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The Will Darling Adventures #3
Subtle Blood
Will Darling is all right. His business is doing well, and so is his illicit relationship with Kim Secretan--disgraced aristocrat, ex-spy, amateur book-dealer. It’s starting to feel like he’s got his life under control.
And then a brutal murder in a gentleman’s club plunges them back into the shadow world of crime, deception, and the power of privilege. Worse, it brings them up against Kim’s noble, hostile family, and his upper-class life where Will can never belong.
With old and new enemies against them, and secrets on every side, Will and Kim have to fight for each other harder than ever—or be torn apart for good.
And then a brutal murder in a gentleman’s club plunges them back into the shadow world of crime, deception, and the power of privilege. Worse, it brings them up against Kim’s noble, hostile family, and his upper-class life where Will can never belong.
With old and new enemies against them, and secrets on every side, Will and Kim have to fight for each other harder than ever—or be torn apart for good.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2021
202 people are currently reading
4295 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Charles
66 books12.4k followersKJ is moving to Storygraph.
KJ is a writer of romance, mostly m/m, historical or fantasy or both. She blogs about writing and editing at http://kjcharleswriter.com.
She lives in London, UK, with her husband, two kids, and a cat of absolute night.
Bluesky @kj_charleswriter.com
Join the lively Discord group at https://discord.gg/fmPTWSZfT6
Sign up to the (infrequent) newsletter at http://kjcharleswriter.com/newsletter
Please **do not** message me on Goodreads. I won't read it.
KJ is a writer of romance, mostly m/m, historical or fantasy or both. She blogs about writing and editing at http://kjcharleswriter.com.
She lives in London, UK, with her husband, two kids, and a cat of absolute night.
Bluesky @kj_charleswriter.com
Join the lively Discord group at https://discord.gg/fmPTWSZfT6
Sign up to the (infrequent) newsletter at http://kjcharleswriter.com/newsletter
Please **do not** message me on Goodreads. I won't read it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,310 reviews
June 23, 2021
"It's not your fault in the slightest," Will said strongly, then was forced to add, “just goes to show, there's a first time for everything."
Subtle Blood is an entirely fabulous conclusion to an entirely fabulous series. If you are as obsessed with the adventures of Will and Kim as I am, you will not be disappointed by the last instalment of their mystery romance. In fact, you will be the direct opposite of disappointed. You will be extra-pointed or over-pointed or something like that, because this book is so brilliant it almost made my eyes bleed.
"Did he do it or what?"
"If he didn't, he needs to sue himself for slander."
If you haven't started this series, please get the first book immediately. I would have advised you to do so before the release of this third book, but now the situation is urgent. You need to experience what I have just experienced: the epic highs and devastating lows of high school foot– no, sorry, of Will and Kim being devious-but-principled murder boyfriends.
"You stupid b*stard, you’re true as steel."
This story is intense fluffy romance between a war-traumatised class-conscious hot jock and a sly, slippery, upper-class abuse survivor who is trying REALLY hard to grow a moral compass and sometimes succeeding? But other times is just copying the jock’s homework. How does the story combine all these hardcore feels and adorable, hilarious moments with all the accompanying violence and murder and intrigue of the mystery story? The short version is, I have no idea.
"Really, that man, abandoning her like that without a word. I'm furious with him."
"He couldn't help being murdered," Will protested.
"Nonsense."
The long version is: the author we know as KJ Charles is actually some sort of time traveler, oracle, or otherwise magical individual, because Kim and Will and Maisie and Phoebe and the Peacocks are so breathtakingly real that they surely must have BEEN real at some point? Right? That is the only way I could so deeply love these storybook characters. RIGHT?????
"Would you care to flee to the south of France at all?"
💀
Subtle Blood is an entirely fabulous conclusion to an entirely fabulous series. If you are as obsessed with the adventures of Will and Kim as I am, you will not be disappointed by the last instalment of their mystery romance. In fact, you will be the direct opposite of disappointed. You will be extra-pointed or over-pointed or something like that, because this book is so brilliant it almost made my eyes bleed.
"Did he do it or what?"
"If he didn't, he needs to sue himself for slander."
If you haven't started this series, please get the first book immediately. I would have advised you to do so before the release of this third book, but now the situation is urgent. You need to experience what I have just experienced: the epic highs and devastating lows of high school foot– no, sorry, of Will and Kim being devious-but-principled murder boyfriends.
"You stupid b*stard, you’re true as steel."
This story is intense fluffy romance between a war-traumatised class-conscious hot jock and a sly, slippery, upper-class abuse survivor who is trying REALLY hard to grow a moral compass and sometimes succeeding? But other times is just copying the jock’s homework. How does the story combine all these hardcore feels and adorable, hilarious moments with all the accompanying violence and murder and intrigue of the mystery story? The short version is, I have no idea.
"Really, that man, abandoning her like that without a word. I'm furious with him."
"He couldn't help being murdered," Will protested.
"Nonsense."
The long version is: the author we know as KJ Charles is actually some sort of time traveler, oracle, or otherwise magical individual, because Kim and Will and Maisie and Phoebe and the Peacocks are so breathtakingly real that they surely must have BEEN real at some point? Right? That is the only way I could so deeply love these storybook characters. RIGHT?????
"Would you care to flee to the south of France at all?"
💀
November 29, 2021
You’d think that after taking down a secret society/crime syndicate amidst multiple murder attempts, betrayals, blackmail and knife/gun/sword fights* the “strange bedfellows” Will Darling and Kim Secretan would finally be able to enjoy ordinary life. Well, insomuch as life can ever be ordinary for an “expert on violence” war veteran and now a respectable bookseller Will (whose weapon of choice is a very large knife) and an aristocratic disgraced former agent of the Private Bureau Kim (whose weapon of choice is sharp wit combined with refined manners) who, in addition to all the above have now decided to start an actual relationship — in the 1920s London where such “gross indecency” can still lead to criminal prosecution.
