Glad I got to start reading KJ Charles with such an enjoyable title! A lovely and thrilling adventure, wonderful character connections, and a sweet romance. Charles really shows off her writing with this one. Both Gareth and Joss's characters have such unique and inspiring growth and the story is accurate enough to the time period that anything that seems out of place can easily be swept away with suspension of disbelief. I was kind of in awe at how each and every character had not only a role to play in the story but also were so well fleshed out.

The ending scene made me teary-eyed. I will definitely continue reading more of KJ Charles' books!

Regency romances are my weakness and this one delivered! The romance was really well built, Joss and Gareth relationship was sweet (and spicy) and I enjoyed seeing them grow and try to do better for each other. The secondary characters were also great, we get to meet both families and all of them are very well developed. I'd actually love to know more about some of them (Cecy and Ma Doomsday). While the action was entertaining in the beginning I feel it dragged a bit on the second half of the book and I'd prefer the focus stayed on the characters. It also felt a bit unresolved in the end. However, I still really loved this book and I'll be sure to check out the next!

Sir Gareth Inglis inherits his father's estate in the marshland and life changes for him very quickly. He soon becomes unwittingly involved with smugglers and their conflicts, though one smuggler looks quite familiar to him. As their secret trysts become more and more entangled with the mystery of his father's debts and shady dealings, and Sir Gareth's own family emerges from the mists to control his estate, Sir Gareth and his sister fear for their life. Will his handsome smuggler keep them safe and will they be able to share their lives together? This romantic mystery kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next. This is a perfect cozy read for fans of both historical romance and mystery.

I love-love-love-LOVED this book so much! Such a thrilling, mysterious romance right from the first page. The characters were multi-dimensional and their personalities were different enough that the heroes complimented one another perfectly. The naturalist angle brought some real beauty and depth to the writing, and I loved that there was so much going on beyond the love story (although that's not to say the romance itself wasn't spicy and tumultuous). I've recommended it to several friends already!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early! This book was such a fun and easy read and I loved every second of it. I love the idea of second chance romance and thus the set-up and eventual identity reveal was delightfully tense. Gareth and Joss, of course, had to build up trust with each other once more and I appreciated that it happened over the course of many conversations, rather than just one and all is forgiven. They clearly help each other grow and consider the world in new ways, and those are my favorite kinds of couples. The history of smuggling in Kent was interesting to read about so I was sorry to see it slightly sidelined on behalf of the central mystery, which did include some smuggling but was mostly family drama. I did love, however, how through this mystery, Gareth finally learned to stand up for himself. I loved how most of the characters that found out the true nature of Gareth and Joss’ relationship were supportive and treated them no differently. (Those who did treat them differently and badly saw a karmic ending). This book was equal parts charming, steamy, and just pure fun and I adored it! For anyone who loves couples with banter and great chemistry, do yourself a favor and pick this up!

4.5 / 5

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, put simply, begins with how two men - nicknamed London and Kent - meet in a pub in early 1800s England. What is supposed to be a one time sexual encounter turns into a passionate week long fling… which just as quickly ends sourly. They go their separate ways, never expecting to run into each other again. Our protagonist London - actually named Gareth - is on a stretch of misfortune, and as fate would have it, he finds himself ensnared in a deadly smuggling ring… headed by none other than ‘Kent’ himself.

Both of these men possess completely contrasting morals, and their upbringings couldn't be any more different. By coincidence, or merely inevitability, they become entwined once again when their lives begin spiraling into disorder and lawlessness. At it's heart, this is a story of found family with a tender romance building throughout, and it delivers the hard hitting message that blood relatives can often be our worst enemies.

I truly enjoyed this book. K.J. Charles absolutely immerses you into this setting from beginning to end: from the beautiful descriptions of the sprawling marshes, to the extensive period dialogue that I've come to realize I need in historical romance. Speaking of dialogue: K.J. Charles never shies away from a lengthy scene full of it, and I love that in books. It allows characters to develop and I just adored them all here. Joss, Catherine, Ma Doomsday, and Granpa Doomsday all have my entire heart.

The .5 reduction off the rating is due to the pacing: it starts out strong (favorites material), but seems to titter off around the middle. That is absolutely the only thing I could say I wasn't taken with in this novel. Overall it’s pretty slow burn, so take note of that before diving in.

I can't wait for the sequel/(spin-off?) this fall!

