In the promotion email, 'The Gentleman's Book of Vices' was marketed towards "fans of Cat Sebastian, KJ Charles, Bridgeton and Our Flag Means Death". Being a fan of all of those, I had to read this book to see if it lived up to the description and it definitely did! Sexy, romantic, witty, everything you need to have a good romance plus a little extra umph to make it unique.

I appreciated the bits of reality thrown in to remind us that it's not so easy as just saying 'I love you', there's also work to be put in to a relationships emotionally and also situationally for actual physical protection from the law. But even with that, this is a romance novel and happy endings are for everyone. It also really touches on how important community amongst queer people really is. Charlie and Miles certainly wouldn't have met or had a happy ending without the support of their friends and community.

I'm pleased to see there will be a second one set in this world, focused on some of the side characters we meet and I look forward to reading it and anything else Jess Everlee publishes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Final rating 4.5 stars

The Gentleman's Book of Vices is such a lovely romance! Set in London, in 1883, Charlie Price is one of the main leads that has a lot of vices, including a large smut collection. Charlie sets out to meet one of his favorite authors as one last adventure before settling down and getting married. In meeting Miles Montague, Charlie finds an interesting character that he can't help but build a friendship with that slowly builds into something more.

I loved the relationship between Charlie and Miles! The way that they learned to care for each other and look after each other with all of the challenges that they had in their personal lives, that impacted their relationship was so sweet and endearing. Jess Everlee has a fluid writing style and the main conflict was built up and resolved wonderfully.

Even if you're not a fan of historical romance, I strongly recommended The Gentleman's Book of Vices for a tender and heartful queer romance.

Thank you to Carine Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up

I have yet to discover what the point of this book was. There is not much in the way of plot, character development, or anything really. But it isn't exactly atrocious either. Just kind of nothing.

For example, the main character Miles allegedly writes kinky dirty books and pretends he is kinky dirty in bed but the same scene where Miles says "I'm a sadist" he also gently makes love to Charlie and confesses his love for him? Where is the sadism I was promised! All sex stuff was written vaguely pearl clutching. Like the idea of sex. That's what the whole book is like - the idea of something described from a distance.

And the plot if you can even find it seemed to be centered around Charlie's wedding to Alma? And Charlie flip flopping on going through with it or not. It all worked out very neatly at the end in a ridiculously perfect way because Miles' publisher took everything into his own hands and declared (paraphrasing by me) "ah yes me, your publisher, have been secretly solving all your problems this entire time! Even the problems of these two other people we've known a week!" Please. Why would his publisher bother with all of that! They didn't even seem to be friends!!

In conclusion, mostly harmless and forgettable but perhaps a plotless historical novel with a neatly tied up ending is exactly what someone else wants.

When I say that I love m/m historical romance, i mean something exactly like this, the characters are so well written and the story between them too. It makes is so enjoyable to read.

Set in Victorian London, Jess Everlee’s The Gentleman’s Book of Vices tells the story of a bookshop owner – whose super-secret alter-ego is the writer of some of the finest and most sought-after erotica currently to be found under counters and in back rooms – and the most devoted admirer of said erotica, a young gentleman whose dedication “to his vices” has finally landed him in the sort of financial trouble from which there is only one way to escape. The romance between these two polar opposites – one staid and rigidly controlled, the other vivacious and happy-go-lucky – is very well written, with emotions that leap off the page, two complex, well-crafted protagonists and a strongly written group of secondary characters. Taken as a whole, it’s a very impressive début novel – and it would have received a flat-out A grade had it not been for the ending, which is rushed, simplistic, and just doesn’t fit with the tone of the rest of the novel.

Charlie Price has sampled all the vices London has to offer, but his dissolute life is about to change. His usually indulgent parents have, in the past, helped him out of the financial trouble he’s got himself into, but they’re no longer prepared to do so without his agreeing to “take a respectable job and settle down like a ‘proper, healthy fellow’” and prove he’s changed his ways. An introduction to the Merriweather family – most particularly, their unwed daughter, Alma – swiftly followed, and Charlie now works at Merriweather’s bank and is to be married to Alma in eight weeks time. He’s resigned himself to having to lock away his box of scandalous little treasures – his erotic novels, nude sketches and sculptures of illicit lovemaking – possibly forever, and as a kind of last hurrah, he’s determined to get his favourite author of illicit smut – the incredibly elusive Reginald Cox – to autograph his favourite book. But those who write the kind of filth Cox specialises in must necessarily guard their identities, and Cox has proved very difficult to pin down.

