peachani's review
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, and Alcoholism
Minor: Classism, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Outing, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Forced institutionalization
kalem's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
thewordsdevourer's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
the gentleman's book of vices is a fun, nicely written novel that belies real depth and impactful thematic exploration. i love this book's recipe: gays! grumpy meets sunshine! gays w/ great friends! gay angst! impending doom but ultimately happy ending!
i rly like the characters. the main duo charlie and miles are great individually and tgt, each has complex characterization and development. the side characters esp charlie's friends and alma are also great; i enjoy the former's banter and quips, and the latter's refreshingly non-streotypical portrayal.
the writing imo is very nice and flows smoothly. another thing i rly enjoy is everlee's handling of the themes and emotional moments. the parallel between charlie and miles' reality and fictional erotica make for some great character development and thematic exploration. i esp enjoy the more unique take of charlie's noble idiocy, how it plays into his deeper fear but also illustrates the impact of miles' works on him. the high stakes of marriage also ups the angst level, but i think it's handled nicely and doesnt feel gratuitous.
as fort the smut, it was ok; it's a lil weird bc i feel like charlie and miles' simple interactions, makeouts, and foreplay are more sizzling than the actual sex scenes, which i think are too short, making the payoff unsatisfactory despite the lengthy lead-up. and i wish there more of them as well.
nevertheless, this was one of the best romances ive read this yr. the story's nicely executed, peppered w/ great characters and a main couple whose lovelorn passages actually make me feel things, in addition to an adept exploration of the themes. happy w/ a gay happy ending and cant wait for the sequel.
i rly like the characters. the main duo charlie and miles are great individually and tgt, each has complex characterization and development. the side characters esp charlie's friends and alma are also great; i enjoy the former's banter and quips, and the latter's refreshingly non-streotypical portrayal.
the writing imo is very nice and flows smoothly. another thing i rly enjoy is everlee's handling of the themes and emotional moments. the parallel between charlie and miles' reality and fictional erotica make for some great character development and thematic exploration. i esp enjoy the more unique take of charlie's noble idiocy, how it plays into his deeper fear but also illustrates the impact of miles' works on him. the high stakes of marriage also ups the angst level, but i think it's handled nicely and doesnt feel gratuitous.
as fort the smut, it was ok; it's a lil weird bc i feel like charlie and miles' simple interactions, makeouts, and foreplay are more sizzling than the actual sex scenes, which i think are too short, making the payoff unsatisfactory despite the lengthy lead-up. and i wish there more of them as well.
nevertheless, this was one of the best romances ive read this yr. the story's nicely executed, peppered w/ great characters and a main couple whose lovelorn passages actually make me feel things, in addition to an adept exploration of the themes. happy w/ a gay happy ending and cant wait for the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death
asha_m's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
katiemack's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I've been saving this book to read when I needed a pick-me-up, and I'm glad I did because it's absolutely delightful.
Charles is extravagant and flamboyant in a very lovable way; he also has a strong moral compass, as he has agreed to marry Alma, a woman he does not love romantically but thinks of as a sister and wants to protect. Miles, an author and bookstore purveyor who lost his love years earlier, is more reserved and cautious but equally as compelling. Their romance is sweet and has palpable chemistry, and I enjoyed reading about them as their relationship develops over the course of the novel. The ending is dramatic, but entertainingly so, and I love how Jess Everlee incorporates the side characters throughout the story and uses them to resolve this ending.
Grab this if you love books by Cat Sebastian, Keira Andrews, or K. J. Charles.
I've been saving this book to read when I needed a pick-me-up, and I'm glad I did because it's absolutely delightful.
Charles is extravagant and flamboyant in a very lovable way; he also has a strong moral compass, as he has agreed to marry Alma, a woman he does not love romantically but thinks of as a sister and wants to protect. Miles, an author and bookstore purveyor who lost his love years earlier, is more reserved and cautious but equally as compelling. Their romance is sweet and has palpable chemistry, and I enjoyed reading about them as their relationship develops over the course of the novel. The ending is dramatic, but entertainingly so, and I love how Jess Everlee incorporates the side characters throughout the story and uses them to resolve this ending.
Grab this if you love books by Cat Sebastian, Keira Andrews, or K. J. Charles.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Death
statuce273's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The characters are lovable and human, the time period is approachable, and the setups all get paid off in satisfying ways. An engaging tale for sure! Especially since character-driven stories are not always my forte; I like visceral characters, but I need a plot to go with them. There's enough here to get the reader along, but Charlie and Miles are definitely driving the car.
I felt so much for the characters, I initially gave this four stars because I got so frustrated at one of them (no spoilers). But that to me shows that these characters were so alive in my mind that getting angry at them meant the author did something spectacular here, that many attempt to do, but only a few succeed.
I felt so much for the characters, I initially gave this four stars because I got so frustrated at one of them (no spoilers). But that to me shows that these characters were so alive in my mind that getting angry at them meant the author did something spectacular here, that many attempt to do, but only a few succeed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
srm's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Utterly delightful debut romance about a Victorian man who loves gay erotic novels and his meeting with his favorite author. The general trope set up is grumpy/sunshine, but I love that Charlie's sunny demeanor is hiding some pain and problems, and that grumpy Miles is really just in mourning. The unraveling of how these two get thrown together is such a joy, and the steamy bits are fantastic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Self harm
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