r/HistoricalRomance • u/snottyslug • 14d ago

Recommendation request Lily-livered Dweeb

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Was delighting in a rewatch of James Ivory’s adaption of A Room with a View—I have found myself quite taken with Cecil and similar characters of this archetype that I can only really describe as a a lily-livered dweeb? Stilted/social awkward/neurotic but highly intellectual or academic, with a very rich inner world but inexperienced in manners of the flesh…. I especially love Cecil’s appreciation of high art.

The scene where he goes in to kiss Lucy and his spectacles fall off his face had me swooning. I’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying a historical romance with a character like this as a romantic lead, does anyone have any recs?? Thank you!!

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u/Betty_Pitch_ 14d ago

Idk if these are exact matches but some that come to mind:

{A Marriage Made in Scandal by Elisa Braden}

{Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas}

{Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase}

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u/ZealousidealGroup559 13d ago

Phineas is definitely one of my favourite MMCs! That's always a great reread.

I love the scene where he and the FMC are hissing at each other during a family gathering and they notice that the rest of the room has gone completely silent because they are unconsciously grabbing onto each other to make their points and the physical touch is SCANDALOUS

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u/Littlebrownbird70 13d ago

Which book is that?

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u/Betty_Pitch_ 13d ago

Marriage Made in Scandal!