Think of England

Other than knowing this was a historical romance, I didn't look to see what this was about before I downloaded it in anticipation of reading fluff for a few days over Christmas, so it was a fun surprise that the romance (set in early 1900s) had a pretty significant mystery element. Our hero Curtis is a disabled war vet, discharged after being disabled when his gun exploded in battle, and love interest Da Silva is a Jewish man who turns out is a spy. They're spending a holiday at a posh country estate, whose owner is a Big Bad Rich Man who may or may not have profited from the exploding guns and also has an extensive blackmailing scheme that Da Silva is trying to bring to light. Curtis and Da Silva are both sneaking around and keep running into each other, and to cover their bad behavior they also do some stuff that may count as sexual assault against each other, but it's basically hand-waved away - in the name of the good of their country and whatnot! There's also some antisemitism and homophobia thrown at Da Silva, and it's kind of questionable that Curtis literally never questioned his sexuality until arriving at this estate, but sure. The good guys are good, the bad guys get their comeuppance, there's bureaucracy, HEA, the end. I had fun reading it.

TW (in addition to what I listed above): murder, suicide, blackmail, hidden cameras, torture, war flashbacks

Probably more like 4.5, dinging it just a little bit because I just finished the Will Darling series recently and the two MCs here are pretty similar to Will and Kim (tall, blond beefcake war veteran and smaller, dark-haired, supposedly untrustworthy character), but neither of those are uncommon tropes, so it's not too distracting. And it's probably my fault for binging KJ Charles books anyway! (General warning, however: this book has a LOT of slurs for gay people, Jewish people, and people from Spain, mostly said by people we're not supposed to like, but it is a lot.)English country-house mystery that's not all that much of a mystery (the people you think are bad and suspicious are mostly bad and suspicious), but still has intrigue and drama and is overall a lot of fun. Also enjoyed seeing Fen and Pam from [b:Proper English 44420645 Proper English (England World, #1) K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554298689l/44420645.SY75.jpg 68974183], which is a prequel to this, though I'm not sure how much they overlap. Embarking on a reread of that now, so we shall see. This isn't one of my favorite KJ Charleses (it would take a whole lot to beat out [b:Band Sinister 39345944 Band Sinister K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537454594l/39345944.SY75.jpg 60995770]), but it was well-written, a fast read, and very enjoyable.

I'm starting to think that post-war mm romances are my favourite. The angst that comes from being a returning soldier, adding illegal desires and a battle-tired country, makes for some compelling reading. K.J. Charles does that very well.

Crippled at the tail-end of the Boer Wars in Africa, not from battle but from faulty (sabotaged) ammunitions shipped from his own country, that also killed his best friend and lover, Archie has a vendetta. He attends a stay-over house party in the middle of the country to try to find out who's responsible. There he meets a very effeminate foreigner named de Silva who both repulses and intrigues him. He finds out that de Silva is on a mission not dissimilar to his and they form a shaky alliance, but Archie starts to see there's a lot more to de Silva than his initial impressions.

There's a good mystery with lots of intrigue, and both characters are likeable and well-written. The conclusion was shocking in the best way and it has a HEA. A definite recommend.

Once again I couldn't write up a review when I finished and this could all be a jumble of words which all translate to: I LOVED THIS. I knew [a:K.J. Charles 7123498 K.J. Charles https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1418032373p2/7123498.jpg] would be a favorite author and I haven't been let down. The anglophile in me is thrilled. I have always been a fan of historical, but when I started my career as a romance reader it was mostly Regency to early Victorians with a bit of Georgian and a dash of medieval. I'm really enjoying these Edwardians. I always read them with my heart in my throat, knowing the characters will soon be faced by the horror of WWI, and yet enjoying this waning days of the Empire kind of vibe. Like in [b:Proper English 44420645 Proper English K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554298689l/44420645.SY75.jpg 68974183] we have another Country House party hosted by some pretty unsavory characters. The guests are there for pleasure, except two. Archibald “Archie” Curtis, a former Captain in His Majesty's army is looking for answers as to who is responsible for the defective munitions that caused him to be injured & disabled, but more importantly lose friends and comrades under his command during the second Anglo-Boer war. The other is Daniel Da Silva, an effete Bloomsbury poet and aesthete, or is he? The two couldn't be more different temperamentally, physically, or anything else but they soon discover that they do have common ground. Quite a lot in fact.I won't get into the plot save to say that I loved how the author didn't make Archie's reactions anachronistically PC just because he's a decent man. His initial reactions to Daniel align with how many in “high society” viewed (and infuriatingly still do) an overtly mannered man, a Jew, and someone who's name proclaims them to be “foreign”. Upon first meeting Daniel Archie thinks of him as a pansy and an “unspeakable creature” (that one made me laugh). However he soon realizes there's more to him, that Daniel is like one of his poems, which Archie stumbles upon: “These poems were full of broken glass and water -which was not clean water - and scaly things that moved in the dark.” I also like that this was in no way a GFY scenario but more like Archie coming into his own and finally being able to honestly see what was before his eyes the whole time. What to say about Daniel Da Silva but that he's the bravest soul around. Never hiding his true self, but ever practical, and using his intellect to slice through societal hypocrisy and stricture. However he never envisioned a force like Archie, a man without guile or artifice. A person who means what he says and does what he means. What a novel concept. When Archie & Daniel come together sparks fly and they bring out the best in each other. Still I loved how the author left their relationship at a plausible stage given the time elapsed in the story. It's like the ending of Casablanca brimming with possibilities.If you read Proper English you'll be delighted to see Fen & Pat again and if not you'll be curious about them and should run and read their story. I paired the book with the AB by [a:Tom Carter 137976 Tom Carter https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and I couldn't recommend it more. He perfectly captures the speech inflections of British public school boys and Daniel's range from party remarks used as a scalpel to when he's bared emotionally to Archie. My only problem now is nervous anticipation of the next book. Soon?

That was an excellent snow day read.

Despite my general dislike of historical fiction, I really enjoyed reading this one. I loved Daniel's sharp wit, self-assurance, and waspish tongue. Once the plot got moving, it kept me hooked until the end. I look forward to reading the eventual sequel.

Side note: Now that I know the context, I love the title!

Every word is exactly right, the love story is delicious and the early 20th century setting is a fascinating opportunity to explore the risks of homosexuality (not to mention the risks of being Jewish). Can't wait for more in this series.