this was excruciatingly, mind-numbingly dull.

the writing was bland and completely leeched of emotion to the point where there was absolutely no chemistry whatsoever between the characters. there was barely any plot, and the characters had no substance at all. the only vaguely interesting character was louis, and that's just because he actually showed emotion, even if he was ridiculously exaggerated and cliche.

Nice worldbuilding (which is not something I always pay attention to, but in this case I tried, because it dealt with something from the real world).
I'm all for character-driven and character-centered stories, and this one delivered in that aspect. I really enjoyed it.

Through the journals of a wealthy, injured war vet James, and his hired aide Edmund, Reddaway slowly exposes the longing and the growth of a love affair between the two. This is not a criticism. The love grows exponentially. The setting is Paris after World War I. She does an excellent job of creating this world of class, customs, the social norms and limitations. She shows us the world of the haves and have-nots, the rich and the poor, and the war's many aftereffects on the population.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc received.

I haven't even finished this book and I already love it. It's a lovely story. I really like the characters and the Big Secret reveal was very effective. I look forward to the author's other books.

Plot in a sentence: James returned from the Great War having lost an eye and a leg and fearing that he has lost all chance at love… until he meets his new secretary, Edmund.

Recommended age: This is a novel for adults but it is appropriate for teens.

Diversity:

LGBTQ+: Much of the cast is gay.
Disability: James is an amputee and has lost an eye.

Who will love this book:

Fan of queer historical romance.

What I liked about this book:

This was not the racy romance I was expecting. Instead, I was completely charmed by the slow, heartwarming courting process.
There are several scandalous secrets and misunderstandings that complicate the love story.
I know that James and Edmund are the main focus of the story, but my favorite character and love story was actually that of James’ butler Perkin (who is the perfect fictional butler) and his secret romance with another butler.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but I wound up enjoying this romance quite a bit.

The story is told in alternating journal entries by the main characters, James and Edmund. Colonel James Clarynton takes up journal writing out of boredom after he loses a leg and an eye during the Great War. To further fill his time, he begins to write a book about chinoiserie, and needing a secretary to help him type up his thoughts into a manuscript, James hires Edmund Vaughn, an attractive but rather mysterious young man. James rapidly falls for the younger man, but he’s unsure whether Edmund would want him with his scars and disabilities. Meanwhile, Edmund wants to keep his secrets from James, even though he’s attracted to him. Both men must negotiate the barriers between them, including those of class, before they can find love.

Setting the book in Paris is a smart choice by the author. The more socially permissive environment in France allows her to explore the romance between the two men without having to deal with the social and legal ramifications that would have affected them as a couple in England.

I liked both Edmund and James as characters, and the slow development of their relationship felt realistic to me with all the issues between them. James can be manipulative, but I think that’s true to a man of his class and wealth in that period. He certainly learns his lesson in the course of the book.

I’m not sure I always totally bought James’s voice. He’s a bit too breathless in describing his emotions (with exclamation points!) in a way that doesn’t quite fit with my perception of an upper-class Englishman. It jolted me out of the story at times. That’s my biggest criticism, though.

Readers looking for a good historical m/m romance should give this book a try.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

James Clarynton can’t see a future after his disfiguring injuries, sustained during the war. His friend suggests focusing on writing to lift his depression but still finds it difficult to carry on until he employs a young secretary to type up his work. Edmund Vaughan is desperate for money to support his family but is guarded. Megan Reddaway allows us to read their journals and experience their thoughts as they slowly start to get to know each other. Truly romantic and heart-warming. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

A Position in Paris is a really lovely read. At the start, I was a little unsure about the story being told through journal entries, but the format really grew on me and was a refreshing change from the norm. I think the main characters were really sweet, I just personally wish we had seen more of their relationship develop. I especially adored Parkin and all the subtle ways he communicated his thoughts and feelings to James and I really wish we could have had some scenes with him and his butler (I would go as far to say that they deserve their own book!). Little Robby was so cute and wise for his age. Overall, I really enjoyed this historical romance and am glad I picked it up.

Actual Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Gentle, slow and somewhat inert historical romance between James, a wounded WWI colonel and Edmund, the secretary he hires to help him write the book that is supposed to give him a reason to live despite losing his leg and his eye. It turns out that the secretary is more inspiring than the book, but Edmund is shy and reluctant to talk about himself, and although James launches a campaign worthy of the British Army to win Edmund over, he hasn't reckoned with family secrets, jealous ex-lovers, and lots of stubborn pride.

A quick, predictable read with lots of pining but almost no physical heat. Neither of the MCs really came alive for me, perhaps because we only get to know them through the pages of their respective journals. I was bothered by the power differential between wealthy James and impoverished Edmund, although that troubling dynamic is finally addressed at the book's conclusion. I was also surprised at how many of James' friends seem to take his homosexuality in stride, but a little research revealed that laws against sodomy were repealed during the French Revolution, and that France has long been considered one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Not your typical historical romance novel in that it is all written in first person as journal entries. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

I'm a sucker for a good historical MM romance, and Megan Reddaway did not disappoint in A Position in Paris. James Clarynton has been injured in World War I and is doing his best to withdraw from the world. With the loss of an eye and a leg, he's no longer the handsome rogue he was, and he doesn't know what to do with himself.

