Review originally posted in July 2013 by Angela at Fiction Vixen.

The Gentleman’s Keeper by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon
LGBTQ+ Historical Romance
First published July 9, 2013 by Samhain Publishing
Reissued March 13, 2017 by Duet Publishing

Too long with nothing intriguing in his life, he decided. Gambling and racing, boxing and dancing, sexual dalliances and alcohol — he’d indulged in every vice and amusement possible for a wealthy man. He’d cut a swath across Europe and ended the journey sated yet unfulfilled. At least this journey to his roots promised something different. Discomfort, perhaps.

When he receives a letter from his bailiff telling him of the arrival of a bastard Gerard child to his ancestral estate, Everett Gerard realizes he can’t avoid his responsibility any longer. No matter his feelings he must make a trip to the Abbey and deal with figuring out exactly who this child belongs to. After spending the last several years gallivanting across Europe, immersing himself in his secret desires and avoiding his duties to the family he realizes he must face his demons.

When he gets to the Abbey he’s quite pleased to discover that there might be some things worth staying for. Mainly his bailiff Miles Kenway. Miles is a quiet man, restless and unused to staying in one place for too long. When a child who bears great likeness to the Gerard line shows up and immediately starts running wild and behaving uncontrollably he sends letter after letter until he finally gets the master of the house to show up to deal with him. What he doesn’t expect is for an attraction between himself and Gerard to immediately flare up. A relationship between them is sure to be messy, and not just because they must keep their passion for each other quiet, but also because Gerard is his employer. Not to mention the young boy who both have taken under their wing and now feel a parental bond for.

He wanted to bury his face in his hands or curse out loud. His pleasant, solitary existence had been turned upside down and inside out by several interludes with Mr. Gerard. He’d been changed by their interactions. Now he simply had to shove all those changes away and transform himself back into the man he’d been before Gerard erupted into his life.

The Gentleman’s Keeper was surprisingly not as angsty as I expected. Gerard and Miles have an ease and peace around each other enables them to slip nicely into a believable relationship. The roles of employee and employer might stand between them, but each man managed to shift in out of those roles into that of lovers very easily. Gerard’s entire childhood was spent fighting to prove his manliness when he realized he was sexually attracted to boys instead of girls. After the death of his father he immerses himself in those desires in a much more liberal Italy and brings that experience to his newfound dealings with Miles.

While they are meeting each other for clandestine passionate encounters, they are also trying to deal with a boy who has touched both of their lives. I enjoyed seeing the close bond form between the three of them. Each man brings something to young Ispial’s life that he needs and together they form a lovely family. While there is some conflict towards the end regarding Ispial’s true father and Gerard’s determination to keep his family safe and together, the romance between these men is the primary focus. It just seemed like a bump in the road for these men so that they would finally face their growing dedication to each other.

This was an easy, sweet read that wasn’t overly emotional or too full of drama. Even the HEA was nicely done and left me with a good feeling. Final Grade: B

Favorite Quote:

“The future, here with you, if you stay. It will be bright, don’t you think?”

He wasn’t talking to himself. His quiet words were for Miles.

Miles didn’t dare look at him in case his smiles revealed too much to anyone looking out the window or passing by. He directed his wide grin at a window box of mums, but his words were only for Gerard. “Yes, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”