Luck is on Charlie’s side, however, when his close friend, the mysterious Jo, comes up trumps with a name.

While running a bookshop really wouldn’t have been Miles Montague’s choice of career – and quite honestly, he’s not all that good at it – he inherited it from his dead lover and keeps it out of a sense of duty even as the bills mount up and he has to continually add to the business funds from the money he earns from his writring. He’s solitary by nature, which is probably just as well given his secret occupation, and has jealously guarded that secret, which is why he’s so panicked when a young man comes into the shop just after closing time one day, and makes it clear he knows exactly who ‘Reginald Cox’ really is. Immediately suspecting he’s about to be blackmailed, Miles curtly asks the man to name the price he wants for his silence – but Charlie (for of course, it is he!) quickly tries to correct that assumption and to calm him down. All he wants, he says, is for ‘Reginald’ to sign his (very well read) copy of the book, Immorality Plays. Stunned, disbelieving and furious, Miles refuses and tells Charlie to get out – which he does, but not before pulling Miles into a blistering kiss and slipping his card down the front of Miles’ trousers.

It’s only later, once Miles’ panic has receded, that he has a chance to think clearly and realises that the charming Mr. Price had been telling the truth – and that he’s given Miles plenty of information he could use against him if Miles wished to. Realising he over-reacted, Miles signs the book, and the next day, heads off to Charlie’s house carrying both the book (wrapped, of course) and a good bottle of wine by way of apology.

There’s an intense spark of lust between the pair from the get-go, and the very next day – after an amusing scene in which Miles is mistaken for a sommelier and ends up offering suggestions as to which wine and cake Charlie and Alma should have at their wedding (although in Victorian England, there would only have been one sort of wedding cake on offer – the traditional heavy fruit cake that’s still the norm today) – Charlie takes Miles upstairs to see his ‘collection’. One thing leads to another, but they’re disturbed by footsteps in the hallway before they can have sex on the floor – and Miles is spooked. He doesn’t do this, he isn’t this reckless – with very good reason – but there’s something about Charlie that is completely irresistible, and he doesn’t say no when Charlie says he’ll come to Miles’ place on Friday evening.

Miles and Charlie fall hard and fast for each other and very soon are engaged in a passionate affair. They’re open and honest from the start and don’t even try to hide the fact that there’s more to what’s happening between them than sex, so that what starts out as a mostly light-hearted sunshiny-rake-brings-love-and-life-back-to-grumpy-introvert-with-tragic-past romance quickly develops into a story that really tugs at the heartstrings. The conflict in the romance is both realistic and heartbreaking; in fact, it’s one of a handful of books I’ve read recently where I actually felt the relationship was in serious jepoardy in the final chapters (even though I knew there would be an HEA), and Ms. Everlee does a really good job of articulating the very real difficulties that Charlie and Alma – and Miles – are facing.

I have to applaud the author for the way she writes Alma, who is never demonised. Instead, she’s a clever and charming young woman who is caught between a rock and a hard place, just as Charlie is and, as a woman, has even fewer options open to her. She and Charlie obviously care a great deal for each other, and he wants to give her a good home and perhaps even children (if he can manage it), but like many well-to-do men of the time, doesn’t intend to give up his ‘other’ life. And the thing is, I couldn’t actually dislike Charlie for that; he genuinely likes Alma and wants her to be happy and secure, but also needs to to carve out a little time to be true to himself as well – and the sad thing is that he knows that ‘a little’ is all he’s ever going to be able to have. He wants to continue to see Miles after he’s married, but Miles refuses, not only because he doesn’t want to be a part of that sort of betrayal, but also because he knows that eventually Charlie will have less and less time for him and that such gradual dwindling will hurt much more than a clean break. He also clearly sees how this marriage will slowly kill Charlie, draining away his liveliness and humour and everything that makes him him – and can’t bear the thought of watching that happen.

Miles and Charlie are flawed, complicated individuals who come vividly to life, especially Charlie, who really is a ray of sunshine, so engaging and loveable that it’s easy to understand why people are so drawn to him. Their romance is beautifully written, with plenty of humour, affection and tenderness, and the sexual chemistry between them is scorching.

