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A review by hartd
In the Privacy of their Home by R.A. Padmos
5.0
Between four and five stars. This is a very good read, and it's unfortunate that it's currently out of print. To me, it succeeds really well in capturing queer life in a specific time and place (1967 England), but the romance is also excellent, with a believable progression, conflict, and resolution. I felt for Dylan and his loneliness, and for his disbelief that he could have any happiness.
Dylan has serious internalized homophobia, which makes sense in context, but it's intense. The world he lives in is also very homophobic. So be aware of that before diving in, if you're used to reading queer historicals in which homophobia is not as prominent (like KJ Charles and Cat Sebastian's books).
But for me, reading this book was a great experience. Dylan savors every moment that he spends with Max, and I so enjoyed his focus on details. One example:
I really appreciate that the ending. I'd call this ending an HFN with an openness to an HEA, which feels exactly right for this pair. If you like historical reads and can track this one down, I highly recommend it.
Dylan has serious internalized homophobia, which makes sense in context, but it's intense. The world he lives in is also very homophobic. So be aware of that before diving in, if you're used to reading queer historicals in which homophobia is not as prominent (like KJ Charles and Cat Sebastian's books).
But for me, reading this book was a great experience. Dylan savors every moment that he spends with Max, and I so enjoyed his focus on details. One example:
Dylan pretended not to care, although he would remember splitting a ham sandwich, a cheese sandwich and a Thermos of tea on a bench in a public garden in the spring with lovely Max until his very last day.
I really appreciate that the ending