A slow-burning romance and a chilling mystery bind two singular men in the suspenseful first book of a new Victorian series from K. J. Charles. Lodging-house keeper Clem Talleyfer prefers a quiet life. He’s happy with his hobbies, his work—and especially with his lodger Rowley Green, who becomes a friend over their long fireside evenings together. If only neat, precise, irresistible Mr. Green … irresistible Mr. Green were interested in more than friendship. . . .
Rowley just wants to be left alone—at least until he meets Clem, with his odd, charming ways and his glorious eyes. Two quiet men, lodging in the same house, coming to an understanding . . . it could be perfect. Then the brutally murdered corpse of another lodger is dumped on their doorstep and their peaceful life is shattered.
Now Clem and Rowley find themselves caught up in a mystery, threatened on all sides by violent men, with a deadly London fog closing in on them. If they’re to see their way through, the pair must learn to share their secrets—and their hearts.
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 Unseen Attraction
“A particular pleasure of [K. J.] Charles’s work is spending time with her articulate (and often scathing) protagonists, who skewer their interlocutors and make agonizing admissions with fluency that is a joy to behold. Now, in contrast, comes Clem. . . . Rowley has no problem with words; he simply chooses not to reveal his well-armored heart. What they see in each other is a generosity of spirit revealed in everyday gestures.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“K. J. Charles is a superb storyteller and has once again crafted both an intriguing and engrossing story and a tender romance between two well-drawn protagonists whose unique personality traits inform their emotional and sexual relationships. Add to that the way she so thoroughly immerses the reader in the sights, sounds and smells of Victorian London, and the strong cast of secondary characters—some of whom will star in future books—and it’s fair to say that she’s got another winning series on her hands.”—All About Romance
Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
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I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read or listened to by K.J. Charles.
Swoon!
One protag it’s hinted is on the spectrum and is the sweetest ever, like to a dangerous degree; then a taxidermist for some reason who may or may not be my depression-spiral doppelganger. The romance is these two dorks doing so much consent. Plus murder mystery. This is one of my top three KJC go-tos.
This novel was a lovely, quick read that I stumbled upon in the Audible Escape Romance package. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery that gets set up in this novel and how it continues to the other two books in the series even though each book is about a different couple. I loved the deep friendships and the characters. Clem was so sweet and seeing him find his perfect match in Rowley, the way the two understood each other and fit their strengths and weaknesses together. I had already downloaded book 2 before I even finished this one and can’t wait to see what comes next in the mystery of Clem’s messed up family.
An Unseen Attraction is the first installment in K.J. Charles’ Sins of the Cities series, three closely interconnected books centered on a messy, deadly interfamilial feud over succession to an earldom and one of England’s greatest fortunes. In addition to an engrossing central mystery, which unfolds slowly over the course of the three books, there are three central love stories — one in each book. The intrigue is compelling even though the build up and middle are stronger than the ending which still seems just a bit rushed.
In An Unseen Attraction, however, the action and romance are perfectly paced. Charles deftly introduces the family and other key players, but she primarily focuses on Clem, a bastard, biracial second son of an Earl and an upper servant of Indian heritage. After growing up mostly on the margins of this illustrious family, when the story opens, Clem is running a boarding house in London owned by his half brother, the Earl of Moreton. The arrangement suits the handsome, Anglo-Indian Clement just fine. Clem is sweet and good and intelligent, but has what we would now recognize as information processing issues, and that undermines his confidence. Those challenges give many people, his family especially, an excuse to underestimate and abuse him even more than they already would because of his ethnicity and illegitimacy. Running the boardinghouse allows Clem to use his strengths, his fastidiousness, patience, sensitivity and emotional intelligence, and maintain some semblance of independence. It also puts Clem in a position to meet and cultivate a slow burning but steamy relationship with a boarder, Rowley Green, a man who understands and fully appreciates him.