There’s a great cast of secondary characters, too, with a lovely found family element and sense of community in the group of friends at The Curious Fox, the molly house Charlie frequents.

As I said at the beginning, this would have been an A grade review if it weren’t for the book’s ending, which is just a little too pat. And while the author does a pretty good job of evoking a strong sense of time and place, there are a few things that jar, like the use of a street name without “Street” or “Road” (which is a dead giveaway that the author is American – we would say “Holywell Street” and not just “Holywell” for example), the way Charlie’s butler speaks to him and a few turns of phrase that feel too modern.

Still, The Gentleman’s Book of Vices is an extremely accomplished and throughly engrossing début novel and one I definitely recommend to anyone looking for a new voice in queer historical romance. I gather this is the first book in a series, and am looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

Rating - A-/ 4.5 stars

This was my first historical MM romance, and I have mixed feelings about it. I think I liked the historical setting, but I felt no connection to the two characters. Their first interaction put such a bad taste in my mouth that I honestly couldn't get on board with their blossoming relationship. I didn't feel any chemistry between them, and that basically kills a romance book for me.

The overall vibes of this book were great. The historical setting felt vivid, I really enjoyed all the side characters, the writing was engaging, and the general concept had a ton of promise.

However, I felt like I should have been way more invested in the romance. Everything just happened so quickly, and while there were some fun moments, I didn't really feel the connection and chemistry between them. I didn't even feel like I knew them as individuals that well.

And for a book about a smut writer it was surprisingly not smutty. Mostly closed door and lots of fade-to-black, which I wasn't expecting at all. I wanted more spice! Why write a book about an erotica writer if it's not going to be sexy??

I don't think this was a bad book; I did like a lot about it and overall thought it was an enjoyable read, I just think there was so much potential for more angst and tension and sex. I wanted to feel more.

This is a debut book and I'm looking forward to seeing how Jess Everlee develops as a writer, especially as it seems this is the first in a series.

Set in London in 1883, Charlie Price is counting the days towards an arranged marriage which he needs to pay off his debts. He takes solace in his naughty novel collection and when he decides to track down the secret author of his favorite; he finds actual sparks with the author/bookstore owner, Miles Montague. Miles’s novels always end in tragedy for its protagonists; can he and Charlie make a happy life together in a time when their love is forbidden? Though the novel is fairly predictable as romances go, the charming characters made this a fun read. I liked that Charlie’s bride found her own happily ever after as well. The novel is the first in the Lucky Lovers of London series. I received an advance copy from the publisher and Netgalley.

The Victorian Era is such an opulent setting for a historical romance, given our modern sensibilities, especially a queer historical romance. The moralists and puritans were the nemeses of the aesthetes and hedonists, and vice versa, but moralism didn’t stop the nonconformists from seeking, and providing, bawdier forms of entertainment. There was risk in indulging their appetites, though, and Miles Montague, for one, believes that complete discretion isn’t just the better part of valor . . . it’s the only part.

Miles authors erotic novels when he isn’t busy unenthusiastically managing his failing bookshop, which is a lovely contradiction. He writes under a pen name, Reginald Cox, fiercely guarding his anonymity, for obvious reasons. He even builds a fail-safe into his work that imitates life in an all-too intimate way, but which allows his publisher some measure of plausible deniability if he’s ever charged with the crime of peddling smut. Sex sells well, though—the royalties are what’s, albeit barely, keeping both Miles and his bookshop afloat—but he never anticipated he might gain a rabid fan while writing his sort of pornography. A fan who could put them both at risk of exposure.

Given the nature and success of Miles’ writing, and how dearly Charlie Price treasures his book collection, one might say it shows how hungry readers have always been to see themselves on the page. Charlie may not believe in romantic love, but the passion in Reginald Cox’s books speaks to him in meaningful ways. So much so that Charlie has vowed to discover the author’s true identity and get his autograph on a favorite work. Much to Miles’ initial dismay.

