Stevie‘s review of A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentlemen, Book 1) by KJ Charles
Gay Historical Romance published by Loveswept 11 Aug 15
Much as I love the glitz, glamour, and adventure portrayed in historical romance, I sometimes feel we’re lacking a glimpse of the grittier aspects of social history associated within any given era. Certainly, a lot of stories cover local conditions and the ways in which heroes and heroines attempt to improve conditions for the less fortunate people around them, but very few stories I’ve read deal with wider-scale social upheavals due to technological progress rather than because of the major military actions of the time. Not so with this new series, however, where political unrest at home and abroad directly impacts on all the characters and influences a number of their discussions and other social interactions.
Harry is the son of well-educated political radicals who were forced to flee to France after stirring a crowd in London, but he returns to their old haunts and to the bookshop run by their friend following their deaths. And that’s where the rest of his family track him down; his grandfather needs an heir, and Harry must forget his old ways and step into the role left empty by the deaths of his uncle and only male cousin in a fire. Fortunately several gentlemen are on hand to educate him, in particular Julius, who has a especial eye for fashion – and soon for Harry as well.
It’s not as easy as the people around him seem to expect for Harry to forget his upbringing and throw away his radical sympathies, much as he wants to enjoy the safer, more comfortable life offered by his grandfather’s wealth and connections. Then there’s his female cousin, whom Harry’s grandfather wants him to marry, although it soon becomes clear that the affections of both lie elsewhere. Harry finds himself torn between his desires to do the right thing by everyone: Julius, his cousin, his old friends in the radical movement, and his new friends about town. He also finds it increasingly difficult to keep quiet during political discussions, even though his opinions on the massacre at St Peter’s Field in Manchester are vastly opposed to those of polite society.
Julius, meanwhile, finds Harry hard to resist, in spite of his refusal to continue their relationship once Harry becomes engaged, but he encourages Harry to find his own way out of the dilemma – made more complex by Harry’s realisation that his cousin as well as he will be very badly treated by their grandfather should his plans be thwarted.
I love the politics in this book, and I also love the machinations on an individual level with subplots that are evidently going to be resolved in later books, as well as a satisfying conclusion to Harry’s various issues. While Harry feels the impact of the Peterloo Massacre on a personal level, even though he knew none of those involved, the book makes it possible for us to understand how the wealthy of that era might have convinced themselves that Manchester was very far away from their homes in London but also too close for comfort given the events of the French Revolution were still being felt.
All in all an excellent book and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on both the prequel short story and the next novel in the series, which I suspect will deal with the politics of the time in even more detail. The author is going to become an auto-buy for me if this series continues to delight.
Grade: A
Summary:
In the first novel of an explosive new series from K. J. Charles, a young gentleman and his elegant mentor fight for love in a world of wealth, power, and manipulation.
When he learns that he could be the heir to an unexpected fortune, Harry Vane rejects his past as a Radical fighting for government reform and sets about wooing his lovely cousin. But his heart is captured instead by the most beautiful, chic man he’s ever met: the dandy tasked with instructing him in the manners and style of the ton. Harry’s new station demands conformity—and yet the one thing he desires is a taste of the wrong pair of lips.
After witnessing firsthand the horrors of Waterloo, Julius Norreys sought refuge behind the luxurious facade of the upper crust. Now he concerns himself exclusively with the cut of his coat and the quality of his boots. And yet his protégé is so unblemished by cynicism that he inspires the first flare of genuine desire Julius has felt in years. He cannot protect Harry from the worst excesses of society. But together they can withstand the high price of passion.
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