I loved this- seeing Luke grown up and dealing with his trauma is very satisfying for readers of the first book in this series. Charles has once again cast a spell on me with this pastoral queer romance. Rufus is a darling, and I adore him. Just a good show all around, highly recommend.

I love a time jump in a series and A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel serves one up in a delightful way. While this could be read as a standalone story, it’s so incredibly satisfying when you’ve read the previous book and know of the events being referenced in this one.

Little Luke Doomsday is all grown up and is back in the Marsh area looking for work. He was taken in by Sir Gareth and Joss at the end of the previous book. They sent him to school and he’s been working as a secretary. Now he’s been presented by a devious pair of villains as having evidence to dispute the ruling of the heraldic courts to be the rightful heir, Rufus. Rufus realizes that Luke could actually be the heir, but he needs a secretary at the same time and hires Luke.

The first chapter, which sets this all up, is confusing. I read it twice to get all the people and details straight. From there, things get better and the pace picks up. Of course Rufus and Luke fall in love. There’s a hitch in that Luke is also searching for the gold that was lost at the end of the first book.

I found tue number of characters a little confusing, especially since remembering the lashes cast from the first book is necessary to understand some of the secondary plot(s). Still, it was a fun read.

3.5 Stars..... This book takes place 13 years after the first book with Luke Doomsday all grown up and looking for employment with Major Rufus d’Aumesty. He’s become quite educated after the tragic events of book 1 and is a whiz at being a secretary for earls and lords and getting all of their papers and affairs sorted. And while it took me several chapters to get into the story and learn all the characters and the complex plot, I did like this book.

It’s challenging to talk about this book because a lot of it is a mystery plot which gets revealed halfway and towards the end of the story, so I don’t want to say much. But KJC is a master at weaving together inheritance plots, schemes, mysteries with gay romance, sexy times and feelings of love. The Doomsdays don’t appear in this one quite as much as I would have liked (there is only mention of Joss), but the focus is on Luke and Rufus’s relationship. There is also a mystery from book 1 that comes to fruition and is solved in this story.

I did have a few issues with this book, and although it’s not fair of me I can’t help but compare this series to her other ones. For me, I didn’t feel the chemistry between the MCs quite as much as in, say, the Will Darling or Society of Gentleman series. I also found the plot a tad convoluted and I got impatient at times. I know people are loving the Doomsday books and I may be an outlier. I do still recommend them if you are a fan of her writing and I would definitely read a 3rd Doomsday book. I do love the Doomsdays! They are my favorite part.

•• Thanks to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC for a review ••

K.J. Charles never writes the same couple dynamics twice; they're complex and nuanced, and not easily distilled into tropes such as "grumpy vs. sunshine" or "enemies-to-lovers." "The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen," the first half of The Doomsday Books duology, featured insecure, intellectual Gareth and charming but overburdened smuggler king Jess. There are similarities between the situations confronting Gareth and "Nobleman's Guide's" Rufus; both are suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into elevated roles, but the two men's personalities couldn't be more different. While Gareth was a timid law clerk when his story began, Rufus is a former soldier - big, blunt and quick to anger. Luke, whom we met as a boy in "Secret Lives," is now an organized, smooth-tongued secretary, with a carefree attitude that obscures layers of hurt and anger.

Readers of "Secret Lives" will be aware that Luke is hiding a Big Secret. The suspenseful first half of "Nobleman's Guide" is shadowed by the knowledge that there will be fallout when the truth is inevitably revealed, even as the two MCs become friends and then lovers. The second half of the book truly rips your heart out as they gingerly start over, Luke determined to make amends and Rufus determined to uncover and address the reasons behind Luke's deceptive behavior. For readers who have ached for "Goldie" ever since he appeared in "Secret Lives," the catharsis and closure is long-awaited and beautifully executed.
I greatly appreciated the found family aspect that Charles frequently weaves into her plots. Rufus starts out as the unexpected heir to an earldom, with his tenants, servants, and new family all resenting him. But thanks to his innate goodness and Luke's assistance, he slowly wins over most of them, with a few notable (and treacherous) exceptions.

For those of you who like to categorize KJC's work by the number of corpses, I'd say this one is definitely on the low end of the scale. Unlike "Secret Lives," there is less external danger but more internal conflict, making the relationship between the MCs feel even more intimate. Two books into KJC's traditional publishing career and she has lost none of the sharpness that make her "romance with a body count" novels so uniquely satisfying.

