Blurb:

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 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.

Goodreads / Loveswept / Amazon
Release Day: February 21st

I’ve come to adore KJ Charles ever since I read Think of England last year. I’d been told I was going to love her books, and I did. And well, An Unseen Attraction was no exception.

I really love how KJ Charles writes characters, and how they seem to be people we don’t usually see in historical romance. Apparently this series is going to focus on people with ordinary (or not so ordinary in Rowley’s case) jobs, and I’m more than okay with that. I think KJ has a gift for writing different characters, and for making them real enough that I always care about them.

I have to say I adored both Clem and Rowley, and I believe they were truly well-suited for each other. Their romance was a quiet one, but I could feel their chemistry flowing form the pages of the book, and I was rooting for them to get their happy ending. Both were special characters in their own way, but I don’t really want to say more, I’ll let the reader find out about them while reading their story.

When I pick a KJ Charles book, I always know she’s done her research, and that shows. Rowley is a preserver (what today we call a taxidermist) and that aspect of the story was so detailed I almost thought KJ Charles must have worked with one herself. I admit I found this part of the story absolutely interesting, though I know some readers won’t feel the same or will be disturbed by the descriptions.

I really liked the mystery part of this book, too. It made me think of some Victorian sensation novels I’ve read, and I enjoyed it a lot. Now, when I reached the ending, I almost cursed KJ everywhere, since some aspects of it are still unresolved and I can’t wait for the next book. Can I get it already?

To recap; another magnificent story coming from KJ Charles, with relatable characters and a love story I won’t forget anytime soon.

Genre: Historical Genre: Mystery Orientation: Gay Pairing: M/M Publisher: Loveswept Review Tag: Friends to Lovers Tag: Part of a series An Unseen Attraction KJ Charles Sins of the Cities