KJ Charles is a gift to the romance genre.
I've known this for a while now: I'm convinced that she's literally incapable of writing a bad, or even mediocre, book, but despite this, "The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen" managed to surprise me. I was in love, in awe, with this novel from the very start. 
I kept thinking "how the hell does she manage it, every single time": KJ Charles is an excellent writer and a brilliant storyteller, and her latest masterpiece is as excellent and brilliant as all her other novels are. 

I adored this book with my whole heart: it's a historical romance with a side of mystery and intrigue, plus a dash of social and political critique. Its setting is so damn vivid it made me want to book a trip to the Romney Marsh, and the plot kept me hooked from the very, very start: the mystery and the murders, the smuggling shenaninigans, the Doomsday family dynamics and their dynamics with the whole Marsh people, every single piece of the plot was riveting and gripping and brilliantly constructed. 

And the two protagonists, and their romance? *chef kissing noises* GORGEOUS. 
Gareth and Joss owned my whole heart from the very start: both of them are absolutely unforgettable characters. Gareth, obviously, stole my heart with his eagerness, his vulnerability, his slow but sure growth throughout the novel, his hearbreaking insecurities, his quiet bravery. I absolutely adored him and I loved being in his head. And Joss? He reminded me a bit of Will Darling (another of KJ Charles' protagonists and my one true love) with his ruthless competence and his steadfastness, but he's also very much his own person. He's funny and lovely and protective, and I loved him nearly as much as Gareth.
Their romance was as unforgettable as they were individually: it had all the heartbreak and bitter antagonism of a second-chance romance, and their dynamic literally owned my soul. Lovers to enemies to reluctant allies to lovers, once again? I live for that, and I lived for every single one of their interactions, even when they were bickering and fighting.
Their romance was such a joy to follow: it soothed my soul, it made me swoon and laugh, it made blush and scream and screech. I loved them SO MUCH.
And the side characters? WHERE DO I START. Sophy and Catherine, Asa and Ma Doomsday and Luke, all the eccentric, fiercely protective Marshmen and women. I absolutely adored them, and the found family dynamic among the Doomsdays was my absolute favourite thing.

I cannot wait to read Luke's book: I have literally no idea what to expect, and that little glimpse at the end has me already so, so excited.