Hello lovely readers!

This week we are reading Chapters 22-25.

Here’s a recap for Chapters 16-21:

The plan to get Belinda and Horace to Gretna Green for their elopement is put in motion. Christopher arrives at Grosvenor’s Square in a fast carriage in the dead of night. Belinda slips out of her house, pursued by servants. A carriage race through London ensues with the duke chasing Christopher out of the city.

Once the race ends, Christopher reveals that Belinda is not in his carriage, only Verbena, her maid, and Etienne. It was a misdirect, Ocean’s Eleven-style. Belinda and Horace are with Harding in another carriage, sneaking out of the country undetected. The duke is enraged, but Verbena and Etienne testify that it’s all been a big misunderstanding, so there’s nothing he can do. Once the duke departs, Christopher feels guilty for tricking a man who is still grieving his elder daughter and asks Verbena to circulate gossip about the situation in a way that doesn’t hurt his reputation. Verbena agrees, saying the story of the chase will surely eclipse any tawdry rumors concerning the elopement.

Days later, Harding returns from his trip to Scotland in a state of exhaustion. Christopher urges him to eat his own breakfast and take a few days off, but a letter arrives informing him that Plinkton has taken ill back at Eden Abbey. The old butler is like a father to Christopher, so he and Harding leave London immediately.

When they arrive, the doctor tells them Plinkton is not long for this world. Christopher has a moment alone at his sickbed to say goodbye, but Plinkton reveals that he’s known the truth about Christopher’s tranness the whole time. He warns Christopher to keep himself safe before passing away.

After the funeral, Harding continues to work himself into the ground taking up all of Plinkton’s tasks. One night during a bad storm, Christopher urges him to take the delayed time off he’s owed, but they’re interrupted by a terrible howling. Christopher is convinced it’s the house’s ghosts and has a major PTSD flashback. Harding insists they investigate and together they venture into an abandoned part of the abbey. They find a piece of the roof has caved in and a huge colony of rats are responsible for the unearthly noise, as well as all the baubles that have gone missing. That’s a relief, of course, but Harding witnessed Christopher’s episode and urges him to talk about it.

They return to Harding’s rooms, soaked from the rain, and Christopher decides to confide in Harding. He tries to articulate his tranness and the fact that he had a twin brother—not a sister—but he has difficulty explaining. Before he can say more, Harding takes off his shirt and reveals his chest is bound.

Christopher is stunned. He embraces Harding. A moment of delirious joy and confusion for them both! I tried to recap this in other words, but I’m so proud of this scene and the moment is so pivotal, I’m just going to reproduce it here with your indulgence.

“For a time.” Harding’s voice was a sweet rumble this close. It moved through Christopher as thunder might roll in from afar. “I have never met another—not personally. But I have heard stories and rumors; have you not?”

“Rumors?” Christopher pulled back, wide-eyed.

“Of so-called women being discovered in the military, for example,” Harding said. “Some say they return to dresses and stays when the fighting is done, but others say they continue living as they fought. There were two or three such stories here at home and in the Colonies. Did you never hear of it in all your time in Philadelphia?”

“No, I suppose—well, who would have told me?’ Christopher
said. He tried to picture his Quaker tutor incorporating this lesson and found he could not, as forward-thinking as the man had been.

“There are other tales,” Harding continued. “I sought them
out like a bloodhound. There are a pair of ladies who settled in a cottage in Wales and refused their betrotheds, and they live as husband and wife do. In small villages, there are craftsmen and laborers who are like us, but without anyone who will judge or care so long as they do their work. There are women who share the other side of our coin, who have eschewed their surcoats in favor of skirts. There are people in other parts of the globe who do not think any of it strange at all—they exist, I know it.”

“They do?” Christopher could not help the shock that suffused his voice. It sounded like a dream, like a complete fantasy.

“There are all sorts, my lord,” Harding said. “The world is wide and full of grace, I promise you.”

They settle in and Christopher agrees to tell Harding his long, strange origin story.

And that’s a recap!

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As a special treat this week, I have a lil Q&A with Julia Diaz-Young, who did the marketing on this book. I think many readers might find this part of publishing really illuminating, as I used to work at it too.

Julia!! You did such a fantastic job marketing A Gentleman's Gentleman. For the uninitiated in the audience, can you tell us what a marketer does at a traditional publishing house? As a title marketer, I am given a set number of books to work on per season. I serve as the author’s primary contact for all things marketing. Each book gets its own campaign, and each author has different needs. My job is to manage buzz-building efforts that inform readers that a book is coming and will be their next great read. It involves extensive research into target audiences, competitive titles, brand partnerships, and influencers who can help spread the word. It requires a lot of juggling, but it is truly rewarding work. This is especially true when working with authors as cool as TJ!

We met LONG before AGG was bought by Vintage. Do you want to tell everyone about that? TJ and I go way back. In November 2021, I was a junior at Emerson College and had just started my bookstagram, chicklitistheshit. I saw people posting about ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) and really wanted to get my hands on one. Logically, I searched for authors who went to Emerson College. TJ’s deal for Chef’s Kiss had just been announced in Publishers’ Weekly, so they popped up right away. I figured I would try my luck and sent a message. (Author’s Note: This was the first time anyone had ever asked me for an arc! I was thrilled beyond words!)

TL;DR: I read Chef’s Kiss, loved it, and invited TJ to my book club (which barely existed at the time). During that meeting, TJ mentioned working on a Historical Romance, and we all got so excited. Imagine my surprise when I got my first job in publishing and found out my division bought that exact book! It was one of the biggest full-circle moments of my life. The author I met online years prior was publishing the book they hinted at in our event. I asked to be assigned the title, and the rest is history.

How do you/did you market this queer romance? Is it different from marketing any other book? My number one goal for A Gentleman’s Gentleman was to create a diehard group of fans who would make this book their personality. I am someone who has to tell everyone I have ever met about a book I enjoy. I knew personally that, as a queer romance reader, I go extra hard for a story that makes me feel seen. With that in mind, I avoided targeting only the largest book influencers who get dozens of books per week. Instead, I found niche but highly engaged readers who either identify publicly as LGBTQ+ or have shown consistent support for these types of titles. They were the foundation of the campaign, and I got the pleasure of meeting a few of them at TJ's launch at The Ripped Bodice and our talk at Emerson.

Some publishers have started investing more in other subgenres and are distancing themselves from historical romance. Any thoughts on that shift? I think the genre will be approaching a period of rebirth. While some may be stepping back, readers are clearly still hungry for these stories, especially when they offer more inclusive and modern perspectives. I know for myself and many others, a GOOD season of Bridgerton can always put us in a historical romance mood. From the first 4 episodes in season four, I think we are back, folks!!

I get asked this all the time and never know the answer, but maybe you do: what's the most helpful thing a reader can do to support a book they like? The "Big Three" are pre-ordering, leaving reviews on retail and review sites, and requesting the book at their local library. Pre-orders are especially vital because they signal to retailers that there is high demand, which helps the book get better placement in stores! But requesting at your local library is also an amazing, free way to help! All of these efforts are greatly appreciated by publishers and authors alike. :)