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kaity_b's review against another edition
4.0
Audio: 5 stars, duh, to me, Gary Furlong can do no wrong haha!
Book: 4 stars
I think that this might be my first KJ Charles, but certainly won't be my last. While yes it was a romance, it mainly focused on paranormal cases which was my favorite part! The writing was addictive and paired with the narration it was a win for me! The only thing I would change would be the ending... because what the fuck haha!
You don't need to have any backstory from any other books to go into this and enjoy.
Book: 4 stars
I think that this might be my first KJ Charles, but certainly won't be my last. While yes it was a romance, it mainly focused on paranormal cases which was my favorite part! The writing was addictive and paired with the narration it was a win for me! The only thing I would change would be the ending... because what the fuck haha!
You don't need to have any backstory from any other books to go into this and enjoy.
kkulmel's review against another edition
5.0
i will take no criticism of this book. it was so fun and so lovely and i quite liked the episodic nature of it. as though you really were reading the chronicles of a lifetime. i know kj doesn’t often write paranormal/fantasy but i really think she should more, because she definitely has a knack for it. it has her typical violence and mystery and murder and action plus even more fun!
gillianw's review against another edition
5.0
Listening to the audiobook for probably the fourth time in as many years and wondering what the heck was up with my original review?? This book has grown into one of my faves and the ending...well, if you know you know. *cries* I’m bumping up my rating because this book deserves all the stars.
I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. Aside from reading the blurb, I had no expectations on how well the storyline would play out as I hadn't read any reviews nor have I read the crossover story K.J Charles wrote with Jordan Hawk. Sometimes, going in blind means you get to enjoy the story and characters for what they are instead of basing them on the reviews and perceptions of others. And in this case, it worked for me. Yes, the ending is somewhat bittersweet and left open to interpretation but that didn't bother me. In fact, it seemed to suit the story. All in all, this would be a solid 3.75 for me if quarter and half stars were possible. As they aren't, I'm rounding up instead.
I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. Aside from reading the blurb, I had no expectations on how well the storyline would play out as I hadn't read any reviews nor have I read the crossover story K.J Charles wrote with Jordan Hawk. Sometimes, going in blind means you get to enjoy the story and characters for what they are instead of basing them on the reviews and perceptions of others. And in this case, it worked for me. Yes, the ending is somewhat bittersweet and left open to interpretation but that didn't bother me. In fact, it seemed to suit the story. All in all, this would be a solid 3.75 for me if quarter and half stars were possible. As they aren't, I'm rounding up instead.
cloudyglow's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
being_b's review against another edition
4.0
Reminded me of Holmes/Watson, my favorite pairing of all time- just with magic and explicit sex. Note that the sex is D/s and there is minimal kink negotiation, but everything clicks perfectly anyway.
ravengrimsbane's review against another edition
I've enjoyed all of the KJ Charles books I have read, but I keep returning to this one and rereading it. There's something about the characters that keeps me intrigued.
radikaliseradgroda's review against another edition
5.0
Somewhere, I am still thirteen years old and hopelessly lost, clinging to a massive copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Reading about Simon and Robert's lifelong love was the resolution I needed. If only I could have read it in 2010.
ktk8's review against another edition
5.0
I read this completely out of order. I love KJ Charles books but somehow I managed to not find this one until I realised it existed after reading 'Spectred Isle'. This one has now surpassed 'A Seditious Affair' as my favourite KJ Charles book. And Simon and Robert are my go to loveliest couple now.
Simon is a ghost hunter, a solitary and quiet man (one whose club of choice is that where all the members sit silently). It is obvious from the very first story of the book that he is a deeply thoughtful and kind individual. He is very serious about the responsibility he has despite it being inflicted on him at a young age in the very cruel manner. I delighted in the moments in the book where he laughed or smiled due to Robert's wit or jokes.
Robert is an equally wonderful person. He has a great deal of empathy and is a lot more gregarious than Simon (they actually chat (!) at the club he belongs to). He is not as physically strong but is remarkably brave in an understated way. He narrates the story and I really felt his love for Simon through his narration as well as through the stories told.
To read the two of them falling in love with each other and forming an everlasting love filled bond was just so pleasurable.
The stories, or cases, that Robert tells us about are fascinating and the way of the telling made it not too horror filled even for me (who cannot, just can. not. watch even a mild spooky or horror film, let alone read a book of that genre).
There are a few things I have always found bittersweet about historical romance set in the later part of the Victorian Era. One is that they never developed solar power in a big way, instead settling for coal, damn it!! Another is how shackled the HEA is for GLBTQI to not being able to freely and openly love. And the other is the HEA (were it to be real life) would have been not so happy with barely any family in Europe/the world left untouched by WW1. In fact it would have been freakin devastating for most of those couples who got all shacked up and had children. Reading Spectred Isle prior to this obviously made that more poignant. Even without having done so I would have spent the last few pages of the book crying anyways.
I got into the Romance genre in a big way after I had my first kid. Somehow having these lovely, innocent, joy filled beings means I now find it hard to bear demonstrations of the horribleness of the world or the scary way we are marching towards potential world conflict again. (Plus, it helps to have a lovely book to read whilst those little babies pinch and hair pull their way through a breastfeed). So I would perhaps have thought this book with its more realistic HEA that had me crying would have put me off, however I loved Simon and Robert so much that I could never be sorry to read their story.
Simon is a ghost hunter, a solitary and quiet man (one whose club of choice is that where all the members sit silently). It is obvious from the very first story of the book that he is a deeply thoughtful and kind individual. He is very serious about the responsibility he has despite it being inflicted on him at a young age in the very cruel manner. I delighted in the moments in the book where he laughed or smiled due to Robert's wit or jokes.
Robert is an equally wonderful person. He has a great deal of empathy and is a lot more gregarious than Simon (they actually chat (!) at the club he belongs to). He is not as physically strong but is remarkably brave in an understated way. He narrates the story and I really felt his love for Simon through his narration as well as through the stories told.
To read the two of them falling in love with each other and forming an everlasting love filled bond was just so pleasurable.
The stories, or cases, that Robert tells us about are fascinating and the way of the telling made it not too horror filled even for me (who cannot, just can. not. watch even a mild spooky or horror film, let alone read a book of that genre).
There are a few things I have always found bittersweet about historical romance set in the later part of the Victorian Era. One is that they never developed solar power in a big way, instead settling for coal, damn it!! Another is how shackled the HEA is for GLBTQI to not being able to freely and openly love. And the other is the HEA (were it to be real life) would have been not so happy with barely any family in Europe/the world left untouched by WW1. In fact it would have been freakin devastating for most of those couples who got all shacked up and had children. Reading Spectred Isle prior to this obviously made that more poignant. Even without having done so I would have spent the last few pages of the book crying anyways.
I got into the Romance genre in a big way after I had my first kid. Somehow having these lovely, innocent, joy filled beings means I now find it hard to bear demonstrations of the horribleness of the world or the scary way we are marching towards potential world conflict again. (Plus, it helps to have a lovely book to read whilst those little babies pinch and hair pull their way through a breastfeed). So I would perhaps have thought this book with its more realistic HEA that had me crying would have put me off, however I loved Simon and Robert so much that I could never be sorry to read their story.
sarahsupastar's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
brims's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the first half of this book - the cases were engaging, as was the developing romance - but struggled to get through the second half. Everything just started to fall a bit flat.