Review: 4 Hearts: A Private Gentleman is a story worth reading.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 2, 2012
Heidi Cullinan - A Private Gentleman  {Reviewed by Rya @ Hearts On Fire Reviews}First of all, this is my second time reading this story. The first time, I was kind of bored and I was just looking for a quick read. I didn't like how things started between Michael and Wes so I dropped it.Now, when I stumbled across it once again, I wanted to give a second chance. I am really glad to have done so, because A Private Gentleman is a story worth reading.From the beginning, Lord George Albert Westin is portrayed as an outcast in the good society. Because of the disapproving glances thrown at him by either his family or his peers, Wes is forced to use opiates to become the man that everyone is expecting him to be.  Being an introvert doesn't help him in personal relationships, so when he starts flirting with Michael after helping him escape a drunkard, he is really happy. On the other hand, Michael is thrown aback by the way Wes is treating him. Wes doesn't care about him being a male prostitute and treats him like a human being.  After that encounter, Michael can't stop thinking about Wes and so his friend Rodger proceeds to blackmail Lord Wes with the aim of helping Michael getting rid of his obsession. The plan backfires because Michael's affection for Wes grows with each day. The same thing can be said about Wes. At first, he sees in Michael a companion, a friend with whom he can share his hobbies and ideas. With each passing day, the platonic love becomes a burning love. I really loved the scenes between them because they were so genuine and full of unspoken passion. I also liked Wes's apartment and the gardens, because they were full of flowers, and the big library. Wes's determination to quit his opiate addiction and the way he stood up for his nephew is really admirable.Moving to the other characters, I really hated Wes's father and I really liked Wes's American friend- Penelope Brannigan. One funny lady, who didn't care about the society's opinion and who would've helped anyone in need of it.  Lord George Albert (Wes's father) is one sick b****** who only cared about power and for whom education meant abuse (be it physical, psychological or sexual). Although, at the beginning, I labeled Rodger as a bad guy, throughout the story, I discovered he was, in fact, one of the good ones.Technical Stuff:There are no disruptions in the story and the descriptions of the flowers are really well done.Recommend:For those who aren't put off by the idea of a male prostitute in the 19th century and who really like a nice romance between two people who belong to different ranks in society.Overall, the story was really good, although, I must say, the 19th century society was full of hypocrites. Even if I haven't read many books regarding this subject, I would say read it, because Wes and Michael's story is worth a shot.