February 22, 2021

It Takes Two to Tumble

It Takes Two to Tumble
by Cat Sebastian
Avon Impulse, 2018. 286 pages. Romance
Book #1 in the "Seducing the Sedgwicks" series

Setting: Rural England, 1817 (Regency era).

Plot Summary: Captain Phillip Dacre can't wait to get back to his ship, but since his wife's death, his three unruly children have driven away a number of tutors and governesses, so it falls to Phillip to set things right at home. The cheerful vicar Benedict Sedgwick has looked after them in Phillip's absence, and the two men soon feel drawn to one another in ways that could change their entire lives. Is their budding romance is worth risking the lives they've worked so hard to secure?

Subject Headings: Men/men relationships, naval captains, clergy, single fathers, sexual attraction, marriages of convenience.

Elements of Romance: (From Wyatt & Saricks, 2019)

  • Focus on a developing relationship (with reader's vicarious participation): evocative, emotional tone. "Romance appeals... to the emotions" (p. 217), and this work is no exception. The story of Phillip's family and Ben's interactions with them -- in addition to the attraction between the two men -- helps readers "feel the power of love at all levels" (p. 217), including the love each man has for the Dacre children, and Ben's feelings for Alice and Hartley.
  • Satisfaction and fulfillment in its emotionally resonant conclusion. "[A]ll Romances deliver an emotionally satisfying ending" (p. 217). Readers won't be dissatisfied by the "requisite happy ending" (p. 217), which goes all around the table to encompass not only Phillip and Ben, but also Alice, Mrs. Winston, and Alton. By the end of the work, "the romantic future for the characters looks bright" (p. 218).
  • Vivid characters. The characters in this novel, particularly the protagonists, "come to understand themselves and each other in revealing, intimate ways" and ultimately "relinquish preconceptions about themselves" (p. 217), which in this case include an awareness of their sexualities and mutual attraction, as well as grief. Below is a passage that describes the aftermath from the passing of Phillip's lieutenant and lover:

    Neat categories of valid relationships that everyone understood, phrases of belonging that could be etched concisely onto tombstones: beloved son, devoted wife. There were even rules for how to grieve people in each category, how many months to wear a black armband and whether one could dance. Captain Dacre didn’t have any of that, and Ben felt his heart twist in his chest at what that must cost him. (p. 49)

    The development of Hartley without a resolution segues into the second novel of the series with Hartley as the protagonist, a common practice for Romance series.
  • Misunderstanding or external separating force with satisfactory resolution. The primary separating force in this novel is a sense of obligation: Ben's obligations to God, his parish, and Alice's family; Phillip's obligations to his wife and his previous male lover (both deceased); and the societal pressures condemning the union of two men. Together, the men work to overcome these obstacles and provide a satisfying conclusion to the work.
  • Engages with time and place. Set in Regency England, this work "provid[es] vivid and authentic glimpses into the time period" (p. 219), which in particular engages with the topic of religion and sexuality at a time when same-sex relationships were not only taboo but illegal and punishable by death under the Buggery Act 1533. As is common in Historical Romances, "the time period is romanticized.... [T]hat world is veiled to allow readers to focus on the romance of the era" (p. 221).
  • Fast-paced. This novel is certainly a short read, clocking in at just over 275 pages. As with most Romance works, this book "rel[ies] more on dialogue than description" (p. 219), particularly "witty and sexy conversations" (p. 220).   
  • Recognizable language and style. The use of descriptive adjectives, "lush and expressive language" (p. 219), and the way in which the characters "flirt with outrageous charm" (p. 219) denote this work as a Romance. Consider this passage and its "adroit use of language" (p. 219):

    Phillip knew he could spend the rest of his life memorizing the ways Ben responded to his touch, charting the ways his strong frame went supple when Phillip pushed close. Now, pressed against the wall, he seemed to almost melt against Phillip's body. (p. 224)

Rule of Three: (From Saricks, 2009) 

  1. Fast pace. As with many Romance books, the rapid pacing of the book is driven by dialogue and moves towards the clearly projected outcome.
  2. Steamy and atmospheric (Regency England). The reader gets a feel for the time period and location, engaging with the cultural and societal pressures of the day. Also, the steamy details of the work leave very little to the imagination.
  3. LGBTQ+ diverse. Starring a relationship between two adult men and the decisions they make about how they will live the rest of their lives. (This should be obvious from the cover.)

Similar Works (Read-alikes): 


Saricks, J. (2009). At leisure: The rule of three. Booklist, 106(3), 25.

Wyatt, N., & Saricks, J. G. (2019). Romance. In The readers' advisory guide to genre fiction (pp. 215-234).

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