' A Perfect Gentleman' by Candace Camp is the story of Graeme and Abby.
Ms. Camp is one of my favorite authors so as soon as I saw her name with this book I had to have it.
So happy to say that this book did not disappoint! I could not put the book down so I ended up reading it until the early hours of the morning....still worth the book-hangover!
Graeme and Abby story actually started about 10 years ago when they were married. Graeme was pretty much blackmailed in to marring Abby by her father. Abby knew her father was very controlling and a harsh business man but did not have a clue what her father was doing to Graeme. So right after the wedding Graeme made it clear that he did not want her nor is she every to hold his heart. That he is in love with someone else. Graeme also told her some of what her father had done. Graeme then walked out. Well Abby being a young 18 year old was heart broken and she up and left London. Abby headed back to NY to make a life for herself. Now 10 years later she is back in London and Graeme isn't happy about it. He at first tries to talk her into leaving and going back but it does not work. Abby has chanced a lot in physical and internal appears which has made it hard for Graeme to resist her. But when Abby starts to get notes telling her there is more going on to her marriage 10 years ago than she knows so goes forward to find out...which puts her in danger. Can Graeme get past his feeling he thought he had for Abby and move forward with the new feelings that are coming out? Can he help keep Abby safe when someone is out to hurt her?
This was another great story by Ms. Camp!
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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Candace Camp takes what is a common trope in Regency work currently (estranged husband/wife because of "misunderstandings" who come back together and discover they're really in ~love~) and makes it interesting instead of hackneyed. There is a dash of intrigue and murder mystery thrown in but not too much to make this a procedural. I enjoyed this plot (which i was doubtful of) more than I thought I would and the side characters getting their own story makes me more excited!

graeme parr, earl of montclair, has always been a perfect gentleman, at least until his wedding night where he behaves like a total jerk to his young bride. he is upset and angry because her father has forced him into this marriage, and when he tells abby that he intends to never consume their marriage, that he has no respect for her or her father's way of capturing husbands, he doesn't realize how he is shattering her illusions. because his truth is that he is in love with someone else, but for his family's sake, he has been forced to marry for money. so abby and her father can keep the title they've paid for, but they can't take anything else from him. he has nothing left to give.

abigail thought he was her knight in shining armor. saving her from a life with an overbearing, tyrannical dad. she had no idea what machinations her father employed behind her back. and when she realizes that her husband isn't the man she thought he was, she runs away, first to the continent, and then to new york, and ten years pass before they see each other again.

when abby returns to london, she knows she's going to have to get graeme's attention somehow. he's too proud to just seek her just out of curiosity. it takes a while to get graeme to come round, but once they are able to have a private conversation and lay their cards out on the table, it's clear that there is an attraction between them that sparks wildly out of control when they are in the same room together. and that indulging in that attraction will fulfill graeme's need for an heir and abby's longing for a child. they cling to those excuses, even as they find that they don't wish to be apart from one another.

when abby's life is endangered on more than one occasion, graeme brings her into his home. they also start working together on figuring out whether or not his father really was guilty of robbing his charity. that particular piece of intelligence is what abby's father used to blackmail graeme into the marriage. watching graeme and abby's relationship deepen over their desire for each other and to solve the mystery is a delight. these two characters are so clearly in love with each other, that the fact that it takes them so long to realize, verbalize their love to each other is a little frustrating. but they get there, and it's so worth it.

also, i am so excited for the next book in this series, both helen and james are great secondary characters in a perfect gentleman. and it makes perfect sense that they'd be paired together and i can't wait.

Graeme Parr was forced to marry an American heiress to save his family, but he vowed their marriage would be in name only. Abigail Price thought handsome, aristocratic Graeme was her knight in shining armor, rescuing her from her overbearing father. But when she was spurned by her husband on their wedding night, Abigail fled home to New York.
Now, ten years later, Abigail has returned. But this sophisticated, alluring woman is not the drab girl Graeme now Earl of Montclair remembers. Appalled by her bold American ways but drawn to her beauty, Graeme follows her on a merry chase through London's elegant ballrooms to its dockside taverns.
Abby receives strange notes, when she meets the sender he is murdered & she is pushed into the Thames. Luckily Graeme has followed her & he dives in to save her.
A well written story of romance as well as murder & mystery. The characters are well portrayed, Abby & Graeme are likeable but because the pair don’t talk there are misunderstandings & mistrust. The secondary characters are also likeable & rounded. This is the first book I’ve read by the author & now I’ll be looking for more of her work

Ms. Camp has written a good solid historical romance. A Perfect Gentleman is well-written and romantic.

