The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle

by Neil Blackmore

Brothers Benjamin and Edgar have so far led a quiet life, but change is afoot as they enter a world of glorious sights and People of Quality on their Grand Tour of Europe. But a trunk full of powdered silver wigs and matching suits isn't enough to embed them into high society. As Edgar clings on to conventions, Benjamin pushes against them. And when the charming, seductive Horace Lavelle promises Benjamin a real adventure, it's only a matter of time before chaos and love ensue.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, LGBT, Romance, Fiction, Queer, Gay

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2020

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neil Blackmore's historical fiction takes the reader into the eighteenth century and the glamour of the European Grand Tour. Brothers Benjamin and Edgar Bowen have had a sheltered upbringing, educated in culture and the classics. Their ambitious mother, Rachel, has high expectations of them connecting with People of Quality, only for them to encounter hypocrisy, disdain and a rigid social hierarchy ill-disposed to accepting the merchant classes of which they are a part. Whilst Edgar is more inclined to want to fit in with the conventions of society, Benjamin knows that he prefers boys, fated to experience the heartbreak of a love and passion that dare not speak its name, sexual desires that can get you hanged. Benjamin's world is shattered when he meets and is bewitched by the splendidly colourful Horace Lavelle.

Benjamin and Horace drift into an intensely intimate relationship, Horace is like no-one he has ever encountered before. Horace is beautiful, satirical, rebellious, witty, charismatic and utterly anarchic with his uncompromising tenet of reject, reject and reject but he is damaged with a dark side, driven by his own agenda. Benjamin's love is not reciprocated, and he understandably struggles to comes to terms with the pain and heartbreak of such a doomed one sided love affair whilst his relationship with his brother, Edgar, threatens to splinter apart. Blackmore's storytelling is a stunning affair, if uneven in aspects, its historical details are at best superficial as indeed is much of the characterisation in the novel. The emphasis is on its themes of class, social status, social attitudes of the era, sex, shame, prejudice and identity.

This is nevertheless a vividly vibrant read, of family secrets, of being gay, where it is hard to be who you are, with a mesmerisingly unforgettable character in Horace Lavelle. Many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for an ARC.

[Ángela Arcade · Rating 5 out of 5]

No sé ni cómo resumir lo que me hizo sentir este libro (ya dice mucho el hecho de que me lo haya devorado en dos días), así que diré que ha sido como si Oscar Wilde y el Marqués de Sade hubiesen tenido un hijo literario, con el toque escandaloso del uno, el hedonismo del otro y la sátira característica de ambos. Indaga sin tapujos en la identidad y la sexualidad de su protagonista, Benjamin, quien se resiste a buscar la aceptación de una sociedad que glorifica las apariencias:

"Una de las jaulas se balanceó muy cerca de mí. Dentro, había un ruiseñor al que habían pintado de color dorado. La pintura se le había pegado a las plumas y se le había introducido en los ojos. El pájaro estaba resollando, posado en la percha, con sus plumas pringadas de aquel dorado tóxico. En ese momento caí en cuenta de que el pájaro y yo nos parecíamos de una forma terrible: ambos estábamos contaminados y condenados".

El personaje de Lavelle (cruel, seductor, irreverente y agudísimo) se opone a los ideales del eurocentrismo y de la Ilustración, pues esta, en medio del racionalismo que promovía, encubría la más vil discriminación de la sociedad hacia las personas diferentes: homofobia, racismo, humillaciones a la clase trabajadora, en fin. ¿Qué dicta lo que es moral e inmoral? ¿Por qué una época que enaltecía la belleza la destruía cuando esta no se ajustaba a sus ideales? ¿Dónde se encuentra la línea que separa la libertad del libertinaje?

Con esas inquietudes aflorando en cada diálogo y en cada página como telón de fondo, Lavelle, con su peculiar filosofía, revelará a Benjamin el contraste entre la brillantez cegadora del razonamiento humano (el arte, la belleza y los excesos) y la búsqueda urgente de lo verdadero: la libertad, los sueños propios, el amor.

En conclusión, a mí esta novela me FASCINÓ, y este es otro de esos extraños casos donde la puntuación que le pongo a un libro no encaja para nada con la media (Lavelle tendría un par de palabras para describir, con su humor irónico, el gusto de quienes no apreciaron la obra de arte que es esta historia).

