Review excerpted from my blog post over at Pan/Cis LGBT2SQ+ Romance Reviews (https://pancis.wordpress.com/2020/12/01/the-vicar-and-the-rake-by-annabelle-greene/)


My Rating: 3.5 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public library LGBT2SQ+ romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.

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Number of titles I have read by this author: 1

Love story speed: Medium burn

Relationship dynamics: The Village Vicar (H1) / The Scandalous Duke (H2)

Sexual content: Some; on-page and explicit

Gender Identity: Cis (H1) / Cis (H2)

Sexual Identity: Gay (H1) / Gay (H2)

Triggers: Recounted physical child abuse; PTSD

Acceptance Rating: 2 stars

Acceptance Rating Explanation: Self-denial, self-loathing, fear of retribution from God, homophobia, physical punishment from parent for “deviance”, all juxtaposed with overall familial acceptance.

Grammar/Editing: My ARC had a couple of typos.

Review: For an “on the run” narrative, I found the pacing of this novel to be slow. I also found that much of the narrative relies on some obvious logical inconsistencies, which wasn’t very appealing to me. The narrative is set in Regency England, largely in a village and estate context. While there is not a lot of detail provided to place this story firmly in a real historical context, specific historical battles are mentioned, and those details seem accurate.

The main characters in this book are Edward and Gabriel. For all that Edward is the rake and Gabriel is the naive partner, Edward is written as very fumbly and tentative, whereas Gabriel is presented as self-assured and assertive. These role reversals struck me as bit odd. I also found that their relationship is mostly characterized by sex talk, cruel denials, and flowery declarations. For those reasons, I am not certain that I bought into the happily ever after presented in the novel. In retrospect, the supporting characters, including the villain, are not terribly memorable, although it seemed as if we were introduced to the characters who will feature in subsequent novels in the series, and it may be that their development is being saved for when they are in the spotlight.

Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows Edward, Duke of Caddonfell, who is well known for his outlandish behavior, and “proclivities,” and Gabriel, a vicar trying to atone for his own desires. When the two meet again (they were childhood friends) their attraction is the same as ever. As troubles follow Edward, they try to find a way out for him, and in doing so they of course fall in love. Also, there is a grumpy valet named Bryce and an adorable kitten named Buttons.

This story had a weird start, but as it got going I really enjoyed it. The romance was cute, and the sexytime was hot! There was some hurt/comfort thrown in there as well, which I always appreciate. I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Ooh I thought this was great

new to me author, start of an interesting series, MCs who were childhood friends but now seem to hate each other - what’s not to love?

Edward fighting his love for Gabriel was not nearly as tough as him fighting to love himself. Gabriel, a ray of sunshine with a backbone of steel, was a joy.

super ready for the rest of the series

*3.5 stars*

The Vicar and the Rake was a very impressive debut from author Annabelle Greene. Despite some mixed reviews from my friends, I liked The Vicar and the Rake a good deal, and even bumped up my rating the more I sat on my feelings.

I have a huge weakness for historical romances, and I love, love, love M/M historicals, so I was ready and willing to love this story. It did not disappoint. Combine a long-pined after romance with some very deep feelings and a virgin (!), and you have me hooked.

I enjoyed the humor of the story, which I wasn't expecting, and I also really liked how well the author developed the chemistry between the two MCs. In fact, all of the characters, including the secondary characters, were very strong, and I enjoyed them a great deal. They felt very well-developed and conceived, something that new writers often struggle with. I thought everything from the pacing to the romance was really well done.

Where I got a bit lost was with the mystery and action elements towards the end. It seemed a bit muddled, and I'm not one for big dramatic, mysterious endings. I got a bit confused with all of the shuffle, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. I wish things had been simplified a bit, but I'm excited and hopeful for the rest of the books in the series.

A great debut which promises even better things to come, look out for Annabelle Greene.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

An excellent historical romance, well written and engaging.
I loved the well researched and vivid historical background, the fleshed out characters, and the plot kept me hooked.
The style of writing and the storytelling are excellent.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A fun romp with a rake in hiding and his childhood best friend who has the strongest moral fibre. Lots of pining. Lots of intense eye contact followed by equally intense avoidance of eye contact.

PLUS the side characters were equally riveting, which for me is always a sign of a good book. I was as interested to see their subplots transpire as I was the main plot.

Speaking of the main plot, its predictable but comforting because of that. All in all, a roaring read.

Audio Review:
Story – 5
Performance – 5
Overall – 5

Great debut novel and start to a new series.

