Love in a Mist

The Gents #5

by Sarah M. Eden

France, 1789
An unexpected letter arrives for Lord Aldric Benick on the day of his father’s funeral, seemingly from beyond the grave, informing him of a mysterious inheritance waiting for him in France. Always ready for an adventure, his closest friends, the Gents, embark with him across the Channel to solve the intriguing riddle.

French beauty Céleste Fortier is trapped in the gilded cage her controlling family crafted. She has set in motion a daring and complicated escape, only to have her plan undermined by the arrival of her brother and his friends, the Gents. Among them is the handsome and intriguing Lord Aldric, who once stole her heart—and broke it.

Distance, she decides, is her best strategy, but when violence erupts on the streets of Paris, Aldric and Céleste are thrown together in a desperate flight from danger. They must trust each other and work together if they are to have any hope of survival in a France that suddenly feels a breath away from revolution.

Genres: Romance, Clean Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Romance, Regency, Fiction

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 11, 2025

Reviews

[Holly (IG Hollys_Book_Musings)]

“You are worth saving, Aldric Benick." She hoped he knew that. "Whatever it takes."

Love in a Mist by Sarah M Eden

Another beautiful story from the master of historical romance and found family!
Everything about this story was so amazing--the romance, the characters and their growth, appearances of The Gents, traveling through France, suspense and mystery.
I was so intrigued by everything going on, I could hardly put the book down, especially when it reached about the 40% mark. I won't say much about what happens in the book or the historical context so as not to spoil anything. Go in blind! Trust me!

Celeste. She has had a very hard life with her family. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. I love that on her journey, she finally found the courage to stand up and to face them with bravery.

Aldric. He is protective, strong, thoughtful, and brave. He also comes from a rough family background and thinks that he will ruin The Gents and their group of friends. I also loved his character growth and overcoming his emotional struggles.

Adele. I think she was my favorite character. She is a sweet girl raised unfortunately by parents who are not great people. I loved watching her relationship with Aldric and Celeste blossom. And the conversations about flowers, learning English melted my heart. So tender and sweet!

This is by far my favorite Gents book. I just loved it so much and I loved Celeste and Aldric. They are perfect for each other in every way!
Highly recommend this one!

Favorite Parts:
Unrequited Love
The Gents
Travel to France
Protective MMC
Secrets
Hide-and-seek
Walking in the Gardens of Versailles
Suspense and danger
On the run
The first kiss
Mystery
He saves her
Found family
Flowers
Adele
The Ending!

Content Guide:
Language: none
Sexual Content: Kissing only
Violence/gore: Mild-domestic physical abuse (mentioned several times happening in the past), attempted kidnapping, kidnapping, talk of unruly and violent upheavel in France, man is shot with pistol
Substance Use: none
Prejudices: none
Religious Content: Belief in God
Other: Controlling overbearing family members/verbally abusive, loss of loved ones (past), grief

Book Info:
Series: The Gents book 5
Genre: Historical Romance; Georgian era
Romance Level: Kisses only
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Covenant Communications
POV: Dual third person

Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy. All thoughts are my own. 

[Jane]

Oh how I love the Gents!! Every time I read a book in this series, it becomes my new favorite. And this one is incredible! Somehow, these books continue to get better! I love the friendships, the historical backdrops, and the beautiful love stories. Getting to know Aldric and Celeste was a privilege and a dream. I loved this book start to finish.

Friends to more. Brother’s best friend. Found family. French Revolution. Hidden identities. Secrets and mysteries. Swoony romance that feels like home.

I was thrilled to finally get Aldric’s story! The General has been such an integral part of the previous books. He always lives up to his name and can strategize anyone out of trouble. I love how he supports his friends. Seeing him get his happily ever after was so rewarding. Aldric has a difficult family background. Yet he is a loyal and trustworthy friend. I enjoyed learning about his relationship with his mother and her final gift to him. His relationships with the agents are so positive despite his family trauma. I’m so glad they found each other. And seeing him fall for Celeste was a joy.

I loved that we got to know Celeste as well! We get glimpses of her in previous books (particularly Henris) but getting to be inside her head and really understand her was a privilege. I admire her sacrifice and strength especially when helping those she loves. My heart ached for her as she struggled with her truly abhorrent oldest brother. Her relationship with Henri is so lovely and I adored her relationship with her niece, Adele. I loved seeing her find belonging and contentment with Aldric on their perilous journey. They encounter many dangers and must grapple with intense fear. Yet they also bring out the very best in each other.

This love story is slow burn perfection. Celeste has loved Aldric for years. And he has believed he will never love. But when they are forced together, they begin to take down their walls and truly see each other. I loved seeing Aldric fall in love. Such a beautiful, emotional and heartbreaking journey for him! Their first kiss will make you melt. And the finale of the book had my jaw on the floor and my heart pumping fast. Their happily ever after isn’t easy but it is the most beautiful, healing journey yet in this series.

An absolute must read!!

[Tamara]

My favourite one of The Gents, so far!

[Brittany]

This was another wonderful Gents novel! I love listening to these stories on audio. The narrator did a great job and it was a lot of fun to listen to.

This was definitely a slow burn, with sweet Celeste having pined for Aldric for years. I enjoyed seeing them grow close as they escaped across France.