Charlie leads what can best be described as a double life. He’s a devoted fiancé by day, thanks to the machinations of his own and his fiancée’s parents, but by night he’s a regular fixture at The Curious Fox, a place where both the clientele and the entertainment would be considered less than savory by polite society, and illegal in the eyes of the law. It is here, however, that Charlie is most himself. It’s where he has built a circle of good friends and experiences uninhibited joy. And it’s a place where he is able to indulge his carnal needs. If his indulgences kill him in the process, well then, he’ll at least have gone out on his own terms. But his friends, his best friend Jo, in particular, are not willing to stand by and simply watch Charlie plunge into matrimonial misery.

Charlie and Miles are not the authors of their own romance, and that’s one of the many things I enjoyed about this book, apart from the fact that I liked both men a lot and wanted them to find their happy ending. They are directed by society, their lives dictated by strangers, and, in Charlie’s and his fiancée’s case, coerced into marriage by parents who throw out ultimatums as solutions to problems created by the strictest of society’s rules, and I felt a great deal of empathy for Alma, a young woman who, through no fault of her own and by virtue of being a woman, was left with few palatable options.

Charlie’s friends at The Curious Fox are stellar supporting characters. I especially loved the no-nonsense Jo and how that side-story played out. Jess Everlee has introduced an interesting and diverse cast in her debut novel, one I look forward to following into next year’s A Rulebook for Restless Rogues.

This unfortunately ended up being a miss for me, on several counts. The salient points are that I felt like the characters were flat, they had no chemistry or emotion, the sex scenes were handled poorly, and the plot was frustrating to nonexistent. I think it had <i>potential</i>, but it was not realized here.

<b>Characters:</b>

I never felt like I got to know the characters at all. Any of the somewhat numerous cast.

Charlie comes off as a self centered man child - this could be a starting point, but he never truly grows from it, jerking his fiancee around a lot with his dithering, so I just ended up not liking him at all.

Miles…did we ever get any backstory on him, outside of a brief Ethan thing? I genuinely don’t think so. He’s just kind of there. Cardboard like. He didn’t feel consistent either, more like he was cobbled together of plot-convenient personalities. The smooth sommelier moment didn’t match with the suddenly working class suspicious dude, etc. He didn’t feel cohesive.

The LGBT+ Rep Squad at the bar. Too many! I get it, setting up Diverse Friend Group for future books, but the first chapter opens with like 100 characters. I don’t know who they are. They’re referred to by first and/or last names, or nicknames, or fake names, or whatever. I couldn’t keep track. I am bad at tracking characters in the first place, don’t make it harder. I ended up skimming every time they appeared, because I couldn’t follow conversations or people. They were supposed to have a strong super bond of caring, but it felt like a normal pod of bar people. Casual friends, not ride or die ones. But I think that part is not unique to the side characters, but the general lack of depth I felt this book had.

I don’t know if it makes sense, but I felt like these were not people, but characters. Some authors can make me feel like their characters are fully realized people living their stories, and here, I was reading a screenplay.

<b>Romance:</b>

I never felt the chemistry or emotional connection between the two MCs. They were always being mostly unpleasant to each other, for not entirely clear reasons. Part of this is that I felt like the characters themselves were not well developed, and if you have two dimensional characters, you can’t get anything past a flat romance either.

Everything that stemmed from it then felt out of place. The waffling, the breakup(?), the pining…it never felt believable. It started as instalust, but I also never really felt the desire either. I think it was lacking emotional range to bring me into their (alleged) great love story.

<b>Sex scenes/how they were handled:</b>

This one I don’t usually call out separately, but I have a lot to say about this in particular. There was a lot going on, and I did not like it. 

This is a book about an erotica writer, so I was anticipating some high heat explicit scenes. I wasn’t expecting an all out erotica obviously, and didn’t want that, but when the sex was happening, I expected quality. I ….did not get that.

<u>Pick your fighter:</u>

* Interrupting sex scene with dwelling on the dead partner

* Sex scene over in 2 sentences

<blockquote><i>It was still early in their acquaintance, and yet they’d developed habits already. Once they were spent, all bonds were untied and everything was tidied up.</i></blockquote>

* Begin explicit sex scene, set up for tender, emotionally intimate sex, and then….slam the door in the readers face, chapter ends, next one opens in the morning.

Can you tell I’m mad? I’m mad. I hate getting cheated out of emotionally touching sex, it’s such a lovely moment to show the characters bonding and caring and sweet!!! and then no.

