One of the trickiest – and most fun – parts of any regency romance is seeing how the different tropes are used and subverted. Some of the twists in this book were a good laugh, and fun to read; others felt truly gratifying and earned the pay-off at the end.

That being said, this book does fall slightly into the trap of being too trope-tastic. We went on such a wild journey between the various hi-jinks of the characters that there weren’t quite enough moments to slow down and really connect with the emotional side of the story. The final few chapters, which did give us that more emotional story, were extremely enjoyable and satisfying – I just wish there’d been more of them!

As for the romance itself, I loved seeing their feelings for each other strengthen and develop. The whole book is from Christopher’s perspective, which means we get to throw our heads in our hands when he’s being absolutely clueless! It also meant that we got to know James through Christopher’s eyes, and we got that glorious moment where we can see very clearly something that Christopher is completely oblivious to.

This is a great addition to any queer regency romance shelf, and a timely reminder that trans people have always existed!

I received a free copy for an honest review.

The Wholesome Trans Romance We All Currently Need!

Thank you to HQ (HarperCollins UK), TJ Alexander, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Lord Eden (Christopher) has always preferred the comfortable company of his staff to the prying eyes of the ton. But when he receives word that he must find a wife by the end of the Season or lose his fortune, he knows he is going to need to keep up appearances and hire some help.

Enter James Harding. The handsome and professional new valet who has the task of helping Christopher navigate the ton. James is frustrated with Christopher’s unconventional way of living, while Christopher is frustrated by how handsome James Harding is.

What follows is a beautiful love story centering around two vulnerable queer men trying to navigate a world in which they are not accepted.

Simply put, this was truly lovely.

Queer people have always been here, so comments on this story being "unrealistic" are simply false. To see Christopher and James find each other in this universe was magical, and I do hope a version of them exists somewhere in history.

I found the pacing a little slow, and I would’ve liked to see more of Christopher and James together in their happily ever after. I also thought how Christopher came to be himself was a little far-fetched and unbelievable, but also… it’s fiction, that’s allowed!

With the state of the world right now, queer fiction like this is EXACTLY what we need, Trans people simply trying to live their authentic lives.

I can't wait to read more from TJ Alexander.

I've not read anything by this author before and I loved all of the characters and settings. I'll be looking out for more. I'd love to read a book about the side characters too.
Lord Eden awakes from a bad dream and instead of ringing for a valet, he admires his wardrobe, selects his outfit and dresses himself. The eccentric Lord then enters the kitchen of Eden Abbey and shares a small breakfast with his 2 staff.
From being a big fan of Downton Abbey, I knew this wasn't the norm.
As we understand Lord Eden more and more throughout the book, we discover his trans back story and his shame at his body. He needs to travel to his London house to engage with society to find a wife, so employs a valet to fit in with societal norms. Will his valet help him in more ways than one?

This book wasn't what I expected, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't quite the romance I'd been expecting. It was very fast paced which made it an easy read and much of it was enjoyable but I didn't feel like the romance between the two main characters was really built throughout the book. In large part because you didn't really see anything of James Harding outside of his job as Christopher's Valet. There was a growing friendship for sure, and I liked that, but it never really felt like there was a romantic element to me. And the latter part of the book felt really quite rushed. Not a bad book, and actually I'd have preferred if they'd forgone the romance completely and played out more of the friendships for Christopher and him finding himself more through that.

Lord Christopher Eden is a charmingly eccentric young nobleman who prefers to stay out of the ton. But he has a problem: he must find a wife by his 25th birthday or lose his inheritance. Things get complicated when James Harding, his painfully attractive new valet, enters the picture. James is disciplined, proper, and class-conscious, and their professional relationship slowly develops into something deeper. As Christopher explores London's marriage market with James's help, their growing feelings for each other threaten to disrupt the lives they've built.

Things I loved:
Trans rep
Lovable characters
Slow Burn
THE WARDROBE SCENE
The ending

What to Watch Out For:
The themes of gender and identity may require certain readers to temper expectations of "historical accuracy". We must remember that trans history has been suppressed and even purposefully destroyed so "historical accuracy" is hard to come by. This book is a thoughtful representation of how things might have worked in the Regency era.