"A Perfect Gentleman" was a fabulous read by a favorite author of mine, Candace Camp. Abby's father forced/blackmailed Graeme into marrying her. He left her on their wedding night, vowing that he loved another woman and even if he was forced to marry her - he couldn't be forced to live with her. Heartsick, Abby fled London and went back to her home in America where she stayed for 10 years.
Graeme is perfectly content to live without a wife, after 10 LONG years he still carries a torch for another woman and despises his wife. Of course he carries on light affairs or visits brothels for pleasure, he would never dishonor the woman he loves with a sordid affair with a married man, he hopes Abby stays in America where she belongs. When he finds out that Abby is indeed NOT in America and is back in London he is nothing short of angry. He wants the little mouse he, unfortunately, married to go back to America and not bother him.
Abby has had enough of hiding and decides to go back to London and face down her husband. She is in a bind, she is 28, wants a family and either knows that Graeme should be the father or she should get a divorce and finally move on with her life. Abby is a true romantic, hiding behind a practical mask that she has worked so hard to keep in place.
Graeme is appalled at her suggestion that they have a child together and equally appalled that she will threaten him with divorce. He is also completely taken aback by her maturity and her beauty, she appeals to him and he isn't having any of that.
Oh Graeme, the first quarter of the book I didn't believe there was enough groveling time left in the book (or the world for that matter) for me to forgive you. 10 years Graeme, 10 years, you should have softened up, you should have grown up and matured. I really disliked how much he blamed Abby for her father's transgressions, he firmly believed that an 18 year-old girl was responsible and culpable for her father's actions. That she was in on the plot, he believed her to be plain and boring, but devious.
There was so much to like about Abby, she was faithful and loyal, and broke from her over-bearing father when she came into her own money. She was independent and learned to live without her husband, without her father or any other man. She was kind, and she wanted her marriage to work, and she put her pride and herself on the line in order to create the family she wanted to have. Loved her as a heroine.
There was passion between the characters and some steamy scenes. There was also a bit of mystery surrounding Abby's father's blackmail when they first got married and a bit of intrigue. It seems someone is trying to stop Abby and Graeme from learning more about the circumstances that first brought about their marriage - and someone may even be willing to harm Abby.
Very good book, Graeme redeemed himself before the end of the book. There was a bit of time that, as a reader, I wanted them to sit down and have a conversation and sort out their problems and deal with their fears. When they finally did, they were very sweet to each other and found that they could find a way to love. Highly recommended!

Great book loved it well worth a read will read other books by this author

Ohhhh, I really loved this book! And I hated Greame and was really really upset with him for the way he treated Abigail. I was crushed when he told "us" how he felt, had he been standing in front of me at that moment, I might have kicked him, somewhere, and I would have enjoyed it - soooo much.
Sometimes I wasn't sure if I thought him worse or his ... wonderful...family. And I loved Abigail, did I mention that?

Anyway - this book was well written and kept me glued to my reader. I simply wanted Abigail to be happy and just the way the book made me feel with Abigail and Graeme, who might have developed some redeeming qualities in the end, is a rather clear sign how completely absorbed by the book I was.

"A Perfect Gentleman" has an interesting story with some twists and turns, even though it was lacking some kind of gentleman, even the non-perfect kind for a very long time, at least in my eyes. Ah, well, I may be a bit prejudiced against "someone", so - never mind.

This is definitely one of those books that I will read again and where I will love to see the paperback on my shelf.

I have always been a Candace Camp fan and her historical romances. This book is one of the reasons. The characters were relate-able and likeable. I will admit it took me a while to warm up to the H, but Candace worked her magic and made me really like him! The h was independent and her own woman. I love this! No simpering miss in this story! Overall this book was a hit and I will continue to read Ms Camp's stories.

4.5/5. Love to see Candace Camp back to form - brilliant blend of humour and a little bit of angst when she is at her best. This book is about one of my favourite tropes, the reunion of a married couple after many years of estrangement. Ten years in the case of American heiress, Abigail Price, and the Earl of Montclair, Graeme Parr. Ten years following the arranged marriage between the young and impressionable Abigail and the coerced and angry Lord Montclair, who was both blackmailed and forced to wed to save his estate and in doing so, he relinquished his future with the woman he loved. Their wedding night was a non-event, whereupon he left their honeymoon suite followed by her leaving England altogether. Now Abigail is back, more confident, more beautiful, and completely self-sufficient in all ways, except one. She needs him to give her the one missing thing in her life, a child, and so she proposes an arrangement.

