Book Review: The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman
I received this galley in exchange for an honest review.
Author: KJ Charles
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publish Date: March 7, 2023
Format: eBook
★★★★★
This book is perfect for those that like: Lovers to Enemies to Lovers Again, Found Families, and Beetles
You might not like this book if you aren’t into: Storylines that mention abuse, neglect, or assault
Favorite Line: “I’ll play Hunt the Newt any time you like, London” ~ Josiah Doomsday
The Book
Abandoned by his father as a small child, Sir Gareth Inglis has grown up prickly, cold, and well-used to disappointment. Even so, he longs for a connection, falling headfirst into a passionate anonymous affair that's over almost as quickly as it began. Bitter at the sudden rejection, Gareth has little time to lick his wounds: his father has died, leaving him the family title, a rambling manor on the remote Romney Marsh...and the den of cutthroats and thieves that make its intricate waterways their home.
Joss Doomsday has run the Doomsday smuggling clan since he was a boy. His family is his life...which is why when the all-too-familiar new baronet testifies against Joss's sister for a hanging offense, Joss acts fast, blackmailing Gareth with the secret of their relationship to force him to recant. Their reunion is anything but happy and the path forward everything but smooth, yet after the dust settles, neither can stay away. It's a long road from there—full of danger and mysteries to be solved—yet somehow, along the way, this well-mannered gentleman may at last find true love with the least likely of scoundrels.
my thoughts
Two things about this book:
1. I read this in one sitting despite the fact that I did get super anxious at one point and wanted to put it in the freezer. 😅
2. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. 😭
This story has all of my favorite things:
🔪 Murder and Revenge
🔎 Mystery
🏘 Found Families
🥰 Lovers to Enemies to Lovers Again
So much pining and regretting and "I WILL KEEP YOU SAFE-ING" all while giving us excellent commentary on class and racial inequalities. Add in the fact that there were so many supportive people surrounding these two and their relationship and this is legit one of my favorite reads this year.
more about the Author
From KJ Charles’ website:
I spent twenty years as an editor in British publishing before fleeing the scene to become a full-time historical romance novelist.
I live next to a magpie-haunted London park, with a supportive husband, two eye-rolling teenagers, and a cat with a history of violence.
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