Manners & Mannerisms

I thought this was a perfectly serviceable, average historical romance.


Things I liked:

I love when a guy that likes men and a girl that likes women marry, fully aware that they will never share the marriage bed, but are close friends and confidantes.

Reginald is sweet and very patient and never pushes William.

Catherine and Sarah. ... And, in fact, most of the supporting cast.


Things I'm merely meh about:

William. While I like his general character - and don't think he's half as naive as the other reviewers seem to think - he does cause my biggest problem with the story. (Also, I think, as an fairly sheltered second son of a country family, the naiveté that he does have is perfectly understandable.)


Things I disliked:

William is a horny, lust-filled thirsty thing. My gosh, the sex and masturbation and fantasizing scenes are early and often. As I'm someone that loves a slow burn so slow it wouldn't be incorrect to call it a glacial burn, this displeases me. Also, considering the fact that William is inexperienced, sheltered, a virgin and never even been kissed at the start of the story... He went from first kiss to felching without a second thought remarkably quick.

(Don't call someone's cock ‘Sir William' nor someone's asshole a ‘portal.' Seriously, the sex scenes were already a little eye-rolling anyway, but that's just cringe-y.)


Supremely average historical romance. If you're looking for anything new, don't look here, but if you're like me and enjoy the typical tropes and beats of a historical romance, you could certainly do worse. (I sure have.) (In truth, if the sex scenes hadn't been so intrusive, this book might have gotten a four stars, so if you like sex in your romance more than I do, (most people do) this book might just work out for you.)