The way the author wrapped things up in the end was very satisfying and having these two characters, who both had such dreadful family experiences growing up, find love with each other was extra sweet.

(4.5 stars)

[Megan]

"Love in a Mist" by Sarah M. Eden is book six in “The Gents” series but can also be read as a standalone. It is such a sweet story! It was so good to be back with all the familiar characters from this beloved series. Ms. Eden has a subtle humor in her writing that I love returning to. "Love in a Mist" takes place partly in France in 1789, amongst danger, uprisings, and riots in Paris, as the French Revolution is starting. Our main characters, Céleste and Aldric, must face danger in the uncertain times with the volatile political climate and danger from a mysterious source that they must escape. Will the danger and uncertainty bring them together and spark the flames of love? There is even a bit of a mystery and lots of adventure. The main characters learn to give themselves permission to not know what they are doing. There are complicated family dynamics and themes of family and found family. The plot was a little slow for me at times, but overall, it was a sweet and satisfying story! I recommend this story to fans of historical romance and lovers of this series!

Content: I give this book a higher PG rating due to the trigger warnings (see below). Some examples of the content: medical neglect.
TW: past physical abuse; control and manipulation; attempted abductions.

4.5 stars rounded up!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[ella]

this took me way too long to finish. I wasn't reading had no will or want too. hate when I go through periods like that. it's not necessarily a slump. I'd rate it a 3.5. or a 4. number ratings kindve all merge together for me.

Love in a mist thoughts:

"Did any of them know what it felt like to be the one left behind?" (63)

"I am not one who can usually sit comfortably when I haven't finished something I set out to do" (168)

"troubles don't come neatly lined up, one at a time. They overlap in complicated ways." (169)

"And had the release been relieving or simply more heartrending?" (184)

I was right I knew eventually she would give up her violin

[Sharon the Librarian]

This book took place in France and England in 1789 right as the French Revolution was taking shape. The rich were coming under fire and were not trusted or respected as had been the case for decades.

It is book 5 in The Gents series, but you could still enjoy it if you haven't read the others. I suspect however, you will fall so in love with the characters you will want to go back and read the previous books. The are brothers by choice, not by birth. Many of them have come from difficult familial circumstances and met at Cambridge and become brothers.

Aldric is the second son, hence not due any inheritance at his father's death. His brother is not very gentlemanly, aka- he's a real jerk, but controls the money and how much if any Aldric receives. His real family are his friends. They help each other and look out for each others interests.

Celeste is living in France with her oldest brother who has total control over her life. Where once an energetic and full of life girl, she is now withdrawn and quiet. She doesn't want any of their negative attention on her. Her 2nd brother is one of the Gents and she misses him terribly while he is away in London.

Violence erupts in Paris and many are forced to flee for their lives. No time to grab money or provisions- just leave and hope you are not spotted. The 2 of them end out traveling together under the guise of a newly married couple. There is tension, miscommunication, strategies, trust, and tears.

"Troubles don't come neatly lined up, one at a time. They overlap in complicated ways. Finding all of the answers isn't meant to happen in an instant."

They have many troubles, but they also lean on each other and almost dare to dream of a future. Until that future is threatened by those in control and their own doubts and fears.

Read it. Learn. Enjoy every page. I strongly recommend it to those that enjoy historical romance.

[Rebecca]

This might just be my favorite book by Sarah M. Eden. It was so cute! I loved the characters, the romance, the suspense, and the pay off from Book 3. I need Digby's book asap.

[QNPoohBear]

4.75 stars rounded up.

To say that Lord Aldric Benick comes from a dysfunctional family is to put it mildly. He is well aware Benicks break families and if he stays with his friend group, The Gents, any longer, he'll break them too. They haven't been the same since Stanley marched off to war and got himself killed. It's all Aldric's fault. He's the General. He tried to stop Stanley from being foolhardy and it didn't work. Now his best friend Henri, Henri's wife, Lucas Jonquil and his wife Julia are heading to Paris for the summer. Aldric comes along to his mother's homeland where a posthumous note from her reveals she has left him something that will be his freedom from his brother's tyranny. Paris, July 1789, Celeste Fortier knows all about tyrannical brothers. Her brother, Jean-Francois, is socially ambitious and trying to use Celeste to further his ambitions and enhance his coffers. Celeste knows how to deal with him and is planning a massive campaign to subtly get what she wants- a return to the country where she can breathe free and play her violin. If she plays her cards right, she can bring along her little niece Adele and remove the child from her parents' influence, if only for a little while. However, she's forced to change plans when unrest in Paris forces her to flee with Aldric Benick, the very man she lost her heart to seven years earlier. Celeste believes she's over her silly tendre for Lord Aldric but as they journey to and through the countryside of France fleeing villains and sans-culottes (soon-to-be Revolutionaries).

My heart sank when I read July 1789. I was mentally screaming at the Jonquils, Fortiers and Aldric to turn around and go back to England! La Marseilles kept running through my head and Jean Valjean declaring he broke a window pane, his sister's child was close to death, [they] were starving. Oh dear. A romance novel set during the earliest days of the French Revolution? How is that going to go? Well the answer is one breath-holding adventure that turns into a sweet, tender romance and a story of found family. I've studied the French Revolution and I knew what was going to happen in Paris and I know what is going to happen and let's say some of these characters need to be shoved to the guillotine when the time comes. My only major complaint about this novel is that there wasn't enough Gents. It's not as funny as some of the others.

