Listen up book lovers—I’ve got a treat for you. If you’ve ever wished for a story that feels like a giant, comfortable blanket stitched with adventure, romance, and a little mystery, then The Amateur Gentleman is your new best friend. I devoured it in a weekend, and I haven’t felt this jolly about a book in ages.

The Story

Our hero, John Burdon, is about as amateur as they come. His dad—who made bank as a highwayman, mind you—dies and leaves a letter saying, 'My son, be a gentleman. It’s top of the list.' So young John, who’s got muscles but no etiquette, throws himself into Regency high society. He picks up a gorgeous, high-spirited horse (with a bit of a wild streak), travels with Cockney servants who double as comedians, and—of course—in no time falls for the beautiful but flustered Lady Joanna Vaux, who’s trapped in a crummy engagement to a smarmy marquis. John wants to win her love and prove he’s more than a glorified peasant, but weird stuff keeps happening: a highway robbery hi-jinks crop up—turns out there are highway robbing brothers, and a hefty scar makes them confused for each other—and someone out there knows a secret about his dad’s grave goods. It’s a comedy of manners meets thumping adventure, and it fits like an old coat.

Why You Should Read It

Set your worries down. You know those snooty Regency romances where everyone just sips lemonade and swans about a ballroom? Yeah, this ain’t one. Farnol weaves in scenes in steam parlors, grit of rain-water taprooms, and clumps of stinky farm manure, for goodness sakes. John himself is a pure delight—utterly earnest, extremely punchable when he mixes up names, but 100% kind when it counts. The real heart of the book, though, is John trying to wrestle out what a true gentleman looks like on the inside versus outside. The big lesson? Skin’s cheap—chivalry and hanging around for the people you love when things get spooky is the real deal. Given he could quit at any moment, I kept thinking, 'Yeah, that’s an everyday kind of grit anyone can feel at age 18 or at 80.'

Final Verdict

This book’s particularly for you neighbors who adore retellings (sort of like The Princess Bride, but England if it were an outtakes reel), long distance conversation over tea in carriages, redherrings mistaken for fives, loyal grooms begging their lords to blow off betrothment til tomorrow, and road fights from coaches while horses gallop away undone. Better pick it up of an aisle under four-set wait times get scheduled elsewhere. Needs for cuddly reads: slight zingful.

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