Reviewed by True
TITLE: The Servant and the Gentleman
SERIES: Society of Beasts #3
AUTHOR: Annabelle Greene
PUBLISHER: Carina Press
LENGTH: 341 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 17, 2022
BLURB:
A surly gentleman and his overworked clerk fake a relationship in this swoonworthy Regency romance from Annabelle Greene.
William Hartley’s wealth and social standing often make up for his short temper, but they can’t cure his claustrophobia. He’d lost hope of finding help for it, until meeting Josiah Balfour. In a moment of panic, Josiah’s presence is a balm to his senses, leaving Hartley calm for the first time in months.
Josiah Balfour knows his place—and it’s not in the bed of a gentleman. As the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s responsible for the club’s well-being. When a threat to the Society emerges from an unexpected quarter, it falls to Josiah to deal with it. But Hartley is willing to help, even if it involves posing as a couple to infiltrate a rival club.
Josiah needs Hartley’s prestige to help him save the Society, while Hartley simply needs Josiah. Their relationship might be a sham, but the desire between them is all too real. Stuck in close quarters with everything they love on the line, they discover that everything might just include each other.
REVIEW:
This author has an exceptional writing style, and creates the best historical environments, every element felt authentic, the atmosphere, the clothes, the articulation, the circumstances, everything is just right!
London, 1820
William Hartley talks in an arrogant way directing servants, like a snob. When he finds his panic attack got lesser by the smooth talk of one of the servants named Josiah, he wants to pay him for extra service.
Josiah is the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s opposed to Hartley’s offer, he will not be used or degraded by this man.
He wants to help but not be used, he has better plans to make use of this haughty man, to compensate him. He needs the help of this influenced man for the future of the club. It seems they need each other for different purposes.
“But I’d shower you in wealth. I’d take you to all the very best places.”
“Being showered in money and taken to the very best places is hardly the most compelling reason to partner anyone.”
Josiah and Hartley will pretend to be boyfriends so they can infiltrate in another club. Practice to be romantically involved is needed (gosh, thank you very much)
Imagine the politeness used in that particular time and how they carefully approach each other.
Haughty Hartley is used to being served, he has a lot to learn about politeness, Josiah doesn’t accept less.
Hiding behind his high walls of unaffectedness is getting more difficult, Josiah is unraveling him, is soothing for his soul.
There are hundreds of lines I wanted to highlight and share. The author has such a beautiful way of expressing herself.
I adored this story, it slowly build-up their connection into something strong. Their personalities were well developed. This story has such good dialogue, this author excels in writing them.
I’ve read some books that lacked conversations it was just hard to get through. But here we are, showered in dialogues, awesomeness!! The plot was widely written, I was already satisfied with everything happening with both men, so apologies to the author for the hard work, but the case around the clubs was of minor importance to me. While it’s not a story where the romance can be openly expressed, there are so many little romantic gestures, that the romance is quite palpable.
When they were loving on each other it was like watching art, so many details to see, beautiful!!
Overall a brilliantly written story.
RATING: 
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