily comprehend.

The city/country (?) where this story is set is dismal, and does not provide an easy life for most of its citizens. Gravrila is from a different society and has been dealt a rough hand, but he has embraced the cruelty thrown at him from just about every direction. He is not a physically attractive man, and he does not believe he has any emotions or tenderness to give. He comes across as a royal a$$, and fairly abusive, but over time, his actions are explained, though not excused.

Hyacinth is a fairly young man that has found himself caught in a humiliating and life-altering situation due to his brash activities. But, when all seems to be lost, and he is facing certain death, His Hideousness unexpectedly comes to his rescue and offers his hand in marriage. With no possible alternatives, the boy finds himself in a life he never expected.

Besides the blooming romance between the two MCs, there is the suspenseful mystery that offers a source of obsession for the two and their odd group of friends brought together by tragedy. There is a secret society causing havoc including scare tactics and murder, and their group is bound and determined to solve the case. The closer the men get to possible leads, the more the danger grows.

The denouement threw a twist into the plot line that I was hoping might come about. I admit to not being terribly surprised, but the drama was nicely done. Overall, although at times it became a bit tedious, and it did take me a while to adjust to the author's writing style/wording, the thing that really got me was the time frame. So much took place, and so many feelings changed, that it seemed as though quite some time had passed, only to learn it was just three days from the beginning of the book. And, other than the epilogue, I think all of the relationship building and adventures took place in little over a week or so.

But, in the end, most of the good guys, including Vrila and his dearest one, got the happily ever after they all deserved.

Happy reading!

* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest opinion. *

[MacTíre · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dala jsem tomu 200 stránek. Lituju ztraceného času a energie.

1. Tvorba světa - nexistující. Napřed jsem doufala, že neexistence vysvětlení prvidel světa příběhu je důkazem rafinovanosti autora, který nám v pravý čas vše odhalí. Tak houbeles! Svět fungoval přesně tak, jak se autorce zrovna hodilo, bez ohledu na logiku.

2. Postavy - ugh. Na první pohled to vypadalo moc dobře. Malý chudáček zachráněn velkým, silným temným "rytířem" s temnou pověstí i minulostí. Bezva. Jenže opět všechno je jinak. Autor kupil vlastnosti svých postav tak, jak si to žádaly jednotlivé scény a tak nějak mu vůbec nevadilo, že to dohromady tvořilo naprostý chaos a ne vlastnosti jednotlivých postav. Takže náš malý uke byl celý život týrán, umenšován a šikanován vlastními rodiči a poté, co ho jeho vynucený manžel prakticky znásilní a ztluče řemenem, nonšalantně mu odmlouvá a dělá pravý opak toho, co je po něm chtěno. ehm.

Druhá postava, náš temný rytíř, má být velký silný bojovník, pořád mele o tom, jak svého mladičkého manžela ochrání, ale pak je napřed lehce přemožen rozespalým, strachy ochromeným sluhou a podruhé ho jednou ranou přemůže stařičky, poblázněný žebrák.

3. Mystery - Ach jo. Všechny postavy v knize mluví o tom, že existuje "tajné společenstvo". Ale nikdo není schopen zjistit nic bližšího. Přesto všichni, nezávisle na sobě si jsou jistí, že jsou to ONI. a tak se všichni motají kolem, zakopávají o nesmyslné a zmatené stopy i o sebe navzájem.

Spíš to vypadalo, že všehny postavy jsou ve skutečnosti paranoidní schizofrenici. Což by mimochodem byl jediný příběhový zvrat, který by dal celé knize smysl.

***
A v polovině knihy už jsem těch nesmyslů, nelogičností a vyložených pitomostí měla dost. Dorazil mě vnitřní monolog Vrila - 200 stran dokola dokolečka se opakujícího kňučení, sebeobviňování a sebelítosti. 200 stran!

Kdybych si četla telefonní seznam, bylo by to přínosnější.

