Blog Tour Review: The Gentleman of Holly Street by Lotte R. James

About the Book:

Title: The Gentleman of Holly Street

Author: Lotte R. James

Page Length: 288

Publication Date: Nov. 29, 2022

Publisher: Harlequin Historical

Synopsis: Will this Christmas…

Change their lives again?

When 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?

Purchase Link – https://bit.ly/3oZINsz

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Review:

Wanting what is best for another, to help them build their dreams, even if it takes them from you… I think that is what love truly is.

I’m so happy to be on the blog tour today for The Gentleman of Holly Street by Lotte R. James. I enjoyed this slow-burning, angsty historical romance. It has a great setting, the charm of the holiday season, and a wonderful romance. There are also some exciting and suspenseful scenes that added a bit of intrigue to the story, especially as Freddie faces secrets from his past.

The story begins as Freddie, newly returned to England and excited to begin his own business venture, rescues a penniless and malnourished Mena, who he finds outside on his grounds. Freddie brings her in to his new home and cares for her. Eight years later, Freddie is a successful merchant, and Mena is his business partner. They have great lives, both independently and together, and they are the best of friends. However, they’ve both been hiding long-held feelings for each other. With secrets in his past threatening his future, Freddie can’t give into his feelings and put Mena’s life at risk, but their feelings are impossible to deny.

Mena and Freddie are well-developed protagonists with interesting stories, and they have a wonderful friends-to-lovers romance. They have known each other for a long time and have been through a lot together. They have an interesting dynamic, and their chemistry is great. I think they know and like each other so much, and there is an ease to their friendship that’s charming. There’s also a lot of angst, as they try to repress their love for each other. Theirs is a slow-burn love story, as both characters struggle with feelings of inadequacy. Neither feels like they’re good enough for the other, and even once they become more intimate, they don’t trust that there’s a future for them.

Overall, I thought this was an entertaining read. I did think it was a little odd that Mena and Freddie lived together and were unmarried. That seems so atypical of the time, especially considering he is friends with many people of the ton. I’m not sure how widely accepted this unconventional relationship would be, but it totally worked for me. lol

Special thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and Harlequin Historical for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Rating:

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About the Author:

Lotte James trained as an actor and theatre director, but spent most of her life working day jobs crunching numbers whilst dreaming up stories of love and adventure. She’s thrilled to finally be writing those stories, and when she’s not scribbling on tiny pieces of paper, she can usually be found wandering the countryside for inspiration, or nestling with coffee and a book.

Social Media Links:

• Twitter https://twitter.com/lottejamesbooks
• Website www.lottejamesbooks.com