P.D.: Si van a leer este libro, tengan en cuenta que hay un enamoramiento, sí, pero no de los codiciables. Hay que interpretar las opiniones y vivencias de los personajes con un sentido crítico.

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 5 Stars!!!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

“other people’s dreams are no basis for a life. We must seek as hard as we can, as a matter of emergency, to find our own dreams, our own lives.”

This book was amazing! I read it in one sitting. There were so many passages throughout the book I wanted to quote. It was glorious as a work of historical fiction, as a judgement of society’s mores, in the 18th Century, and still currently- how we can be hurt and punished for our faith or our sexuality or both and more. How we can be ashamed of who we are because we are made to feel so. I loved this book. I expected it to be a comedy, but this was a serious and sad story. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

**** 4 solids stars ****

An authentic and unique storyline in very compelling writing.

[Sans Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vamos a fingir que no me dolió ese final y que mis gays vivieron felices para siempre 🙏🙏🙏 (ayuda estoy sufriendo, como me vas a terminar con esta frase: “El mundo necesita cambio no perdón” ‼️⚠️)

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1763. Two brothers, Benjamin and Edgar go on a Grand Tour to set their place in society, to impress the right people and and further their parents ambitions for them. Edgar want to be someone, someone people will talk about. Benjamin is a rebel, he doesn't really know himself. Then they meet Mr Lavelle. He charms Benjamin and ignores Edgar. Benjamin falls head over heels for Horace Lavelle. Horace is a larger than life character who shows Benjamin how to be free of society strictures.

The story is told from Benjamin's point of view. The sec scenes were vulgar and I skipped over these parts. Benjamin and Horace's relationship is difficult. They both wanted different things. I couldn't take to any of the characters, they all felt a bit flat. Benjamin is blindsided by Horace. The randon use of capital letters was distracting. This book won't be for everyone due to it's content.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author Neil Blackmore for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Phee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intoxicating, cruel, heartbreaking. I read this in one sitting and stayed up late to finish it. I am wounded.

Going in to this, I immediately assumed it was going to be a romp of a grand tour novel. But from the get go, you can see it's not that kind of story. It was a perfect reading in one go sort of read for me. I fell head over heels for Lavelle. He is a terrible man, wicked and cruel. But he's also damaged goods, I wanted to protect him and save him. This book is full of toxic people. This book is not for the prudish or the weak of heart.

This is a book you have to give everything too, just so it can break you into 1000 pieces.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1793. Two brothers, Benjamin and Edgar go on a Grand Tour to set their place in security, to impress the right people and further their parents ambitions for them. Edgar wants to e someone, someone people will talk about. Benjamin is a rebel, he doesn't really know himself. Then they meet Mr Lavelle. He charms Benjamin and ignores Edgar. Benjamin falls head over heels for Horace Lavelle. Horace is a larger then life character. Whomshows Benjamin how to be free of society strictures.

This story is told from Benjamin's point of view. The sec scenes were vulgar and I skipped over these parts. Benjamin and Horace's relationship is difficult. They oth want different things. I couldn't take to any of the characters they felt a bit flat. Benjamin is blindsided by Horace. The random use of capital letters was distracting. This ook won't be for everyone due to it's content.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and the author Neil Blackmore for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laxmama · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOWN AWAY!!! I finished this book last week yet I still am at a loss for my review. I picked this one up right after reading Neil Blackmore’s Dangerous Kingdom of Love- I sooo enjoyed that one I needed more. This book was very different. While his writing is so sharp, executed and captivating the mood something else. Both books had substance and while historical are socially applicable today. I felt that was one of the best part of his writing in both books how it was executed perfectly to the time yet felt so relevant to now.

This is my kind of book, it’s tragic, and beautiful but incredibly moving. I am so impressed with his research, and the way everything had its place. I can’t say too much without spoiling this book. It’s is very difficult to read so if your looking for an easy HEA this is not it.

I highly recommend the audio it made the book so enjoyable. Phenomenal narration

[Moony Eliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. This one will stick with me. Blackmore's work isn't easy to buy in the U.S., but it's worth the effort if you want something different. Gritty, with a boatload of room for interpretation.

Thanks for the rec, Laxmama!

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weirdly, this is the second book I’ve read within a couple of weeks with a character called Mr Lavelle. What are the chances?

