Something Fabulous

Something Fabulous follows Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, as he pursues his runaway fiancée Bonny across the English countryside. The duke's quest becomes complicated when he finds himself traveling with Bonny's twin brother, Arabella "Bell" Tarleyton. Set in the Regency era, this romance subverts traditional historical fiction tropes through its queer perspective and modern sensibilities. The story combines elements of classic romantic comedy with roadtrip adventures, featuring misunderstandings, close quarters, and discoveries about identity. The narrative explores themes of self-discovery, gender expression, and the constraints of societal expectations in historical England. Through its blend of humor and romance, Something Fabulous examines how people navigate duty, desire, and authenticity in a world of rigid social rules.

Readers highlight the book's comedic writing style and subversion of Regency romance tropes. Many reviews note the humor comes from the dramatic personality of Valentine and his interactions with Bell. Multiple readers praise the LGBTQ+ representation and the balance between comedy and authentic emotional moments. Readers appreciated: - Fast-paced, witty dialogue - Character growth and relationships - Historical romance elements with modern sensibilities - Sex-positive themes Common criticisms: - Over-the-top melodrama that some found grating - Plot pacing issues in the middle sections - Secondary characters lack depth - Some found Valentine too exaggerated Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.95/5 (16,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (3,200+ ratings) BookBub: 4.2/5 (900+ ratings) One frequent comment from positive reviews: "I couldn't stop laughing at Valentine's theatrics." Common negative review note: "The protagonist's constant dramatics became exhausting halfway through."

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🌟 "Something Fabulous" is part of a new wave of LGBTQ+ historical romance novels that deliberately prioritize joy and comedy over historical angst and tragedy. 💫 Author Alexis Hall drew inspiration from Georgian-era gothic romances and deliberately subverted many traditional tropes of the genre, including the brooding hero archetype. 🌟 The book features a unique take on the "forced marriage" plot common in historical romance, with the protagonist Valentine chasing after his intended bride's twin brother instead. 💫 The novel's setting in the Georgian era (rather than the more common Victorian or Regency periods) allowed for more sexual openness and flamboyant fashion choices among the male characters. 🌟 Many of the over-the-top dramatic scenes in the book were inspired by author Alexis Hall's love of Georgette Heyer's historical romances, though Hall's work takes a decidedly queerer approach.