KJ Charles

3.5 Stars

An apt ending to this historical trilogy!!

Mark is basically an investigator, and he wants to help his friends Clem from An Unseen Attraction and Nathaniel from An Unnatural Vice as dead bodies steadily keep piling up. It’s all connected to a wanted, but unknown, person. What’s at stake is a missing earl and his inheritance, and there’s somebody who doesn’t want the truth to come out.

As Mark discovers that the enigmatic femme acrobat Pen is the one he’s seeking, Pen makes it crystal clear he wants to live his carefree life without out the millions of rules and constraints it would mean to claim his birthright. However, hiding who he is only puts him in more danger.

This had some different sexual identity themes to it which brought a new conflict that’s not often seen in historicals. As Mark and company get closer and closer to narrowing down the suspects, one wonders how Pen will ever reconcile keeping true to himself and fulfilling his obligations should they prevail.

The romantic progression was too fast for my liking, but I loved the propriety and the upper vs lower class dynamics with a great shout out to supportive and fiesty sister Greta! Overall, a satisfying conclusion to this 3 book story arc where comeuppance is delivered, and everyone gets their happy ending!… (mer)

3.5 Stars

Charles consistently delivers on this connected trilogy as the search for a missing heir continues.

Here, the story is passed onto Clem’s friend Nathaniel, who is trying to find a lost earl in order to financially help Clem maintain his livelihood. Nathaniel’s search brings him to a charlatan’s door, and though Nathaniel knows he’s a fraud, he can’t help but be repulsed and intrigued at the same time by the enigmatic Justin.

When men of ill repute come looking to get what they perceive as their just reward for finding the missing earl, it puts everyone in danger and reveals an even greater conspiracy behind all the secrets.

This had a nice mix of enemies to lovers, touching on the social divide and its barriers, along with some very explicit covert smexy. I’m still not a huge fan of historicals but as always, Charles makes a strong case for them, and I will concede that she does quite the excellent job - so much so, I’ll forge on ahead and finish this trilogy off!… (mer)

3.5 Historical Hearts! - Team review with Adam!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a historical MM connoisseur but Charles’s Magpies series is one of my favorites, and I’ve been wishy washy over what next to read of this author’s and instead of diving right in, I’ve avoided them all until now.

To say the least, I’m charmed, especially titillated by the idea that the rest of this trilogy is planned to come out this year and features one couple - all of which greatly appealed to my quirky preferences.

As per the blurb, this stars Will Darling, a somewhat hardened young fellow who’s been down on his luck having returned from the war and instead of being embraced, has had a hard go of it. When he falls into a fortuitous inheritance of his uncle’s bookstore, the last thing he’s prepared for is to be embroiled in a treacherous push pull by what seems like the military and a secret society - both hell bent on getting a hold of some very nebulous but sinister knowledge of his uncle’s that may or may not benefit mankind (depending on whose side one is on). Now Will is very practical, and just because someone demands something without due cause or adequate explanation, doesn't mean he’ll automatically comply even if he had a clue as to what everyone was making such a fuss over.

When a stranger becomes friendly and offers his help, Will can’t help but be persuaded to accept the generosity from sophisticated handsome Kim Secretan, who has plenty of his own secrets and a hidden agenda as well.

There’s no doubt Charles can write a tangled tale. Points towards making Will an upstanding character for he’s no slouch. At times, I questioned his belief that all men should play fairly and honorably which often got him into certain sticky situations, but the man is not a pushover, and though he doesn't hold any high opinions for the government, aristocracy, or scary faceless bullies, Will knows what’s good and just and he won’t be forced into anything untoward if he has any say about it!

So yes, Will is played and betrayed, and the story is fast paced with twists and turns providing plenty of mystery, a bit of suspenseful action, and a slow development of the attraction between him and Kim that results in some nice (lite dirty) smexy!

The main conflict is technically resolved, but the overall story arc remains to be further explored. There’s a fragile truce between scrappy Will and idealistic Kim at the end of this first installment, and I’m intrigued by their dynamic and am saving rating stars for what I hope will be an even bigger payoff that’s sure to come in their future adventures (and definitely, the feels) that hopefully await them!

Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review

… (mer)

4 Hearts! - Team review with Adam!

Although I liked the first installment, this second entry brings more of everything - suspense, action, mystery and intrigue, and thankfully, romance!

This is not a standalone, so please check out [b:Slippery Creatures|52237989|Slippery Creatures (The Will Darling Adventures #1)|K.J. Charles|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1587519719l/52237989._SY75_.jpg|77319427] first!

Last we saw Will and Kim, they had thwarted the secretive society The Zodiac, and both think they’ve mainly come to an unsaid agreement with the nefarious group to avoid the other and move on. Will and Kim have also moved on by enjoying each other, so much so that Will thinks it’s the start to something very good, but Kim suddenly off and disappears with basically no promises or reassurances.

Two long months pass with nary a word, and Will shouldn’t be bothered. He shouldn't be hurt but nonetheless, he is. Just when Will thinks his life has gone back to the normal tedium of being a bookshop owner, Kim shows up at his door with not much explanation but instead, with a plea for help with his next undercover mission. Not surprisingly, Will’s the sort to never say no to a good cause, and it doesn’t particularly help that he’s bored out of his skull. Pair it with possibly putting a stick in Zodiac again, and Will’s all for watching Kim’s back as Kim tries to get evidence on Zodiac’s mysterious leader. Plus, it’s always a good thing when these two can spend some more quality time together, and it’s quickly understood that despite the separation, their attraction to each other has only intensified.

Assuredly, this was faster paced than the first book. Once the primary dilemma is set in motion, the story pulls the reader along, especially when Kim is still keeping secrets, and Will is damn tired of him doing so. However, what Kim suspects is quite the shocking reveal and again, how the problem unravels and spirals out of control, forces these two to work in sync which was fabulous to witness.

So, if you’re looking for a continued evolution of romance between opposites Will and Kim, with plenty of cultural shoutouts to the roaring 20’s, this MM historical will work a treat! There‘s definitely some complexity here as Will knows there’s a social divide between himself and Kim, and he wonders how he’ll fit, if ever, into Kim’s glamorous life. Will also feels he’s making all the concessions (because he is), and he’s angry and resentful that he’s the only one with his heart on his sleeve with no reciprocity to be seen. One finally gets to see beyond Kim’s indifferent mask that hides a man weighed down by guilt and obligation, his personal demons compelling him to play his cards close to the vest. Kim plays the martyr well, often feeling undeserving of any love or affections, especially from Will. The deeper depths explored between these two was much appreciated, and additional props to the fabulous female cast who hold their own against their male counterparts!

This ends again with the main conflict resolved, making me even more curious as to how Charles will wrap up this trilogy. Will and Kim have made the first few tentative steps towards a commitment, and I look forward to them foiling the bad guys as par for the course, all the while ultimately getting their well deserved and long awaited happy ending!!

Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review


… (mer)