The major characters are only Aldric, Celeste, Adele and their families. Henri is barely in the story and Lucas and Julia go their separate ways when Aldric and Celeste leave Paris. It was fun to read about Lucas and Julia as parents but so awfully sad to read the Earl Of Lampton has died already. Don't read this series without several hankies handy. One for the plot of the book you are reading and one for the foreshadowing of things to come. A couple of modern word and phrase choices took me out of the story a bit and I didn't like that. I was confused by the mention of Stanley Cummings going to war to look after Lucas's brother James. UM what brother? I thought they all died in childhood. I think I need to go back and reread every single book again in chronological order. Why didn't Lucas name any of his sons after his brother, who I assume was killed in the war or died shortly after? And actually the girl was not Charlotte after her twin so maybe just too painful to remember those they lost rather than those living people they love.

SO, Lord Aldric, frequently mentioned as someone a bit fearsome. The General. He's excellent at strategizing, telling everyone else what they should be doing and should not. He keeps The Gents from getting into more trouble than they do to begin with. He keeps a cool, level head in a crisis. What we don't know about him until now is his innermost thoughts and feelings. Inside he's a mess. His father, The Duke of Hartley, was a cruel, tyrannical man. He was heartless and selfish, caring only for his heir. The previous Duke, Aldric's father, treated his wife with zero respect, compassion, tenderness or any feeling at all except apparently contempt. His treatment of her was surely abusive, even for the time. The Duchess, Aldric's mother, was the opposite of her husband. She was kind, tenderhearted, loved flowers and her youngest son. She couldn't save her son from his father's wrath and brother's cruelty in life but she is trying to reach out after death and help rescue Aldric. Aldric's brother, Crofton, the Duke of Hartley, is cut from the same mold as his father. He's selfish and egotistical. Crofton enjoys the power trip of being a Duke so much he lords it over Aldric as if Aldric is a peasant serf or worse, a criminal. His wife goes along with it and not just to get along. They seem to be indifferent parents to little Roderick, the future Duke and will teach him to be just as selfish and cruel as they are. Aldric adores Roderick who loves his uncle very much. Aldric tries to be a positive influence on his nephew but his brother, aware of Aldric's feelings for the boy, will try to use the boy to control Aldric. Aldric is heartsick when he can't see his nephew and worries the boy will turn out like his father. He can't let that happen. Roderick is about 7 years old, still a baby in the nursery and innocent of his father's selfishness and cruelty. If Aldric has thought of marriage, he would like a wife he can adore, someone who is intelligent, clever and feels like a partner, companion and match in the way all the Gents' wives are. But he doesn't think he's meant for love or marriage.

Two years ago Celeste Fortier gave up her freedom, such as it was, to free her brother Henri from their brother's selfish tyranny. She didn't quite understand at the time that she would be locked in a gilded cage, taken out when it suited her sister-in-law to have a shopping companion or when her brother wants to ingratiate himself with some wealthy noble family or bourgeoise single gentleman. His sister is merely a means to an end. Jean-Francois cares nothing for Celeste or Henri, especially not Celeste. Celeste is a means to an end, a pawn in Jean-Francois's social climbing game and Celeste is miserable. She learned early on any attempts to fight back would make her much worse and more miserable than she thought possible. Celeste is highly intelligent and intuitive. She's aware of her brother's schemes and makes plans to thwart them so subtly he has no idea what is going on. Celeste is so great an actress, she fools even Aldric, who worries Celeste has become like his mother. She rouses his protective instincts. I
I love Celeste! She is incredibly smart, perceptive and a master strategist. I think she should talk more with Nicolette and Nicolette's friend, the Marquis de Lafayette, who has a cameo in this novel. Nicole has learned how to get what she wants and be patient while waiting for it. Her plan isn't the ideal solution but it's better than not doing anything and slowly dying.

Seven years ago Celeste lost her heart to Lord Aldric, two years ago she barely survived with her heart broken and now he's back. She doesn't quite know what to make of him. Sometimes he seems to disapproving but the more time they spend together, she sees the tenderhearted, broken man under the tough facade. He's incredibly kind to children and sweet and tender with Celeste as they travel together. If she's not careful, she'll lose her heart again and this time it won't recover. The romance is a slow burn and I love it. They already know each other but not well enough to KNOW each other. As they travel together, they get to know one another's minds, their fears and bond over their horrible families. They share the same dream- freedom from tyranny. (Really Celeste, ask Lafayette for help. He abhors slavery of all kinds. ) Celeste learns to lean on Aldric when she needs help, to trust him when she had thought he wasn't trustworthy and to help him when he needs emotional support as well. Celeste is wary of giving her heart away and Aldric believes he will ruin every relationship he has so he's too busy running from his feelings to stop and realize he's in love. I kind of wanted to knock their heads together sometimes. Even random strangers can see they're in love. Celeste's little niece Adele adores Aldric. They both love flowers and the little girl can sense Aldric is a good man. It does Celeste's heart good to see Adele run and play like an actual child even if she's wary around her Tante Celeste. Aldric has a theory about why Adele isn't as in love with her aunt as she is with Aldric and I was thinking along the same lines. Celeste, Aldric and Adele make a beautiful family and I kind of hope the girl's parents don't want her back.

