Book Details:
Book Title: Blackmailer’s Delight
Author: David Lawrence
Publisher: Broadbound Publishing
Cover Artist: L1graphics
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Genre: Historical M/M Romantic Comedy
Tropes: Forbidden love
Themes: Understanding that you are not alone in your experiences
Heat Rating: 3 flames
Length: 81 300 words/282 pages
It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.
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A misunderstanding ties the fates of three men together in this heartfelt, sensual, raucous romantic puzzle. Blackmailer’s Delight is a tale of lives tossed into the air, then reassembled in some unanticipated ways.
England 1795
London gentleman Daniel Thornton has just dumped his philandering lover, Clarence. He moves to Grantham to care for his ailing uncle and nurse a broken heart. The move he hopes will be a fresh start – a place to discover himself and perhaps a new way of seeing the world.
Luke Morley is a draper's son struggling to accept his sexuality. He has withdrawn into a world of fantasy, but with the arrival of Mr. Thornton this private world is shattered. Grantham’s most eligible bachelor is everything Luke has ever dreamed of. After months of silent admiration, he determines to introduce himself.
Re-enter Clarence, who arrives to win back his old lover. When Daniel rejects him again, he is not about to take it lying down…
A blackmail note appears – a demand that Daniel marry one of Luke’s sisters. A demand that he fulfill Luke’s secret desires.
Daniel saw young Mr. Morley leave the note on his mantle.
The note is from Luke.
Isn’t it?
Available in #KindleUnlimited
March 1795
A revolution in France. Food shortages at home. And now a damned tax on wig powder.
“This world is going to hell,” said Daniel Thornton to his lover, Clarence, one morning over toast and marmalade. “What is the name of that local sect I was telling you of the other morning? The one predicting the end of the world in the year 1800?”
“What?” said the younger man, who had been gazing out the first-floor window of their Westminster townhouse. “Haven’t they all gone to America?”
“It was in the paper last week. I distinctly recall telling you about it.”
“Oh, you know I don’t listen to anything you say at the breakfast table.”
“Don’t you?”
“I’m slow to rise, Danny. Once I am awake, I must plan my day; I cannot attend to your little newspaper articles.”
Daniel observed his companion for a moment – perhaps the longest moment of his life. This was the end, of course. Not of the world, but for them. For six weeks he had been expecting this, cynic that he was. They were both cynics – and, apart from the sex, he supposed Clarence’s pessimism had been his primary attraction. They saw the world identically. They liked to laugh at things like sects predicting the end of the world in five years. Or they had. If Clarence couldn’t be bothered to listen to him at the breakfast table, if they hadn’t even this anymore, after the misery this man was putting him through, there really was nothing for them.
He eyed the orange juice Clarence was sipping lazily. Should he?
They weren’t sleeping together anymore. And this, incredibly, before he had understood why, had actually bonded him to this man. Clarence had made no excuses: “It’s the way of all things, isn’t it? We are simply two old men grown comfortable with each other,” though this was absurd as Clarence was just twenty-six. No man likes being rejected in bed, but Clarence had won him by appearing to join him in their common plight – wasn’t it just the way of this miserable world?
“What?” he said, lowering his orange juice to glance over his shoulder. Daniel hadn’t spoken – Clarence must have heard the memory of his words ringing in his companion’s head. Narcissists only listened to hear the echo of their own words.
4 out of 5 (very good)
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. It's the first I've read of David Lawrence.
I liked Daniel and Luke, together and separately. I did think at points, Daniel was using his greater age over Luke to get what he wanted, but I don't think he was doing it deliberately, or maliciously.
It's steamy and smexy, plenty of that but I did find the romance element lacking. As a reader of romance, I do like a more in-depth romantic element, to go along with the smexy stuff.
I did like the twist at the end! Clarence, Daniel's ex, was a thoroughly nasty piece of work, but he does come around to Daniel moving on and does redeem himself somewhat.
Apart from the above mentioned, the story is well told and well written. I found the character development very good. It is a little long-winded in the beginning, but it does pick up and then runs away with itself.
I saw no editing or spelling errors to spoil my reading.
I'd like to read something else by this author, he's on my radar now.
4 good stars
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
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I am the author of two queer historical novels – ‘Hugh: A Hero without a Novel’ and ‘Blue Billy’s Rogue Lexicon’. As a writer, I love taking a deep dive into the social norms and historical events of 18th century England, told with humour and whimsy, while presenting what I hope are compelling and unique coming-of-age tales.
A native of the American Southwest, I have spent much of my life in Great Britain, France, and Finland. I now live in the American Northwest – Helena, Montana – with my Finnish partner. By day I love hiking under the Big Sky of my beautiful adopted state.By night, however, I prefer wandering the byways of 18th century London…
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