* Sex scene drowning in absurdly gauzy and flowery euphemisms

We have every dodge known to readerkind. If you don’t want to write sex, don’t write it! Just do standard fade to black. (Slamming the door mid R rated scene does not count as that, by the way.)


<b>Plot</b>

Was there a plot? There were large stretches of time where I felt like no, there was not a plot. The romance itself did not function as a plot for me. The end was very deus ex machina, and very annoying eleventh hour sunshine and roses rescue.

I guess the whole marriage thing is also kind of a lot. It definitely did not show Charlie in a good light, since he almost ditched Alma to suffering and dying. I get that I’m supposed to root for the gay love story here, but damn it did not work on me. Actually, towards the end, Miles was also a jerk to Alma, all this back and forth and dramatics when her literal life depends on them. I guess I’m just team Alma now. Give her books! Down with the shitty family! Fuck the patriarchy! You deserve better!


<b>Overall,</b> while this had the pieces and some potential to be enjoyable, it ended up being a frustrating read for me on many counts. Individually they wouldn’t be dealbreakers, but when they all stack up like this, it really made it not a good time. Since this is a debut novel, I remain optimistic that some of these issues will be ironed out in future books, so despite my litany of criticism, don’t entirely write this off, it may work for you.

I'm always impressed when an author takes on a challenging setting for their debut novel and this one was excellently done. The setting and the cast of characters really made you feel like part of the story so I was gripped immediately. Poor Charlie just wants an autograph from his favorite author before he is married and has to shut away that part of his life. Unfortunately for him, that author turns out to be the grumpiest. Fortunately for him, seduction remains an excellent way to overcome grumpiness.

Miles doesn't realize it but he's just as stuck in a predicament as Charlie and he needs Charlie's whirlwind to learn how to live and love again. The best part of this story was how the cast keep you guessing the entire time. You could really feel their care for each other.

I would highly recommend this to any fan of historical queer romance, particularly fans of KJ Charles. I would definitely like to continue the series and read the next story, especially if we get to learn more about the characters we've grown to love.

Overall, I found this a very enjoyable read.

However, my favorite character ended up being Charlie's fiance Alma ("the sweet, fun-loving woman he would spend the rest of his life lying to") rather than the two protagonists. And while it's historical, there are quite a few anachronisms (did they USE the word "butch" in the 1880's?), oh, and although Miles is the author of "the most buggery-filled book of the age" .... sex scenes are few and far between, usually quickly fade to black.

Miles Montague, aka Reginald Cox, earns wads of cash writing said smut, using the proceeds to poorly and halfheartedly manage his inherited bookstore. Charlie is soon to be married and wants to get Miles' autograph on his favorite Cox book "Immorality Plays ("in which two moralists seclude themselves in a country house to pen a treatise against sin, only to find themselves compelled by dark forces to act out each crime they denounce") prior to settling down in marriage and stowing his beloved porno collection safely away for good.

Charlie frequents The Curious Fox, the London molly house equivalent of Cheers, with quirky characters like Noah Clarke / Miss Penelope Primrose, bartender Warren Bakshi, the proprietor Mr. Forester and Miss Jo, an occasional refuge from the Sapphists' club. The development of the secondary characters is somewhat spotty, with Noah being fairly well fleshed out, and Miss Jo and The Beast remaining (to me at least) somewhat enigmatic.

So, yeah .... good bones ... this book has certainly got them, especially as this is the author's debut book. The author does a good job of setting the scene along with some interesting sentences like this one describing Noah: ""The fellow slipped down off the bar like he was made from liquid and scurried into Charlie's arms. They hugged. They kissed, RIGHT on the mouth." And Alma is truly interesting, and not just a throw-away character in the role of the unwanted wife.

The first part of the book works really well, as Charlie meets Miles and they fall into some very interesting situations, but the second half of the book felt too busy and populated with far too many happenstances, odd reveals, with an overly complicated conclusion that may be best summed up as ... huh? Wait a minute .... huh?

