Very possibly my 2022 best book of the year. Trapped in an impending marriage to a woman he likes but cannot love, happy-go-lucky Charlie is desperate to meet his favourite smut writer before sealing away his collection of explicit m/m novels forever. With his cheerful personality and sparkling wit, Charlie manages to coax bereaved and unsociable writer Miles back into the world of the living, as they embark on a forbidden, absolutely illegal, and beautifully scorching romance. But when one foot wrong or a single word out of place could spell a lengthy prison sentence, can Charlie and Miles find their happily ever after in Victorian London?

I am officially in love. I adored this book with my entire heart and soul. There were moments that had me full of joy, such as the gorgeous description of Charlie getting dressed to take Miles out to The Curious Fox; and beautifully soft, tender moments when Charlie and Miles believe they cannot be together. I loved how we got to see without question how deeply Charlie and Miles loved one another through their own narrative perspectives, and the obvious love the author has for these characters shines through on every page. They leapt straight out of the book. Charlie, in particular, I found such an engaging and loveable character. His physicality was wonderfully depicted, and I could so clearly see how everyone wants him to be their friend. I think the author did such a good job at showing her characters and who they were, to the point that this rarely explored part of Victorian London history was brought to vivid life.

I often find it's quite rare in a Romance for me to feel the relationship is ever in real jeopardy during the final Act, or that the reason for the characters breaking up ever holds its weight, but in this case, both were done so well, that I completely understood the difficulties Charlie found himself in, as well as feeling complete sympathy for Alma. I think the author did such a good job of demonstrating the very real difficulties people such as Charlie, Miles, and Alma would have lived through at this point in history, and the grief they would have to endure. Because of this aspect of the plot, I found myself feeling quite emotional, thinking about how The Gentleman's Book of Vices must offer a happy ending to honour so many who never got to experience one in their own lifetimes.

Beautiful, moving, tender, funny, endearing, I really can't recommend this book highly enough. I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of The Gentleman's Book of Vices. These opinions are my own.