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KJ Charles

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (The Doomsday Books, 1) Paperback – March 7, 2023

by KJ Charles (Author)

4.6 1,007 ratings

Book 1 of 2: The Doomsday Books

Editors' pick Best Books of the Year So Far 2023

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Gothic scandal meets Bridgerton intrigue in this swashbuckling Regency romance from celebrated author KJ Charles.

Abandoned by his father, Gareth Inglis grew up lonely, prickly, and well-used to disappointment. Still, he longs for a connection. When he meets a charming stranger, he falls head over heels―until everything goes wrong and he's left alone again. Then Gareth's father dies, turning the shabby London clerk into Sir Gareth, with a grand house on the remote Romney Marsh and a family he doesn't know.

The Marsh is another world, a strange, empty place notorious for its ruthless gangs of smugglers. And one of them is dangerously familiar…

Joss Doomsday has run the Doomsday smuggling clan since he was a boy. When the new baronet―his old lover―agrees to testify against Joss's sister, Joss acts fast to stop him. Their reunion is anything but happy, yet after the dust settles, neither can stay away. Soon, all Joss and Gareth want is the chance to be together. But the bleak, bare Marsh holds deadly secrets. And when Gareth finds himself threatened from every side, the gentleman and the smuggler must trust one another not just with their hearts, but with their lives.

Readers Rave about KJ Charles:

"KJ Charles is one of the best romance novelists writing today. Historical romance at its finest." ―Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author

"Once again KJ Charles has produced an absolute masterpiece!" ―Joanna Shupe, USA Today bestselling author

"A romantic, swashbuckling tale from start to finish."―Manda Collins, Bestselling Author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

Book 1 of 2

The Doomsday Books
Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication date

March 7, 2023
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.88 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

1728255856
ISBN-13

978-1728255859
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Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

One argument might have been convincing; three was the opposite. Three was encouraging, even.
Highlighted by 131 Kindle readers
“If you want something, you ask for it. You told me so, before. Is that always how you get what you want?” Joss shrugged. “You don’t get what you want by not asking for it.” Gareth contemplated the obvious truth of that statement. “I may have to change my approach to life.”
Highlighted by 110 Kindle readers

From the Publisher

An unwary gentleman and his charming smuggler prince find love amidst skullduggery danger, and....

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As always, Charles combines masterful prose, thrilling romance, fantastic wit, and gripping stakes. Her characters feel as real and relatable as a bruise. She is, in my opinion, a titan of her genre." ― Talia Hibbert, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

"KJ Charles weaves romance, intrigue, and history into one deliciously compelling read." ― Megan Frampton, author of Four Weeks of Scandal

"Once again KJ Charles has produced an absolute masterpiece! Joss and Gareth’s cross-class, emotional struggle will have you rooting for them on every page. Charles is one of the best writers in the game, and her books never disappoint!" ― Joanna Shupe, USA Today bestselling author

"Dangerous smuggler meets rule-abiding baronet in this gorgeously written novel brimming with romance, wit, emotion and mystery." ― Maya Rodale, USA Today bestselling author

"The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is equal parts a tender romance and a riveting story of smuggling and adventure. [A] joy to read from start to finish." ― Martha Waters, author of To Have and to Hoax

"With sparkling prose, evocative descriptions of its coastal locale, and unforgettable characters, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is a romantic, swashbuckling tale from start to finish. K. J. Charles is not to be missed by any reader who loves Regency Romance." ― Manda Collins, Bestselling Author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"All I want from 2023 is romantic adventure and KJ Charles is delivering! The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen has it all: Smuggling! Blackmail! Secret rendezvous! Scoundrels! Sweethearts! Big feelings! KJ Charles is one of the best romance novelists writing today and The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen is proof. Historical romance at its finest." ― Sarah MacLean, New York Times Bestseller

"A delightful new Regency romance." ― Library Journal, Starred Review

"A dark and stunning love story...Readers will devour this." ― Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Fans of Charles’ Society of Gentlemen series and new readers alike will adore this complex and emotional historical romance." ― BookPage, Starred Review

About the Author

KJ Charles spent twenty years as an editor in British publishing before fleeing the scene to become a full-time historical romance novelist. She has written over twenty-five novels since then and her books have been translated into eight languages. She lives in London.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Casablanca (March 7, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1728255856
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1728255859
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.88 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #70,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #16 in LGBTQ+ Historical Fiction (Books)
- #1,788 in Regency Romances
- #2,809 in LGBTQ+ Romance (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 1,007 ratings

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KJ Charles

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KJ Charles is an editor and RITA-nominated author. She lives in London with her husband, two kids, an out-of-control garden and a cat of absolute night. She writes mostly historical queer romance, some paranormal. Smut, skulduggery, and swashbuckling may occur.