I loved this book and finished it in one day. It's a heartfelt romance that combines Regency traditions with modern themes, and was an enjoyable escape into a familiar historical setting while exploring true human experiences. It will resonate with readers who enjoy character-driven historical romances featuring authentic LGBTQ+ representation.

Thank you so much to HQ and NetGalley for providing a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligation. I reviewed this book voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

This was such a beautiful queer read, I absolutely loved the slow burn romance and the trans representation.

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done a fantastic job of creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. The language is clear, concise, and evocative, with descriptions that bring the setting and characters to life. Dialogue is natural and authentic, and the pacing is well-balanced, with enough tension and release to keep the reader engaged.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed, and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if it were in a bookshop.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75

#ad I received this book for free as an arc, but the opinions are my own
I really really enjoyed this book. If you enjoy any of these or enjoy this I recommend : lady for a duke, more than a best friend, it’s you, you’re the problem. (They all have a very similar tone especially lady for a duke with a trans fmc)
This is a very slow burn trans regency romance. The main storyline isn’t super strong but the character development and growth is what keeps you reading. Although I predicted the twists it was still really enjoyable. The book even made me cry when a character gave a monologue about transness and queerness and even though we may feel alone there’s a whole beautiful spectrum of us surviving and thriving.
For those wanting to avoid sexual content it was very minimal and is in the last two chapters (chapter 26 having kissing a build up and chapter 27 having the act) this can be skipped to the epilogue and plot isn’t ruined if you let it fade to black.

This was such a gentle, quietly loving story. It was an incredibly slow burn and the simmering tension between Harding and Christopher was so well balanced as they navigated their dynamic. I thought it was well paced and the banter between the two of them was great and the ending was beautiful.

Regency meets Queer meets Trans
And yayyyyyyyyy all done really well
As a gay man I surprisingly don't read that much queer fiction,not sure why but the blurb caught my eye and decided to give it a go
Loved Lord Eden and also his alluring valet James and enjoyed the whole story
Great writing,a story that kept me reading and a romance for even the most jaded of readers
Really glad chose this book

I really enjoyed this book! I knew going in that there was m/m romance and queer rep, but I didn’t realise just amazing it would be. There was plenty of trans rep, which surprised me in the best way, and many other characters were queer too. The story was so well written and I loved the overall conflict of the main character ‘needing’ to get married for his inheritance, and how he figured out the best way to adhere to this. The love story was beautiful and I loved seeing the characters gradually fall for each other.

This trans Regency romance will have you swooning over both MMCs!

Lord Eden is a man like no other, with peculiar habits and quirks that set him apart. As his 25th birthday approaches, he learns of his late father’s will: to retain his title and estate, he must marry. With no real choice, he hires a valet and sets off for London to find a woman willing to enter a loveless marriage of convenience—because that’s all he can offer. However, things take an unexpected turn when his valet, James—devastatingly handsome and far too tempting—complicates matters. Both men harbor secrets, and those very secrets might threaten their growing bond.

From the very first chapter, you’ll fall in love with the main and secondary characters alike. This book is an absolute page-turner—fun, lighthearted, and utterly charming!

This isn't my usual genre, but having recently discovered Bridgerton (yes, I know I'm so late to the party that I nearly missed it!) I was intrigued by a Regency romance told through a trans lens. Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for my review copy.

Lord Christopher Eden lives as a recluse - having lost his parents, he's been able to bury himself in life at his country estate with only a couple of trusted staff for company, keeping away from the gossip of the ton. Unfortunately, his comfortable existence it put in jeopardy when he's told the future of his estate rests on him finding a wife by the end of the Season, which might just cause a few issues... One of his first hurdles is to appear as a respectable and eligible young bachelor in the eyes of high society - and for that, he'll need a valet. Of course, the valet that arrives - James Harding - is problematically gorgeous and may prove to be quite the distraction from Christopher's main goal.