Celeste's brother is cut from the same cloth as Aldric's but I think more selfish. Crofton enjoys power and control. It gives him an ego boost. He likes messing with his little brother and making his brother miserable. After all, their father hated their younger son. Their mother taught him to be a decent human and not like their father at all so naturally Crofton, like Voldemort, fears love. Crofton is nasty but Jean-Francois needs to be taken to the guillotine. He's not as arrogant as Crofton but he would like that kind of power. Jean-Francois is absolutely nasty. He only cares about people he can use as a means to an end. He's a social climber and money obsessed. Now Henri is independent and can't be controlled, Jean-Francois has turned to Celeste. He basically enslaves her. J-F forced Celeste to socialize when and where and with whom he decides will help further his interests. Marguerite, his wife, is indifferent and treats Celeste little better than a slave. Celeste sees Marguerite as well-meaning but overbearing but I disagree. She's pretty bad and not in a bossy big sister sort of way. She does seem to care about her child and her child to be. She goes along with her husband's plans because she has to and because she wants a better life for her children. I feel kind of bad for her. Jean-Francois could care less about his daughter and I am sure he's only waiting until she's old enough to marry off. If perception is everything to them, they should want to appear to be better parents than they are.

Nasty Jean-Francois is up to no good any which way you look at it. He's pushing Celeste at Pierre Leandre, who lost Nicolette to Henri and sued for her dowry. Unfortunately the French courts gave him Nicolette's money and now J-F sees Pierre as an eligible parti for Celeste. Oh no! We know Pierre is nasty. He's sly and money grubbing. I think Jean-Francois wants to be best buddies now Pierre has money. The other suitor he's pushing on Celeste is very young, the son of wealthy and influential D'Auberts. This suitor seems like a boy still. I don't think he wants to marry Celeste but perhaps his parents are pushing him.

There is a villain or two in this story beyond the brothers. I didn't expect that but I absolutely love a good mystery. I thought the brothers were bad but the villain is truly evil. I couldn't put the book down until I knew who it was and what was going to happen. I guessed who it probably was but there were twists I didn't expect. Jean-Francois is no longer my top pick to guillotine first. The villain first and then brother. But not Marguerite because I think she has potential to be a better person away from her husband if she's financially and socially secure and with her children anyway.

I like Mrs. Sommers, Celeste's English chaperone. Mrs. Summers appears to be a middle class woman or just shy of genteel. She's nice and not bossy or intrusive. I especially like her because she speaks her mind! Yet she's a random character, a stranger and it's supposed to be The Gents who help bring about the happy ending and I missed that in this story.

Even though Stanley Cummings didn't live long enough to fall in love and marry, we still get his story. Like his sister, he was smart and wise. He had a knack for assessing people and deciding their worth based on their character and not money or social influence. He made a lot of profound statements to everyone else but was running from something, towards something? Everyone misses him and The Gents aren't as merry without him. Aldric blames himself for Stanley running off to war but didn't Kes try to stop Stanley too? I'm sure they all did but Stanley insisted on going to war. He knew there was a chance he'd be killed and did it anyway. WHY I'm not certain because clearly he should have been on the Patriot side since he can't stand bullies. King George, apparently doesn't qualify. And if Stanley cared deeply about the happiness of all of his friends, why did he go to war?

Henri and Nicolette have a duty but I think he's being too much like his nickname. It's not his responsibility to calm Paris and I think it's too late. People are literally starving in the streets, they're angry and that anger led to a great deal of violence for the rest of the century into the next. Henri loves Nicolette and if she stays, he does. Henri loves his sister but he hasn't seen her in a long time and has no idea what has been going on. He's powerless to help her. Any attempt to try to alleviate the situation would go badly for him. Of all the Gents, I think he has the most gentle soul and probably feels his sister's pain acutely and is torturing himself because he can't help. Aldric feels pain because Henri won't leave and he worries Henri will be killed. He can't bear to lose another friend. Perhaps Aldric is the most sensitive of them all. Henri's Bishop persona might help but Aldric won't leave it to chance. He'll do anything to save his friend even risk his own life.

Our Julia is with child again. Philip is about 4 and likely wreaking havoc in the nursery getting Layton into and out of trouble. Julia seems to enjoy traveling now and is eager to see Paris before the new baby arrives and she'll be at home with the children. Lucas and Julia don't care to be away from the boys too often or for too long.

Now we need Digby's story but also another hankie. Or more. I also need a story about Roderick and Adele because the ending of the book leaves me with some questions. Roderick is the Duke of Hartley everyone seems to be friends with in the Jonquils and Lancasters series. The Duke's wife is Adele so I assume that's the little girl in this story. What happened to Crofton and his wife? Did Jean-Francois and Marguerite come to England for Adele or did they get guillotined? Sarah please please write us Roderick and Adele's story. He's in the background of so many of the other books but we don't actually know him. One other question will likely be answered in Digby's story. Kes and Violet will be the next to become parents. We don't know their children, do we? We met only Niles and Penny's son and nephew. I don't want the series to end or to ever leave the Jonquils but I am dying to know who Digby's match is. Contradictory feelings there.

This is such a wonderful series, a perfect prequel to The Jonquils. I hope new fans will pick this series up and read all of the books in the Regency world of Sarah M. Eden.

