Review: A Seditious Affair by K.J. Charles (Society of Gentlemen #2)
Note: This ARC was provided by Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The brute and the Tory are a match made to fulfill the desires that burn bright from within, but Silas Mason and Dominic Frey are as different as two men can be when they go about their everyday lives. Silas has spent a quarter of a century fighting for what he believes in, and what he believes in is in direct opposition to the very laws that Dominic has sworn to abide by and set forth to uphold. Their identities are unknown to either of them on the Wednesdays that they meet, but more than a year into their affair, the curiosity to learn more burns brighter than ever. When they finally learn who the other is, they're forced to take stock of their relationship and whether its continuance is even worth contemplating. Society would dictate that they are not of equal standing, while the law states what they do in the privacy of a chosen room is enough to have been swinging by their necks. Even those closest to them question the sanity of their involvement. Yet, what Silas and Dominic share is something only the two of them can fully fathom, and while continuing to pursue it may cost them dearly, the idea not to may be too much to bear.
"Don't. Don't say it."
"I must. I have been coming to love you for a long time, you damned seditious brute, as I almost found the courage to tell you earlier. Wednesday by Wednesday, week by week, I have loved you." He ran his hands gently down Silas's sides, to his hips. "I know the burden this puts on you, and that it is a crackbrained, dangerous way to go on, but I also know what it is to lay my life waste. I will not do it again."
The brute and the Tory are a match made to fulfill the desires that burn bright from within, but Silas Mason and Dominic Frey are as different as two men can be when they go about their everyday lives. Silas has spent a quarter of a century fighting for what he believes in, and what he believes in is in direct opposition to the very laws that Dominic has sworn to abide by and set forth to uphold. Their identities are unknown to either of them on the Wednesdays that they meet, but more than a year into their affair, the curiosity to learn more burns brighter than ever. When they finally learn who the other is, they're forced to take stock of their relationship and whether its continuance is even worth contemplating. Society would dictate that they are not of equal standing, while the law states what they do in the privacy of a chosen room is enough to have been swinging by their necks. Even those closest to them question the sanity of their involvement. Yet, what Silas and Dominic share is something only the two of them can fully fathom, and while continuing to pursue it may cost them dearly, the idea not to may be too much to bear.
Oh. Wow. It's been a couple of hours or so since I finished reading A Seditious Affair, the second novel in author K.J. Charles's insanely sigh-inducing Society of Gentlemen series and I'm still stuck at "Oh wow." How do you put into apt enough words how breathtaking a book could possibly be, because if anything, this is one of those praiseworthy novels that deserves more than my oft-read "I LOVED this book!" accolade. Suffice it to say that my expectations were astronomically high going into this second in a series, what with the superb storytelling employed by K.J. Charles in both The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh and A Fashionable Indulgence, and those expectations were not just met but obliterated to bits. The necessary but suspenseful secrecy, the constant battle of wills, and being torn between the call of duty and the whispers of their hearts made for an exhilarating read that made it absolutely impossible to put my tablet down for any period of time. This book was simply that good and yes, I'll say: I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. A good portion of the story overlaps with the events in A Fashionable Indulgence, so I suggest you read that before heading into this next one. I sincerely believe it'll be more than worth the time you put into it.
I lost count of the number of times I found myself smiling at a subtly sweet exchange or gesture exchanged by the main characters, Dominic Frey, a Tory working at the Home Office, and Silas Mason, a Spencean radical and underground seditionist. I know there have been many a story showcasing how opposites attract, but Dominic and Silas's was set at a time that their respective callings--Dom's to the law of the land and Silas's to much-needed reform--had them on extreme ends of an unbelievably precarious predicament they tried best to ignore. The fact that there was an anti-sodomy law back then simply added to what was already a tense situation. There's an air of desperation that lingered almost throughout the book, and expecting it to dissipate without a struggle or additional conflict would have been unrealistic on my part, so I embraced the anxiety it brought about because then it shows how invested I was in Dom and Silas together and apart. But the best thing about this book was how it made me want to learn more about that time and what Silas was fighting for and how much of a risk Dom was taking being with someone like Silas.
Goodness. This review has taken me longer than I would have thought to write. After all, it shouldn't be overly difficult to express how much I enjoyed the book, right? The thing is, I've always found it more of a challenge to write what I think is a worthwhile review for a book that's captured my heart, awakened my soul, and inspired my mind. This is a case of a good enough review not being enough and even as I try to wrap things up, I don't think I've reached my goal. I'm not looking for compliments because I'm always my worst critic, but my hope is that my words have sufficed in putting forward my thoughts and feelings, so that, at the very least, you have an inkling as to how wondrous this book is. I'm already having a hard enough time whittling down my list of 2015 Favorites, and while A Fashionable Indulgence had a secure spot on the standalones list, I'm now left with no other choice but to rethink because there's no way A Seditious Affair isn't a part of it. I'm not recommending you read the book or the series; I'm insisting (cough, demanding, cough) you do, and the sooner the better. This gets five-plus stars, tenfold. ♥
"You blasted...ah God, Dom." Silas's arms tightened around him, so hard it almost hurt. "Don't say it, eh? Don't tell me. It's bad enough already."
"Why is it bad?"
"The more you have, the more have to lose. Your lot have all the advantages and we've got one. When you have nothing, you've got everything to fight for." His voice dropped almost to inaudibility, whispered against Dominic's skin. "And you just gave me everything, so how do I keep fighting now?"
Read my reviews for the Society of Gentlemen series:
The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh (prequel novella) - five-plus stars - My Review
A Fashionable Indulgence (book one) - five-plus stars - My Review
A Seditious Affair (book two) - five-plus stars - My Review (posted above)
A Gentleman's Position (book three) - to be released on 05 April 2016
Date Read: 22 December 2015
Learn more about K.J. Charles.
Comments
Post a Comment