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Sins of the Cities: An Unseen Attraction – K.J. Charles
A slow-burning romance and a chilling mystery bind two singular men in the suspenseful first book of a new Victorian series from K. J. Charles.
Lodging-house keeper Clem Talleyfer prefers a quiet life. He’s happy with his hobbies, his work—and especially with his lodger Rowley Green, who becomes a friend over their long fireside evenings together. If only neat, precise, irresistible Mr. Green were interested in more than friendship…
Rowley just wants to be left alone—at least until he meets Clem, with his odd, charming ways and his glorious eyes. Two quiet men, lodging in the same house, coming to an understanding… it could be perfect. Then the brutally murdered corpse of another lodger is dumped on their doorstep and their peaceful life is shattered.
Now Clem and Rowley find themselves caught up in a mystery, threatened on all sides by violent men, with a deadly London fog closing in on them. If they’re to see their way through, the pair must learn to share their secrets—and their hearts.
Clem and Rowley having crushes on each other are so cute! They have been eyeing each other for the longest time so I’m glad they finally hooked up. I love how Rowley is short like Stephen Day. You rarely see that type as MC in a romance novel. Nobody made a big deal about sexuality, which is how things should be.
Clem is a cinnamon roll. He is kind and trusting to a fault. He also has dyspraxia according to official sources so he has trouble with multi-tasking, crowds and people talking all at once. Rowley is definitely the guy for him. He has infinite patience, is comfortable with silence and tries really hard to understand Clem.
Lots of times they argue, Clem was frustratingly naive and valiantly trying to see the good in everybody and Rowley was scared. Couldn’t really blame them though. It’s that damn brother!
The fact that Clem was an Indian was not really focused on until the main part of the story where it became significant because they started dealing with Clem’s brother who is an asshole through and through.
Majority of the story deals with the issue of whoever is harassing Clem and Rowley, why are they doing it, what has it got to do with Clem’s brother and how should they deal with it. During this entire debacle, we meet Clem’s friends from the Jack and Knave who try to help out.
I liked Clem and Rowley’s story but it didn’t really wow me the way other K.J. Charles books have. However it still a great start in the Sins of the Cities series. Now, on to Nathaniel’s story…
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked itSoundtrack: Hey, Sunrise
Artist: The Charlatans
Album: Different Days(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30517107-an-unseen-attraction)
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REVIEW: Spectred Isle by K.J. Charles
Green Men: Spectred Isle – K.J. Charles
Archaeologist Saul Lazenby has been all but unemployable since his disgrace during the War. Now he scrapes a living working for a rich eccentric who believes in magic. Saul knows it’s a lot of nonsense…except that he begins to find himself in increasingly strange and frightening situations. And at every turn he runs into the sardonic, mysterious Randolph Glyde.
Randolph is the last of an ancient line of arcanists, commanding deep secrets and extraordinary powers as he struggles to fulfil his family duties in a war-torn world. He knows there’s something odd going on with the haunted-looking man who keeps turning up in all the wrong places. The only question for Randolph is whether Saul is victim or villain.
Saul hasn’t trusted anyone in a long time. But as the supernatural threat grows, along with the desire between them, he’ll need to believe in evasive, enraging, devastatingly attractive Randolph. Because he may be the only man who can save Saul’s life—or his soul.
First, isn’t the cover art gorgeous! <3<3<3
This book gave me happy goosebumps. This book also spooked me although I am rarely spooked. This book gave me a pleasant case of book hangover. Therefore I declare this as K.J. Charles’ best book to date.
The story is told in dual POV of Saul Lazenby, a disgraced archeologist and Randolph Glyde, an aristocratic arcanist. Both lonely men, both war veterans dealing with the pain and trauma of war. The two kept meeting at certain places and their mutual attraction was undeniable. I enjoyed their banter and Charles’ brilliance at creating dialogue and prose had me mumbling some lines and chuckling at the clever turn of phrase. Randolph is what is usually described as sardonic and tends to evade questions. But when he does say what he really thinks, usually when talking to and about Saul, I can’t help but internally squeal because it’s clear that he loves/adores/worship Saul. Saul is what is described as a tender but scarred soul. I greatly admire him and his resilience. He was just suddenly thrust into another war he had no idea existed but he didn’t back down. Sometimes in a love story, I tend to love one of the pair more than the other but here, I love them both so much.
The rest of the Green Men deserved books of their own. Sam is getting one (hooray!) but I am conflicted because it’s m/f. Yeah, OK, they can’t be all gay as much as I want them to be. Barney and Max definitely should have their own HEA (love ‘em!).
