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Society of Beasts #3
The Servant and the Gentleman
A surly gentleman and his overworked clerk fake a relationship in this swoonworthy Regency romance from Annabelle Greene.
William Hartley’s wealth and social standing often make up for his short temper, but they can’t cure his claustrophobia. He’d lost hope of finding help for it, until meeting Josiah Balfour. In a moment of panic, Josiah’s presence is a balm to his senses, leaving Hartley calm for the first time in months.
Josiah Balfour knows his place—and it’s not in the bed of a gentleman. As the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s responsible for the club’s well-being. When a threat to the Society emerges from an unexpected quarter, it falls to Josiah to deal with it. But Hartley is willing to help, even if it involves posing as a couple to infiltrate a rival club.
Josiah needs Hartley’s prestige to help him save the Society, while Hartley simply needs Josiah. Their relationship might be a sham, but the desire between them is all too real. Stuck in close quarters with everything they love on the line, they discover that everything might just include each other.
Society of Beasts
Book 1: The Vicar and the Rake
Book 2: The Soldier and the Spy
Book 3: The Servant and the Gentleman
William Hartley’s wealth and social standing often make up for his short temper, but they can’t cure his claustrophobia. He’d lost hope of finding help for it, until meeting Josiah Balfour. In a moment of panic, Josiah’s presence is a balm to his senses, leaving Hartley calm for the first time in months.
Josiah Balfour knows his place—and it’s not in the bed of a gentleman. As the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s responsible for the club’s well-being. When a threat to the Society emerges from an unexpected quarter, it falls to Josiah to deal with it. But Hartley is willing to help, even if it involves posing as a couple to infiltrate a rival club.
Josiah needs Hartley’s prestige to help him save the Society, while Hartley simply needs Josiah. Their relationship might be a sham, but the desire between them is all too real. Stuck in close quarters with everything they love on the line, they discover that everything might just include each other.
Society of Beasts
Book 1: The Vicar and the Rake
Book 2: The Soldier and the Spy
Book 3: The Servant and the Gentleman
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 17, 2022
About the author
Annabelle Greene
5 books59 followersAnnabelle Greene writes hot, heartwarming historical romances with plenty of humor.
When she isn't crafting the perfect HEA, she's making pasta or walking along Italy's beautiful Adriatic coast.
When she isn't crafting the perfect HEA, she's making pasta or walking along Italy's beautiful Adriatic coast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
May 17, 2022
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero’s perspectives
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )
“You’d better start making love to me if you’re going to make blasphemous jokes.”
“I started making love to you when I took your boots off.”
Should I read in order?
It’s not necessary but I did find myself wishing I had read book 2 (I did read book 1 of the series).
Basic plot:
William is a member of the Society of Beasts where Josiah is the administrator. William has never really looked at Josiah, as he’s just a servant, but all that changes when suffering from a claustrophobic episode, Josiah is able to calm him like nothing else has. They end up striking a bargain to work together – Josiah helps William overcome his fear if William will help Josiah get information about a rival club.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period (1820)
- Much of this story takes place in Bath, which I thought was fun! The rest in London.
- Unrequited love – Josiah has been pining for William from afar
- A bargain struck – William requests Josiah to help him get through his claustrophobic episodes and Josiah agrees if he helps him infiltrate a rival club
- Fake relationship trope – yay!
- One bed – even more yay!!
- M/M relationship
- Disability featured - William suffers from claustrophobia due to trauma
- Mid to high steam -
- Lots of focus on the relationship – there is just a touch of mystery going on here and the two work together on a common goal but so much of the page time is them spending time together and getting to know each other deeper
- Class difference – William is a snobby 3rd son of a nobleman and Josiah is a servant
Ages:
- Didn’t see them mentioned – would guess mid/late 20s?
My thoughts:
I enjoyed a lot about the first story in this series but I LOVED this one. So, so much. I am definitely going to go back and read book 2. This book gave me so many feels and butterflies of falling in love!
William is described as a bit of a snob. This makes his falling in love with Josiah, a servant, that much sweeter. And as you get to know him, and his judgment eases it’s just so rewarding to experience. The walls he’s erected fall and while I didn’t know how I would feel about William in the beginning, I ended up absolutely loving him.
Josiah takes pride in his position with the Society of Beasts and everything runs smoothly as a direct result of his care. His fascination with William is double edged – he drives him insane with his temper and careless remarks but has also caused a longing in him so he can’t think of another.
These two together were pure perfection. It gave small vibes of sunshine and grump and I loved seeing Josiah take control and William experience vulnerability with him. There was just so, so much sweetness in this book. So many little things I adore in romance. Whispers against lips when you’re feeling so unsure. Thinking of them when they aren’t with you. The uncertainty of how a gift will be received. A simple holding of a hand making me breathless. It was lovely. So, so lovely.
Some random parts I noted:
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero’s perspectives
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )
“You’d better start making love to me if you’re going to make blasphemous jokes.”
“I started making love to you when I took your boots off.”
Should I read in order?
It’s not necessary but I did find myself wishing I had read book 2 (I did read book 1 of the series).
Basic plot:
William is a member of the Society of Beasts where Josiah is the administrator. William has never really looked at Josiah, as he’s just a servant, but all that changes when suffering from a claustrophobic episode, Josiah is able to calm him like nothing else has. They end up striking a bargain to work together – Josiah helps William overcome his fear if William will help Josiah get information about a rival club.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period (1820)
- Much of this story takes place in Bath, which I thought was fun! The rest in London.
- Unrequited love – Josiah has been pining for William from afar
- A bargain struck – William requests Josiah to help him get through his claustrophobic episodes and Josiah agrees if he helps him infiltrate a rival club
- Fake relationship trope – yay!
- One bed – even more yay!!
- M/M relationship
- Disability featured - William suffers from claustrophobia due to trauma
- Mid to high steam -
- Lots of focus on the relationship – there is just a touch of mystery going on here and the two work together on a common goal but so much of the page time is them spending time together and getting to know each other deeper
- Class difference – William is a snobby 3rd son of a nobleman and Josiah is a servant
Ages:
- Didn’t see them mentioned – would guess mid/late 20s?
My thoughts:
I enjoyed a lot about the first story in this series but I LOVED this one. So, so much. I am definitely going to go back and read book 2. This book gave me so many feels and butterflies of falling in love!
William is described as a bit of a snob. This makes his falling in love with Josiah, a servant, that much sweeter. And as you get to know him, and his judgment eases it’s just so rewarding to experience. The walls he’s erected fall and while I didn’t know how I would feel about William in the beginning, I ended up absolutely loving him.
Josiah takes pride in his position with the Society of Beasts and everything runs smoothly as a direct result of his care. His fascination with William is double edged – he drives him insane with his temper and careless remarks but has also caused a longing in him so he can’t think of another.
These two together were pure perfection. It gave small vibes of sunshine and grump and I loved seeing Josiah take control and William experience vulnerability with him. There was just so, so much sweetness in this book. So many little things I adore in romance. Whispers against lips when you’re feeling so unsure. Thinking of them when they aren’t with you. The uncertainty of how a gift will be received. A simple holding of a hand making me breathless. It was lovely. So, so lovely.
Some random parts I noted:
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
May 16, 2022
“But it’s simple enough. No one can spend too much time in Mr. Balfour’s company and—and not feel. Not feel exactly as powerfully as he does.”
This is by far and away one of the most adorably, romantically, swoon-worthy heart-feeling books I’ve read in a long time. The teasers for Hartley and Josiah in the previous book had me absolutely hooked to read their story, and did Greene ever deliver!
I loved seeing Hartley’s growth, both as a person and through his relationship with Josiah. Even Josiah had his own personal growth arc through his cousin Samuel - both of them dealing with big personal revelations, and taking them in stride (mostly) to become better together. The best.
Together their relationship was absolutely precious, they worked so well and played off each other beautifully, the neediness and caretaking and just everything. Even the class differences were used in a way that enhanced their relationship. It addressed the elitism of the Society of Beasts, as well as the original difference between Hartley and Josiah themselves. I liked seeing them have to confront their prejudice in the face of Samuel and the rival club.
I really appreciated how the treatment of Hartleys trauma was handled. It was not at all magic-dick. It was kind of like pre-therapy therapy, via Josiah. No magic cures, but just Josiah helping Hartley work through it from the source, and talking, and such. So sweet. He was never 100% cured, but working towards handling it.
I got so mad at Frakes though - so mean to Josiah and half-assed the whole thing with Hartley. Rude. I know the characters were fine with how it went, but Hartley and Josiah are precious and I will remain mad on their behalf! Forever. >:(
…coherence is overrated for reviews, go read this immediately when it releases!!
