This was the perfect LBGTQIA touch to a Bridgerton-esque novel! I love a good regency romance, and this one checked all the boxes for me.

This was my first KJ Charles book and I found it to be highly entertaining and enjoyable!

Read this book if you enjoy:
✨M/M Historical Romance
✨Action and adventure
✨Smuggler gangs
✨Banter
✨Open door spice

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book aside from M/M historical romance. The smuggling gang lent an excellent sub-plot of action and adventure in the marshes of Kent. I thought the setting was different - being in the country as opposed to the city. And the explanation of smuggling operations was pretty interesting.

The relationship between Joss and Gareth was well crafted and I really enjoyed watching it unfold. There's a large cast of side characters that allowed for multiple sub-plots and plot lines to give the story additional layers. The spice was spicy. I really enjoyed the Doomsday smuggling clan and the way they all interacted with each other. Joss was definitely a swoon-worthy swashbuckling smuggler hero. I also thought there was really great character development with Gareth as he grapples with inheriting a title and his perception of right/wrong.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book for me to read.

I always enjoy KJ Charles books, and while this wasn't my favorite of hers, it was still a good read!

K.J. Charles is a fantastic writer. I could see the natural setting of this story, and feel the squish of the ground. If I were in 10th grade English, I’d write about how the marsh was another character. When I think about this book, it’s about the main characters and their families, the naturalist bits, and some of the dramatic action. I struggle to remember the romance. It was there, and important, but it was not white hot and attention grabbing. I’m not sure where Charles is going as an author, but it feels like she’s go one foot out of the romance genre with this one. Obvs, this will not change that I read her new books as soon as I can get my hands on one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc a few months ago!

5 stars. Enjoyed right from the very start. Two great main LGBTQ+ characters, both equally and strongly drawn, plus lots of great secondary characters, and several nice twists. A very satisfying read, and I strongly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Bought for our library.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

DEEPLY excellent. I have a soft spot for Charles even though the last book of hers I tried I couldn't really get through, but now I feel certain that that was just me not vibing with that particular couple type because I had literally zero issue zooming through this book. I was a little worried at first, because usually when a romance has the couple getting together early there's not enough momentum to carry the rest of the book forward, but this baby has momentum in spades.

This is really firing on all cylinders: great characters, great pacing, amazing sense of conflict and tension, and just in general a damn good time to read. I could have done with a bit more to the ending - like that promised conversation between Asa and Gareth!! - but that's really my only major complaint. This is one where I really started dragging it out near the end because I wanted to spend more time with these characters, and I was little bummed to see that the next in the series doesn't have Joss and Gareth as the leads...but I'll probably check it out anyway since I enjoyed this one so much.

An excellent choice for anyone looking for a historical romance, or an entry point into Charles's oeuvre. Highly recommend this one.

This story follow Gareth a young man who just inherited his estranged father fortune and title. When Gareths mother died when he was six his father sent him to his uncle and started a new family having a daughter Celia. Celia who didn’t even know she had a brother is now left penniless and dependent on a brother she didn’t know existed. We follow Gareth as he moves into his father’s house and starts to get to know his sister and father’s former lover. During this time Gareth also meets Kent (fake name)who he had a one night stand with no names exchanged . Gareth finds out there are smugglers in the area and sees some when out for a walk he mentions it to the lieutenant who was trying to catch the French smugglers. Gareth finds out Kent is a smuggler in fact the head of the smugglers.

This was a unique historical romance that I flew through The LGBTQIA+ themes was such a breath of fresh air! I liked the relationship between Joss and Gareth it was cute with the proper Londoner and a country smuggler. I also thought the smugglers were so interesting to follow it’s not a storyline in historical fiction I’ve come across before.I enjoyed this authors writing and hope to pick up the next book in the series soon ! I would like thank netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

"The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen" by KJ Charles weaves a captivating tale of Sir Gareth Inglis, a newly promoted baronet with a cold exterior, and Joss Doomsday, an overworked smuggler leading the Doomsday clan.

Despite their tumultuous history, the characters' reunion is both suspenseful and tender. Charles skillfully combines elements of M/M historical romance with an intriguing storyline, making it easy for readers to root for the unlikely pairing. As Gareth navigates his newfound title and the treacherous Romney Marsh, he discovers that true love might blossom in the most unexpected places.

This novel seamlessly blends suspense and romance, offering a compelling journey for fans of historical romance.

I’m a recent KJ Charles fan but so far I have LOVED each book I’ve read. This one was no different. The way the characters feel real is so important to me when reading. It has to be believable or I am not interested. This book is a great example of characters who have value and flaws and feel real.

Maybe it’s just that I tried to read it while nursing a newborn, but I could not get into this one and couldn’t finish it. Not for me!

I loved this book so much and I am sorry I didn't read it right when it was released (I somehow accidentally read the ARC of book 2 first)! Highly recommend the author and series!

I enjoyed this book a lot. I did find the beginning to be a bit long, but as it progressed I was invested in all the characters. I look forward to the sequel

The book overall was OK, just not my cup of tea exactly. I really enjoyd the regency setting but the characters themselves and the writing was difficult. I think fans of this authors work should feel at home but for me it was a bit lacking.

I was very excited for this one but I just cannot get into the authors writing style. I’m not even sure if there was a good plot somewhere in there but what I do know is that I did not like the characters and I did not believe their relationship.
I’ve heard really great things about this author so I think I will try just one more of their books but this was just unfortunately not for me.

Undeniably a banger of a book. The humour is immaculate, the vibes are out of this world, the character development is realistic and engrossing. Love.

Liked this story a lot about two men who have a great love story despite their life circumstances and the time they lived in. Both characters were lovable in their own ways and I really rooted for them to be together!

K.J. Charles’s writing is a brilliant tapestry of richly detailed historical settings, complex characters, and sizzling romance. Her prose is sharp and eloquent, and her narratives are imbued with a remarkable depth of emotion and intelligence. I’ve always enjoyed her books and this one is no different.

Special thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very entertaining book, but I personally felt like I was immediately thrown into the book with limited setup. In addition, the characters were cute, but they just lacked some sort of *spark and I wasn't really able to attach to them. Overall, I liked this book and would recommend it (but personally I am more excited for the next book in this series).

K.J. Charles is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I love her humor and her characters. Her settings are rich and drawn with specificity. The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman was just the delightful, romantic read that I needed!