Manners & Mannerisms

by Tanya Chris

Published by Tanya Chris Publishing (self-published)

M/M Regency Romance, 63K words

Available 11/7/19 from Amazon in ebook and paperback. Eligible for Kindle Unlimited.

Universal Amazon link: http://mybook.to/manners

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48493680-manners-mannerisms

Blurb:

Everyone in Highley eagerly anticipates the arrival of Reginald Abernathy, the new master of Albon Manor. Everyone, that is, except Lord William Bascomb. William knows he’ll be expected to woo Reginald’s sister, and he can't summon the interest for it. But when the Abernathys arrive at last, William discovers he’s interested after all—in Reginald. Reginald is the most handsome, most dashing, most intriguing man he’s ever known. Better yet, he seems to share William's preference for men.

The addition of the Abernathys to Highley suits everyone. William’s sister adores Reginald’s, Aunt Harriet foresees many happy matches between the two families, William’s sister-in-law is pleased at the prospect of unloading her penniless relatives at last, and all the eligible ladies in Highley want the man who only has eyes for William.

Against a backdrop of elegant balls and frolicking picnics, William and Reginald enjoy furtive moments of ecstasy until a scandal erupts, forcing William to choose between Reginald and the only life he’s ever known.

See how many matches Aunt Harriet can make in this low-angst, warm and fuzzy Jane Austen-inspired M/M Regency romance

Momma Says: 3.5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

Manners & Mannerisms is an Austen-inspired romance, which brings me to a confession. I've never read Austen. I'm familiar with the titles and premises of various books, but I've just never taken the time. So, is this one truly inspired by those works? I don't have a clue. I just know that the blurb does include that, so I'll just assume that it does and move on. What I can tell you is that this one is an M/M Regency romance. Now, we all already know how anything LGBT related was viewed in those days, so what always interests me is how the author handles that part of the story if they handle it at all. I found the way Tanya Chris went with this one to be a bit different than most I've seen, and it proved to be an interesting storyline. I will say that it didn't take me long to guess where it was going, so that particular twist wasn't really a surprise, but it was still interesting. That's not to say that there were no surprises in this one because there were, but I won't spoil it so we'll leave those alone.
The prose in this one does help set the atmosphere of the time period, so it wasn't hard to visualize the characters and setting. The story is a kind of coming of age romance for William as he learns to trust Reginald and his feelings. He's rather innocent in the beginning, and he's very concerned with propriety. William is an interesting character, but he did make me a little bit crazy from time to time with his ramblings. The area I felt needed more attention was Reginald's character. He feels superficial, which makes it hard to connect with him. There were things I liked about him, but I really wanted more. Nevertheless, the story is a fun bit of escapism into another time and place. The angst level is pretty low, and for the most part, the story is light-hearted and an easy read.

Excerpt:

The moon shone bright, turning the shrubbery a silvery green as he guided Reginald through it. In all the landscape, nothing moved except the two of them. William had been wanting to talk to Reginald all evening, chafing at the myriad of other claims on his attention, but now he found himself shy as they strolled through the glittery darkness. He pulled his cloak closer around him on a shudder that came more from nerves than cold.

When they reached the low fence that separated Rivington from Albon Manor, Reginald hopped it rather than open the gate, then reached back to offer William his hand. William had been hopping this fence his whole life, though not in the last half dozen years perhaps, not since he’d grown too old for antics. He could surely pass it without assistance, but he allowed Reginald to help him over. Their hands met, shielded by the leather of their gloves. No more than a ghost of warmth passed between them, but it was shocking enough to have William take his hand back the moment he gained the other side.

They were shortly at the promenade from which the manor house was clearly visible, and it being too late for a call, he took his leave of Reginald there, feeling like he’d missed an opportunity he ought to have taken advantage of, though for what he couldn’t say. All his life he’d felt like this: as though he’d failed to take the opportunities at hand, and yet there had never been any opportunities at hand that he’d noticed. With a final bow he swept his cloak around him to turn back, but Reginald stopped him before he could depart.

“Lord William.”

“Yes, Reginald.” He hadn’t used the name since their moment beneath the tree, had been holding it like a possibility in the deep recesses of his heart. Voicing it sent a thrill trembling through his chest.

Reginald came closer—as though William had summoned him—until they stood very close indeed, close enough that William had to tip his chin up to look him in the eye.

“You had a question?”

“A request.”

About the Author

Tanya Chris writes feminist-friendly romance in a variety of sub-genres and pairings--most especially M/M. Born on the West Coast and raised on the East Coast, she's fact-based but thirsty for justice, and her books often include an examination of a current social issue, even when they're set in the past. As a lifelong genre-hopping reader herself, she admires character-driven work with a message, regardless of the form it takes.

Tanya is an avid rock climber, a long-distance runner, and a participant in her local community theater where she has tackled most roles, including playwright, actor, director, producer, and stage manager. Her travels, both for climbing trips and for cultural exploration, have brought her to places as fascinating as Egypt and as beautiful as the Dolomites, though there's no place like home.

Tanya is best known to readers for having written Aftercare and to writers for the quote "Writer culture is researching what degree is needed to be a paleontologist so your shapeshifting vampire dinosaur erotica will be authentic." Her website features dozens of free stories, including the aforementioned (and highly authentic) shapeshifting vampire dinosaur erotica.

http://www.tanyachris.com
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