The world building and the magic system are awesome! Rooted in myths and folklore, seamlessly integrated into post-world war 1920s and very convincingly delivered. The time and place was very palpable and imagining the War Beneath and the Great Summonings scared the hell out of me at 3 a.m.
Please do read this book even if you are not into MM.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Time for Heroes
Artist: The Libertines
Album: Up the Bracket(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35118935-spectred-isle)
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Captive Prince: Green but for a Season – C.S. Pacat
Green but for a Season is the first of a series of four Captive Princeshort stories. It follows the relationship between Jord and Aimeric and is set during the events of Prince’s Gambit.
Glimpses of Damen and Laurent are always welcome. Trying not to think of Aimeric’s fate. I’m just glad Jord survived everything.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31814812-green-but-for-a-season)
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Wanted, A Gentleman – K.J. Charles
WANTED, A GENTLEMAN
Or, Virtue Over-Ratedthe grand romance of
Mr. Martin St. Vincent … a Merchant with a Mission, also a Problem
Mr. Theodore Swann … a humble Scribbler and Advertiser for LoveAct the First:
the offices of the Matrimonial Advertiser, London
where Lonely Hearts may seek one another for the cost of a shillingAct the Second:
a Pursuit to Gretna Green (or thereabouts)
featuring
a speedy Carriage
sundry rustic Inns
a private Bed-chamber***
In the course of which are presented
Romance, Revenge, and Redemption
Deceptions, Discoveries, and Desiresthe particulars of which are too numerous to impart.
Eloping couples, damsels in distress, bland heroes, dastardly villains, wild goose chases. Your average penny romance novel tropes except that things are not always what they seem.
Swann runs a business publishing ads from people looking for husbands or wives and moonlights as a writer. He has a scheming mind and I love it that he looks average. St. Vincent is a black merchant with a lot of baggage from the past. He was tasked to pursue his former master’s daughter who ran away with a man a.k.a Troilus. The story itself was not all about the Swann and St. Vincent. It was discovering who was the mystery man who swept away the underage heiress and stopping them before they reach Gretna Green and exchange vows. Swann and St. Vincent’s relationship gradually developed over the course of the chase. In order to bring back the errant damsel to the bosom of her family, they realized they needed a villain more than a hero.
Is it a fun read? Yes! K.J. Charles never lets me down. But I didn’t feel that much invested in the couple. I felt the friendship more than the romance between them. If they didn’t end up together romantically and settled as friends, it would have been entirely OK with me.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31225405-wanted-a-gentleman)
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Mechanical Universe: Winter’s Bees – E.E. Ottoman
Lord Marcel de la Mont de Anges, the Marquis de Montespan is a brilliant mathematician, member of the mechanical animation movement and all around dandy. He’s been in love with shy, quiet entomologist and youngest member of the royal family, Prince Gilbert André XVI, since they were children. The Emperor’s plans to arrange a marriage between Marcel and Gilbert should have been the answer to all his secret fantasies.
But Gilbert is still reeling from a nasty breakup, and he cannot picture the man he regards as a brother becoming his lover. The order to marry has thrown their relationship into disorder, and if they cannot sort out the changes there may not even be a friendship left for them to save…
E.E. Ottoman’s stories are peopled with diverse characters I rarely see in other stories. There’s an Indian ballet dancer, a trans man, a castrato, pudgy love interests, female police and military generals and so on. In this last installment of Mechanical Universe, Marcel is an adopted Eastern (possibly Asian descent) Marquis with physical disabilities. The world itself is diverse, with magic and science working together seamlessly.
The best parts of the story for me was the first half because that where I felt the sparks and I found the two really cute. I was also looking forward to them reminiscing about their younger days and the times they spent together. The middle part was the dragging part.
The way these two agonized over their marriage was a bit of a snooze-fest for me mainly because married people’s problems are boring. The party near the end was a good way to wrap up the story because the reader gets to meet all the gang again. I wished there were more interaction with these characters.
Overall, I would recommend the entire Mechanical Universe series. As favorite author and editor K.J. Charles said:
“I love EE Ottoman’s writing. I love the worldbuilding, and the realistic, insecure characters nervously feeling their way through to one another, and the odd passions, and the secrets. It’s a lovely novella and as ever, I wanted more, longer, deeper. I want a full-length EE Ottoman novel and to see what they do on a bigger stage, pushing the characters further and harder. But for now, this will do very nicely.
“
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23459938-winter-s-bees)
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Mechanical Universe: Duende – E.E. Ottoman
Famed opera singer Aimé has a lot in common with Badri, the Royal Ballet Company’s most popular male lead. They have both dedicated their entire lives to their art, and struggle to be taken seriously among the Empire’s elite. And both harbor a secret admiration and desire for the other.
