The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles was recommended by several friends! I’m terrible at reading new releases because my TBR is like 4,000+ books long.
After attending Lawless Book Club, this was moved to the top of the queue. The FOMO got me to finish reading it about a week later. I’m always down for a gay romance and hadn’t read a queer M/M one yet. Set in the Regency era, Joss Doomsday and Sir Gareth meet up at a pub for an unforgettable night. Joss suggests they keep in touch but Sir Gareth awkwardly brushes him off. Even though he really fancies Joss, Gareth believes he should keep things to one night since he’s moving to the countryside. He (wrongly) assumes he’ll never see Joss again. So best to cut things short and save himself some extra heartache, right? I don’t want to spoil it, but their inevitable reunion is not under the best circumstances. Turns out the Doomsdays are the local smugglers working where Sir Gareth has taken over the estate of his deceased father. Sir Gareth has a sister he knows nothing about and some even more dangerous skeletons in his father’s closet. Joss is essentially the head of his family’s business. His uncle is an idiot and Joss always has to clean things up. Some unsavory elements come around and threaten Gareth. Joss doesn’t take too kindly to it, especially as it’s an unspoken rule that Doomsdays run things in these parts. Even though things are chaotic, Joss and Gareth can’t seem to stay away from each other. There’s something about their connection that they can’t shake.
Joss is pretty honorable even though the family business has him doing some less than legit things. He smuggles but doesn’t hurt any innocents. Sir Gareth is a bit clueless about the darker ways of the world. His reluctant bravery really stood out for me. Also, he loves to study bugs while taking a constitutional to observe them in the countryside. Gareth is a sweet summer child who won’t back down when pushed. I loved the characterization, which lived up to the all hype I’ve heard about KJ Charles. This was my first read by KJ and will definitely continue this series. Dive into this series if you’re looking for a fresh take on historical romance.
CBR15 Passport Challenge: Books recommended by friends (book 3 of 3)
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