Book 1 of 5 in the Regency Erotic Romance series, The Gentleman Courtesans.Miss Evelyn Coburn refuses to die a virgin. At the age of five-and-twenty, she has never even been kissed properly. Upon receiving her inheritance, she decides to investigate rumors of a secret London agency which provides the services of male courtesans. Someone to teach her the secrets of the bedchamber and do away with … bedchamber and do away with the nuisance of her maidenhead is all Evelyn anticipates from such an arrangement.
The Honourable Hugh Radcliffe is in dire financial straits after being disowned by his family for pursuing a career as a portraitist. When he’s asked to go into business to form The Gentleman Courtesans, he agrees, needing the income until his work is accepted into the Royal Academy of the Arts’ annual Summer Exhibition—an event that could earn him the exposure needed to launch him to fame.
The arrangement with Evelyn is only supposed to be temporary, and Hugh is determined for her to be his last paramour. But when physical attraction evolves into a deeper connection, she becomes the muse for his greatest work of art yet. With their affair coming to an end, Hugh will be forced to acknowledge that Evelyn is the key to his success as well as his joy.
Will their newfound happiness end when their arrangement does, or will what began as a matter of lust and convenience lead to true and lasting love?
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Let me say to start that after finishing the ARC of this book, it took me what felt like forever to figure out what to write about it. Is that bad? Oh for heaven’s sake NO. All that means is that I found the book to be different than what I thought would be. Is THAT bad? Oh, stop it. Of course it isn’t.
I’m not into male escort stories. I’ve read a couple of books that revolved around that subject and while they weren’t bad, it isn’t something I would want to read in a book. So when Victoria Vale began writing this series about Gentlemen Courtesans, I withheld judgment, but wasn’t altogether sure I was going to like it (which would have been heartbreaking to me because Ms. Vale’s writing style is one that I truly enjoy, no matter whether she is writing Regency Smut or her grocery list).
Well, in the case of this story, I was truly drawn and quartered. The beginning of the first chapter had me convinced that this book was going to be something that might not be “me”. Now THAT might have been bad, but then I got to the second chapter and fell in LOVE with Hugh. And then of course, his “keeper” Evelyn, comes on the scene, and I just knew this was going to have me hooked. And it did. My first words when finished with the book were “dammit, she did it to me again!”.
The “she” of this review is Victoria Vale (sometimes when she irritates me by always being able to turn my opinion around onto itself, I call her “she who shall not be named”). She wrote a story that I really didn’t think I would warm up to because of the subject matter – why in the world would I want to read about a bunch of down and out men who think that practicing the oldest profession on earth will bring them their fortunes on a platter? Heh. By the time I was at the end of the book, I was tempted to write her directly and say ok, I give up, can I crawl up into that brain of yours and poke around for a while, because I really want to know how you took a story line that I would NEVER have warmed up to and turned it into something that I will happily re-read while waiting for Book #2.
The premise works for this book, there’s no doubt about it. All of the men you meet in the first chapter of the book are rakes and hellions, all have either spent their considerable fortunes on things that don’t put food in their stomachs, OR they’ve been disowned. And one, who was probably more sober than the rest, comes up with the idea of being male courtesans – and that means finding wealthy women who will pay their rent and their expenses in return for bedding them. But none of these men are going to impress you in the first chapter. Not one single one of them. Just wait…read the first chapter, take a breath, get a cup of tea, curl up, cause Mistress Vale is about to take you on a ride with Hugh and Evelyn that you won’t forget for a while. As a writer, she’s very good at that.
And more to the point, as a writer, as an AUTHOR, Victoria Vale is among the best at pulling a reader into a story, immersing them in emotions, and taking them along for a ride. If you haven’t already figured it out, she is, out of the thousands of self published authors out there, among the top 4 that I will automatically turn to when I want to walk into a story and know that I’ve just made a few new friends. Her characters are that real. Her stories are that well thought out. Of course, if you don’t like sex and smut, you should probably stay away, because she writes sex better than most people practice it. (Erm, did I just say that?)
Mistress Vale…once more, I was convinced you could not come up with a story line like this that would keep my interest, and once more I was wrong. You DO realize, that one of these days I’ll be right? Just once. But in the meantime, this is one author who’d better go back into her writing cave and start typing on those keys…I’m waiting for Book 2.
This was an interesting read for me in that I love period pieces especially from England, Scotland and oh those uber sexy Highlanders. But, this novel is written almost from the male perspective of things, as the main male character is an escort of sorts.