This year for his birthday Aimé treats himself to a night at the ballet seeing Badri perform, and after the show decides to meet Badri and confess his admiration for Badri’s skill. But when that first awkward meeting turns to more, they are left wondering if there is room in their lives for both career and romance…
Artist types who can’t wait to get into each others breeches. If it succeeded in making me feel anything, it was boredom. The idea of a castrato and a ballet dancer pairing certainly piqued interest there was not much going on in terms of the story itself.
Rating
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn book
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22699093-duende)
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Mechanical Universe: A Matter of Disagreement – E.E. Ottoman
The rise of mechanical animation, and its popularity at court, is threatening to end Andrea’s scholarly pursuits of spell craft and literature—and force him to let go of his assistants, who depend on him to support their families In retaliation against the field that is ruining his life, Andrea begins to campaign against it. The efforts gain him notoriety, but do not solve his financial dilemmas.
When he is dragged to a party by his brother, he comes face to face with the man who pioneered mechanical animation: Leon Gregory de la Marche VI, Marquis de la Marche. And he is not at all what Andrea expected.
Major points to the author for having an MC who’s slightly out of shape (aren’t we all?) and a nerdy transman who’s a gentleman and an inventor The conflict between the two MCs was not as intense as other friends-to-enemies stories but the chemistry was there. The whole book read like cute YA, written in Andrea’s POV and sounded like a 17 year old’s ‘voice’ except near the end where it got all kinky and explicit. I don’t know what the spells are in the spell craft part (I suspect it could probably be just electricity) but I imagine the mechanical birds are as delicate as Faberge eggs.
I think this story is a good introduction to E.E. Ottoman’s works. It sure as hell made me pick up book 2 immediately.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20445481-a-matter-of-disagreement)
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A Society of Gentlemen: The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh – K.J. Charles
Passion is on the cards for two reckless rogues as K. J. Charles ups the ante in her Society of Gentlemen series with a sizzling eBook short story.
The youngest son and the blackest sheep in his family, Lord Gabriel Ashleigh never imagined he could sink so low. Though he’s a notoriously bad gambler, he takes on the formidable but strangely alluring Francis Webster, only to lose everything: all his money, the lovely estate he inherited from his aunt, and any hope of future happiness. So it’s a shock when Webster summons him to a private game for a chance to win back his possessions. The stake? If he fails, Ash must surrender his body.
Francis has been waiting years for this moment. At Eton, Ash’s elder brother harassed him relentlessly. Now, consumed by lust and rage, Francis is only too happy to exploit Ash’s foolish indiscretions. But as Francis strips the magnificently built youth—first of his family assets, then his clothes—he begins to wonder whether he’s been plotting revenge … or exquisite seduction.
I love short stories and quick reads because I have a short attention span but sometimes you need a full length book or at least a novella to flesh out the development of a relationship. They, here, need at least a couple more card games. Still this did a good job of making me want to read the series. K.J. Charles can do no wrong.
Rating:
3 Stars – not exactly setting my world on fire but I liked it
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26067203-the-ruin-of-gabriel-ashleigh)
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Masters of Rome Series – Colleen McCullough
An epic series about the last years of the Roman republic, struggles between politicians and generals, and the men and women in the centre of all.
The M/M genre was not yet invented when these were published so it’s not really LGBT-centric. This series is all Roman politics and lifestyle and shows you that people were gay even back then. And not just gay, I mean, the wealthy Romans were the sort who slept with everything that moves. Plus they really know how to throw a party.
The main star of this series was obviously Caesar but people need to know Sulla more. He was as golden as Sebastian St. Vincent and twice as debauch. He would have been as famous or notorious as Caesar if Caesar was not in the picture. My interest in this series petered out when it was just all about Caesar and his women.
Rating:
The First Man in Rome – 5 stars
Fortune’s Favorite – 5 stars
The Grass Crown – 5 stars
Caesar’s Women – 4 stars
The October Horse – 4 stars5 Stars – absolutely perfect
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits*haven’t read Caesar and Anthony and Cleopatra
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/series/43716-masters-of-rome)
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Think of England: Song for a Viking – K.J. Charles
‘Song for a Viking’ takes place during/just after the events of the last chapter of Think of England and will be of no use at all to anyone who hasn’t read that book. It is not a standalone.
You will definitely get the most out of it if you remind yourself of Think of
England’s last chapter before readingThis I enjoyed more that the main story because we get to see what’s going on in Daniel’s head.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29754736-song-for-a-viking)
