Book Description

They say Léon Delafosse will be France’s next great pianist. But despite his being the youngest student ever accepted into the prestigious Paris Conservatory, there’s no way an impoverished musician can make his way in 1890s Paris without an outside patron.

Young gossip columnist Marcel Proust takes Léon under his wing, and the boys game their way through an extravagant new world. When the larger-than-life Count Robert de Montesquiou-Fézensac offers his patronage, Léon’s dreams are made real. But the closer he gets to becoming France’s next great thing, the further he strays from his old country life he shared with his family and his best friend Félix . . . a boy he might love.

With each choice Léon makes, he must navigate a fine line between two worlds—or risk losing them both. 

My Review

The book opens with piano prodigy Léon poised on the precipice of greatness. Almost a decade of hard work is about to pay off, but despite studying at the conservatory in Paris for all that time, our young protagonist still feels like a country bumpkin. He doesn’t quite know how to navigate the upper class salons, but there are several charming young men eager to assist Léon. However, reputation is everything, and who he chooses to trust will have permanent ramifications on his future.

Léon is a likeable protagonist. He has a tender heart, and he wants nothing more than to reach his goals. He’s a lot humbler than one might expect, considering how talented he is, and that only makes him more endearing. He’s also meeting all sorts of handsome boys, but he still holds a tendre for Félix back in the village. Throw in the negative attitudes surrounding homosexuality in the late 19^th century, and the angst and pining are inevitable.

The pacing could have been tighter and the language was a little too modern for the era and pulled me out of the story every time I came across an anachronistic phrase. That being said, I don’t think the target audience is going to notice these issues. And frankly, the last quarter of the book makes up for all that: I was absolutely riveted. Maybe I’m as naïve as sweet Léon, but I did not anticipate the plot unfolding in the way that it did. Good grief, what a denouement.

I would recommend Charming Young Man. It will definitely appeal to the target audience, and I am always in favor queer fiction.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Harper Collins/NetGalley.