Evelyn refuses to die a spinster, not that she is close to death but man alive it feels more and more like it every day. She learns of an agency that helps “pair” women with men that will take care of their any need. She decides to pursue this avenue and cross one thing off her list, losing her virginity.
Hugh is an artist that is just hoping to make it into the Summer Exhibition with one of his paintings. He has come so close every year but he feels like this is final his shot. When another opportunity arises to “care” for another woman, he accepts but feels like this will be his last customer. He couldn’t imagine just how right he was.
Evelyn and Hugh have a wonderful connection and he is super sweet and patient while tending to her every want and need. They find themselves moving further and further away from a client relationship and into a romantic relationship. Neither wanting to think the other would want that, refusing to see what is right before their eyes.
Both Evelyn and Hugh have somewhat strained family relationships, though Hugh wins that by a mile. His father disowned him upon hearing he wanted to study art. His siblings have little choice but to go along with their father’s wishes and cut Hugh out of their lives. Evelyn has reached her maturity unmarried so she has received her inheritance and the family doesn’t quite understand her desire to remain single. Once the word is out though, that she is dating Hugh, her mother and sister reappear.
A great new perspective putting the man in the position of escort, not one story normally told. I got a new understanding of some of the workings of the era (whether an actual truth or not, my mind’s eye could appreciate it). Seeing Hugh and Evelyn struggle to live their true lives was one I could relate to, and seeing them not recognizing what is right in front of them also rang true. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy without expectation. 4 ½ stars for my first read.
This was a fun and enjoyable read! It has a fresh and unique premise having a group of male courtesans. I did think going in that the story would be a little more “erotic” but it still has plenty of steaminess so it’s a win in my book! I’m very much looking forward the the rest of the series!
I received an advance copy of this book and I am voluntarily submitting a review.
Time seems to fly when I read a Victoria Vale book – they are just that good. This book was GREAT!!! I loved the relationship between Hugh and Evelyn it was sweet, romantic and hot. I also enjoyed Hugh’s friends and can not wait to read their stories. Keep up the excellent writing Victoria Vale.
BRAVO!!! What an amazing start to a new book. Yes, I am that weirdo that loves a book that makes me tear up and my heart feels as broken as the heroine. Evie and Hugh are just so amazing. Uggh when Evie overhears them talking…heart broken (cue tears). But, what a stupendous, amazing beautiful way grand gesture to prove his love. I loved the courtesans, his sister, Patience and Joseph and everything about this first book. It’s such a amazing story. It is my first “male” courtesan book and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it but WOWZA does Victoria Vale write a great story and has such a great idea. I love how it came to be for them and I love each of their personalities. I can’t wait to read the next book!
I love Evelyn and Hugh
This story was inspirational as a spinster/young woman takes her future into her own hands. These two characters are well developed and engaging. What a time to have lived in, where there were so many constraints and limitations on women and such consequences… Evelyn’s tale was probably one that many women lived, right up until the introduction of Hugh into her life. Victoria has brought these two to life with courage, charm and humor. Both Hugh and Evelyn reaching for things they are told are out of reach and finding so much more. I look forward to the next story and the ones after that.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book one in The Gentleman Courtesans series. Can be read and enjoyed as stand-alone. Each book will follow a different courtesan with secondary characters the same throughout. Told in dual POV with HEA. Going into the book I thought that it being about a courtesan that it would be much steamier than it is. It is very story and plot based with Hugh’s specialty being virgins. I loved the book, everything about it was natural and felt real. The characters have well developed back stories and the drama/angst was believable and not drawn out. The epilogue perfectly closed Hugh & Evelyn’s story and sets up the next in the series. I highly recommend to anyone who loves historical romance and I cannot wait to read more in the series!!
Just wow! Ms Vale does it again. It’s the early 1800’s and a group of gentlemen down on their luck decide to try something new and totally unheard of. They will become the male version of a mistress. You will fall in love with Hugh and Evelyn, along with the rest of the courtesans. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
I was gifted with an ARC from the fabulous Victoria Vale!
The Gentleman Courtesans, one night of debauchery in the Honorable Sebastians home, he discusses the financial benefits for him and his four close friends. They all agree to a secret GC and their clients, lonely widows, wives, spinsters and so on for a fee!
The Honorable Hugh is assigned to the terribly shy and virgin Miss Evelyn. She was left a large inheritance and she wants to experience sex, before living the life of a spinster. When Hugh and Evelyn first meet!! I fell in love with how Victoria Vale paid so much attention to detail, to the public place for them to meet. Hugh knew about how shy Evelyn is, and so they met in public. After that beautiful night, he slowly proceeds to seduce her, to open her up to him. She finds out about his estranged family and his love for art.