To rouse himself from his despair, he decides to write a book about the chinoiserie he inherited from his great uncle. That means he needs a secretary, and the man he hires, who will only give his name as E. Vaughn, is not only handsome but intriguing.

This is a slow-build romance. James needs time to adjust to his new circumstances, and Vaughn can't admit his attraction to James while he's still keeping so many secrets. Reddaway draws each character very clearly, alternating diary entries between the two men, so we see not only what each of them is thinking but how they react to each other. I found this a real page-turner and enjoyed seeing both men grow to the point when they are ready to love.

Very nice. A little too PG for my tastes, but I think that fits in well with the time period. Short, sweet, and an enjoyable read!

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

#ReadingIsResistance to being disappeared from history. A POSITION IN PARIS (full review at my blog) is the antidote to vanishing gay men from history.

On August 20th, a well-written and historically accurate vision of post-World-War-One Paris arrives on your Kindles. What you will experience, via the journal entries of the two men whose love story this is, is a wonderful and tender story of falling in love and finding your soul mate. In a time when that was both forbidden and fraught with peril, that is a whole lot to find.

It is very much an historical fiction reader's best choice this month!

Told through journal entries written by both protagonists, A Position in Paris takes place in the immediate aftermath of World War I. James was badly wounded, and hires Edmund to assist him writing a book. Their connection grows slowly and, sometimes, is hard to feel through the formality of their written language. The author was careful with period-specific details of Paris and the English expats living there. Thoroughly enjoyable.

2.8 paris is not a party stars


In the aftermath of WWI, a bitter damaged british young Colonel is living in Paris; he lost one leg and one eye to the war. Rejected by his family for his inclinationations before that, now has resorted to paid lovers. To keep him distracted a friend suggest that he will write a book. Searching for secretary leads him to contract a empoverished and shy british man-Mr. Vaughan.

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Why do people marry? I once thought only women truly wanted that tie, and men did it because they fell in love and could not have the woman any other way. But men of our class can support mistresses, yet even the wealthiest men still marry. Is it for children, then—for the man to be sure a child is his, for the woman to know her children will be supported? Or are they seeking something more, something in the relation between the two people themselves, something almost spiritual? Does the unbreakable bond force one to plumb the depths of one’s nature, and does that make it worthwhile?
Would I wish to marry, if I felt about women as other men do? Or—inconceivable—if men could marry men, would any of us do it?
Parkin and his butler, perhaps, but they are sixty.
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Parkin indeed is one of the best :)

Narrated from the journals of both men, this could be a better story, but apart from that kind of style it lacks of time to explore the angst and struggle, to feel the pain, shame , and uncertain. There is so much backstory from both to explore and it no shows.

Nice story, could be better carry out.

4 stars

I quite enjoyed this one. I am a sucker for historical romance, and the period just after World War I is a very interesting one. So I will freely admit that I was biased to like this one just out the gate. It didn't disappoint.

Some historicals are far better than others at transporting the reader to a different time and place. This was one of the better ones. The journal format worked quite well for me in that regard. I've always had a weakness for the odd book told in letter or journal format and this one definitely successfully scratched that itch.

I liked both the main characters immensely, both of them haunted in their own ways and far harder on themselves than they needed to be. James was an intriguing mixture of confidence and self-doubt and Edmund was both naive and proud in a way that was both believable and terribly likeable.

If I had to pick out some negative points, I might say I might have liked a bit more of an interlude before the conflict, yet I can't say that it doesn't work quite well just as it is. I just might not have minded overall if the book had been a little longer.

To me this is a romance in the slightly more old fashioned sense of the word, while the desire is there and there is an erotic interlude this story seems a bit more focused to me on feelings and understandings. And in this case I found that quite positive. Overall this was a definite joy to read that took me very little actual reading time to devour and which I was thinking about even when I wasn't reading it.

It left me with a pleasantly warm feeling, and I would certainly recommend it to someone who wanted a sweet historical.

A Position in Paris is a beautiful reading experience if you love historical romantic fiction. Told through the journal writings of Edmund and James (alternating accounts) makes for a wonderful duel narrative and peek into their most personal thoughts. Author Reddaway gives us a touching love story between two men in a time that society would not accept them-- but she focuses on the love story and not on societies views. I found this to be very romantic and was pleased that it didn't get bogged down with political viewpoints-- an error that I think many writers make. There are many layers to the story that add color and depth to central plot. Of the many books I've read so far this year, this is one of the few that I will look forward to reading again.

I received an ARC copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am the first person to admit I have a thing for historical romances (or historical fiction in general, to be completely honest with you). My favorite setting when it comes to historical fiction is easily the first half of the 20th century (I have no idea why), which is why I decided to get this ARC off Netgalley.