Highlights: usually I include a few highlights from the book at the end of my ARC reviews, since I can’t import them like a normal book…but I have so many I cannot. like 70. It’ll have to wait until I can get the kindle version of the book. It was lovely and poetic and romantic and dramatic and just perfection.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Read this review and more on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
This is by far and away one of the most adorably, romantically, swoon-worthy heart-feeling books I’ve read in a long time. The teasers for Hartley and Josiah in the previous book had me absolutely hooked to read their story, and did Greene ever deliver!
I loved seeing Hartley’s growth, both as a person and through his relationship with Josiah. Even Josiah had his own personal growth arc through his cousin Samuel - both of them dealing with big personal revelations, and taking them in stride (mostly) to become better together. The best.
Together their relationship was absolutely precious, they worked so well and played off each other beautifully, the neediness and caretaking and just everything. Even the class differences were used in a way that enhanced their relationship. It addressed the elitism of the Society of Beasts, as well as the original difference between Hartley and Josiah themselves. I liked seeing them have to confront their prejudice in the face of Samuel and the rival club.
I really appreciated how the treatment of Hartleys trauma was handled. It was not at all magic-dick. It was kind of like pre-therapy therapy, via Josiah. No magic cures, but just Josiah helping Hartley work through it from the source, and talking, and such. So sweet. He was never 100% cured, but working towards handling it.
I got so mad at Frakes though - so mean to Josiah and half-assed the whole thing with Hartley. Rude. I know the characters were fine with how it went, but Hartley and Josiah are precious and I will remain mad on their behalf! Forever. >:(
…coherence is overrated for reviews, go read this immediately when it releases!!
Highlights: usually I include a few highlights from the book at the end of my ARC reviews, since I can’t import them like a normal book…but I have so many I cannot. like 70. It’ll have to wait until I can get the kindle version of the book. It was lovely and poetic and romantic and dramatic and just perfection.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Read this review and more on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
May 18, 2022
"This was poetry in irritated motion"
I still remember the first time I read anything by Annabelle Greene. It was 'Soldier and the Spy', the 2nd book of this series last year. Until that point, I have lost any hope of finding a new MM historical author who can amaze me as much as KJ Charles. But, that book proved me wrong and made her an auto-buy author for me.
This one just cemented my earlier feeling about her writing. I wanted to highlight every other paragraph, every conversation between the MCs feels like a rare gem, which should be reread. Her characters and relationship development between the leads feels so genuinely humane that I wanted to time travel and witness it firsthand, but then I mentally slapped myself for thinking that because yes Preeti… them being in a historical setting is the only issue here. 🤣🤣🤣
Another thing is I vehemently hate the 'Fake relationship' trope. But, no here babe…here I was enjoying everything about it. I think when a book is so well written, the characters so well crafted, you don't care about fake tropes. Maybe it's more so because the book also has my favourite trope of Historical books…Class divide. Because what can make a MM historical which is already lashed with forbidden love more interesting??? Let's top the forbidden angst with the angstier social divide trope.
This book could be read as a complete standalone. And, although the 1st book is good, it's nothing in comparison to these two. But I would highly recommend you to read the 2nd book of this series. It's as beautiful as this one. My only issue is not with the book but with the author, Miss Annabelle Greene. Can you please try to publish more books each year….I know I am being greedy and a book like this needs time but still can you please.😊😊😊
I still remember the first time I read anything by Annabelle Greene. It was 'Soldier and the Spy', the 2nd book of this series last year. Until that point, I have lost any hope of finding a new MM historical author who can amaze me as much as KJ Charles. But, that book proved me wrong and made her an auto-buy author for me.
This one just cemented my earlier feeling about her writing. I wanted to highlight every other paragraph, every conversation between the MCs feels like a rare gem, which should be reread. Her characters and relationship development between the leads feels so genuinely humane that I wanted to time travel and witness it firsthand, but then I mentally slapped myself for thinking that because yes Preeti… them being in a historical setting is the only issue here. 🤣🤣🤣
Another thing is I vehemently hate the 'Fake relationship' trope. But, no here babe…here I was enjoying everything about it. I think when a book is so well written, the characters so well crafted, you don't care about fake tropes. Maybe it's more so because the book also has my favourite trope of Historical books…Class divide. Because what can make a MM historical which is already lashed with forbidden love more interesting??? Let's top the forbidden angst with the angstier social divide trope.
This book could be read as a complete standalone. And, although the 1st book is good, it's nothing in comparison to these two. But I would highly recommend you to read the 2nd book of this series. It's as beautiful as this one. My only issue is not with the book but with the author, Miss Annabelle Greene. Can you please try to publish more books each year….I know I am being greedy and a book like this needs time but still can you please.😊😊😊
May 15, 2022
Annabelle Greene seems to excel at writing fun, tropey historicals without sacrificing great prose and emotional connection. This features class differences, hurt/comfort, fake relationship(!), slow-ish burn, forced proximity (only one bed), long term pining and also whatever trope "being comforted after a nightmare" is, which I now realize I need more of. And the caretaking is just so swoony and top-tier. It's good to read a regency-era historical where, while homophobia does exist and isn't discarded, the fear of being found out and the shame of one's sexual orientation aren't main plot points.
I read this straight after reading and loving the second book in this series. I already liked Josiah, the hardworking chief assistant of the Society of Beast. He's used to blending in the background of this molly club he basically runs almost by himself and to being disregarded by every member because he's from the lower class. Hartley should have been a harder character to like: he's filthy rich, arrogant, snobbish, and doesn't seem to do much for the club despite being one of its founding members. Josiah has been pining forever for him while Hartley, being by nature has barely ever noticed him or any of the other servants, for that matter. But from his first appearance in the story, he shows vulnerability and complexity: he's hiding a crippling fear of being trapped in enclosed spaces since a traumatic event that happened earlier in the series. It's impressive how the author made me feel for him so quickly, considering how protective I already was of Josiah after the second book.
Josiah and Hartley's relationship develops in a context in which they become partners with a common goal, so I didn't feel a big power imbalance in their romance, despite the class difference. The plot is fun and a little silly, in a good way: they have to fake a relationship to investigate a rival club, while Josiah helps Hartley "testing" the limits of his fear, as he seems to be pretty good at, ahem, distracting him. I liked how the fake dating goes, as it is NOT used as an excuse for every intimate moment they share. The way the classic "is he just faking?" angst is handled here is not insufferable and overbearing. As with The Soldier and The Spy, the flirty banter here is also excellent, without falling into clichés, and the chemistry between the two MCs is great. With that being said, Hartley/Josiah still had their unique dynamic that was very different from Benjamin/August, which I loved, because sometimes I feel like couples in the same series tend to resemble each other. As much as I loved the D/s undertones in the second book in the series, I'm glad this one took a different turn. August and Hartley have a softer feel and a slower burn (ok, maybe more of a medium burn), and I loved how the power shifted from encounters to encounters in a way that the characters were very aware of (yay for discussing consent!). This is still high-steam, don't get me wrong, but in a way that feels unique to these characters. In a way I thought this was even more swoony than the preceding book! There's just so many sweet, romantic moments.
Class differences are a big theme in this book, as the main plot deals with a rival society that caters to gay men of lower means. I like how this forces the reader to see the Society we saw mainly as a good thing in the previous books in a different light. I liked how this issue wasn't easily solved with a Walt Disney-like solution, and the gulf between Josiah and Hartley's backgrounds felt very real. It would have been easy to make Hartley super progressive, but he isn't, and love didn't cure him of his class bias either. The scenes with Josiah's cousin were well-done and didn't feel heavy-handed.
In my review of The Soldier and The Spy, the previous book in the serie, I talked about how I often don't go for historicals, as I'm not a fan of the usual writing style. But the prose in this series is very accessible while still having this lyrical feel that made me highlight whole paragraphs and immediately re-read some parts. The writing was even better, tighter and more poetic in this one.
Note that I didn't read the first book in the series, and went straight for the second one. Hartley's backstory is featured in book 1, but I still felt like I could follow along pretty well in this one, even though not everything was explained.
I received a free copy of this book and am providing my honest review voluntarily.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
I read this straight after reading and loving the second book in this series. I already liked Josiah, the hardworking chief assistant of the Society of Beast. He's used to blending in the background of this molly club he basically runs almost by himself and to being disregarded by every member because he's from the lower class. Hartley should have been a harder character to like: he's filthy rich, arrogant, snobbish, and doesn't seem to do much for the club despite being one of its founding members. Josiah has been pining forever for him while Hartley, being by nature has barely ever noticed him or any of the other servants, for that matter. But from his first appearance in the story, he shows vulnerability and complexity: he's hiding a crippling fear of being trapped in enclosed spaces since a traumatic event that happened earlier in the series. It's impressive how the author made me feel for him so quickly, considering how protective I already was of Josiah after the second book.
