The Gentleman of Holly Street by Lotte R. James Published by Harlequin Enterprises ULC on November 29, 2022
Genres: Fiction / Gothic, Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency, Fiction / Romance / Holiday
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: Netgalley
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Friends become lovers in this gothic romance
Will this Christmas...Change their lives again?
After self-made gentleman Freddie Walton rescued penniless Philomena Nichols at Christmas eight years ago, he never imagined that he would build his empire with her. Yet whilst they have created a life together as friends, Freddie can't let their special connection become more than that. Not when his dangerous past continues to haunt him... But what happens when Freddie's feelings for Philomena also refuse to stay hidden?
Friends to lovers, this book is part of a series but worked fine as a standalone. It’s sold as a gothic romance, but I didn’t get that at all; the book is missing some of the fundamental elements of a gothic romance including suspense, mood, and real mystery.
Both MCs have traumatic pasts and there is a fair amount of angst and melodrama at play throughout. This is amped up by a lot of inner monologue. As most of it is repetitive (I love x but…) it became tiring and I skimmed a lot of this book after debating whether or not to DNF.
There are some intimate scenes, violence, and mature subject matter. None of it is super graphic, but the overall tone is fairly down in the mouth. Around the holidays except for the one or two tearjerker movies I watch, I like a bit lighter fare, and this was not that.
I think this book could work for readers who like angsty friends to lovers, enjoy reading about lower/middle class 19th century folks, and like a bit of villainy in their romance.
