In the sordid streets of Victorian London, unwanted desire flares between two bitter enemies brought together by a deadly secret. Crusading journalist Nathaniel Roy is determined to expose spiritualists who exploit the grief of bereaved and vulnerable people. First on his list is the so-called Seer of London, Justin Lazarus. Nathaniel expects him to be a cheap, heartless fraud. He doesn’t expect … He doesn’t expect to meet a man with a sinful smile and the eyes of a fallen angel—or that a shameless swindler will spark his desires for the first time in years.
Justin feels no remorse for the lies he spins during his séances. His gullible clients simply bore him. Hostile, disbelieving, utterly irresistible Nathaniel is a fascinating challenge. And as their battle of wills and wits heats up, Justin finds he can’t stop thinking about the man who’s determined to ruin him.
But Justin and Nathaniel are linked by more than their fast-growing obsession with one another. They are both caught up in an aristocratic family’s secrets, and Justin holds information that could be lethal. As killers, fanatics, and fog close in, Nathaniel is the only man Justin can trust—and, perhaps, the only man he could love.
Don’t miss any of the captivating Sins of the Cities novels:
AN UNSEEN ATTRACTION | AN UNNATURAL VICE | AN UNSUITABLE HEIR
And look for the enticing Society of Gentlemen series by KJ Charles:
THE RUIN OF GABRIEL ASHLEIGH | A FASHIONABLE INDULGENCE | A SEDITIOUS AFFAIR | A GENTLEMAN’S POSITION
Praise for An Unnatural Vice
“Explosive.”—Publishers Weekly
“Animosity and attraction surge in equal measures when Nathaniel Roy, investigative journalist, faces off against Justin Lazarus, the Seer of London. Their opposing vocations and radically different backgrounds create a powerful and fascinating conflict. Although this book can be read as a stand-alone, [K. J.] Charles continues to build tension and add menace by deepening the overarching mystery introduced in the first novel. The series is definitely building to a firecracker conclusion.”—RT Book Reviews
“An Unnatural Vice is a tremendous follow-up to the first book in the Sins of the City trilogy. Fans of the series—and of K. J. Charles—will love the romance between Nathaniel and Justin, and the Taillefer family mystery. . . . An Unnatural Vice is exciting, entertaining, romantic—and wonderful.”—All About Romance
Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
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Words cannot express how deeply I love this book. KJ Charles is a master. Enemies-to-lovers is my jam, but a smarter-than-everybody-in-the-room con man is my catnip. Also, this book has the most heartwrenching emotional exchanges between the main characters by the time they start using words for their feelings. Oh, and did I mention the banter? Jesus wept. Super satisfying ending. It is SUCH a good book.
I loved everything about this book. Usually, the second book in a trilogy is the weak link. I don’t know why, it just always seems to be the case. But that’s not true with this book or this series because I loved this story and these characters even more than the first. Nathanial and Justin are explosive together. Their banter is amazing. The way their anger turns to passion made me flip pages faster and faster. Their connection was real and believable even amid all the drama and craziness of the continuing mystery from book one. And that ending! Swoon! I am downloading book 3 right now!
I discovered KJ Charles a year or so ago when I checked out The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal from the library. I was charmed, thrilled and completely engaged from the start of the book, and quickly returned to the ebook section to see what else she had written. I’ve read the Sins of the Cities, the Society of Gentlemen, and Charm of Magpies series several times, along with multiple standalones and the epilogues/extras to these stories.
All these books reward repeat readings! I love these characters and their relationships–the bumps and the beauty, the uncertainty and the passion–and I particularly appreciate the honesty they show each other and themselves. I always discover new nuances when I read these stories again.
The through-line of the story in the Sins of the Cities series is expertly done; you become attached to every character, yet the points where the stories overlap are not at all heavy-handed. Even the city itself figures as a prominent character in the Sins of the Cities series, and I’ve tried without much success to describe to others how prominent a character the fog becomes.
I have tried to pace myself–there are more KJ Charles books I haven’t read yet, and I don’t want to read everything and then have to wait for the next release! I highly recommend all her work.
Audible Review
Overall 4.5*
Performance 5*
Story 4.5*
Opposites Attract
4.5*
An Unnatural Vice is a great continuation of the Sins of the Cities series. The suspense and mystery had me wanting to take a nice long road trip so I could just sit and listen until the end! I’m loving the way this story is playing out- the who, what, where, when, why, and how, I need answers! Oh what a tangled web Ms. Charles has weaved- one that has me guessing and second guessing myself with each page.
Nathaniel and Justin are such complete opposites. we’re talking enemies-to-lovers to the extreme! And I was feeling all the anger and the animosity and I was there for it!
Then there were the moments of reflection from Nathaniel, when he was remembering the times with Tony, and I could just feel his pain and sorrow. So sad. But it was wonderful to see him open himself up to Justin, and accept that there was more life out there for him to live.
I really enjoy the way the overall story arc runs through the 3 books- we get “complete” stories for the main couples, but the mystery itself continues on, with each couple playing their part in moving the story along.
I’m glad I discovered this after all books were out, so I didn’t have to wait to know what happens!
Once again another fantastic job by Matthew Lloyd Davis! With his narration I could imagine myself transported to London, feeling the fog closing in around me, feeling the anticipation and anxiousness of the characters.
I picked up this book on a whim and I’m so glad I did. I had almost given up on finding a good romance having read through many who seemed to be singularly focused on sex and not much else. Nathaniel and Justin are amazingly well developed characters and their love for each other believable and swoon-worthy. The historical background is stunning and well developed and the plot with the mystery and the drama kept me turning page after page. KJ Charles has earned a new fan.
Love a good gay supernatural romance
This author is an automatic read for me. Her books are on my keeper shelf.
Writer of m/m alternate history fiction.