The publicity touts Bridgerton as a comparison, I guess because of the TV show, and its diversity. I think the comparison to Poldark is closer to the mark. K.J. Charles seems to be working more in the well-loved path of the likes of Jeffrey Farnol than the silver fork tradition of Georgette Heyer in this m/m mystery romance. Only of course there is far more on-page sex.

I really enjoyed Charles' evocation of the smuggling coast of England at that time. I loved the smuggling family, and I even came to like the isolated, alienated Sir Gareth, abandoned early in life, even before he discovered that he was again an outsider in preferring men.

The villains are despicable, the mystery intriguing, the action quick-paced and the atmosphere, especially the descriptions of the marshes, pulling me right into that insular world. I hope the author comes back to this setting!

I devoured and adored this book. I haven’t read an historical romance I’ve enjoyed as much as this one in years. The setting of Romney Marsh is almost a character itself, and I was fully immersed in the vivid scenery without feeling bogged down by world-building details. The story flowed beautifully with many emotional highs and lows.

The plot becomes a bit overcomplicated in the final act, but the romance is never overshadowed. The suspense was unexpected but welcome.

I would love to see this as a BBC adaptation, because there aren’t enough sweeping historical romances featuring gay characters being represented on the screen either, and this one is handled with care. There is period-specific homophobia and fear of being outed, but there are no forced outings and both men find support from unexpected people in their lives.

I eagerly await the second book in this duology so I can escape again to Romney Marsh with the beetles and newts, the Doomsday family, and Gareth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the eARC.

This was so lovely!! I had zero expectations going into it and I honestly loved that it wasn’t just smut- the plot was great and the rest of the characters likeable and interesting. Some of the language was tricky without a glossary haha but still really enjoyed this one.

What a delightful book, the main characters, the settings, the side characters, specially darling Luke.
Gareth was such a sweet guy, I loved him so much, always trying to do the right thing, he just wanted to be loved, enter Joss who didn’t set himself to love Gareth, but you know, you just have to, and he did and he tried to protect him and his family, which wasn’t an easy task, them being smugglers and all, and people looking for missing guineas, a whole mess, but a wonderful delightful mess!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read and review. The writing itself was good except for a few things where I felt the story and characters weren’t developed well and it seemed as if the writer just wanted to try a shock appeal, and the story wasn’t for me.

Once again, KJ Charles has written my favorite kind of romance. I love how her books are instant comfort reads at this point, while at the same time remaining fresh and new no matter how many I've read. You'd think she'd run out of unique and loveable characters (most of them gold-hearted rogues who aren't particularly morally bothered) with chemistry of the sort that means warmth and comfort and companionship and someone always on your side, in addition to the usual definition. And yet.

I love her wit and sly humor. I don't tend to like must "humorous" books because they tend to rely on steortypes, punching down, bawdy humor, etc. Not so KJ Charles. Her humor is of the witty, sardonic, dry variety and it's just wonderful. Here, I'll give you an example:

----
"I would like to talk about this again, more civilly, to understand your point of view. I don’t know if I’ll agree but I’d rather disagree with more nuance.”


Joss hoped nuance didn’t mean shouting.
----

A lot of the humor in this book comes, as in the example above, from the language barrier of Marshman smuggler vs. educated Londoner. So I guess you have to like clever humor about words. Luckily, I do.

Joss and Gareth are wonderful characters. Really, every character in this book is a wonderful character. They all have such distinct personalities and feel so very real. Their romance feels very natural too, as they work together and learn to trust one another.

I absolutely LOVED everything about this and I had the biggest smile on my face while reading it. I knew I would love it - It's KJ Charles, that's a foregone conclusion - but it always surprises me how much I love it in the end.

The plot was great. Twisty and full of danger and trouble, but also full of quiet moments of companionship and connection. I loved how it ended, too. It was perfect. I will absolutely read the next one as soon as it comes out (and her next book, and the next...) because she's one of my favorite authors at this point. I've preordered the audiobook as I know I will want to revisit this and that's one of my favorite ways to do so.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an early copy for review.

London holds very little in the way of joy for Gareth Inglis—except, that is, for his occasional trysts with a mysterious visitor he refers to as Kent. A misunderstanding between the two leads them to part ways, much to the chagrin of both. But when Gareth’s estranged father dies unexpectedly and Gareth finds himself the baronet of a countryside estate, everything begins to shift. Not only is Kent nearer than expected, but Gareth also finds himself in the middle of a dangerous agreement that puts his own life at risk. Luckily, love has a way of navigating the perils of life, and Gareth slowly works to accept that he is worthy of ongoing affection.