As usual for this series, we get a fun pulpy plot with high stakes, crazy conspiracies, aristocracy* and class clashes, delightfully contrived plots and a bit of over-the-top characterization. It’s still witty and balances well between sheer fun and a few quite heartwrenching moments (punctuated, of course, by the energetic sexcapades of our favorite duo). There’s banter and suspense and adventurous fun, and I’m gobbling it all up very enthusiastically.
If you got to book 3 in this series, I assume you gotta be invested in Will and Kim’s relationship — or why would you be here? At this point they’ve been together for a while, and the push-pull and will they/won’t they tension is gone. They are an established couple, and their tensions come from defining how they see the future together. And I love that — I love watching the relationship that has matured and moved on past the struggles, and has foundations steady enough to weather the storms. Kim faced his demons and doubts in the previous book; Will is dealing with his baggage here — but there’s little doubt that misunderstandings or lies or that “endless bloody class-consciousness” are not really going to threaten this couple. They are fine, they are a set couple, and it gives me all kinds of warm fuzzies.
There’s actually a bit of a role reversal here with Kim being the voice of reason and Will being the one to panic and freak out — which went a bit against the established dynamic but, once I think about it, created a bit more balance for them. But don’t worry — even with Will being the one to freak out, Kim still has his high-strung tightly-wound moments as we get to see his childhood home and his abominable family — or as Will aptly summarizes it, “this hundred-room hellhole with your family rubbing cheese-graters on your nerve endings.”
So yeah, that’s a lovely concoction of historical murder mystery romance, all nicely mixed to create a wonderful story.
4 stars. I’ll keep an eye out for an audio of this one that I’m hoping is still going to be released. These are my not-even-guilty pleasure and I love them to bits.
—————
My review of book 1: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of book 2: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
* Confused? Well, let Will Darling himself catch you up:
As usual for this series, we get a fun pulpy plot with high stakes, crazy conspiracies, aristocracy* and class clashes, delightfully contrived plots and a bit of over-the-top characterization. It’s still witty and balances well between sheer fun and a few quite heartwrenching moments (punctuated, of course, by the energetic sexcapades of our favorite duo). There’s banter and suspense and adventurous fun, and I’m gobbling it all up very enthusiastically.
* “Will explained about selling the Aveston library with a vague feeling of unreality that he was discussing a viscount with an earl’s nephew. Come to that, he’d punched a baronet and fucked a marquess’s son. Talk about the high life.”
If you got to book 3 in this series, I assume you gotta be invested in Will and Kim’s relationship — or why would you be here? At this point they’ve been together for a while, and the push-pull and will they/won’t they tension is gone. They are an established couple, and their tensions come from defining how they see the future together. And I love that — I love watching the relationship that has matured and moved on past the struggles, and has foundations steady enough to weather the storms. Kim faced his demons and doubts in the previous book; Will is dealing with his baggage here — but there’s little doubt that misunderstandings or lies or that “endless bloody class-consciousness” are not really going to threaten this couple. They are fine, they are a set couple, and it gives me all kinds of warm fuzzies.
“Kim was a bloody twisting slippery weasel liar, and Will had to hold back a savage grin of pride.”
There’s actually a bit of a role reversal here with Kim being the voice of reason and Will being the one to panic and freak out — which went a bit against the established dynamic but, once I think about it, created a bit more balance for them. But don’t worry — even with Will being the one to freak out, Kim still has his high-strung tightly-wound moments as we get to see his childhood home and his abominable family — or as Will aptly summarizes it, “this hundred-room hellhole with your family rubbing cheese-graters on your nerve endings.”
So yeah, that’s a lovely concoction of historical murder mystery romance, all nicely mixed to create a wonderful story.
“Aristocracy means ‘rule of the best’, and I can’t think of any company in which Chingford would be counted as best, including the average gaol. Yet the hereditary principle demands we grant power, authority, and vast swathes of land to a man who couldn’t run a whelk stall if you gave him a copy of How To Run A Whelk Stall with corners turned down to mark the good bits.”
4 stars. I’ll keep an eye out for an audio of this one that I’m hoping is still going to be released. These are my not-even-guilty pleasure and I love them to bits.
—————
My review of book 1: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of book 2: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 8, 2021
4.5 Hearts! - BR with Adam!
Whoo! Talk about a page turner!!
Last we saw Will and Kim, they had taken those few tentative steps toward a fragile commitment towards each other, and now they’re slowly getting into their groove. All that seemingly domestic bliss however, is rudely interrupted when Kim’s awful arsehole of a brother is accused of murder.
Things quickly unravel into a complicated messy need to see Kim’s brother exonerated, and Will and Kim do what they do best in trying to find a way out of the shit show they find themselves embroiled in. What they uncover is perhaps a not so shocking realization. Their common enemy, Zodiac, is trying to regain their feet after they were disbanded in The Sugared Game, and Will and Kim have landed smack dab in the middle of it, mucking about and causing their trademark meddlesome trouble.
For me, this series continues to get better and better as it successfully brings a great supporting cast, a complicated mystery full of twists and turns, all the while brandishing gentlemanly propriety amidst some not so gentlemanly situations. What this also brings is some seriously romantic and well earned swoon! Both Will and Kim have taken a deep dive into what their hearts truly desire and once that realization is made, they'll do anything to see it come to fruition. And how!
Admittedly, I wondered how Charles would close this trilogy, both in the overall series arc and with the love progression. Don’t fear dear readers, for she didn’t fail us.
Historicals aren’t a top trope that I readily delve into, but Charles makes a strong argument for them (as I blatantly call for more of her paranormal stories)!! To say the least, I’m not typically easily impressed, but I’m waving the white flag in concession as this pulls out all the stops!
Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review
Whoo! Talk about a page turner!!
Last we saw Will and Kim, they had taken those few tentative steps toward a fragile commitment towards each other, and now they’re slowly getting into their groove. All that seemingly domestic bliss however, is rudely interrupted when Kim’s awful arsehole of a brother is accused of murder.
Things quickly unravel into a complicated messy need to see Kim’s brother exonerated, and Will and Kim do what they do best in trying to find a way out of the shit show they find themselves embroiled in. What they uncover is perhaps a not so shocking realization. Their common enemy, Zodiac, is trying to regain their feet after they were disbanded in The Sugared Game, and Will and Kim have landed smack dab in the middle of it, mucking about and causing their trademark meddlesome trouble.
For me, this series continues to get better and better as it successfully brings a great supporting cast, a complicated mystery full of twists and turns, all the while brandishing gentlemanly propriety amidst some not so gentlemanly situations. What this also brings is some seriously romantic and well earned swoon! Both Will and Kim have taken a deep dive into what their hearts truly desire and once that realization is made, they'll do anything to see it come to fruition. And how!
Admittedly, I wondered how Charles would close this trilogy, both in the overall series arc and with the love progression. Don’t fear dear readers, for she didn’t fail us.
Historicals aren’t a top trope that I readily delve into, but Charles makes a strong argument for them (as I blatantly call for more of her paranormal stories)!! To say the least, I’m not typically easily impressed, but I’m waving the white flag in concession as this pulls out all the stops!
Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review
June 24, 2021
If Phoebe and Maisie aren't endgame I'm going to be so bitter.
---
Update:
---
Update:
March 12, 2026
What a glorious ending to a glorious series!
This time it’s not (just) about secret societies and spies but straight up, good old murder. The suspect? None other than Kim’s own (horrendous) brother and the reason they all get tangled up in the more than suspicious business of the Symposium - a gentlemen’s club with dark secrets and increasingly questionable members. What follows is a big fat mess of lies, deception, family drama and set-ups. Last of which is also the reason why Kim and Will end up taking a lovely little trip into the country, to Kim’s family estate - what a special kind of torture, err, I mean family reunion that was. Poor Kim. For real.
Speaking of Kim:
Gosh, he’s just marvellous, isn’t he? Especially in this book: On the one hand we are shown a Kim who’s so vulnerable, so broken by his past and also so irrevocably in love and on the other he remains the fierce, smart, quick-witted force of nature we all know and love from the first two books.
He was on absolute FIRE here. His banter, his zingers, his sarcasm and snark - fucking DELIGHTFUL! And Will is not far behind him. Those two have such a fantastic dynamic, I just can’t get enough.
But it’s not all fun banter and hot sex. It’s so much more.
This, my friends, is what my relationship development dreams are made of. The tenderness and openness and vulnerability and patience they showed here, their ‘stop being strong at me’ and ‘I’ll burn the world down for you’ completely undid me. Thinking about how their relationship started and where it’s gotten to is just… absolutely top tier. I commend you, KJ Charles.
And aren’t these the most Kim-and-Will love declarations you could imagine?
And I adore this series. A lot. The ending was perfection. Now I gotta read Think of England, to be able to read the combined epilogue, because I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to my darlings 🥹
This time it’s not (just) about secret societies and spies but straight up, good old murder. The suspect? None other than Kim’s own (horrendous) brother and the reason they all get tangled up in the more than suspicious business of the Symposium - a gentlemen’s club with dark secrets and increasingly questionable members. What follows is a big fat mess of lies, deception, family drama and set-ups. Last of which is also the reason why Kim and Will end up taking a lovely little trip into the country, to Kim’s family estate - what a special kind of torture, err, I mean family reunion that was. Poor Kim. For real.
Speaking of Kim:
Gosh, he’s just marvellous, isn’t he? Especially in this book: On the one hand we are shown a Kim who’s so vulnerable, so broken by his past and also so irrevocably in love and on the other he remains the fierce, smart, quick-witted force of nature we all know and love from the first two books.
He was on absolute FIRE here. His banter, his zingers, his sarcasm and snark - fucking DELIGHTFUL! And Will is not far behind him. Those two have such a fantastic dynamic, I just can’t get enough.
But it’s not all fun banter and hot sex. It’s so much more.
This, my friends, is what my relationship development dreams are made of. The tenderness and openness and vulnerability and patience they showed here, their ‘stop being strong at me’ and ‘I’ll burn the world down for you’ completely undid me. Thinking about how their relationship started and where it’s gotten to is just… absolutely top tier. I commend you, KJ Charles.
And aren’t these the most Kim-and-Will love declarations you could imagine?
“A future. You know the concept? The shape you want the rest of your life to take? I want mine with you, all of it. A future, a forever. I love you.” He said it quite calmly, as if it was an established fact. “People say I love you to madness, but I love you to sanity, because loving you is the sanest thing I have ever done. You are everything to me, Will, and I cannot lose you to my miserable family and an accident of birth.” 🫠
“The way you talk to me, the way you think, the ways you lie, even. Every damn thing about you. You drive me out of my mind, Kim. It’s been months and I can’t think of anything but you. And I suppose all that means I love you, but that—the words—”
“Not right?”
“Not enough. What it comes down to is—” He couldn’t find a better way to say it. “I don’t like it when you aren’t there. It pisses me off; I think it always will. Don’t piss me off?” 🤣😍
“You changed everything, Will. My life, my work, myself. It’s all changed—all better—because of you.”
“You did that yourself, you daft sod. I just shouted at you a bit.”
“A lot. God, I adore you.”
And I adore this series. A lot. The ending was perfection. Now I gotta read Think of England, to be able to read the combined epilogue, because I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to my darlings 🥹
June 23, 2021
**Now available!!**
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Not So Subtle Stars!
"So many things mattered about Kim. The way his deep brown eyes lit when he smiled, the intense concentration he brought to work or to bed. How he had made undrinkably weak tea for Will just once, watched him make his own with catlike attention, and got it spoon-dissolvingly perfect ever since. There were so many tiny wisping moments of trust and truth and vulnerability that had slowly become something real and solid between them, and Will didn't want it to slip through his fingers. Not again."
Ok that's not true.
or
Yes, those will do nicely for my feelings. Moving on.
We have come to the end of the Will Darling Adventures. Or...almost the end. I am told KJ has written some kind of extended epilogue that she will share after this releases. Put simply, I loved this book. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. It's been a roller coaster ride with Will and Kim and I admit my expectations were high. Because we've gone through so much with them. They've danced with and around each other and taken a step backwards for every two steps forward. So I desperately wanted their ending to be solid and perfect. Perfect for them and who they are as characters. And it was. It really was. 🥰
What I loved most of all was the character development and progress of Kim. Because, let's face it, he has been a little bit of a shit in the last two books. Oh don't get me wrong, I still loved him. But I spent plenty of time in the previous books making this exact face at him.
Whereas in this book I was all aboard Team Kim.
Such progress. It felt honest and true.
I highlighted so many passages from this book that it would have been easier to highlight the whole book instead. The mystery was engaging and fun. I found that, even with being the worst armchair detective in the history of armchair detectives, I was able to put some things together early on. However that didn't ruin my enjoyment. It was a delight to spend time with Phoebe and Maisie again. I adore those two and would read the heck out of spin-off book with them. KJ writes darn good female characters. Which, in my experience, is not always found in m/m romance.
All was well in this positively perfect conclusion. I laughed, I swore, I melted, I swooned. What more could you ask for?
"You send me out of my mind," Will whispered. "You know that right?" "I lost mine to you a long time ago." He brushed a thumb over Will's cheek, unbearably tender.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Not So Subtle Stars!
"So many things mattered about Kim. The way his deep brown eyes lit when he smiled, the intense concentration he brought to work or to bed. How he had made undrinkably weak tea for Will just once, watched him make his own with catlike attention, and got it spoon-dissolvingly perfect ever since. There were so many tiny wisping moments of trust and truth and vulnerability that had slowly become something real and solid between them, and Will didn't want it to slip through his fingers. Not again."
Ok that's not true.
or
Yes, those will do nicely for my feelings. Moving on.
We have come to the end of the Will Darling Adventures. Or...almost the end. I am told KJ has written some kind of extended epilogue that she will share after this releases. Put simply, I loved this book. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. It's been a roller coaster ride with Will and Kim and I admit my expectations were high. Because we've gone through so much with them. They've danced with and around each other and taken a step backwards for every two steps forward. So I desperately wanted their ending to be solid and perfect. Perfect for them and who they are as characters. And it was. It really was. 🥰
What I loved most of all was the character development and progress of Kim. Because, let's face it, he has been a little bit of a shit in the last two books. Oh don't get me wrong, I still loved him. But I spent plenty of time in the previous books making this exact face at him.
Whereas in this book I was all aboard Team Kim.
Such progress. It felt honest and true.
I highlighted so many passages from this book that it would have been easier to highlight the whole book instead. The mystery was engaging and fun. I found that, even with being the worst armchair detective in the history of armchair detectives, I was able to put some things together early on. However that didn't ruin my enjoyment. It was a delight to spend time with Phoebe and Maisie again. I adore those two and would read the heck out of spin-off book with them. KJ writes darn good female characters. Which, in my experience, is not always found in m/m romance.
All was well in this positively perfect conclusion. I laughed, I swore, I melted, I swooned. What more could you ask for?
"You send me out of my mind," Will whispered. "You know that right?" "I lost mine to you a long time ago." He brushed a thumb over Will's cheek, unbearably tender.
July 5, 2024
I feel like I say this a lot, but I completely understand the hype around this series and why so many people cite this as a comfort reread for them. I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of the last book and also found myself laughing out loud multiple times.
The development of Will and Kim’s relationship over the course of the books is just so so great. The two of them learning how to be vulnerable, to trust and support each other and allow themselves the idea of a future together was just a joy to read. I will definitely return to this series in the future. Their chemistry on page was just off the charts.
Also Maisie and Phoebe have got to be some of my favourite supporting characters I have come across. I love them so much. It’s so easy, especially in historical fiction, to write off women as these flighty accessories to the main characters and the fact that both of these women were taken seriously and were so strong and well realised as characters with their own motivations and goals delighted me.
Asking me to pick a favourite KJC books is a bit like asking me to pick a favourite child and I don’t know if I could ever do it. But if push came to shove I would secretly admit it’s probably this series lol.
The development of Will and Kim’s relationship over the course of the books is just so so great. The two of them learning how to be vulnerable, to trust and support each other and allow themselves the idea of a future together was just a joy to read. I will definitely return to this series in the future. Their chemistry on page was just off the charts.
Also Maisie and Phoebe have got to be some of my favourite supporting characters I have come across. I love them so much. It’s so easy, especially in historical fiction, to write off women as these flighty accessories to the main characters and the fact that both of these women were taken seriously and were so strong and well realised as characters with their own motivations and goals delighted me.
Asking me to pick a favourite KJC books is a bit like asking me to pick a favourite child and I don’t know if I could ever do it. But if push came to shove I would secretly admit it’s probably this series lol.
June 28, 2021
This was everything I could have wanted for Will and Kim. 🥰 Once again, KJ Charles gets it absolutely right. Even the hard things.
From the beginning, it's been Kim who's spun Will around in circles. This time Kim makes himself so vulnerable, gives his heart so completely to Will with no expectation of anything back at all that I wanted to cry. Because Will isn't sure he can give Kim the same thing back. Me to KJ Charles at that point:
This time, Will & Kim are drawn into an investigation because of Kim's beastly brother Chingford, who's been accused of murder. Kim has no choice but to help Chingford, because if he's found guilty, Kim will have to take his place as heir. This, for the first time, exposes Will to Kim's horrible family and he begins to finally get a clear picture at the why behind so many of Kim's issues. 👿 I swear, every single moment that Kim's brother or father are on page, I wanted nothing so much as to be able to crawl into this book.