ARC gratefully received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review.

4.5*

The first book in this series was onlu okay for me, so I was delighted that this one hit the mark so much more!

Firstly it works very much with the first book, building on major plot points from that, so I'd recommend reading it afterwards. That said, it isn't impossible to read as a standalone, as enough background is given.

Character wise, I didn't immediately warm to Rufus, mostly because his brusk lanner and tendency to shout at people were rather off-putting, especially to Odo, who I really liked. I found it difficult to root for a character who could be quite so dismissive. However the fact that he did not treat the staff like that was a big bonus, and by the end I appreciated a genuine character arc as he learnt better control of when his army behaviour would be useful, and how instead to learn patience and bolster self-esteem when appropriate, and to see the benefits of letting people blossom into themselves. I liked the demisexuality rep too.

In contrast Luke was one of the KJ Charles characters that I adore - morally grey, cocky, charming at times, and with a great vulnerability hidden underneath. His parts of the narrative worked very well for me, one if my favourite examples of how to use a narrative voice to both enlighten and to conceal. There is quite a lot of commentary about his scar, a lot of ableism and internalised ableism which was sometimes hard.

The relationship between Rufus and Luke was one of those that left me contented, with a powerful feeling that they would continue to make each other better.

It also worked very well with the plot, which was one of my issues with the first book. Here the external plot and internal conflicts were do well combined that almost everything felt that it was meshing together and leading each other on to the climactic points.

I did have a minor quibble with some of Luke's motivations for some of his actions, were I felt he was deliberately unclear because everything was caught up for him. But as a reader I kept feeling like I should be able to see his perspectives better, as an outsider. And instead I felt more confused than him! This may very well be a me thing however! The ending by contrast worked really well for me, but I can imagine it not hitting as well for everyone- I may be wrong but I can see it getting a mixed response.

Finally, the name choices for Rufus's cousins were perfect. I googled them out of curiosity and when I realised how they all related to the middle ages, to the family history period that Rufus's uncle was so fixated on, it just felt so perfectly in character, and an excellent example of how minor points like that can have a big impact.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC*

An immensely charming, emotionally honest & raw, psychologically steeped, drama entwined romance!

Well, knock me down with how blown away, gripped and struck I was with this book and it's seductively addictive draw! Totally unputdownable and so very different from the lighthearted escapism I expected from the cover as it revealed an engrossing, heartfelt and ensnaring romance, where the moments of levity, heady intimacy and heartwarming glimpses of pleasure came at such a hard won cost. Charles might be a new author for me but she has firmly cemented herself on my must read list. Where despite not needing to have read book 1, to appreciate and enjoy this book, l have bought it anyway to help pindown and bring insight into many of the subcharacters, the Doomsdays, that appear to remain an intriguing and emotionally compelling constant in the series. That require a deeper understanding to be able to appreciate and expose their entangled histories, strong wilful personalities and the strong abiding love they have for each other and the deep suffering they radiate.

A very cleverly crafted tale, that sings with an insightful intelligence and engrossing plot that interweaves a hard won romance between two tormented souls within its tapestry. As Rufus, fights for his Earldom as the believed usurper, gripping you with an eye of the storm tension, where your poised for the next clash of destructive manipulation to strike in a poisonous battle of will and wits to stifle a desperate need for control. On a knife's edge of intense swirling emotion that builds and festers with the toxically fraught family politics at Stone Manor. A Norman monstrosity as bitterly cold and unfeeling as the name suggests, as Refus faces a seemingly impenetrable wall of inbred animosity and hateful venom from his title hungry family. Until, secretary savvy Luke infiltrates with his canny charm, perceptiveness and sharp confidence to bring hope and help fix and counter his I-have-no-idea-how-to-be-an-earl insecurities where as a team they mount an offensive to cast small rays of sunshine where an imprisoning darkness once threatened to loom. But can Refus really rely on his unwavering support as his one true ally? Or is Luke hiding a secret so cunning and deceptive it's enough to devastate them both? I enjoyed every entangling minute of finding out!
Furthermore, I just loved the undercurrent of attraction that sparked and simmered through subtle flirtation and a flicker of something that twinkled and resonated in the dark depth of a glance or stare. Especially as the magnetic draw and pull to be closer to each other, that radiated in waves from the pair, sharply shifted, from the take care to pinpoint, assess and hope to decipher and build interest in each other, to a cocktail of intense, rough play intimacy, tipped with a spear of raw, hot, honest desire and playful teasing that evoked such a multifaceted love affair of heartwarming and heart rendering proportions. I became hooked and thoroughly invested in them being able to skirt their hazard thwarted road to happiness as Charles brought to life such intricate characters full of fallibility, suffering torment, a core of insightful kindhearted goodness and a tempest of feeling they don't belong to set off swirling feelings of worthlessness and mind numbing internal conflict -founded by their past histories- making each captured moment of pleasure and connection all the more potent.
An exciting series, absorbingly addictive in plot, characters and psychological drama!
What more can one say.... I loved it!

ok i loved this 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 More than anything, I loved our two leads: Rufus, the new Earl of Oxney; and Luke, member of the Doomsday family whom we previously met in book 1. These two were just so, so lovely together. Rufus is gruff and very much no-nonsense and yet also the sweetest, most kindhearted person you could ever imagine. (The novel itself puts it best: "Only somehow Oxney mattered, too, with his bursting energy, and his pugnacious looks that belied a laughing, generous soul.") And Luke is clever and smart and such a perfect foil for Rufus. They are both wonderful characters in their own right, and yet when they come together they make such a sweet, lovable pairing. Their romance works not only because they feel like such kindred spirits--they truly feel like friends even before they become anything more--but also because they are able to work through their issues with so much honesty and compassion for each other.

And speaking of Rufus and Luke's issues with each other, I thought this novel was so well-structured. Not only does the conflict feel plausible and grounded, but the novel also makes sure to give the characters the time and space to deal with it: to put it out in the open, to sit with it, to talk it through. All of this is to say, Charles does an excellent job at communicating the stakes of the relationship. You get attached to these two characters and their relationship, and when this conflict upsets that relationship, you realize just how much you'd loved seeing them together, and just how badly you're rooting for them to work through it and find their way back to each other again. Of course, it's a romance, so they do get back together, and it is just as moving and gratifying as you want it to be. Luke's development in particular really got to me: the way he held parts of himself close to his chest, and then the way he chooses to let them go, to be brave enough to be vulnerable to someone else, and then to have that someone be kind to him and accept him and love him. The angst!!!!! It made me cry--which, if a romance ever makes me cry, it's an instant favourite.

Anyway, this was a lovely, lovely read and easily my favourite novel of K.J. Charles's that I've read so far.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing me with an eARC of this via NetGalley!

Book two in the Doomsday series, this book improves upon the last (and the last was perfectly wonderful). Rufus has inherited a title, an estate, and a handful of very difficult family members. He didn't grow up in the family, and it was a surprise to everyone that he was alive and well and the legal successor. High drama. Luke Doomsday, who we know from book one, is all grown up and has come back to the marsh, securing a position as Rufus' secretary. Rufus and Luke make a great team, cleaning up the issues of the estate while getting quite close personally.
Secret motivations, betrayals, danger, and extremely A+ spice? Yes. Yes, indeed. But this story is also earnest in its depiction of love, romantic and familial, and so sweet to its desperately stuck characters that one can't help but feel that sweetness extend out beyond the page. This is certainly one of if not the best KJ Charles novel to date.

Why is is so much harder to write a review for books that are so good? I was so excited to receive this ARC, especially since I had just finished reading (and re-reading) the first book. Once again, pretty much everything worked for me here. I was sucked in right from the beginning and would have kept reading for another hundred pages!

The romance was excellent and the mystery and the family drama were also great and weaved in beautifully. The characters were so well drawn - who would have thought there could be a more swoon-worthy hero than Joss in book 1? But along comes kind-hearted, do-the-right-thing, owns-up-to-his-mistakes Rufus! Luke is definitely more flawed (and complex) and equally compelling. And the villains had very believable motives, which I greatly appreciate.

I was so proud of myself for figuring out the twist before the 50% mark, only to find there were more delicious twists and turns to come. It was great fun and I will be re-reading for sure and highly recommend this series.

The second book in KJ Charles' Doomsday series was a joy of a queer historical romance, featuring a pairing between Rufus D'Aumesty, the new (and very unexpected) Earl of Oxney, and Luke Doomsday, a member of a notorious smugglers clan on the Romney Marsh, who at age 13, apparently was a major supporting character in the previous book in the series. I have not read that book, but didn't find myself at all lost in this book as the author did a great job of weaving in the previous storyline for those of us that are new to the series. This book is set 13 yrs after the first book. Luke is now properly educated and has worked for years as a gentleman's secretary, something Rufus is desperately in need of as he tries to address years of neglect and mismanagement on the estate, while also dealing with his vile uncle, who had thought he would inherit the title and will stop at nothing to invalidate Rufus's claim.

