JL Langley - Diplomatic Relations

A lusty special forces soldier who lives by his own set of rules, Dalton Fairfax decided long ago to stop wishing for his father’s love, and he found his calling. Now that he’s back home and between assignments, he finds himself at loose ends. When the opportunity arises to play bodyguard and help out his country, Dalton jumps at the chance. Not only does it keep him busy, but it just so happens that his charge is the man he saw on leave last month and hasn’t been able to get out of his head.
Heir to a dukedom and a conservative politician, Blaise Thompson strives to prove himself worthy of carrying on the family legacy as the next IN Councilman. However, his closest competitor keeps getting in the way and taking credit for Blaise’s ideas. Maintaining his stellar reputation isn’t easy to do while keeping his outrageous younger brother in line and foiling his rival’s personal attacks. He has no time for a guard and even less time for romance.
When a priceless antique goes missing, Blaise and Dalton discover that Regelence has larger problems than just IN plots. Now the only way to stop a scandal that threatens both of them is to compromise, and they are forced to confront the risk of losing everything… even each other.

Comment: This is the 4th installment in the Sci-Regency series by JL Langley, where she turned a regency styled society where the majority of the characters are gay and she gave it the sci-fi twist by putting the actin happening in a planet somewhere in the distant future. The characters live in a planet that simulates a society that behaves like regency, with the same style of clothes, rules and code of behavior but where sexual preference is not an issue.

In this book we have the story of Blaise Thompson, a secondary character we've known from he past books. He is quiet, dedicated to his work as a diplomat and he seems immune to the advances of suitors. 

However, things change when he meets Dalton Fairfax, a man who will inherit a title but who is considered a rake so his uncle helped him by suggesting the military and he has became a good officer.

Dalton likes what he sees in Blaise and finds a way to be his temporary bodyguard but the more he knows him, the more time he wants to spend with him and not just because he feels attraction...

I've checked the label with this author and it seems the last time I read a book by this author was in 2012. It really makes me think how long it is between her books... I had a very good idea of this sci-fi world but so many details were practically new again... it's understandable but the time it takes for her to produce a book still leaves a mark in me and with time, my enjoyment of the book or how eager I am for it diminishes. It's what it is...

The plot isn't too complicated although there are some situations which are created to bring the main couple closer, to force them to spend time together so that we can believe in their relationship that I think weren't very well done.

But even accepting that for the sake of romance, I was also a little disappointed with that because I don't think I got to be convinced they were such a good match.

Apparently, they spend all that time together for professional reasons too, as well as a good excuse to get to know each better, but they don't seem to complement each other, they are only described as serious (Blaise) and carefree (Dalton) and that alone cannot be such a high mark on suitability.

Blaise, to be honest - even in a world where young men are in need to be sheltered for their innocence -was just too cute, too naive and upright. He is meant o be a contrast to livelier Dalton but... I just couldn't be convinced Blaise was that unaware of what happens between men in love and even how one kisses with passion. I mean...

Then we have their family lives, dramas and parents making appearances, explain things from their pasts which could have been an influence in their life choices now (why Dalton is so hard on his parents or lacking warmer feelings towards himself for example) but I was just a little bored with the whole thing. I felt this book lacked enthusiasm, balance between the cutesy-cute parts and the serious ones.

This book ended up being OK. I think the whole setting, the descriptions, most of the rules of how this world works, the interaction between the characters all worked out as well I remember from the other books. Still, the reasons why some rules exist start to look less impressive or fresh, the romance lacked impact and credibility for me (in how their feelings developed) so overall, I can't say this was such a winner now.

I hope more books by her I might read can be better, whenever those might come out.

Grade: 6/10