Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

53 reviews

levesc17's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Very suspenseful second half of the book, I wish the ending had an epilogue! I wanted more resolution after all that stress. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Kidnapping

Moderate: Murder

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

garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This book was quite spicy, like there were many scenes and they were all graphic. Also there was just a lot of like.... smuggler intrigue? It was sort of an action/thriller but without the action? IDK how to describe it. The relationship between the MCs was realistic and tender and just really nice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Dementia, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

stormeno's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism

overthinkereading's review

I read Secret Lives as a recommended title for a Kindle reading challenge prompt.

I did like the story, it was easy to care about these characters, and the Gothic Regency-with a side of mystery vibes made for an enjoyable read.

That said, as a proponent of Own Voices literature, it bears noting that the author of this M/M romance is not a queer male.

CW: sexual content; violence (including against children); blood; kidnapping; murder/attempted murder

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder

quiet_reader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death of parent

amyteurhour's review against another edition

3.5

Content warning: homophobia, outing, classism, racism, violence, death, infidelity, neglect, abandonment, child abuse, sexism, sexual assault, kidnapping, torture

This was super steamy from the get-go. I thought the two main protagonists were likable and easy to root for. The last quarter was super tense, but it kind of ends rather abruptly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Outing, Abandonment, and Classism

megnut's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Murder

Minor: Kidnapping and Death of parent

rhi_'s review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, and Kidnapping

Minor: Death of parent and Sexual harassment

hex_meghead'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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Racism