London 1763, and brothers Edgar and Benjamin Bowen, sons of a Welsh-born shipping merchant, are setting out on a “Grand Tour” of Europe. Their ambitious and well read mother, Rachel, who has drilled them in philosophy and history, wants them to experience Culture and associate with People of Quality. Edgar hopes to meet pretty girls, but Benjamin already knows he prefers boys, though he has little context for this knowledge other than dark rumours of sodomites, hung for their transgressions.

Of course, the People of Quality, once met, turn out to be anything but, steeped in snobbishness, hypocrisy and entitlement. Edgar is happy to immerse himself in their world, but Benjamin knows they remain outsiders who will only ever be looked down on for their origins.

Then he meets Horace Lavelle. Young Mr Lavelle is delightful, subversive, damaged, unpredictable, charming, ferocious, seductive, respectful of nothing.... He’s rather irritating, in fact, but Benjamin is instantly beguiled, and soon deeply in love. But there’s no easy life for a gay man in the 1700s, and Benjamin’s relationship with Lavelle will have devastating effects. What will it cost for him to be true to his own feelings?

The setting was fascinating and original; I’ve never read a novel about gay life in the 1700s before - not that the words gay or homosexual are ever mentioned, of course. There are other terms for men like Benjamin and Lavelle. Benjamin moves in a society where men wear wigs, powder and beauty spots but being gay - or Jewish, or anything other than impeccably aristocratic - is beyond the pale. Mr Lavelle is a catalyst for chaos, effortlessly skewering pretension and hypocrisy wherever he finds it. (Everywhere.)

Rather like the man himself, The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle is fascinating, compelling, and ultimately very, very angry.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Intoxicating Mr. Lavelle" explores Enlightenment and its discontents in multiple forms. In 1768, British brothers Benjamin and Edgar Bowen, heirs to a shipping fortune who have been raised in seclusion with the best of educations, embark upon the Grand Tour. Along that well-trodden way, these innocents abroad discover truths about their family--and, in the case of younger brother Benjamin, himself--through encounters both with what their naive parents call "Good People" and with Horace Lavelle, a mesmerizing British Tourist they encounter in Italy who changes their lives. It is a coming of age novel, a love story, and a family tragedy, marked by a deep knowledge of period literature, architecture, urban planning, and social customs and by a mesmerizing sparsity of tone. As a historical novel driven by a same-sex relationship, it is a bracing corrective to the enjoyable, but ultimately anachronistic m/m historical romances recently in vogue (and often written by non-LGBTQIA+ authors). I suspect, candidly, that is one of the reasons it seems some earlier reviewers seem to have been uncomfortable with its sexual references. Its exploration of the shifting power dynamics between a dazzling and manipulative partner and a quieter one is particularly well done. As one last criticism of earlier reviewers who complained that the novel's historical detail was sketchy or seemed as if it was inaccurate: it isn't. I have a PhD in the humanities that concentrated on the long 18th Century. The author has done his homework into philosophy, the urbanism of London, the itinerary of the Grand Tour, the approved objects that Tourists looked at (and the things that were said about them). Case closed, in my opinion, and well-done, Mr. Blackmore!

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a reread and I enjoyed rediscovering all the things I loved about this book the first time I read it. I have edited my original review below to reflect my thoughts after reading it again:

The opening chapters of this book feel quite dry as it sets the scene. There is quite a lot of exposition about the Renaissance and Enlightenment, which is important for the context of the story, but can feel a bit tedious. Once you get past that and into the story, it's fantastic, so worth sticking with it.

The writing style is quite fast pace and not overly descriptive so sometimes I had a hard time picturing where the characters were, but I didn't mind it too much as it's the characters which really drive this story.

Many themes are at play in this story e.g. travel, family history, art, social class and reputation, but the heart of the story is about love and identity. Benjamin is a gay man struggling to find his place in a world where he cannot be his true self, where he cannot love another man publicly and where the risk of doing so would likely result in his death. In meeting "the intoxicating Mr Lavelle" he finds a sense of freedom and belonging that is frequently at odds with the 18th Century world around him where reputation, status and connections are everything.

At times this book is hilarious, as Lavelle revels in calling out the hypocrisies of art and culture and enjoys making others uncomfortable. At other times it is heartbreaking and surprisingly poignant. The depiction of unrequited love was particularly touching.

