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Read by Candlelight #3
The Well-Dressed Werewolf
When the full moon is a black-tie event.
Felix Wood, valet, is determined to halt his employer’s downward spiral. Just because the man is a vicious beast three nights a month doesn’t mean he can’t be an impeccably dressed gentleman the rest of the month. Felix’s commitment to duty convinces Westaway, a man of more wealth than sense, that Felix is the valet he—and his large wardrobe—deserve. There’s just one problem: Felix already has a gentleman, and his presence is the only thing between Robin and self-destruction.
When a werewolf and his keeper are brutally murdered, Westaway and Felix must work together to prevent the Society of Lycanthropes and their Keepers being ripped apart. But even as he risks his life to save Robin, Felix finds himself drawn closer to Westaway, in an attraction that could destroy everything he values.
A Gothic Paranormal Romance.
Felix Wood, valet, is determined to halt his employer’s downward spiral. Just because the man is a vicious beast three nights a month doesn’t mean he can’t be an impeccably dressed gentleman the rest of the month. Felix’s commitment to duty convinces Westaway, a man of more wealth than sense, that Felix is the valet he—and his large wardrobe—deserve. There’s just one problem: Felix already has a gentleman, and his presence is the only thing between Robin and self-destruction.
When a werewolf and his keeper are brutally murdered, Westaway and Felix must work together to prevent the Society of Lycanthropes and their Keepers being ripped apart. But even as he risks his life to save Robin, Felix finds himself drawn closer to Westaway, in an attraction that could destroy everything he values.
A Gothic Paranormal Romance.
230 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2019
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September 23, 2024
This was a big disappointment in terms of both the romance and the mystery. It's my third try by this author and a pattern has emerged: the historical authenticity/details are top notch, the romance is barely more than a subplot and the mystery is either jaw-droppingly brilliant or amateur and simplistic. Unfortunately, this book's mystery was an example of the latter, which is why I didn't enjoy it.
The Positives
As always, the positives include the author's ability to seemingly effortlessly depict the time period she's chosen - Edwardian in this case. Every detail, every line of dialog, every action perfectly depicts that time period which is a skill that most authors writing in this subgenre don't have. Another positive is that I loved both MCs and they were interesting, well rounded individuals. I adored both Felix and Westaway, although the latter was so rarely in the story that he felt like a side character.
I also loved the fact that Felix is a valet but he's also Robin's only servant so he takes on the role of housekeeper, butler, errand boy and everything else. Servant characters are one of my favorites so it was a delight to see Felix carrying out his duties while also dealing with the insanity of being surrounded by werewolves, werewolf politics and having a killer in their midst.
Speaking of Felix being a valet - there's a huge deal made out of Felix being a valet who loves the clothing-focus aspects of his job and in beautiful complement to that, Westaway is also a huge fan of fashion. They both pick up on this shared interest and throughout the story, Westaway uses his clothing choices to communicate certain things to Felix, which Felix immediately picks up on. For example - Westaway wearing is always a sign that Westaway or the other people are there with the intention of protecting Felix. Or there's a heartbreaking scene where . All of this was very well done and I wish this had been a bigger focus in the story because exploring men's fashion in such a way is something that's not often done.
I also liked the strong Agatha Christie And Then There Were None vibes in the early parts of the mystery which involved a group of people coming to an isolated island and multiple murders happening.
Now for the negatives:
Minor Issues
+ The book had quite a few sloppy SPAG errors, including some missing word situations. The writing style is very solid otherwise but unfortunately, this makes the errors stand out a lot and there were enough of them that it was a distraction. I've seen much worse but this lack of effort was also reflected in the amateur mystery and the lackluster romance so they're all signs that the author was rushing. Since the author pumped out half a dozen full length books in both 2019 and again in 2020, it's no surprise that the books aren't nearly as polished as they should be but that's the author's choice.
+ There were way too many characters and many of them had histories with each other, they were from different social classes and had different relationships with each other (familial, schoolmates, employee-employer etc) so I had a really hard time keeping track of who was who. The author did their best by giving everybody unique names and trying to give each person a defining characteristic that made them stand out. It reminded me of Agatha Christie's approach but the problem here is that I was reading a romance so I was focused on getting to know Felix and Westaway and I wasn't willing to expend extra energy on getting to know side characters the way I would with a Christie novel, where getting to know the big cast is a requirement that readers are aware of going in. IMO, a romance isn't the right genre for a typical big-cast, multiple subplots type of mystery because it felt too cluttered.
+ It's established quickly that werewolves become mindless, violent creatures when they're in their wolf form. They're extremely aggressive and will attack and kill whatever human they come across, no matter who that human is. Then we have Westaway, who . While we get an explanation about this late in the book, what puzzled me is that Felix and many others spend little time marveling about this mind blowing fact. In fact, Felix has little reaction the first time he finds out that . He acts like it's something he's known for ages or it's something normal, which made no sense. Clearly, the author wanted to save the explanations for later, but this made Felix's lack of curiosity seem forced.
+ Carmichael is a character who is really important to the story and he often exchanges letters with Felix. Throughout the story, we know he's about to be released from prison so I was eager to meet him. But for some reason, the author decides to have . So the guy never ever appears on-page, which felt like a bizarre choice and it left me disappointed.
