TEST
Sally Malcolm’s Rebel is a novella/short story that acts as a prequel to the full-length novel King’s Man, out later this month. It’s short and sweet, but packs quite an emotional punch as it charts the development of the relationship between two young men from very different backgrounds whose lives will be forever changed by their association.
Handsome, charming and well-to-do Harvard graduate Nathaniel Tanner is sent to the sleepy Rhode Island town of Rosemont by his father, who disapproved of the people Nate chose to spend time with. Nate is to clerk for lawyer John Reed, and it’s at Reed’s modest offices that fellow clerk Samuel Hutchinson sets eyes on his new colleague for the first time. Sam is instantly smitten – against his will, against his judgment – and tries hard to quell the inappropriate thoughts and feelings that arise whenever Sam looks at Nate, or the shocks that rush across his skin with every accidental touch. For the first few weeks, Nate keeps himself to himself; he doesn’t talk about himself and doesn’t socialise, so Sam is surprised when he suggests they share a pre-Christmas drink. During the course of the evening, Nate starts to tell Sam a little of his circumstances, and soon they’re conversing on a variety of subjects – novels, poetry, philosophy, politics – and over the following weeks and months, a genuine friendship develops between them. Sam has been alone since the death of his parents from typhus a couple of years earlier and the meals and discussions he shares with Nate quickly become the high point of every week.
Nate hadn’t expected to find someone like Sam in provincial Rhode Island, a man willing to listen to and endlessly debate Nate’s free-thinking ideas. And he can’t help finding it somewhat ironic that his father banished him in part because of his bedroom preferences, only for Nate to end up sharing a small office with “an Adonis who spent his days shooting Nate confused and confusing looks.“ He’s fairly sure he’s reading Sam’s interest correctly, and also that Sam likely is struggling with his attraction to Nate.
Rebel is a little gem of a story which, in just thirty-six pages presents readers with two well-characterised leads and a passionate love story developed through a series of vignettes. Sally Malcolm is one of those writers who can create the most delicious, intense chemistry between characters with the merest look or touch, and the longing and soul-deep connection she forges between Sam and Nate simply leap off the page.
Rebel is completely absorbing and ends on a hopeful HFN. My appetite for King’s Man is well and truly whetted!
Note: Rebel was previously made available free to subscribers to the author’s mailing list.
Buy it at: Amazon
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Grade: B+
Book Type: American Historical Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 09/03/21
Publication Date: 03/2021
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.
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This was lovely. I’m now really looking forward to reading King’s Man when it’s released.
In light of the earlier comments, I had a chuckle when I read the line:
“Tanner had a pretty mouth.” Agreed!
On the TBR pile it goes!
I read this when Ms. Malcolm provided it to her newsletter subscribers. It was a really good story and she impressively packed a lot into a short length. It looks like she is going to be doing more historicals in the future and that makes me a little sad as I love her New Milton books and would have liked to have more of that series. However, I am still looking forward to King’s Man!
There are two more books planned for this series – which is excellent news, especially as the majority of HR sucks right now and it’s great to have something to look forward to that I know is going to be good
Question: What is the time period for this?
Comment: The NY Times had a special section on men’s fashions last Sunday, and one spread had a young woman who could be the twin for the young man on Rebel’s cover. Both are beautiful and androgynous.
Rebel is set in 1774.
Thank you. I wondered, since it was called Rebel, whether it was Revolutionary or Civil War (although the description didn’t sound much like the latter).
I loved this. And the cover would also be a DIK for me!
I read Malcolm’s ‘The Last Kiss’ and was impressed with the uncompromising treatment of the historical setting, so when I found out about this (via Joanna Chambers) I went and snagged it on Malcolm’s newsletter. And pre-ordered the novel.
This story really worked for me. It doesn’t gloss over the legal/social risks of the relationship, and it doesn’t hand-wave the conflict of sincere religious belief with the emotional pull of a forbidden attraction. It’s not an inspirational, but it’s fair to say there is a crisis of faith involved. Can’t wait for the full-length book where all these issues can play out.
I finished my review of King’s Man yesterday, so watch this space. Her contemporaries are really good, too.
You know how in romance novels, the hero routinely keeps staring at the heroine’s mouth? I am overly smitten with the one on this cover…..
Me too! I think he is a very beautiful young man – androgeny does it for me much more than massive muscles…..
Staring at lips is also a thing in m/m romances – I seem to have come across the description ‘pillowy’ a LOT recently!
Androgyny isn’t my thing but I love those pillowy lips!
Same here – he’s incredibly eye-catching!
You wait until you see the cover model on Lily Morton’s next book – she just did a cover reveal today and… another very distracting mouth!
Is it Levi or is the focus going to be on another couple? Blue’s hair was stunning on the cover of the first one – I was disappointed when he stopped dying it part way through the book!
(I don’t do Facebook so can’t look myself……)
No it’s Levi and Blue again (with Levi on the cover this time).
Yes, I got this free but I haven’t read it yet. It looks like I will enjoy it!
Have you read any of Sally’s other books? I highly recommend all of them if you haven’t – she’s a superb writer. I read King’s Man over the weekend (for review) and it’s wonderful.
No, but The Last Kiss is on my TBR……..
Maybe after my Borealis reread binge!
Actually, I see that the release dates fit – I should be able to move on to King’s Man after reading the new Borealis!!
Hah, I’m doing it in reverse and am reading Indirection now!