This intriguing novel takes place in early 1800s England, and the customs and dialogue fit clearly into that time and locale. Depending on a character’s upbringing, their accent reflects their station and background, so they are easy to discern even without a specific mention. The narrative alternates between Gareth’s and Kent’s point of view, which offers readers a glimpse into each of their disparate worlds throughout the story. Many colorful characters appear alongside the protagonists, as well, adding layers of intrigue to the plot as alliances are built and broken. Dialogue among these players propels the narrative, and both the context of these interactions and the intensity of them make this book best suited to a mature audience.

Much like heterosexual “bodice rippers,” there are several detailed romantic scenes between Gareth and Kent in this book from the very beginning. While the narrative itself is enjoyable on its own, it often serves more as a filler between these sexual interludes. Because the book takes place in the early nineteenth century, the relationship between Kent and Gareth is one that must remain secret for the sake of propriety. Contrary to heterosexual relationships at the time, the love the two men share for one another often feels smothered and dangerous, and the characters lament their inability to dote on one another publicly. Sweet, steamy, and intriguing, this is an enjoyable story for both mature young adult and older fans of historical romantic fiction with an LGBTQ focus.

This satisfying m/m second'-chance romance matches newly minted baronet Sir Gareth Inglis with Romney Marsh smuggler Joss Doomsday during the Napoleonic Wars. While the two met in a molly house in London before Sir Gareth inherited the title from his barely known father, once Gareth moves to his new estate, he enters an entirely different world and discovers a whole new family--as well as a surprisingly familiar face. But there are deadly secrets on the Marsh that threaten both men. The two main characters seem to be complete opposites, but their strong chemistry and complementary strengths allow them to better deal with their own shortcomings and learn from each other. The vivid descriptions of Romney Marsh and the smuggling gangs existing then only add spice to the story and help to bring the whole thing to life. This is well worth the read.

An interesting story full of twists, turns, fun characters and overall a book I would consider reading time and time again.

My bar for historical works is high and The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles sails over it. The fact that I hesitate to pigeon hole this book into by saying it's historical romance and think it could also be historical mystery or historical fiction is telling. The romantic story and mystery coexist beautifully here. The use of vernacular drove home the setting and had me, a voracious reader of historical genres, looks up a few things. I personally love learning something while being entertained by a great story.

The relationship between Gareth and Joss is choppy at first, but you find yourself rooting for them as they find their way. While I was hoping for the romantic plot to be unmarred by the threat of an outing, I realize it's a common trope in stories with same-sex partners set in the past and it tied into the mystery plot. I just sort of wished these two could have their lovely partnership be all about sleuthing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of queer historical romance, especially queer Regency romance, so this was an instant add to my TBR, and overall, I really enjoyed it. The characters had depth and showed genuine growth (I loved seeing the two main characters start to stand up for themselves and draw boundaries - you love to see it). The romance itself was lovely and believable. There was a lot of spice (it starts right off with it!), if that's your thing, and be forewarned if it's not.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is a book I’ve been anticipating for a while. I binged it within a day of getting the ARC and, on the whole, enjoyed it. It’s not my favourite book by K. J. Charles (that would still be The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting), but it’s definitely an enjoyable one.

The story follows Gareth and Joss, one suddenly a baronet after his father’s death and the other a smuggler in Romney Marsh. Back in London, they’d had a fling which had broken off abruptly. Now they’re unexpectedly reunited when Gareth is about to testify against Joss’s sister. In desperation, Joss blackmails Gareth over their relationship and that’s where the plot begins.

As ever, K. J. Charles gives you two characters you will immediately like — yes, even Joss, as he does this to Gareth — and that’s always a good thing in a romance. Reading this, you want Gareth and Joss to reconcile (although maybe less quickly than they did… Could I get some angsty tension please?) and get together. It is a romance after all. That’s done well and believably here too.

This isn’t just a book about the romance though. It also keeps you intrigued with another mystery element. This element complements the romance well, really, since it’s what drives Gareth and Joss together following Joss’s blackmail. It also stood well as an element in its own right — the mystery was compelling and kept me reading alongside the romance.