Josiah and Hartley's relationship develops in a context in which they become partners with a common goal, so I didn't feel a big power imbalance in their romance, despite the class difference. The plot is fun and a little silly, in a good way: they have to fake a relationship to investigate a rival club, while Josiah helps Hartley "testing" the limits of his fear, as he seems to be pretty good at, ahem, distracting him. I liked how the fake dating goes, as it is NOT used as an excuse for every intimate moment they share. The way the classic "is he just faking?" angst is handled here is not insufferable and overbearing. As with The Soldier and The Spy, the flirty banter here is also excellent, without falling into clichés, and the chemistry between the two MCs is great. With that being said, Hartley/Josiah still had their unique dynamic that was very different from Benjamin/August, which I loved, because sometimes I feel like couples in the same series tend to resemble each other. As much as I loved the D/s undertones in the second book in the series, I'm glad this one took a different turn. August and Hartley have a softer feel and a slower burn (ok, maybe more of a medium burn), and I loved how the power shifted from encounters to encounters in a way that the characters were very aware of (yay for discussing consent!). This is still high-steam, don't get me wrong, but in a way that feels unique to these characters. In a way I thought this was even more swoony than the preceding book! There's just so many sweet, romantic moments.
Class differences are a big theme in this book, as the main plot deals with a rival society that caters to gay men of lower means. I like how this forces the reader to see the Society we saw mainly as a good thing in the previous books in a different light. I liked how this issue wasn't easily solved with a Walt Disney-like solution, and the gulf between Josiah and Hartley's backgrounds felt very real. It would have been easy to make Hartley super progressive, but he isn't, and love didn't cure him of his class bias either. The scenes with Josiah's cousin were well-done and didn't feel heavy-handed.
In my review of The Soldier and The Spy, the previous book in the serie, I talked about how I often don't go for historicals, as I'm not a fan of the usual writing style. But the prose in this series is very accessible while still having this lyrical feel that made me highlight whole paragraphs and immediately re-read some parts. The writing was even better, tighter and more poetic in this one.
Note that I didn't read the first book in the series, and went straight for the second one. Hartley's backstory is featured in book 1, but I still felt like I could follow along pretty well in this one, even though not everything was explained.
I received a free copy of this book and am providing my honest review voluntarily.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
March 24, 2022
4.5 stars
“I know it’s harder for you than for me. I wouldn’t have known that before, but I do. I—I can’t claim to understand the discomfort of it, the fear, but I can tell you in no uncertain terms that what I feel for you is neither ridiculous nor misplaced. It isn’t some frippery that I’ll discard when the season changes, or some perverse thrill that comes from consorting with the lower orders.”
I didn’t know what to expect having never read anything by Annabelle Greene before, but this book utterly charmed me. The Servant and the Gentleman is a beautiful, witty portrayal of love between different classes against the backdrop of a debilitating disorder. It features some of my favorite tropes: class differences, hurt/comfort, fake relationship, opposites attract, slow burn, and forced proximity.
So, what did I love about the book?
First, the exquisite writing and dialogue. Be prepared for writing which invites you to re-read passages. Delightful banter. Description and inner monologue that is lyrical yet purposeful.
Second, how Josiah Balfour and William Hartley could not be more different and complex characters. John is an unassuming administrator of a gentleman’s club for gay men, the Society of Beasts. Hardworking and efficient, he’s devoted to the club and used to blending into the background. Hartley, on the other hand, is a cold, arrogant, founding member of the Beasts. But beneath his mocking manner and sartorial elegance, lies a crippling case of claustrophobia which has taken over his life.
“It had to be him. Of all the men in the society that he could have developed a hidden passion for, it had to be the arrogant, icy snob in front of him. A man whose disregard for anyone lower than himself was so ragingly evident that it left Josiah feeling like a peasant.”
Third, how the same man that Hartley disdains as inferior ends up becoming his savior and lover. Josiah’s and Hartley’s relationship starts off on the most unequal footing. Josiah has secretly been pining after the imperious aristocrat for years. Meanwhile Hartley has never really noticed Josiah given his dismissive attitude towards servants. The gulf between them narrows, however, when Hartley has a panic attack when he is locked in a room with Josiah. Through his touch and words, Josiah is able to reach him in that moment and calm him. This marks the beginning of a shift in their relationship.
“But he hadn’t been humble this morning. He had chastised him in the manner of a schoolmaster, made an uncomfortably cutting comment concerning his involvement—or lack of it—in Beast affairs, and…and…
…and had taken Hartley‘s hands, held them tightly, and dispelled all fear. He had even, in the midst of the chaos, told him that his hands were beautiful.”
Fourth, the sublime and gradual way their relationship unfolds. When a competitor to the Beasts becomes a threat, Josiah and Hartley, pose as a couple and head to the rival’s headquarters in Bath to seek intelligence. The trip allows their undeniable physical attraction to develop into more. It is a lovely slow burn. Something about Hartley makes the usually reticent Josiah lose his deferential manner and call him out on his class bias. Spending time with Josiah not only strengthens his feelings, but it also makes Hartley want to be a better man. He starts examining his behavior from Josiah’s perspective—questioning his own beliefs and tremendous privilege. Their growing emotional connection and intimacy is depicted in a poetic manner. They both grow as individuals as they gain confidence in their relationship and make a conscious decision to be together.
“If he let Josiah lead, then he would follow him to the ends of the earth. There was no denying that, no pushing it away. The man would have his heart in his hands to use as he saw fit.
And it felt good, knowing that. So good that it scared him.”
Fifth, the tangible chemistry between our lovers. The love scenes are both passionate and earthy. Hot and tender.
My only quibble is that the reason behind the pivotal quarrel between Hartley and Lord Maurice is never fully explained.
I have received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and the publisher, and this is my honest review.
“I know it’s harder for you than for me. I wouldn’t have known that before, but I do. I—I can’t claim to understand the discomfort of it, the fear, but I can tell you in no uncertain terms that what I feel for you is neither ridiculous nor misplaced. It isn’t some frippery that I’ll discard when the season changes, or some perverse thrill that comes from consorting with the lower orders.”
I didn’t know what to expect having never read anything by Annabelle Greene before, but this book utterly charmed me. The Servant and the Gentleman is a beautiful, witty portrayal of love between different classes against the backdrop of a debilitating disorder. It features some of my favorite tropes: class differences, hurt/comfort, fake relationship, opposites attract, slow burn, and forced proximity.
So, what did I love about the book?
First, the exquisite writing and dialogue. Be prepared for writing which invites you to re-read passages. Delightful banter. Description and inner monologue that is lyrical yet purposeful.
Second, how Josiah Balfour and William Hartley could not be more different and complex characters. John is an unassuming administrator of a gentleman’s club for gay men, the Society of Beasts. Hardworking and efficient, he’s devoted to the club and used to blending into the background. Hartley, on the other hand, is a cold, arrogant, founding member of the Beasts. But beneath his mocking manner and sartorial elegance, lies a crippling case of claustrophobia which has taken over his life.
“It had to be him. Of all the men in the society that he could have developed a hidden passion for, it had to be the arrogant, icy snob in front of him. A man whose disregard for anyone lower than himself was so ragingly evident that it left Josiah feeling like a peasant.”
Third, how the same man that Hartley disdains as inferior ends up becoming his savior and lover. Josiah’s and Hartley’s relationship starts off on the most unequal footing. Josiah has secretly been pining after the imperious aristocrat for years. Meanwhile Hartley has never really noticed Josiah given his dismissive attitude towards servants. The gulf between them narrows, however, when Hartley has a panic attack when he is locked in a room with Josiah. Through his touch and words, Josiah is able to reach him in that moment and calm him. This marks the beginning of a shift in their relationship.
“But he hadn’t been humble this morning. He had chastised him in the manner of a schoolmaster, made an uncomfortably cutting comment concerning his involvement—or lack of it—in Beast affairs, and…and…
…and had taken Hartley‘s hands, held them tightly, and dispelled all fear. He had even, in the midst of the chaos, told him that his hands were beautiful.”
Fourth, the sublime and gradual way their relationship unfolds. When a competitor to the Beasts becomes a threat, Josiah and Hartley, pose as a couple and head to the rival’s headquarters in Bath to seek intelligence. The trip allows their undeniable physical attraction to develop into more. It is a lovely slow burn. Something about Hartley makes the usually reticent Josiah lose his deferential manner and call him out on his class bias. Spending time with Josiah not only strengthens his feelings, but it also makes Hartley want to be a better man. He starts examining his behavior from Josiah’s perspective—questioning his own beliefs and tremendous privilege. Their growing emotional connection and intimacy is depicted in a poetic manner. They both grow as individuals as they gain confidence in their relationship and make a conscious decision to be together.
“If he let Josiah lead, then he would follow him to the ends of the earth. There was no denying that, no pushing it away. The man would have his heart in his hands to use as he saw fit.