Felix's Relationship with Robin
I was patient and forgiving during the first two books I read by this author but now I've reached my limit. This book is marketed as being a MM romance first and foremost. The dynamic and developing romance between the MCs is clearly advertised in the blurb as being an important part of the story. This means the author is courting the MM romance market and being published in 2019, the author has plenty of resources to consult regarding what the romance genre expectations are. It's become apparent to me that having her books not meet those expectations is a choice, not an accident. This book isn't a romance. It's historical gay fiction with two romance subplots and the main one (the one between the MCs) barely gets any development.
Throughout the majority of the story, Felix is having a romance with Robin. Felix was an orphan living on the streets of London when at the age of 9, he dove into the Thames to save the life of Little Lordling Robin, who had accidentally fallen in. They became instant friends and Robin's family took Felix in to serve as Robin's lifelong servant. Felix always makes it clear that the family never considered him a son and always treated him like a servant, which is the attitude that Robin also has towards Felix. Any notion that this is a cute, healthy friends-to-lovers romance vanishes when readers get to see how dismissive Robin acts towards Felix and how he doesn't hesitate to put Felix into his place if he feels Felix is acting a bit too familiar/casual. Even worse, Robin and Felix's 'relationship' became sexual at some point and it's obvious that Robin views Felix as a convenient source of sexual gratification who also conveniently picks out his clothes for him and brings him his meals. Unfortunately, while everybody else can see how unhealthy this 'relationship' is, Felix has been head over heels in love with Robin for years and that's the big problem in the story because Felix remains devoted to Robin and in love with him for almost the entire story. Here's proof:
+ At 62%, . Up to this point, Felix has been under the impression that Robin loves him and Felix has been fully committed to him and has been rebuffing Westaway's advances.
+ At 72%, .
+ At 77%, Felix finds out that .
Who the hell writes a romance where by 80%, one of the MCs is still in love with their former partner and their new romance with the other MC has barely gotten off the ground?? I'm convinced the author doesn't actually like the romance genre and shoves her novels into it to take advantage of the built-in audience.
Felix's Relationship with Westaway
Felix and Westaway are supposed to be the MCs in this romance and their romance is marketed to be a major draw for the story. Unfortunately, the author decides to have Westaway be off-page so often that the guy feels like a side character in his own romance. When you add in having Felix be in love with somebody else for the vast majority of the story and having so much else happening, it's easy to see why the romance barely gets off the ground.
The author does make a tiny bit of effort, like how at 73%, . I got really frustrated with Felix but I also got annoyed at Westaway, who was wasting his time on a guy who was clearly still in love with somebody else. It didn't matter how much they had in common and how good of a couple they would make - Felix was in love with somebody else and that relationship was the main focus in the story.
Making things worse is that the author included two plotlines that were tailor-made to advance the romance between Felix and Westaway but the execution deliberately veered away from doing so. The first plotline happens when . The situation could be put into a How To Develop A Romance guidebook...except the author doesn't advance the romance at all. Westaway goes above and beyond to protect Felix and he does adorable things like making Felix a nest on the bed but Felix acts casual through the whole thing. He doesn't acknowledge Westaway's actions as being anything special and when morning comes, they never talk about the situation again. It only comes up in brief throwaway lines between Felix and other characters.
Another plotline was when Felix goes to tell Westaway .
An Overly Simplistic Mystery
Since the romance was a disappointment the whole way through, I kept reading because I was hoping the mystery would blow my mind like The Mystery of Brackenwell Hall did. Throughout the story, the large cast of characters is slowly decreased as multiple murders happen and they're all creative and puzzling. The author moves the action to different locations and uses the established defining traits of the side characters to keep readers guessing. I was hoping for a mind blowing twist like with Brackenwell Hall, which was why I was really disappointed when we find out that the most obvious suspects are the murderers. The author wasn't even trying. . In addition, I never understood either of their motivations for some of the murders. The first murder makes sense because it . But from then on, the rest of the murders didn't make sense to me. In particular, one of the villains is known for being so it didn't make sense that he'd get involved in a months-long complex serial killing spree that required constant work to keep suspicions off himself.
Conclusion
While I adore this author's approach to writing historical fiction, I'm going to put the rest of their books on my backburner for now. It's become clear that the author has little interest in the romance aspect of their stories, which means their focus isn't what I'm looking for. In addition, I thought the author was at least going to consistently deliver mind blowing mysteries but after two out of three proved to be duds, I've lost my enthusiasm for their work.
The Positives
As always, the positives include the author's ability to seemingly effortlessly depict the time period she's chosen - Edwardian in this case. Every detail, every line of dialog, every action perfectly depicts that time period which is a skill that most authors writing in this subgenre don't have. Another positive is that I loved both MCs and they were interesting, well rounded individuals. I adored both Felix and Westaway, although the latter was so rarely in the story that he felt like a side character.
I also loved the fact that Felix is a valet but he's also Robin's only servant so he takes on the role of housekeeper, butler, errand boy and everything else. Servant characters are one of my favorites so it was a delight to see Felix carrying out his duties while also dealing with the insanity of being surrounded by werewolves, werewolf politics and having a killer in their midst.
Speaking of Felix being a valet - there's a huge deal made out of Felix being a valet who loves the clothing-focus aspects of his job and in beautiful complement to that, Westaway is also a huge fan of fashion. They both pick up on this shared interest and throughout the story, Westaway uses his clothing choices to communicate certain things to Felix, which Felix immediately picks up on. For example - Westaway wearing is always a sign that Westaway or the other people are there with the intention of protecting Felix. Or there's a heartbreaking scene where . All of this was very well done and I wish this had been a bigger focus in the story because exploring men's fashion in such a way is something that's not often done.
