Aw, You Dear Fellow
A Gentlemanās Gentleman had me giggling, swooning, and fully invested in a man named Christopher and his pastel wardrobe.
I hella loved this Queer historical fiction set in the early 1800s. I was so juiced to grab a physical copy from my local library and paired it with the audiobook on Everand š¤© and honestly, that combo made the whole experience even better. The narrator ate. Christopher, the main character, is hilarious, and hearing his thoughts come to life made me laugh out loud more than a few times.
Christopher is sweet, funny, and genuinely relatable. I loved all his little quirks: the pastel wardrobe, his obsession with fashion magazines and poetry, whiskey, riding his horse Orion, and his soft spot for poetry. He felt real, like someone I wanted to be friends with and fiercely protect. I was rooting for him from page one. š«¶š¾
What really pulled me in was how, at the start, Christopher didnāt even want a valet. He had a huge secret and was scared someone would notice that he was trans, especially since he always dressed himself. That anxiety was so real that it made me want to see him win even more. Itās also hinted that he thought of himself as a little asexualā¦ until he meets Harding and catches feelings real quick. I was cracking up š he was not ready for that gorgeous man at all.
The banter between Christopher, Cook, and Harding kept the story flowing and grounded in Queer joy. I loved watching Christopher juggle the expectations of being an Earl, the pressure of keeping his family estate afloat, and his dead parents still trying to control him through their will (ugh, classic rich people problems). And that whole āOh yeah, by the way you must be married before your 25th birthdayā plot? Hella dramatic š Loved it. šš¾
But what really stayed with me was the softness, the Queer joy that appeared throughout the book. I had so many favorite moments. The moment Christopher finds out Harding is trans, too? Tender and respectful. The slow build of trust between them, the way they chose each other, even in a world that didnāt make space for people like them and had to create it for themselves, was beautiful. Watching them realize that joy and safety could still exist and that they were worthy of it felt like a hug. š«¶š¾š
This was hella fun to read, full of heart, and it made me feel so seen. Iām hella happy I picked it up. šš whenever I think of Christopher and Harding at the end, this is what I imagine:
