Stevie‘s review of A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen, Book 2) by KJ Charles
Gay Historical Romance published by Loveswept 15 Dec 15
I love it when authors have the courage to tackle political and social conditions within historical romance, and both were delivered in spades within the plot of the previous novel in this series. Now the spotlight falls on a very unlikely pair, with dramatically opposed political views and social backgrounds. We learned in the previous novel that Harry’s former mentor and employer, the political agitator Silas, has clandestine meetings on Wednesday nights and that the high-ranking, well-bred, Tory civil servant Dominic – one of Harry’s new friends – has a secret lover who leaves him with bruises. However, it was never confirmed that the two mysteries were connected, even if I, for one, suspected that was the case.
Dominic has always been in love with the leader of their set, a man who cares deeply for him, yet cannot understand Dominic’s need for rough sex. Silas has no objection to playing rough, so long as nothing is used that has been inflicted on him in the past following his various arrests. When the two are ‘introduced’ by mutual acquaintances, they begin a series of weekly meetings that continue without too many problems for the better part of a year. At first, it’s just sex, but then they discover a mutual interest in reading – Silas is first and foremost a bookseller – and in Dominic’s fine wines, as well as in political debate.
Neither is prepared to back down from his beliefs, yet they are able to talk about issues of the day, and Dominic may even be softening his views – as much in reaction to the ever harsher measures imposed on the radicals by the government as in response to anything Silas says – but then Silas’ bookshop is raided by officials searching for illegal pamphlets and the press on which they were printed. Now Dominic and Silas have seen each other for who they really are, it seems unlikely that they can resume their Wednesday night relationship, yet they manage it.
I love the fact that neither want to give up what he has, and yet there are compromises that could eventually be made. Surviving in the crackdowns on political agitators that follow Peterloo requires both of them to seek help from unlikely sources and gives us some fascinating glimpses of other relationships I hope we’ll see more of in later books.
Unsurprisingly, Silas takes more at face value than Dominic. I love his argument that a cross-dressing acquaintance is ‘a cove with a cunny’ in response to Dominic’s horror that someone they’ve known as ‘he’ might really be a ‘she’. I can’t wait to see what the author will surprise us with next.
Grade: A
Summary:
K. J. Charles turns up the heat in her new Society of Gentlemen novel, as two lovers face off in a sensual duel that challenges their deepest beliefs.
Silas Mason has no illusions about himself. He’s not lovable, or even likable. He’s an overbearing idealist, a Radical bookseller and pamphleteer who lives for revolution . . . and for Wednesday nights. Every week he meets anonymously with the same man, in whom Silas has discovered the ideal meld of intellectual companionship and absolute obedience to his sexual commands. But unbeknownst to Silas, his closest friend is also his greatest enemy, with the power to see him hanged—or spare his life.
A loyal, well-born gentleman official, Dominic Frey is torn apart by his affair with Silas. By the light of day, he cannot fathom the intoxicating lust that drives him to meet with the Radical week after week. In the bedroom, everything else falls away. Their needs match, and they are united by sympathy for each other’s deepest vulnerabilities. But when Silas’s politics earn him a death sentence, desire clashes with duty, and Dominic finds himself doing everything he can to save the man who stole his heart.
No excerpt available.
Other books in this series:
