A Private Gentleman by Heidi Cullinan

To seal their bond, they must break the ties that

Painfully introverted and rendered nearly mute by a heavy stammer, Lord George Albert Westin rarely ventures any farther than the club or his beloved gardens. When he hears rumors of an exotic new orchid sighted at a local hobbyist’s house, though, he girds himself with opiates and determination to attend a house party, hoping to sneak a peek.

He finds the orchid, yes…but he finds something else even more rare and exquisite: Michael Vallant. Professional sodomite.

Michael climbed out of an adolescent hell as a courtesan’s bastard to become successful and independent-minded, seeing men on his own terms, protected by a powerful friend. He is master of his own world—until Wes. Not only because, for once, the sex is for pleasure and not for profit. They are joined by tendrils of a shameful, unspoken history. The closer his shy, poppy-addicted lover lures him to the light of love, the harder his past works to drag him back into the dark.

There’s only one way out of this tangle. Help Wes face the fears that cripple him—right after Michael finds the courage to reveal the devastating truth that binds them.
                                                               4.25 STARS

Though I'm not a fan of historicals, not many can tell a story as good as Ms. Cullinan can. I can't stand prejudices even though I know there are so many even in this day and age, It just gets to me. Anyway I love that none of Ms. Cullinan's characters are not perfect, They may have flaws but we see how they have had to overcome and adapt to survive, and the struggles that they have to go through to get to the place where their happy and have some peace anyway.

Michael is a prostitute, and he's as blind as a bat without his glasses, so he doesn't wear them to a party purely for his looks. And makes a mistake of coming on to Wes, when he thought he was someone else, The story starts there and these two have many many obstacles to got through just to be with each other. 

Wes or Lord Albert one and the same, has a severe stuttering problem and gets panic attacks from his fear of stammering. He's got an over bearing father and gets bullyed alot. He finds a common ground with michael and they start an interesting relationship. Throw in past problems for both characters, an opium addiction, and disturbed father, an adorable nephew and a American lady who wouldn't know what proper was if it bit her in the face, now you got one wild ride,and a great love story.

I think you would like this story I did. I definitely recommend.