[Berly]

My favorite Gents book so far!

Also contains an audiobook review.

This is the 5th book in the Gents series. It is a Georgian era romance. It is best read along with the others in the series, particularly after the 3rd book, Fleur de Lis.

The Gents are a group of men that became brothers during their school years. Each book features a different Gentleman's turn at love. But these books contain much more than just a romance. There is such depth of character and growth to them.

Again several of the group are featured in this book, although not all of them are as prominent as they have been in the others in the series. It is helpful to get some background not just on the characters but also on the family dynamics and world events by having read the previous books, and as I mentioned especially Fleur de Lis.

I listened to the audiobook as I have for all of these. It is the same narrator, and she is not my favorite. I will say that I do prefer her more when she has French accents, like are prevalent in this story.

[Sandra Moreira]

This series is absolutely amazing! Sarah M. Eden is one of my absolute favourites!! I need to do a good evaluation to the series books , for now I will just say. Read it they are all great stories, it's great how all stories and series are connected.

My absolute favourites are Lucas and Sophie, they are the glue that stitch together all the relations from the Gents. By the way... NO DIGBY STORY?!?!?!? NOT YET?!?!? My heart is broken... let's proceed... love, love the serie the couples, the Gents, the new additions, the teasing, the historical reality, in a word: all!

[Diane Shearer]

What a beautiful story! How I love The Gents! It happened that I listened to Love in a Mist and The Best-kept Secrets on the same day. Both take place within angry, abusive, quarrelsome families, which really makes me anxious. I want to buy copies of Co-dependent No More for Aldric, Celeste, and Duke (the other book) and send them all to Al-Anon to learn about boundaries. You teach people how to treat you. But it’s fiction and back then keeping the peace was how the ton behaved. Drove me nuts. Even so, this a great story, a wonderful addition to Eden World. Makes me want to do a reread. So much talk of Stanley in this story. It really ends without tying up the loose ends, especially with those characters that didn’t leave France, so I guess there will be more to this story as the series continues. Highly recommended.

[Marsha]

Aldric and Celeste were two VERY broken people. Sometimes the portrayal of their internal personal struggles made the story drag but hang in there as this really was a good book. Aldric has never been my favorite of The Gents but he add an interesting dimension to the group. The time period, which was the start of the French Revolution, also made for an interesting historical setting for the story. I definitely enjoyed the read.

[Kristy]

I get slightly annoyed when the characters fixate on one flaw in themselves and don’t communicate but I liked the French Revolution setting a lot. I didn’t think it needed all the extra intrigue because if it though. Overall another enjoyable clean romance.

[Kristalyne, love.lovely.books]

This book is beautifully written and it immediately pulled me in. I felt like I was there right alongside these incredible characters!

I love the beginning of the book as it’s a flashback to how Lord Aldric joined the gents all those years ago! This is the first full length book I’ve read in this series and it made me feel apart of the story and this group of friends!

I love Celeste. She is just so lovely! I loved getting Aldric’s inner thoughts and I knew immediately their story would be amazing!

I didn’t want to stop reading this intriguing book! The characters, the settings, the danger, mystery and suspense had me captivated!

The slow burn between Aldric and Celeste had me turning the pages! What a touching and moving story!

The ending left me with a happy heart, and tears in my eyes. I loved this book and I can’t wait to go back and read the previous stories in this series!!

Favorites:
🤍Pre Revolution France
🤍The Gents
🤍The found family
🤍Unrequited love
🤍Dangerous journey
🤍Clever, endearing characters
🤍Little Adele
🤍The flowers
🤍Unputdownable
🤍Beautiful healing love story
🤍Brilliantly and amazingly written
🤍Overcoming so much, and finding home!!!!
.
.
.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the arc copy. A positive review was not required but freely given. All opinions are my own.

Content: cruel family, mistreatment by family members, danger, some violence

[The Sunshine Bookworm]

Where have the Gents been all my life?!

To preface, I jumped right into this book, with this being my first Gents books and not yet having read the entire Jonquil brothers/Lancaster books. I was completely blown away! You can definitely jump in mid-series with this like I did, although it will give you some major FOMO and a strong desire to binge read the rest of the series so as to better appreciate all the shared moments and connections between the characters. The Gents and their wives are just so instantly loveable, you will want to know them all and read for yourself how they got together.

Now, back to Love in a Mist! Celeste Fortier is used to heartbreak, ridicule, and abandoment. But living under the thumb of her horrid brother, Jean-Francois, pushes her to the very edge of her threshold of tolerance. It's only the knowledge that everything she's doing is benefitting her other brother, Henri, that keeps her going from day to day. When Henri himself arrives at her doorstep with a few of the Gents, including her old crush "The General" Aldric Benick, she is absolutely delighted to finally be in the company of such wonderful people.

If there's one thing that Aldric knows for sure, it's that Benicks ruin families. Coming from as rotten stock as he must surely mean he doesn't deserve the company of the Gents, let alone a family of his own. Yet it is also those same experiences with his family that make it so easy to see through the mask Celeste puts on and recognize how much she is suffering in her current situation. He's determined to help her, but as turmoil broils in pre-revolutionary Paris and threats to their safety begin to mount, the General is terrified of failing to keep those he loves safe.

