An Affair for Aumont

The Lords of Bucknall Club, Book 5

By: J. A. Rock, Lisa Henry

Narrated by: Oscar Delaney

All he wants is the love he lost.

Four years ago, Louis-Charles Aumont, the Marquis de Montespan, chose duty over the man he loved. And then the man he loved chose death in service to England. Now, after finally cutting ties with his king, Aumont is living in a slum in Seven Dials–and intending to die there too. But when Bow Street Runner George Darling shows up at his door with a strange proposition, Aumont is intrigued by the prospect of something–anything–that might make him feel alive again. Or at least provide the funds he needs to drink himself to death.

All he wants is the love he couldn’t have.

George Darling joined the Bow Street officers out of a belief in order. He accepts no bribes, indulges in no vices, and tries very hard not to dream above his station. If only Lord Christmas Gale hadn’t put that last one to such a test. Now that turning his thoughts from Lord Christmas only lands them instead on the handsome Frenchman with whom he recently crossed paths, Darling is more determined than ever to keep his head down and focus on his duty–until a knock on his door sends his life into disarray. Teddy Honeyfield, a former companion of Lord Christmas’, is in need of a temporary bodyguard. Darling would never pass as the sort of gentleman Teddy requires…but he knows someone who might.

Neither wants to take a chance on a love that can never be.

When Aumont and Darling join forces to help Teddy, they’re not expecting to risk their hearts as well as their lives. Darling’s striking looks remind Aumont quite painfully of the man he’s lost, and Aumont’s title reminds Darling he has no right to desire a nobleman. But the rising threat soon drives them to flee with Teddy to the country–a journey that puts them face-to-face with their pasts while showing them a chance for happiness is within reach, if only they’re courageous enough to grab it.

An Affair for Aumont is the fifth book in The Lords of Bucknall Club series, where the Regency meets m/m romance. The Lords of Bucknall Club audiobooks can be listened to as stand-alones but are best enjoyed in order.

©2022 J. A. Rock & Lisa Henry (P)2022 Tales Told LLC

My Favorite of the Series So Far!

I've enjoyed this series so much and I think each title gets better as the group of friends grows larger and closer to each other. In this one, Darling is a Bow Street Runner focused on the ideals he grew up with, very upright and honest and chaste. Aumont has hit rock bottom, feeling that he caused the love of his life to essentially kill himself via Waterloo and having lost all belief in the value of king and country and church, so he's determined to drink himself to death and anger his one-night stands into beating him. It's hard to imagine two men starting from more different places in life, but their journey toward each other is so wonderful and set amid all the characters from the previous books in the series coming together to help protect a minor side character from an evil "admirer." I love how tender Darling and Aumont are toward each other and all the humor of the friend group scenes and the little things that keep developing throughout the series, like the beloved sheep of Rivington and Notley from book two, and I'm really looking forward to finding out how Stratford and Granger are going to fit into the group in book six!

I can't say enough about how much Oscar Delaney brings to the story. He's a favorite narrator of mine under his other pseudonym and his voice always sounds like velvet to me, but I have to say his French accent for Aumont is absolutely delicious to listen to! He can bring such depth of emotion to his narration that it deepens the story so much, and it makes him an auto buy for me.

Romantic and sweet

Low spice level with a lot of sweetness. The story ended abruptly like a Jane Austen novel, which was kind of a bummer. Another great addition to the club.