And it felt good, knowing that. So good that it scared him.”
Fifth, the tangible chemistry between our lovers. The love scenes are both passionate and earthy. Hot and tender.
My only quibble is that the reason behind the pivotal quarrel between Hartley and Lord Maurice is never fully explained.
I have received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and the publisher, and this is my honest review.
January 30, 2024
This was so lovely. I loved both Hartley and Josiah in previous books, and they make the perfect unexpected pair.
I also loved the way class issues were acknowledged and discussed here, and the final agreement.
❤️❤️❤️
I also loved the way class issues were acknowledged and discussed here, and the final agreement.
❤️❤️❤️
October 20, 2022
Absolutely lovely! Fans of historical MM romances should definitely read Annabelle Greens Society of Beasts series, it's a wonderful tale. You'll need to read them in order because the story is progressive, it's just that each book centers around a different couple.
I enjoyed listening to the other two books in this series. Obviously it's always a different experience listening to someone perform the story, and nothing against the narrator, whom I remember enjoying. It's just that I feel like I've possibly missed so much. Ah well, I own them, so I might just give myself a treat and go back and re-read them now.
The Servant and the Gentleman is a fantastic wrap up to all the drama that goes down in The Soldier and the Spy. I love these characters. Hartley is such an adorable goof, Josiah certainly brings out the best in him. And vice-versa!
Annabelle Green does a marvelous job pulling all the ends together and finding a way for everyone to get their happily ever afters.
thank you to Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) via NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of The Servant and the Gentleman for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
I enjoyed listening to the other two books in this series. Obviously it's always a different experience listening to someone perform the story, and nothing against the narrator, whom I remember enjoying. It's just that I feel like I've possibly missed so much. Ah well, I own them, so I might just give myself a treat and go back and re-read them now.
The Servant and the Gentleman is a fantastic wrap up to all the drama that goes down in The Soldier and the Spy. I love these characters. Hartley is such an adorable goof, Josiah certainly brings out the best in him. And vice-versa!
Annabelle Green does a marvelous job pulling all the ends together and finding a way for everyone to get their happily ever afters.
thank you to Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) via NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of The Servant and the Gentleman for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
June 9, 2022
I see fake dating, I click. And I enjoyed this. Have I read the first books of the series? Nope, don't think I will. 🤭🤭
This was a sweet tale of different clases clashing and trying to make it work, and for that their needs aligned with Hartley's mental issue and Josiah's need to keep the club afloat.
I liked their dynamics and how it went from hate to love, how Hartley learned to be a better person little by little and how Josiah learned to be himself.
It was lovely. ❤️
This was a sweet tale of different clases clashing and trying to make it work, and for that their needs aligned with Hartley's mental issue and Josiah's need to keep the club afloat.
I liked their dynamics and how it went from hate to love, how Hartley learned to be a better person little by little and how Josiah learned to be himself.
It was lovely. ❤️
May 17, 2022
This author has an exceptional writing style, and creates the best historical environments, every element felt authentic, the atmosphere, the clothes, the articulation, the circumstances, everything is just right!
London, 1820
William Hartley talks in an arrogant way directing servants, like a snob. When he finds his panic attack got lesser by the smooth talk of one of the servants named Josiah, he wants to pay him for extra service.
Josiah is the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s opposed to Hartley’s offer, he will not be used or degraded by this man.
He wants to help but not be used, he has better plans to make use of this haughty man, to compensate him. He needs the help of this influenced man for the future of the club. It seems they need each other for different purposes.
“But I’d shower you in wealth. I’d take you to all the very best places.”
“Being showered in money and taken to the very best places is hardly the most compelling reason to partner anyone.”
Josiah and Hartley will pretend to be boyfriends so they can infiltrate in another club. Practice to be romantically involved is needed (gosh, thank you very much)
Imagine the politeness used in that particular time and how they carefully approach each other.
Haughty Hartley is used to being served, he has a lot to learn about politeness, Josiah doesn’t accept less.
Hiding behind his high walls of unaffectedness is getting more difficult, Josiah is unraveling him, is soothing for his soul.
There are hundreds of lines I wanted to highlight and share. The author has such a beautiful way of expressing herself.
I adored this story, it slowly build-up their connection into something strong. Their personalities were well developed. This story has such good dialogue, this author excels in writing them.
I’ve read some books that lacked conversations it was just hard to get through. But here we are, showered in dialogues, awesomeness!! The plot was widely written, I was already satisfied with everything happening with both men, so apologies to the author for the hard work, but the case around the clubs was of minor importance to me. While it’s not a story where the romance can be openly expressed, there are so many little romantic gestures, that the romance is quite palpable.
When they were loving on each other it was like watching art, so many details to see, beautiful!!
Overall a brilliantly written story.
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
London, 1820
William Hartley talks in an arrogant way directing servants, like a snob. When he finds his panic attack got lesser by the smooth talk of one of the servants named Josiah, he wants to pay him for extra service.
Josiah is the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s opposed to Hartley’s offer, he will not be used or degraded by this man.
He wants to help but not be used, he has better plans to make use of this haughty man, to compensate him. He needs the help of this influenced man for the future of the club. It seems they need each other for different purposes.
“But I’d shower you in wealth. I’d take you to all the very best places.”
“Being showered in money and taken to the very best places is hardly the most compelling reason to partner anyone.”
Josiah and Hartley will pretend to be boyfriends so they can infiltrate in another club. Practice to be romantically involved is needed (gosh, thank you very much)
Imagine the politeness used in that particular time and how they carefully approach each other.
Haughty Hartley is used to being served, he has a lot to learn about politeness, Josiah doesn’t accept less.
Hiding behind his high walls of unaffectedness is getting more difficult, Josiah is unraveling him, is soothing for his soul.
There are hundreds of lines I wanted to highlight and share. The author has such a beautiful way of expressing herself.
I adored this story, it slowly build-up their connection into something strong. Their personalities were well developed. This story has such good dialogue, this author excels in writing them.
I’ve read some books that lacked conversations it was just hard to get through. But here we are, showered in dialogues, awesomeness!! The plot was widely written, I was already satisfied with everything happening with both men, so apologies to the author for the hard work, but the case around the clubs was of minor importance to me. While it’s not a story where the romance can be openly expressed, there are so many little romantic gestures, that the romance is quite palpable.
When they were loving on each other it was like watching art, so many details to see, beautiful!!
Overall a brilliantly written story.
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
May 4, 2022
A gentleman and an overworked clerk fake a relationship to infiltrate a competing gentlemen's club. Another excellent historical romance from Greene, this time one that focuses on the class differences that have been simmering in the background of the series. Like the previous book in the series, this one has great banter, tons of romantic tension, satisfying character development, and many swoony moments. The romantic arc is just as satisfying and well-executed as in The Solider and the Spy. Josiah and Hartley are an unlikely pair at first glance, but Greene takes her time bringing them together emotionally, and by the end they’ve both changed enough to make perfect sense as a couple.
In the previous book in the series, I struggled a bit with reading about a gentlemen’s club that’s exclusive to the wealthy because the plot highlights how less wealthy members of society could use similar protection but don’t receive it. I loved that Greene embraced that issue in this book rather than running away from it, and forced the protagonists of all three books to grapple with it, too. Josiah’s frustration with his situation is palpable from the beginning, though it’s clear he’s accepted it as an unchangeable fact of the world. It’s gratifying to see him act on that frustration to improve his and others’ lives throughout the book, and to be rewarded for it.
Hartley is pompous and self-centered at the beginning, and I liked that he has to stumble his way through some uncomfortable and difficult realizations and make a real effort at self-improvement, rather than being one of those characters that seems like a jerk on the outside but is secretly amazing the whole time. His journey is satisfying to read and makes the romantic payoff much stronger than if his snobbishness were a facade. His initial attitude also makes for some great banter between him and Josiah, and creates a convincing obstacle for Josiah’s attraction to overcome.
Hartley’s PTSD is also handled very well. Since this is a historical, he can’t go to therapy, but he receives unquestioning support from Josiah, who helps him confront his trauma and understand its roots. This is one of the better portrayals I’ve seen of mental health in romance, especially in a historical.
As with the previous book in the series, this book has just the right level of realism: it has the necessary historical details to make the story work, but it doesn’t force all of the characters to suffer from internalized homophobia for the sake of “realism.” Societal homophobia is more present here than in the second book, but this is ultimately a story about the need for queer community and how privileged members of the community are morally obligated to support the less privileged members, and as such the historical setting is purposefully kinder and more hopeful than our own past. (Also, the reduced realism makes the fun fake dating plot possible.)
Greene also continues to omit unnecessary or anachronistic details about the characters’ physical appearances and doesn’t give them the default romance MC body (not a single ab is mentioned), which I really appreciated and hope will become a more common approach in romance generally. The characters’ physical attraction to one another is still obvious and believable even without these details.
