A-
Genre: Historical: European, LGBTQIA, Romance
Theme: Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Mistaken/False Identity
This book brought me a tremendous amount of pleasure. It’s a KJ Charles book, so that’s probably stating the obvious, but this is KJ Charles at her best.
Nico is a French aristocrat with a painting to sell in order to pay off a terrifying moneylender on behalf of his cousin Evelyn (usually referred to as Eve). Nico is engaged to Miss Whitecross, a phenomenally wealthy old woman. He is not old – probably in his twenties, although it’s never stated. While he is out of town, Miss Whitecross’s (evil) nephew trips her going down the stairs and she is now on her deathbed.
Titus makes watercolours and oilpaints professionally. Miss Whitecross is one of his clients and he arrives on Miss Whitecross’s doorstep with her paint order. The butler, Mr Thorpe, sees an opportunity for Miss Whitecross to have her vengeance afterall. Long story short, Titus ends up marrying Miss Whitecross there and then so that her evil nephew doesn’t inherit her fortune – it all goes to Titus.
In a matter of hours, Titus goes from being a shopkeeper with an eviction notice hanging over his head to being fabulously wealthy. Nico returns to town in the days that follow and pays Titus a visit, initially planning to get some money out of Titus as compensation for losing out on a fortune, but he soon becomes Titus’s guide and protector.
One of my predominant thoughts when reading was that the narrator really loved her characters (It’s a third person narrator). This made it so easy to fall in love with the characters myself. I have an extended excerpt from Titus’ wedding to Miss Whitecross that made me squeal with delight.
“Titus planted a very awkward, exceedingly light kiss on her papery hand, rather than her torn and bruised cheek.
“Flatterer”, she said, in a thread of a voice but still with a gleam of satisfaction. “He has it all now, don’t he, Carnaby?”
“The Whitecross fortune passes absolutely to your husband in accordance with the provisions of your father’s bequest.”
“And my property too. Where’s the will? Read it.”
Mr Carnaby produced a document. “Mr Green, if you will confirm for me that I am giving a faithful reading.”
He waited for the Reverend Mr Green to stand by him, then read out the provisions. A generous sum to Thomas Thorpe, her faithful butler, and as much again to her housekeeper, Mrs Matilda Thorpe. Multiple small bequests to her other servants, and everything else of which she died possessed to –
“Titus Caesar Pilcrow? Caesar?” she croaked.
“My father was greatly interested in Roman imperial history”
“Imbecile. Go on, Carnaby.”
The rest of which she died possessed was bequeathed absolutely to her lawful husband, Titus Caesar Pilcrow, with the exception of one pound to Matthew Laxton, her sister’s son, in recognition of all the love Miss Whitecross bore him.
“In those words,” she said querulously, “And why must I leave him anything?”
“Only so he can’t claim he was forgotten,” Mr Carnaby said in soothing tones. “Are these your wishes Mrs Pilcrow?”
“Mrs – ha. Seventy-eight years without a dratted man in my life and now this tomfoolery. Yes, that’s my wish. Everyone hear me? Pilcrow has it all.”
The reverend, the curate, the lawyer, the doctor and the butler all nodded.
I adored Miss Whitecross. I cared for Titus. And this is all in the opening pages. Imagine how much more love there is to be felt for these characters! And I felt it all!
Titus proves himself to be a respectful, reserved man with a passion for art (and Nico). Nico, as I mentioned, becomes Titus’s protector and support, genuinely. Titus is bewildered by the acquaintances and strangers now asking him for money, either as a gift or a loan. He’s overwhelmed by the Society mothers who now see him as a fitting suitor for their daughters. He has no knowledge of Society rules and expectations. He doesn’t know what to wear or how to behave. Nico helps him with all of this.
For all that it is clear that Nico is up to no good from the start, his care and consideration for Titus are genuine. He guides and encourages and supports as Titus works out for himself what exactly it is that he wants to do now that he is wealthy. There is something unutterably tender about the growing connection between the two. Titus is learning to shed baggage from a previous (emotionally abusive) relationship and stand up for what he wants. Nico is his patient, caring, supportive guide in this new world he finds himself in. Nico himself is starting to dream that maybe things can be different for him too, that a genuine partnership is possible. Maybe he doesn’t need to live “on a combination of his wits and the skin of his teeth” always in service of his next goal. Although there are some very big hurdles that need to be cleared first.
It’s clear from the start what the bleak moment will be. It’s so clear that even Titus knows it. Nico needs money and Titus has it. I won’t spell the details out here as things unfold in a way I did not predict even if the crux of the conflict was written on the wall.
The historical detail is fantastically compelling. A particular favourite of mine was the way that money was put in perspective. There are multiple references throughout to how much money would be required to do certain things. For example, I learnt that an aristocratic household at the time would need £2000 to run for a year. Titus inherits capital that gives him an income of £8000 a year. FABULOUSLY wealthy!
In terms of representation, Evelyn’s gender remains ambiguous for much of the book. If I understand correctly, Evelyn is AFAB but living as a man mostly. When Titus brings it up at the end…
Nico says, “Eve is best understood to be simply Eve … ‘He’ suffices where necessary.”
I had only one tiny disappointment: for me the HEA didn’t feel long enough. I would have liked a glimpse into the future, showing how this found family made a home together. Otherwise, yes, I’m saying it with my full chest, it is nearly a perfect book. I think KJ Charles fans will be as delighted as I was.
This book is available from:
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well.
Thanks!
