I was very excited by the premise for this one but the first half was a *struggle* and I almost gave up several times. I’m glad I didn’t, because it does really pick up (pretty much exactly at the halfway point) and I ended up really enjoying it.

The premise, in true absurd romance novel fashion, is that Christopher, Lord Eden, must marry before his next birthday or lose the title. Christopher, who has been living a very solitary life on his estate--and also is trans--must set himself up as a London gentleman and seek an understanding wife. Enter James Harding, his new valet, who he is desperately trying to keep at arms length. And god forbid the man be allowed to *dress* him.

The setup and a lot of Christopher’s behavior felt very, idk how to put, you know the kind of romance novel heightened *everything*? There’s a certain romance lead silly behavior that is really not my thing. Also I do not enjoy reading about anxious characters, and while none of Christopher’s anxieties were irrational, it still did not make for pleasant reading for me.

It picks up when they get to London and we meet Étienne, Christopher’s tailor/confidante/friend, and Belinda, Harding’s (spoiler), who are both delightful, and the book rattles along a a brisk pace with matchmaking, a carriage chase, and a delightful reveal that the reader finds out much sooner than Christopher.

No it will not "transform the historical romance genre as we know it" but it is a solid addition.

After a family tragedy, Christopher has tucked himself away on his crumbling estate with two servants and an ornery horse. His father's will dictates that he marry by his next birthday or forfeit his fortune. This forces him to endure a London Season. To make a decent impression on high society, Christopher requires a valet. Harding is scrupulously proper, annoyingly handsome, and frequently baffled by his master's eccentricities, but Christopher has a very good reason for being so private. The plot takes forever to get moving, which really cuts into the time devoted to developing their romance. Thanks, Netgalley.

I read this book in two sittings! It was an absolute delight. TJ Alexander is no stranger to crafting tales with entertaining cast of characters that make you root for everyone’s happy ending. While I did guess where the story was going early on, it in no way detracted from my utter enjoyment of this novel!

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

3.5 stars, a cute and fast read with a trans regency flair.

I don't normally pick up titles that don't at least have SOME aspect of fantasy, so I can only blame myself for feeling like something was missing here, but overall, A Gentleman's Gentleman was a sweet and sincere story filled with mysterious intrigue and ticking deadlines.

No spoilers, but I thought that Christopher and James having mirroring stories about their identities was SUPER perfect and made them all the more meant for each other. Between James having an aneurysm anytime Christopher insists on doing things that a lord would always leave to a valet, and James insisting on sticking to a strict sense of propriety, right down to wearing the hideous Eden house livery and wig, there's a lot of humour to be had in this story. But it's also very emotional and if you deal with a lot of dysphoria, be sure to check out the content warnings.

Trans people have existed for all of history and I always love seeing stories incorporate interesting ways of dealing with dysphoria, and the invention of a binder in this tale was super cool. But also, NEVER sleep in your bindings, tape, or a compression top, it's dangerous to your health. I didn't feel like that was mentioned anywhere in the text.

I think TJ Alexander does a great job with making a gay regency love story come to life and I didn't see the twist of this one coming until it was right in front of my nose, so give this one a try if you love to see the gays win in a world where they aren't accepted.

TJ Alexander has done it again!!!!! I read another one of their books in one sitting!!!!!! This book is quite different from their other books, but just as entertaining and heartwarming in the end. The characters are likeable and relatable in some way. This is the historical-ish romance I didn’t know I NEEDED in my life!!!!!! I love a regency romance and the secrets that were revealed throughout the book, *chef’s kiss*

A historical fiction story that explores topics of that during the regency era are taboo: trans love.

It's a bold story full of complex emotions against societal expectations, love, and identity. I think it's well worth the read and exploration.

The characters are strong despite finding their identities. It's a complex match between Christopher and James. Their banter is a highlight and there were times I LOL'd. They are discovering their love in a very slow burn way.

I think the pacing suffered a bit because of the lack of significant action. I appreciate the depth of character development and enjoyed reading this story.

It's worth the read to delve into a world that not many have learned about nor experienced.

Thank you to Vintage Anchor and NetGalley for the eARC of this story!

