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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was lovely, and Warren and Matty together were so cute, and it really is about how their relationship grows than any detective work or promotion regarding Matty or Warren’s family, it was really about their own hangups and fears and how they handled them.
I wanted to hug Matty, he was so alone, but maybe not alone as he thought.
Lovely to see Forrester and Noah back.
And Joel did a wonderful job narrating this book, it made me emotional.
I wanted to hug Matty, he was so alone, but maybe not alone as he thought.
Lovely to see Forrester and Noah back.
And Joel did a wonderful job narrating this book, it made me emotional.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
If you like an adorable, low stakes, gay historical romcom this is for you!
I really adored following Warren and Matty as they navigated not only each other, but their circumstances. Is it really forbidden love? Not really, but it is cute so it’s okay 🤣
The stakes are very low in comparison to other historical romances I’ve read, but I thought it worked.
This is also the 4th book in the lucky lovers of London series, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin audio for the ALC!
I really adored following Warren and Matty as they navigated not only each other, but their circumstances. Is it really forbidden love? Not really, but it is cute so it’s okay 🤣
The stakes are very low in comparison to other historical romances I’ve read, but I thought it worked.
This is also the 4th book in the lucky lovers of London series, but I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin audio for the ALC!
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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:
Yes
3.5/5. Releases 7/22/25.
Heat Index: 5/10
—undercover (but not really)
—the covert gay scene of 1800s England
—rake/cutie pie
The Basics:
Detective Matty Shaw is good at his job; unfortunately, his job is also catching on to the fact that he's gay, which could threaten his entire career. For the sake of his latest undercover assignment, he's also supposed to be something of an artist, which brings him to a class... accompanied by Warren Bakshi, the barkeep he recently almost hooked up with, and is absolutely supposed to stay away from. Warren's family has recently come into wealth, and he's supposed to use the class as an opportunity to elevate himself, when really he just wants to go back to picking up babes at The Curious Cat, a secret club for men of his Inclinations. Matty is the one person he's supposed to avoid. But you know what they say about avoiding hot people... it's hard....
The Review:
I know Jess Everlee has a following amongst queer historical romance lovers, and I can see why. This is a sweet, witty, and rather adorable historical romcom with just a touch of intrigue. And while I don't know that it necessarily gut-punched me the way I love to be gut-punched, it did entertain me.
Personally, I love it when historical romance really delves into queer subcultures. Yes, I love the books that purposefully go "fuck history", and I love the books that stick to characters on the outskirts. But it's also fun to get into the nitty-gritty of clubs like The Curious Cat, which very much existed and threw drag shows and entertained dalliances and dealt with the cops. It's something I think we need to see in our current era. We need to see people pursuing joy, even if everything seems to be against them.
In that light, I also loved that Warren is like... a rake. It's not that he doesn't take the threat of being exposed for his preferences seriously. He's just also going to pursue a hot guy, and flirt and charm. He's rather swoony, and it's easy to see why Matty would risk it all for him.
Matty... is a detective, and while I never read about cops in contemporaries, I allow a little more leeway with historicals. I really don't seek 'em out, but in all honesty, the aspect of this being a queer historical overrode the detective thing. I did sort of struggle as to why he wanted to do this at all, to be real, and though I liked him, I think I would have liked him more if he wasn't a detective. it just didn't make ton of sense to me as I got to know his character?
There are stakes (Matty and Warren's literal safety, for one thing) and a bit of intrigue. But I would say that the main point is the romance. And it is very charming, and I did like it, and I did keep tripping myself up with... Is this worth Warren putting himself at risk to the extent that he does?
To me, the book puts a little more focus on Matty than Warren, and yet I did get why Matty wanted Warren more than I understood why Warren wanted Matty. So while it was a cute romcom, this interplay tripped me up.
The Sex:
Kind of frustrating? Because you'd have sex scenes, and they were in the moment, but it was so vague that I would've preferred a fade to black. It's not that they were unsexy, because the chemistry is there, but it did feel like fence-sitting.
The Conclusion:
A fun, light romcom that had some logistical issues tripping it up. Nonetheless, I appreciated the highlighting of the 1800s gay scene, and I also just plain liked Warren. If this had been a bit more Warren-centric and a bit less "Matty angsts over his job that is not a great job anyway" I think we would've been more in business. But that's just me!
Thanks to Carina Adores for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Heat Index: 5/10
—undercover (but not really)
—the covert gay scene of 1800s England
—rake/cutie pie
The Basics:
Detective Matty Shaw is good at his job; unfortunately, his job is also catching on to the fact that he's gay, which could threaten his entire career. For the sake of his latest undercover assignment, he's also supposed to be something of an artist, which brings him to a class... accompanied by Warren Bakshi, the barkeep he recently almost hooked up with, and is absolutely supposed to stay away from. Warren's family has recently come into wealth, and he's supposed to use the class as an opportunity to elevate himself, when really he just wants to go back to picking up babes at The Curious Cat, a secret club for men of his Inclinations. Matty is the one person he's supposed to avoid. But you know what they say about avoiding hot people... it's hard....
The Review:
I know Jess Everlee has a following amongst queer historical romance lovers, and I can see why. This is a sweet, witty, and rather adorable historical romcom with just a touch of intrigue. And while I don't know that it necessarily gut-punched me the way I love to be gut-punched, it did entertain me.
Personally, I love it when historical romance really delves into queer subcultures. Yes, I love the books that purposefully go "fuck history", and I love the books that stick to characters on the outskirts. But it's also fun to get into the nitty-gritty of clubs like The Curious Cat, which very much existed and threw drag shows and entertained dalliances and dealt with the cops. It's something I think we need to see in our current era. We need to see people pursuing joy, even if everything seems to be against them.