He cleared his throat. “But don’t you think that this is, ah, a trifle . . . cold-blooded?” “Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Abby gave him a bright smile. “I believe I’m getting the hang of being a noblewoman.”

“I understand that it may be . . . difficult for you to perform your, um, duty. Since you love another woman, I mean.” A dull flush reddened his cheeks. “I realize that you find me an object of ridicule.” “Nonsense. I find it admirable, rather, that you have stayed true to your love these many years. Not many men would have remained celibate all this time.” He shifted uncomfortably, and Abby pressed her point. “Most men would have found . . . other outlets, shall we say?” “This is hardly a fit topic of conversation.” His color deepened. She ignored his words. “A willing widow, say, or, perhaps a business arrangement. Yet you—” “You know bloody good and well I didn’t—” he burst out. “I mean, of course there were—I did sometimes avail myself of, um . . .” He faltered to a stop. “Prostitutes?” Abigail suggested brightly. “Yes!” he snapped. “So you have had other women despite your love for the woman you could not have.” “It’s been ten years!” he ground out. “What the devil would you expect me to do?” “I expected precisely that. I was merely pointing out that you have in the past—” “Blast it, that was different! I wasn’t—it was just business.” “Perhaps you could pay me, then, and that would make it all right.” He slammed the glass down on the table. “This conversation is absurd.”

I love Abigail and her endearing mix of vivaciousness, forthrightness, quick wit, and secret frailty. I love her deliberate bluntness and plain speaking designed to upset his attempts to maintain conversation at an acceptable refined and subtle level expected of English nobility. He never stood a chance.

It was no coincidence that she was also an American; there was something decidedly bellicose about those people. Worse, they seemed to have an extraordinary ability to turn him into someone who was just as mad as they were.

He was a reasonable man. An even-tempered, polite sort ruled by logic and duty and practicality. He was not unemotional. He felt everything from love to pity to despair and hatred, but not to such excess . . . and not all at the same time! Yet there he had been, pawing her like some lecher, kissing her as if he would consume her—and, Lord, but he had wanted to do exactly that. He wanted to be inside her, over her, around her, driving into her with all the desperation in his soul. Her, of all people—a woman whom he held in contempt. A woman whom he never wanted to see again. Yet he could not get her out of his mind.

Graeme, yes the stubborn man, took while to remove the blinkers off his eyes. However, I do love that he is inherently decent, although, sometimes he has a rather twisted sense of right and wrong, but he lives by this code. The author wrote him as this somewhat confused man, wanting to do the right thing, but not sure what the right thing was and there were plenty of people around him, happy to point him in the correct direction, taking pleasure in his discomfort at the same time.

The supporting characters are great. The Graeme's grandmother and his cousin, James, in particular are fleshy characters who contribute to many great verbal exchanges. James provides the voice of reason albeit in his dry humorous and brutally upfront way. Can't wait for his and Laura's story, another troubled marriage.

This novel was a great read!! I enjoyed the characters, the author’s writing, and the plot of the story. It contains romance, mystery, and second chances.
Graeme Parr, Lord Montclair, is forced to marry Abigail Price by her father. Abby is an American and her father wanted her to marry someone with an English title. Graeme had to marry Abby to cover his father’s debts and for embezzlement of funds for a charity he was forming for wounded soldiers. Graeme believes Abby is on the plan with her father and leaves her on their wedding night. Abby, deeply hurt, flees and eventually returns to America. Graeme discovers her missing the next day, planning to apologize for his behavior but discovers her gone.
10 years later, Abby returns to London. Graeme is not happy to see her when he finds out she has returned. He plans to do what he can to get her to leave. Graeme believed himself to be in love with someone else at the time when they married. Abby is a huge hit in London and Graeme see how much she has changed. He is jealous of the attention his wife receives. Abby returned to Graeme because she wants a child.
Abby received letters telling her that not everything is as it appears about the embezzlement scheme. She plans on finding out the truth. Abby gets attacked and the mysterious person she was meeting is shot. Graeme saves her and Abby reluctantly tells him what is going on. Graeme and Abby begin to seek out the answers to the many questions they have. They discover many things and Abby almost dies in a fire and then again almost gets pushed down the stairs. Someone wants Abby dead, but who and why? As Abby and Graeme look into his father’s charity, they both begin to see that they misjudged the other. Both care for each other and begin to fall in love with each other. However, the past still rears its ugly head and this causes problems between the two of them and they say hurtful things to one another. However, they both realize they want to be with each other. Still, Abby’s life is in danger. Will the killer succeed in killing Abby or will Graeme be able to save her? Will they both let go of the past and move toward the future?

