A Kirkus Prize nominee and Stonewall Honor winner with 5 starred reviews! A New York Times bestseller!
Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR and the New York Public Library!
“The queer teen historical you didn’t know was missing from your life.”—Teen Vogue
“A stunning powerhouse of a story.”—School Library Journal
“A gleeful romp through history.”—ALA Booklist
A young bisexual British … Vogue
“A stunning powerhouse of a story.”—School Library Journal
“A gleeful romp through history.”—ALA Booklist
A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s.
Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.
Don’t miss Felicity’s adventures in The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, the highly anticipated sequel!
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I often hear books described as “a fun romp” but this is a book that truly deserves that description! This YA novel follows Henry Montague as he tours Paris, Barcelona, and Venice alongside his bookish sister Felicity, and his best friend (and big-time crush), Percy. Hijinks and narrow escapes very quickly ensue — larceny, streaking through Versailles, highwaymen, alchemical secrets, pirates — I could go on, but I don’t want to give everything away. Oh, and there’s a good amount of fun sexual tension sprinkled throughout the plot 🙂
This was a wild, unexpected ride. Percy (a young, bisexual lord who harbors a not-so-secret crush on his best friend) has only a few months to romp through Europe before he’s resigned to take over the family estate. Somehow, his adventure turns into more than some sightseeing and revelry: he encounters wannabe-pirates, alchemy, devious nobles, and a host of other strange characters.
I gobbled this one up in one sitting. It was like consuming a big bowl of glittering, historical confetti (???). Recommended!
I loved Felicity in the first book in the series, and really enjoyed her adventures here and her friendships with Johanna and Sim. The mixing of history and fantasy was expertly done. It’s great to see an asexual heroine and strong female characters. Monty and Percy do have a supporting role, which I loved. The first book was just so fantastic that it’s hard for this one to measure up, but it’s an excellent tale in its own right.
I’ve had this book in my TBR for a while, and when I had to be in the car for an extended period, I took advantage of the audio book. And I wonder why I waited this long to get to this fabulous novel.
Christian Coulson is an outstanding narrator, and perfect voice for Monty. Monty himself is a mess – narcissistic, oblivious, and generally a danger to himself and others with his actions, but he does it in such a charming way, you can’t help but go along with him. And Percy – such a sweet, gentle soul who deserves some sort of award for sticking by Monty for so long. Their Grand Tour is one dangerous situation after another, mostly due to Monty’s poor decisions, but an exciting, nerve-wracking adventure for the reader. He has so many quotable lines, I could fill a notebook with them.
This is an easy five stars for me, and I only regret it took me this long to read the novel. If you’re a fan of historical fiction with a heavy dose of humor and adventure, and brash, self-destructive MCs with a good heart, here it is. It’s a wildly entertaining ride.
This book was a breath of fresh air, witty and fun. Most people can’t help loving a rake because beneath all the layers of cynicism and excessiveness there’s a heart of gold. And while Monty is absolutely lovable, he’s also emotionally scarred from years of verbal and physical abuse. He’s not your typical hero. He’s not a large, strong, alpha male but rather a slight, short young man with an attractive face and an easy charm. He is a witty, self-deprecating hero who doesn’t take himself too seriously.
Accompanied by his best friend/love interest, Percy and his highly-opinionated sister, Felicity the three embark on the adventure of a lifetime. They gallivant across Europe after being accosted by highwaymen, chased by a villainous duke, captured by pirates and unravel a scientific mystery, only to truly discover themselves and what their priorities are in life.
Percy balances Monty out perfectly, and it’s incredibly sweet to read how their relationship unfolds as they step away from the friend-zone into lovers’ territory. Their love is built on years of solid friendship and mutual attraction, it’s slow-building, and incredibly satisfying when it comes to fruition.
I loved everything about this book and I highly recommend it.
The adventure and birth of the queer teen romance in the 18th century Europe that will steal your sympathies.