I also liked the strong Agatha Christie And Then There Were None vibes in the early parts of the mystery which involved a group of people coming to an isolated island and multiple murders happening.
Now for the negatives:
Minor Issues
+ The book had quite a few sloppy SPAG errors, including some missing word situations. The writing style is very solid otherwise but unfortunately, this makes the errors stand out a lot and there were enough of them that it was a distraction. I've seen much worse but this lack of effort was also reflected in the amateur mystery and the lackluster romance so they're all signs that the author was rushing. Since the author pumped out half a dozen full length books in both 2019 and again in 2020, it's no surprise that the books aren't nearly as polished as they should be but that's the author's choice.
+ There were way too many characters and many of them had histories with each other, they were from different social classes and had different relationships with each other (familial, schoolmates, employee-employer etc) so I had a really hard time keeping track of who was who. The author did their best by giving everybody unique names and trying to give each person a defining characteristic that made them stand out. It reminded me of Agatha Christie's approach but the problem here is that I was reading a romance so I was focused on getting to know Felix and Westaway and I wasn't willing to expend extra energy on getting to know side characters the way I would with a Christie novel, where getting to know the big cast is a requirement that readers are aware of going in. IMO, a romance isn't the right genre for a typical big-cast, multiple subplots type of mystery because it felt too cluttered.
+ It's established quickly that werewolves become mindless, violent creatures when they're in their wolf form. They're extremely aggressive and will attack and kill whatever human they come across, no matter who that human is. Then we have Westaway, who . While we get an explanation about this late in the book, what puzzled me is that Felix and many others spend little time marveling about this mind blowing fact. In fact, Felix has little reaction the first time he finds out that . He acts like it's something he's known for ages or it's something normal, which made no sense. Clearly, the author wanted to save the explanations for later, but this made Felix's lack of curiosity seem forced.
+ Carmichael is a character who is really important to the story and he often exchanges letters with Felix. Throughout the story, we know he's about to be released from prison so I was eager to meet him. But for some reason, the author decides to have . So the guy never ever appears on-page, which felt like a bizarre choice and it left me disappointed.
Felix's Relationship with Robin
I was patient and forgiving during the first two books I read by this author but now I've reached my limit. This book is marketed as being a MM romance first and foremost. The dynamic and developing romance between the MCs is clearly advertised in the blurb as being an important part of the story. This means the author is courting the MM romance market and being published in 2019, the author has plenty of resources to consult regarding what the romance genre expectations are. It's become apparent to me that having her books not meet those expectations is a choice, not an accident. This book isn't a romance. It's historical gay fiction with two romance subplots and the main one (the one between the MCs) barely gets any development.
Throughout the majority of the story, Felix is having a romance with Robin. Felix was an orphan living on the streets of London when at the age of 9, he dove into the Thames to save the life of Little Lordling Robin, who had accidentally fallen in. They became instant friends and Robin's family took Felix in to serve as Robin's lifelong servant. Felix always makes it clear that the family never considered him a son and always treated him like a servant, which is the attitude that Robin also has towards Felix. Any notion that this is a cute, healthy friends-to-lovers romance vanishes when readers get to see how dismissive Robin acts towards Felix and how he doesn't hesitate to put Felix into his place if he feels Felix is acting a bit too familiar/casual. Even worse, Robin and Felix's 'relationship' became sexual at some point and it's obvious that Robin views Felix as a convenient source of sexual gratification who also conveniently picks out his clothes for him and brings him his meals. Unfortunately, while everybody else can see how unhealthy this 'relationship' is, Felix has been head over heels in love with Robin for years and that's the big problem in the story because Felix remains devoted to Robin and in love with him for almost the entire story. Here's proof:
+ At 62%, . Up to this point, Felix has been under the impression that Robin loves him and Felix has been fully committed to him and has been rebuffing Westaway's advances.
+ At 72%, .
+ At 77%, Felix finds out that .
Who the hell writes a romance where by 80%, one of the MCs is still in love with their former partner and their new romance with the other MC has barely gotten off the ground?? I'm convinced the author doesn't actually like the romance genre and shoves her novels into it to take advantage of the built-in audience.
Felix's Relationship with Westaway
Felix and Westaway are supposed to be the MCs in this romance and their romance is marketed to be a major draw for the story. Unfortunately, the author decides to have Westaway be off-page so often that the guy feels like a side character in his own romance. When you add in having Felix be in love with somebody else for the vast majority of the story and having so much else happening, it's easy to see why the romance barely gets off the ground.
The author does make a tiny bit of effort, like how at 73%, . I got really frustrated with Felix but I also got annoyed at Westaway, who was wasting his time on a guy who was clearly still in love with somebody else. It didn't matter how much they had in common and how good of a couple they would make - Felix was in love with somebody else and that relationship was the main focus in the story.
Making things worse is that the author included two plotlines that were tailor-made to advance the romance between Felix and Westaway but the execution deliberately veered away from doing so. The first plotline happens when . The situation could be put into a How To Develop A Romance guidebook...except the author doesn't advance the romance at all. Westaway goes above and beyond to protect Felix and he does adorable things like making Felix a nest on the bed but Felix acts casual through the whole thing. He doesn't acknowledge Westaway's actions as being anything special and when morning comes, they never talk about the situation again. It only comes up in brief throwaway lines between Felix and other characters.
Another plotline was when Felix goes to tell Westaway .