[Reader (Show me, don't tell me) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in 2017, I read the first 2 chapters that came out as a preview and loved the story and, really, I prefer that purple cover. I was quite tickled when the full book came out.

Regardless of some translation limitations, they did not make the story and the characters less enjoyable. I love and enjoy Hyacinth and Gavrila's lives very much.

At the beginning, one would first think of Beauty and The Beast, but I couldn't see this story that way. For one, in the end, The Beast's physical features changed to being handsome. Vrila's didn't. His physical features remained the same. It's his tortured, tormented heart and soul that changed in the end. Hyacinth became the literal light of that man's life.

Tharah's writing brought something different in this historical MM. Perhaps it's the sort of haphazardness of the characters or how some of the translations turned out. E.g. “Rein in your stares, Perkovic,” he growled at the man whose eyes wandered feverishly over the body of his young husband. I like that. It made me smile. It's like being at a place I've always known but did not realize there were some things I have not yet seen.

True, I did not get the full essence of the world building and wouldn't have minded more backstory on most of the characters. Still, there is depth in the story and characters, credibility and credulity enough to stay engaged and to totally enjoy this unique read.

Thanks Tharah. I do hope you get to offer English translations of all your books because I would love to read them all and I doubt I could learn German adequately enough to read them otherwise.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hyacinth is saved by Gavrila but there’s more to this marriage than it seems at first. Hyacinth is having his reputation saved and making sure he doesn’t have to have the chief keep yelling about him to his family but Gavrila is also getting something out of this and has his own motives. I enjoyed getting to read this book though I wish there had been more world building and information though this was still a really good story. Hyacinth was very grateful to Gavrila for taking him away from his family and giving him somewhere safe to call his own. I really enjoyed these two and getting to learn more about each of them as the story unfolded. Although they both had their doubts that the other would either leave or throw them out so they had trouble letting the other in and being themselves. Hyacinth feared Gavrila would throw him out if he wasn’t a good enough husband and Gavrila assumed Hyacinth would leave him because he was an ugly person which made him be rather harsh. It took these two a while but I still enjoyed it.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars--One, this could have been translated more smoothly. Some of the grammatical errors were very strange. Two, the world building could have used some expansion--what empire are they in? (Not given a name other than the Empire until the end.) Why is the country they were in (Ascot?) apparently so different than the country (Levona) the protagonists move to after the story's climax? (And are both of these countries part of the Empire or not?) What social classes are these people even a part of? How did they even run into each other with their obvious disparities in wealth and social status? And how did all of this stuff happen in apparently over the course of a week? (I'd have easily believed a month, but a week? Seriously?) Anyhow, aside from my questions, I enjoyed this story, which twined together an interesting thread of mystery/suspense with an intense hurt/comfort/forced proximity romance (kind of an M/M Beauty and the Beast retelling).

[MM Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the author's bio, she writes that a "good romance novel not only raises your heartbeat, but also cause a tingling sensation in your stomach" - well, her book, A Hyacinth For His Hideousness, certainly did my raise my heart beat and caused a tingling sensation in my stomach and so much more! I loved it so much that I went back to reread these eloquently written scenes and beautifully written dialogues. I just couldn't put the book down. I was annoyed when something or someone interrupted my reading. I was consumed with this book. And I am still even after reading it. This story had so much depth to it, so much symbolism. The story, the characters are just so compelling. It's just so perfect in every way. It deserves 100 stars!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the atmosphere and language of this book. That, combined with the murder mystery/secret society aspect would have made for a perfect, Gothic read even if the romance had been subpar. Fortunately, the romance is up to the level of the atmosphere. It is a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast and this Beauty, Hyacinth has to to a strong character to make his Beast, Gavrila, realize how much he needs this relationship. No insta-love here on Gavrila's part. It was wonderful to watch them argue and dance around each other while working on the mystery with the help of a group sort of like Gavrila's Irregulars. An intriguing read that should appeal greatly to both mystery and m/m romance fans.