At the start of reading this book I did not expect to end up loving it but once I understood what the book was doing, I really appreciated the message and thought it was executed brilliantly. This book shows how far we have come in terms of attitudes towards those who are attracted to the same sex, but also a painful reminder of how much further we still have to go. I will end this review with my favourite quote "The world needs change, not forgiveness".

[Mae Crowe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a solid three until the last few chapters.

Look, I don't care if your book keeps me distant from the characters as long as it's still engaging in some other way. But as soon as you try to go for deeper emotional impact, and you didn't make me give a shit about anyone first? That's frustrating. If you want me to respond to emotional extremes, please give me reason to invest in emotions beyond "vague interest" before grand joys and sorrows.

Essentially, this book read like a charming whole lot of nothing beyond some introspection, until it decided it wanted a more tangible plot toward the end, a more tangible plot that it failed to make me care about because it didn't try to make me care before.

In conclusion: it's a "meh" from me.

[Briar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you very much to Random House UK for providing a review copy of this novel.

The Intoxicating Mr. Lavelle is a historical bildungsroman that follows two brothers on their Grand Tour of Europe. Edgar and Benjamin have lived their entire lives under the care of their overprotective and domineering mother and father, cut off from the rest of society and any of their peers, with only each other for company. Edgar and Benjamin are finally given a taste of freedom for the first time during the Tour, their parents wanting them to make connections for when they will take over their father's trade business. But as they travel, Edgar and Benjamin have wildly different experiences with their peers and society, especially when Benjamin meets the intoxicating and unpredictable Mr. Horace Lavelle.

The Intoxicating Mr. Lavelle is a wild romp of a novel, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but always intriguing. This is definitely a quiet novel, more character-driven then anything else, as the book follows Benjamin as his eyes are opened to an entirely different world from the one his mother prepared him for. Even before he meets Horace Lavelle, Benjamin understands that the upper class will never accept himself and his brother, no matter how hard Edgar tries to stick to their mother's plans for them. And then when he meets Lavelle, Benjamin becomes an entirely different person -- or perhaps its better to say, he becomes the person he was always meant to be but had to hide. Benjamin is a very likeable character, and so, to an extent, is Lavelle. At the beginning of their relationship, the reader is like Benjamin, completely drawn in by the untouchable Lavelle and placed under his spell. But as the novel develops, and as Benjamin and Lavelle develop an intense, intimate and loving relationship, we begin to see Lavelle as he really is: an ordinary, vulnerable and traumatised young man.

I will let readers know not to expect a happy queer ending with this novel. I both like and dislike the ending. I felt it fit well with the tragic nature of the novel and realistic for the time period, but there's still a part of me that was devastated and just wanted a happy ending.

The novel is also very easy to read and the chapters just flew by. Blackmore's writing is engaging and more modern than not, in order to appeal to modern readers, as the novel is set during the 1700s. Which brings me to the time period: the book didn't feel like it was set during the mid-1700s, it felt more like it was set during the mid-1800s, a whole 100 years later. I can't even adequately explain why I felt like this, I think it was a mixture of the writing, the philosophical ideas explored in the book, and the discussion of people's places within society.

I still recommend The Intoxicating Mr. Lavelle as I really enjoyed my experience reading the book, but I will let queer readers know to be careful if you are going to pick it up. I'm looking forward to reading more from Neil Blackmore.

[Ximena Haro · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

"𝑅𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑧𝑎𝑟. 𝑅𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑧𝑎𝑟. 𝑅𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑧𝑎𝑟. "

¿Existen en el mundo personas de bien? No, no existen personas de bien y en este libro lo vemos más recalcado.

La historia me pareció buena, sin embargo siento que todo pasaba muy rápido hasta el final, sinceramente no me lo esperaba y me dio rabia, no tristeza, rabia porque son cosas que no solo existieron, siguen existiendo y las "personas de bien" es el principal problema.

[Damian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished a proof of The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle - fans of Frannie Langton, Oxygen and a Place Called Winter will love it. Starts off seeming to be an Englightenment Grand Tour romp and turns into a deep, dark exploration of family secrets and hidden identity. I can't say any more for spoilers. I will say: it is STEAMY and does not shy away the complexities and hotnesses and shame sometimes attached to sex. Many folk will doubtless be angry with it for this. In the words of Mr Lavelle: reject, reject, reject!