Though my very favorite thing was the way we see finally see all of Kim, and the way he & Will grow together, there was so much to love here. The plot and writing was every bit as outstanding as I always expect from KJC, and the action and danger had me glued to my kindle. Adding to all the awesomeness in no small part were Maisie and Phoebe. I love them, and was so happy to see them here! I'd love to have more of these kickass women. 💜
Seriously, this was pure perfection for me. These two had to go through some terrible things to get to their happily ever after but it was every bit worth it!
From the beginning, it's been Kim who's spun Will around in circles. This time Kim makes himself so vulnerable, gives his heart so completely to Will with no expectation of anything back at all that I wanted to cry. Because Will isn't sure he can give Kim the same thing back. Me to KJ Charles at that point:
This time, Will & Kim are drawn into an investigation because of Kim's beastly brother Chingford, who's been accused of murder. Kim has no choice but to help Chingford, because if he's found guilty, Kim will have to take his place as heir. This, for the first time, exposes Will to Kim's horrible family and he begins to finally get a clear picture at the why behind so many of Kim's issues. 👿 I swear, every single moment that Kim's brother or father are on page, I wanted nothing so much as to be able to crawl into this book.
Though my very favorite thing was the way we see finally see all of Kim, and the way he & Will grow together, there was so much to love here. The plot and writing was every bit as outstanding as I always expect from KJC, and the action and danger had me glued to my kindle. Adding to all the awesomeness in no small part were Maisie and Phoebe. I love them, and was so happy to see them here! I'd love to have more of these kickass women. 💜
Seriously, this was pure perfection for me. These two had to go through some terrible things to get to their happily ever after but it was every bit worth it!
June 27, 2021
This the third part of the ongoing saga of Will and Kim, and it delivers action, mystery, twists, and some nice moments of emotion between two engaging main characters. Will and Kim have come a long way, in trust and in honesty. But Kim's noble family still jerks his chain in ways that even he can't predict or fully resist. When his older brother is arrested for murder, with the evidence strongly against him, Kim isn't willing to see Chingford hang, or to become his father's loathed last heir.
Will's bluff, uncompromising honesty runs up against the wall of what Kim is willing to do, to avoid the worst outcome for his brother. And it's a question of whether the love they have for each other can get them past the moment when self respect demands different things from each of them. Can Will bend for Kim? Can Kim come to terms with his past and struggle free of its grip, enough to see his worth and to avoid losing Will? And can they both avoid getting killed, kidnapped, framed, or fooled, as they realize that the Zodiac criminal group isn't as de-fanged as they'd hoped, and may be rising again?
This was a highly satisfying conclusion to the saga (although I'd love to see what comes next for these guys.) I couldn't resist diving into it without a reread of parts one and two, and I don't think I missed much. But sometime I'm going to start at the beginning and read all the way through at once, because it's more than worth the trip. KJ Charles retains her place as a favorite author whose men's wit and hearts both endear them to me, every time.
Will's bluff, uncompromising honesty runs up against the wall of what Kim is willing to do, to avoid the worst outcome for his brother. And it's a question of whether the love they have for each other can get them past the moment when self respect demands different things from each of them. Can Will bend for Kim? Can Kim come to terms with his past and struggle free of its grip, enough to see his worth and to avoid losing Will? And can they both avoid getting killed, kidnapped, framed, or fooled, as they realize that the Zodiac criminal group isn't as de-fanged as they'd hoped, and may be rising again?
This was a highly satisfying conclusion to the saga (although I'd love to see what comes next for these guys.) I couldn't resist diving into it without a reread of parts one and two, and I don't think I missed much. But sometime I'm going to start at the beginning and read all the way through at once, because it's more than worth the trip. KJ Charles retains her place as a favorite author whose men's wit and hearts both endear them to me, every time.
June 27, 2021
5 stars +++
Brilliant.
Spellbinding.
Delightful.
Charming.
Hot.
Simply wonderful.
The curse of the third book certainly didn’t strike here. Quite the opposite, actually.
For me everything felt absolutely, perfectly right:
.) the way Kim and Will sort out their rather complex relationship. I was stunned and didn’t expect half of it. Hmmm. None of it, tbh. And it’s truly awesome, with my heart totally invested.
.) the thrilling plot, where things seem to go from bad to worse and then the worst, leaving me wonder with every turn of a page what on earth was in store for our guys.
.) the depth and detail of the main characters. Even though we ‘only’ get Will’s POV we know exactly what goes on in Kim’s head and heart, too! He's really come on in leaps and bounds.
.) Maisie and Phoebe! 3 huge YEAHs! to these absolutely fabulous ladies!!!
.) the very pointed commentary on the British class system. (And boy, aren’t Kim’s father and brother the absolute lowest scum of humanity! Calling them ‘a*****e seems to be rather mild and almost complimentary!
Final verdict: I absolutely loved it. This is yet another series by this author I will reread again and again, no doubt.
Highly recommended!
Brilliant.
Spellbinding.
Delightful.
Charming.
Hot.
Simply wonderful.
The curse of the third book certainly didn’t strike here. Quite the opposite, actually.
For me everything felt absolutely, perfectly right:
.) the way Kim and Will sort out their rather complex relationship. I was stunned and didn’t expect half of it. Hmmm. None of it, tbh. And it’s truly awesome, with my heart totally invested.
.) the thrilling plot, where things seem to go from bad to worse and then the worst, leaving me wonder with every turn of a page what on earth was in store for our guys.
.) the depth and detail of the main characters. Even though we ‘only’ get Will’s POV we know exactly what goes on in Kim’s head and heart, too! He's really come on in leaps and bounds.
