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reviews_and_ramblings
The story of the Gentleman who falls in love for a “lost soul”, another way to define a prostitute in old times, it’s quite common, as it is usually common that the lost soul has a sad story in the past, a destitute daughter of some middle class merchant, or maybe the daughter of a vicar, or something like that. The girl is usually a piteous character, who is able to reform the spoiled aristocrat and gain her place in society again. The wealth of the aristocrat is able to disguise, or at least to attenuate, the sordid past of the girl. But in this specific case, not even the noble origin and the wealth of Sir Alan would be able to hide the fact that Jem is not only a prostitute, but also a man, and so their story will never have a truly happily ever after, at least not in the eyes of society. But despite being poor and a street whore, Jem is not at all a sad soul. He is witty and clever, and above all he enjoys sex; when he is asked for a full ride from handsome Alan, he would have probably done it even for free, just for the joy of spending a night with a man he really likes. Jem’s attitude is a balsam for Alan, who is having suicidal thoughts and has no reason to live; a former officer who has seen too much in the battle field only to come back home to a lonely life, his parents and brother gone, dead.
Alan was always aware that he had no interested in women, but he was unlikely he would ever done something about it; during his years in the Army he had other issues to face, and when he was back home, he was to ill. Now, restored from his illness, he sees no reason to live; he has no interest in having an heir, no interest in leaving a sign of his existence in this world. From some hints here and there, I had the feeling that, even if he had some sexual experience with women, he has never succumbed for his sexual desires for men. Then one night he thinks he will not see the next day, and so maybe he is allowed to at least one night, and he goes out and finds Jem.
As I said, even if a whore, and probably from a very young age, Jem has not lost his joy of life; poor and uncultured, in any case Jem is happier than Alan ever was. He is able to stir up Alan’s interested and to give him a reason to go on; even if not consciously, Alan decides to live almost as a parasite of Jem, sucking his joy of life, but it’s not a bad thing, he is not doing bad to Jem, since Jem has enough for both of them. And Jem is neither greedy, he decides to share what he has without selfishness, meaning that what he does gives joy to Alan and him both, so he doesn’t see reason to not doing it. Alan is eating alive by remorse and prejudices, conventions taught him what he is doing is wrong, but Jem has not that problem, he only sees that what they are doing is not harm to anyone, and so he sees no reason to not continue. It’s strange the richer man, Alan, is indeed poorer than Jem, and in the end, it will be Jem who will share everything he has with Alan, even if it’s not a wordly wealth, but nevertheless something even more essential.
Even if the sex is a very important part of this story, the historical setting is good and believable; it’s not only a pretty environment, and these are not two modern men disguised in silly garments. Alan and Jem felt real and good, and their story was realistic but also very romantic, so I think that both historical than romance lover will like it.
http://www.loose-id.com/The-Gentleman-and-the-Rogue.aspx
Amazon Kindle: The Gentleman and the Rogue
Reading List:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bott
Cover Art by Anne Cain
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Date: 2010-06-20 04:51 pm (UTC)Thanks for the review, Elisa <3
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Date: 2010-06-20 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-20 08:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-20 09:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-20 10:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 07:41 am (UTC)