[AmyH · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book should have the title tweaked. Perhaps 'The Irritating Mr Lavelle'? Or 'The Annoying Mr Lavelle'? Or 'The Mr Please Can You Stop Shouting About How You're A Massive Edgelord Lavelle'. But I digress.

It's the 1700s and brother's Benjamin and Edgar have been set loose from the seclusion of their parent's home to go on their Grand Tour of continental Europe. They are armed with their mother's guidebook about all the culture they need to absorb and ready to ingratiate themselves among the upper classes to help them when it comes to take over their father's business (for you see they are in, gasp, trade). But the family has a secret which could undo all their plans, as well as Benjamin's own secret, and their mother's carefully laid plan for their societal success may come undone when Benjamin meets the enigmatic Mr Lavelle . . .

The set up is pretty intriguing, forbidden romance, class clashes and family secrets, all in the beautiful settings of France and Italy's cultural heartlands. Great, I thought. What could possibly go wrong. Two things mainly.

First is the writing style. Whilst perfectly readable, Neil Blackmore doesn't seem to be a writer with a great deal of nuance. We start off with the Bowen twins playing The Minute Game (sadly with no rules against repetition, hesitation or deviation) where they have to talk for a minute on a particular subject. This gives the author several pages to just regurgitate philosopher biographies or the character's opinions on art at you for several pages without a break. Obviously this is done to give the reader a baseline for the views that have been forced onto Benjamin and Edgar, but it's done in the most basic way possible. Was their honestly no way to work it even slightly more naturally into the narrative, at least so it didn't become a page and half block of text?
Even common metaphors have to be explained to death, such as at a fancy party where Benjamin feels the need to let the reader know that he is like one of the songbirds locked in the cage. You see the bird is trapped. Like Benjamin. And the cage is gilded. Like the fancy party he's at. And the bird is painted gold which is killing it. Like the societal pressures that Benjamin is forced under. Do you get it? It's very subtle, far too unique and subtle a metaphor for the reader to get. Maybe if Benjamin explains it one more time . . . Blackmore may have many (or a few) talents in his writing, but subtle he is not.

Second is incredibly irritating, and unfortunately is the title character. I just can't stand Lavelle. Not in the sense that he's toxic and unpleasant, though we'll get onto that in a minute, he's just so monumentally annoying that I physically cringed every time to stepped onto the page. For Benjamin it's understandable why Lavelle is intoxicating, Benjamin is massively closeted, both in terms of his sexuality and how he and his brother have been isolated from the world, not being allowed to get out and make new friends or learn anything other than the rigid views their mother has set out for them. He's almost perfectly primed to fall under the spell of the first pretty man who shows an interest, and with Lavelle's open flirtation and the metaphorical middle finger he gives to the Mrs Bowen's sacred cows (who Benjamin is also beginning to question) it's completely understandable that Benjamin would become intoxicated by Lavelle. But that's Benjamin. For me, who isn't a closeted gay man in the 1700s, Lavelle is just a massive bore. His tearing down of the cultural figures Benjamin looks up to often just consists of shouting, literally, 'I don't give a fuck' in a church, repeating it scandalise all the nuns, or climbing on top of a naked Roman statue that tourists are trying to look at to shout about whether the sculptor fucked little boys. This is hardly Lord Henry gently seducing Dorian Grey to a life of hedonism (as unfair as a comparison to Wilde is). He's just an edgelord, and an annoying one at that. Without getting into spoilers, Lavelle does have a suitably Tragic Backstory TM to explain his distaste for things that are deemed culturally or morally superior, but most of the ways he's goes about articulating that is to be loud, crude and cruel. Not exactly a character whose philosophy I'm particularly interested in reading.

And that's before we get onto the nature of his relationship with Benjamin. Just to be clear, I'm not trying to suggest that (minority/underrepresented) characters should only be in healthy or wholesome relationships. As said before, the way that Benjamin was raised absolutely primes him to fall into a controlling relationship, and Lavelle is at best a douchebag and at worst emotionally abusive. To see how those relationships develop and how people can break out of them could be interesting, but Benjamin's framing of Lavelle is consistently positive regardless of what Lavelle does. Even with the typical end of act 2 separation, prompted by Lavelle committing an incredibly cruel action against Benjamin out of spite that ends in tragedy, Lavelle just shrugs off any responsibility and Benjamin welcomes him back with nary a second thought. Of course, Benjamin's narration doesn't have to correspond with the author's/audience's views, we don't need to have it spoonfed to us that the relationship is unhealthy. But if Lavelle was more seductive so as a reader I could feel what Benjamin feels it would be more understandable that he doesn't have an epiphany that he needs to get out of that relationship, because I'd more clearly get where he's coming from.
Instead, my overriding emotion was just frustration.