An Overly Simplistic Mystery
Since the romance was a disappointment the whole way through, I kept reading because I was hoping the mystery would blow my mind like The Mystery of Brackenwell Hall did. Throughout the story, the large cast of characters is slowly decreased as multiple murders happen and they're all creative and puzzling. The author moves the action to different locations and uses the established defining traits of the side characters to keep readers guessing. I was hoping for a mind blowing twist like with Brackenwell Hall, which was why I was really disappointed when we find out that the most obvious suspects are the murderers. The author wasn't even trying. . In addition, I never understood either of their motivations for some of the murders. The first murder makes sense because it . But from then on, the rest of the murders didn't make sense to me. In particular, one of the villains is known for being so it didn't make sense that he'd get involved in a months-long complex serial killing spree that required constant work to keep suspicions off himself.
Conclusion
While I adore this author's approach to writing historical fiction, I'm going to put the rest of their books on my backburner for now. It's become clear that the author has little interest in the romance aspect of their stories, which means their focus isn't what I'm looking for. In addition, I thought the author was at least going to consistently deliver mind blowing mysteries but after two out of three proved to be duds, I've lost my enthusiasm for their work.
May 4, 2019
I loved this, it's full of intrigue with danger and flirtation, coordinated hankies, natty waistcoats and the odd twirl of moustache. A gothic setting with Werewolves. Such fun.
Felix is loyal and dedicated to his role, though valet in this book comes to encompass far more than the standard job description. But things are happening, some are uncouth enough to get murdered! there's isolated mansions and a handy bunch of suspects. While his mettle is tested Felix proves himself no push over and capable of a sassy line. His pov is amusing with his focus on clothing.
There's Robin his master and childhood friend, new to this secret world of Lycanthropes. Struggling with the changes but is there a monster at his core? And hovering with sharp eyes and an incorrigible smirk is Westway, who makes a dashing figure but is there more to him than appearance suggests? While loyalties are questioned this is more murder mystery than rivals for romance, plot takes precedence though there's some delightful flirts along the way. Very circumspect with no on-page steam.
I like the subtle links to the first book in the series, so unobtrusive it took me a minute to pick up on but made me smile as soon as I did.
While the blurb fascinated me I had no idea what to expect with this one, but the series grows in strength and this is my favourite yet. Also I like the cover a lot, it fits the book.
ARC received with no obligation.
Felix is loyal and dedicated to his role, though valet in this book comes to encompass far more than the standard job description. But things are happening, some are uncouth enough to get murdered! there's isolated mansions and a handy bunch of suspects. While his mettle is tested Felix proves himself no push over and capable of a sassy line. His pov is amusing with his focus on clothing.
There's Robin his master and childhood friend, new to this secret world of Lycanthropes. Struggling with the changes but is there a monster at his core? And hovering with sharp eyes and an incorrigible smirk is Westway, who makes a dashing figure but is there more to him than appearance suggests? While loyalties are questioned this is more murder mystery than rivals for romance, plot takes precedence though there's some delightful flirts along the way. Very circumspect with no on-page steam.
I like the subtle links to the first book in the series, so unobtrusive it took me a minute to pick up on but made me smile as soon as I did.
While the blurb fascinated me I had no idea what to expect with this one, but the series grows in strength and this is my favourite yet. Also I like the cover a lot, it fits the book.
ARC received with no obligation.
May 6, 2019
Not like the previous book from this series that gave me huge surprise with the time traveling things, this time – thanks to the title - I know what I will face when I started this book. Yep! Werewolf!!!
I’m a huge fans of shifter story especially wolf shifter, but a werewolf? Well, I must admit that I have minor experience about this werewolf things. So that’s what made me curious about what this book will offer me. So I jumped to the story and dive….
I thought I know what I will face, but apparently I’m not! Because the story full of surprising twists and mysteries that intrigued me even more….
Felix had been works as the young Mr. Grosvenor, Robin as his valet slash secret lover for years. When Mr. Grosvenor’s father will strictly want the young Mr. Grosvenor to spend his twenty first birthday at the country estate island called Morburn, there’s nothing Robin can do but to fulfill the will.
Greeting by the eccentric Lord Wastaway when they arrived at the pier, Felix could sense that there’s something about Wastaway that draw his attention. From the way he stared at him, saying “I’ll remember you” and then sniffing him on purpose when they shaking hands, Felix could sense the mysteriousness behind all the charming appearance that raise an awareness but also intrigued him at the same time.
Felix then finally know the reason behind Mr. Grosvenor's will and also revealed his new duty as the latest member of the Society of Keepers (valet slash keepers/caretakers) who took responsibility to protect their master during their three days full moon transition every month.
When the mysterious murders start happening on their full moon monthly meeting and killed the werewolves and their keepers, Felix need to do something to keep his master alive and safe, even if that means he will endangered his own life and accepted Lord Wastaway offer to work side by side trying to solving the mystery together. But when the mysterious killer start to aim for his life, could Felix saved himself from the danger that want his life?
What so fun about following this series is the anticipation each book gave us while we’re reading it.
A bit different from the previous books in series, The Well-dressed Werewolf come with slightly different story that focused on the mysterious murders that surrounded the werewolf society. And AGAIN the author really know how to build such a mystery and tensions during the reading. You’ll forced to keep guessing and questioning who’s playing behind the serial murders that had stir a chaos in the Lycanthropy society until the very last page. Well thanks to the Sherlock side in me, of course I have my own suspect during the reading, but that didn’t dimmed the excitement I felt following the rest of the story because the story line was totally engaging!