This has all the slow-burn that you'd expect from a Regency romance, plus lashings of humour that make Christopher an endearing and sympathetic lead. It's easy to see the appeal of both the main characters as they struggle to maintain the proper master-valet relationship in light of their growing feelings for one another. The book is a sensitively-written and engaging exploration of the struggles of people to live their authentic lives within the constraints of society's expectations of men and women - but it's also charming and fun alongside the serious messaging.

The only thing I found a bit tricky to follow is how both men could continue to live authentically and it be a happy ending - I know enough about Regency society to know that inter-class relationships wouldn't be openly accepted any more than queer ones. The writer does manage it well, but it's probably the element that I found least convincing.

For romance fans, there's a lot to enjoy in this book - it's fun and lively and you'll definitely want to follow Christopher and James's story to the (sweet, satisfying) end.

it's been a <b>very long time</b> since i read historical fiction in regency era since the duke and i, and now i have to witness it again. this time, with queer representation.

i must say i really enjoy the book. i love some of the witty remarks from the side characters. the plot twist made my jaw dropped. aND THE SLOW BURN??? yep, it's worth it (even though there's some tension between both mc's.)

i'm slightly disappointed in christopher's actions, especially when he first saw james while he is finding his new valet to join him in london. but i'll guess that's my only complain since i have no problem while reading this

and since this is the author's first take at writing historical romance (since their past releases set in modern time), i'm excited to witness more of this genre in particular 💞

*eARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

i had a lovely time reading this book! tj alexander made the characters' trans identities feel realistic but not anachronistic, and the slow burn was excellent. i also enjoyed the side characters, especially étienne!

This was utterly adorable! I loved every second of Christopher and James's journeys - not only is it a sweet, honest-feeling depiction of the experience of being trans, it's also a damned good Regency romance regardless. I was all in for these wonderful men from the beginning and my love only continued to grow as we dug further and further into their character development. A gorgeous, fun read that belongs on any Regency lover's bookshelf.

I was really excited for a sweet, trans historical romance by an author I've enjoyed works from before. For the first 85% of the book that's exactly what I got, and then suddenly I looked down, thinking I was maybe 50% through to find out I was nearly finished with the book!

The story is great, but the pacing is really, really terrible. It was a 5* until then!! The story is good, but pace of the ending is just such a jarring experience that it really lets down the book. It's a great read, except for that.

3.5* rounded down.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for approving my request to read an arc of this book

I have enjoyed all of TJ Alexander books so far and so when I heard about this one which was so different to the others, I was really intrigued and excited to see how the trans experience would be handled in this era. I have read quite a few historical settings for trans stories, but no experience is ever the same and each author has their own unique take on it. Christopher deals with his own identity by keeping it closely guarded for his own protection and so he can continue to live as his true self. The unfortunate thing is that to do this, in his mind, means to isolate himself from others and live in solitude. Loneliness had been his one true companion for so long that he barely notices how much it has affected him. His staff of two have been the only people he had allowed into his family’s home for years. But just before Christopher is due to turn 25, he learns of a clause in his father’s will. He will only inherit his home and fortune if he finds himself a wife. This leads the young Earl to set out to London to begin his search. But first he must look the part of an Earl and find himself a Valet. That is where James Harding enters the story. And in doing so, Christopher’s life is changed forever.

The story is a solid four and a half stars for me. I enjoyed it so much! And I was so happy with the ending. The characters were so likeable and the side characters really added to the story and helped to show Christopher’s character growth. I’d definitely recommend this book.
It’s due to come out on the 11th of March next year

I was so excited for this. I’ve really enjoyed other books by this author and I adore historical queer romance! Plus there’s trans rep!? Fabulous.

Unfortunately I just really struggled to get into this one. Can’t completely put my finger on why but the writing style didn’t flow for me. Such a shame because I need more historical trans romances to enjoy.

I’m sure the style will work for others and there’s so many themes to love here. Just didn’t hit the spot for me.