The reason I didn’t like this quite as much as other K. J. Charles books was that, in all, it felt the tiniest bit bland. The main characters were fleshed out and you could root for them, but the characters around them seemed a little vague and underdeveloped. Perhaps this is understandable — this is, after all, a book about Gareth and Joss, less so the rest — but it didn’t help with the feeling of blandness.

Really, though, that was my only complaint and, on the whole, I enjoyed reading this one. It’s definitely a series where I’ll be keeping an eye out for the next one.

Writing a coherent review without gushing over and over about how much I loved this book will be challenging, but I’ll give it my best shot.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen starts out by introducing London and Kent, two men who meet while frequenting the same pub. They’ve been trysting for a week and relishing their time together in the backroom where they revel in the other’s touch, taste, and closeness. Then their time comes to an end, with a nasty row and the thought that they won’t see each other again.

Sir Gareth Inglis arrives in Romney Marsh to take over his late father’s estate. He knows nothing of the grounds or his father’s business dealings since he hadn’t seen or heard from him since he was six, but this is his chance for a real home and to get to know his half-sister. He doesn’t realize his past and the man he thought he left there are about to rock his seemingly tranquil world.

Joss Doomsday is a smuggler and head of the Doomsday family. He’s known who Gareth was to him for some time, but stayed out of the way and out of sight since they did not leave off on good terms. Then Gareth sees something he shouldn’t have, goes to the authorities and Joss desperately needs to get him to NOT testify against his sister. He’ll do what’s necessary, even though it’s the last thing he wants to do.

My word, but I loved this book so hard. Action, adventure, mystery, tenderness, and romantic love, this book had it all, and I eagerly devoured every word. This is one of those books that you read in the car while sitting at a light, or while waiting at the pick-up line at the grocery store, literally unable to put it down until you get to the HEA.

Joss and Gareth couldn’t be more different in looks, temperament, and stations in life, but they are drawn to each other nonetheless. Both heads of their family and both burdened with difficult relationships, but their life experiences have thought them to deal with them in different ways. Joss either charms or forces his way into the situation to achieve his goals, while Gareth tends to tense up, get angry, and avoid problems. As a reader, I absolutely loved seeing them get to know each other, and themselves, by challenging each other’s assumptions and expectations, talking it out, and choosing to expand their beliefs and do better.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the constant threat of the MCs being outed gave me no small measure of anxiety throughout the book. Joss and Gareth know that they have to be careful, and they do try, but there are outside forces (on both sides) who use their relationship against them for their own gain. I was glad that each instance was dealt with and ultimately ended with them realizing that they had the loving support of several family members.

The main plot arc was highly original and well done. There are several villains here, all working together and Joss and Gareth are caught in the middle. The setting of the marsh, full of country gentry and smugglers just trying to make a living during the hostility with France, was fascinating to me. Throw in some quiet, contemplative walkabouts with our MCs looking for beetles and newts while getting to know each other, then falling quite in love and I was a goner. The HEA for this couple was just about perfect. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, especially after learning who will be one of the main characters.

Such a fantastic book. I highly recommend.

Love is love, and every kind of love should be celebrated and appreciated. If this is not your thinking, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is probably not for you. There's plenty of graphic "M/M" sex, but the erotic nature of The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen isn't really the point-the search for love is. Gareth and Joss are both male, but their feelings and experiences are universal. We all want what they're having-a relationship with someone who really gets us and loves us despite the hurdles-and in 19th century England gay couples faced the same stigmas and prejudices that sadly remain two hundred years later. There's a subplot about smugglers prowling the English countryside, which is the perfect metaphor for how Joss and Gareth "operate"-under the cover of darkness- but in search of stolen moments not gold. The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is sexy and sensual-and won't be a secret come publication day!

This book has swashbuckling adventure, intrigue, family infighting, and wonderfully original characters.

After years of banishment and estrangement, Gareth assumes his father’s baronetcy and moves from London to Romney Marsh in rural Kent. Once there he runs afoul of the local smuggling culture led by Josiah Doomsday. The very man he had an anonymous liaison with back in London.

Romney Marsh becomes a character itself as so much of life there is dependent on whether you are considered Outmarsh or not. Whether you consider it smuggling or free trading.

Loved the Kentish dialect and the great supporting characters. Asa, Joss’s Granda and Catherine stand out as true supporting characters one would hope to have with their situation in those times. Today, they’d be called allies.

