This book has a little bit of everything--mystery, suspense, romance and humor. I loved Jem. What an awesome guy. He has such a great spirit and positive outlook, despite being a street rat who has had a rough life. Jem immediately recognizes the despair and sadness in Alan and sets about rectifying that by telling Alan funny stories and making him look at his sexuality as something that isn't wrong that he should be ashamed of, but instead as something loving, wonderful and meaningful. My only wish was (view spoiler)[that Jem and Alan could openly live as a couple. It made me sad that even in their own home, because of the historical setting with live-in servants, etc., that Jem and Alan would forever have to hide their relationship and pretend to be master and valet. (hide spoiler)]