.) Maisie and Phoebe! 3 huge YEAHs! to these absolutely fabulous ladies!!!
.) the very pointed commentary on the British class system. (And boy, aren’t Kim’s father and brother the absolute lowest scum of humanity! Calling them ‘a*****e seems to be rather mild and almost complimentary!
Final verdict: I absolutely loved it. This is yet another series by this author I will reread again and again, no doubt.
Highly recommended!
June 10, 2023
“Kim was starlight and privilege; Will had his feet firmly fixed in the mud. They didn’t belong together. Except they did.”
It's always hard to say goodbye, especially if you've enjoyed a series so much that you don't want it to end. I could read at least six more books about those two and wouldn't get tired of them. But one can't have everything, right? At least I got to enjoy this story to its fullest. I'm definitely coming back for another re-read someday!
June 26, 2021
I would like to say I would have been satisfied if the series ended with book 2 because it was a kind of ending. But Jesus wept, this book was good! :)
Different from the first 2 in that it was more emotional. There was talking. About feelings. Yay! :) And it was very intense. I liked the build-up to the ending. Very nice!
Different from the first 2 in that it was more emotional. There was talking. About feelings. Yay! :) And it was very intense. I liked the build-up to the ending. Very nice!
October 3, 2021
It's strange to feel less than effusive over a Charles read but honestly since book one this series just hasn't filled me with the usual love I come to expect from this author. But looking back I think I was slumping during book two and honestly I think I'm doing the same now. So maybe it's just me. And in fact the only reason I'm even bothering with a review is because I've reviewed the first two. So maybe I'm also feeling a bit blah from having to force myself to sum up my thoughts.
An easy positive from this? Is my love for the couple. In book two I think I was more taken with the ladies who were secondary to the action -- and they were still great, with a few very important key reveals in this third book -- but I found my love for this couple again in this finale. I think it was the mystery and big conspiracy, woven through the series but coming to a head here, I didn't much care for.
Ultimately, though, a lack lustre Charles is still a great read. My expectations from this author are just pretty huge after all these years. But again, it could just be me. As always, I look forward to what is to come from Charles next. If you have still yet to discover her? What are you even waiting for.
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
An easy positive from this? Is my love for the couple. In book two I think I was more taken with the ladies who were secondary to the action -- and they were still great, with a few very important key reveals in this third book -- but I found my love for this couple again in this finale. I think it was the mystery and big conspiracy, woven through the series but coming to a head here, I didn't much care for.
Ultimately, though, a lack lustre Charles is still a great read. My expectations from this author are just pretty huge after all these years. But again, it could just be me. As always, I look forward to what is to come from Charles next. If you have still yet to discover her? What are you even waiting for.
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
June 27, 2021
This was the perfect conclusion to an increasingly amazing series. This series is my favorite by this author by far (yes, I've read SoG. I've said what I said! Don't come at me SoG super fans 😉). Just like the other 2 books, the balance between the mystery and the romance was perfect. Both sides of the plot were important and had enough page time to be properly developed! I guessed a few plot points from the whodunnit side but I was still surprised by many! I was surprised but it made perfect sense. We had a lot of cameos from other books by KJ Charles and that was great, I can't wait for the extra that should be coming out soon that is sure to be an amazing cross over! The relationship development was also great. They've both grown a lot and I love that they try things in bed that don't work and move on. Not everyone is up for everything and I really enjoy seeing that. I know that people LOVE Will but I really LOVE Kim (personal preference that I can't explain). It's difficult to review the last book in a series one loves so this is rambly and probably does not make a lot of sense. My recommendation: read this series!
February 16, 2024
I loved this series very much and keep wondering how on earth KJ Charles made it so wholesome. Is it weird that I found a murder-y, secret agent, sexy romance story wholesome? Does my wholesome-meter need recalibrating? Or is this trilogy actually the sweetest, most wholesome thing ever to exist?
December 22, 2024
This was, undoubtedly, the best book of this delightful series ❤️
I came to love not only Will Darling (who had my heart right from the beginning) but Kim was such a lovely surprise here. I waited for another fuck-up from him but to my shock, it was Will who had to acknowledge and confront his demons. It added another layer to his character that made sense and I loved it.
...Chingford (Kim's brother) is such a dumb turd, I almost pity his single functioning brain cell for that solitary confinement in his skull 😐
Historical will probably never be my favorite genre but KJ Charles truly does it well and I'm definitely going to keep picking their books up, once in a while.
"Are we sure he's gone?"
"He's welcome to come back, if he wants his spine pulled out through his arse."
"I'll hold your coat."
Couple goals, am I right 🥰
I came to love not only Will Darling (who had my heart right from the beginning) but Kim was such a lovely surprise here. I waited for another fuck-up from him but to my shock, it was Will who had to acknowledge and confront his demons. It added another layer to his character that made sense and I loved it.
...Chingford (Kim's brother) is such a dumb turd, I almost pity his single functioning brain cell for that solitary confinement in his skull 😐
Historical will probably never be my favorite genre but KJ Charles truly does it well and I'm definitely going to keep picking their books up, once in a while.
"Are we sure he's gone?"
"He's welcome to come back, if he wants his spine pulled out through his arse."
"I'll hold your coat."
Couple goals, am I right 🥰
January 29, 2022
Loved, loved, loved this!
July 6, 2021
It's official. Kim and Will have joined the ranks of my favorite M/M couples, up there with Adrien/Jake, Vic/Jacob and Whyborne/Griffin, but these two really are a class all their own. They're rough, and coarse, and so head over heels for each other, but in their own unique way. It was a joy to watch their journey from the first book to this one, and they do sap the way I like - in character, honest but without being saccharine and diabetes-inducing.
