A review by onthesamepage
A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by KJ Charles

emotional 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

5.0

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes:
Spoilersecrets and lies, protectiveness

Steam level: 🌶🌶🌶

If you haven't read The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen yet, do that first before picking this one up, unless you don't mind being spoiled for the entire plot of the first book. It's not that this can't be read on its own, but one of the main characters has a very significant role in book 1, so the emotional impact will be greater if you've already read that.

I tend to love romances where the characters are going through something. Usually it's trauma from their past that they have to deal with, either alone or with the help and support of their newfound partner, and those moments can really hit for me. And there are so many moments in this book.

“Don’t ask me not to care. Don’t ask me not to act when you’re in pain. You asked me for my protection when we first met and I promised you’d have it. I don’t go back on my word.”

When I read the synopsis, I didn't even realize that this Luke is the same Luke we meet in the first book, all grown up now, which made me feel properly foolish when his scar was described and I had an "OH!" moment. But knowing all these details about how Luke came to be who he is really made seeing his growth something beautiful. I felt so much for him and his pain, and whenever he broke down and looked for support in Rufus my heart just ached. Luke's journey is about healing from trauma, and I loved the way this was handled.

It's also interesting to me that the author didn't do anything with Rufus's involvement in a war, since there was definitely potential for PTSD, but I actually appreciated that it wasn't part of the story.

“You let me sleep here!”
“You fell asleep. I didn’t have the heart to wake you.”
“Brains,” Luke growled. “It’s brains you lack, not heart.”

Part of what I really liked about Rufus is his energy. He's very straightforward and doesn't have the right mindset for getting what he wants through subtlety. This can make him brusque, and he's quick to anger, but it's usually on someone else's behalf, be it Luke, his tenants, or (some) members of his family. I love this kind of protective streak in protagonists. Some of my favourite moments had to do with him reacting in an unexpectedly enthusiastic way, when we see so much of him being frustrated. I do think Luke stole the show for me, though.

Rufus and Luke don't necessarily have the best banter, but they do have a lot of heartfelt conversations. The conflict in their relationship is internal, and I think it took about the right amount of time to resolve, although I can understand that not everyone will feel this way. Some might consider what happened unforgiveable, but I appreciated that understanding the context made a difference in how the characters dealt with it. 
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