Rufus was a wonderful character, a career soldier who had risen to the rank of major, and was well-used to command. He was straightforward, plain spoken, had an excellent moral compass, a bit of a temper, and was not afraid of hard work. In some ways, Luke was his opposite, clever, willing to work in the shadows to advance his own aims, good at finessing situations and people, and dealing with deep-seated emotional trauma from his difficult upbringing. Take these two volatile and strong characters, mix in old family secrets, whispers of buried treasure, family feuds, smuggling, a strong attraction between the two men, throw in an old, almost gothic castle for atmosphere, and you have all the ingredients needed for a great romance brilliantly executed by KJ Charles. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I may have loved A NOBLEMAN'S GUIDE TO SEDUCING A SCOUNDREL even more than the previous outing in this series, and could happily return to the Doomsday family and the Marsh for several more. KJ Charles does a great job here of balancing humor, heat, and an atmospheric yet self-aware Gothic setting with an emotional core story about families that gives a nuanced, realistic look at the difficulty of coming to terms with the effects of parental abuse and abandonment (even years after that parent is dead). Also I will just mention for anyone who likes this sort of thing that between this book and Freya Marske's A POWER UNBOUND, 2023 is becoming a good year for romances where the heroes act out scenes from pornographic gay historical novels together!

FANTASTIC sequel and well worth the wait!

KJC has such a hand for action filled romances, and this one absolutely delivers on that.. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole book, and the twists continue to the literal last page. It is swoony, has a daring rescue, wonderful chemistry, practical yet beautiful acts of love, and old, dark secrets. What more could you want!?

Oh? Cameos from the previous book? You get that too.

Overall very fun, very gripping, very romantic.

A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel is another 5 star romance from KJ Charles. It is the perfect blend of romance, steam and intrigue, and I didn’t want it to end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Career soldier Rufus is surprised to find himself the latest Duke of Oxney and owner of Stone Manor, on the edge of Romney Marsh. Not as surprised as his relatives, though, who’d expected to inherit the title and the estate. He is fighting both his new family and years of neglect when Luke Doomsday arrives. While Luke appears to be part of Rufus’s uncle’s scheme to gain the title, it turns out he might be the secretary and ally that Rufus desperately needs. But what is Luke really up to? And what about that pesky attraction between the two men?

Rufus is matter of fact, and has no patience for any scheming whatsoever. And it’s clear Luke has an ulterior motive for hanging around dark and creepy Stone Manor, even as he makes life easier for Rufus. I loved the way the book represents Rufus’s dyslexia, and the way Luke helps him without pitying him. Luke still carries a lot of damage from his childhood trauma, which is understandable. But, it becomes an even bigger obstacle once the pair act on their feelings.

The greed and entitlement of the gentry is an ongoing theme in KJ Charles’ books. One can never underestimate how far someone will go to hang on to money and power. Luke seems to understand that more than Rufus, who is extraordinarily fair and straightforward.

I highly recommend reading The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen before starting this book. Not only is it fantastic, but there are plot spoiler for Joss and Gareth’s book mentioned in this one. It also helps the reader understand Luke and his motivations better. And it’s a delight to visit with some of my favorite characters again.

I absolutely loved A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel. I adore Rufus and Luke, and their story. If you are a fan of queer historicals with disputed inheritances, some forced proximity, steamy moments and a bit of crime, don’t miss this book!

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

This is the second book of a duology and should be read as such. There are several plot points and characters from the first book that the reader should know before diving into this one.

This book takes place 13 years after The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen and stars Luke Doomsday.

Rufus d’Aumesty is the 19th earl of Oxney … unless his Uncle Conrad has his way. Conrad is convinced Rufus is illegitimate and, if so, believes that Conrad himself is the rightful earl. All he needs is proof. But, he might just have proof that Luke Doomsday is the son of the 18th earl. And if so, does that make Conrad the earl or Luke?

I was thrilled to see Luke star in his own adventure. Plus … cameos! All the cameos!