This book is set right before the armistice. James Clarynton is a wounded high-ranking military veteran who lost an eye and a leg due to shrapnel. He’s told by a friend to keep a diary just to fill his days with something, which leads to him wanting to write a book. In order to write said book, he asks his friend to hire him a secretary. This friend comes up with a person fit for this position: 21-year-old Edmund. While this book is set in Paris, both characters are British, and the book feels very British too. James is living in an apartment in Paris that he’s inherited from a wealthy relative and also to receive treatment for his wounds, and Edmund is already based in Paris due to him having had a position with the Red Cross there.

I think my thoughts on this book sadly can be summed up as “boring”. I had quite high expectations of this book but sadly this let me down. There were two major things that bothered me; how extremely slow paced this book was and also the format in which it is written. There’s nothing about it that I actively hate but it’s still enough to make me properly annoyed.

There are slow burn books and then there are slow books and for me, unfortunately, this book is the latter. Sometimes there’s definitely a reason for books to be slow and I love me a slow burn romance but to me, this book isn’t any of that. It’s just very slow paced and I’m honestly failing to see a reason for that. The slowness isn’t used to build up anticipation for the coming relationship; instead it’s just there. Their interest in each other doesn’t begin to build up until quite far into the book and they don’t kiss until 77%. You might wonder what happens before those 77% and honestly, not much. They work on the book and that’s pretty much it. Since the kiss happens so far into the book, what’s left of the book is pretty much spent on introducing and resolving some relationship angst. Since this book goes from kiss to angst in like, two seconds, in my opinion the angst is introduced a bit too suddenly with pretty much no build up before it. Also, since this book leaves itself such short time to resolve the angst, it feels somewhat forced and I end up caring not a whole lot. I think the reason why I’m not really connecting with the story is the format, though.

This book is written as a series of journal entries and letters, mainly from James’s POV. Writing books like this is hard and I have rarely seen it done very well. Written in this style, books are constantly being forced to retell things instead of showing them as they happen, and I think that sort of takes away the reader’s involvement in a story, in a way. To me, this way of telling stories makes me feel detached which eventually leads to me not caring a whole lot about the story nor its characters in the end. I also believe the format affected the pace of this story. Since the journal entries and letters mainly are written by James, there’s not a whole lot of Edmund’s POV which leaves me feeling like there’s a huge gap from his POV. I just think a whole lot in this book could have been so much more, had you gotten to experience the drama instead of having it retold through journal entries and letters. Moreover, this book tries to be very melodramatic but sadly, I end up just not caring a whole lot for either character which I believe is due to the format of the book.

Something I did enjoy about this book was the language. James’s and Edmund’s kiss was also very cute, and I enjoyed the ending too.

World War I has formally ended, but its consequences are far reaching, affecting the lives of many. James Clarynton lost a leg and an eye when a shell exploded near him, and he’s deeply depressed and unused to not being the handsome, charming man he was before the war. Edmund Vaughan has a secret, one that has its roots in the war and shame not his own, and with a mother and sick brother to look after, he needs employment. When Clarynton decides to write a book to distract himself from his depression, he hires Vaughan to be his secretary, and what starts as a professional arrangement quickly develops into the two men affecting each other’s lives more deeply than they ever thought possible.

This book was a very easy read, so much so that I finished the book in a matter of hours. I’m a big sucker for post World War I and II historical fiction novels, so this seemed right up my alley, especially since I rather prefer romance novels with LGBT protagonists. Clarynton and Vaughan’s relationship had some good tropes - a gentleman and a man of a lower class, one keeping secrets the other wants to find the truth to, a war veteran struggling with the scars internal and external that the war left him with… Plenty to like!

It was written in the form of diary entries, alternating between Clarynton and Vaughan’s points of view. While it was interesting to see where they were each coming from, I found the diary entry style to be limiting, and because of that there wasn’t enough character development. I wanted to see what happened with the relationship, but I wasn’t too invested, and I think that was because the author did a lot more telling than showing. The story would have benefited from being written in third person rather that first person epistolary. That isn’t to say, though, that I think the book was necessarily bad - I think it’s just one of those that people will either love or dislike, based on their own preferences. I would’ve liked it more if it was written to my tastes and if there were more development in the romantic relationship.

An adorable story of British characters in Paris, set in 1919 and rooted in the language and attitudes of the time. It moves slowly with plenty of character buildup as we watch the two main characters--wealthy disabled ex-army officer James and his newly appointed secretary Edmund--get closer and slowly come to understand each other.

It's full of secrets and misunderstandings, which worked for me because of the two characters' very different circumstances. Edmund doesn't want to give away his background, and James, seeking amusement, wants to discover it. James is an experienced (though jaded) lover while Edmund is struggling with the morality of loving men. James's former "kept man" Loulou comes between them and scares Edmund off because he's afraid of being pushed into that situation. All of this was convincing for me, given the era and the characters.

James has a Jeeves-type valet who should definitely have his own book :) I loved the humor in their relationship and the way Parkin showed the kinder side of James from the beginning.

It's in diary form, so the language is of the time period. Anyone who doesn't like the style of older books or finds them slow or difficult to read, might not like this either. Also, it's not explicit at all, and they don't get together for a long time because Edmund is so hesitant.

But if you appreciate historical accuracy I'd definitely recommend this. It put a smile on my face so many times, and I shed a few tears too.