(4.5/5 stars)

A Gentleman's Gentleman is a queer and trans Regency romance by T.J. Alexander.

I borrowed the audiobook from my local library and following along with my review copy. I had a lot of fun listening to the narrator; he did a great job making every character feel distinct. I'm also always happy to see trans narrators reading books featuring trans leads!

At first I was a little nervous about how the power dynamics would be with a relationship between a lord and his valet, but I think the author did a great job navigating that potential minefield. This book truly is the slowest of burns, from strangers to friends and eventually lovers. I particularly enjoyed the banter between our leads.

There were a couple of things that I figured out ahead of time throughout this book, but that didn't take away any of my enjoyment from the story. All of the mentions about queer people in that time period were lovely, and I'd love to dig more into that history sometime myself. I also really loved some of the side characters, especially Cook, Plinkton, and Christopher's tailor.

As soon as I finished the book, I immediately ordered a finished copy from Pango to keep on my shelves. It sounds like there's going to be another book featuring some of the side characters for this one that comes out in 2026 and I can't wait!

Witty slow burn romance featuring a transgender MC. Christopher is delightful and I loved watching him navigate his world. He’s a country gentleman forced to return to London society to find a wife by his father’s will. Only he seems to be having inconvenient feelings for his valet. A gem.

A gorgeous, quiet, reflective, beautiful masterpiece. Loved this slow burn romance and the way that the characters developed trust and intimacy. I'll definitely be reading this one again!

It's a historical romance/kind of a rom-com that doesn't hit you over the head with the smut. A quick and wholly enjoyable read from beginning to end.

This was a delightful story and I thoroughly enjoyed the humour. I would have loved to have finished it, but the kindle version locked me out as soon as it was archived, despite having downloaded it.

TBH this one had me at the cover. A non-traditional regency romance with Zach Pinsent (my favorite Dandy-fied historical attire living costumer, seriously look him up on YT or Insta under Pinsent Tailoring) as the cover model? Yes PLEASE! This will always and forevermore make an appearance on any QUEER historical romance recommendations I make!

A perfect slow-burn trans regency romance featuring an Earl with a secret he plans to take to his grave. After receiving a letter from his lawyers confirming that he must marry before his 25 birthday or he is in jeopardy of losing his family estate and legacy, he decides he must finally take on the dreaded role all men in his position must, to find a bride. Hopefully one that can agree to a marriage of convenience. Before setting off for London he takes on a valet as is expected with the Ton he will need to mingle with during the season.

I found the characters lovable and so much of the dialogue was funny. The only reason this wasn't rated higher for me was because I felt the last hour or so of the book was so rushed and left me wanting quite a bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Vintage for this arc. All opinions are my own. This was such a fun read. I love historical romances that have queer representation, specifically trans in this case. I have loved TJ Alexander's contemporary novels and their humor and wit and character development transferred over so well to the historical romance genre.

This was fine. TJ Alexander is normally pretty hit or miss for me so I took a shot with this one and it was fine. I enjoyed it enough, I did really like both of the main characters. It just really, really dragged for me at times. I found myself putting it down for days before finally getting back to it. I will still probably recommend it to people cause ultimately the story was great, but I also know there is a good chance I won't think about it again very much.

This one was alright. I love this author’s work but this one just fell a little flat for me with the tension and building up to the relationship. It was alright, not bad but not my favorite.

This was a good romance book and I think thoughtfully done for queer stories. I liked both lead characters and they were developed well.

4 1/2*STARS*
Lord Christopher Eden lives as a recluse in his castle with just a butler and a cook. On the stipulations of his father's will, he must be married by his twenty-fifth birthday to keep his inheritance. Christopher has a secret he's kept for many years and has no desire for a wife. Besides it must be a marriage of convenience. To be prepared for life with Polite Society in London, he needs a valet. Arriving on his doorstep is James Harding, his new valet, sent by his attorneys. At first it's an uneasy relationship, but as each man shows a hidden side of himself to each other, more secrets are revealed. An enjoyable read, of an unusual love story, in Regency England after the defeat of Napoleon.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

A gentleman’s gentlemen was such a cute and sweet cozy Bridgerton-esque romance. About a trans nobleman and his valet helping him acquire a wife for his estate inheritance. This story unfurls gently and with a slow burn romance, but that’s the beauty of this book. You feel warm and fuzzy the whole way through and the banter between the two is great.

TJ Alexander has done it again! I have loved their last couple releases and I was very excited to get the opportunity to read their newest venture into historical romance. I typically do not re-read the description of a book right before I read it and so I was flying relatively blind going into this book. The revelations from Christopher and James genuinely shocked me! I was so impressed at the way the story wove together. I appreciated the way they got to know each other as Lord Eden and Mr. Harding, the valet, and how they slowly came to trust one another.

I also loved the rest of the cast of characters and only wish we got to see more of them! Particularly Etienne and Miss Montrose. It was a shame that Christopher's time in London with them was not longer. I also appreciated and felt that the story warranted the slow burn it received, however it did cause a bit of a rush into the HEA at the end. It was definitely lower heat than Alexander's other stories which felt appropriate for the story.