The Vicar and the Rake is Annabelle Greene's debut novel and I thought it was great. I started out reading this book, courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley, but then I saw that the audiobook was available so I finished up by listening to it.

I have several audiobooks in my library performed by Cornell Collins but this was the first one I've listened to (I need to correct that!). I loved his voice and how he performed the story; he didn't just read it. The different voices he used made it easy to distinguish the characters from each other.

As for the book itself, and the story – wow! It's really hard to believe that this is Annabelle Green's first published work. Even better news is that it's the beginning of a series and I can't wait to read more. I love a good historical MM romance and I love a good second chance story; this book hits on both of those things.

The blurb really is good so I won't repeat it. This book has several secondary characters that made the story even more interesting. Besides the love story between Gabriel and Edward there's mystery, intrigue and murder. If this story is anything to go by, The Society of Beasts series will be an interesting one and I'm looking forward to reading more.

A review copy of the ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

I was very hopeful when I started this, even though it was a bit slow.
However, it never fully got in gear for me.

The characters that ended up calling out to me the most were Maurice and Caroline, and believe me, no one is more surprised than me that I liked the het pairing more than the MCs in an MM romance. Specially considering the ship is only in my head (at least so far).

I failed to connect to Edward and Gabriel in an meaningful way, their relationship felt very tentative, to the very end and the steamy bits were not very steamy at all - in fact, I was borderline concerned at one point. I know this isn't set in modern times, but still.

The overall plot was very predictable and failed to instill me with any curiosity of that desire to keep reading to see if all works out. I had to keep forcing myself to pick this up again to finish it, even though it's on the shorter side.

My curiosity is peaked for the next installement however, and since this is a debut, I'm hopeful it can only get better from here.

Disclaimer : I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

These books are normally some of my favourite the era is one of my most like romance periods with all the language used and the hidden meanings behind things. I wanted to love this, be obsessed with it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case, the beginning was slow and then BAM it became too fast all in one page. Things never felt like they were progressing at the right pace, I did not care for the storyline, while the premise was good and I am a sucker for second chance romance. The main characters did not feel real, I did not feel one way or another towards what would and did happen to them...

Anyhow, overall not a bad book just not an amazing book either.
3/5⭐️
Bookarina

I have never read a M/M historical romance till this book. While I did not fall in love with this concept, I did enjoy the book to an extent.
There was some things that if they were played out longer could have made this book better. Then there was some things that just dragged on and it made it hard to read, I did end up skimming some of this book.
I do think I will check this author again even though this book was just so-so for me.

Surrey, 1818

Gabriel’s sister wrote him a letter, Edward is back! After ten years!

Edward Stanhope, Duke of Caddonfell. The terror of every mother in the ton, not for their daughters, but for their sons.

After reading the letter, vicar Gabriel Winters’ words weren’t for the ears to hear, he couldn’t speak them out loud, but the word started with d and ended with amn. His childhood friend Edward ran away ten years ago, Edward abandoned him just like that.

“I am excellent at things I’m indifferent to. Imagine how spectacular I am at the things I like.”

Edward's memories are bad and hurtful. He didn’t run off just like that. But he’ll never speak about them. Acting haughty to keep everyone at distance.
Edward is back, hiding, he’s in danger. Edward's brother Maurice is also there to eliminate the threat.

“My God, you’re worthless. You need to be corrected, damn you.”

Edward has demons he can't get rid of. He has nightmares and wounds who won't disappear not even love could. He has to keep Gabriel at arm's-length.

Gabriel is the opposite of Edward, he's open and honest to Edward about his feelings.
He's strong but speaks softly.

"the thought that he had been waiting for Edward’s command was more erotic than a thousand forgettable back-alley encounters"

From the first page, I was head over heels. What a marvelous story. There was humor, the best, a sort of dramatic theatrical humor.
The historical side of this narrative felt authentic. The used language, the build of the sentences. I could hear them clearly. The clothing, the traveling, the politeness, it was quite convincing. I love the amount of drama.
The sexual attraction and tension between Edward and Gabriel were beautiful, heartbreaking, and delightful at the same time.

The suspense was killing. I read on and on, biting my nails until I could breathe again.
My goodness what a story
The end OMG the end... goosebumps thick goosebumps!
Brilliant narrative absolutely brilliant!