A Gentleman’s Gentleman follows Lord Christopher Eden, a closeted man who must find a wife before his next birthday in order to maintain his estate. He chooses to travel to London to find a wife, and he must keep up appearances in the ton by hiring a valet to travel with him.

TJ Alexander has done it again! I really enjoyed this book. I love historical romance and felt this did a really great job integrating queer representation and acknowledging the existence of queer people throughout history while still keeping the story safe for readers.

The romance is very slow-burn. The third act was a little rushed as a consequence of the setup that was required to get to the romance part, but ultimately the conclusion was worth the wait.

*4.5

I knew I would love it. I mean, it’s a book written by TJ Alexander, of course it would be good. And I love it, in fact. I love everything (even if the ending sounding a bit rush).
I fell in love with the characters, the story, the relationship, every plot twist (and there are A LOT of them).
I think I will continue thinking about this story for a very long time.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you to Vintage and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-T4T historical romance
-roommance
-denial
-found family
-need to find a bride
-slow burn

I don't want to say much. I went in mostly blind (I knew TJ Alexander and historical romance and i was invested from the beginning) there are so many twists and turns, and laugh out loud moments. All of the hallmarks I love in a historical romance, soft touches, there's just a softness to TJ's writing and you can't help but root for Christopher. I was biting my nails in the last third trying to figure out how a happily ever could happen and this was just such an endearing, angsty and just touching story about loving yourself and finding and letting other poeple love you too.

I wanted to adore this book but unfortunately I just like it.

I loved it up until around 80% and then the last 20% of the book just felt so rushed and thrown together.

I love the characters individually and loved their dynamic and interactions but I wanted more time for the romance and to see them grow together. The HEA just wasn’t as believable as it could have been

TJ is an auto-buy author for me so I was a little disappointed by this one.

This was a very easy, slice of life type of read with a slow development romance. The characters feel of the time and are less showy and emotive than most romance novels of this type. If you are looking for a gentle, slow burn, this is a good option.

Story: At a young age, Christopher assumed his dead brother's identity and became the Earl of Eden. To protect his identity, he lives nearly alone at his country seat. When his father's will stipulates he must find a wife in order to inherit, he finds he must go to London and throw in his hand in the charade, with the hopes of finding an understanding woman to marry. To accomplish this, he hires a valet - a servant he has eschewed until now. But James Harding proves to be quite the foil for Christopher.

The premise is that Christopher was born female but always identified as male. When the brother is lost at sea, he seizes the chance to start life anew as he should have been born. But there is the underlying guilt over never having been able to grieve his brother's death. Now, he must try to find a way to make his handsome new valet understand that he does not wish personal care and that the valet is only there for appearances.

The story moves languidly and without melodrama. Admittedly, there wasn't a lot of chemistry between the characters - one is very uptight and proper, the other wanting only to be left alone. But at the same time, the personalities make sense for the story. The mystery of James' background is easily discovered by the reader and certainly very little mystery abounds there.

In all, it was a pleasant and easy read. I appreciated that there were easier solutions that the pair could have taken but did not - such as being forced to return to a birth gender for inheritance. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Interesting premise. Lord Eden, living in his crumbling abbey with just a cook and butler, must marry before his next birthday or lose everything. Lord Eden has a secret that makes him ... unmarriageable.

It's a bit quirky, a bit humorous, and with quite a lot of heart. I look forward to more titles from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc! I rate this 3.75 stars and 1.5 chili peppers for spice. I’m going to write this review without trying to give away any spoilers but that might be impossible. This story revolves around a Trans character who needs to marry to fulfill his father’s will in order to remain the Earl of his estate. The Earl needs to hire a valet for social purposes when he goes to London and there enters our love interest. While I really did enjoy this book, I felt it was more a historical trans book than a romance. The romance doesn’t kick in until well past halfway through and it’s not even that noticeable. And then right at the end there is just this sort of a sudden declaration of love and marriage. Now I loved the idea of the two main characters together so it wasn’t that big of a deal but I sort of wanted more intimate encounters or intimate exchanges leading up to the end. It sort of felt rushed. But I really did love the actual writing style, the character development, and side characters.

Required to marry to retain his inheritance, the reclusive Lord Christopher Eden, “a man of unusual make,” hires valet James Harding to accompany him to London to (fingers crossed) find a wife.