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and K.J. Charles for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this m/m regency romance! Gareth and Joss were both immensely lovable characters and all the side characters were also delightful! This is going to be a series and I definitely am looking forward to more!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

"The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen" is a sweet and spicy tale full of danger, both physical and emotional. I adored all the characters and their complexities, and the mystery kept me engaged throughout.

This book is best described as a historical romance between a baronet with daddy issues and a smuggler with a heart of gold. I loved how immediately Gareth and Joss were drawn to each other, but still taking their time to figure out how to be truly vulnerable and to lean on one another.

KJ Charles always writes the perfect balance of spice, mystery, and truly heartfelt moments. There is also lovely humour woven throughout the story, which I always appreciate, especially to lighten some of the tougher topics.

Fans of historical fiction, mystery, and queer romance will appreciate this well-crafted story about two men trying to find themselves and each other in a world that is harsh and dangerous. I highly recommend "The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen" for your next read as you wander the Marsh hunting for beetles (or true love).

Gareth Inglis is estranged from his father and living a marginal life in London, working for his uncle as a law clerk and looking for companionship in the city's gay underworld. He has a romantic encounter with a visitor from the marsh country, but a misunderstanding pushes them apart. When his father dies suddenly, Gareth finds himself in possession of a title, a country estate, a sister, and wealth. Life in the country is a lot different than Gareth expected but as he slowly learns the pleasures of country living, he also begins to suspect that his father was not only selfish man, but may have been a traitor to his country as well.

Boy meets boy in this LGBTQ romance/adventure novel that is the first book of a duology. I'm not much of a romance reader, but I had read another of the author's novels (The Magpie Lord, a gay fantasy/romance), so when NetGalley offered an eARC of her upcoming book, I decided to give it a try. Good characters (although there are a lot of Doomsdays) including strong female characters, interesting circumstances and descriptions, good writing. I hope the author will continue to explore her characters' lives in the next book. Be advised there is graphic gay sex starting on about page three with a lot more in the last half of the book. Doesn't bother me but more sensitive readers may take offense.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

I received a copy from NetGalley for review.

I ended up DNF'ing this at 33%. Not because it's bad, or badly written, but simply because this book isn't for me. I didn't really enjoy Gareth as a main character (I actually find him more on the annoying side than anything) and it made it very difficult to want to continue reading. I'm sure there's definitely someone out there that will love the romance between Gareth and Joss, it's just not for me.

I did enjoy the first encounter between them when Joss is trying to help Sophy. It was kind of funny and the secondhand embarrassment was real. That being said, I do think that if the whole thing was told from Joss's POV I would have devoured the whole thing. There's just something about scoundrels that makes me like reading from their POV's more than those of the upper class.

Gareth and Joss meet in London, it’s a one night stand and although it’s definitely feels like more, they live in different places so this is all that they’ll ever have.
Couple months pass and Gareth gets news, his father has passed and he has inherited a Baronet title in Kent. Little did he knows, this will take him to the marsh we’re he’s supposed to be… with Joss.
I truly enjoyed this story, it’s lovely to see MM romance in an antique era. The characters were amazing. Their walks around the marsh looking for newts and bugs, their neighbors hunting for gold… Gareth getting acquainted with his new title and extended family. Joss being a strong man and all in for Garreth. So good! Loved their rings… IYKYK

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is an absolute delight. It's full of action, sweeping romance, and long conversations that just make me swoon. I love a brilliant, action-packed romance. There's plenty of mysteries here, which drive Gareth and Joss work together despite them being so opposite - Gareth the newly promoted baronet and Joss the smuggling prince.

Sir Gareth Inglis and Joss Doomsday are opposite of each other in many aspects but oh so perfect together. They have incredible chemistry, which makes their interactions intense whether it's arguments or love scenes. KJ Charles's storytelling is truly engaging; I could barely put the book down and I lived through Gareth and Joss's emotions. It's glorious! Combine a great, unforgettable romance with action, mystery, and enchanting sense of scenery, and you get The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen.

What do you get when put two rival smuggling families, a former law clerk with a recently acquired baronetcy, some interesting beetles, and thousands of pounds of ill-gotten treasure on an isolated Kentish marsh together?

ROLLICKING GOOD FUN, that’s what, lol.