I wasn't sure at the start of this book where it was going to go. Given how the previous one ended, it seemed at first that there wasn't much for these two to do, especially for the length of this one, which is much longer than the other two. But once it got going, I realized that we did need to see this part of their journey, to really believe they could work together, not so much in taking down bad guys but as a couple long term. Because they needed it too.
That said, there was a bit of repetition in this one, specifically , that wasn't really needed and cutting out a couple of those convos would've helped move this along in the front half a bit faster. But the last half more than made up for that. It was tense and action packed and kept me reading up past my bedtime.
There isn't as much Maisie and Phoebe in this one, but they make their scenes count when they are there.
Overall, a perfect ending to a fun series. Thanks for the BR Elena, Rosa, Teal and Gabi!
I wasn't sure at the start of this book where it was going to go. Given how the previous one ended, it seemed at first that there wasn't much for these two to do, especially for the length of this one, which is much longer than the other two. But once it got going, I realized that we did need to see this part of their journey, to really believe they could work together, not so much in taking down bad guys but as a couple long term. Because they needed it too.
That said, there was a bit of repetition in this one, specifically , that wasn't really needed and cutting out a couple of those convos would've helped move this along in the front half a bit faster. But the last half more than made up for that. It was tense and action packed and kept me reading up past my bedtime.
There isn't as much Maisie and Phoebe in this one, but they make their scenes count when they are there.
Overall, a perfect ending to a fun series. Thanks for the BR Elena, Rosa, Teal and Gabi!
February 25, 2024
Wil y Kim ahora en una relación relativamente estable, donde ambos comienzan a tener sentimientos mas profundos por el otro, viendo como manejar su relación con la gran diferencia de estatus ente ellos. Así que cuando Kim se entera que su hermano mayor y heredero del título esta acusado de asesinato y todas las pruebas apuntan a que es cierto, éste decide hacer una investigación por su cuenta, y con la ayuda de Will y las chicas, demostrar que su hermano no es un asesino, o por lo menos descubrir quien lo hizo. El problema radica en que tiene que volver a entrar en el círculo de su familia, bajo el ojo de su padre, y eso es le esta costando mucho mas de lo que esperaba. Pero podrán demostrar que su hermano no mato a nadie? Podrá Kim salvarse de ser el "heredero"? Will podrá aceptar esta con él aunque lo sea?
Hasta ahora, es el libro que mas me ha gustado, tiene menos escenas eróticas, pero tiene mucho mas romance, amistad, apoyo y sobre todo, comunicación entre los protas. El misterio fue bastante sencillo de descubrir, al igual que los involucrado, no hubo mucho que imaginar en este caso. Sin embargo, lo que realmente me atrapo de este libro, fue la relación entre los protas, una verdadera relación entre dos personas que se aman pero no saben como expresarlo.
En fin, fue una lectura muy entretenida, unos personajes de los que te enamoras con el tiempo, una historia sencillas y fácil de leer. Seguro que leeré otras cosas de este autor mas adelante.
Hasta ahora, es el libro que mas me ha gustado, tiene menos escenas eróticas, pero tiene mucho mas romance, amistad, apoyo y sobre todo, comunicación entre los protas. El misterio fue bastante sencillo de descubrir, al igual que los involucrado, no hubo mucho que imaginar en este caso. Sin embargo, lo que realmente me atrapo de este libro, fue la relación entre los protas, una verdadera relación entre dos personas que se aman pero no saben como expresarlo.
En fin, fue una lectura muy entretenida, unos personajes de los que te enamoras con el tiempo, una historia sencillas y fácil de leer. Seguro que leeré otras cosas de este autor mas adelante.
August 6, 2021
I loved the first two books and longed for the last one in this series. And I made it hard on myself, because I didn’t read the story immediately after publication date, but saved it for my summer holidays. So, I’ve been reading this story in the Croatian sun (actually more accurate, in the shadow), mostly on quiet mornings when no one was up yet. And I loved to read about Will and Kim again. And especially Kim asking Will to be more vulnerable:
Maybe you need to be a bit less strong and a bit more vulnerable for a while and see what happens ... You can be vulnerable if you want, my love. You aren’t at war anymore.
I loved the second book in this series the most because of the longing and the banter, but I’m so happy to have read the whole series! And I loved how many times Kim told Will he loved him, even with a poem from a (obscure) book:
I will neither delay nor dissemble
But utter my love in thine ear
Though my voice and my countenance tremble
With a passion past pity and fear
Oh and K.J. one remark. Vlissingen is the Netherlands 😀, not Flanders, not even Dutch Flanders (for the most part Flanders is Belgium).
Maybe you need to be a bit less strong and a bit more vulnerable for a while and see what happens ... You can be vulnerable if you want, my love. You aren’t at war anymore.
I loved the second book in this series the most because of the longing and the banter, but I’m so happy to have read the whole series! And I loved how many times Kim told Will he loved him, even with a poem from a (obscure) book:
I will neither delay nor dissemble
But utter my love in thine ear
Though my voice and my countenance tremble
With a passion past pity and fear
Oh and K.J. one remark. Vlissingen is the Netherlands 😀, not Flanders, not even Dutch Flanders (for the most part Flanders is Belgium).
July 2, 2021
"I don't like it when you aren't there. It pisses me off; I think it always will. Don't piss me off?"
I'm honestly sitting here in stunned silence. For once, I have nothing to say. I've been following the Will Darling series since the first book was released, and I've never been as obsessed with any other romance series as I have with this. It's the rare case where each succeeding book gets better and better, and wow, my brain doesn't even work anymore.
So many feelings. Oh my heart. Oh my stupid boys who love each other so much. Oh my girls with their happy ending. I highlighted so many lines. It was a perfect ending, but I was also SO SAD because I don't want this series to end. I don't want to let go of Will and Kim yet. KJ Charles, please tell me you'll release some epilogue content. PLEASE.
"People say I love you to madness, but I love you to sanity, because loving you is the sanest thing I have ever done. You are everything to me, Will, and I cannot lose you to my miserable family and an accident of birth."