This book will join The Solider and the Spy on my all-time favorite historicals list, and I highly recommend it.
My review is based on the ARC version of this book.
In the previous book in the series, I struggled a bit with reading about a gentlemen’s club that’s exclusive to the wealthy because the plot highlights how less wealthy members of society could use similar protection but don’t receive it. I loved that Greene embraced that issue in this book rather than running away from it, and forced the protagonists of all three books to grapple with it, too. Josiah’s frustration with his situation is palpable from the beginning, though it’s clear he’s accepted it as an unchangeable fact of the world. It’s gratifying to see him act on that frustration to improve his and others’ lives throughout the book, and to be rewarded for it.
Hartley is pompous and self-centered at the beginning, and I liked that he has to stumble his way through some uncomfortable and difficult realizations and make a real effort at self-improvement, rather than being one of those characters that seems like a jerk on the outside but is secretly amazing the whole time. His journey is satisfying to read and makes the romantic payoff much stronger than if his snobbishness were a facade. His initial attitude also makes for some great banter between him and Josiah, and creates a convincing obstacle for Josiah’s attraction to overcome.
Hartley’s PTSD is also handled very well. Since this is a historical, he can’t go to therapy, but he receives unquestioning support from Josiah, who helps him confront his trauma and understand its roots. This is one of the better portrayals I’ve seen of mental health in romance, especially in a historical.
As with the previous book in the series, this book has just the right level of realism: it has the necessary historical details to make the story work, but it doesn’t force all of the characters to suffer from internalized homophobia for the sake of “realism.” Societal homophobia is more present here than in the second book, but this is ultimately a story about the need for queer community and how privileged members of the community are morally obligated to support the less privileged members, and as such the historical setting is purposefully kinder and more hopeful than our own past. (Also, the reduced realism makes the fun fake dating plot possible.)
Greene also continues to omit unnecessary or anachronistic details about the characters’ physical appearances and doesn’t give them the default romance MC body (not a single ab is mentioned), which I really appreciated and hope will become a more common approach in romance generally. The characters’ physical attraction to one another is still obvious and believable even without these details.
This book will join The Solider and the Spy on my all-time favorite historicals list, and I highly recommend it.
My review is based on the ARC version of this book.
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March 28, 2022
The third in the series Society of Beasts - each of the books features one of the three founders of Regency-era exclusive molly club, in a society where keeping secrets is paramount.
This book features Josiah Balfour, an extremely able administrator for the Society. Balfour is "in charge of everything. Or perhaps responsible for everything was a better way to put it. He had worked diligently over many years to attain this position: chief assistant to the men who helped make London a safer place for gentlemen who loved gentlemen." And Hartley is, well .... "He's Mr. William Hartley and he can do whatever the bloody hell he likes."
When they learn that a new molly club catering to the middle class is being started up in Bath, Hartley and Josiah work together to infiltrate the club as well as starting a sexual relationship that seems somewhat .... odd at the onset. This plot feels somewhat forced as a means of getting Hartley and Josiah together, and their chemistry together is pretty much non-existent.
However as the story progresses, I like how the author opens up the idea that the Society needs to do more to help ALL men who face prosecution and death due to their sexual orientation rather than simply throwing extravagant parties, and uses Hartley and Josiah's relationship as the example for how things can change and compromise works to ensure both parties get what they want, need and deserve. 3.5 stars for "The Servant and the Gentlemen."
I received an ARC from the Publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
This book features Josiah Balfour, an extremely able administrator for the Society. Balfour is "in charge of everything. Or perhaps responsible for everything was a better way to put it. He had worked diligently over many years to attain this position: chief assistant to the men who helped make London a safer place for gentlemen who loved gentlemen." And Hartley is, well .... "He's Mr. William Hartley and he can do whatever the bloody hell he likes."
When they learn that a new molly club catering to the middle class is being started up in Bath, Hartley and Josiah work together to infiltrate the club as well as starting a sexual relationship that seems somewhat .... odd at the onset. This plot feels somewhat forced as a means of getting Hartley and Josiah together, and their chemistry together is pretty much non-existent.
However as the story progresses, I like how the author opens up the idea that the Society needs to do more to help ALL men who face prosecution and death due to their sexual orientation rather than simply throwing extravagant parties, and uses Hartley and Josiah's relationship as the example for how things can change and compromise works to ensure both parties get what they want, need and deserve. 3.5 stars for "The Servant and the Gentlemen."
I received an ARC from the Publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
August 6, 2022
Josiah's book is finally here!
Josiah has been one of my favorite side characters and I was so excited to be in his head.
I’ve felt for Hartley since the first book and I’ve missed him. He has some serious issues to deal with in this book.
Even when the two other Beasts are in the background I still love getting to see them interact with everyone.
Does Samual get a book now?
Josiah has been one of my favorite side characters and I was so excited to be in his head.
I’ve felt for Hartley since the first book and I’ve missed him. He has some serious issues to deal with in this book.
Even when the two other Beasts are in the background I still love getting to see them interact with everyone.
Does Samual get a book now?
May 19, 2022
4.5 stars - Reviewed for
Wit and Sin
A fake relationship quickly becomes something much more in The Servant and the Gentleman . Annabelle Greene’s third Society of Beasts novel shows that not everything about the beloved gentlemen’s club is as good as it seems and the book is the richer for it.
Josiah Balfour is the head administrator of the Society of Beasts. He’s used to cleaning up messes, even as members of the club snub him for it because he’s not a gentleman. Josiah is hardworking and kind but he sometimes gets frustrated with the elitist society members he works for. One of the snobbiest is William Hartley, one of the club’s founders. Despite this, Josiah can’t quite stop himself from thinking about the gorgeous man. And when Hartley has a panic attack, Josiah is the one to calm him, which forges the beginnings of a bond between the two. When a rival club threatens the Society of Beasts and Josiah and Hartley pretend to be a couple in order to uncover the leader behind this new club, things become real all too quickly.
I’ll say up front, Hartley isn’t easy to like at first and that’s on purpose. He’s a snob who is rude to servants and anyone he thinks is beneath him. He’s rich, beautiful, and connected and can’t see beyond his own privilege. I wasn’t sure how Greene would make me like him but she did. Josiah opens Hartley’s eyes to his attitude and Hartley isn’t too thrilled with what he sees in himself. I enjoyed watching the peacock become a person, albeit one who is still wholly himself. Josiah is a great hero from the start but he learns to assert himself over the course of the story. Mutual desire helps he and Hartley find common ground and there’s no imbalance of power in their romantic relationship. Greene treads a fine line with this and does so excellently. Josiah gives back as good as he gets and consent is at the forefront of every sensual encounter. The love story between Josiah and Hartley is surprisingly romantic given their beginnings and it was delightful to discover how sweet Hartley could be.
A rival club that is open to men of all classes threatens the Society of Beasts but opens our heroes’ eyes to the flaws of the club. I won’t spoil what happens but suffice it to say I really enjoyed that Greene didn’t sugarcoat that Hartley and his co-founders were elitist. They’re not bad men at heart but with Josiah’s help they come to see how to become better people.
The Servant and the Gentleman is an entertaining romance with well-crafted characters and a wonderfully satisfying ending. I hope Greene pens more books set in this world as there are definitely secondary characters I would love to see get their chance to shine.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A fake relationship quickly becomes something much more in The Servant and the Gentleman . Annabelle Greene’s third Society of Beasts novel shows that not everything about the beloved gentlemen’s club is as good as it seems and the book is the richer for it.
Josiah Balfour is the head administrator of the Society of Beasts. He’s used to cleaning up messes, even as members of the club snub him for it because he’s not a gentleman. Josiah is hardworking and kind but he sometimes gets frustrated with the elitist society members he works for. One of the snobbiest is William Hartley, one of the club’s founders. Despite this, Josiah can’t quite stop himself from thinking about the gorgeous man. And when Hartley has a panic attack, Josiah is the one to calm him, which forges the beginnings of a bond between the two. When a rival club threatens the Society of Beasts and Josiah and Hartley pretend to be a couple in order to uncover the leader behind this new club, things become real all too quickly.
I’ll say up front, Hartley isn’t easy to like at first and that’s on purpose. He’s a snob who is rude to servants and anyone he thinks is beneath him. He’s rich, beautiful, and connected and can’t see beyond his own privilege. I wasn’t sure how Greene would make me like him but she did. Josiah opens Hartley’s eyes to his attitude and Hartley isn’t too thrilled with what he sees in himself. I enjoyed watching the peacock become a person, albeit one who is still wholly himself. Josiah is a great hero from the start but he learns to assert himself over the course of the story. Mutual desire helps he and Hartley find common ground and there’s no imbalance of power in their romantic relationship. Greene treads a fine line with this and does so excellently. Josiah gives back as good as he gets and consent is at the forefront of every sensual encounter. The love story between Josiah and Hartley is surprisingly romantic given their beginnings and it was delightful to discover how sweet Hartley could be.