I really enjoyed this. It’s incredibly romantic, wildly tense and dramatic, and the dynamic between the two leads can’t be described in any other way but *chef’s kiss*. It’s not a dynamic I’ve seen very often in romance — short king charming crime boss with a heart of gold / tall soft naturalist baronet with a nervous disposition — LMAO I’m laughing even typing that — but it’s SO good! This book manages to do things against a historical backdrop that the other regency romances I’ve read haven’t managed to pull off — a convincing cross-class relationship, non-white major characters, and a high-stakes crime-related plot that actually makes sense and plays into the internal conflicts within the relationship. The “diverse” elements of this book (that’s an annoying way to put it but I’m not sure how else to) feel woven into the scenery, not like flashing lights to alert us that DIVERSITY is happening. The characters also don’t feel like their views are shoe-horned in from 2023, which is one of my biggest pet peeves in historical romances.

What I will say is that readers shouldn’t look to this book for a Bridgerton clone (I saw Bridgerton being used as a comp in the marketing copy). There is no ton, no parties or balls, and really almost nothing in the way of ruling class nonsense. I love ruling class nonsense as much as the next romance-obsessed person, but this book is doing something different and just as fun with the historical setting. Where this book overlaps with Bridgerton is in the regency setting and the interracial relationships — and this book handles the interracial aspect much better than Bridgerton, in that it’s actually tied to real history.

I could see the smuggling/crime plot dragging this down a bit for people, and there were parts when I was reading it as quickly as possible to get back to the romance. I glossed over Joss and Gareth’s political arguments a bit. But I have to give the author props for the amount of research that must have gone into that, and the payoff, when everything comes to a head in the last 25% of the book, is thrilling.

From a steam perspective, there is a lot of it, which I love. Some of the (probably historically accurate) wording used was a bit of a turn off for me, but nothing bad enough to ruin the truly beautiful relationship between the leads.

This was a blast and I will definitely be checking out the author’s other work. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big KJ Charles fan, so I was delighted to get an ARC of The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen . In getting it, I was particularly excited to look for two things. First, having now consumed a significant chunk of KJC backlist, I was curious how her newest would engage the themes and motifs I now easily recognize as hallmarks of her writing. And second, I was curious what the turn to major trad-pub would mean, mostly because I enjoy thinking about how work is positioned for the particularities of its anticipated audience and publishing trajectory.

The short version of these musings is: I am delighted to report that this book has enough of what makes KJ Charles KJ Charles to satisfy her many devoted fans. And it also makes a lot of canny choices to entice and keep a new set of readers. That said, it didn't necessarily land for *me personally* as well as some of her other work- there's a particular alchemy to the balance of romance emotion and plot pressure that hits a very specific way in my favorites of hers, that didn't quite work here. But I still enjoyed it immensely, and think a lot of other readers, both the new and the longtime devotees, will find a lot to love.

There is, as ever, quite a lot of plot, and I'm going to try not to bog my review down with the details. Our two MCs, Gareth and Joss, start out the book known to each other only as "London" and "Kent," two men having a brief tryst and catching unexpected levels of feelings. Unfortunately, both tryst and feelings are interrupted by real life: Joss is called back home, Gareth is too hurt and guarded to admit he wants to keep in touch, and then Gareth himself has some things to face as he discovers his father has died and left him a baronetcy in Romney Marsh.

This is, of course, precisely where Joss has been called home to.

Cue life keeping Joss and Gareth on opposite sides of just about everything: Joss is a smuggler and Gareth is a baronet, Garteth is outmarsh and Joss is a veritable local institution, Gareth's a law-and-order type and Joss is... not, as as the plot unfurls, it turns out Gareth's inheritance includes the repercussions of some VERY unsavory dealings with Joss's family's main rivals.

The biggest thing differentiating them, however, is their relationship to family, and I found the KJ Charles treatment of biological family as a major theme to be really interesting (and not something I think of as a main concern of hers usually?). To put it simply: Gareth has been shaped by an absence of family, and Joss by a surfeit thereof. Gareth was essentially abandoned by his father, shipped off to an uncle who didn't care for him, and then returns to his "family" home to find mostly people who wish he wasn't there, to varying degrees of murderousness. Joss, on the other hand, runs his entire sprawling smuggler family (both biological and non) and is trying to put up with the pressure of being answerable to and responsible for everyone. Both men, from opposite directions of the issue, desperately need and want someone who is "just for them" and find it in each other.

This is, I thought, a really compelling conflict, and one which allows the author to spin out a gentle romance built on a lot of love and care. It was also intriguing to me how both men were yearning for a kind of traditional stability within recognizable family structures, even if they have to carve their own pathway into it. It makes sense given their family histories, but it definitely felt like an intriguing thematic departure to me! I won't spoil anything, but the ending plays very closely to a lot of traditional regency HEA tropes - with a twist - in a way that I do imagine will land well for readers with a more mainstream regency reading background. And, of course, it comes with an underpinning of a lot of more usual KJC questions (what can love look like across social class? where do our MCs situate "morality" against "legality" and how do they negotiate that calculus in a fundamentally unjust world?) that her regular readers will revel in.

