Cover Image: The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen

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Member Reviews

Oh, how I wish this book existed when I was seventeen.

Audiobook narrator does a great job differentiating the characters.

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Funny and romantic snd mysterious, this book is the whole package. Charles writes some of the best historical romances and this is another great example.

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This book was honestly really funny and cute!

I've liked the characters quite a bit, and the setting and the banter were amazing. I've enjoyed the theme of moving from the city to a smaller setting and coming to terms with it. There was also some family drama and I've enjoyed how the characters came to terms with some things and grew in the span of this novel.

I'm honestly never a fan of smut scenes and there were quite a few here, I guess they were pretty good but it's usually just not my thing in books. The one thing I think I prefer a different approach to is that the two MC's relationship started with pure physical attraction and lust, but I know that's just my personal preference. I think they've really formed a nice, quite healthy relationship (with great banter involved!).

I think I might consider reading the next part of the series one day! This was a quick fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for granting me access to an e-arc.

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I suppose I'm in the minority here, because reviews are generally positive. This was sold as Bridgerton meets Poldark. As someone that loves both, I got neither. I never got fully invested in the romance. If I hear the word prick one more time, I will riot. Even worse than the romance was the smuggling storyline that overshadowed the entire story.

On another note, what is it about straight women (the pseudonym makes this tricky) writing M/M? This, to me, is on the same level as white people writing about BIPOC main characters. In the past, for things like Memoirs of a Geisha (which I have oddly fond memories of - even though it comes with a host of its own problems), I'm willing to overlook this a little. For a more present option, like American Dirt, no.

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When Gareth's estranged father passes away, he unexpectedly becomes a lord to a manor on Romney Marsh, where he discovers a unique set of rules. Among the locals, there is a group of smugglers led by a man named Joss Doomsday, whom Gareth had one-week anonymous sexual encounters with. Gareth didn't expect to see Joss again, but fate brings them together.

The romance between Gareth and Joss is nicely developed, as they move from being strangers who had sex to becoming lovers who must navigate their class differences. Their arguments are particularly interesting, as they reveal character development in their ability to listen and learn from each other.

The side characters in the book are all unique and intriguing. The reason why Joss is a smuggler provides a fascinating look at the marsh setting and how people bend the rules to survive.

However, the narrator takes too many pauses for emphasis, which can disrupt the flow of the story.

Overall, the book deserves 5 stars for its blend of romance and intrigue, but the narrator's performance only merits 2 stars.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

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This one was on my tbr shelf for way too long considering I love this author, historical fiction, historical romance, and queer romance.

But I finally read it and I’m so glad I did!

I’ll start off by saying that this only lost a star because of the narrator of the audiobook, I plan on rereading it physically sometime soon to find our for sure, but the narrator took me out of the story frequently and that’s the edition that I received to review. (I do want to mention that I listened to this on 2.5 or 3x speed – which is how I listen to all audiobooks and is never an issue but maybe this narrator just isn’t meant to be listened to at those speeds?)

Other than that this was just as delightful as I thought it’d be! I’ve read a few other things by this author and my absolute favourite thing is their characters. They’re so believable in their flaws and quirks but also just ridiculous and raunchy and fun and I adore reading from any point of view that this author writes. The romance is really the central part of this story and it was so well done! I enjoyed all the tropes involved and loved how these 2 navigated being from different worlds but finding themselves together.

I also really liked the mystery aspect of the book! Sometimes the plot in romance books is either too present or non existent and I liked that there seemed to be a nice balance between the relationship and solving what was going on. It made for a really compelling read.

The side characters were also delightful! So much personality in all of them, even the ones that didn’t have much page time. And the world building of this island was perfect, honestly I could picture everything so well and I really enjoyed it.

Overall it was a really really great time. I loved getting to know these characters and getting to watch them grow and develop their relationship, and I loved the twists and turns that we went on in this story. Will definitely be picking up the sequel! (Just not the audio version unfortunatley)

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I enjoyed this book but it wasn't my favorite. At times I struggled with the narrator too, it would have been nice to have two different people in this audiobook so it was immediately clear who's POV this was from.

