The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

Henry Fielding’s The Adventures of Tom Jones was well behaved next to those of our hero Monty, who is both wild and endearing… as he doesn’t ever intend any ill. With cross country chases through France and Spain, and getting captured by pirates, and descending into possibly haunted Venice tombs… this book is a delight to read. I was less enthused by the next two books about his siblings (who are less charismatic than Monty and the incredibly patient Percy). But happily Monty and Percy do show up in those two books, and they have a great deal of globe trotting adventure in those books as well… arguably it is hard to live up to the high expectations from the first book. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is a great deal of fun. And I did eventually finish the sequels and do not regret the time spent.

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A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s.

Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are 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.

So Monty 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, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.

A Kirkus Prize nominee and Stonewall Honor winner with 5 starred reviews! A New York Times bestseller!

Named one of the best books of 2017 by NPR and the New York Public Library!

“The queer teen historical you didn’t know was missing from your life.”—Teen Vogue

“A stunning powerhouse of a story.”—School Library Journal

“A gleeful romp through history.”—ALA Booklist

The Purple Fantastic Steam meter gives this about a 3. Could be a 2.5.

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