This book come with very intriguing murders case wrapped in mystery with almost no romance, but trust me you still can feel the glimpse of strong connection and romance between two main characters through the simple touch or a wake-up chaste kiss on forehead that succeed made the butterflies in my tummy gone wild!
There’s another very surprising things the author put in this book that still have close correlation with Leighton from the first book from this series. And trust me you’ll be in shocked like me when you reach this part and started to questioning some things….
Finally, at the end I just wanna say that The Well-dressed Werewolf is another amazing work from Gillian St. Kevern and I’m completely addicted to this series and really can’t wait for the next book, The Haunted Bedchamber. Another ghost story? Oh yasss! Bring it on!!
*ARC is kindly provided by the Author in exchange of a fair, unbiased and honest review*
May 30, 2019
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
~
The Well-Dressed Werewolf (Read by Candlelight #3) by Gillian St. Kevern
★★★★★
220 Pages
POV: 3rd person, one character POV
The Well-Dressed Werewolf is a gothic Victorian mystery with a difference. With werewolves, cameo appearances, strong characters, and a clever plot that leads you through twists and turns that are organic rather than contrived. With a mystery to solve, a serial killer on the loose, a love triangle, and hot tempers galore, there is so much to love in this intricately woven story of love, betrayal and passion.
Right from page one, I fell for Felix. He was as loveable, and as unique, as the other MC's of the series, while retaining an individualism that made him a breath of fresh air. He had a playfulness when he was around Robin in the beginning of the story. Then he grew strong and more independent as the plot progressed. I wasn't a fan of Robin at all, right from the start. He was a bit too arrogant, too assured of Felix's love and obedience, and completely dedicated to their roles of Master/servant, without any hint of anything more except for when he wanted it.
I actually loved the dynamic between Felix and Robin. You could feel Felix's love and completely see how he fell for the person he got to see behind-the-scenes, while you could also see Robin's malcontent and regard for status. Then Julian Westaway appeared and things just went topsy turvy, in the best way. As the adopted son of Leighton and Cross – OMG! I was so excited about that, I just can't tell you! – his story was so intriguing and captivated me right from the moment he first appeared. His almost-obsession with Felix made the love triangle and tension so much more palpable. You could see that every contact between Westaway and Felix – whether kindness, politeness or distance – only pushed Robin further towards jealousy and acting out.
This book has a much lighter tone for the first half of the story than the previous two and that was an intriguing diversion from the serious nature of the previous stories. There are a lot of little hints and slips of information from the start, about the werewolf aspect of the story, that were so intriguing and really nice to see. If you knew (as we do, from the title/blurb) what to expect, you could see all the signs that it was on its way. But it was just as good to see the shock and surprise in Felix and Robin when the revelation came.
The worldbuilding – as I've come to expect of this series and the author – was outstanding. With a clever and gradual release of information through Felix's observations, we're introduced to a world of werewolves, a secret society, and intrigue that keeps you hooked right from the start. There are so many intricacies within the plot, when connecting characters, hinting at what is to come, and revealing the truth of events. There's an element of Holmes/Watson in the way Felix and Westaway came together to try to solve the murders.
What I really loved was that all the books take place in the same universe and you can tell the timeline by following the series as well as through the location, costume and speech patterns. In this book, Leighton makes a reappearance from books 1 and 2, but as an old man. And I love how eccentric and weird he's become, obsessed with the occult. The link is small, but it's one of those really cute moments of “OMG! Pip!” for those of us who love to spot the little links throughout the series. It also means that, although the books are all standalone, there are links for those who look for them. It adds a special touch that makes the series all the more enjoyable.
I am so excited for The Haunted Bedchamber. Bring on June 1st already! I have a pretty collection of Books 1-2 of this series so far, Book 3 will be added as soon as it's available, and I've already pre-ordered Book 4. Because...no matter how long it takes, how many books there are...I'll be here, waiting for the next one. Read by Candlelight is one of my new all time favourite series. Period.
~
Favourite Quotes
“Well, Felix. I am a prisoner of my passion. The only man with the key to my release is you. What do you say?”
Felix rolled his eyes. “It’s very tempting to leave you locked in here.”
“Ah, so you desire my presence! I knew it.”
“Humber would never do anything so lower-class as allow himself to be murdered! The very idea was anathema to a butler.”
“It doesn’t matter who I serve, or who serves you.” His cheeks heated with the consciousness that Westaway held his breath. “You are my gentleman.”
“In stories the werewolf is always the monster. In this case, it was the man.”
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
~
The Well-Dressed Werewolf (Read by Candlelight #3) by Gillian St. Kevern
★★★★★
220 Pages
POV: 3rd person, one character POV
The Well-Dressed Werewolf is a gothic Victorian mystery with a difference. With werewolves, cameo appearances, strong characters, and a clever plot that leads you through twists and turns that are organic rather than contrived. With a mystery to solve, a serial killer on the loose, a love triangle, and hot tempers galore, there is so much to love in this intricately woven story of love, betrayal and passion.
Right from page one, I fell for Felix. He was as loveable, and as unique, as the other MC's of the series, while retaining an individualism that made him a breath of fresh air. He had a playfulness when he was around Robin in the beginning of the story. Then he grew strong and more independent as the plot progressed. I wasn't a fan of Robin at all, right from the start. He was a bit too arrogant, too assured of Felix's love and obedience, and completely dedicated to their roles of Master/servant, without any hint of anything more except for when he wanted it.
I actually loved the dynamic between Felix and Robin. You could feel Felix's love and completely see how he fell for the person he got to see behind-the-scenes, while you could also see Robin's malcontent and regard for status. Then Julian Westaway appeared and things just went topsy turvy, in the best way. As the adopted son of Leighton and Cross – OMG! I was so excited about that, I just can't tell you! – his story was so intriguing and captivated me right from the moment he first appeared. His almost-obsession with Felix made the love triangle and tension so much more palpable. You could see that every contact between Westaway and Felix – whether kindness, politeness or distance – only pushed Robin further towards jealousy and acting out.
This book has a much lighter tone for the first half of the story than the previous two and that was an intriguing diversion from the serious nature of the previous stories. There are a lot of little hints and slips of information from the start, about the werewolf aspect of the story, that were so intriguing and really nice to see. If you knew (as we do, from the title/blurb) what to expect, you could see all the signs that it was on its way. But it was just as good to see the shock and surprise in Felix and Robin when the revelation came.
The worldbuilding – as I've come to expect of this series and the author – was outstanding. With a clever and gradual release of information through Felix's observations, we're introduced to a world of werewolves, a secret society, and intrigue that keeps you hooked right from the start. There are so many intricacies within the plot, when connecting characters, hinting at what is to come, and revealing the truth of events. There's an element of Holmes/Watson in the way Felix and Westaway came together to try to solve the murders.
What I really loved was that all the books take place in the same universe and you can tell the timeline by following the series as well as through the location, costume and speech patterns. In this book, Leighton makes a reappearance from books 1 and 2, but as an old man. And I love how eccentric and weird he's become, obsessed with the occult. The link is small, but it's one of those really cute moments of “OMG! Pip!” for those of us who love to spot the little links throughout the series. It also means that, although the books are all standalone, there are links for those who look for them. It adds a special touch that makes the series all the more enjoyable.
I am so excited for The Haunted Bedchamber. Bring on June 1st already! I have a pretty collection of Books 1-2 of this series so far, Book 3 will be added as soon as it's available, and I've already pre-ordered Book 4. Because...no matter how long it takes, how many books there are...I'll be here, waiting for the next one. Read by Candlelight is one of my new all time favourite series. Period.
~
Favourite Quotes
“Well, Felix. I am a prisoner of my passion. The only man with the key to my release is you. What do you say?”
Felix rolled his eyes. “It’s very tempting to leave you locked in here.”
“Ah, so you desire my presence! I knew it.”
“Humber would never do anything so lower-class as allow himself to be murdered! The very idea was anathema to a butler.”
“It doesn’t matter who I serve, or who serves you.” His cheeks heated with the consciousness that Westaway held his breath. “You are my gentleman.”
“In stories the werewolf is always the monster. In this case, it was the man.”
May 4, 2019
Felix is a valet and a good one to boot. He cares greatly for the looks of his "gentleman,"Robin. They also enjoy a relationship that is keep from the public eye. Westaway is another gentleman who has seen Felix's dedicated work and wants him for himself...in more ways than one. Robin and Felix will have none of that. Robin and Felix are invited to an island and there horror is revealed and danger is now a constant in their lives. Darkness waits for Robin on the full moon and Felix is responsible in keeping them both safe. Westway pesters the two and Robins jealousy increases as Westaway tries to take Felix from him...but is that all that it is...jealousy? Dark deeds begin to happen and murder occurs. This story begins to show the reader that there are twists and turns that lead us down paths that are not...quite correct. Felix is in danger, but from who? This is a Victorian mystery that has dark, dangerous creatures, men without integrity or feelings. Death lurks and romance is in the air. An excellent paranormal murder mystery that will keep you reading into the night. Hopefully not on a full moon. I can't wait for the release for the next in this series just waiting around the corner for us eager readers. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC book.
May 1, 2019
Gillian St. Kevern is masterful at creating Victorian style stories, but this was much more than just a murder mystery. This was a labyrinth of twists and turns, leaving you wondering until the very end.
Told in single person POV, we meet Felix Wood, the valet/best friend/lover of Robin, whom he's known since childhood. At the full moon prior to Robin's 21st birthday, they are invited to stay at the country estate of Westaway, who has more tricks and secrets up his sleeve than anyone had thought possible.
When half the men turn to werewolves and the other half their caretakers, the sudden security measures aren't enough to keep everyone alive. But who is murdering their friends and why?
While this was more of a mystery/thriller/suspense, there was a hint of romance behind the scenes, which was just enough to tide me over and leave the story feeling emotionally sated. I loved the introduction of werewolves to this series, as well as a hidden society of caretakers. It was an exciting read infused with suspense and action and had me guessing from start to finish. Very well done.
*Galley copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *
Told in single person POV, we meet Felix Wood, the valet/best friend/lover of Robin, whom he's known since childhood. At the full moon prior to Robin's 21st birthday, they are invited to stay at the country estate of Westaway, who has more tricks and secrets up his sleeve than anyone had thought possible.
When half the men turn to werewolves and the other half their caretakers, the sudden security measures aren't enough to keep everyone alive. But who is murdering their friends and why?
While this was more of a mystery/thriller/suspense, there was a hint of romance behind the scenes, which was just enough to tide me over and leave the story feeling emotionally sated. I loved the introduction of werewolves to this series, as well as a hidden society of caretakers. It was an exciting read infused with suspense and action and had me guessing from start to finish. Very well done.
