The Gentleman and the Rogue

I love rent boy stories. But you know what I enjoy even more? Great rent boy stories!! Paired with my fave historical time period (Regency), let's just say I was a happy lady.

Sir Alan is injured physically and mentally from war. He wanted to have one more night's pleasure before meeting his maker and decided to pay for a male prostitute. Who he picked up that night changed his life for the good. He and Jem have their night but there was something about him that kept pulling him towards the younger man. And their story is not a case of insta-love even though they had sex the first night. Alan had difficulties accepting his true nature and admitting that yes he has feelings for a man - it was an inner grapple that touched melancholy but show more was not overcome in a high tide of grief and angst.

You know why? Jem.

Jem! He's truly a gem. His name is just perfect for him.



He has got a mouth on him. And the best part he knew how to use it. His outlook on life (and he had a sucky one - pun intended) was surprisingly light. He was the light to Alan's dark and gloomy. I was afraid his feelings for Sir Alan were bred out of gratitude for not being on the streets anymore. (I mean, I'd be singing the man's praises myself if it meant I didn't have to whore myself anymore) But as the story progressed, you get a sense of the deep affection he had for his 'Lord Bumbuggerer'. I was happy for his happy ending.

The dark turn the story takes into the gruesome and macabre: There's a carve happy doctor who is a fan of abuse, messing with the minds of others, vivisection and just being fucking creepy.

This is how I kept imagining the bastard:

Just put some limp white blond hair on that dude and a scalpel in his hand. I loved what happened to him. He so deserved it. Asshat.

Though the angle was unexpected...I really liked it. It brought the story to a different level than expected. There's a satisfying HEA, well for what can be expected based on that time period. The dialogue read authentic to me. The characters were enjoyable.

The story dragged a little in the middle but not so much that I wanted to give up. So if you read and feel it drags, try to push through but it gets better towards the second half.

BTW: The original cover is exactly how I imagine the MC especially Jem.

Great story! show less

A historical gay romance about a brooding older man and the cheerful younger guy who changes his life. War vet Sir Alan Watleigh buys the services of Jem, a prostitute, for his last night on earth before he commits suicide. Of course, he never quite gets there as his gloomy outlook starts to change because of Jem. This is a wonderfully cute and romantic story about two very different people from different positions in society getting together. There are funny parts, sexy parts, and even an adventure! The ending is incredibly touching and you can really feel how deeply Alan and Jem came to care about each other. I enjoyed this one a lot. Highly recommended!

4 1/2 stars
I almost want to give this a 5 star but last minute, pushing it to the limits, just took it away. The romance is a nice build instead of a hit you in the face love at first sight.

Alan is the Gentleman who picks up a prostitute for a one night fling, As he feels he has no reason to live, he plans on suicide. He has a self hatred for his obscene cravings. Jem is the light, easy going, jokester. He is street smart and has had a hard life but still has a joie de vivre. Alan finds this compelling, yet has no trust for the thief and whore. He wants more of him as he is infectious yet his trust issues and self-hatred keep him at arms length.

Jem gives every reason to Alan to distrust him yet he really wants to gain his trust. He is show more attracted to him but more so the warm bed and hot meals. He pushes his attraction on Alan and tries to break his self loathing.

It is sweet to see the opening up and trust being made between the two. The attraction is there from the beginning so it is the growth of the relationship that makes this very nice. The sex is good from beginning to end. If you like m/m erotica, this is a good one. show less

lad from the streets meets a lord of the manor...

When war veteran Sir Alan Watleigh goes searching for sex, he never imagines the street rat he brings home for one last bit of pleasure in his darkest hour will be the man who hauls him back from the edge of the grave.

A night of meaningless sex turns into an offer of permanent employment. As Sir Alan Watleigh’s valet, Jem offers much more than polished boots and starched cravats. He makes Sir Alan Watleigh smile and warms his bed. Just as the men are adjusting to their new living arrangement, news about a former soldier under his command sends Sir Alan Watleigh and Jem on the road to save a child in danger.