While there were certain things I liked about this book- childhood friends reconnecting, the setting, the sister, the child- I felt pretty indifferent about it overall, sadly. I never thought of not finishing it, but there were times I did skim. I think the author writes well and the story had a bit of intrigue, but it didn't hold my attention as much as I hoped. The mystery didn't grab me, in fact it all felt kind of convoluted- there were things that just didn't add up or make sense. And unfortunately I never became fully invested in Edward and Gabriel as a couple.

I think one of the reason I didn't enjoy this book as much as some might is because I couldn't help comparing it to KJ Charles' Society of Gentlemen series. Those books are some of the best when it comes to m/m historical fiction and they will always be the standard I hold others to, fair or not.

Even though I didn't enjoy this as much as anticipated, I am interested to see where Annabelle Greene takes this series.

the vicar and the rake is a steamy m/m historical that finds two former friends reconnecting in the most historical trope-y kind of way, and it's just amazing. the RAKE discovers the VICAR PASSED OUT with A FEVER in HIS GARDEN. it is AMAZING.

beyond the tropey meet-cute or "remeet" cute, there is real substance to this story. what the characters have to overcome to really be together and their journey to happiness is well worth the read. and it's a lovely kick off to a series, introducing several intriguing characters.

**the vicar and the rake will publish on october 12, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

I’m always happy to try a debut author, especially in the historical romance genre, so when I spied the cover and read the blurb for The Vicar and the Rake I jumped on the chance to read an early copy.

I think this was a strong debut. There was a lot to like about the characters, setting, and backstory of these once close friends who haven’t seen each other in years. Edward is the rake in this story and Gabriel the vicar. While Edward was living it up in London and bedding every strong, young buck, Gabriel has taken vows and promised God that he would do his best to serve him if he would overlook Gabriel’s sexuality.

They are brought together when Edward flees London after getting caught in a compromising position and decides to hide out at a family estate and discovers Gabriel has taken ill…. in his flower bed.

This was a fun, steamy story that is kind of a mix up of the friends to lover/second chance romance tropes. There is a lot going on… murder, mayhem, house fires, a secret love child, missing jewels, and an underground club. I won’t go into it, but just when I thought the conflict was going to be resolved something else would pop up. LOL.

In the end, I did enjoy myself. I’m interested in learning more about the remaining members of The Society of Beasts in future installments.

Sir Gabriel Winters made a deal with god. Accept him as a man who is attracted to other men, and Gabriel will dedicate his life to the church and taking care of others. He is now the vicar in the town where he grew up and works tirelessly to help those in his community. When Gabriel hears rumor that Edward Stanhope, the Duke of Caddonfell, has returned to his ancestral home in town, Gabriel can’t resist being intrigued. As children, Gabriel and Edward were the closest of friends, and Gabriel can admit he had feelings for Edward, but at age 18, Edward left home for London, never to return. Now, ten years later, Gabriel still hasn’t gotten over the hurt of Edward’s departure. When Gabriel heads to check out the news of Edward’s return, a fever gets the best of him, leaving him collapsed in Edward’s flower beds.

Edward left home as soon as he could, not able to spend another moment in the place of his childhood torment at the hands of his father. He wouldn’t even be back now, except he is in hiding. Edward has quite the reputation in London for his affairs with other men. Fortunately, his status as a duke, along with his brother Maurice’s power as a blackmailer, means he mostly stays out of trouble. But this time, Edward’s dalliance may have gone too far, as he got caught with the son of a powerful man who now wants Edward dead. Edward was forced to flee to his ancestral home, where he is to remain hidden until things cool off. But upon finding Gabriel, Edward knows he can’t leave the man sick and alone, and he brings him into the house to take care of him.

When Gabriel recovers, he wants nothing to do with Edward. His feelings are still way too raw from Edward’s abandonment — and his attraction is still way to fierce. But now that Gabriel and his sister know that Edward is home, things have become much more risky. Not only are Edward’s whereabouts less protected, but Gabriel and Caroline are at risk. But there is no way Gabriel is leaving now when Edward may be in danger. And the more time the men spend together, the more brightly things burn between them. Maurice is determined to figure out why the Duke of Sussex wants Edward dead; he is sure there is more to the story than just discovering the liaison in a stable. So the group sets out to investigate just what could be behind the Duke’s ire. But even as Gabriel and Edward grow closer, all their lives continue to be at risk unless they can discover the truth behind the mystery.

