A Position in Paris

Gentle, slow and somewhat inert historical romance between James, a wounded WWI colonel and Edmund, the secretary he hires to help him write the book that is supposed to give him a reason to live despite losing his leg and his eye. It turns out that the secretary is more inspiring than the book, but Edmund is shy and reluctant to talk about himself, and although James launches a campaign worthy of the British Army to win Edmund over, he hasn't reckoned with family secrets, jealous ex-lovers, and lots of stubborn pride.

A quick, predictable read with lots of pining but almost no physical heat. Neither of the MCs really came alive for me, perhaps because we only get to know them through the pages of their respective journals. I was bothered by the power differential between wealthy James and impoverished Edmund, although that troubling dynamic is finally addressed at the book's conclusion. I was also surprised at how many of James' friends seem to take his homosexuality in stride, but a little research revealed that laws against sodomy were repealed during the French Revolution, and that France has long been considered one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.