*Galley copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to http://gaybook.reviews/ *
January 11, 2020
Absolutely delicious! Sly humor, with a deucedly clever valet trying to save the man he loves. Although I knew who was plotting pretty early in the story, it was still delightful to see it slowly revealed in full. And I adored who Westaway's parents turned out to be -- hilariously adorable epilogue!
May 5, 2019
If you like a little horror, a little humor, and a great mystery, all tossed together with a healthy dressing of gothic atmosphere, you'll love this. This is not a sweet fluffy mystery and these are not nice werewolves. I liked a lot about this book but what I liked most was the snooty drawing room arrogance of the gentlemen contrasted with the werewolf monsters they become. And the ending was perfect!
May 6, 2019
Delightful
This book was awesome Pip has aged into an old man. He has an adopted son who finds himself attracted to a visiting valet. Felix refuses to leave Robin even after finding out he becomes a werewolf. Felix vows to protect Robin until a murder happens causing chaos.
This book was awesome Pip has aged into an old man. He has an adopted son who finds himself attracted to a visiting valet. Felix refuses to leave Robin even after finding out he becomes a werewolf. Felix vows to protect Robin until a murder happens causing chaos.
June 9, 2019
4.25 stars
May 5, 2019
Enthralling
Filled with schemes, machinations, and betrayal the was one hell of a gothic mystery. It's light on the romance but I didn't really miss it, the storyline was engaging enough by itself. I seriously can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Filled with schemes, machinations, and betrayal the was one hell of a gothic mystery. It's light on the romance but I didn't really miss it, the storyline was engaging enough by itself. I seriously can't wait to read the next book in the series.
May 9, 2019
I received an ARC of this book from the author
This is a low-heat romantic suspense novel that's heavy on the suspense/mystery. It's not obvious from the blurb but Felix and his employer, Robin, are in a relationship when Felix is introduced to werewolf society (and to Westaway). They're nominally still together for the first half of the book - but the romance definitely feels like the B plot to the murder mystery. Westaway is obviously the new love interest, except Felix really isn't interested in him for a while. If the romance had been more in the forefront I could see making this work, but with so much focus on the murder solving I never got invested.
The prose is fine, though the number of characters makes it confusing to follow at times. Really it's a decent paranormal mystery novel, but it wasn't the romance I was looking for. I very rarely go into books where the MC starts in a relationship (I just don't care to read about people drawing apart in romance novels - I want to read about them getting together!) and while there is one VERY horny scene where Westaway has to ~mark~ Felix with his scent, this is an extremely low heat romance. Like, one kiss on the mouth and it's not described in detail. And it doesn't make up for it in pining or sexual tension or feelings. The romance is just not a big part of the book to be honest.
If that sounds like what you like, I don't not recommend it, but it wasn't my thing. 2.5 stars.
This is a low-heat romantic suspense novel that's heavy on the suspense/mystery. It's not obvious from the blurb but Felix and his employer, Robin, are in a relationship when Felix is introduced to werewolf society (and to Westaway). They're nominally still together for the first half of the book - but the romance definitely feels like the B plot to the murder mystery. Westaway is obviously the new love interest, except Felix really isn't interested in him for a while. If the romance had been more in the forefront I could see making this work, but with so much focus on the murder solving I never got invested.
The prose is fine, though the number of characters makes it confusing to follow at times. Really it's a decent paranormal mystery novel, but it wasn't the romance I was looking for. I very rarely go into books where the MC starts in a relationship (I just don't care to read about people drawing apart in romance novels - I want to read about them getting together!) and while there is one VERY horny scene where Westaway has to ~mark~ Felix with his scent, this is an extremely low heat romance. Like, one kiss on the mouth and it's not described in detail. And it doesn't make up for it in pining or sexual tension or feelings. The romance is just not a big part of the book to be honest.
If that sounds like what you like, I don't not recommend it, but it wasn't my thing. 2.5 stars.
June 12, 2019
I do not care much for werewolves in romantic historical paranormal stories but this story had me reading it all in 2 nights. I love the way the characters are painted; some with a soft sable, others with a rough, cut short bristled brush.
Felix is the perfect, the perfect Man-Friday, a conflicted man who thinks he is with his greatest love. It is during Robin's birthday that life changes for both men. Felix becomes disillusioned with Robin and Robin becomes a man unfamiliar to Felix.
Lord Westaway is one man who brings light to the darkness but Felix does not know what to think of the young man, the adopted son of Philip "Pip" Leighton. Westaway does not quite seem to fit into the world of men or the world of the wolf.
As Felix becomes more mired in confusion and frustration, Westaway is there to take that away. Westaway has a theory regarding the recent murder of a Keeper and his Wolf. Theories that threaten Felix's life as he knows it, or has the chance of opening up his world.
Felix is the perfect, the perfect Man-Friday, a conflicted man who thinks he is with his greatest love. It is during Robin's birthday that life changes for both men. Felix becomes disillusioned with Robin and Robin becomes a man unfamiliar to Felix.
Lord Westaway is one man who brings light to the darkness but Felix does not know what to think of the young man, the adopted son of Philip "Pip" Leighton. Westaway does not quite seem to fit into the world of men or the world of the wolf.
As Felix becomes more mired in confusion and frustration, Westaway is there to take that away. Westaway has a theory regarding the recent murder of a Keeper and his Wolf. Theories that threaten Felix's life as he knows it, or has the chance of opening up his world.
June 16, 2019
This was the most exciting of the historical mm romance series so far, the most paranormal with the most action and mystery. I felt that the love wasn't as sweet as the bath story, there were still too many secondary characters to remember, and the culprit was surprising. Still, I enjoyed reading about this valet and his change of allegiance.
