Armenia's Reviews > The Gentlemen's Club

Brilliant, erotic and so unexpected

Ms. De Maupassant gives us a well written, erotic historical tale. At first, I thought there were two storylines paralleling each other, a sort of dance, where I would hope they would intersect at some point.

We are introduced to Maud, a young woman whose days are filled with mundane and serene interests. All pursuits are governed by strict societal rules as befits her station during nineteenth century London. Maud is intelligent, educated and portrayed as a bit of a bluestocking. But there is more to Maud we will later find. It is the revelation that is most intriguing and I never guessed it.

Lord Henry McCaulay is a bored and entitled aristocrat whose sole endeavor is to “aspire to live a life rich in the enjoyment of experiences new and unexpected.” Most evenings he can be found at his gentlemen’s club where men can indulge in sexual pleasure and debauch exploration. After a few evenings at the club, Henry is intrigued by Mademoiselle Noire to a point of infatuation. Mademoiselle is seductive and alluring and fascinating. She is like no other woman he has ever met, and Henry realizes, at one point, he is obsessed with claiming Mademoiselle. She has ruined him for any other woman because, with Mademoiselle, his sexual fantasies become real.

The Gentlemen’s Club is the first book in the Noire series. The author weaves a story that is richly descriptive with vivid characterization and highly erotic scenes. You will be absolutely surprised with the ending. I admit rereading the story for clues that I missed entirely. What a great beginning to this series and I look forward to Maud and Henry’s story in Italian Sonata, the second book of the series. Wonderful job, Ms. De Maupassant.