Of course, Lavelle isn't in the entirety of the book and awkwardly, these are the places where I actually started to enjoy myself, as bad as it feels to say that my favourite parts of the queer historical romance were the bits without the queer historical romance. Benjamin isn't the only family member with a secret, and they have their own struggles with identity, love, family, and even murder, which were far more interesting than seeing who Lavelle was going to be unnecessarily rude to today. The mother in particular has her own past that she wants to keep secret, a dead first husband and some suspicious business dealings. The relationship with her husband is also slightly different from what might be expected, whilst he is violent and aggressive with many people he absolutely devoted to his wife, giving a threatening air to the brothers' home scenes, physically from the father and emotionally from the mother. The relationship between the two brothers is also nicely drawn out, though not necessarily unique, as they start off close as each other's best (and only) friend, only to drift apart as their goals and views change in the outside world, and Lavelle begins to push them apart.

Ultimately, your opinion on the book is probably going to boil down to how you feel about Lavelle. Is he a maverick speaking truth to power and helping Benjamin to break free of society's expectations, or is he a seductive but damaged person leading him to lash out at others, or is he a little gobshite. Or a mixture of the above. For me there was just too much of number 3 and it overshadowed everything else about the book I might have enjoyed. Narration Benjamin keeps hinting that tragedy is just around the corner. I only wish it had come sooner.

[charlotte, · Rating 3 out of 5]

Other people’s dreams are no basis for a life. We must seek as hard as we can, as a matter of emergency, to find our own dreams, our own lives.

On my blog.

Rep: gay mc

CWs: child abuse, period typical antisemitism & homophobia (inc. violence, murder of a gay character), past child sexual abuse, suicide

Galley provided by publisher

The Intoxicating Mr. Lavelle is, of sorts, a historical coming of age tale. It follows two brothers on their Grand Tour in what is, effectively, their first year in society. Having previously followed one another in almost everything (through no real fault of their own), suddenly the brothers find themselves split asunder, when the eponymous Mr. Lavelle makes an appearance. Benjamin, the narrator, is drawn into Mr. Lavelle’s orbit, while Edgar mulishly persists in doing as their mother told them.

Initially, I will admit, the writing style took a little getting used to. It’s not like I disliked it at the start or anything: I just found it took a moment for me to actually be able to read it quickly (honestly though, if a book has a writing style I actually have to spend time reading, I start to not like it. More brain perversions). But then I got into it and the writing style did not matter.

This is a very character-driven novel, so it’s a good thing it presents you with a bunch of very distinct and well-developed characters. I found it easy to root for Benjamin throughout, and also Edgar (if only mostly to feel sorry for him, even as he seemed a little caricaturish in his desire to be accepted at times). I also loved the progression of Lavelle’s character through Benjamin’s eyes, as he goes from being almost an object of Benjamin’s worship, to becoming more human and fragile.

It’s clear from the start of the novel that the story does not have a happy ending. And I don’t think I ever expected it to, really. In a way, Benjamin and Lavelle’s relationship is never really a healthy one (and it’s never meant to be, I don’t think), so the tragic ending to it was always in the cards. Yes, I wish it hadn’t happened how it happened (and the death of another gay character who had been the victim of sexual abuse was not exactly great), but also, it was sort of telegraphed. I have accepted it (even if I still don’t like it).

I think, though, the reason I did not enjoy this book more than 3 stars (although that is still a positive rating for me, and that is a hill I will die on), is that introspective, character-driven novels are not my thing. Every once in a blue moon, I will find one I love, sure, but on the whole, it’s lucky that I even like them. So really, taking the genre into account, coming from me this is like a 5 star review (I think).

Which means you should definitely read it.

[Leonie Hinch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Random House Hutchinson for my copy of The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle in exchange for an honest review.

