Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

15 reviews

jess_justmaybeperfect's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

In Book 1 of The Doomsday Books by KJ Charles, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, we meet Sir Gareth Inglis, the reluctant baronet, & Mr. Joss Doomsday, leader of the Doomsday smuggling clan. Gareth (“London”) and Joss (“Kent”) have a week long love affair ended by Gareth in a moment of panic and heartbreak. Soon enough, in a courtroom of all places, they cross paths again and their reconnection begins.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is an interracial, gay, second chance, rivals to lovers, class differences, found family, mystery fueled, and adventurous romance. These two and their late night meetings to tryst or go hunting for cool beetles, or both (!!) learn love, trust, kindness, and devotion together. 

Highlight: even though both men have numerous awful family members Gareth’s step-aunt/housekeeper and Joss’s grandfather provide a tremendous amount of support for and understanding of their relationship. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Racism and Slavery

nevermoregothic's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Homophobia, Murder, and Outing

Minor: Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Death of parent

cheye13's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I picked this up for a cozy silly time and that's what I got for the first two thirds. Then it spiraled into a Peaky Blinders-esque crime thriller genre and I gotta say, while I was not disappointed, I was also not prepared. While I didn't end on the cozy note I was hoping for, that last portion did have me turning pages like crazy and did make for a fun read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Blood, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Homophobia, Torture, Violence, Medical content, and Murder

Minor: Rape, Slavery, Grief, and Pregnancy

- There is understated threat of blackmailing both main characters with homosexual/sodomy allegations throughout the book

- Because semi-organized crime is a large part of the plot, there is violence and threats of violence throughout

- There is a torture scene, which is detailed but brief, consisting primarily of threats and culminating in a drowning attempt

- There are mentions of a past rape and veiled threats of rape

- The child abuse happens largely off-page, but the results are quite detailed, and it ultimately culminates in a knifing attempt

kaneebli's review

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Outing

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Rape, Slavery, and Pregnancy

wanderingtales's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Slavery, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

ajb24's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

5 stars bc we looooveee unexpectedly-supportive family members and cheesy happy endings (despite hostile times) for our mixed-race, M-M couple!!! 

there's just something about the proposal/vows at the end that makes me sooo!!!! they're saying such cheesy things, but considering the era they live in, it's just so special to me that they would still make these "traditional" promises to each other!! they just love each other that much!!!

Small things I NEED to mention:
1. kind of obsessed with how Gareth's truth (that he was just wandering the marsh looking for bugs) from an outside perspective literally sounds like a bad lie 🤣
2. I found it v funny when Gareth was telling Cecilia "I'd hope that a man would be on my side....if I was a young lady, of course!" like...hahaha,,,,gay 😂

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Abandonment

Moderate: Murder and Classism

Minor: Racism and Slavery

crystalisreading's review

adventurous emotional hopeful

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

More violence and tension than i expected, but nevertheless absolutely delightful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Grief, and Outing

Minor: Misogyny, Slavery, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

thereadingoutlaw's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

the one where gareth moves back, becomes a baronet, wants to but then doesn't give testimony against Josiah 'Joss' Doomsday's sister for smuggling, and the continues to fall in love with his former London several-night-stand while they unravel

a plot involving money laundering, smuggling, kidnapping, and inevitable murder, although only of people you're okay seeing be murdered.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Slavery

jess_justmaybeperfect's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

In Book 1 of The Doomsday Books by KJ Charles, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, we meet Sir Gareth Inglis, the reluctant baronet, & Mr. Joss Doomsday, leader of the Doomsday smuggling clan. Gareth (“London”) and Joss (“Kent”) have a week long love affair ended by Gareth in a moment of panic and heartbreak. Soon enough, in a courtroom of all places, they cross paths again and their reconnection begins.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is an interracial, gay, second chance, rivals to lovers, class differences, found family, mystery fueled, and adventurous romance. These two and their late night meetings to tryst or go hunting for cool beetles, or both (!!) learn love, trust, kindness, and devotion together. 

Highlight: even though both men have numerous awful family members Gareth’s step-aunt/housekeeper and Joss’s grandfather provide a tremendous amount of support for and understanding of their relationship. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Racism and Slavery

ramakn22's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Confinement, Cursing, Homophobia, Infertility, Sexual violence, Slavery, Grief, Pregnancy, and Outing