The story was enjoyable and I like the characters. I enjoyed the book but it's not a book I would reread again and again.

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This was a great read, very interesting story and characters plus so spicy! Definitely looking forward to more of this series.

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I really liked this book! It was funny and spicy. That's my favorite type of book. The characters were super interesting and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. The cover of this book is beautiful too! Definitely a 5 star book!

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I loved this story! The mystery and romance was so perfect. It was also spicy. Joss is just awesome! I really enjoy this author. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

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The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles is a captivating and sensual romance novel that will leave readers feeling both satisfied and enamored. The novel follows the story of Robert, a country gentleman who has been living a secret life, and Daniel, a servant who is tasked with exposing Robert's secrets. As their lives intertwine, they both discover that their attraction to each other cannot be denied.

What I loved about this novel is KJ Charles's ability to bring the characters to life, making them feel real and multi-dimensional. Robert and Daniel's relationship is sensual, and their chemistry is palpable. The plot is also intriguing because of the secrets that both men hold and the stakes involved in keeping them hidden.

The novel also explores themes of class, societal expectations, and the limitations that society places on individuals. It's a novel that will leave readers rooting for Robert and Daniel's love while also contemplating how societal norms impact the way we view and love one another.

In conclusion, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is a must-read for lovers of historical romance novels. KJ Charles delivers an engaging story with well-developed characters and an irresistible romance that will leave readers wanting more.

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The story of this book was quite sweet, I loved the concept of a peer falling in love with a smuggler. I think the narrator did a good job but the narration would have benefited from having two narrators because the pov shifts can be hard to track.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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Loved the narration❤️💗✨💕

Thank you so much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily listened and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

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Thank you Netgalley for letting me listen to this audiobook. If you enjoy historical romance you should check this one out. The story is split into two different points of view and the narrator does a pretty good job. I do wish there were two narrators though. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. I will definitely pick up the next book KJ writes. This story has: found family, mystery, romance, and is set in the country.

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Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for could this Advance Audio Copy.

This is my first KJ Charles' book and it definitely won't be the last.

(1810) Historical Romance
M/M
Country setting
Class difference
Found family
Mystery to Solve
Big City (briefly) to Small Town

This book was soo good, its filled with likable characters, i especially love the chemistry between Gareth and Joss, it really warmed my heart.

My only issue had to do with the pacing. The pace was a bit too slow for my liking, other than that, evthg else was ok.

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I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I could not get into this book and despised the main characters.

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Looking for a M/M regency romance where a peer falls for a smuggler? This book has got you. It was quite sweet and low stress. Enjoyable even for someone like me who doesn’t normally care for romance.

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The story was really good but I was not such a fan of the narration. I felt the dual point of view would have been told better from 2 people and it got lost in the narration

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Update:
I just finished the audio of this as a re-read. The book still totally works for me. KJ Charles has a unique ability to have plotty books that still have pretty deep character and relationship development. I really trust her with getting the history right - I felt like I learned a little bit about history, geography, flora and fauna! The politics always work for me too - loved Joss's rant defending his trade and how succinctly he put it all into a greater context. And finally, the central relationship - so soft and sweet with excellent communication and lots of growth. The balance of conflict and tension with connection and trust is delicious.

My only problem with the book was actually the audio performance. I can see that the narrator was likely selected for his ability to get the Kentish accent right - and I trust those who know better to confirm that he did that well. But the weird pacing and stilted pauses were truly almost unbearable. I could hear them even sped up to 2x. For a moment I wondered if he had used AI to do half his work? If this wasn't an ARC, I would probably have DNFed and gone back and re-read with my eyes.

I received an audio Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review

First read (with my eyes):
I received an audio ARC of this book but I knew that I would want to read with my eyes first. I will come back with a proper review after I read with my ears. In the meantime, I can't really think of anything I would change. There is something about KJC's voice that just works for me and I enjoyed everything about this book.

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The book was duel POV, but the narration was not, and I found myself kind of confused at multiple points in the story which was frustrating. I also didn't LOVE the narrator, but the story was a fine historical romance.

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