A Fine Gentleman

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

EDEN, SARAH M.

A FINE GENTLEMAN

London barrister Jason Jonquil has spent his entire life working to establish his identity as a gentleman, a man of refinement like his father and brothers. But when fiery Spanish beauty Mariposa Thornton walks into his office, he finds himself losing his grasp on his dignified character. The woman is infuriating, pushing him to the limit of his legendary patience. However, her case seems simple enough -- a small matter of inheritance. Or so he believes.

Once a well-born lady, Mariposa fought to survive the brutalities of Napoleon's war on Spain. She braved horrific perils and undertook dangerous missions on behalf of those fighting against the invading French army. But her greatest battle still lies ahead: after being separated from her family, Mariposa sets in motion a plan to reunite with her loved ones in England. To avoid drawing the attention of the French, Mariposa dons a carefully crafted persona to conceal her true purpose. As Jason and Mariposa are drawn together by the case, they come to know the people beneath the masks they both wear.

My Review:

published in 2008; reprinted 2017

This is me gushing over Jonquil men again. And while I'm at it, I'll gush over Sarah M. Eden as well. She's not only managed to create a dynamic  brothers series, but, while there are similar (and exquisitely delightful) elements to each book, each brother and his story is also absolutely unique. 

They all have distinctive personalities based not only on birth order but life experience. And I'm discovering that each one struggles deeply with the loss of their father at much too young an age. That leaves them all vulnerable as they strive to live up to their sometimes skewed ideas of what would make their father proud. That inner struggle adds delicious layers to an already rich plot.

So we have the ever dignified barrister son. Jason is even-tempered, honourable and dignified. Might even say verging on pompous at times. Mariposa sure would. :-) And, oh my goodness their first scene together is hilarious. 

Eden excels at witty banter, but somehow she always finds a way to deliver it with a fresh spin. Mariposa is indescribably clever and adept at turning a conversation into a masterpiece of parody. Poor Jason is not only flummoxed but he's at risk of losing his patience and dignity...and maybe even his heart as well. Hearty guffawing laugh alert -- might not want to read this book in public. :-)

And for all the comedic elements in this novel there are just as many poignant ones. Not to mention swoonworthy moments galore! I am seriously addicted to these brothers and their accumulating lady loves. I'm going to be devastated when it's all over. Luckily I'm just at the mid point so I have more brothers to swoon over in my very near future.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Aubrey Warner and enjoyed every second of her animated performance. It takes a lot of energy to pull off Mariposa and Warner was definitely up to the task!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for an ebook copy  (sadly, print copies no longer available on Book Depository)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Fine Gentleman, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 3 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!