Ormond Yard Romantic Adventures Series by Neil S. Plakcy

After his father’s death Lord Magnus Dawson has more important things to think about than falling in love—like how to earn a living when all he knows is the idleness he was raised with, and the military training he received before selling his commission.For Toby Marsh, the impetus is as great, though he doesn’t have Magnus’s family connections to fall back on... moreAfter his father’s death Lord Magnus Dawson has more important things to think about than falling in love—like how to earn a living when all he knows is the idleness he was raised with, and the military training he received before selling his commission.For Toby Marsh, the impetus is as great, though he doesn’t have Magnus’s family connections to fall back on. A scholarship student at Cambridge, he was forced to spend his last year in college as valet and sometime tutor to a brainless fellow student after his father’s sudden death. Now he scrabbles out a living as a freelance tutor.Then a call from the Foreign Office brings them together. Toby disdains the idle lordling, and Magnus can’t seem to treat Toby as more than a servant. As they delve deeper into their assignment, the attraction between them grows. But can they envision a future together when so class and culture conspire to drive them apart?The Gentleman and the Spy is an 83,000 word Victorian-era lord and valet romance with a country house party and a touch of espionage and international intrigue. less

In Victorian London, Reed Lydney's carefully constructed life has fallen apart. Dismissed from the Foreign Office for an indiscretion, he now lives with his sister Cadence, whose husband's recent suicide has left her nearly bankrupt. When Reed encounters Israel Kupersmit, a Jewish scholar fallen on hard times, their immediate connection goes beyond their shared love of poetry... moreIn Victorian London, Reed Lydney's carefully constructed life has fallen apart. Dismissed from the Foreign Office for an indiscretion, he now lives with his sister Cadence, whose husband's recent suicide has left her nearly bankrupt. When Reed encounters Israel Kupersmit, a Jewish scholar fallen on hard times, their immediate connection goes beyond their shared love of poetry.Together they uncover a web of espionage, blackmail, and murder that threatens the British Empire's interests in The Great Game against Russia. As they race to expose a dangerous conspiracy, Reed and Israel must navigate their growing feelings for each other while staying one step ahead of a Russian spymaster who will stop at nothing to protect his secrets.The fourth installment in the acclaimed Ormond Yard series delivers a gripping tale of forbidden love, international intrigue, and the courage to forge a future together against all odds. less