Something Fabulous

This was a five-star book from the first paragraph. I had to limit myself to a few chapters per day so I could spread out the wondrousness.

The combination of the grumpy, arrogant, entitled Valentine, Duke of Malvern, and the sweet, fanciful and always DTF Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton is absolutely magic. It reads like a farce, with Valentine suffering humiliation after humiliation (and deserving every one). But if you look just a little deeper you'll find a very touching story about a man who doesn't realize that he has closed himself off to his feelings and desires, and the irrepressible flirt who understands that underneath (pretty far underneath, actually) the arrogance is a lonely, confused person who is worthy of love.

But until we get to the absolutely perfect HEA (which deserve an epilogue IMHO), there are murderous bees, horny ostlers, the worst game of charades ever, and a bordello disguised as a hunting lodge. Almost all of the characters are queer, and the tone is delightfully ribald.

Something Fabulous was the perfect antidote to a cold, dark January, although suspect I will still enjoy it just as much if I re-read it at the beach in July. Alexis Hall has proven that he can write in numerous genres, using a multitude of tropes, but this might be his best book yet.