The Vicar and the Rake is the first book in Annabelle Greene’s new Society of Beasts series and I think it is off to a great start. The story has both a friends to lovers and an enemies to lovers vibe, as Gabriel is still angry at Edward for abandoning him without a word, but there remains a strong bond between the men from their friendship and close relationship years before. Gabriel has lived a quiet life, dedicating himself to the town and the church as a way to harness his guilt about his attraction to men. Edward, on the other hand, lives a life of wild and reckless debauchery, covering up his pain by acting out in excess. At first, Gabriel doesn’t want anything to do with Edward. He is hurt, and a little jealous to hear about all the men Edward has slept with. But Gabriel also couldn’t even conceive of leaving Edward in danger without trying to help. The men slowly begin to reconnect, and the chemistry between them is intense. It takes a while for the men to connect much physically (mostly because everyone in the house is trying to keep them apart, lest they make an already bad situation worse), but I really felt the intensity between them. Gabriel may be a man of the church, but he doesn’t hold back with Edward and definitely acts on his attraction.

From an emotional end, it takes some time for Edward to really let himself be with Gabriel. We learn early on that Edward’s father was horribly abusive and that has left not just physical scars that Edward won’t let anyone see, but also emotional scars. They are what keep Edward in a state of constant frivolity, attempting to stop himself from reflecting too much on his past. And they keep Edward from believing he can truly be with Gabriel, or that Gabriel will want him once he knows Edward’s secrets. I do think this uncertainty goes on a bit overlong for my taste. I also kept waiting for a time where the men really talked about the situation. Edward does reveal his scars to Gabriel, but they never have a real discussion about it, nor do they ever talk about why Edward left years ago. So I felt this was a little unresolved.

What I enjoyed most here is the mystery aspect, as the group digs in to why the Duke of Sussex wants Edward dead. It is clear that the dalliance with his son is not the only thing in play here, and they know they must figure out what is really going on before the Duke finds Edward. The story takes on a bit of a house party mystery feel as Edward, Maurice, Gabriel, and Caroline try to uncover what is really going on. I found the story fun and exciting, with some nice intense moments. The resolution relies too heavily on a very strong coincidence for my liking, however. It took a little away from the twistiness of the mystery for it to work out so patly. But I still found it engaging and interesting. I particularly like the fierce and terrifying Maurice and the way he caves in the face of Caroline. There were definite hints of attraction between them and I would have loved to see this pairing explored more. The book also introduces us to the Society of Beasts, Edward’s London club for men who like other men. He is one of the founding members and the other men get involved in the mystery as well. I assume the future books will feature these characters and it was nice to get introduced to them here.

This looks to be the author’s debut work and I think things are off to a great start. I really enjoyed the story and the author’s style and am very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

Content warnings: parental abuse (physical and mental, remembered); homophobia (in general part of the setting, and as part of the remembered abuse, not from any central characters); violence; house fire; poisoning.

I really enjoyed The Vicar and The Rake! It's on the darker side for historical romance, with central themes of healing from childhood abuse and learning to allow yourself to trust people. Edward and Gabriel are a fascinating couple to read about - they have obvious chemistry, and fit together well, but both are also deeply flawed, so their relationship is not straightforward. I enjoyed the idea of the Society of Beasts, and look forward to seeing the stories of the other Beasts, who are side characters in this book and who were all very enjoyable. There was a slightly draggy section in the middle before the mystery was solved, and the plotting felt a little messy, with a lot of strands pulling focus from the romance, but the spark between the two heroes carried it through. One quick note, though - you can't use real-world titles for your fictional characters. The Duke of Sussex is the main villain here, and that is extremely weird, given that that's an actual title (in fact, Prince Harry's title). This could really use a quick edit before it goes to print.

I'd recommend it to those looking for something in a similar tone to KJ Charles' books. Four out of five stars.

Childhood best friends falling in love is one of my favorite tropes so I was excited to dive into The Vicar and the Rake. Annabelle Greene’s debut shows lots of promise and it was easy for me to fall into Gabriel and Edward’s story.

Edward is a rake whose exploits have gone too far this time and landed him in trouble. The kind of trouble that has even his powerful brother scrambling to protect him. Having no other choice, Edward has to return to his childhood home, a place of nightmares thanks to his abusive father. And who should he find in his flower beds, delirious with fever? His childhood best friend, Sir Gabriel Winters. Gabriel is now a reverend, one working himself nearly to death trying to do as much good as possible in an effort to balance the scales against his hidden desires. Though it’s been years since they last saw each other, the attraction is instantaneous. There’s quite a bit of push-pull in this romance, though fortunately it’s not because either feels shame or denial when it comes to their sexuality. I liked the clash, the passion, and unfettered longing.