I loved all the suspense in this one! There were so many intricate moving parts to the mystery, I found myself musing over the plot when I wasn't reading it. I was surprised by the ending, and as soon as I finished, I wanted to reread it again to absorb it all! The romance as well was SO satisfying. I love the best friend's sisters trope. There's nothing more heartbreaking than being relegated to "best friend's sister" status when what you really want is "love of my life status". There was also tons of heartwarming scenes with Aldric and children that I just ate up. I liked that he was portrayed as the natural with children, rather than Celeste.

The audiobook for this is also really good (I half listened, half e-book read this one, and I enjoyed both experiences). Highly recommend!

[Shayla Riley]

Love in a Mist
(The Gents #5)
by: @sarah_m_eden

••I give 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

~An unexpected letter. A secret inheritance. A love caught between loyalty and revolution...

-Just when I think I have a favorite book within The Gents Series, dear @sarah_m_eden beautifully reminds me that there is still more to come. Love in a Mist, my heart was filled with such beauty from the dear pages. Old wounds will resurface, hearts are treated, and amid the chaos of revolution, love might truly be the most daring escape of all, which is not for the faint of heart. I loved watching characters grow while both fought for the freedom to live lives based on their own terms, away from the dictates and overbearing demands of their families. This perilous journey is filled with twists, heart-stopping moments, and tender scenes that bring them closer together. Themes of bravery, courage, hope, friendship, love, home and sweet joy are also found within. This dear story is worth the read!📚❤️

“She closed the single step that separated them and leaned against him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her. He felt the strength of that simple touch clear to his soul. Aldric had, in the past, been the recipient of female attention. He’d been part of a few harmless flirtations. While he’d enjoyed those moments, he’d never felt strengthened by them, buoyed up, reinforced. It wasn’t something he’d realized was even possible.”

•Content: No language, violence across country which will force so many to flee for their lives, Revolution, daring escapes, simmering tensions, loss, kisses only! Clean-closed door!

“Troubles don’t come neaty fined up, one at a
been time. They overlap in complicated ways. Finding all of the answers isn’t meant to happen in an instant.”

-I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

“You gave me the chance to prove myself worthy of building a life with you is the greatest gift I could ever imagine.”

#loveinamist
#sarahmeden
#shadowmountainpub

“Theirs was, indeed, going to be an exceptionally beautiful life together.

#allaboutthebestreads

[Annika Finley]

Yay for transitional characters!

Haven’t decided on a rating yet haha. Probably my third favorite Gents book, will probably get a 4.5.

I felt like it ranks second in being a page turner after Snapdragons (ugh still just love that book sm), there was a lot going on. While it was nice to keep the story going, ironically it also made me miss the slower paced books with the fun game nights, etc. haha. So bittersweet I guess?

The only reason I wouldn’t give it 5 stars is because of how terrible Celeste and Aldric were at communicating during their struggles. Kinda drove me crazy haha. Especially after their perfect kiss, when I was excited for them to start understanding each other better. I think Lucas and Julia win for worst communicators before the resolution at the end of a book, but Celeste and Aldric were a close second or mayyyyybe first (I’d have to read book #1 again to confirm). So while their communication struggles drove me crazy, they were also understandable because of their traumatic pasts and I’m glad they finally were able to figure things out. Just don’t think it had to have been such an issue for so much of the book.

I was probably least excited to read Aldric’s love story because of his personality haha but this book definitely endeared me to his character! I also thought it was really cute how he kept referring to Henri as his best friend (I’ve grown a bit tired of the gents always referring to Stanley as their bestie. Realistically I don’t think that would actually be the case). SO cute that Aldric fell in love with his bestie’s sister and that Henri fell in love with his sister’s bestie hehe ♡

I also loved how this book had more historical elements. It was fun! Also, if Adele doesn’t stay with Celeste and Aldric permanently I’m not going to be happy. lol

[herdys]

It has been some time since a Sarah M Edén book hooked me this much. I read it in two days cause I need to keep on reading. I knew nothing bad would happen, but it was so nerve-wracking to see the revolution through our heroine and the fear and uncertainty at that time.

I really loved our OTP. They both needed to be loved and it was heartbreaking to see how family by blood can hurt you so much. I wish someday we may get Stanley's POV someday in a short story. Just like Lucas was such a great figure in the Jonquil books, Stanley is in the Gents books. I'm sad that we only have one book left but I'm so ready for Digby's book!

[Jessie]

Love, found family, and adventure meet in this book set during the French Revolution. Celeste and Aldric are in a race against time and unseen enemies as they flee the unrest. The setting was intriguing, the danger was real, and the story was filled with little moments of sweetness and growing trust. I loved Celeste and Aldric, their chemistry, but also their love and protection of sweet little Adele. It would definitely be hard to flee into the countryside with a five year old in tow. This was a great story of found family and overcoming decades of dysfunctional family patterns. I just wanted to hug the three of them.

[jennie.and.books]

This was such a good story!!!

Love the Gents and loved this journey to France. I loved the best friend's sister vibes, too.

Mixing in some French Revolution chaos as well as threats made, I enjoyed the suspense in this one. The journey was very good!

Loved the characters! Adding in a sweet little girl to the story always makes it hit a little harder. A man who little kids adore is a good one!

I loved the internal journeys these two went on as well!