4.5 stars, "A Perfect Gentleman" was a fabulous read by a favorite author of mine, Candace Camp. Abby's father forced/blackmailed Graeme into marrying her. He left her on their wedding night, vowing that he loved another woman and even if he was forced to marry her - he couldn't be forced to live with her. Heartsick, Abby fled London and went back to her home in America where she stayed for 10 years.
Graeme is perfectly content to live without a wife, after 10 LONG years he still carries a torch for another woman and despises his wife. Of course he carries on light affairs or visits brothels for pleasure, he would never dishonor the woman he loves with a sordid affair with a married man, he hopes Abby stays in America where she belongs. When he finds out that Abby is indeed NOT in America and is back in London he is nothing short of angry. He wants the little mouse he, unfortunately, married to go back to America and not bother him.
Abby has had enough of hiding and decides to go back to London and face down her husband. She is in a bind, she is 28, wants a family and either knows that Graeme should be the father or she should get a divorce and finally move on with her life. Abby is a true romantic, hiding behind a practical mask that she has worked so hard to keep in place.
Graeme is appalled at her suggestion that they have a child together and equally appalled that she will threaten him with divorce. He is also completely taken aback by her maturity and her beauty, she appeals to him and he isn't having any of that.
Oh Graeme, the first quarter of the book I didn't believe there was enough groveling time left in the book (or the world for that matter) for me to forgive you. 10 years Graeme, 10 years, you should have softened up, you should have grown up and matured. I really disliked how much he blamed Abby for her father's transgressions, he firmly believed that an 18 year-old girl was responsible and culpable for her father's actions. That she was in on the plot, he believed her to be plain and boring, but devious.
There was so much to like about Abby, she was faithful and loyal, and broke from her over-bearing father when she came into her own money. She was independent and learned to live without her husband, without her father or any other man. She was kind, and she wanted her marriage to work, and she put her pride and herself on the line in order to create the family she wanted to have. Loved her as a heroine.
There was passion between the characters and some steamy scenes. There was also a bit of mystery surrounding Abby's father's blackmail when they first got married and a bit of intrigue. It seems someone is trying to stop Abby and Graeme from learning more about the circumstances that first brought about their marriage - and someone may even be willing to harm Abby.
Very good book, Graeme redeemed himself before the end of the book. There was a bit of time that, as a reader, I wanted them to sit down and have a conversation and sort out their problems and deal with their fears. When they finally did, they were very sweet to each other and found that they could find a way to love. Highly recommended!

I still don't know how to say Worcestershire sauce.

Someone's got an unrealistic view of marriage in England at this time.

He's being such a bastard.

Graeme doesn't seem to have liked his father much.

I love how gossipy his aunt is.

He is supposedly still in love with the elusive Laura, but do they see each other regularly? Why is she still a miss?

Oh, that is creepy, isn't it?

You tell him, Prescott!

Men really are idiots sometimes.

That is the worst apology I ever heard.

Well played, milady.

Hello, Angry Sex.

Geez, you think you'd be cheating on Miss Hinsdale if you slept with your wife? Who are you, Prince Charles?

James needs a wife.

Just because she lived in a different country from him, she had to be slutting it up? And really? He doesn't think she's ever had a chance to talk about sex with another woman, albeit a prostitute? She's been to the tenements, I think she can handle the sex talk.

One shooting lesson, and she's ready to meet men in dark corners? Whoa.

If one more person tells him he's wet, I will scream.

Cock-blocked by your grandma.

I think James knows more about this embezzlement business than he's letting on.

Well, that was easy.

Girl, if your hot chocolate tastes chalky, don't drink more of it!

Having an assignation with your own wife? So unfashionable!

All these obvious threats on her life and she doesn't tell anyone? Ugh!

You didn't tell her Laura is your "former" love, idiot!

He's Barbra Streisand to her Robert Redford.

Molly is crazy.

It's not like you tied him up and kept him as a sex slave, Abby.

Well, I never suspected this person. Well played, Lady Authoress.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What's worse than being used like a pawn? Perhaps knowing that you're being used like a pawn. Both Graeme and Abigail were just pawns to her father, which lead to so much hurt. I'm not sure who's more stubborn, Abigail or Graeme? I was wondering if they'd ever get their happily ever after. Sure did keep me turning the pages though, just to find out.