I think that if you like the bridgerton books, the start of this one will not give you the same trouble it did me. I felt like it dragged on for forever, only for the ending to slam into me all at once. That being said, when we did get to the ending, it's everything you could want froma. regency romance. and more because the exploration of what it'd be like to be trans in society was incredibly well done. How Christopher came to be rattled me so effectively I had to take a step back for a second. It absolutely redeemed itself in the last third of the book, but I came so close to DNFing multiple times because of how much absolute nothing it felt like was happening. I can't tell if I just don't have the patience for the genre, or if it really was just uneven pacing. Still, I've been a fan of several other TJ Alexander works and the characters that win you over so completely that I've come to expect from them were absolutely present here. and it was an overall enjoyable read.

I requested and received an eARC of A Gentlemans’ Gentleman by TJ Alexander via NetGalley. Listen, I loved Alexander’s novel Triple Sec, so a queer Regency era romance featuring a trans leading character? Heaven is a place on earth indeed. In A Gentleman’s Gentleman, the eccentric Lord Christopher Eden discovers that he must find a wife by the end of the season to fulfill the stipulations of his late father’s will and maintain a grasp on the Eden fortune and estate. Christopher isn't attracted to women and much prefers his quiet country life to the bustling society of London, but he can't see a way of avoiding it. Putting his best foot forward in the London Season will require new staff, which is how Christopher becomes acquainted with his new valet, James Harding. After a difficult beginning, the two men strike up a friendship that is threatened by their own secrets and the growing spark of attraction between them.

Okay, but this type of romantic pairing is absolutely my favorite. I instantly fell for Christopher. He has a somewhat bumbling, lighter nature than Harding, and the level of affection and concern he shows for Cook and Plinkton was very endearing. I found Harding to be just as alluring with his more conservative nature and the care he showed for Christopher throughout the story. His character remains a bit more of a mystery for the bulk of the narrative, but I think that only further fueled my interest in his character. Christopher and Harding, in their roles as an unwilling lord and the eager to please valet, share a dynamic that has an undercurrent of humor that made them very enjoyable to spend time with. It definitely filled A Gentleman’s Gentleman with the sort of pleasant warmth you want in a fun historical romance.

I was equally invested in the side plots contained in the book. I found Verbena Montrose, Lady Belinda and Étienne to be just as interesting as the protagonists, almost to the point that I wish there had been more space for them in the narrative, but Christopher and Harding remain the heart of the story. They’re both so charming that I didn’t mind the absence of the others. I won’t spoil any plot points, but this book didn’t quite turn out as I expected which was a nice surprise. A Gentleman’s Gentleman is a unique spin on the historical romance and an example of the limitless possibilities of queer storytelling. I can’t wait to read whatever story Alexander comes up with next!

I LOVED this. My new favorite TJ Alexander. SO much yearning, so tender, so full of heart, genuinely made me laugh out loud. Will be recommending this to everyone!!!

This was such a beautifully written and unexpectedly joyous affirmation of queerness and trans-inclusive love against great odds. The way the author writes Christopher's observations is so vivid and relatable, both in his humorous moments and in his more dark or contemplative moods. The setting is impeccably done, and the side characters are fun without taking away from the main plot, But most importantly, the dynamic between our leads just completely stole my heart with how brave and caring they are toward each other (even when they're being idiots haha). Christopher's careful isolation is completely upended by his handsome footman James, and the journey they go on together had me laughing and crying throughout this book. I couldn't put it down.

A classic historical romance, but with trans representation. An earl, in need of a wife, to keep his inheritance, and a valet, to keep up appearances while in London, tries to also be a good person and true to himself. Like most romance book earls, he has too much to balance and something is going to need to give. The ending will not be a surprise, but the trip is warm and joyful, with the romance-novel-required misunderstandings and miscommunications clearing up quickly and with humor.

I really enjoyed A Gentleman’s Gentleman. I have never read anything by TJ Alexander before, but I plan to read the authors other works after reading this.

I just loved the characters in this book. I’’m so soft for Christopher (just want him not to be lonely and to have the support he needs). I initially wasn’t sure about James but ended up really loving him too and how he and Christopher treat each other.

