Wednesday, April 6, 2016

A Gentleman's Position by KJ Charles

5 STARS

Society of Gentlemen - Book 3

To quote what I said on Twitter: *BIG HAPPY END OF BOOK - END OF SERIES SIGH* Damn that was marvelous!!
So many people have written more clever, more insightful, more discerning reviews on A Gentleman's Position, and indeed on the whole series, than I could ever hope to write. Hell, I don't even write reviews, just spew out my thoughts. :) But I really wish I could do the former for this book and this whole series. It's just a crackerjack of a historical romance. Entertaining and well... educating at the same time. For my money, KJ writes about the inequalities of the class system (see, I don't even know for sure if that's what you call it. *LOL*) as well as, if not better than anyone else. I mean, you come for the love story and before you know it, you've learned something! At the very least, you've been made to think about things you might never have thought of before. :)

So, about the book. First off, it was only fitting that we finally get the story of Lord Richard Vane and his valet David Cyprian. We learn why Richard is the oh-so-proper (except for his love of men) upright, upstanding, strict caretaker of his friends and family that he is and I was finally able to forgive him for being a self-righteous prick over 2 and a half novels. :) I don't know that I ever came to really like Richard, but I did come to understand and root for him.

His valet (and love of his life), David Cyprian, is quite the piece of work. So very very clever - quite honestly I think he, Silas and Dom could take over the whole British Empire given half the chance - and so devoted to his master, I loved him for his own moral code that was, in its way, just as rigid as Richard's. I also enjoyed his wicked sense of humour and loved how he dealt with his own family. I think that he's going to be the making of Richard.

Things I thought of while reading...

I'm still in love with Richard's life-long best friend, Dominic Frey, one of the MCs of the previous book - A Seditious Affair. I loved how he spoke to Richard, open, honest and from the heart, not holding back on his anger while so obviously loving him as really, only Dom could.

I totally enjoyed Richard's older brother, Philip. I loved how he behaved in the climactic scene of the book and how his relationship with Richard compared to that of the other brothers - Ash and Maltravers.

Even though I knew that KJ would never take the easy route, I was still inordinately pleased that there were no sudden revelations of a hidden noble background or a business legacy appearing out of nowhere. It made the HEA that much more satisfying to me.

Yeah, I'm sad that the series has come to a conclusion (even though KJ is thinking of maybe writing a coda) but it truly doesn't feel like anything has been left undone. Sure, I would enjoy tales of the adventures of the happy couples but I don't NEED them. :)

As I said, again on Twitter, KJ Charles has been added to the list of authors for whom I will put aside the book I'm currently reading to read their latest work. And it's a short list!

Loved these characters, loved this book and loved this trilogy!

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