There is a second book coming starring Noah and David Forester, so I do look forward to reading their story, and catching up on Alma, and Charlie and Miles as they all move into the next chapter of their lives. 3.5 stars.

i thoroughly enjoyed this book as it's a good romance and a good historical fiction. It's set in an age when a male gay could end in prison like Oscar Wilde and this add an interesting layer to forbidden to the story.
The romance is sweet and i loved both Charlie and Miles, I spent the book rooting for them even if I knew that any HEA was subjected to the limitation of the age.
I liked the style of writing, liked the humour and the fleshed out characters.
Can't wait to read other stories by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

This was my first book by this author but by the 3rd page, I knew Charlie was going to make this book worth while and by the end of the first chapter, I knew I was going to love it
I was not wrong.

Charlie was smart, witty and utterly without a filter. I snorted at first but by the time I was half way through the book, I was laughing out loud.

Miles, The unassuming grump of a man with a dirty dirty imagination also was quite the interesting character. From the surface, you would think you knew what to expect from him but really, nothing was as it seemed.

I loved the palpable connection between the two men and with all the complications that they went through, coupled with the wonderful side characters, the story was a joy to read.

I saw a hint about a possible sequel in this world(or it just might have been wishful thinking) but I certainly would be looking out for more books from this author.

If you enjoy historical romances, go read this. You will not regret it.

I'm not quite sure where to start with this one. I had so much fun while reading it that I finished it in a day. The story was easy to sink into, and I loved the historical setting even though there were a few anachronisms. I'm not an expert on this period of British history (late 1800's), and I didn't even notice them until I saw other reviews point them out. I fell in love with the characters almost immediately, and the story did a wonderful job of peeling back their layers and making them feel real.

The premise of this book was just so much fun. A man, Charlie Price, loves his smut and wants to get the autograph of his favorite writer to add to his illicit collection. The only problem is the writer is anonymous. After using his friend to investigate, Charlie discovers the writer's identity and decides to ambush him to get his signature. The writer, Miles, freaks out about his identity being revealed, and hilarity ensues along with the beginning of their steamy romance. To make matters even more complicated, Charlie is due to be married in a few weeks to a woman he admires but does not love.

I loved the dynamic between Charlie and Miles. Charlie was a certified rake who spent most of his free time in underground gay sex clubs. He was an eternal optimist. Although, that optimism hid a deeper and more complex person with understandable fears beneath its shiny veneer. Whereas, Miles wore his fear and paranoia on his sleeve. After his former lover was persecuted for being gay, Miles mostly stuck to himself, his anonymous writing, and the failing bookstore that his dead lover left him, which is why it was such a shock to the system when Charlie waltzed into his life knowing the secret of his smut writing gig. They had a delicious sunshine/grumpy thing going for them, as well as a light sub/dom dynamic. The chemistry was great, if a little quick, and their illicit affair really felt tense, as if the shoe could drop for either of them at a moments notice. Even though I assumed they'd get their HEA or HFN by the end, there were moments where I really questioned if that would be the case, which I really liked.

I loved the found family of the gay club, as well. It had such a fun and wholesome vibe considering it was a sex club. lol. The workers and regular patrons truly had each other's backs, and I was excited to see that the bar owner will be the topic of the second book in this series. Charlie's bride-to-be was also a great character. When I first read the synopsis, I was worried that she would get completely shafted by Charlie's selfishness, but she was treated much differently than I expected and was a major character in her own right rather than a victim of the circumstance.

There was only one thing that keeps this from being a five star read for me: one specific fade to black scene. The moment had been built up for so long, and the importance of the emotional intimacy attached to it was heavily underscored leading up to the interaction. Then the scene just ended and skipped to the next morning. It was SO frustrating because it felt like such an integral moment for their relationship that the reader didn't get to experience firsthand. There was plenty of other spicy content in the book, and I just don't understand why that scene wasn't also included.

Overall, this was a hilarious, heartfelt, and slightly raunchy romance filled with big personalities, tons of bookish goodness, and plenty of drama. I don't know how anyone could not laugh, or at least smile, while reading it. If you enjoy MM romance, I definitely think you should give this one a chance. Therefore, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars.

This book departs from typical m/m historical romance conventions in a few interesting ways. The most obvious one is that the threat of homophobic violence and/or imprisonment looms very large throughout the story; it's basically one of the major points of conflict. If you like the danger of being murdered or arrested for being gay to be more of a distant possibility, plot-wise, this isn't the book for you.
There's also a little bit of an edge to the sexual relationship between Miles and Charlie from the get-go, informed by the real erotica of the time period. In a general sense, I loved this as a concept. I think the dynamics were established with a lot of promise. However, nothing is ever delivered on that promise. A huge element of the dynamic between Charlie and Miles is sexual, but we get maybe 60% of the way through any sexual scene before we cut to them chatting or waking up. Plenty of R-rated stuff happens before we jump, so why the squickiness around finishing the scene?