Follow on Twitter at @kj_charles, join the KJ Charles Chat group on Facebook, or check out kjcharleswriter.com for book info and many posts on reading, writing and editing.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

1,007 global ratings

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Mary G.

quite an adventure

Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2023

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KJ Charles has worked her magic again. This is a love story wrapped in a mystery, with a quirky cast of side characters. Delightful!

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Michelle B.

A Great Escape Back in Time!

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2023

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Wow this book was so good - it felt like I was transported back in time to the 1800s! The writing was so vivid and descriptive I felt like I was walking alongside Gareth, Joss, the Doomsdays and the marsh. I loved the relationships between all the characters and the suspense and mystery was so good I couldn’t stop turning the pages! Can’t wait for Book 2!

Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2023

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KJ Charles delivers another gorgeous romance crafted with gorgeous prose; love Joss and Gareth (and all the Doomsdays!) — riveting and tense and sexy AF

Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2023

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I read this book in three days and promptly pre-ordered the sequel and ordered the Flight of the Magpies series (3 books) and read all of those in three days. I need sleep. Good interesting actual plot lines in addition to characters I want to learn more about and the romance portion actually hits well. What more could you want.

One person found this helpful

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amf0001

Just wonderful. A perfect historical m/m romance

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2023

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I love KJ Charles and have most of her books. But even with an author you love, there are still books you love more than others. This is a new favorite, and I can see many future rereads.

I always enjoy her writing, but the descriptions of the Marsh and it's insect life were just beautiful. And I usually love her MC's, but here, the two men, Joss and Gareth, were so well drawn, so alive, I could just see them so clearly in my mind's eye. I really enjoyed their relationship, their conversations, their desires in life.

And I found the plot completely engrossing, staying up far to late to keep reading it. I was sad when I finished it and now have to go on a regency binge to keep my spirits up.

I rate it a keeper, which is my highest rating. I've already pre ordered the next in the series, which set about 10 years later and comes out in September.

2 people found this helpful

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D. Ruttan

Charming historical romance… with beetles!

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2023

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I loved this one! It was a bit uneven for me at first so I had to come back to this when I was in a different mood, but it’s the kind of book that grows on you.

This is the historical romance about a smuggler’s ring on Romney Marsh that I didn’t know I needed. Gareth Ingles, abandoned by his father and scorned by the uncle who raised him, suddenly inherits a baronet from his father upon his unexpected death - along with a whole host of family secrets.

But turns out he’s living just a mile away from the man he had a magical two week affair with in London and unceremoniously dumped.

Normally I’m not a fan of instalove and sex in the first chapter but I really liked how this was handled. The author explored the challenges and power dynamic of building a relationship with the homophobia of the time in such a sensitive way. Plus they go on long walks together to look at beetles, had me swooning just at that. The various shenanigans in the book were charming and kept the plot moving along.

Overall, a lovely, soft book that charmed me in the end.

4 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Wonderful Characters/Story, Poor Pacing

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2023

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I loved the characters and setting of this romance. The two leads had great chemistry and interesting backstories. Sadly, the pacing seemed off, especially at the end. It seemed like the book should have had at least 50-100 more pages to wrap up everything. Without spoiling it, let's just say there's a lot of action in the climax, and it seemed like the author was rushed to wrap up everything in the end. I would still recommend the series as a whole. hope the next book is longer, as the writing was really good overall, just a bit too rushed!

One person found this helpful

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tim

Excellent read!

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2023

Verified Purchase

This is the best book I have read in quite a while.

I love that it is written on a linear time line, every book of late seems to be filled with flash backs, and flash forwards.

Romance at its finest!

Will be reading more by K.J. Charles!

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Top reviews from other countries

Rhoda Baxter

The gentleman and the smuggler

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2023

Verified Purchase

I bloody loved this book. The gentleman and the smuggler.
Gareth Inglis was abandoned by his father and bullied by his uncle and cousin. He's very surprised to hear that he has inherited the family pile.
Joss Doomsday is too busy running the smuggling operation to think about other things ... normally.

I loved how different the two men were and how the power balance between them ebbed and flowed. You'd think that Gareth would be the needy one, but Joss needs him just as much. I liked how the fenlands were almost a character in themselves - especially as the two men see the marshes through different lenses. The Doomsday family dynamic was really interesting to read too. I gather that Luke is the hero in the next book. I'm really looking forward to reading that!

