I LOVED this book once I got into it. It definitely took me some time, but I’m glad I read it. I am in LOVE with Joss and Gareth and their relationship. I love that it’s portrayed so realistically, where they still fight but then they’re able to come together and talk about what they got wrong and how to make it better next time. And the plot didn’t disappoint either! Between trying to figure out who was behind the stalking and why, it both taught me about 19th century smuggling and made me squeal at 1 am while reading. I will most definitely be reading about Luke in the next book!!

‘The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman’ by KJ Charles was top-tier romance. It was just so beautiful and full of heart. Failing in love with this book was inevitable, and it’s become of my top favorite reads of the year so far. Highly recommend!

This was a very enjoyable book. I loved the characters and it was well written. I will be purchasing this for my library,

What a fun, interesting and hot story. This regency MM story was a unique story with intrigue, The main characters went through good growth and I truly enjoyed the romance and story. I would recommend this to those that like a good historical romance with very little ton and out side of London setting.

okay hear me out. i really wanted to like this book. truly, i did. but alas, it did not work for me. i'm so sorry! but i'm so thankful to netgalley for allowing me to read it early!!!

Well damn. I love Gareth and Joss. The story got a bit convoluted as it went on, very involved, a little too involved, but overall, a very enjoyable historical novel. I do find it odd that a (for all intents and purposes) cishet woman is writing M/M romance. Is that not fetishization? Shouldn't she leave that to the, GAY MEN?! This seems to be her bread and butter and she even writes under a genderless name, IDK it seems weird. I don't think I'll be reading anymore of her books. I'll read gays from the gays.

As far as I can tell, K.J. Charles can’t write a bad romance. I’ve been reading her books for years, and I am always surprised, delighted, and entertained. The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman was described as “Bridgerton meets Poldark” and amply fulfills that promise—smugglers, Regency romance, and banter galore.

For me, Charles’ novels work because of her deep characterization. Her characters feel like real people with real conflicts, and she never relies on the “big misunderstanding” that often plagues the third acts of romance novels. She also has an excellent understanding of the time periods she writes in and the books are filled with (though never bogged down by) accurate details. I appreciate her ability to offer us a HEA without venturing into anachronistic character development or utopia. She reminds us that queer folks—and queer love—have always been here, and that people did thrive and find joy in the past.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

Another case of "Kayla doesn't like historical fiction." Why am I like this? I didn't dislike The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman, but I found it to be a bit slow at times. The start of the story was really boring to me and I found Gareth to be a bit insufferable for a while. It made it challenging to root for him or care about his story. I eventually got into the story, and into the characters and came to care for them quite a bit.

I enjoyed the romance and the steaminess. But I also really enjoyed the class dynamics and seeing the gentle care the characters had for each other, particularly Gareth's connection with Luke.

The thing is, I think I actually would have really enjoyed this book had I read it in print (physically/ebook), but I actually listened to the audiobook, and though this may seem shallow (I admit it), I did not enjoy the voice of the narrator. He didn't do the best job in differentiating between the characters, but evenso, for a book full of steamy romantic scenes, he sounded old and unattractive which left me feeling unattracted to the characters.

I would be open to reading the second book in this duo, but would need to be intentional about reading the printed word over listening to the story. I think I may even need to reread this book because I think I would like it better if I read it in my own style as opposed to the audiobook, and I think I could really get to know the story and the characters better that way. I think I missed a bit because I was distracted by the narrator (who sounded more like a creepy villain and not a sexy, queer Englishman.).

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles is a LGBTQIA+ romance with Sir Gareth Inglis, who has always felt unwanted and unloved. When he meets Joss Doomsday though, he realizes what it's like to be loved and appreciated. This was such a well-written romance with extremely real characters for whom you only wanted the best. I definitely enjoyed this romance and would recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

This story was as much about family as it was the romance, and for the most part the family was a challenge or burden or downright awful, with a couple notable exceptions. The setting for this book was primarily Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, in Kent. The setting was a major part of the story and felt like its own character. Overall, I enjoyed this book. KJC is an excellent storyteller, and I have enjoyed everything I have read by her. This one seemed to have a different feel to it than others I have read.

joss and Gareth originally met at a pub that catered to certain tastes in London. To protect each other they gave no names and used where they were from as how they referred to each other. Joss was “Kent” and Gareth “London”. Gareth’s worthless father died making him the heir to a small estate in Dymchurch and a baronet. The reuniting of the lovers was a rather dramatic affair, but living in the same location meant a deeper and more meaningful relationship could form between them. The romance was touching and heartfelt. I enjoyed the journey from lovers to foes to being the it person for each other. They were a good compliment to the other.

This story had complex family dynamics, Romney Marsh culture and phrases, unique landscape challenges and well-drawn characters. It certainly met my expectations and worked well with my reading mood (sidebar: KJC almost always does — her books standout on the romance landscape). I would recommend checking this one out.

<I>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.

