The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings #1) by Mackenzi Lee
"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."
“God bless the book people for their boundless knowledge absorbed from having words instead of friends.”
― Mackenzi Lee, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
This book had me laughing nearly the whole time. I listened to this one as an audiobook and the narrator did a perfect job of embodying Monty’s voice. I really enjoyed the wild ride that this story took me on. The characters were so well done and I had such a great time learning about them. This book was super queer and I loved it! The MC, Monty, is very upfront with the fact that he is bi and there’s even a wonderful conversation with his sister at one point about it. Unfortunately, this book had lots of homophobic moments. But that wasn’t terribly surprising considering this historical setting of this book. But I did not expect the surprise fantasy elements in this book, which was an interesting twist. Very well done with excellent characters and comedy.
Genre: ya, historical, fantasy, lgbtqia+
Representation: bi, gay/queer
Content Warnings: Abuse (parental), Adoption, Alcohol, Breakups (friendship), Death (mentioned), Epilepsy, Homophobia, Racism, Seizures