Some of my favorite things about this book are how Christopher referred to himself “a man of unusual make” and how being trans was talked about in this book. I also really loved how Christopher opens up about himself and his past both for the reader and James throughout the book. It felt like Christopher was slowly revealing himself to us (the reader) and James at the same time which felt really natural and beautiful.

I loved the ending (though I wish there had been some possibility for acceptance in England) and how the characters end the story on even footing (if that makes sense without spoilers).

Lastly, I loved the yearning in this book. It is obvious from the beginning that there is significant yearning from one MC and I loved watching the relationship unfold.

Really beautiful book about love, acceptance, and trying to be true to yourself regardless of societal norms.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a chance to read this eARC.

Another BANGER from TJ Alexander!! This book is amazing. Christopher’s initial attraction/hate toward Harding is EXCELLENT. Read for lovable characters, Hijinks and lots of action, and a satisfying happy ending! My only gripe would be with the pacing, which felt a little rushed in the back half. 4.5 stars!! ❤️ Thank you NetGalley and Vintage for the ARC.

So I really enjoyed this one - it was fun! It was packed with heart! I loved both the MMCs, their relationship, and how they grew closer to one another over the course of the book's events. It was incredibly refreshing to see some very important topics being tackled so expertly in a historical romance, which, in my opinion, is something that the genre on the whole needs to see more of.

As is often the case in Regency romance, a reluctant Lord finds himself in need of a wife in order to fulfill the edicts of his father’s will and save his family fortune. Preferring to spend his days on his family estate away from society, Lord Christopher Eden is used to tending to his business alone with the help of two loyal servants. He doesn’t want a wife, but if it means securing his future, he’ll turn his world upside down and spend the Season in London to find one.

But finding a wife also means appearing to be a respectable suitor rather than a simple country gentleman. Step one in accomplishing that goal: find a valet. James Harding seems to be the right man for the job, there’s just one problem. — he’s exactly the kind of temptation that could threaten to ruin Christopher’s entire plan.

A Gentleman’s Gentleman is a trans Regency romance with an unexpected double twist. Its sedate pace sets the tone for a slow burn romance full of uncertainty, misunderstanding, secrecy, and intrigue. Alexander cleverly evades revealing too much in favor of captivating and tantalizing readers with hope and possibility while racing toward an unexpectedly emotional happily ever after.

3.5⭐️ rounded up!

Review to come~

edit 12.4.24:

thank you to netgalley and knopf, pantheon, vintage, and anchor for a copy of my arc in exchange for my review!

oh y'all just know i'm a slut for a queer historical romance. a gentleman's gentleman follows lord christopher eden, a closeted trans man who has to marry by 25 (🤢) in order to maintain his title and estate. as a social recluse with little staff, he heads toward london to secure himself a wife and hires a valet to maintain appearances of normalcy.

enter james harding, the emo man of our dreams. the dry humor sent me into another dimension. i loved their casual banter, sarcasm, and overall chemistry. they were both adorably clueless in terms of their feelings for each other

however, the ending felt incredibly rushed to me, and (almost) nothing physical happened between christopher and james until *checks notes* 97% of the way through. i'm all for a slow burn, but that was like 0 to 100 and i suffered from the whiplash. i felt like their relationship had developed in such an organic way, only for it to climax (lol) at the very end of the book with only a short epilogue stating the aftermath

all in all, the story was lovely, and it's always a joy to read a queer book by a queer author. truly my only stipulations were with the fast-paced ending. i just love queer regency era shit *sighs dreamily*

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

This started out fairly slow, but I'm glad I pushed through it. This was such a cute read and had amazing reputation for LGBTQ historical romance in a remake story.
Was an amazing read. I absolutely enjoyed it!

I love TJ Alexander, and I was so excited to see they were coming out with a historical romance. The book is a total delight--I loved the characters, and the plot is fun and moves along at a good clip. Romance lovers should be aware that it's *extremely* slow burn, but I thought that made sense for the characters, and it never dragged.

I do wish the publisher had gone with a different cover image--a rounder trans model rather than a thin, cis man--but I guess you can't win them all. It's definitely a very pretty cover!