Despite uneven character development and a rushed ending, I love how the author uses aspects of the setting to highlight Christopher’s changing priorities regarding what he’s worth and what he’s willing to sacrifice to live authentically (hint: pay attention to the pivotal scenes that occur in closets).

Overall, A Gentleman’s Gentleman is a fun, satisfying, slow-burn romance that challenges convention and rejects easy answers without ever feeling heavy-handed.

This had the very common third act "breakup" trope of a simple misunderstanding delaying the lovers from their happily ever after... which is never my favorite and pretty much always feels overtly contrived... however, it was short-lived so it didn't bother me too much.

I thought the characters were enjoyable and had enough complexity to keep my interest... I REALLY loved the side characters... Etienne and Lady Verbena were FAB! I'd love an entire book of just the two of them galivanting about London, gossiping and attending balls. PLEASE!

I wish we had gotten a bit more of the relationship development in this story, however. The main pairing was indeed very slow-burn, which is fine for me, but I don't feel like I saw enough of the WHY behind their feelings for each other. Aside from finding each other attractive and generally kind, there wasn't a LOT of chemistry between them. From my perspective, anyway.

I really enjoyed the plot points when they were in London... the scandal and shenanigans! Such fun.

I also did get QUITE emotional when they had to go back to the country estate for an emergency... ! Teared up, for sure.

Overall an entertaining, sweet, lovely book! Not a new favorite, but still a very positive reading experience.

I had intended on this being my last book of the year, and finishing it slowly so that it would end on new year's eve. Instead I couldn't put it down and I finished it two days ago at like three in the morning. I loved this book as a romance lover, as a trans person, as an Our Flag Means Death fan, everything. It's so good. It made me cry. I told several people about it while I was reading. I'd definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf for the chance to read and review this ARC.

This is TJ Alexander’s first historical romance and oh how I hope they write more in the future! The last few years has seen an increase in historical romances with trans characters and this is a wonderful addition to the genre. I found myself reading this so quickly that I forced myself to put the book down so I could enjoy it more. I love Christopher’s character and his new valet coming in and changing his life in more ways than one. Also that cover is exquisite! I loved this book and recommend it completely!

Love is a universal concept. It is all-consuming and all-knowing in its vastness and scope. This tale is ultimately about loving yourself and allowing others to love you too. I wanted to love this story. I found the tale bold in the fact that it showcased a love story that is very rarely viewed. What i found was that the story spent 98% of the time building up to something only to rush, unnecessarily, to a climax that was sterotypical. I felt the ending was not equal to the journey. I wanted to love this book, but in the end, I just felt cheated.

A deeply endearing historical rom-com from an author who has been absolutely killing the game as far as fresh and thoughtful queer romance goes. This was a delightful read - there was banter, there were antics, there were fun side characters (deeply important to me personally - the main couple in a romance cannot be the only people with a personality.)

Not quite a five star read for me personally, as some of the emotional resolution felt rushed, but I am notoriously persnickety about that. I will still be recommending it heartily to friends and library patrons alike. Strongly recommended for fans of Alexis Hall, Joanna Lowell, and Jess Everlee.

This book was more character driven than plot heavy. The story was bit slow in pace and the relationship between Christoper and James *very* slow in burn - like the last dozen pages pre-epilogue. This isn’t a complaint - because it more than kept my interest throughout! - just a heads up, so expectations match reality

Christopher is fairly introspective, unavoidable since he has isolated himself from all except a few close connections - his aging butler and cook in the country, his tailor in the city, and now a new valet. Being in his head that much, we learn a lot about how Christopher feels living as a ‘man of unique construction’ as he puts it.

Between some traumatic losses he’s suffered and feeling like he has to constantly keep his guard up, his life has not been an easy one
The news that he must wed before his next birthday or lose his title is the latest trial.

Even though having to travel to the city in search of a companionable wife was not ideal, it was the catalyst for an unexpected change of circumstances and (without specific spoilers) the story is left on an incredibly hopeful note
I feel like at the end of the story Christopher is in a much better place, and love that for him!

Note - if you’re looking for this book in the UK it’ll be titled The Earl Meets His Match over there