A review by wardenred
A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles

emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“If you are the lawful son of Raymond’s lawful wife, then you are the earl, and I will relinquish the title without complaint. I am not a thief, and I don’t take what is not mine. If this whole thing is rumour and nonsense, I shall not hold a grudge that you played an honest part in it.” He leaned in, deepening his voice. “And if this is a fraud and you are lying to me, I will make you sorry you were ever born.”

My main complaint is that this book didn't quite live up to its predecessor, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, which happens to be at the top of my Ultimate 2023 Favorites list. It was good! Really good! But not absolutely 100% stellar and not tailor-made for my tastes. Tragic, really. :D

That aside, I did enjoy the ride a lot! All the staples of KJ Charles's historical romance are here: two heroes with complex backgrounds that contradict and compliment each other in the best way; undeniable chemistry; awful rich people being awful; beautiful prose; strong, well-defined side characters (I especially enjoyed meeting Odo, and getting to see Joss and Gareth again was a delight); subtle commentary on the historical period's realities and flaws. The sense of setting regrettably wasn't as strong here as I hoped it would be, since the gloomy expanse of the Marsh is largely traded for the confines of a gothic mansion. It's a rather compelling mansion for sure, and vividly painted at that, but it didn't permeate every scene with its vibes the way the Marsh did.

Luke was a great character to follow: a sympathetic anti-hero whose narration made it clear from the start that he was up to something, but as for his endgame, he sure kept his cards close to his chest for a long time. In fact, it became kind of grating around the middle and led to a drop in pacing, in my opinion. I wish there were more hints to what he was doing, or that they were less cryptic. When the truth came to light, however, it made perfect sense. I didn't end up approving of his methods, but I do get his goal and motivation. Rufus didn't steal my heart in a similar way, but he was interesting enough, and I sympathized with him. I enjoyed their dynamic and the misgivings each of them had about each other, and how they recovered from the inevitable falling out when Luke's deal started coming to light.

All in all, more than an enjoyable read—I'm very glad I finally got my hands on it!