The ending is so romantic. Vows and promises occur spontaneously at a church ruin. Sublime.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because I loved the description and the cover. I thought it would be humorous and have a sexy slow burn like the Bridgerton stories, as they were listed as a comp.

However, I read the beginning, and I don't think it is for me. There wasn't any humor, and instead of a slow burn, we have a graphic sex scene right away. I'm all for sex scenes, but this felt gratuitous. And Kent is basically described as a guy with a great smile and a great body. There's no real connection.

I make the analogy here with starting books with a chase scene or dangling the main character off of a cliff. We don't know the characters enough yet to care. And that's how I felt about the opening. The reason Gareth was late and in a terrible state of mind was withheld as well, so we don't even have that.

And, although I read a lot of stories set in Regency London, I found myself stumbling over the language.

I really wanted to love this book, so I'm disappointed. I won't post this review online as I don't like to post negative reviews.

CWs: homophobia and blackmail, child abuse.
Rounding up a bit.

Well this was delightful!
I'm used to reading KJ Charle's novellas and short stories so the pacing here (up to around 60%) felt slow, maybe for other KJ fans too. Still, I was excited to read a full length novel.

I loved Joss and Gareth and always felt the push and pull of the two: Joss a smuggler and Gareth an ex-law clerk come baronet. I really liked how Joss felt about and explained his smuggling and how Gareth came to see understand this. And I really empathized with Gareth as 'outmarsh', being an outsider myself where I live. Their respective families were also entertaining and heartwarming (Catherine!).

It took a minute for the plot to really get going for me but that last 25% was so much fun to read, if difficult at times. I enjoyed how everything came together and played out, showing everyone's true colors, and the role the marsh itself played.

Hoping Sophia gets a book next??

Honestly my feelings about this book would be most accurately represented by a GIF of happy muppet flailing. It's just so darn good! In addition to the excellent romance, we get a lot of edge of your seat action and the dry humor I've come to expect from a KJ Charles book. Some notable tropes include be gay do crime, found family, and class difference.

I love the large extended smuggling clan and hope there are many future stories to come. I'm especially interested in what Sophy gets up to. And Catherine deserves a bit of happiness, even if just in a novella.

**Received an eARC via NetGalley**

A big thanks to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen starts off with a bang, the kind that happens in the back room of a certain kind of establishment, and continues at a breakneck pace. Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down -- I absolutely loved it.

The characters at first seem to have nothing in common. Sir Gareth Inglis is a recently minted Baronet in the wetlands of Southeast England. His father's death brings him from busy London to rural Kent, where he struggles to adapt to the local customs and understand the dialect. He stumbles upon some smugglers and reports them to the authorities, only to realize that Joss Doomsday, head smuggler, has a familiar face.

Nobody says no to Joss Doomsday, until an uptight Baronet from London tries to report his sister to the authorities. He's been running the Doomsday family business since he was a teenager and, despite some family drama, business is good. But seeing Sir Gareth Inglis in court reminds him that there is more to life than just work.

As the two men begin to understand each other, they realize that they both shoulder heavy responsibilities, both have lost their mothers, among other things, and both yearn for some time for themselves and for each other.

It was easy to relate to the drama of a highly interconnected family like the Doomsdays, where every part of life involves dealing with someone you've known since birth. Those relationships can become so complicated and fraught, and the author handles them with insight and delicacy.

The romance was very high stakes, as it could mean the loss of family or titles for both men, but it was one of the most tender and electric connections I have ever read. Reader, you will agree it was worth the risk. I loved how the men spoke frankly to each other. There was flirtation, but not as much banter as some romances. Instead, they deal with hard feelings, difficult situations, and a number of risky ventures to get what they most want in life.

There were also two unexpected bonuses:
1. Learning about the smuggling history of Romney Marsh.
2. Nerdy naturalist descriptions of the insects and wildlife.

Somehow, K.J. Charles makes them into swoon-worthy subjects.

I give it 10/10 stars and recommend it for readers who love romance with a side of adventure and a whole lot of heart.

Historical romance with plenty of action and romance. The romance is man and man, but love is love! I’m not a big fan of man/woman sex scenes that are too graphic so the same applies here. A little more mystery about what’s happening can be more interesting. Other than that, this was a fun read that kept you reading to find out how it all turns out.