First let me start by saying I KNOW I’m late to the party on this one, I don’t care. I’m here now and I loved the journey. Second, I’d like to point out that this book is in no way “Simon Vs meets the 1700s” as the tagline suggests. Simon was a good book but it was all about introspection and emotion. This book is an action adventure that happens to feature a bisexual English lord traipsing across Europe with his BFF/Secret Crush and all the misadventures they manage along the way. Never has a book been more of a joyous romp than this one. I adored it from start to finish. Even when the MC is being an overprivileged, narcissistic brat, there’s something about him that keeps him lovable and endearing and makes you root for him, not just to win the heart of his once in a lifetime love but to overcome all the obstacles and self sabotage to find his HEA. This book had me laughing out loud, tearing up and even my heart aching as I blew through this story in less than a day. It was a fun adventure and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for book 2 in the series.
Fun light read. Gay YA romance with a supernatural twist. I was caught up, read it quickly, & enjoyed it.
I had qualms about the representation of health issues, race, & gay relationships at that point in history, but the setting was beautifully drawn & the romance was good fun. If you set aside some realism, the book is thoroughly fun.
I loved this book! It’s a Georgian new adult romance with a bisexual hero. Beautiful writing and a really original storyline that went off in directions I totally didn’t anticipate. I picked up the audio book, too, and it’s narrated by a guy with the most delicious British accent. Highly recommended.
Loved this book.
I was surprised how adulty it was for a YA novel, but maybe it has to do with a shift in times, lately.
The book was funny, exciting, intense, fast, romantic. It reminded me a lot of Mary Stewart because of the blend of adventure and gothic romance.
Highly recommend.
At first, I hateddd the book, I thought it was slow and hard to read. It really not hard to read once you get used to it. But I got to say, towards the middle of the book I was hooked. The plot had so many twists, definitely original. the character development in this book is so well handled.
This book is so many things that I didn’t think it would be. I am not one for cheeky romance and this isn’t one of them. You go on this journey with these three teenagers and their trip around Europe. It was a twist and turn every where and ended wonderfully.
This will be on my re-read list!
I borrowed this from my local library on their app in the audio format and promptly listened to most of it in a day. I really liked the character development for all characters, but especially Henry. This was such a positive book in the way that sensitive issues were handled. Loved the diversity in the book, and think it would be good for students in my area of the rural midwest to read and see different characters than are in their usual reading.
I don’t remember the last time I laughed so much while reading . A budding narcissist spends a touring season learning what it’s like to care about others and himself. It’s not all laughs, of course. There’s everything from family secrets, to the worst pirates at pirating, to overcoming the past, and of course the forbidden [] love. Don’t forget the smarty-pants sister who gets things done! I see she gets her very own book as well…
Super nice to read about a bi-male lead. Doubly nice that it was a really well-done historical romance. The characters feel very real and flawed which I appreciated. Worth the read for sure!
1-star. Too long for me.
Yes, yes, i’m sooo late to the party. This was rated one of the best books of 2017, so i’m behind the curve, but here goes. First, pay no attention to the high concept description, “Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda Meets the 1700s”. It’s pretty silly. Simon is notable for the simplicity and smallness of the story. It’s about digging into a boy’s heart. This book is HUGE. It’s adventure and pirates and bandits and saving the world. And it is also a huge amount of fun, while still grappling with some serious issues like the dire consequences of homosexuality in the 1700s and the dull, sickness of racism. The characters are wonderful (though you won’t like Henry for a while) and the story is wild and over-the-top (not at all Simon) while still mapping a coming of age. I loved it. I’ll bet you will too, assuming you haven’t read it far before me. LOL
Gosh, I loved this book. Witty, tense, romantic, gripping. I couldn’t stop reading, but didn’t want it to end. Can’t wait to read the second book in the series.
Captivating, tugs the feelings and emotions as if you were Henry. One of the greatest!
Audible Review:
Overall 5 out of 5 stars
Performance 5 out of 5 stars
Story 5 out of 5 stars
Perfection in audio form!
I loved everything about this story! The audiobook was amazing and I wish I hadn’t waited to long to listen! Monty is adorable, Percy is wonderful, and Felicity is awesome. I’m so glad I bought this in hardback, it’s a book I definitely need on my shelf.
This was such a fun read! But there were a few moments that really pulled at my heart, too.
Christian Coulson’s narration was perfection! I could have listened to him as Monty all day long.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue was such a delight!