The one catch is that the house comes with a permanent and difficult tenant, who is somehow connected to and protected by his older brother. Clem has orders to see that the reverend always has a place there rent free and feels satisfied about it. Not long into the book, however, bad things start to happen around the dissolute reverend. His room is ransacked and though no valuables seem to be missing, he’s in a real upset over it. Not long after that things get far worse. These events threaten the stability that Clem has worked so hard to establish in his precarious position. His tenant is hiding something, and Clem’s brother also seems to be hiding something as well. It may be obvious to Clem’s new friend Rowley (and possibly to readers as well) that there is more to the relationship between the Earl and the clergyman than the brother is disclosing, but the secret is not easily guessed.
Beyond the bare bones of the narrative, what really matters here is the specificity and care Charles takes with setting–the finely drawn detail around Victorian culture and the natural and built environment of London– and, above all, character. Clem and Rowley are indelible and vivid protagonists. They aren’t aristocrats or hyper-masculine heroes, and that is a relief. They are ordinary, kind, fallible men made extraordinary in their connection, care and commitment to each other in the face of societal sanction. For Rowley it’s simple: ‘“I’d like to make you happy,” Rowley said softly. “However that might be done.”’ That is no small thing to Clem, a man used to either being overlooked or appreciated for his looks and little else: “Rowley, there are lots of people who think I’m worth looking at. Not so many who think I’m worth listening to. Not like you.”
Their love isn’t showy. It can’t be given their context. But in K. J. Charles’s hands, it’s undeniable and, in its own quiet way, profound:
I love you. Such small words to make such a huge change. Not the kind of change other people had, with a wedding in fine clothes and people cheering, but a change that would do very nicely for the two of them. Mr. Talleyfer and his lodger, privately and unobtrusively domestic, left to themselves. It was very close to Rowley’s idea of paradise.
Well, it’s almost paradise. For the remainder of the series, we learn more and more about what the connection is between Clem’s brother and the troublesome former reverend, and why it’s worth blackmailing and murdering people over. The underlying conflict spawns a sprawling but cohesive and mostly comprehensible mystery involving murder, legitimacy, inheritance and class and racial conflict. It’s really very good. An Unseen Attraction is an excellent introduction to a trio of books that I believe constitute a minor masterpiece (I’m not sure I’ve used that word before)— thoughtful and convincing both on the romantic and suspense elements.
This was just the loveliest! Clem manages the lodging house that Rowley, a new tenant, stays in. Clem is biracial, white titled father and Indian mother, and neurodiverse. He’s sweet and shy but also naive and gullible. Rowley runs the taxidermy shop next door, a place I might avoid in real life but the details fascinated me and made me wonder how those methods compare to today. Rowley is also quiet and unassuming. In so many ways, these two were a good pair. Throw in a murder mystery and the right amount of intrigue and I was hooked! The secondary characters were just as well developed and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series in order to learn their stories.
CW: Murder, violence, references to past childhood abuse, homophobia, ableism, references to sexual assault, arson
Audible Review:
Overall 4*
Performance 4*
Story 4*
Mystery, romance, and suspense.
This was a really enjoyable romantic suspense. I loved the mystery and how things will continue on into the next book (which I’ve already downloaded!).
Clem was a sweetie. I don’t want to say I felt sorry for him, because I really didn’t, but I did feel bad and sad for him, for the situation he was in through no fault of his own. However, he’s someone that makes the best of things and he’s made a simple, happy life for himself, even if it’s been a little lonely. That is, until tea time between he and Rowley becomes something more, and they finally give into the attraction between them. Theirs was a sweet romance. I liked that Rowley was so patient with Clem, even when he was frustrating him.
I thought the mystery played out well in this book. I like how parts of the story weren’t wrapped up, although I’m anxious to find out all the answers!
I really like Matthew Lloyd Davies narration. He does such a terrific job giving everyone different and distinct voices. Although Rowley kind of morphed into Silas from A Seditious Affair a few times, and that threw me off a little!
***Borrowed through the Romance Package
Loved this first book in series. This author guarantees a great story, plot and characters. She’s a sure buy for me.