Jade

Smuggling, danger and a lovely HEA

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2023

Verified Purchase

“I love you. It’s stupid how I love you. Baronet, for mercy’s sake. I’ve got no business loving you, and I can’t seem to do a blessed thing else.”

I enjoyed this so much.
Gareth thought he'd never see the man who's company he was enjoying very much after he pushed him away and later regretted. But when his father dies and now suddenly Gareth has inherited his father's home and everything else that comes with it he's about to meet him again but in the worst way possible since Gareth has managed to be in the middle of a smuggling family's business and a smuggler who he is very familiar with.

London and Kent. Gareth and Joss. They were so lovely, even amidst the issues they faced, there was just something so soft and tender and quiet about them and their relationship. There's plenty going on around them and to them, quite frankly that complicated things for them. New family for Gareth that he never knew and trying to do right by them. Smuggling business for Joss and all that entails. Murder and meddling family. Joss with his trying to take care of everything and everyone, Gareth with his abandonment issues thanks to his no good of a father and learning to stand up for himself. Even amidst all of that, there was always something so precious about these two together, the relationship making them see what matters and evolving them, I guess. They're just so lovely together.

There's also the doomsday family, even with their edges, I loved them, minus one or two of course. But Luke and Asa especially? I loved them. But there's a lot of family and found family here and standing up and fighting back as well as some danger and of course, a happily ever after.

One person found this helpful

Mashara

Another great book from KJ Charles

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 13, 2023

Verified Purchase

There has been many years now that KJ Charles became an insta buy author but it is really interesting to me to see the marvelous progression of the writing.
And it is not like there was something off with the earlier books, I honestly have The Magpie Lord for ever as a favourite, but the latest books are such a joy. The characters are well rounded, the pacing is steady and balanced, it's just such a concise book.
I loved both Joss and Gareth, I love second chance in particular, and even if this is not fully one, I enjoy seeing characters that already know each other work their way back together.
The book is fun, funny, it has a strong moral compass, which does not mean it alligns with the law in any way shape or form, but it still has it, these characters are not morally grey, they just disagree with the law as it stands and I agree wholeheartedly, I am enjoying so much out of seeing several historical romances come to terms with what the aristocracy really is (luck and networking) and the damage the system does to the little people that are trying to live their lives, regardless of what German inbred cousin is currently wearing the crown - in this vein I remomend Cat Sebastian too.

It is also action packed, it has great sex scenes and a very satisfying ending.

Also all the secondary characters are as usual lovely (cannot WAIT to read Luke's book) and most importantly, as in all KJ Charles, horrible people deservedly die.

BevS

The start of another wonderful series...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2023

Verified Purchase

4.5 stars rounded up from me. Having read 45 stories or so from the very fertile imagination [and laptop] of K.J. Charles, I hope it sort of qualifies me to give a personal opinion on this particular smuggling/mystery story, and I liked it, a lot. If you come from the Romney Marshes, you are of course a Man of Kent as opposed to a Kentish Man 😉. Liked Gareth🪲and Joss, the fact that Joss's grandad was a former slave from the Americas, and of course that several of the nastier characters got their comeuppance ✅️.

Was rather concerned when I saw it was being published by a US publisher I have to say, but to their credit Sourcebooks Casablanca didn't change the spellings to American English thank goodness. The cover work by Jyotirmaryee Patra is absolutely gorgeous, as is the cover for book 2 A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel, which fingers crossed, will appear in September and features Luke Doomsday [Goldie], and will hopefully tell us once and for all what happened to the ???

Never having watched Bridgerton, I wouldn't have a clue whether it was of a similar vein...but I suspect not. Bridgerton seems too Americanised, a poor man's Downton Abbey and certainly nothing like Poldark...these American publishing houses certainly go to town on their advance publicity just to sell their wares to American readers. The Poldark series by Winston Graham remains one of my favourite historical reads, and having watched both series, the 1970's one and the much later one with Aidan Turner, they were an absolute credit to the BBC.

2 people found this helpful

Ms R Posy

OutMarsh

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2023

Verified Purchase

I have long been a fan of KJ Charles's writing and this is an exceptional book. Thrown together again following an interlude in London, Joss manages to humiliate Gareth, in a trial, in order to protect his sister. Gareth, as a fine upstanding citizen holds no truck with those who operate outside the law and living in Dymchurch, Kent, where the locals run their smuggling operations, through bribery and backhanders, openly. Joss is on the wrong side of the law and Gareth thought his family were on the right side, however he soon learns that his father was the most underhanded man of them all. The depth of colour and scene setting is wonderful and full of suspense. I loved the storylines and the supporting cast, terrifying though most of them appeared to be. A great tale of a bygone era, superbly told.

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