The overarching love story? Amazing. (Luke adapting his handwriting.)
The deception? Perfection. Each and every one.
The character arcs? Marvelous. I mean … Berengaria, Odo, and Fulk? That doesn’t even include Luke or Rufus. Their arc was top notch.

I adored this book. It was heartwarming, entertaining, stressful in the best way, and kept me entertained throughout. I could barely put the book down … except when I got worried and was a bit nervous to read what happened next. (I picked it back up right away though). I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for an arc of this book.

What a delight! Apparently, I love reading K.J. Charles's books even more than listening to them. And thanks to this author I'm falling in love with the genre of historical romance again. Wit, banter, sarcasm, word play - great writing style. Mix it with family feuds, secrets, old crimes, treasure hunt and sizzling romance between honest to a fault former major Rufus d'Aumesty, now Earl of Oxney, hiding a heart of gold underneath his short temper and bluntness, and his secretary Luke Doomsday - charming, yet devious, calculating and deeply vulnerable brat - and you get a gripping and passionate adventure.

And now I am very intrigued to read the first part of the series and get better acquainted with Sir Gareth and Luke's cousin Joss Doomsday.

Sincere thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the ARC.

An enjoyable, witty storey with relatable characters. Secondary characters lend background and depth to storey. Highly recommended!

I have read a lot of KJ Charles works and have immensely enjoyed all of them, including the first Doomsday book, and was thrilled to receive this as an ARC via NetGalley.

I'm disappointed to say that I found this book underwhelming. In this book we follow Luke Doomsday, who as an adult is a very competent secretary thanks to the education Sir Gareth ensured for him, but still dealing with the traumatic aftermath of The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen.

I found Rufus to be a delight as a character (a straight talking commoner turned soldier turned earl with a temper and a strong moral obligation) and the romance between Rufus and Luke had great chemistry, despite some awkward relationship beats (the conversation which pivoted their relationship from flirting/attraction to physical was quite clunky, in my opinion.) Overall, the first half of the book felt rather slow and domestic, dealing more with the affairs of Rufus' estate and the developing romance than any kind of treasure hunting.

In the second half, Luke deals with the aftermath of his scheming and plotting, and there is quite a bit of emotional exposition, which for me is where the book really felt flat. It is quite dialogue heavy, and uses only dialogue to explore some pretty heavy emotions and a lot of history, which to me felt like quite a bit of word vomit. I would've liked to see more of Luke's development in actions rather than words - awkward scenes with his family (which we don't really get) or moments where he might be questioning his choices more before it all blows up in his face, or seeing Luke's past abuse and how he reacts to Rufus' anger problems. As it was there was a lot more "tell" than "show", and the emotional conversations felt very dialogue heavy and detached.

The treasure hunt itself takes a very minimal role in the book other than a plot point of why they met and a big reveal regarding the villains at the end of the book. It leaves the book rather shallow in the action department, a departure from KJ's other books. It does resolve loose ends from Secret Lives and has a lot of familiar faces, but otherwise I felt it was underwhelming compared to the first book in the series.

I can't quite wrap my head around my thoughts for this one. On some levels I enjoyed it more than the first, but the build up to action -climax-more action-revelation that leads to...nothing makes me feel like we didn't get a satisfying ending or plot.

The romance and friendship and general Doomsday of it all remain lovely. I suppose maybe I wish less focus on been on a plot that doesn't really matter by the end and more solely focused on the two idiots who communicate clearly but have no sense.

Wow. What a journey this was with one heart pounding ending. Reading adult Luke was a joy, considering all the events of the first book. I really enjoyed his wit paired with Rufus’s somewhat quick temper but also good heart. Generally speaking, I’m not a fan of secrets being part of the plot but it all just worked here and I enjoyed reading it all unfold.

Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC! I’m very grateful.

An easy 5 stars! The first Doomsday book was just such an enjoyable read, and when I saw there was a sequel and that it would pick up with Luke's story I expected to like it but I didn't anticipate just how great it would be.

I thought Luke had grown and was developed into a complex and engaging character, with depths and charm, and I found his chemistry with Rufus to be genuine, and as a reader I had immediate investment in their story and relationship. There was also a great pleasure to be had in returning to some familiar faces and seeing the happy lives that have played out.

This is a sequel that took the bones of a strong world presented in the first book and built and expanded on it and I just loved it. Both books will be easy comfort re-reads for me

KJ Charles just writes the perfect blend of historical romance and adventure that my brain eats up in spades.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the ARC