[Casey Cline]

This one was difficult for me to get into. I’m not the best with remembering names and so having all the gents back with their names, titles, and nicknames and then not remembering their backstories made the first 1/3rd hard to understand. Things got going when Aldric and Celeste started their journey but then it was a lot of wagon riding. The end really picked up with the villain causing troubles

[Gail Nelson]

So adorable. I always waited for the stern general to finally find his own love, and it was as lovely as I’d hoped it would be.

I did wish there was a bit less wishy washiness from the pair however, it became slightly frustrating when they would take one step forward, and two steps back. I wished there was more connection than just all at the end.

However, this series is very dear to me and I have nothing else to complain about.

I highly recommend this book, 4.5/5 stars.

[Jami Pruitt (My.lovely_readingcorner)]

Favorite parts: 
- Stanley
- Visiting Versailles
- Their kiss
- The rescue
- Her defense of him

I absolutely loved reading Adlric's story! It was so wonderful getting to know him better. I also loved getting more glimpses into to Stanley's character. I love how integral he was in the Gents friendship.

Being in Paris at the beginning of the revolution would have been terrifying. Celeste showed such strength and courage throughout the whole ordeal escaping Paris to safety.

I truly enjoyed seeing Aldric and Celeste work together and in the process fall in love. It was so fun to also get to see the other Gents and some of their wives in the story. I love how connected and supportive this group of friends is.

This is the 5th book in The Gents series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but is best enjoyed being read in order.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Anna (The_Reading_Pantry)]

Love in a Mist reminded me why Sarah M. Eden’s books are so easy to sink into. What stood out to me most was the emotional maturity of the romance. It felt thoughtful rather than rushed, and I appreciated how the characters’ connection was built on trust, regret, and genuine personal growth.

Happy to step back into the world of the gents. Their humor and camaraderie is great.

[Valerie]

This was a well written historical novel based mostly in France as two lonely friends rush through France to escape the Revolution and people who are hunting them and the little niece they are protecting. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Breeana]

I really liked the historical fiction element to this one with the upheaval in France. I also appreciated reading about a character with eye sight difficulties in such a unique way. This is one of my favorites of Sarah M. Eden's!

[Donna]

Audio. Great story. Interesting setting in France just as the French rebellion begins. Scary times. Some evil people and glimmers of hope.

[Annalee Woodruff]

finished in 2 days. lots of history and drama and action and SWOON WORTHY romance 😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰

[Jessica McAvoy]

If you are in the mood for an uncomplicated, happy ending escape from reality then you will probably like this book. I can be in that mood. I wasn’t in it when I read it. However, I could see how a lot of ladies would like this story. I got kind of hung up on how unrealistic certain parts of the storyline were. The gents act more like female friends, than the male friends I know and see interacting with each other. The only people that tell Aldric, they love him, are his guy friends? Maybe, Victorian Era men were more forthcoming about their feelings for each other, but I don’t think so. That that is more a modern thing, and even in modern terms really masculine men are not as verbally affectionate as that. I will say that I predicted most of the twists, but she did catch me off guard when Celeste gave her violin in place of the necklace Aldric’s mother left him. That was really sweet. I am not the biggest fan of characters that are constantly assuming mistakenly the feelings of another, so there’s a lot of that in this book. The story is redeemed a bit as Aldric and Celeste clearly have emotional trauma from their childhood, so it’s plausible that they would always assume the worst about relationships. I don’t know if it would be as socially adept in other situations, but maybe. Overall, it was entertaining, and once they left Paris, it was hard to put the book down.