Typos: Some missing commas made sentences difficult to understand, and there were a few missing words, a missing question mark, and a missing hyphen. Effect was twice used for affect. The former is rarely a verb. Too was used for to, world for word, floor for ground (they're on a driveway), respects for respect (with respect to), guest for guess, through for throw, doing for going.
Typos: Some missing commas made sentences difficult to understand, and there were a few missing words, a missing question mark, and a missing hyphen. Effect was twice used for affect. The former is rarely a verb. Too was used for to, world for word, floor for ground (they're on a driveway), respects for respect (with respect to), guest for guess, through for throw, doing for going.
May 24, 2019
A fun m/m read with plenty of drama and intrigue. A murder mystery/romance/shifter/story that works because it isnt bogged down with long descriptions of the characters having sex. Instead the reader is treated to a twisty, dark story with delightful characters and a slowly developing relationship that is all the more delightful (and believable) because it doesnt end up being a sex-fest.
It got a tad too complex in a couple of place, but I really enjoyed the writing and the way the author handled the characters. Four and a half stars rounded up because I found myself desperate to find out what happened!
It got a tad too complex in a couple of place, but I really enjoyed the writing and the way the author handled the characters. Four and a half stars rounded up because I found myself desperate to find out what happened!
May 10, 2019
A very cute and unique story!
I really like that Pip from the other two tales was here too, it was nice to see that common thread bind this book to the previous ones! I also really liked that I was tossed around the mystery with enough twists to constantly second-guess my hypothesis on who the murderer was and I also liked there was no post-mystery murderer analysis to explain his behavior. Definitely wished I had a lot more to read on Westaway though, what an amazing character!
I really like that Pip from the other two tales was here too, it was nice to see that common thread bind this book to the previous ones! I also really liked that I was tossed around the mystery with enough twists to constantly second-guess my hypothesis on who the murderer was and I also liked there was no post-mystery murderer analysis to explain his behavior. Definitely wished I had a lot more to read on Westaway though, what an amazing character!
May 21, 2020
Another winner
This series is really taking shape, weaving all of the stories together in some slight way that makes it that much more appealing. Sadly Pip is older in this book and thus Cross is not around but the focus of the story is Felix, Robin, and Westaway.
I loved the idea of each werewolf having a keeper, a handler of sorts who is there to not only protect the wolf but end them if they become a danger. The mystery was good and the cast of characters well written. I love this series.
This series is really taking shape, weaving all of the stories together in some slight way that makes it that much more appealing. Sadly Pip is older in this book and thus Cross is not around but the focus of the story is Felix, Robin, and Westaway.
I loved the idea of each werewolf having a keeper, a handler of sorts who is there to not only protect the wolf but end them if they become a danger. The mystery was good and the cast of characters well written. I love this series.
July 29, 2020
I quite enjoyed this gothic paranormal romance! It's not like anything I've read before and trust me, I've read a lot of werewolf stories over the years. The mystery was a nice twist as well because I couldn't figure out who was behind all the murders and how they accomplished it until the end. Not only that, but there are a total of 10 books in the "Read By Candlelight" series, which are loosely inspired by the works of authors of gothic literature. This means even more reading material for me to enjoy!
September 11, 2022
I have all of the read by candlelight series on my device and have been dipping into them now and again as the mood takes me. I've also been trying to read them in chronological order but I've gotten out of kilter with this one.
I have to say, for all that the series are paranormal stories, I think this is the most scary read so far. I was genuinely scared for the characters and worried that this adult version of Julian may not have kept the sweet nature of the child we'd met in earlier stories.
Don't read this alone in the dark, especially during the full moon.
I have to say, for all that the series are paranormal stories, I think this is the most scary read so far. I was genuinely scared for the characters and worried that this adult version of Julian may not have kept the sweet nature of the child we'd met in earlier stories.
Don't read this alone in the dark, especially during the full moon.
August 22, 2019
3.5 stars for this third offering in the series. Firstly, I'm not a fan of werewolf stories in general, plus this had quite a bit of brutality/gore as compared to the earlier titles. Pip (character from earlier offerings) makes a cameo appearance as an old man! so I guess this book must be set a few decades on.
May 14, 2021
This was not one of my favorite but I did really like the MC's emotional growth as he came to accept reality. There is a twist I was pleased for because it added to the difference between the MC and his other. No more for I do not want to spoil it. I am sure others will get there before me but I love a story that keeps me interested.
April 25, 2023
St. Kevern is a talented author, and this hits all the right notes for me. Sweet idiot boys. So happy to see Pips romance
(Also I’m so confused about what order to read these in - goodreads, Amazon, and the timeline all misalign)
(Also I’m so confused about what order to read these in - goodreads, Amazon, and the timeline all misalign)
January 17, 2021
I loved it - a murder by werewolf is simply stunning.
However, I don't think the murderer motives were explained satisfactorily.
However, I don't think the murderer motives were explained satisfactorily.
May 6, 2019
I did like this, just not as much as the first two books in the series. I guess I'm just not that into werewolves. All that hair... yuck!😂
Robin was some piece of work, what a complete wanker! While Felix and Westaway were adorable.
And it was nice to see Pip showing up again. I'm looking forward to the next book.
3 and a half gothic stars
Robin was some piece of work, what a complete wanker! While Felix and Westaway were adorable.
And it was nice to see Pip showing up again. I'm looking forward to the next book.
3 and a half gothic stars
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