A Gentleman Never Keeps Score (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #2)
Cat Sebastian
Once beloved by London's fashionable elite, Hartley Sedgwick has become a recluse after a spate of salacious gossip exposed his most-private secrets. Rarely venturing from the house whose inheritance is a daily reminder of his downfall, he’s captivated by the exceedingly handsome man who seeks to rob him. Since retiring from the boxing ring, Sam Fox has made his pub, The Bell, into a haven for those in his Free Black community. But when his best friend Kate implores him to find and destroy a scandalously revealing painting of her, he agrees. Sam would do anything to protect those he loves, even if it means stealing from a wealthy gentleman. But when he encounters Hartley, he soon finds himself wanting to steal more than just a painting from the lovely, lonely man—he wants to steal his heart. Content Warning from Author: This book includes a main character who was sexually abused in the past; abuse happens off page but is alluded to.
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0 0Summary
Hartley has become a recluse after his dark secrets were discovered and society shunned him. All of his servants have left and he is alone in the big house where is past haunts him. When Sam shows up at his door looking for a painting of his friend, the two team up to track down and destroy the revealing works. But more than the painting draw the two together, and soon their hearts and lives are entwined.
Overview
➸ POV: 3rd Person from Harley & Sam's POVs
➸ Hartley Sedgwick: 23, White, Shunned from society, Recluse, Middle brother (Ben & Will), Struggling to cope with past trauma
➸ Sam Fox: Black, Retired boxer, Protective, Owns a bar where he helps members of the community, Younger brother
➸ Content Warnings: Sexual assault of a minor, PTSD, Racism & Police Brutality, Homophobia, Theft, Fighting
My Thoughts
While I enjoyed this sequel in the Sedgwick brother series, I didn't love it the way I did book 1. This book had a far more serious tone than the previous book and packed a lot of difficult themes and commentary into a historical romance.
One of the things I love most about this series is how it tackles topics not normally discussed in this genre. This book had some really heavy themes! Not only did this continue to explore what it meant to be queer in a time where that was unacceptable, but it also explored race and trauma. I can't speak to the accuracy of any of representation (I will be searching for some own voices reviews on this), but I appreciate it being explored in this predominately straight/white genre (Just a note - this book is not own voices, so that is something to be aware of)
I love Cat Sebastian's writing and I'm always swept away by her books. However the characters in here weren't quite as captivating as the previous book. I loved Sam! He was so protective and caring for everyone around him - I just wanted to wrap him up and protect him. But I didn't connect to Hartely at all... I can't quite place my finger on what kept me from connecting with his character, but he felt flat for the entire book. Because of that, I never fully believed in the romantic relationship. I saw and understood their physical attraction, but never quite bought into it developing beyond that.
Overall, this sequel was good, but not my favorite of the series. I did love the ending and absolutely cannot wait for Will's book!
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