This is such a well written story line, original, romantic and steamy hot!! I love how all the characters in this story all come together, and the happily ever after <3
Hugh and Evelyn story is such a beautiful romance. It is also indeed, portrait of a lady, to find out why, you have to read this romance!
After several disastrous seasons, Miss Evelyn Coburn has failed to secure a match but she has come into her inheritance. At age 25 it seems she’s destined to become a spinster so she decides she wants a taste of passion and seeks out the secretive agency she’s heard of which provides the services of male courtesans.
As the fourth son of an earl, the Honourable Mr. Hugh Radcliffe had certain expectations placed upon him. His dreams of becoming an artist didn’t jive with those expectations and his entire family disowned him. As a starving artist, he agrees when his friend suggests they go into business as Gentleman Courtesans. He only needs the funds until his work is finally accepted into the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition and he can hopefully start gaining real notoriety and making real money from his art. When that finally happens, Hugh hopes to marry and create a family of his own to fill the void left by the loss of the one he was born into.
Hugh is determined Evelyn will be his last keeper, but soon realizes she is different to the others. Romantic Hugh truly wants to be with her, not just for the money, and she becomes the muse for some of his best art yet. Soon it becomes clear to everyone that both mean more to each other than their arrangement allows for, but with both Hugh and Evelyn more than a little afraid, can they find their way to a permanent future?
I enjoyed this even more than I expected to. I was intrigued by the notion of the male courtesans and it was of course steamy, but also much more romantic and sweet than I’d anticipated. It was just lovely and I look forward to the rest of the series after how much I loved Hugh.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was a lovely romance with an unusual premise, but it worked so well. Evie and Hugh are the perfect couple and the story was so romantic even with a couple of hiccups. The sex was steamy but not overdone and completely appropriate to the story. An enjoyable read.
I loved everything about this book. Who knew there were male courtesans? Evidently the 25 year old virgin that decided to hire one for what she needed, not only help in the bedroom, but in kissing, being in public and overall being around males. Both characters were endearing and needing something that only the other one could give them.
It seems I am always waiting for Ms. Vale to come out with a new book, how long do I have to wait for book #2 in this series is the question.
Thank you sk much for this book it was hard to put down i enjoyed every word i laugh an cried so excellent book say again Thank You
One of the most romantic books I have ever read. Each detail of this book makes it more poignant giving you a moving love story. Hugh and Evie’s relationship is so passionate. There are so many dimensions to this story, so much more than you will expect.
I absolutely love this Book! I found the twist highly entertaining. the storyline was just delicious! the characters were endearing & almost addictive. I liked meeting all the males Courtesans & look forward to hearing each individual story. my anticipation is whetted… next in line!!!
Absolutely Fantabulous, Wonderful, & Romantic
I truly enjoyed this Book. Hugh is a Wonderful Courtesan who is the son of an Earl. Hugh loves painting & chose to become a Courtesan to make his way through The Royal Academy of arts to become a Portraitists.
Evelyn is a shy Spinster who refuses to die a virgin. She gets access to The Gentleman Courtesans & sets out to hire a Courtesan to deflower her. At Five and Twenty, she gets tongue-tied when trying to talk to men. She has no friends in London to help her, save her companion Patience.
The Story was written well, a little long, but well enough to keep me turning page after page.
She is still innocent at the age of 25 and she refuses to die a virgin so she uses a service which will allow her to have a man for a month. He takes on the job hoping he will have enough to get his art noticed. What will happen if their is a bigger attraction? Will it just last the month? See if it will become even more
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Portrait Of A Lady is an excellent historical romance by Victoria Vale. Ms. Vale has provided readers with a well-written book furnished with outstanding characters. Hugh’s funds have been cut off be his family because he wants to be an artist. He joins his friends as they create the gentleman courtesans to support themselves. Evelyn is painfully shy and has decided to hire a gentleman so she doesn’t die without ever knowing what passion feels like. Hugh and Evelyn’s story is packed with drama, humor and spice. I enjoyed reading Portrait Of A Lady and look forward to reading more from Victoria Vale in the future. Portrait Of A Lady is book 1 of The Gentleman Courtesans Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
Super steamy erotica, but a happily ever after ending.
This book introduces a wife to the D/s possibilities in her marriage. In my opinion the husband pushes his wife into the D/s life. The author does a interesting job of showing how the wife accepts the events occurring in her marriage. I enjoyed the book.