In that light, I also loved that Warren is like... a rake. It's not that he doesn't take the threat of being exposed for his preferences seriously. He's just also going to pursue a hot guy, and flirt and charm. He's rather swoony, and it's easy to see why Matty would risk it all for him.
Matty... is a detective, and while I never read about cops in contemporaries, I allow a little more leeway with historicals. I really don't seek 'em out, but in all honesty, the aspect of this being a queer historical overrode the detective thing. I did sort of struggle as to why he wanted to do this at all, to be real, and though I liked him, I think I would have liked him more if he wasn't a detective. it just didn't make ton of sense to me as I got to know his character?
There are stakes (Matty and Warren's literal safety, for one thing) and a bit of intrigue. But I would say that the main point is the romance. And it is very charming, and I did like it, and I did keep tripping myself up with... Is this worth Warren putting himself at risk to the extent that he does?
To me, the book puts a little more focus on Matty than Warren, and yet I did get why Matty wanted Warren more than I understood why Warren wanted Matty. So while it was a cute romcom, this interplay tripped me up.
The Sex:
Kind of frustrating? Because you'd have sex scenes, and they were in the moment, but it was so vague that I would've preferred a fade to black. It's not that they were unsexy, because the chemistry is there, but it did feel like fence-sitting.
The Conclusion:
A fun, light romcom that had some logistical issues tripping it up. Nonetheless, I appreciated the highlighting of the 1800s gay scene, and I also just plain liked Warren. If this had been a bit more Warren-centric and a bit less "Matty angsts over his job that is not a great job anyway" I think we would've been more in business. But that's just me!
Thanks to Carina Adores for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
To Sketch a Scandal is Everlee's fourth installment in her Lucky Lovers of London series. In this we finally get to see barkeep Warren Bakshi meet his match. He is seen as the Curious Fox's resident scoundrel and struggles to accept being seen as settled down. Matty Shaw loses a promotion at Scotland Yard and must untangle his messy relationship with his job before he can think of leaving law enforcement behind. The two men have instant chemistry, but the owner of the Fox bars Matty due to safety risks. The two men find themselves in the same art class and sparks fly. I've enjoyed the two books that I've read in this series, and this one was no exception. That being said, it did feel like there was less plot in this book than in previous ones. This was a light read and I look forward to seeing what Everlee writes next. Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
emotional
lighthearted
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:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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:
Complicated
Another wonderful addition to the Lucky Lovers of London series! I so enjoyed getting Warren's story, as well as seeing more of Matty. Like many characters in the series, Warren and Matty are living double lives. Warren has his home life where he takes care of his mother, helps around the house, and charms neighbors and shopkeepers, but he also has his beloved role as the flirty bartender at The Curious Fox. Meanwhile, Matty has been raised up to work for the police, frequently working in undercover roles that exploit his good looks and his past mistakes to infiltrate and expose queer places. Matty and Warren shouldn't work, but from their first meeting they're drawn together - from a foiled assignation to classmates in a somewhat suspect art school. I loved watching them get to know each other and slowly begin to shed their masks. There's so much tenderness between them, and the romance is incredibly sweet. I also liked how they're honest with each other and encourage one another to seek out new beginnings and better futures. In the midst of everything, there is the supportive, queer found family at the Fox. While they're not perfect, they're all doing their best and it was heartwarming to catch up with the characters and see how they've grown. I appreciated how this book explores queer history, and I especially liked that it examines what it would be like for a queer person of color during these times. While I found the book to be lighthearted, there is an ongoing strain felt by Matty as he works in an extremely homophobic environment and struggles with the roles he's given. The realism is well balanced with hope and happiness, and creates a satisfyingly complex queer historical romance.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Carina Adores for the ARC!
A thoroughly cute and fun culmination to this series! I didn’t realize this was the fourth in a series when I requested the ARC, but I was able to get my hands on the other three through my local library in a fairly timely fashion, and enjoyed them so much that it ended up making me all the more excited to read this one.
You don’t technically have to read any of the others to understand the plot of this – the basic mechanics are fairly clear, and any necessary information about the other characters who reappear is given to you.
The plot itself is fairly thin – at first it seems like there will be a detective thing going on, but then that quickly is shoved to the side and never happens. And then there’s a brief worry about being outed which is also quickly dismissed. But I wasn’t bothered too much but the lack of plot, because I enjoyed the characters themselves. I wish there was more with Warren’s family, and we learned more about Matty’s backstory at all, but I read this in two sittings so I have to say that I enjoyed it with its flaws.
It does lose a further half star because Matty is a cop, though. But it would’ve lost more if not for the ending of that particular plotline.
A thoroughly cute and fun culmination to this series! I didn’t realize this was the fourth in a series when I requested the ARC, but I was able to get my hands on the other three through my local library in a fairly timely fashion, and enjoyed them so much that it ended up making me all the more excited to read this one.
You don’t technically have to read any of the others to understand the plot of this – the basic mechanics are fairly clear, and any necessary information about the other characters who reappear is given to you.
The plot itself is fairly thin – at first it seems like there will be a detective thing going on, but then that quickly is shoved to the side and never happens. And then there’s a brief worry about being outed which is also quickly dismissed. But I wasn’t bothered too much but the lack of plot, because I enjoyed the characters themselves. I wish there was more with Warren’s family, and we learned more about Matty’s backstory at all, but I read this in two sittings so I have to say that I enjoyed it with its flaws.
It does lose a further half star because Matty is a cop, though. But it would’ve lost more if not for the ending of that particular plotline.
lighthearted
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:
Yes