Review of West End Earl by Bethany Bennett, the gender-bending Regency romance that isn't

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW

These are the characters in Regency romance West End Earl by Bethany Bennett: 

Ophelia, a woman who lives as a man. 

Calvin, who knows Ophelia cross-dresses, and is in love with her.  

Emma, Calvin's sister, who marries Ophelia knowing that she is a woman.  

A random male servant who has a hidden talent for doing women's hair.

So far this sounds like a pretty great romp, right?  Maybe along the lines of the gender-fluid Regency romance, the The Perks of Loving a Wallflower, but a bit more light-hearted with a farcical Shakespearian wit?  

Alas, no.  This book bends so far backwards to make the reader understand that all of its main characters are one hundred percent not gay, not transgender, not in any way queer, no siree bob, that it's in danger of getting sciatica. 

Ophelia, the cross-dressing heroine, is a cisgendered and entirely heterosexual woman.  She does not yearn to be a man in any way.  At her most extreme, she prefers men's shoe because they are more practical for sustained walking.  Other than that, her deepest desire is to go back to wearing women's clothing.  She lusts only after men.  Her cross-dressing is strictly a matter of necessity.

Calvin, the hero in love with cross-dressing Ophelia, is a  cisgendered and entirely heterosexual man.  He never felt any attraction to Ophelia when he believed her to be a man.   When he learned that she was a woman, he desired her because he now noticed her womanly features.  There was no frisson added by Ophelia presenting as male.

Emma, Calvin's sister, who marries Ophelia knowing she is a cross-dressing woman, is a cisgendered and entirely heterosexual woman.   She is in no way attracted to Ophelia and Ophelia is in no way attracted to her.  They're friends, that's it.  The marriage is simply for convenience. 

As for the servant:  Okay, he's an open question.  When he learns that Ophelia is a cross-dressing woman he doesn't bat an eyelash. The origin of his uncanny skill as a woman's hairdresser -- a skill one would not think a butler would ordinarily develop -- is never explained.  What's his (her? their?) story?  We never find out.

On a very positive note, despite all foreshadowing to the contrary throughout this book, the climax does not involve a kidnapping.