Frost Fair by Erastes

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Erastes writes a classical Regency romance with some not so classical elements. First of all, the obvious, the main characters are two men, but the second not so obvious, is that the main characters are not the cream of the ton, or some destitute nobleman, but instead common men, even if wealthy or with a business of their own.

Gideon Frost is a printer, but he has not a thriving business, instead he can hardly arrived at the end of the month. And sometime, to make both ends meet, he "sells" himself to men in searching of a friendly hand or mouth; but he never arrived to sell all of himself, not ever for hunger. In his mind probably Gideon still hopes to find a companion, a man with whom share all of him, as an equal partner, not as a kept boy. Gideon, even if poor and with few chance to be better, is still proud to be a free man, a merchant, yes, maybe not noble, but independent.

Joshua Redfern is a wealthy man. His social status allows him to mingle with the Ton, but he is not like all those nobleman. Joshua has a noble "soul" if not a birth. When he meets Gideon, he has not a lot of interest in the skill of the man as printer, he is more interested in him as a possible lover, but he is reluctant to make clear his intentions, since he had a very bad experience in the past: his former lover, an officer, passed through the martial court and then executed for sodomy. It's not clear if Joshua is reluctant since he fears the clutches of law upon him or Gideon, but in a way or another, he probably would never made a move.

It's Gideon that gives him the chance he is waiting, when stirs up against himself the rage of a nobleman he sexually refused; without a job and support, Gideon accepts the apparently friendly hand of Joshua.

As I said it's a classical plot: the proud but poor hero (in a classical romance it would be an heroine), whose only value is now his beauty, but he refuses to sell it to the best offerer; the wealth man, gentle and caring, who judges himself not worthy of real love, since he is not noble (like only the noblemen are allowed to love...). They are perfect together, but obviously a villain will do all his best to part these starry lovers.

I like the use of the middle class as choice for the main characters, it gives a fresh perspective in a maybe worn plot. Plus in a way, Joshua being a not noble isolates him as much as being gay. Plus, as I said, one wonders why an historical romance always has to have noble characters, almost if all the other level of society didn't exist.

The historical details are obviously very accurate, you can always picture the nineteen century London in which is set the story, and I bet that you can still follow the steps of Gideon around the city still now and seeing the same view he saw. The nice description of the Frost Fair, an impromptu fair held on the frozen Thames, is the same you can see in some prints of the time. I'm not an expert, but I believe that also the details on the gay underworld of that age (where one can find sex, more or less dangerous, more or less expensive) are well researched and refuted.

Frost Fair is a nice romance, a bit less angst and less dark of the previous long novel by Erastes, Standish, and so maybe more cup of tea for a wider audience. Not that I sometime didn't like a good angst romance, but in a way, a Regency romance is expected to be lighter.

http://www.cheyennepublishing.com/books/frost.html

Amazon: Frost Fair

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Comments

[leeteng.livejournal.com]

I did not get Standish because of its ending but want to read something by Erastes. Will get this one since it is more my cup of tea. Thanks Elisa for bring this up so quickly.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Go without problem Lee, this one will do for you :-) Elisa