Published 11th June 2020

Set in the 18th century the book is told from the perspective of twenty year old Benjamin Bowen, son of a merchant shipwright off on his Grand Tour with his brother Edgar. The two men have spent their lives being educated by their mother who desperately wants them to rise above their station and become English Gentlemen. They have been meticulously prepared by their mother for the trip from their education right down to the guide book she has made for them detailing exactly where they should visit, whose company they should seek and what their opinions should be on art and architecture.

While on the tour Benjamin finds he is struggling with his belief in their mother's wishes, and as Edgar tries his best to do what she wants, Benjamin falls in with Horace Lavelle, a beautiful young man with strong beliefs which go against everything Benjamin's mother ever taught him. And Benjamin begins to fall.
This book is a really difficult one to review. I initially loved the idea of the synopsis and the cover is of course very beautiful, but this was somewhere in the middle for me. The story itself is very interesting in terms of sexuality, class and race it explores perceptions which are not so widely held now in England as they were in the 18th century, such as persecution of different races, the huge difference between the upper class 'sir' and 'lady' and the lower 'mister'. I've also heard a lot about the Grand Tour in other books so it was good to fully explore it with a book which focused purely on what happened there. As an English Lit graduate it was also great to get back into the familiar texts of Voltaire, Locke and Rousseau. I also thought it was a rich exploration of the male psyche which in no way diminished women which I think it very admirable as not many achieve this without turning it into a women bashing exercise.

What felt not so great for me was the graphic sexual content, in the sense of some of the language used, this had nothing to do with the fact it's a male/male relationship I would have found it vulgar regardless, I'm certainly not prudish and read a mixture of steamy scenes in books about all different sexualities it was really just the language and terminology used that I felt didn't add anything to the story and seemed more like the author's attempt to shock the reader. The secondary thing was that Lavelle was an abhorrent person; toxic, unlikeable, vulgar and not right for poor Benjamin who I felt was an absolute sweetheart and deserved a lot better than what Lavelle could offer. While understanding that due to the time period in which it is set, his options were limited.

Overall I would give this book 3.5 stars as other than my minor complaints above I loved the setting, Benjamin's character and the issues explored.

[Sean Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very different to what it appears to be: it is almost advertised as a comedy of manners, but it is much darker. And it’s also good. But be warned.

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 50%

I just couldn't get into this at all.

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst I quite enjoyed this, it is one of those books that has several strong factors that are negatively impacted throughout by unavoidable irritations. When two brothers go on a Grand Tour across Europe in the 1700's, you would expect to be given a lot of historical detail about architecture and socialising, after all that is what they are supposedly travelling for. In reality you get very little of this and instead much of the waffle is dedicated to philosophy of one degree of another, some of it having a direct link to events at that moment in time, but much of it just serves to show off. Once Benjamin finds Horace Lavelle, all interest in the culture of the day is gone and instead it's all about them with Horace's sarcastic and wilfully subversive attitude to the world.

I found many of the characters and relationships to be lacking, as though the only two characters that matters are Benjamin and Horace. Even his brother Edgar seems to fade into the background. Part of this can be put down to the effect that this unpredictable man seems to have on Benjamin; he has eyes only for Mr Lavelle. But in that case, more could have been made of the characters before that chance encounter, to at least flesh out the important characters in the brothers backgrounds. The same can be said when it comes to some sensitive topics; they are touched on and then moved past without taking the time to really expand on them; Horace's background is a good example of this.

It is however an interesting premise and I followed the build up of the relationship between Benjamin and his new found love with interest, which is unusual for me as romance is not my cup of tea on a usual basis. I suspect my interest was piqued by the fact that the relationship was so one sided and Horace was such a fundamentally damaged yet entertaining character. So, enjoyable but could be improved with more historical references and more depth for characters that aren't our two central lovers. I did find the depiction of homosexuality in the 1700's interesting and felt that the author portrayed it starkly and realistically, with all the dangers associated with being a 'sodomite', but this was really the only social aspect that really link and tie you to the time period in question.

I would also point out that the inconsistent use of capital letters did my bloody nut in and very nearly caused me to remove an additional star just for the sheer annoyance of it. I assume it has to be a literary device... it didn't work. It looks messy and unprofessional and I can't see any reason for it; after all, both brothers are meant to be educated so why the hell are the capitalisations all over the place? And it's so inconsistent! Sometimes sentences start with a capital, sometimes they don't. Sometimes names have a capital letter, sometimes they don't. And on we go. It's a ridiculous device and the only reason I can think for it is to stand out from the crowd; I suppose it does, but not in a good way.