A rival club that is open to men of all classes threatens the Society of Beasts but opens our heroes’ eyes to the flaws of the club. I won’t spoil what happens but suffice it to say I really enjoyed that Greene didn’t sugarcoat that Hartley and his co-founders were elitist. They’re not bad men at heart but with Josiah’s help they come to see how to become better people.
The Servant and the Gentleman is an entertaining romance with well-crafted characters and a wonderfully satisfying ending. I hope Greene pens more books set in this world as there are definitely secondary characters I would love to see get their chance to shine.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
May 15, 2022
4.5 Stars!
Hartley is the "Sable" in the Society of Beasts. Wrongfully accused in Book 1, we didn't see him in Book 2 aside from a letter he wrote to the other Beasts of his intention to possibly forgive them for their hasty conclusions.
Josiah, who we got to know better in the previous book, carried a torch for Hartley which was surprising since Hartley was the coldest, rudest, most aloof Beast (or at least that is the impression I had/ most readers of the series had before reading this book).
We were right in our assumption for the most part but, under all that biting sarcasm and even more caustic tongue, it seemed there was somewhat of a gentle heart within Hartley just waiting to come out.
Also, he certainly met his match in Josiah who, while maintaining his signature calm dignity, refused to be treated with anything less than respect. It made Hartley want to be better and made for a great story.
Watching Josiah and Hartley navigating the changes their relationship underwent, as well as the challenges the Society faced was at once heartwarming , heart-wrenchingly emotional and in some instances, plain funny. It made them face some really potent and difficult truths and fortunately, made them emerge out of the other side as better men.
I devoured this story from the very first page straight to the end and although this book seems to be the last in this particular series, I wouldn't mind a spin-off following the wonderful side-characters introduced during the course of the series. For e.g. Samuel Gibbs, the irreverent and sometimes exceedingly stubborn oaf stole the show for me and I wouldn't mind reading more about him , a certain pastry shop owner and Bryce the cantankerous butler. Lol
I guess all I'm saying is that, Annabelle Greene has an undeniable talent and I, for one, would like to read her books forever.
Highly Recommended.
**eARC Provided by Publisher in Exchange for an Honest, Unbiased Review**
Hartley is the "Sable" in the Society of Beasts. Wrongfully accused in Book 1, we didn't see him in Book 2 aside from a letter he wrote to the other Beasts of his intention to possibly forgive them for their hasty conclusions.
Josiah, who we got to know better in the previous book, carried a torch for Hartley which was surprising since Hartley was the coldest, rudest, most aloof Beast (or at least that is the impression I had/ most readers of the series had before reading this book).
We were right in our assumption for the most part but, under all that biting sarcasm and even more caustic tongue, it seemed there was somewhat of a gentle heart within Hartley just waiting to come out.
Also, he certainly met his match in Josiah who, while maintaining his signature calm dignity, refused to be treated with anything less than respect. It made Hartley want to be better and made for a great story.
Watching Josiah and Hartley navigating the changes their relationship underwent, as well as the challenges the Society faced was at once heartwarming , heart-wrenchingly emotional and in some instances, plain funny. It made them face some really potent and difficult truths and fortunately, made them emerge out of the other side as better men.
I devoured this story from the very first page straight to the end and although this book seems to be the last in this particular series, I wouldn't mind a spin-off following the wonderful side-characters introduced during the course of the series. For e.g. Samuel Gibbs, the irreverent and sometimes exceedingly stubborn oaf stole the show for me and I wouldn't mind reading more about him , a certain pastry shop owner and Bryce the cantankerous butler. Lol
I guess all I'm saying is that, Annabelle Greene has an undeniable talent and I, for one, would like to read her books forever.
Highly Recommended.
**eARC Provided by Publisher in Exchange for an Honest, Unbiased Review**
April 12, 2022
4.5 / 5 Stars
Thanks a lot to NetGalley for provided me with this ARC! And another big thanks to the publisher for letting me read this!
I'll be honest with you. I haven't read any other installment in the series - yet. I might change that in the future, but for now, that's how things are. Meaning, if you've read the other books and something I critic gets obvious through reading the other two that came before this one: my bad.
I believe there's a certain event that takes place in one of the previous books, that has left William Hartley with a lot of trauma and pain, but the book explains that event in enough detail for me to not be confused. Especially since we have another POV character in Josiah Balfour who's just as clueless as me - the reader - about what exactly took place.
I'm not claustrophobic, so I don't know how it's like to be and how it feels, but I AM arachnophobic so I do believe to know a little bit about irrational fears. I'm bringing this up, because, while most scenes dealt with the condition in a great manner, some other ones felt a little plot-convinient. My fears have gotten more managable over time, but they've never vanished. And since Hartley hasn't had to deal with this for that long a time yet, I felt like some closed space's should have freaked him out more. In theory, there should be a difference between one spider - a larger room - and thirty spiders - a smaller room - but ... reality isn't always that way. If there were one big ass spider in my room right now, I'd probably die where I'm standing. Even if you brought me my favourit cake or made out with me.
I'm not saying we're ignoring it completly. I guess it's just that a part of me wished that sex wasn't used as a form of distraction from fear & trauma.
Besides that though, I'm happy.
The book includes a lot of great tropes, such as one of my guilty pleasure ones:
+ Fake/Pretend Relationship
+ There was only one bed
+ Higher Class/Lower Class
+ Opposites attract
+ Pining/Mutual Pining
+ Consent is sexy
(not much of a trope, but rather a way of writing things. But still. I wanted to bring it up because I LOVE when books advertise for consent. And I love it even more when the relationship gets consent-ier over time)
You see, the bullet point "Higher Class/Lower Class" could cause problems, if done wrongly, but luckily for me, it was done very nicely. Bringing up problems that can still be applied today.
One could argue that the book was slow burn but I'm not quite sure about that. I'd give the category slow-burn a maybe. I guess it depends on how you define slow-burn.
Anyways, let's get to the important part: the relationship.
And well, it was amazing.
They had great chemisty, which made reading them flirt and tease each other a real delight. Something I found an interesting choice - that worked really well in my opinion - is that, most of the flirting scenes where written from the characters POV who has confirmed his pining in chapter one. Meaning, everytime the flirting happens, we're left to wonder: Are you flirting with him or are you pretending slash playing your part?? I'd like to believe it's both, but the choice of keeping us out of the flirters head was a smart one.
I know that technically, the books timeline is limited to them pretending for not too long of a time, but that doesn't change the fact that it feels longer. Which is always a plus in my book. Their growing emotional connection and intimacy is depicted in a believable and great way. I definitifly shipped them.
While I loved their dynamic, I'm also very happy to see them both grow and change into better people and equals.
The world and political drama that surrounded the two was also very intersting. Although I'd like to mention that I've never felt like we included drama for the sake of drama! There were a few twists that you could probably see from a mile away but they still had me gasping and worried.
All in all, I've had a very great time reading this book and I can absolutly reccomand it to anyone.ery great time reading this book and I can absolutly reccomand it to anyone.
Thanks a lot to NetGalley for provided me with this ARC! And another big thanks to the publisher for letting me read this!
I'll be honest with you. I haven't read any other installment in the series - yet. I might change that in the future, but for now, that's how things are. Meaning, if you've read the other books and something I critic gets obvious through reading the other two that came before this one: my bad.
I believe there's a certain event that takes place in one of the previous books, that has left William Hartley with a lot of trauma and pain, but the book explains that event in enough detail for me to not be confused. Especially since we have another POV character in Josiah Balfour who's just as clueless as me - the reader - about what exactly took place.
I'm not claustrophobic, so I don't know how it's like to be and how it feels, but I AM arachnophobic so I do believe to know a little bit about irrational fears. I'm bringing this up, because, while most scenes dealt with the condition in a great manner, some other ones felt a little plot-convinient. My fears have gotten more managable over time, but they've never vanished. And since Hartley hasn't had to deal with this for that long a time yet, I felt like some closed space's should have freaked him out more. In theory, there should be a difference between one spider - a larger room - and thirty spiders - a smaller room - but ... reality isn't always that way. If there were one big ass spider in my room right now, I'd probably die where I'm standing. Even if you brought me my favourit cake or made out with me.
I'm not saying we're ignoring it completly. I guess it's just that a part of me wished that sex wasn't used as a form of distraction from fear & trauma.
Besides that though, I'm happy.
