Alcott Hall is best thought of as a spin-off from Beautiful Things. Though it is still a Second Sons Regency series, and takes place at Alcott, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Norland. The story focuses on Madeline Blaire, daughter of a viscount, her impending fortune, and her two lovers.
The first 5 chapters of a book can be rough. There is so much groundwork being laid from what time of year the story takes place, the important characters, and most importantly the challenges and plot the characters will overcome.
This story was not short of a quick start. Within the first few chapters it was apparent that Madeline needs to get married, her overly introverted self made that rather a difficult task. And for good measure, her family was hiding her inheritance from her in order to benefit themselves.
Her aunt left her a large sum of money, property, and investments, but to claim the inheritance Madeline needed to marry before the end of her 20th year. Which happened to be 3 weeks away.
After a bit of a panic Madeline finds herself on the doorstep of Alcott Hall, with a very pregnant Duchess Rosalie to greet her. As she hides from her family, determined to find herself a husband without their help, she ends up finding herself.
A bit of insta-love and bursting with chemistry. Madeline finds herself drawn to the gamekeeper. Warren throws caution to the wind on their first meeting, a man of action, and steals her first kiss. This unlocks Madeline for the rest of the story.
Though the gamekeeper plays both fields, he is also a bad influence on the town curate. Since childhood the two men hide their love from everyone except Mr.Bray’s uncle who shamed and scared his nephew. This is a huge plot line that drags out the story as Bray fights marrying Madeline because he can not accept himself.
Madeline and the gameskeeper, Warren, tell him relentlessly that the three of them can marry and live as husbands and wife. Bray, however, finds every reason to fight them, yet gives in to every sexual act madeline and Warren make of him.
I personally love how bold Madeline becomes as she pursues not only the gamekeeper but the town curate. She is an observant and quiet girl in the first two books. And that is still the case for much of book 3, but not with these two.
She’s chased and caught in a snowy forest. Cornered in the stables. And even shows up to Warren’s cabin in nothing but an overcoat, twice.
It’s no secret Emily Rath loves a good why-choose, and she’s never one to shy away from an MM romance.
This story towed the line between forced acceptance and choice as Mr.Bray fought his religious beliefs for the man he loved. He was the obvious choice for Madeline to marry, and she proposed to him three times in the story! They had a kind friendship and he was in a position to marry, though it was never something he thought much of.
We also had plenty of time with the original main characters from the first two books. Their love for each other was commented on more than once, proving to Madeline that what she was asking from Bray and Warren was indeed possible.
Though a wrench was brought up that could have either been avoided or acted upon. Mentioning it alone was unnecessary. True to the series name, Warren was a second son and a bastard of the local Baronet. Though his older brother and heir died about a year prior, leaving his father with no heir. Yet Warren had no interest in claiming the title. By doing so it would have made him a perfect match for Madeline, a titled gentleman with an inheritance.
He didn’t need to act upon the inheritance, and it would have been a few years, maybe decades, before the title actually passed to him. But instead he brings it up to Madeline and she supports his decision to not claim the title– What was the point of even bringing it up then?
After the duchess goes into a difficult labor, Madeline is beside herself and calls for Warren. As the gamekeeper he has a heavy hand in managing the animals on the estate and has delivered his fair share. He helps turn the baby and get the duchess to start delivering the baby.
When the duchess is ready to see people Madeline is the first, and to her great surprise the baby is named after her.
During this time Mr.Bray’s uncle dies of kidney failure. It was not a surprise and most of the book was dedicated to his final days. But Bray does find his uncle’s hidden stash of love letters to another reverend, a male reverend.
Bray has a brief mental breakdown as his uncle’s hypocrisy comes to light. Though it’s the push he needs to finally understand he can have what his heart desires, both Madeline and Warren.
The story wraps up with Bray, Warren, and Madeline sitting in a small row boat on a frozen lake, married by Captain Tom Renley. Then they travel to London proper, to her newly inherited townhouse only to discover that they hate the city because they can not be together as a throuple and promise to only return when necessary. But choosing to live in Finchley, just outside of Alcott Hall.
A peaceful ending to the story and series.
Overall ⭐⭐⭐.5
| 📚 Glad I Read It
| ⚫ R – Restricted / Adult-Only (Ages 21+)
Worldbuilding🗺️🗺️🗺️
Ick Factor 😇
Fangirl Moments 💖💖
Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Errors/Plot Holes ❗
Tropes: Why Choose, Reverse Harem, Throuple, Childhood Friends, Regency, Marrying Up, MM, MFM, Second Sons, LGBT, Historical, Insta-love, Friends to Lovers
Title: Alcott Hall
Author: Emily Rath
Genre: Romance
Series: Second Sons Regency
Format: Ebook
Length: 545 pages
Published: January 11, 2023 by Emily Rath Books
