Another Boyd disappointment after the disappointing last novel, Trio. For me, these latest two novels are not a patch on some of his earlier books. At least Trio had some humour, unlike The Romantic. There is no shortage of incident in the book as it sweeps through the 19th century: Waterloo, the Third Kandy War, Byron and Shelly, lager brewing in America, debtor's prison, the search for the source of the Nile, smuggling antiquities, and more. The hero certainly lived an interesting life! But, despite this, the book lacks tension and drama, and I found myself not greatly caring about what happened to him and whether he would find his true love.