The journey brings them closer together as they travel from lust toward love. But show more is Sir Alan Watleigh's love strong enough to risk society discovering the truth about him?

This is the first novel I ahve read by these two authors and i really enjoyed the emotions behind this simple story. I also enjoyed the side story about a really scary psychopath.
But Jem is the real star of this novel. He is an amazing character.
A whore from the streets of London with , I know it's cliche to say, a heart of gold. He is a wonderfully, refreshingly optimistic breath of fresh air amidst the decandance of his life.
he is a great storyteller and I found myself laughing out loud at his wit!
I would love to read more about him and Alan as well.
Bravo Ladies. Highly recommended. show less

I really liked the interaction between the characters and that even though Jem is the pickup he still seems to be the one who is more sure of himself that Sir Alan. The story is intense as Jem struggles to lift Alan out of the darkness of his past. In the midst of this struggle they are cast in the role of rescuers of a young girl in the hands of a evil dark. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. Very moving and emotional.

This was a M/M historical romance. It was a fun escape from the currently reality. The story read like a fanfic I once read, but that's a compliment as most fanfic I have read is as good as or better than many novels. The narration and just meh. There was no emotion to it, which took from the story. Not bad, but not great.

The story of the Gentleman who falls in love for a “lost soul”, another way to define a prostitute in old times, it’s quite common, as it is usually common that the lost soul has a sad story in the past, a destitute daughter of some middle class merchant, or maybe the daughter of a vicar, or something like that. The girl is usually a piteous character, who is able to reform the spoiled aristocrat and gain her place in society again. The wealth of the aristocrat is able to disguise, or at least to attenuate, the sordid past of the girl. But in this specific case, not even the noble origin and the wealth of Sir Alan would be able to hide the fact that Jem is not only a prostitute, but also a man, and so their story will never have a show more truly happily ever after, at least not in the eyes of society.

But despite being poor and a street whore, Jem is not at all a sad soul. He is witty and clever, and above all he enjoys sex; when he is asked for a full ride from handsome Alan, he would have probably done it even for free, just for the joy of spending a night with a man he really likes. Jem’s attitude is a balsam for Alan, who is having suicidal thoughts and has no reason to live; a former officer who has seen too much in the battle field only to come back home to a lonely life, his parents and brother gone, dead.

Alan was always aware that he had no interested in women, but he was unlikely he would ever done something about it; during his years in the Army he had other issues to face, and when he was back home, he was to ill. Now, restored from his illness, he sees no reason to live; he has no interest in having an heir, no interest in leaving a sign of his existence in this world. From some hints here and there, I had the feeling that, even if he had some sexual experience with women, he has never succumbed for his sexual desires for men. Then one night he thinks he will not see the next day, and so maybe he is allowed to at least one night, and he goes out and finds Jem.

As I said, even if a whore, and probably from a very young age, Jem has not lost his joy of life; poor and uncultured, in any case Jem is happier than Alan ever was. He is able to stir up Alan’s interested and to give him a reason to go on; even if not consciously, Alan decides to live almost as a parasite of Jem, sucking his joy of life, but it’s not a bad thing, he is not doing bad to Jem, since Jem has enough for both of them. And Jem is neither greedy, he decides to share what he has without selfishness, meaning that what he does gives joy to Alan and him both, so he doesn’t see reason to not doing it. Alan is eating alive by remorse and prejudices, conventions taught him what he is doing is wrong, but Jem has not that problem, he only sees that what they are doing is not harm to anyone, and so he sees no reason to not continue. It’s strange the richer man, Alan, is indeed poorer than Jem, and in the end, it will be Jem who will share everything he has with Alan, even if it’s not a wordly wealth, but nevertheless something even more essential.

Even if the sex is a very important part of this story, the historical setting is good and believable; it’s not only a pretty environment, and these are not two modern men disguised in silly garments. Alan and Jem felt real and good, and their story was realistic but also very romantic, so I think that both historical than romance lover will like it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MAK320/?tag=elimyrevandra-20 show less