Scan barcode
stacyaj's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Violence, and Death of parent
onefineelephant's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
10/10. I accidentally read the second book (about Luke) first before reading this one but I'm not necessarily mad at the order since they are fairly standalone books. I do think it was an interesting perspective to have so much knowledge of Luke when he was not so much in this book until the end. Because I read the other book first, I more or less knew what was going to happen in this one but somehow I was still so surprised by the events. There is something about this author's writing style that makes me think about the characters and plot non-stop and yet also not have any idea where the story is going (in a good way). I love the genuine connection but also faults between Joss and Gareth. Their love is so wonderful, especially set in this time period. I also enjoyed the supporting characters quite a bit including the other Doomsdays and Gareth's new family. Overall, I highly recommend this book as well as the second.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Outing, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, Stalking, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Abandonment, Ableism, Alcoholism, Medical content, and Misogyny
There is potential incest because a cousin implies to want to court his cousin but nothing actually happens. Also, at one point there is a threat of sexual assault/rape of a woman but this threat is not made to the woman and does not actually happen.kathyq10's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Healthy communication, 3/5 spicy, lovely character development, and a sweet love story?? Hell yes. Will be reading this again as a comfort book in the future. Not particularly deep or groundbreaking prose / writing style, but the story and the characters are excellent! The mystery and how the MCs deal with both that and their relationship is engaging to follow. The romance genuinely made me feel things and played out in a heartwarming way (if a little fast-paced but whatever I’m here for it). Chemistry between the MCs was swoony and they had really fun banter when they were still figuring each other out. I would have liked one or two more chapters immediately after the mystery comes to a head to wind down the story but I liked it all the same.
The character development and self-healing that the MCs went through was the best part of the book for me, especially with how it tied into their romance. I love love to see romance where the MCs are generous and empathetic with one another, wear their hearts on their sleeves, and grow both individually and as a couple bc they actually LISTEN to each other. I really dislike the miscommunication trope and the typical third-act breakup paired with an overly quick and simplistic resolution, so this book delivered by complicating and elevating the relationship development. I also have a feeling the author has done some therapy or something bc the inner-child work, self-reflection, and “I want to be better for my romantic partner but most of all for MYSELF” vibes were prominent and drew me even more into the story and characters. There are little Easter eggs for the CBT girlies and I ate them up.
Last but far from least: the BADASS SIDE CHARACTERS round out the story very well, bringing humor and depth (specific shoutouts to fabulous queer allies Sophy, Asa, and Catherine). This book scratched my hyper-specific spicy-gay-regency-romance itch, and I finished it wanting to spend more time with ALL the characters.
Tropes: MLM; lovers to enemies to lovers; second chance romance; opposites attract; nobility x working class / class divide romance; “touch him and you die”; nerd x jock (but the 1810 version); found family; better together; HEA :)
On the language used in the s3x scenes: yes, the author uses the words “prick” and “stand” which are ridiculous but I assume what people said in that time period? I didn’t mind it bc the steamy scenes are otherwise well done with both their heat and intimacy, but I know some people get the immediate ick.
The character development and self-healing that the MCs went through was the best part of the book for me, especially with how it tied into their romance. I love love to see romance where the MCs are generous and empathetic with one another, wear their hearts on their sleeves, and grow both individually and as a couple bc they actually LISTEN to each other. I really dislike the miscommunication trope and the typical third-act breakup paired with an overly quick and simplistic resolution, so this book delivered by complicating and elevating the relationship development. I also have a feeling the author has done some therapy or something bc the inner-child work, self-reflection, and “I want to be better for my romantic partner but most of all for MYSELF” vibes were prominent and drew me even more into the story and characters. There are little Easter eggs for the CBT girlies and I ate them up.
Last but far from least: the BADASS SIDE CHARACTERS round out the story very well, bringing humor and depth (specific shoutouts to fabulous queer allies Sophy, Asa, and Catherine). This book scratched my hyper-specific spicy-gay-regency-romance itch, and I finished it wanting to spend more time with ALL the characters.
Tropes:
On the language used in the s3x scenes:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Child abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Abandonment, Murder, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, Blood, Bullying, and Cursing
Minor: Racism, Alcoholism, and Classism
bibliomania_express's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Violence, Alcoholism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Torture, Sexual harassment, and Blood
Minor: Death of parent, Homophobia, Racism, and War
crystalisreading's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
More violence and tension than i expected, but nevertheless absolutely delightful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Abandonment, Violence, Medical trauma, Medical content, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Alcohol, Murder, Gun violence, Classism, Child abuse, and Bullying
Moderate: Outing, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Racism, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Pregnancy, Slavery, Colonisation, and Misogyny
tuhkasirius's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Abandonment, Outing, Child abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, Grief, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a fantastic M/M Historical Romance. I loved these two main characters, I loved their chemistry, I loved how they were both gentle, loving souls who tried their best with all the circumstances and hardships that came their way. They regretted and apologized for their mistakes, they communicated, and they listened to each other. My favorite thing in a romance is healthy communication, and it's a good sign when an author can come up with other ways to create drama and tension despite the characters working well together. While the romance is fantastic, there is also a great cast of supporting characters and a really interesting setting. I listened to this on audiobook at 1.4 speed and I liked the narration.
Edit: Bumping this up to 5 stars after reading the sequel (which is also fantastic) because I realized I loved this book even more than I thought.
