Our whole novel is told from the POV of Lord Alexander Pyne-ffoulkes, though he calls himself simply Alec Pyne considering his estranged relationship with his father the Duke of Ilvar and horrible stepmother. Mostly he managed on his own, he is an illustrator and quite good at what he does so though he lives in a small attic he is able to pay his bills. But his brother and younger sister are having a hard time and he can't stand by and see their lives being wrecked when he has an idea to make things right for them. His idea might sound strange at a first thought and yet it makes perfect sense - stealing a priceless diamond parure his father intends to gift his wife for their 20 years anniversary. It's spiteful and it reeks of vengeance but it will also actually HELP his siblings even though it could never give back the one thing they all lost - their youngest sister Cara who died because they couldn't help her any better with the little means they have.
Alec finds the Lilywhite Boys - Jerry Crozier and Tempelton Lane - and offers them a cut for stealing the jewels. Though he's the one who came for them he still feels unsure he'll be able to handle it. As he has to play a role himself - as the repentant son who feels sorry for his father and stepmother for how HE misbehaved as a child towards them and "made them" renounce him. It alienates his siblings (who can't know the real plot), it brings bile to his throat, yet it's a means to an end and with Jerry's help he is able to build a "character" he can act in front of his father and stepmother to try and pull this whole thing off.
As we don't get Jerry's POV it's hard to know what he is thinking and what is the reasoning for his actions. At the beginning, when Jerry says he'll impersonate as Alec's new best friend, Alec is a bit skeptical and Jerry's behavior is on the one hand very civil and friendly, on the other hand there is something else under the surface as well that makes Alec feels how much of an act it actually is for him. Yet there is an attraction between then and what Alec needs is exactly the kind of sexual interaction Jerry loves best - the kind where he can takes control. Not in a mean way, Alec just enjoys being more submissive and being told what to do. He feels bad and even unmanly about what he enjoys and Jerry does his best showing him how much there is NOTHING wrong with what he wants especially with their needs meeting so wonderfully together. I really liked how Jerry handled the whole thing on the one hand taking control and on the other never letting Alec feel like he is "less than" because he chose at certain times to release his control to him.
With every act between them, sexual or friendly, it starts to show Jerry is not as "professional" as maybe he would like to be. There is definitely something between them now, but when they finally arrive at the estate for the anniversary celebrations and Jerry is betrayed the relationship between them basically crumbles and even after both realize the circumstances of everything, they are still unsure how to act and react. How to interpret what happened between them and if it's possible to make it right and if they can even be more once this whole deal is somehow resolved.
There is a lot going on with Jerry and Alec building a friendship (and relationship) together, trying to build this fictional and not so fictional character that can come running for his father for help without despising the man or himself for acting the part. There is also quite a bit of a mess once they get to the estate and things start to happen quickly. There is much more under the surface than we realized but in the end trust KJ to bring us a wonderful and sensitive resolution for these two.
We get a few mentions from characters we've met "Sins in the Cities", though this series takes place 20 years later, and we also get a surprise character - the investigator Susan Lazarus. The last name sounds familiar? This is our dear little Sukey, the little girl Justin Lazarus took into his house and made a point to care for even after he decided to retire as the Seer of London. Susan has her role in this one, but she's going to have a much bigger role in the next installment as our main character together with Tempelton Lane.
Beautifully written, engaging and exciting. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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Rating:
★★★★★ |
E-Book
Edition |
267
pages
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Read on:
16-17 April 2020
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ABOUT THIS SERIES
Lilywhite Boys is a Historical Romance series by K.J. Charles. The
Lilywhite boys are a professional jewel thieves. They are called
Lilywhite especially for their ability to stay clear of the police's
way. Though most jobs are done by Jerry Crozier and Templeton Lane they
do get a bit of help from their friend Stanislav Kamarzyn. The series
tells us their love stories, though the stories themselves aren't
connected there are a lot of details thrown in that makes it best read
in order and even more so starting from the "original" series "Sins of the Cities" which takes place 20 years before this one.
The is a bit of overlap of characters between the series mostly in the background but one takes quite the center point in both full length novels - Susan Lazarus. If her last name sounds familiar and her first doesn't it's because we've met her as Sukey, Justin's little helper in "An Unnatural Vice". She matured into one HELL of a woman and I really enjoyed her novel (notice, unlike the previous ones it's a heterosexual relationship).
The first gives as the feel of the times and the characters though it's a very sweet and endearing short novella with a bit of suspense, there are a few important details thrown in though that makes the next two makes more sense. The two full length novels gives us a real arc of action and a big mystery to be revealed with a beautiful complicated relationship buildup in each one.
WONDERFUL HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SERIES but please start with "Sins of the Cities" you WON'T regret it!
Books:
0.5 Rat-Catcher's Daughter [Stanislav "Stan" Kamarzyn & Miss Christiana] (Published 25 September 2019) ★★★★½
1. Any Old Diamonds [Alexander "Alec" Pyne-ffoulkes & Jerry Crozier] (Published 30 January 2019) ★★★★★
2. Gilded Cage [Susan "Sukey" Lazarus & Templeton Lane / James Vane] (Published 29 October 2019) ★★★★★
The is a bit of overlap of characters between the series mostly in the background but one takes quite the center point in both full length novels - Susan Lazarus. If her last name sounds familiar and her first doesn't it's because we've met her as Sukey, Justin's little helper in "An Unnatural Vice". She matured into one HELL of a woman and I really enjoyed her novel (notice, unlike the previous ones it's a heterosexual relationship).
The first gives as the feel of the times and the characters though it's a very sweet and endearing short novella with a bit of suspense, there are a few important details thrown in though that makes the next two makes more sense. The two full length novels gives us a real arc of action and a big mystery to be revealed with a beautiful complicated relationship buildup in each one.
WONDERFUL HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SERIES but please start with "Sins of the Cities" you WON'T regret it!
Books:
0.5 Rat-Catcher's Daughter [Stanislav "Stan" Kamarzyn & Miss Christiana] (Published 25 September 2019) ★★★★½
1. Any Old Diamonds [Alexander "Alec" Pyne-ffoulkes & Jerry Crozier] (Published 30 January 2019) ★★★★★
2. Gilded Cage [Susan "Sukey" Lazarus & Templeton Lane / James Vane] (Published 29 October 2019) ★★★★★
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