Almost A Gentleman

Phoebe, alias Phillip "Phiz" Marston, the heroine of Almost a Gentleman, is an amazing creation. I've never before encountered a character like her and have to tip my hat to the author for so exquisitely executing this challenging, intriguing, and powerful exploration of Phoebe's transformation, double life, and sexuality. Almost a Gentleman is a romance novel of course, but I found myself more interested in the questions of gender and identity this book raised, and Phoebe's life as and reasons for acting as a man, than I was in her relationship with the hero. She is strong and compelling, a character who has been the victim of circumstances and brutality in the past, but who has survived and grasped control of her life with brilliancy show more and flair. I was so impressed with Phiz that I was a little reluctant/sad to see him abandoned once Phoebe became involved with the hero, Lord David Hervey, the Earl of Linseley. (Though David is by no means a disappointment - he's a great hero who's perfect for Phoebe.) That might mean I missed the point of the story, but Rosenthal writes so well that I think you can take away from this book any number of things - a great love story, a woman's path to wholeness and healing, and a vivid depiction of London life that goes so much farther than the superficial balls and rides in the park that preoccupy most romances. And when Phoebe does get her happily ever after, it seems the time is right to lay Phiz to rest at the end. Truly an achievement, an intelligent, compelling, and above all unique read. show less

A very intriguing book! Unusual plot -- a little stretch of the imagination, but clever. Really liked the male lead -- mature, kind, decent. Good book!

Well written romance, with good sense of time and place. Good characterisation. A book I liked and was happy to read but did not love.

I didn't finish this because I figured out whodunnit before page 75 and the sex wasn't hot enough for me to continue.