In all, this was a truly enjoyable read with a beautiful and tender queer and trans love story. Alexander's talents are many, but their ability to affirm that queer love can look all types of ways is one of their best.

I am not usually a historical fiction reader, but I knew I would pick this up when I saw that TJ Alexander was the author. "A Gentleman's Gentleman" starts with our MC needing to get married to secure their inheritance. A common trope... but TJ Alexander has turned it on its head. Lord Eden is trans and that makes finding a wife a bit more difficult because he doesn't want to trap a woman into a marriage with a secret.

Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys romance, historical fiction, or LGBTQ books!

2.5 rounded up...

I wanted to love this book. Conceptually, I should have loved this book. I actually did love parts of this book. But the first half of the book was SO BORING! Like, literally, half of the book was a slog and I almost gave up so many times. It's not until our protagonist makes it to London that the plot even really starts, and then it's actually pretty great. Assumptions and shenanigans and action and it's really fun. And then we get to the last chapter, which I felt was wholly unnecessary to the story and was so late in the game that it doesn't even make sense to include. The epilogue should have been the last chapter.

Anyway, this was a big miss for me, which is a shame, because once there's actually plot, I really liked the characters and the action.

Alexander’s first Regency romance, A GENTLEMAN’S GENTLEMAN (Vintage, paperback, $18), is all shy emotion amid an orgy of historical men’s wear. Christopher Winterthrope, the orphaned Earl of Eden, must marry before his 25th birthday or lose his lands and title. Marriage is a complicated prospect, since Christopher is trans.

Determined to make a good show for prospective brides, Christopher asks his lawyers to send him a valet. And what a valet they find: James Harding is stern, hard-working and unutterably handsome. Christopher is dazzled, but he doesn’t believe love is a possibility for someone with his unique masculinity. The reader knows better — and can spot the subtle early signs of James’s affection before Christopher does. It’s the most savory kind of anticipation, a very readerly having your cake and eating it too.

I loved this book. The trans representation was very good. The characters are complex and interesting. I bought a physical copy of this book before I even finished the ARC.

I needed this book, especially in this climate. I needed some trans joy. It starts out as a typical histrom, but it's not. Both protagonists are transmasc, and it addresses difficult topics like grief and transphobia, it was more emotional that I thought it will be.
The romance was so slow but really beautiful, I cried a lot.

🏳️‍🌈Rep: Gay Trans Masc, T4T, Queer SCs

📝Tropes/Themes: Regency Romance, Secrets, London Season, Bridgerton Vibes, Slow Burn, Starting Over, Eccentric Characters, Witty & Charming

TJ Alexander is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Every book I’ve read by them so far has been different, but all equally wonderful. A Gentleman’s Gentleman was no exception to that. I love queer regency romances and the fact that this was a T4T (trans for trans) romance made it even better. I loved that Christopher’s transness, while central to the story line, was just one small piece of what made him who he was - the “man of unusual make.” This story explored what it meant to be both trans and queer in that era in a way that felt authentic to the time with a touch of fictional liberties mixed in for the sake of the story. Alexander transports the reader to early 19th century London, while also infusing the time with an unexpected sense of trans joy, acceptance, and celebration.

Christopher was a man who loved to wear pastel colors and lived a mostly solitary life on his estate with the only two staff he deemed necessary, but who were more like family than anything else. But life, aka his father’s will, threw a huge wrench in his plans and popped the idyllic bubble he had built his world in. He needed to marry by his next birthday or lose his title, the estate…everything. Already turned off to the idea of love and romance this was not something he was thrilled to learn. But add into that the hidden part of his identity, and finding a wife becomes a bit trickier.

Cue James Harding, the handsome valet that Christopher must hire and take with to London so that he appears a bit more “normal” to the other high society folk. The two could not be more opposite and things are a bit rocky at times, but in the midst of it all you can begin to see little glimpses of something brewing between them - subtle but sure. Charged moments, unspoken words, stolen glances. And when Christopher’s search for a wife takes an unexpected turn, those discreet moments no longer feel like enough. But for either of them to pursue anything beyond the relationship of Lord and valet means life will forever change in big ways for one or both of them. I don’t want to say much more than though because I don’t want to share any spoilers - you’ll just have to read it to find out more! 🥰

We need more historical romances with trans leads and I’m grateful to Vintage Books for inviting me to be an early reader of this story!

Lord Eden needs a wife and a new valet. The problem is, he doesn't want either. But James Harding isn't the valet he was expecting. Sure, he's uptight and handsome and determined to dress Christopher--something he absolutely will not allow--but he's also surprisingly tolerable. The secrets both men are hiding could ruin everything--or lead to something wonderful.

What a lovely historical trans romance! I don't want to say much more about it than that for fear of giving anything away. If you enjoyed A Lady for a Duke, this is for you.