Discreet Young Gentleman in Q&A with Erastes

Nov 03, 2011 Elisa Rolle added it

Yet again an gay historical romance that allow me a jump in the past, to my teenager years when I spent hours and hours reading naïve Regency romances; they were more or less innocent, to abide to the famous Regency rules no sex had to be part of the story, but late in the ’80 and ’90 some author like Mary Balogh started to write more adventurous heroine, and sometime they were “dirty” dove, i.e. women from good upbringing who found themselves force to sell their only asset, their virtue. Maybe Yet again an gay historical romance that allow me a jump in the past, to my teenager years when I spent hours and hours reading naïve Regency romances; they were more or less innocent, to abide to the famous Regency rules no sex had to be part of the story, but late in the ’80 and ’90 some author like Mary Balogh started to write more adventurous heroine, and sometime they were “dirty” dove, i.e. women from good upbringing who found themselves force to sell their only asset, their virtue. Maybe the main difference between those Regency romance and this gay romance is that the dirty dove, Rob, is not as helpless as those women were, and even if he is forced to sell his body, he has a strong will and a well-planned path ahead of him; plus Rob is also very good in “managing” his assets, and so he can be picky on whom will share his bed.

In the previous gay historical romance by M.J. Pearson, she used the well-known plot of having the wealthy aristocrat falling in love for the poor, and naïve, middle-class man; usually this imply the aristocrat is also a scoundrel and he will take advantage of the poor innocent guy. Here instead Dean, earl of Carwick, is just a step above the naïve level; he is not exactly “dumb”, but he has not even had to fight for anything in his life; not really wealthy, more comfortable, he spent all his life between school and parties, and now is approaching his old age with a bit of lassitude; if not for an unforeseeable event, I don’t think he would have chosen to marry, but when he has to, he finds a suitable wife, Minerva. Only that someone apparently doesn’t want for him to marry the girl and they put Rob on his path. A male prostitute, Rob is for sure an enough big scandal that Minerva’s father has to break their engagement.

Despite Rob’s profession, the novel is far from being erotic. First of all, all Rob’s meetings with his customers are conducted in private rooms, where the reader is not invited; so you don’t know what Rob actually is doing, even if you can imagine. While instead he is with Dean, aside for being always by night, they are also more romantic than erotic, letting the reader again more imagining that reading what is happening between the two of them. I actually had the feeling that the sex was really not important for the author, she was more focused on the journey Rob and Dean are taking towards Bath and on all the people and landmarks they will meet along the path; it was so vivid a tale that I actually went and checked if some of those places really exist and if I could visit them myself (and yes, more or less all of them are real).

To whom is wondering if the historical details were accurate, for what I can say they were, maybe since the author didn’t overwhelm you with them; I’m not sure if it was real, but she suggested that Rob was finding some of his patrons through the Times, in the announce section, usually one advertisement starting with “discreet young gentleman required…”; if it’s not true, nevertheless it was a nice idea and it served perfectly the plot.

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Sep 10, 2010 Calen rated it it was amazing

I have a weakness for MJ Pearson novels. I have read this three times and I don't know exactly why I keep coming back. Is it the characters? Is it the plot? Is it the romance? Is it the setting? I can't just pick one, so I would have to say it is all of those rolled together. It's like this book has that magical element so few books have, the one that keeps drawing you back. It isn't as cliché ridden as many are in this genre, and I think it's a breath of fresh air. Pearson doesn't rely on the t ...more

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