Series: The Lords of Bucknall Club
Pages: 248
Time to read: 1h24m
Pages/hour: 177
Date read: Sun 3 Apr 2022
Rating: 🐱🐱🐱🐱
“I am not too good, that is not the issue, I am only myself, that is all, and I wish that just once, somebody would love me this way, love me exactly as I am.”
A murderer on the loose!
Okay, so we’ve all read A Sanctuary for Soulden, yes? If not, go read that, because there are going to be unmarked spoilers for that book in this review, being as Aumont is pretty intimately involved in the conclusion of that before his story here begins.
Let’s go!
So, Aumont was once close with Lord Soulden, close enough that he murdered the Bonapartian traitor at the end of the last book. Fully expecting to be arrested for his crimes, he’s surprised when he’s left alone – though he’s caught the attention of Darling, an inspector who has helped Lord Gale investigate several crimes.
And it’s Gale who throws them together, getting them both involved in a scheme to protect Teddy (essentially a sugar baby) from a stalker. Darling has his own infatuation with Gale to deal with, whereas Aumont is still wounded by the loss of his Luke years before, a loss that has bled into all the relationships he’s tried to cultivate since.
“Good day, my lord.” Darling waited for the little flutter he got in his belly whenever Lord Christmas noted him, and yet it was absent. He looked over at Aumont, who was going through a bureau, and oh! There it was, devil take it, brought on by the worst man in the room.
Things are getting darker
There’s definitely a darker tone to this book than we’ve seen in the rest of the series so far, I’d say. Aumont is still wallowing in his grief, not even letting himself reach out to Lord Soulden for fear of the outcome. This wallowing – and Darling’s own insecurities – means that he and Darling clash more than once, but their relationship, slowly as it goes, certainly feels earned.
Teddy’s an adorable addition to the cast, and his own subplot is pretty satisfyingly tied up in the end. It’s all very cute, with a trip to the countryside included!
About that stalker, though.
Spoilers ahead!
The gang gets together to try and catch Teddy’s stalker, and this is probably the weakest part of the book, especially considering that the previous book’s traitor was among the group. The plan is quickly set up and the stalker is found – he’s someone we don’t know and, for all the crimes he’s committed against Teddy, he’s dealt with rather quickly. It allows space for a wrap-up of that traitor subplot at the end, but it was all rather anti-climactic.
And this is probably highlighted because this is definitely the ‘sweetest’ of all the books. Darling is saving himself for marriage, so there’s some kissing action but nothing else, which does fit his character but really needs a strong climax of the plot to support it. Nice to see a wedding, of course!
Oh, and the whole thing with Teddy and Mr Foster is super cute! Sad about Teddy’s first cat and it seems like Mr Foster kind of doesn’t know what to do with Teddy, but they both like each other anyway and decide to make a go of it – and make a bet with Aumont about who’s going to get married first in the meantime.
(Well, Teddy does, anyway.)
What’s the verdict?
This book’s getting four sweet kittens: 🐱🐱🐱🐱
An Affair for Aumont feels like a cute interlude in between the angsty reveals of Lord Soulden’s story (not that this is without angst!) and pre-empting what I assume is going to be a much dirtier book with Lord Stratford. It feels a bit like a lazy summer, with two men who aren’t sure what they’re worth to anyone discovering how much they mean to each other.
“When you dined with my family, I said that you belonged at my table as much as any man. I somehow doubt the Marquis de Montespan currently owns a table, but that does not mean you do not belong wherever he is.”
