Joanna Chambers continues her Enlightenment series of m/m historical romances with Liberated, the long-awaited story featuring George Asquith, son and heir to Henry, Duke of Avebury (who got his HEA in book five, Restored). Liberated is a charming and tender slow-burn romance between two former school-mates; a proper and reserved young nobleman and an emotionally detached jack-the-lad who seems to sail through life untroubled, both of whom are trying to find their place in the world and struggling under the weight of their own expectations and preconceptions. It’s a simple story with no overblown drama or earth-shattering plotlines, but it’s superbly done; the characters are appealing and relatable, their chemistry sizzles and the romance is beautifully developed.

Theo Caldwell has spent much of his life hinding behind the solidly constructed emotional walls he’s built so that he can live freely and safe from emotional entanglements. He knows who he is and isn’t ashamed of it, but he also knows that men ‘like him’ don’t get to have love or romance in their lives; it simply isn’t possible so why waste time looking for it? He’s a younger son so he doesn’t have any expectations or responsibilities to fulfil, and he enjoys the life of a carefree bachelor, never staying in any one place for long and never fucking the same man twice.

Ever since he learned the truth about his father and his relationship with Kit, George Asquith has felt more adrift and alone than ever. Being assured that he would never be pressured into marrying to carry on the family name hasn’t provided the kind of relief Henry seemed to think it should, because it’s turned everything George thought he knew about what his life would be upside down and inside out. He knows he’s not the most sociable person, that he’s too quiet, too sensitive, too earnest; he doesn’t like London and much prefers to spend most of his time at the family estate in Wiltshire – and now he doesn’t have to find a suitable bride and set up his nursery… what else is he supposed to do with himself?

George and Theo were at school together, and although George is a couple of years younger, they moved in the same circles. It’s been some years since they’ve seen each other when they meet again at a dinner party being held to celebrate the upcoming nuptuals of George’s closest school friend, a boy he’d once believed himself in love with. While George had had a bit of a crush on Theo at school, he knows that Theo didn’t like him much and that, just before Theo left for good, he’d betrayed him and exposed George’s most closely-held secret. But after a couple of – initially stilted – conversations, George starts to realise that something doesn’t add up and to think that perhaps Theo didn’t betray him at all – and that there’s more to him than the façade of the carefree hedonist he presents to the world.

As they both begin to let go of their misconceptions about each other, Theo explains to George that he’s returned to England only briefly, in order to sell some property he was bequeathed by his late uncle, and that he’ll be leaving again as soon as he’s able. He also confesses that he really has no idea about land or estate management and what he’ll need to do in order to make Blackfriars sellable. Realising that he isn’t ready to say goodbye to George quite yet (and having no idea why – oh, Theo), Theo impulsively invites him to go with him to Snowdonia – to take a look at the estate and to give Theo his opinon on how it’s being run and what he might do next. And George, who, most unusually, isn’t overjoyed at the thought of returning to Wiltshire, surprises himself by saying yes.

Liberated is a wonderful warm hug of a book. It’s a gorgeous slow-burn character-driven romance full of longing and pining and stolen glances and glancing touches, and George is such a beautiful soul, a kind, honest, endearing sweetheart of a man who just wants to matter to someone and love and care for them in return. But he’s no pushover; he’s idealistic but not ashamed of it, and I loved his quiet courage. He knows himself well enough and has the self-confidence to tell Theo that he wants more from a partner than just sex, that casual flings are not for him and that he’d rather go without than become emotionally invested in someone who can never (or refuses to) feel the same way. He plays a steadfast long game – prepared to stand his ground until the thing (person) he wants most finally understands how to get out of his own way and that they’re his and he’s theirs. Theo’s insistence on remaining emotionally uninvolved can be a little frustrating, but at the same time, the author clearly shows us that he is utterly and completely failing at it – which I kinda loved.

The scenes that take place at the estate introduce a handful of engaging and well-rounded secondary characters, and there’s a lovely little sub-plot about Theo’s late uncle as well as a satisfying but not overdone point of conflict for Theo and George. There’s no silly third-act break-up, although there’s a somewhat contrived misunderstanding towards the end that is, thankfully, not allowed to drag on for too long – and honestly, I was so invested in these two characters and their love story by this point that it really didn’t bother me all that much.

As always with this author, the writing is just so good that you don’t notice how good it is (if that makes sense?), the language is accessible without feeling inauthentic and the settings are expertly depicted. The story is tightly paced with nothing wasted, and the antagonist, while easy to dislike, isn’t a cartoonish moustache-twirling villain.

You don’t need to have read all the books in the series in order to make sense of this one (although I would suggest reading Restored first) but if you’re a fan of m/m historical romance and haven’t read the Enlightenment books, then I highly recommend all of them. Liberated is just lovely; it’s quiet, warm, tender, and very satisfying, and I was glued to it from start to finish.