Many thanks to NetGalley for my free copy of this ARC.

[Everton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave one star, because I couldn't give ZERO.

In the beginning there's an author's note saying: "Benjamin and Lavelle aren't based on real people, but a love story like theirs wouldn't have been allowed to be told at the time". Well, turns out, this never should have ever been allowed to be told.

I don't know what the author think love is, but is not what this two had. Lavelle is one of the most toxic characters I've ever read. In the end the protagonist's mother says that he was intoxicated with Mr. Lavelle, hence the name of the book, but I choose to believe is because Lavelle, as I said, was toxic. He's not only toxic to his partner, but to everyone he meets. With them he's just vile, but with Benjamin he's manipulative. Lavelle basically enforces that if his partner loves him, he should accept that he will have sex with whomever he wants, basically forcing an open relationship. Because his little feelings got hurt, he reveals a secret that leads to a terrible tragedy and afterwards he places the blame on everyone else but himself.

I went this expecting a great mlm romance set in the 18ths, but what I got was one of the worst relationships I ever had the displeasure of reading. In the end I was actually rooting for the death of either one of the main characters, I just hated them both.

[Erick Adams Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una historia que te hace pasar por todos las emociones (risa, excitación, enamoramiento, frustración, enojo, repulsión, decepción y tristeza) y nada de lo que pasa o los tópicos que toca (homofobia, antisemitismo y clasismo) se sienten forzados.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle was a story I enjoyed more than I initially anticipated. The start of this one was slow, and I feared it would drag, but things changed as the story progressed. Once things started to move, I could not put this one down. I devoured it, desperate to see how the story came together.

I’ll be honest and say this book will not be for everyone, due to the topics that are handled throughout. In fact, this book will not be for everyone because of the behaviour of one of the main characters. For those that are willing to take a chance, however, the book comes with a wonderful message. It’s a vivid story that immerses you into the pages, ensuring you’re hooked on the way things will play out. Each new element sucks you in deeper, and the power of the story will ensure it lingers with you.

Without a doubt, The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle delivered much more than I anticipated and I could not get enough of it.

[Mavi ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tuve muchos conflictos (lavelle me caes mal) (edgar te amo bebe) y buen libro.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy to read, whistle-stop tour of mid-18th century Europe. There was lots I quite enjoyed about the central tension of a young man who has been kept cloistered by his family, becoming enamoured with someone who might be quite good for him (life experience! rejecting shame! calling out hypocrisy!) but who might also pull him too far so that he loses both himself and anything he may have valued about his old life.

On the downside, the cantering pace meant that the characters were quite broad-brushstrokes and the tragedies along the way, recounted or experienced, had minimal impact.

The book needs content warnings for themes of anti-Semitism, suicide and homophobia. I wouldn't say it deals with any of these issues insensitively, but it's clear which issue the author cares most deeply about and which are merely serving the plot.

This is a comment more about the state of publishing, than this book itself, but I couldn't help feeling that if this book had had a 'happy' ending and a non-white male author, I would have been reading (and enjoying!) the self-published ebook version of this, not a well-promoted hardback which my library already has 4 copies of. Not that this shouldn't be the case, but if we're talking queer historical erotic romance (with or without a happy ending), there are many other novels I would also like to see getting this treatment.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is heartbreaking, lonely, and tragic. And I love heartbreaking, lonely, tragic stories, so I'm helpless—five stars. On a light note, I think that "young aristocrats going on their Grand Tour and getting up to mischief" should be an entire genre, judging from this book and A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue.

But onward. The characters were complex; Benjamin was sympathetic, and Lavelle walked a tightrope between being easy to love and easy to dislike, firmly placing him in my list of favorites. He's crude, irreverent, arrogant, and cruel, but poor Benjamin has been so stifled growing up that all of those things combined with a striking beauty and careless confidence are like a drug. From the moment they meet, Benjamin cannot stop following Lavelle, literally—when Lavelle walks away, Benjamin follows, even if he's hurting. He's addicted.

And you know that underneath the brilliant spite Lavelle wears like armor, there's a soft, young heart craving connection and understanding.

The story is rough, and there is ample sorrow in it. If you are heartsore or angry or tired of reading LGBTQ+ stories that center a lot of pain, shame, and violence, consider that when placing this on your shelf.