Aldric believes that he comes from a family who ruins everything. As a result, he believes he should never have a family because he would just destroy them too. His father and older brother are really big jerk faces. However, Aldric loved his mother. He blames himself and part for her death, because she pleaded with her husband to bring a doctor, and when her husband refused, Aldric began pleading. His father responded by physically beating him into silence. How his child mind thinks of those events causes him to blame himself for going silent. His father has died before the book begins, and his older brother seemed gleeful at the will reading. Henri and his wife announce they have to go to Paris. Aldric learns that his mother left him something with the Gardner at Versailles. Lucas and Julia decide to go as well as one last hurrah before her third childbirth. There is this sad reference to Julia assuring Lucas that once the children lead their nest, they will travel the world together. 😢 it was a gut punch knowing what happens. You also learned that Aldric warns Stanley he has a bad premonition of Stanley becoming a soldier for the British in the revolutionary war. He tells Stanley he doesn’t think he will return. Aldric notices Stanley appears to have had the same impression. Meaning Stanley believed he was sacrificing his life when he signed up to be a soldier. Celeste has been living with her brother, and slowly been ground down as an obedient sister in order for her older brother to keep giving Henri his living. She is essentially a doll and the oldest brother’s estimation. It has gotten so bad that she has to report to her brother what room in the house she is going to and when she will return. He has strangled away her freedom, and his wife is of a similar, albeit more flighty, stock. Their daughter, Adele, was generally ignored. Celeste was very worried about her, and had concocted a plan where she acted more and more exhausted as if she was coming down with illness. Her doctor agreed to eventually recommend that she returned home to the country from the Paris season. This would give her time away from her brother, and she was hoping she could convince them to let her bring her niece along too.
It all changed when Henri and the gents showed up. She continued in her rues, but things got dicey fast. Someone had been sending threatening letters to her older brother, and at a ball a man grabbed her threatening her. She tried to push down her feelings for Aldric. However, see was only mildly successful. Aldrich kept a distance from her, knowing that his family ruins families. There was also this side plot that Aldric was preparing to leave the gents so he didn’t hurt them too. That one made Aldric look kind of “woe is me”. The Gents immediately notice that something is wrong with Celeste and her older brother. He makes crazy demands to which she just submits. By strategy, they are able to get her away for a day and a half. It’s that day that they all go to Versailles for various reasons, and Aldric is able to obtain the package his mother left with the gardner. He is too nervous to open it as it will be his mother’s last communication with him. The beginning of the French revolution is about to start, and things become very dangerous in Paris. Soon Celeste is forced to flee Paris with Aldric, Adele, Julia, and Lucas. Julia and Lucas part ways once they reach Celeste family estate in the country. Soon there are whispering that the lower classes are fed up with a higher classes. They are tipped off that a mob is coming to the family estate. Aldric quickly makes plans and they leave. When they notice a carriage is following them, they pull over at an inn. The carriage never follows them, so Celeste pulls out her violin and starts playing. It calms their whole party. Adele has very quickly attached herself to Aldric, but is distant from Celeste. It is speculated that the reason why is because her brother sewed distrust and his daughter for her aunt. However, that is never confirmed. They end up switching their carriage and horse for a farmer’s cart and horse. Celeste is able to secure more plain clothing. This helps a bit, however, a man is still able to track them to an abandoned farmhouse where they were waiting out the rain. The man grabs Adele, but Aldric is able to catch up to them and the man abandons the kidnapping. Aldric begins to feel like he failed them, and that gets to his head and he starts to pull back. Celeste starts to feel him distancing and she puts up her wall of indifference that she has learned to use with her emotionally abusive family, except for Henri. He reads her indifference as confirmation that she believes he failed them. They do have to act like husband and wife a couple times which results in a few kisses. This is excruciating for Celeste as she has loved this man for years and, based on his in different attitude, believes nothing will ever come of it. Eventually, Aldric opens his mother‘s package and learns that his mother left him a very valuable necklace, knowing that her oldest son will act cruelly to Aldric. It is enough for a small fortune, allowing Aldric to have independence from his elder brother. However, once the three arrive at the English channel, they do not have enough money to pay the fare to return to England. Aldric resolves to use the necklace so they can live another day. Celeste is repulsed by the thought. She convinces Aldric to let her do it so that he doesn’t have to give away the necklace his mother secured for him. Once they arrive in England they pick up a Mrs. Summers to be the chaperone. The miscommunication between Celeste and Aldric has built so much to this point that both are very confused in assuming the other thinks the worst of them, or in Celeste case that Aldric views her as just his friends little sister. Once they arrive at Aldric’s estate, they find his elder brother there. Celeste feels very ignored as no one worries about what room to put her in. Eventually, Mrs. Summer’s intervenes and tells her that Aldric loves her. She convinces Celeste to let her guard down a bit. Celeste realizes that he became very distant after Adele was almost kidnapped, and correctly believes, perhaps he withdrew because he let them down. She goes to Aldric, and confesses her feelings for him. Aldric has learned that Celeste bartered her beloved violin instead of his mother‘s necklace. She leaves to allow him to think about it, and begins walking to a neighbor’s home that she plans to stay at. By this point, Aldric’s brother has revealed that he plans to take Aldric’s property for himself. So both Celeste and Aldric come from families with very selfish fathers and eldest brothers. They can empathize with each other on a level a few others could. As she is walking to the neighbors house she realizes that the handwriting that had seemed familiar from one of the threatening notes was Nicolette’s former finance. He grabbed her before she can do anything about it. You learn that the two suitors Celeste had met at a ball were the two behind the threats. The ex fiancé was easier to deduce. However, they each wanted to resolve the situation differently. The one guy wanted Celeste dead to hurt her older brother, and so he wouldn’t have to marry her. The ex fiancé wanted her alive to use against her Henri. Just as they are about to kill her, Henri shows up. Then someone shoots the ex fiancé before he can fire on Celeste. Turns out Nicolette and Aldric were in the carriage too. Her brother and his wife had stayed in Paris because they were part of some spy network from 2 books ago, but they had stopped by Aldric’s home on their way to the inn that Celeste was being held at. Henri had rushed after his sister two days after she had left Paris because he figured out his dealing with the ex fiance put Celeste in danger. Her oldest brother had been exhorting money from them. Which begs the question why didn’t they try and kill her sooner? I guess it was because her older brother had such a tight leash on her? Anyway, Aldric confesses his feelings for Celeste. Celeste convinces his older brother to allow Aldric’s nephew to come to them every Christmas as a way to let Aldric have influence in his nephew. The book ends with Celeste and Aldrich married, Adele still living with them, her brother writing to blame her for not protecting the family estate from being burned down by the mob. Notably Adele’s father did not ask for Adele to be returned. Julia and Lucas now have the twins. There is no mention of Adele’s younger sibling that was in utero when Celeste fled Paris. Aldric had found a small manner home for his family to live on. The gents showed up at one point and convinced him that he’s great, and not bad for families. They made a really good point that he was only focused on his father, but forgot the influence of his mother. He feels a lot better about being a dad.