The one area where this didn't *quite* work for me though is that... while there's clearly a compelling internal emotional arc to this book, and while it's obviously related to the plot (the smuggling shenanigans all have implications for both Joss and Gareth's places in their families).... there's such an incredible surfeit of plot points that they kind of bury the mystery-plot-to-romance-emotions pipeline that I need to sustain real feelings. It left me feeling both vaguely disconnected from the romance at times, and slightly exasperated with the lack of space to invest in any one plot thread at others.

What it comes down to, I think, is this. KJ Charles is always grappling with social class and legality/morality in her work, and that's always coming from a combination of the "internal/emotional/romance" plot and the "external/action-packed/suspense" plot. In her best books, the two are thematically related, and that's the case here. In my *favorite* of her books, the plot-plot is ruthlessly streamlined to serve the emotional impact of the romance-plot, and I didn't find that to be the case in The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen . There was, if nothing else, simply too much else going on for the romance to really shine. That is, it has to be said, a very personal and kind of picky thing! But it's why I found this book enjoyable, well-executed, cleverly pitched for both old and new readers alike, and yet not necessarily a candidate for my pantheon of KJC forever-favorites. Still, a thoroughly lovely reading experience.

Joss and Gareth meet in a time honored tradition -in a pub. No names are exchanged and both thoroughly enjoy themselves and go their own separate sad ways. Until...life intervenes.

I loved the dialogue and the setting. I've been to Kent but not like this. I learned several new words, another-when and otherwhere, and Gareth was perfectly adorable with exploring for his beetles and newts. Joss took Gareth to find bugs and that was the perfect date. The cover was fantastic, but could have used beetles and newts!

The underlying smuggling and Gareth's father's shenanigans gave a bit of mystery to solve. I will say that I'm completely fine with the way the story ended with a "happy for now" but I'm very curious about guineas and how their relationship evolves in the public eye. I'm not sure if there's another book or if there would be a story about secondary characters, but I'm not ready to leave the Doomsdays or Cecy, Catherine, Luke, or Asa yet. Perfect amount of steam and angst. I love the communication style between Gareth and Joss.

I just loved this book. London and Kent are my everything. Politics, adventure, finding yourself, finding home, a bit of spice and a whole lot of love.

ARC from NetGalley

Review on goodreads and StoryGraph

This book was just so multifaceted and interesting. The romantic leads each came with their own emotional baggage, as in any worthy romance, but they also had political views and thoughts and hobbies. I enjoyed reading about Gareth's explorations of the Marshland fauna and Joss's political opinions, and seeing the characters argue and bond over these subjects gave their romantic scenes more depth.

Speaking of the romance, it was great. Gareth and Joss felt like a truly compatible couple, and their love story was affectionate as well as spicy. The obstacles in their relationship arose naturally from their histories and circumstances, and although I never doubted they would end up together (it's a romance novel, after all), the smuggling mystery as so diverting that it stole the show. The whole thing wrapped up nicely, with just enough loose ends to feel realistic... and leave room for a sequel.

When it’s time to branch out from the Bridgerton series, KJ Charles’s new book is the one to open!

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen includes everything amazing about regency romances. There’s a son who inherits his less than loving father’s money, a scandal, smugglers, and of course some spice!

While the novel’s plot was slow at the beginning, the growing chemistry between forbidden lovers Gareth and Joss is worth the wait. Fans of the hit show Our Flag Means Death may be reminded of Steve Bonnet and Blackbeard, as these opposites fiercely attract!

Whether you’re brand new to historical romances, or your shelves are overflowing, be sure to pick up a copy of this new series on March 7th!

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reading this felt like watching a BBC mini series or PBS Masterpiece special, and I mean that in a good way!

If you like books with a strong sense of place, found family, and steamy scenes this historical is for you.

I love, love, LOVED this! The story, the romance, and the setting gripped me from the start, and I already know I will return to it again in the future. It has action and intrigue while giving all the feels, and I couldn't help but imagine I was there running around the marsh with Gareth and Joss. I adored them both, I adored the cast of characters (so many of them deserve their own book!), and I'd recommend this story for fans of second-chance romance, found family, lots of drama, and anyone looking for a Historical Romance set outside of London. I cannot wait for book #2!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.