Edit: Bumping this up to 5 stars after reading the sequel (which is also fantastic) because I realized I loved this book even more than I thought.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Death of parent, Blood, Homophobia, and Murder
Minor: Sexism and Sexual assault
ramakn22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Bullying, Alcoholism, Violence, Murder, Sexual content, Death of parent, Child abuse, Abandonment, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Confinement, Ableism, Slavery, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Outing, Grief, Infertility, and Homophobia
galleytrot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
READ: Apr 2024
FORMAT: Audio
ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 4.25 / 5⭐
TECHNICAL / PRODUCTION: 4.5 / 5⭐
FINAL – OVERALL: 4.5 / 5⭐
In this book, a sudden and unexpected death pulls Gareth from his life as a clerk in London into his birthright position of Baronet out in the smuggler-infested back country of Romney Marsh. He’s left with managing a half-sister he never met, a home he never got to live in, accounts that don't make sense, and social expectations that no honest man ought to be asked to uphold. The marsh and his home are in Doomsday territory, and the clan's gaffer – Josiah Doomsday himself – turns out to be a man with a very intimate (and rather recent) knowledge of Gareth's own law-breaking interests. Blackmail, secret dealings, and unpaid debts haunt Gareth, who wants nothing more than to simply observe the bugs and the newts that captured all of his father's attention when his very own firstborn son could not.
I'm honestly not sure where to begin with this review. This book’s intricate story, its intriguing characters, and its strange and wonderful setting all converge together to create an incredible experience from cover to cover. I've read it twice now, and the second pass was not made any less interesting by already knowing what was going on or who was hiding what secrets. Poor Gareth has been pulled into a world he’d never expected to be a part of, with debts and responsibilities he could never have predicted, inheriting a wide and varied set of enemies he had no hand in making.
KJ Charles writes some of my favourite historical fiction romances out there, and I’m happy to add this one to the stack. I’m also very excited to move into the second book of the series at some point, although I am waiting for a day where I can truly focus all of my attention into it. One of the things that really interested me about this book was the growth and understanding of Gareth’s father’s character, a man who never has a single moment on-page (and in fact, spends the entire length of the book very much not alive). I love that he is never redeemed for his failures as a father, and while we learn enough to have some theories about his potential neurodivergence, we also end the book with the certainty of his involvement in nefarious plotting and profiteering.
This book has representation for gays. One of the main characters is mix-raced, with several other mixed-race and non-white family members.
The following elaborates on my content warnings. These may be interpreted as spoilers, but I do not go into deep detail.
This book contains: parent deaths (past, recent, off-page); child abandonment; mentions of war; mentions of deaths, fighting, and injuries; intimidation, blackmail; sexual assault (off-page); alcohol use; weapon violence (knives, cane, fists, gun); assault; mention of past slavery; homophobia; child abuse (physical); serious injury, blood; body shaming; kidnapping, confinement; and, murder (off-page).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Violence, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Confinement, Death, and Medical trauma
Minor: War, Slavery, and Sexual assault
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
THE SECRET LIVES OF COUNTRY GENTLEMEN is another excellent gay romance from K.J. Charles, this time between a noble and a smuggler... with the complication that the noble, Sir Gareth, didn’t get his inheritance until his twenties when his estranged father died unexpectedly. Gareth pushes away a man with whom he'd spent a very pleasant week, only to have it turn out that this man lives near his late father's home and their lives keep intertwining in unexpected ways.
I don’t generally like the miscommunication trope, but this one is handled well without making anyone behave nonsensically (as much as I'd prefer they'd made different decisions earlier) Much of the tension is over people who think the Gareth has information which he does not, and this was overall delightful to read the missed the violence in murder and other dangers of smuggling as a profession. I like Joss, I generally enjoy roguish characters, and as a smuggler he fits that both in occupation and in personality.
I love the Doomsdays as a family and as individuals. The ways they behave collectively and individually just make so much sense and written so well. There's a real sense of identity to the people in the Marsh without turning them into a single mass. There's also a focus on Luke, a boy whose father uses his position within the Doomsdays to mistreat him and wield power as a petty tyrant over a child with limited recourse.
I wanted a romance with danger and maybe a little death, and this delivered on all fronts with a fascinating narrative to boot. The ending leaves room for some kind of follow-up on Luke, and I plan to read the sequel which features him as an adult.
I don’t generally like the miscommunication trope, but this one is handled well without making anyone behave nonsensically (as much as I'd prefer they'd made different decisions earlier) Much of the tension is over people who think the Gareth has information which he does not, and this was overall delightful to read the missed the violence in murder and other dangers of smuggling as a profession. I like Joss, I generally enjoy roguish characters, and as a smuggler he fits that both in occupation and in personality.
I love the Doomsdays as a family and as individuals. The ways they behave collectively and individually just make so much sense and written so well. There's a real sense of identity to the people in the Marsh without turning them into a single mass. There's also a focus on Luke, a boy whose father uses his position within the Doomsdays to mistreat him and wield power as a petty tyrant over a child with limited recourse.
I wanted a romance with danger and maybe a little death, and this delivered on all fronts with a fascinating narrative to boot. The ending leaves room for some kind of follow-up on Luke, and I plan to read the sequel which features him as an adult.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
Moderate: Medical content, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Blood