Stephanie Lake (1)

‘His Second Chance’ is not a book I planned on reading – despite the fact that I am a huge fan of second chances and reunions. It’s the historical setting that made me hesitate with this one set in the societally very restrictive London of 1784. But then I read the blurb. On one side there is Randall, a gay viscount who is so fed up with unfaithful lovers that he decides to get married to a woman to get the stability he craves. On the other side there is David, the brother of Randall’s intended, who knows Randall - intimately - and is determined to stop the wedding from happening to save his sister from being unhappy. This sets the stage for disaster along the way somewhere, and I was curious to find out what would happen.

Randall is in trouble. He knows he is gay, doesn’t care too much what anyone thinks about how he leads his life, and wants nothing more than some stability in his personal life. Randall decides to “change his preferences” and get married to a woman so he can settle down. He sort of knows his plan is not going to work, and his cousin, who is also his best friend, loudly objects, but Randall will not be stopped. He has even figured out a suitable lady he can court.

David is in the Royal Navy, as it turns out not entirely based on his own decision. His former lover is hanged without a trial when he gets caught with another sailor, and David realizes he is in real danger. Then he finds out his sister, Prudence, is about to marry Randall, a man David knows from his experience to be gay, and David is determined to stop the wedding at any cost. Not that he can tell his sister why without risking his own and Randall’s lives.

What follows is entertaining despite the seriousness of the situation. David is adorably determined to stop it all. Randall is stubbornly insistent he will go through with his plan. Prudence – well, she has her own agenda altogether, and that is what makes this story really interesting.

If you like historicals set in times when appearances were everything and gay love was punishable by death, if you want to find out how two men who love each other without ever having admitted it manage to come to blows, and if you’re looking for an entertaining read with fun characters, deep feelings, and an unexpected ending, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Loose Id for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.… (mer)