The book includes a lot of great tropes, such as one of my guilty pleasure ones:
+ Fake/Pretend Relationship
+ There was only one bed
+ Higher Class/Lower Class
+ Opposites attract
+ Pining/Mutual Pining
+ Consent is sexy
(not much of a trope, but rather a way of writing things. But still. I wanted to bring it up because I LOVE when books advertise for consent. And I love it even more when the relationship gets consent-ier over time)
You see, the bullet point "Higher Class/Lower Class" could cause problems, if done wrongly, but luckily for me, it was done very nicely. Bringing up problems that can still be applied today.
One could argue that the book was slow burn but I'm not quite sure about that. I'd give the category slow-burn a maybe. I guess it depends on how you define slow-burn.
Anyways, let's get to the important part: the relationship.
And well, it was amazing.
They had great chemisty, which made reading them flirt and tease each other a real delight. Something I found an interesting choice - that worked really well in my opinion - is that, most of the flirting scenes where written from the characters POV who has confirmed his pining in chapter one. Meaning, everytime the flirting happens, we're left to wonder: Are you flirting with him or are you pretending slash playing your part?? I'd like to believe it's both, but the choice of keeping us out of the flirters head was a smart one.
I know that technically, the books timeline is limited to them pretending for not too long of a time, but that doesn't change the fact that it feels longer. Which is always a plus in my book. Their growing emotional connection and intimacy is depicted in a believable and great way. I definitifly shipped them.
While I loved their dynamic, I'm also very happy to see them both grow and change into better people and equals.
The world and political drama that surrounded the two was also very intersting. Although I'd like to mention that I've never felt like we included drama for the sake of drama! There were a few twists that you could probably see from a mile away but they still had me gasping and worried.
All in all, I've had a very great time reading this book and I can absolutly reccomand it to anyone.ery great time reading this book and I can absolutly reccomand it to anyone.
May 6, 2022
The Servant and the Gentleman by Annabelle Greene
Society of Beasts #3
Excellent – Thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the series – Wonder if this is the end, if there will be more, or if there might be a spin-off in the future – Hope so!
What I liked:
* Josiah Balfour: Administrator for the Society of Beasts, from a humble background, has worked hard to become who he is, has dreams and some include one of the Beasts
* William Hartley: wealthy, privileged, rude, doesn’t see much around him, focused on himself, fashion conscious, dealing with terrors, grows a great deal in this story
* Getting to see how some characters from previous books are doing
* Thomas: baker, supportive, good listener, would like to know more about him
* Samuel: Josiah’s cousin, seeks a future in London, has a few secrets, is integral to the story – wouldn’t mind hearing more about him in the future
* Robin Guppy: Josiah’s first assistant, has secrets of his own, admirable, another person of interest for a book of his own
* That the book drew me in, made me feel and care, and think
* The idea that perhaps such societies as the Beasts Society and Cambrill Club could have existed and done what they did in this story
* The discussion of clothing
* The dialogue – open, honest, real
* That I could see Balfour and Hartley together by the end of the book
* Contemplating what the future holds in store for the characters in this series
* Wondering if Lord Maurice and Lady Ploverdale might end up together
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* Thinking about how difficult it must have been for those not in conformity with social expectations when choosing one’s life partner – the laws were reprehensible and horrific
* Thinking about the “divide” between classes
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Society of Beasts #3
Excellent – Thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the series – Wonder if this is the end, if there will be more, or if there might be a spin-off in the future – Hope so!
What I liked:
* Josiah Balfour: Administrator for the Society of Beasts, from a humble background, has worked hard to become who he is, has dreams and some include one of the Beasts
* William Hartley: wealthy, privileged, rude, doesn’t see much around him, focused on himself, fashion conscious, dealing with terrors, grows a great deal in this story
* Getting to see how some characters from previous books are doing
* Thomas: baker, supportive, good listener, would like to know more about him
* Samuel: Josiah’s cousin, seeks a future in London, has a few secrets, is integral to the story – wouldn’t mind hearing more about him in the future
* Robin Guppy: Josiah’s first assistant, has secrets of his own, admirable, another person of interest for a book of his own
* That the book drew me in, made me feel and care, and think
* The idea that perhaps such societies as the Beasts Society and Cambrill Club could have existed and done what they did in this story
* The discussion of clothing
* The dialogue – open, honest, real
* That I could see Balfour and Hartley together by the end of the book
* Contemplating what the future holds in store for the characters in this series
* Wondering if Lord Maurice and Lady Ploverdale might end up together
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* Thinking about how difficult it must have been for those not in conformity with social expectations when choosing one’s life partner – the laws were reprehensible and horrific
* Thinking about the “divide” between classes
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Read
May 13, 2022William Hartley’s wealth and social standing often make up for his short temper, but they can’t cure his claustrophobia. He’d lost hope of finding help for it, until meeting Josiah Balfour. In a moment of panic, Josiah’s presence is a balm to his senses, leaving Hartley calm for the first time in months.
Josiah Balfour knows his place—and it’s not in the bed of a gentleman. As the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s responsible for the club’s well-being. When a threat to the Society emerges from an unexpected quarter, it falls to Josiah to deal with it. But Hartley is willing to help, even if it involves posing as a couple to infiltrate a rival club.
This is the third book in the series & it could be read on its own, I’d been eagerly awaiting this book after the teasers in the previous one. I just loved it, it was romantic, it was swoonworthy, it was just so so good. I loved William & Josiah, how they were very different but how they complemented each other was pure genius. How Josiah helped William towards recovery was sympathetically handled. One of the loveliest romances I’ve read this year & I read alot
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Josiah Balfour knows his place—and it’s not in the bed of a gentleman. As the administrator for the Society of Beasts, he’s responsible for the club’s well-being. When a threat to the Society emerges from an unexpected quarter, it falls to Josiah to deal with it. But Hartley is willing to help, even if it involves posing as a couple to infiltrate a rival club.
This is the third book in the series & it could be read on its own, I’d been eagerly awaiting this book after the teasers in the previous one. I just loved it, it was romantic, it was swoonworthy, it was just so so good. I loved William & Josiah, how they were very different but how they complemented each other was pure genius. How Josiah helped William towards recovery was sympathetically handled. One of the loveliest romances I’ve read this year & I read alot
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
May 20, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
The Servant and the Gentleman is the third book in Annabelle Greene’s Society of Beasts series. The books each feature one of the founding members of the Beasts and, while they can mostly stand alone, I think they are best enjoyed when read in order. The first book sets up events that carry through to the other stories, so reading that one first does help. Here we catch back up with Hartley about a year after the events in The Vicar and the Rake, and it is very clear that he is still struggling in the aftermath. I appreciated that this story brings some closure for Hartley in terms of how things affected him and how some of his relationships got strained. This also sets up things with Josiah, as it gives the men a reason to interact more personally than just the business relationship they have now as employer/employee.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
The Servant and the Gentleman is the third book in Annabelle Greene’s Society of Beasts series. The books each feature one of the founding members of the Beasts and, while they can mostly stand alone, I think they are best enjoyed when read in order. The first book sets up events that carry through to the other stories, so reading that one first does help. Here we catch back up with Hartley about a year after the events in The Vicar and the Rake, and it is very clear that he is still struggling in the aftermath. I appreciated that this story brings some closure for Hartley in terms of how things affected him and how some of his relationships got strained. This also sets up things with Josiah, as it gives the men a reason to interact more personally than just the business relationship they have now as employer/employee.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
May 17, 2022
This book is so good! It's definitely my favorite of the series. What really got me invested is the characters - Josiah who has had years to work his way up in the Society of Beasts until he's practically running the club, and yet he isn't respected by the gentlemen he serves on a daily basis; Hartley has had a life of wealth, power, and privilege, but is broken by betrayal and trauma. I loved watching these two characters interact, from their initial verbal sparring to their awkward attempts at having real conversations. As they learn about each other and build respect and trust, romance begins to blossom, even when their situation seems impossible. Without spoilers, I will say this is one of the most satisfying romances I've read! I enjoyed the progression of their relationship and their individual character arcs. There's also an important and interesting plot about the rival club for working class queer men. If you've been reading the series, this book also brings in characters from the previous two books and wonderfully wraps up the series.
May 17, 2022
4/4.5 ⭐️This was lovely. I wanted to share some quotes and then realized I highlighted half the book.
This is my first book by Greene but I had no problems following along. I have now downloaded the first two books cause Greenes writing and storytelling was beautiful. Friends have suggested to read them in order so if you can do that.
This book is historical romance filled with adorable mini tropes I love, with lots of character growth, lots of pining and so much comfort. The banter between them was lovely too.
We get to see them working together to get over the class difference and also deal with Hartleys trauma. It’s was very swoon worth it.
TDLR: lovely historical romance, please read
This is my first book by Greene but I had no problems following along. I have now downloaded the first two books cause Greenes writing and storytelling was beautiful. Friends have suggested to read them in order so if you can do that.
