The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Series: Gentleman's Guide #1 (Companion Series)

Genre: Historical Romance

Age Group: Young Adult

Hardcover

Katherine Tegen Books (June 2017) 

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TW: Child abuse, alcoholism, racism.

Rating: 5/5

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is 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.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he 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 that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Really where do I start with this book? There was so much hype surrounding this book when it was released. Though I read it in the thick of that hype, I've been ruminating on it since then. Most of what I can say has been said. The story is lovely. The story heavily features diversity, Monty is bisexual and Percy is a POC, which is what drew me to this book in the first place. We also deal with child abuse, alcoholism, racism, mental health, disability and ableism. 

To start, the writing is lovely. The beginning is a bit slow and Monty has a terrible attitude that nearly made me hate him at first. However, Monty is quickly confronted by his companions about his attitude and about his privilege which when added to his own wit and charm won me over. He is forced to do some self examination and came out better on the other side of that though he had to be reminded about it several times too. I liked the adventure and touring part of the story and enjoyed how everything went off the rails.

The other main characters Percy and Felicity are fantastic. They are both complex characters that demand the story be as much about them as Monty. The three of them are a balanced trio with strengths and weaknesses (though Felicity is the true level headed leader here) that made me love all of them. I was grinning like a fool over the romance and really enjoyed that the angst took a back seat to the life threatening danger. Lee manages to make historical fiction fun, diverse, and clever all at the same time. She fits it all together beautifully and I adored this story.

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