Every time I read a new book by TJ Alexander, they move higher and higher up my favorite authors list. I’m not a huge regency romance reader, but I will read anything Alexander writes, and I absolutely adored this book. Christopher was a fantastic character, I was rooting for him from page one. I loved the interactions between Christopher & James, and the level of pining through the book was perfect.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of A Gentleman’s Gentleman in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars

Okay, I'll be honest with you, this was a rather slow start, but I am so glad I stayed with it. This was just a fun and heartfelt story. I was quickly drawn to this being a queer historical romance with trans rep. We don't see much of that. T.J. Alexander did that wonderfully. This is their first foray into historical romance, and you can kind of tell, but there's so much potential for even more of this from them. I really loved Christopher's character. I really related to how he describes his feelings towards his identity and the way he internalized everything. The latter is so relatable. James remained a mystery for much of the book, and even after his little reveal, he still felt like a bit of an enigma. Overall, I really enjoyed this slow burn romance and the trans rep in a historical romance. There are some little things that I didn't fully vibe with, but as a whole, I had a lot of fun with this story. I really love T.J. Alexander and their work. I look forward to more from them, and hopefully, more queer historical romance.

This book was so cute, but the plot felt rushed towards the end. Still a super fun read, and I would recommend!

Regency romance isn’t normally my thing, but I am interested in ones that have queer and trans representation in them. I gave T.J. Alexander’s last 3 books 5 stars, so I went into this one with an optimistic mindset. The story follows Lord Christopher Eden, a trans man who is content just living out in his country estate with his small number of staff. But he’s forced to bring on a new valet and spend a season in London so that he can get married to keep his family’s fortune. Enter James Harding, an experienced valet with some secrets of his own.

I flew through this book, I read it in one sitting. Christopher was an interesting character to follow. He’s dealing with grief after losing his family and loneliness due to the way he lives his life in order to protect his secrets. It was fun watching Harding come in and shake things up by preparing Christopher to enter London society. I liked seeing the back and forth of Harding trying to get Christopher to do things in a more traditional way and Christopher trying to get Harding to be less formal.

It takes a really long time in the book before the characters are fully honest with one another and actually get together. I was hoping it would happen a bit earlier in the book. The formal nature of Harding being Christopher’s valet and not wanting to overstep the typical boundaries of that relationship held them back from having intimate moments and conversations more fully throughout the story. It felt like they got together and then the book was basically over.

While this didn’t become a new all-time favorite for me, I think it’s definitely worth picking up if you’re into queer/trans regency romances. There’s a fun cast of side characters, copious descriptions of elaborate outfits, and queer love prevailing against all odds.

Great book! I enjoyed reading it and discovering the main characters' quiet love. This book leaned heavily into slow burn and TJ Alexander really makes you wait for the spice 😆

Lord Eden is reclusive and keeps to himself, while James Harding, his hot valet, is super starchy and traditional. The men fight a bit because each are stubborn for their own reasons and Christopher jumps to conclusions really easily. There are several miscommunications if I recall correctly. There are also some comical moments and the side-romance and its accompanying hijinks were super cute.

3.5 *'s
Christopher spends a long time isolating himself from Society and other people, for lots of reasons, but when he slips back into the world it is with a bang...very sweet and a little steamy...

I hesitated to start reading A Gentleman’s Gentleman because I’d seen a few low ratings and even people DNF’ing it. But when I finally dared to pick it up, I actually liked the stilted and, at the same time, witty story. I flew through the pages (it’s a pretty short one) and amused myself.

But …

Yep, there is a but. Even though I liked it, I also believe that this story is underdeveloped. Christopher’s grief never came fully to the surface, and Harding (for a long time, I forgot his first name!) was pretty one-dimensional. Therefore, the chemistry was zero and I couldn’t really connect to Harding/James. So, I wanted more, much more. More witty dialogues, more depth in Harding’s character, more inside in Christopher’s grief. I wanted to see Christopher’s past as flashbacks, not as a rushed story being told in one chapter. This could have been a gem, but now it felt like a nice in-between to read snuggled up on the couch or lying on the beach. But that’s all.

i was soooo excited about this premise - a regency romance with queer (and not just queer, trans) rep??? sounds like a dream.

unfortunately, the writing seemed too clunky for my taste. i couldn't vibe with either of the characters, and the romance just seemed out of place at points.