This book is historical romance filled with adorable mini tropes I love, with lots of character growth, lots of pining and so much comfort. The banter between them was lovely too.
We get to see them working together to get over the class difference and also deal with Hartleys trauma. It’s was very swoon worth it.
TDLR: lovely historical romance, please read
May 30, 2022
It's a good thing I looked on Goodreads before starting this, because when I requested it, I hadn't realized this was a sequel. I decided to read the other two books first, and I'm glad I did because it was fun to read about all three founders of the Society of Beasts.
From book 1 on, I did expect Hartley to be my favourite character, and I definitely do think book 3 was my favourite, although not by much. These books were a little heavier than what I'm used to reading in romance, but I do think they were balanced well.
The main thing I look for in romance, and especially in historical romance, is yearning, and Annabelle Greene definitely writes that well. I'll be very interested in what this author writes next.
From book 1 on, I did expect Hartley to be my favourite character, and I definitely do think book 3 was my favourite, although not by much. These books were a little heavier than what I'm used to reading in romance, but I do think they were balanced well.
The main thing I look for in romance, and especially in historical romance, is yearning, and Annabelle Greene definitely writes that well. I'll be very interested in what this author writes next.
Read
May 1, 2022Categories
Gay, Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Miniseries
Society of Beasts (Book #3)
Gay, Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Miniseries
Society of Beasts (Book #3)
May 17, 2022
absolutely adore josiah !! this was sweet and fun and quite genuinely moving in parts.
May 21, 2022
4 Stars. While i enjoyed this book and loved both MCs, i grew tired of Josiah’s doubts. Also, wish the author had given us an epilogue.
January 19, 2024
3.5 stars
It was a cute, low angst, grumpy-sunshine-ish, class difference story. I really liked Hartley and his growth through out, recognizing his privilege and adjusting his behavior. Greene wrote a happy MM historical where there was mostly no drama or trauma around sexual orientation, created safe communities in the book, just rode the line between a safe world and acknowledging the threat of persecution. I also appreciated that class difference was always present but both characters tried to live in the moment and didn't make a melodrama about it.
It was just a little wordy for me, could have been shorter or could have used more of Hartley's humor.
It was a cute, low angst, grumpy-sunshine-ish, class difference story. I really liked Hartley and his growth through out, recognizing his privilege and adjusting his behavior. Greene wrote a happy MM historical where there was mostly no drama or trauma around sexual orientation, created safe communities in the book, just rode the line between a safe world and acknowledging the threat of persecution. I also appreciated that class difference was always present but both characters tried to live in the moment and didn't make a melodrama about it.
It was just a little wordy for me, could have been shorter or could have used more of Hartley's humor.
June 5, 2022
I don't think I've ever read a historical faking-dating novel, and I really enjoyed it. In this installment of the Beasts series, we have imperious and dickish Hartley pretending to have a relationship with the buttoned-up but sweet Mr. Balfour in order to infiltrate a rival club. It goes just how you would imagine, but Annabelle Greene has proven with this series that she's a great writer of historical MM. I am assuming that this is the last of the series because there are no more Beasts left to write about but I look forward to any other offerings Greene might make.
August 16, 2022
Good, dragged at the end.
May 7, 2022
I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but I think this one is now my favorite. For all that the core of the story is about class division between our heroes and in more general terms of society, it’s not written as something that tears them apart. Instead, it’s something they both have to acknowledge, accept, and make their choice of how to proceed if they want a relationship.
Hartley’s obscenely rich, but he does frequently use his money for good. His fondness for sweets results in investing in a shop that only uses sugar harvested by freemen, not slaves. Yet he still doesn’t see servants as beyond their usefulness in their job, until he finally takes notice of Josiah, who’s employed to administer the Society of Beasts’ business. Hartley’s also suffering with we’d call PTSD these days due to events in the first book in the series, and accidentally discovers that Josiah can help calm him.
Josiah was born into a poor family, with the complication of being obviously queer at a young age, but managed to get out of his small town by seeking out an education. He’s now in charge of the day-to-day work of keeping the society operating, but he’s not a member, he’s an employee. That’s something that many of the members either don’t think about as long as he’s doing his job, or in the case of other members, they definitely want him to remember his place.
I liked that there wasn’t a Big Misunderstanding between the two, and that their conflicts were directed towards outside issues such as their class differences and the threat of a competing society based in Bath. They decide to go check out the competition, which means a road trip with lots of my favorite tropes: fake dating, there was only one bed, consent is sexy, and lots of pining. There’s also some catharsis for Hartley as he realizes part of his problem is caused by his friends who unintentionally caused his trauma never apologized, and he seeks them out to demand it. That’s a rarity, especially in a historical, and it was nice to see it dealt with instead of remaining something they don’t talk about.
We’ve now had stories of the founding Beasts, but I expect many of the plot threads started in the trilogy will continue to be pulled in other books. The introduction of another society that accepts both the rich and the working class opens a lot of new avenues as well.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hartley’s obscenely rich, but he does frequently use his money for good. His fondness for sweets results in investing in a shop that only uses sugar harvested by freemen, not slaves. Yet he still doesn’t see servants as beyond their usefulness in their job, until he finally takes notice of Josiah, who’s employed to administer the Society of Beasts’ business. Hartley’s also suffering with we’d call PTSD these days due to events in the first book in the series, and accidentally discovers that Josiah can help calm him.
Josiah was born into a poor family, with the complication of being obviously queer at a young age, but managed to get out of his small town by seeking out an education. He’s now in charge of the day-to-day work of keeping the society operating, but he’s not a member, he’s an employee. That’s something that many of the members either don’t think about as long as he’s doing his job, or in the case of other members, they definitely want him to remember his place.
I liked that there wasn’t a Big Misunderstanding between the two, and that their conflicts were directed towards outside issues such as their class differences and the threat of a competing society based in Bath. They decide to go check out the competition, which means a road trip with lots of my favorite tropes: fake dating, there was only one bed, consent is sexy, and lots of pining. There’s also some catharsis for Hartley as he realizes part of his problem is caused by his friends who unintentionally caused his trauma never apologized, and he seeks them out to demand it. That’s a rarity, especially in a historical, and it was nice to see it dealt with instead of remaining something they don’t talk about.
We’ve now had stories of the founding Beasts, but I expect many of the plot threads started in the trilogy will continue to be pulled in other books. The introduction of another society that accepts both the rich and the working class opens a lot of new avenues as well.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2022
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have received this book by NetGalley and Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin), and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. The Pub date of the book is May 17th.
I can already point out that the author continues to give us outstanding writing, and we see this, especially in moments when the characters wander in their minds. There is coherence and logic in the thoughts - even when they don't make any sense to our heroes.
We have an interesting new theme here that will make our heroes' worlds collide, and I'll confess that the slight trace of hypocrisy I could see, made me angry a bit. Does that make this less worthy? Not even a little. Sometimes, this frustration happens because I'm wrong in my opinion versus what is correct and deserved. I know how to admit my mistakes and maintain an honest opinion.
Here we can witness Hartley's frustration and what consumes him so terribly, and his need for someone to help him. I was heartbroken when I truly understood what he was going through since the first book. I loved that he learned so much more throughout the story while working on his healing with Balfour's help.
As for Balfour, it wasn't easy to understand his feelings at first because I forgot about empathy. But after a few chapters and using my brain, I can say that despite some things, his ideas and thoughts were not entirely wrong, and thanks to his loyalty and good character, a great union could take place in the future.
Balfour and Hartley are a wonderful couple, and I loved their story, even with all the thorns and distances and frustrations. I loved it, and please, I want their eternal union.
I'm interested in knowing if we will have any more books for this series and who they will be.
I can already point out that the author continues to give us outstanding writing, and we see this, especially in moments when the characters wander in their minds. There is coherence and logic in the thoughts - even when they don't make any sense to our heroes.
We have an interesting new theme here that will make our heroes' worlds collide, and I'll confess that the slight trace of hypocrisy I could see, made me angry a bit. Does that make this less worthy? Not even a little. Sometimes, this frustration happens because I'm wrong in my opinion versus what is correct and deserved. I know how to admit my mistakes and maintain an honest opinion.
Here we can witness Hartley's frustration and what consumes him so terribly, and his need for someone to help him. I was heartbroken when I truly understood what he was going through since the first book. I loved that he learned so much more throughout the story while working on his healing with Balfour's help.
As for Balfour, it wasn't easy to understand his feelings at first because I forgot about empathy. But after a few chapters and using my brain, I can say that despite some things, his ideas and thoughts were not entirely wrong, and thanks to his loyalty and good character, a great union could take place in the future.
Balfour and Hartley are a wonderful couple, and I loved their story, even with all the thorns and distances and frustrations. I loved it, and please, I want their eternal union.
I'm interested in knowing if we will have any more books for this series and who they will be.
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