They say opposites attract and that seems to be the case here. Joss is a big guy and also the head of a smuggling family that's dysfunctional, but close. Gareth is slight, suddenly a baronet, and his family is... family in name only.

I really enjoyed this. There's opposites attract, there's tromping over the marshes, there's insects and intrigue, danger and mystery. Big feelings and big action. It's KJ Charles all over and I can't wait to read the next book in this set.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“I want you on my side. I want to be on yours.” // “Just one side. Ours. And us both on it, always.”

THE SECRET LIVES OF COUNTRY GENTLEMEN was my first KJ Charles book and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to get into her work. This queer historical romance between a baronet and a smuggler was such a delight. Gareth and Joss first meet in London, sneaking liaisons behind the closed doors of an inn, where secrecy and their wounds thwart the relationship becoming something more. When the death of Gareth’s absentee father brings him to Romney Marsh, a low-lying close-knit coastal community, he finds himself suddenly in Joss’s homeland, where he’s the head of a well-known smuggling family. Thrust together as they untangle the mysteries Gareth’s father left behind, the two slowly find their way back together and into a future they’ve both dreamed of.

The development of their romance was lovely; Joss and Gareth have powerful chemistry, respect each other immensely, and consistently learn from each other. Their class and political differences are beautifully integrated into their love, as well-educated city boy Gareth comes to find a home in Romney Marsh and rural, overly-responsible Joss allows himself to depend on someone else. There’s also a shocking amount of beetle and newt hunting paired with long meandering walks through the marshland, which was a treat. I lost some enthusiasm for the plot as the novel progressed; it felt a bit convoluted and also repetitive. But that will absolutely not prevent me from reading more of Charles’ work. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media for the review copies!

Content warnings: toxic family, loss of a parent, period-typical homophobia, sexual assault, physical violence

I really loved the setting and the smuggler aspect of this book as it was so unique. The Doomsday and Inglis family dynamics were extremely compelling to read about, and I really liked both Gareth and Joss's characters but I felt that the main relationship between them fell a bit flat. I thought that the emotions in both of them throughout the plot weren't present enough even though the stakes were high, and their relationship felt a bit flat even though they had arguments and made up afterwards. Overall I did really enjoy this book and the resolution was very satisfying, and I would love to read more about this world!

Just a lovely story about two gentleman who find and fight for love. I haven’t read many LGBTQ historical books but this one just pulled me in and I just adored this lovely story. I hope to read more like this very soon.

Full of romance and adventure, this book is perfect for those readers who are looking for a great m/m historical that takes place in a fully developed world. Joss and Gareth met up at a pub while on travel and agreed to casually hookup. The book opens with a bang (literally) which is great; however, soon after we meet them the two agree to part ways as each returns home. Little do they know their lives will completely intersect once Gareth learns of his father's death prompting him to leave London for his estate in the country.

Part of the greatness of this story is the world that Joss and Gareth live in. While they come from two completely different backgrounds and classes, they wind up in the same area geographically and end up working together to solve a mystery. There is a ton of adventure that is just as much a part of the story as the romance. The additional characters in the story are wonderful and really fill out the worlds that Joss and Gareth belong to. The relationship between them is full of chemistry and steam but what I really loved is the way they loved one another. They made me laugh and swoon and just feel so much. I adored every minute and cannot wait to return to this world with the next book in the series.

This was a great historical romance. I love the setting and the characters felt so whole and real, this book would be amazing for any fans of Bridgerton but make it queer.

4.5 rounded up. A great start to a new series from this author! The chemistry between Gareth and Joss was genuinely my favorite thing, even if the mystery itself became less interesting at certain turns. But I loved the marsh setting and really appreciated the change of pace it offered from the typical historical romance. I’m excited to see that the sequel is actually grown-up Luke’s book, too! I read this one as part of the new monthly Kissing Books Club on Fable.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first KJ Charles book and I have gone on an enthusiastic binge ever since. It was also an instant buy for me when it was released, so that I could have the physical copy on my shelf. As I've had time to consider the other KJC books I've now read, her formula just works well for me and I am ever thankful I picked this up!

An entertaining, touching, historically fascinating romance. Set in a period I particularly enjoy reading about (England during the Napoleonic Wars, which provide a significant though distant background to the story's events), The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen feels at once slow-paced and full of action. It takes its time, drawing out the development not only of its protagonists and their relationship, but of the rich cast of side characters that populate the world of Romney Marsh. Yet it's got plenty of plot going on beyond the complicated romance between newly fledged baronet Gareth and smuggler Joss. The ways in which the romance plot and the smuggling adventure plot interact and intertwine, each building the other - there is no romantic development without the adventure plot, and there is no dramatic smuggling adventure without Gareth and Joss's relationship development - are what elevate this book above many other historical romances of the period I've read before. The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is thoughtful, richly detailed, swoony and steamy, and full of heart.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advance review copy.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen was a fun historical read. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and watching them fight against each other until they finally give into their connection. I am very much looking forward to next book in the series.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with arc for an honest review.