Both because of this and because of the story overall, I didn't connect with Charlie or Miles at all. They don't feel like people you root for; they're mostly unpleasant in their interactions with other people and, half the time, with each other. The bits of Miles' writing we get was really fascinating, and probably the best part of the book. Beyond that, there's not much to recommend it. There's one lesbian character who's competent and cool, but every other female character is foolish and delicate.

*Received as a free ARC*
This book wasn't my favorite, but I think that given the right reader it would be perfect. I did like the interplay between the hidden queer community and I surprisingly loved Charlie and Alma's dynamic. I've seen that there's going to be a follow up which I'd definitely be interested in checking out.

This was a charming historical romance about two characters that are stuck in situations that they can’t seem to get themselves out of and how they manage to get themselves out of them and to each other. As a historical story, there are time period related prejudices.

Charlie is stuck in an impending marriage to a lovely sweet woman named Alma. Unfortunately he’s not attracted to Alma and using the marriage to get himself out of debt. As it turns out, she’s also using him so the marriage isn’t ideal for her either. Miles is stuck as a bookshop owner which he doesn’t particularly care for and would rather spend his time focusing on penning his novels. A final hurrah for Charlie leads him to search Miles out and how their relationship develops from there is the majority of the book.

Charlie and Miles are such a sweet pair of MCs. There is a complicated relationship between the two of the partly because of their circumstances and the constraints of the time period. You keep hoping that their story is the love conquers all type of story. The spice is a little mixed as some of the later scenes seem to fade to black but some of the earlier scenes are a little more detailed but not as intense.

This is the first book in the series-am I hoping for a Mr. Forester and Warren story-hello? yes!!!!! And dear Miss Penelope absolutely needs a story! I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest and fair review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carina Press, and Jess Everlee for the digital advanced reader copy.

The Gentleman’s Book Of Vices is a queer historical romance following Charlie Price, a collector of pornography and frequenter of London molly houses, on his goal to acquire the autograph of his favorite author before his impending marriage forces him to hide his collection away for good. He meets Miles Montague, nom de plum Reginald Cox, a highly private bookstore owner who isn’t quite flattered that Charlie has discovered his identity and tracked him down.

This book has typical elements of a queer historical romance — a flashy aristocrat, a suspicious working class fellow, a relationship forming under the threat of imprisonment or worse. While there isn’t much that’s overwhelmingly surprising or unique, it’s a satisfying story with endearing characters and an ultimately sweet tone. You wouldn’t necessarily think that a book about a hedonistic dandy tracking down his favorite writer of sadistic pornographic books would be sweet, but here it is, sweet as pie. Every character imagines themselves as selfish, indulgent, and guarded, yet they all spend the entire story caring and looking out for the people they love, and that sweetness shows through in all those actions. Charlie cares for Alma and can’t bring himself to hurt her, despite how their marriage will hurt him. Miles holds on to the bookstore in a deep show of love and loyalty, and finds a way to show that same love to himself and to Charlie. Jo lets Charlie in, allows him to see parts of her that she has taken incredible pains to keep private, in order to bring him out of his despair. Smithy just wants Miles to give himself a chance to move forward. The friendships found in The Curious Fox are tender and loving, despite the setting of a club for debauchery and illegal activities.

It’s a sweet story with a perhaps-slighty-too-tidy ending that portrayed a surprising depth of feeling in the characters and their love and care for each other. A satisfying and soft-hearted read.

Just loved this book! Charlie and Miles were so perfect for eachother. 

Charlie trying to blend into the hetero society by marrying but is not happy with it despite his cheerful front. Miles has become a recluse after a traumatic event with his partner and values his privacy due to the controversial books he writes under a pseudonym.

I was rooting for these two! In that time though their relationships had to remain private frustratingly. If they could even have one without being found out.

Love is love and really should be at the discretion of each individual. Still don't understand how people's personal relationships effect others.

Thank you harlequinbooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.