Product Description

Edward Munrow has had a change in circumstances. Going from being a gentleman of few means to being a wealthy land owner in less than a day is difficult enough to imagine, but being blackmailed into a marriage he doesn't want by a Duke is just too much. Ned agrees to the marriage to keep his name out of the scandal sheets, and soon enough he is meeting Lady Jane, a member of the Duke's family, and her son, Henri, the Viscount Langton. Langton is a delightful surprise for Ned, a young man just coming into his own, ripe for the sorts of debauchery Ned is best at. The problem is that Langton brings out all of Ned's protective instincts, and that, along with a warning that the Duke will ruin him if he so much as lays a hand on the young man has him keeping his hands to himself. Until Henri won't let Ned protect him from himself, that is. Add one of Ned's old lovers to the mix and the combination is unbeatable. This Victorian romp has it all, from family intrigue to marriages of convenience and naughty fun between the sheets. Take it to bed with you today.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #434796 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 284 pages

Review
CB Potts, editor of Play Ball and author of Tuesday's Rubies, writes: Generally, if a book involves people standing around a drawing room discussing an impending marriage, you can bet I'll be flipping the TV on before I hit page six.

Unless, of course, the book is by Chris Owen. For then Barrett's impending wedding announcement isn't at all what anyone expected -- least of all Ned Munrow. Munrow soon finds himself the Lord of the Manor -- a position that comes with an incredible amount of pressure.

That's before he's blackmailed, of course. Soon, there are whispers about a new marriage on the horizon. A few people aren't too thrilled about the upcoming nuptials -- Munrow's 'pet', Truitt, and Lady Julia's ever so handsome son, Langton.

This is a complex, sexy, well written book. Owen has turned in a triumph of characterization -- Munrow is a well-done protagonist, and seeing the others through his eyes is an intensely erotic experience. Voyeurism is a hard thing to pull off in print -- the library chapter alone is well worth the purchase price.

Lots of sex, a nice sprinkling of kink, and dysfunctional family dynamics. I loved the whole Upstairs, Downstairs aspect of the book, where the aristocrats find themselves at the mercy of their servants. Much recommended, and a lovely read on a rainy afternoon.

I promise I'll never watch a costume drama the same way again.

Customer Reviews

unfinished
As all other reviewers I came to this book after reading the beautiful Bareback by the same author.

There could have been no major change: here we are led into Victorian England, among the gentility and the tone is necessarily completely different.

Edward Munrow comes to wealth in an unexpected way and is not entirely happy about it because his new position forces him to take those responsibilities he has carefully avoided until then.
The fact that ignites the plot feels unlikely enough to make it difficult for the reader to suspend disbelief; once suspension is managed somehow, the reader is thrown into a plot who develops consistently giving enough room for the three main characters to shine.

Mr Owen's writing is good as ever, yet I found the characterization rich but unfulfilling. It seems to me that the novel, rather short in fact, is constantly on the verge between the nicely written but light-hearted erotica and the full fledged gay historical novel: sex scenes are many, graphic, well done and take a large number of pages but there are several hints at deeper issues which are never dealt with, leaving me dissatisfied.
The most thorny issue is perhaps the threesome that develops among the three characters: it is nicely done and sexy but I really could not understand how the three come not only to have sex together but even to love one another so much that the expected exclusion of one of them from the "happily ever after" never takes place.
Among the others undealt with issues one could quote the characters of the duke and of the bride to be, not to mention the rather sexy topic of dominance and sexual play in xix century England.

As all these undealt issues are rather interesting and could have led to a very interesting narrative, I found myself rather dissatisfied at the end of the book.

A thing I appreciated is the complete lack of self loathing among the gay characters who only struggle to come away with law and society and are utterly inddifferent to moral constraints.

Four stars, but I think I should appreciate a second, edited edition taking a more clear direction.

Hmph
The sex was great. I didn't like the main character. He was cold and unsympathetic. More about sex than love, and I'm a romantic at heart. Considering the lack of good m/m romance though, it's worth the read.

An Agreement Among Gentlemen
Edward "Ned" Munrow is content with his life of no responsibility and all pleasure until his friend unexpectedly gives him an estate and a great deal of money. He's not particularly pleased with the development, especially when a Duke blackmails him into a marriage he definitely doesn't want. The Duke sends his heir, Henri, Viscount Langton, to spend the summer with Munrow, so they can pretend he's seeing if the young man will make a suitable heir. To his surprise, Munrow discovers that he actually likes Langton. Things get even more confusing (and exciting) when an old lover enters the picture.

Don't let the Victorian setting fool you, An Agreement Among Gentleman is an incredibly hot book! Munrow is an unashamedly sensual character and I enjoyed watching him slowly become motivated by more than just temporary pleasure. The supporting characters in An Agreement Among Gentleman added a great deal to the story. They provided comic relief and much more. The relationship between Munrow and his valet was especially amusing. As for the love interests, Langton was sweet, passionate, and eager, and Munrow's old lover Truitt was absolutely delicious! The attraction among these three gentlemen just about burned up my laptop. Chris Owen has written a wonderfully sexy historical which will have a permanent spot on my reread shelf.

Cassie
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed