Reviews with content warning for Cultural appropriation - The Gentleman's Gambit

What an interesting and lovely way to end a fantastic series! Oftentimes I felt bogged down by all the politics and context that was happening around the characters, and honestly this book felt more about that stuff than the romance or characters themselves — interesting. There were so many balls dropped, I felt, in honor of talking about the same political stuff over again. Even so, the romance was wonderful, full of chemistry, and started off with a bang… even if the progression didn’t really make sense or feel natural. (Honestly, Dunmore should just do what she so clearly wants to and write some academic books on 18th century women’s rights or Lebanon or whatever else she’s interested in!)

I enjoyed my time with this book, but the series definitely went downhill after the stellar first book. Either way, I’m glad to have read and finished it, and to had such fun along the way!

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jenniferbbookdragon's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring 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

5.0

I love this series, and this is the best one so far. Catriona is a complex and deeply intriguing character as a scholar, suffragist, and socially uncomfortable woman in Victorian England. Meeting a man from Lebanon with his own business and family concerns challenges both of them to consider how they can both follow their ambitions and their hearts in societies with very strict standards for public and private behaviors in prescribed roles.
Dunmore clearly did her homework on the history of the women's movement, life in Victorian England, the silk business in Lebanon, and more. I am intrigued by some of the topics discussed and will do additional reading on my own.
Plus there are some steamy scenes as well.

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emmas_bookshelf's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

5.0

This book, while set in the 1880s, is so incredibly timely, as Evie Dunmore sweeps the reader through a burning romance while also deftly covering tough topics like the occupation of the Levant, imperialism, and the stealing of cultural artifacts and the ethics of repatriation when the legal system fails. I absolutely loved how smart and deep this fourth installment of this series was. It was incredibly powerful, very well-written, and worth the wait. While I am very sad to see this series end, I can’t wait to see what Evie Dunmore writes next.

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