Will Darling came back from the Great War with a few scars, a lot of medals, and no idea what to do next. Inheriting his uncle’s chaotic second-hand bookshop is a blessing…until strange visitors start making threats. First a criminal gang, then the War Office, both telling Will to give them the information they want, or else.Will has no idea what that information is, and nobody to turn to, … turn to, until Kim Secretan—charming, cultured, oddly attractive—steps in to offer help. As Kim and Will try to find answers and outrun trouble, mutual desire grows along with the danger.
And then Will discovers the truth about Kim. His identity, his past, his real intentions. Enraged and betrayed, Will never wants to see him again.
But Will possesses knowledge that could cost thousands of lives. Enemies are closing in on him from all sides—and Kim is the only man who can help.
A 1920s m/m romance trilogy in the spirit of Golden Age pulp fiction.
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I’m a huge KJ Charles fan and this book did not disappoint. I fell for Will Darling and Kim Secretan and loved their adventures. The writing was clever and the descriptions evocative. Highly recommended!
Enjoyed the entire series. The setting is wonderful, and all the twists and turns in the relationship and their adventures kept my interest high. Will look for more of her books!
Will and Kim have such a complicated relationship but it’s so interesting and I really enjoyed the way the mystery unfolded around their relationship, both pushing it forward and straining it. I tore through the book and immediately went on to read the second book in the series, which is probably says it all.
If you enjoy historical romance, you absolutely won’t want to miss out on this series.
This book is mostly what it’s billed as – a pulp-fiction style adventure where our intrepid hero faces several kinds of peril at the hands of a secret anarchist society. Except KJ Charles wrote it, so the characters are interesting and multifaceted, the plot turns make sense, and there is some social commentary and a difficult romance in the face of real obstacles.
Will, our hero, is a man who was formed in part on the battlefields and trenches of WWI. After his return home, he was out of work and impoverished until he inherited a bookstore from an estranged uncle. As the story opens, that quiet bookstore proves not to be so simple, and he’s surprised to be thrown into intrigue and danger. But he’s the man for the job, and his desire for a peaceful life doesn’t mean he’s forgotten the skills or the stubbornness that got him safely home from the front.
He meets Kim, a chameleon of an aristocrat, whose motives and interest in Will are hard to figure out. Kim blows hot and cold, helps then deceives. Will’s lonely heart and stoic self-reliance alternate as he tries to deal with Kim’s presence in his bookstore and in his life. Add in attempted burglaries, assault, bluster and threats from the Foreign Office, and Will’s life is far more exciting than he’d wanted.
I’m really looking forward to the next two installments in this series. The end of this one is an HFN, and a solid resting place, not a cliffhanger despite the genre (thank goodness) but it’s a tentative start to the romance. This series promises to be great fun, and the characters are flawed and real, with a difficult relationship in the making
One can always expect wonderful stories from K.J. Charles. Fast paced and suspenseful plot that was led by an array of diverse multifaceted characters and a story full of dry humor and hilarious quips that kept me intrigued until the end.
At some point I both loved and hated the MCs, Kim and Will, as well as cursed at them and wanted to give them a hug. While Will was a bit more straightforward and at times quite transparent in his actions, Kim was a bit of an enigma, always step ahead of me figuring him out. I liked how different both men were, and I do not talk about their social standing, it was everything else – their principles, how they thought and acted, but at the same time they meshed so well together – Kim the rebel aristocrat and Will the proper book shop owner. But when they came together they were very improper and very passionate.
The story follows the events that keep the questions coming, make unexpected turns and throw one for a loop. I loved how things just kept coming, how everything kept happening without letting me get stuck or bored. I enjoyed it thoroughly. There were two strong female characters that were so likable and at times funny and sweet. I loved both Phoebe and Maisie, and I hope they will be heavily featured in the coming books. There is something the author is hinting about there, but we will see. Fantastic read, and I can’t wait to dig into the next chapter of Will Darling and Kim Secretan’s wild adventures!
THE BELOW REVIEW FEELS SPOILERY, SO HERE’S A SPOILER-FREE SUMMARY.
Read if you like:
– electric slow-burns
– razor-sharp wit
– hilarious, unique and relatable characters
– anti-establishment spy vibes
– explosive chemistry
OKAY, NOW READ ON FOR THE MORE DETAILED BUT SLIGHTLY SPOILERY TAKE…
What does one even say about a book like this? I’ll begin with the fact that it hooked me from start to finish despite my current case of Quarantine Brain. I’m struggling to focus on so many excellent books, but this one swept me violently away and I am so, so grateful.
I think I qualify as a Major KJ Charles Fan, so I was definitely expecting to enjoy Slippery Creatures – even though it’s set in the 20s, an era I’ve never read in romance, and even though it’s part of a trilogy, rather than a single-book romantic arc. I was prepared to like the story anyway, but I was not prepared for this story to MAKE ME love the 20s and MAKE ME love the fact that these heroes will get together slowly, over the course of three twisty books, instead of all at once.
And now I’ve spent a couple of paragraphs gushing while simultaneously saying nothing about the actual story. So. This book is a masterpiece of mystery, a corker of a character study, and a love letter to pulp fiction. It’s the start of a slow-burn romance between plucky but disillusioned bookseller (and former WWI soldier) Will Darling and dodgy, beguiling, aristocratic b*stard Kim Secretan. I am hopelessly in love with them both, even though they couldn’t be more different.
This romance has drama, intrigue, a thoroughly fed-up man who just wants to organise his bloody books, a secret plot, double-crossing, triple-crossing, knife fights, sexy looks of yearning, Noble Resistance to Physical Attraction, and excellent best friends. I could not recommend it more. Seriously. Read it. Now.
KJ Charles writes the best historical m/m romance. Great characters, intriguing plots, fantastic historical details, plus humor and wit. This one is no exception.
This book is an absolute joy. Set in the aftermath of WW1 and deliberately written in the style of a pulp novel, it has a bit of everything – spies, an old bookshop, hissable villains, and a sweet yet steamy developing m/m romance. I loved it!
Yes, more please! Loved this first in The Will Darling Adventures!
It was wonderful to escape into a fully realized 1920s London. I loved these very messed up characters and the twists and sometimes painful turns of their relationship. I can’t wait to read more of Will Darling’s adventures.
KJ Charles is an instant must-buy (and pre-order) for me, with her combination of historical themes, queer romance and humour. This is one of her darker books, a 1920s spy thriller with a very intense m/pairing, but as usual her characters are so great, I don’t even mind waiting until Book 3 for the proper HEA. (this one does have a satisfying ending nevertheless, doesn’t leave you hanging, but definitely open for what comes next) I appreciate the complex and interesting female characters who appear in the cast, considering that the romance and plot is so tightly woven around two complex and war-brutalised men.
KJ Charles’s books, in my opinion, range from excellent to phenomenal. I’m ranking this first book in a new series somewhere in the middle; a solid 4.5 stars, with the tie going to the author. The story and characters are, of course, well realized—KJ doesn’t publish anything less. I think the fact that this story was on some level a setup for what comes next kept it from being fully satisfying for me. I liked the main characters but didn’t love them . . . yet. I kept wanting to get inside Kim’s head and find out what was going on in there. From a story perspective, I understand why that wasn’t an option (maybe in book two?), but it tempered some of my delight. I think the characters I was most drawn to were Phoebe and Maisie.
All that said, the fact that this isn’t my favorite of KJ Charles’s books is far from a criticism. It’s just that she’s set the bar so high it’s hard to live up to. I don’t think a reader could go wrong with any of her books, and this is no exception. My sincere thanks to the author for an advance copy!
Another twisty, heart-pounding, hilarious KJ Charles caper to add to the books. I’m thrilled to pieces that this is the start of a trilogy, and that we’ll get more of these characters. Give me a lifetime of Will, Kim, Maisie, and Phoebe and I’ll call myself happy.
From start to finish, this book is a wild ride. The plot moves at a steady clip, but it’s the twists, turns, and somersaults along the way that really makes your heart race. The characters are charming, layered, and brilliantly flawed. No one writes morally grey characters like KJ Charles — its the reason she’s one of my favorite writers and one of the best romantic suspense writers publishing today.
Given the current state of events, I’ve been struggling to focus on reading any new books, but a new KJ Charles never fails to grab me by the lapels and reel me in, hook line and sinker. I can’t wait for the sequel(s), but I’m confident I’ll be rereading this one in the meantime to tide me over.