A powerful duke determined to kill Edward is only one obstacle in the romance as Edward’s sins come home to roost. Edward plays the careless rake and it’s not entirely a façade, but I loved getting deeper into his character. He’s more intelligent than he lets on and he has much more in him to give than he believes. He’s also deeply scarred and seeking to fill a void, which sometimes leads to destructive behavior. I enjoyed watching him become a better man, one who is the perfect match for Gabriel. Gabriel is kind and understanding, which makes him easy to like. He doesn’t let Edward walk all over him, which I respected. The two of them simply fit, but they’ll definitely need assistance in order to live long enough to get their happily ever after. Their siblings are on-hand to rescue them and I adored them. Gabriel’s sister, Caroline, is a take-charge widow determined to protect her brother’s heart from the man who could easily break it. And Edward’s younger brother, Maurice, is fascinating. The man is a puppet master, holding the strings of many in power by collecting secrets. He and Caroline make a formidable team and I would love to see them get their own book. And it would be remiss of me to write about this book and not mention Buttons, the adorable rescue cat who melts hearts and threatens to steal the show at every turn. Rounding out the story are Edward’s fellow “Beasts,” men who co-founded the Society of Beasts, a London club where gay men can simply be themselves without fear. I leave it to readers to discover the delights Edward’s friends offer, but suffice it to say that I cannot wait to see what Ms. Greene has planned for future books.

As I previously mentioned, Edward’s life is in danger and one plot begets another as a mystery arises. I loved the intrigue but did struggle with The Vicar and the Rake as the puzzle pieces came into play as they didn’t seem to quite fit. There was a plot hole and a few convenient twists of fate that nagged at me after I finished the story. Still, I enjoyed The Vicar and the Rake overall and I’m looking forward to the next Society of Beasts book.

Pleasantly surprised by this book! The storyline between Gabriel and Edward is so well written and laid out, there’s depth AND smut. A win-win in my opinion! Each character has depth with a well throughout backstory that is slowly uncovered, I was sucked in immediately and held until the end.

This was my first time reading a book from from this author and I wasn't disappointed at all.
It's a second chance at love story. It's a slow burn kind of story. Just the word 'vicar' in the title, tells already that this is going to be an Unconventional story. It was emotional, dramatic and very steamy.
I've enjoyed reading this book and will certainly look for the next book in the series to come.

I voluntarily reviewed this book provided by the publisher via Netgalley and all the opinions expressed here are all mine.

This is author Annabelle Greene's debut novel and it is a well-written Regency-style M/M romance, which is completely in my wheelhouse. And from page one, I was hopelessly drawn in:

"Gabriel hadn't planned on dying young, especially on such a fine April evening. He also hadn't planned on dying outdoors - but as he lifted his hand to his forehead, finding it slick with sweat, a violent dizziness overcame him.

Death was coming, apparently on a very fast horse, to the opulent grounds of Hardcote House. Right to this particular flowerbed swimming in front of his eyes."

Lord Edward Stanhope - nicknamed "Scandal" by the ton - and Sir Gabriel Winters - chaste, hardworking vicar - were boyhood friends but haven't seen each other in over 10 years.

"A life of sin had been good to Edward. The skinny, fine-boned adolescent he remembered had grown into a tall, lithely muscled man who whispered dangerous elegance from head to foot."

After a huge scandal in London - a hangable offense involving being caught in flagrante delicto in a stable with the Duke of Sussex's eldest son - Edward and his brother Maurice have returned to Hardcote to figure out their next move. The Duke of Sussex cannot be bribed and is determined to run Edward aground and kill him. Gabriel's sister Caroline, Edward's man Bryce, along with Edward's friends gather to protect Edward and plan a way out of this untenable situation.

The author has a gift for beautifully fleshing out characters and crafting their internal dialogues and we get Edward and Gabriel's POV throughout. Their love story is incredibly steamy, very poignant as Edward comes to terms with his childhood, and ultimately pretty wonderful.

The middle of the book lagged just a bit, and the final resolution seemed a bit too tidy, but overall, I loved this book, the sizzling love story between Edward and Gabriel, the unlikely relationship developing between Maurice and Caroline, and the promise of getting the fascinating backgrounds of Captain Benjamin Frakes (featured in "Soldier and the Spy" the next book in the series) as well as Hartley.

Annabelle Greene is one great writer and I can't wait to read more of her Society of Beasts series! 4.5 stars.