Reader, they lived happily ever after and kicked some more ass.
--
FINALLY WE HAVE A COVER AND A RELEASE DATE!! I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO DEVOUR THIS SINCE BOOK 1 WAS RELEASED AAAAAAAAAA
July 3, 2021
4.25 stars
What a satisfying conclusion this is - what will make it perfect is if I have a bonus story of Phoebe and Maisie frolicking in Paris in my hand right now 😆
I loved that the third book switched perception a little bit about Kim Secretan. For the past two books - since Will Darling is the main narrator as his name is in the series title - I don't learn a lot about his lover, Kim. Yes, he's a double spy. Yes, he's a second son of a Marquess, a Bolshevik who refused to go war... but there's still a lot about his past that I don't know.
It was GREAT that I finally had that here... even if the family was HORRIBLE BEINGS (and I wish the older brother gets more punishment somehow)!! It adds the complexity of Kim as a character, and how I LOVED that him and Will were solid. Despite Kim's family, despite Kim's position, despite their argument at times. Will and Kim are IT for each other, and if they have to fight for their relationship, so be it.
Yes, there's update about Zodiac, but this book is mainly about Will accepting Kim for everything he is, and Kim declaring his forever love towards Will (in a non saccharine way) - and it's just PERFECT.
The two women are excellent as well. And like I said, I would love to read Phoebe and Maisie's Paris adventure NOW...
What a satisfying conclusion this is - what will make it perfect is if I have a bonus story of Phoebe and Maisie frolicking in Paris in my hand right now 😆
I loved that the third book switched perception a little bit about Kim Secretan. For the past two books - since Will Darling is the main narrator as his name is in the series title - I don't learn a lot about his lover, Kim. Yes, he's a double spy. Yes, he's a second son of a Marquess, a Bolshevik who refused to go war... but there's still a lot about his past that I don't know.
It was GREAT that I finally had that here... even if the family was HORRIBLE BEINGS (and I wish the older brother gets more punishment somehow)!! It adds the complexity of Kim as a character, and how I LOVED that him and Will were solid. Despite Kim's family, despite Kim's position, despite their argument at times. Will and Kim are IT for each other, and if they have to fight for their relationship, so be it.
Yes, there's update about Zodiac, but this book is mainly about Will accepting Kim for everything he is, and Kim declaring his forever love towards Will (in a non saccharine way) - and it's just PERFECT.
“People say I love you to madness, but I love you to sanity, because loving you is the sanest thing I have ever done. You are everything to me, Will, and I cannot lose you to my miserable family and an accident of birth.”
The two women are excellent as well. And like I said, I would love to read Phoebe and Maisie's Paris adventure NOW...
July 23, 2024
RTC but very important question for now:
Is it true, DS ‘Kim’s boss’, has his own series?
Is it true, DS ‘Kim’s boss’, has his own series?
July 20, 2021
I'vr given this an A at AAR.
Romance, drama, skulduggery and edge-of-the-seat adventure abound in this rip-roaring tale that brings the Will Darling Adventures to an absolutely magnificent close. In Subtle Blood, KJ Charles delivers everything I wanted from this series finale – a fast-paced, tightly-plotted mystery and a well-deserved HEA for Will and Kim – with her customary wit, razor-sharp insight and masterful storytelling.
There are spoilers for the earlier books in the series in this review.
It’s been a few months since the climactic events of The Sugared Game, when Will Darling and Kim Secretan uncovered the identity of the leader of Zodiac, a dangerous criminal organisation dedicated to tearing down the structures of power by any means necessary. But doing so saw Kim relieved of his duties – sacked – from the Private Bureau, so now he, like Will, is feeling just a little bit aimless. Or a lot aimless. For the time being, Kim is helping out at Darling’s Used and Antiquarian, the bookshop Will inherited from his uncle, and has turned out to be surprisingly adept at organising the shop and acquiring profitable collections – but neither of them is really cut out for the quiet life, and they both know it.
But the peace of the life they’re building together is suddenly shattered when Kim’s older brother Lord Chingford is accused of killing financier Paul Fairfax – a fellow member of the Symposium Club – and refuses point blank to offer any form of defence. Not because he doesn’t have one (which he kind of doesn’t), but rather because he fully expects that being the heir to a marquess means he’s untouchable and above the law, and that he doesn’t have to explain himself to anybody. Even the police. He says he was having a nap in another room in the club when the murder took place, and that’s all he has to say on the matter.
But then Will and Kim learn that Chingford was heard having a blazing row with Fairfax earlier in the day – and Will spots a tattoo on the underside of one of the dead man’s wrists in the exact same position as those worn by the members of Zodiac. Which begs the question… could some of its members still be at large and attempting to re-group?
KJ Charles has done her readers – and her protagonists – proud with this one. Will and Kim find themselves up to their necks in intrigue, betrayal and murder once again, and the mystery plot is perfectly paced. But the happenings in this story fall even closer to home than those in The Sugared Game did, and with Kim’s brother accused of murder and other developments which threaten Will’s safety, he has no alternative but to take Will home to the family pile so they can try to ferret out the truth about the murder. And in going home, Kim is forced to interact with the two people in the world he least wants to spend time with – his father, the Marquess of Flitby, and his brother Chingford, who is thick as shit and twice as despicable. We know from the previous book that Kim’s family life has inflicted some serious emotional damage, and that he doesn’t get on (putting it mildly!) with Fllitby and Chingford, who blatantly despise him, blaming him for the death of his younger brother and believing him a coward because he refused to fight in the war.
As in many of her other books, the author has a lot to say about the nature of privilege, but here, she really lets rip and exposes the deeply cruel rottenness and blatant injustice of it, showing what some men will do in order to retain power and the lengths some will go to in order to attain it. And yet, these characters are not caricatures or cartoon villains; they’re real people who act in ways that are abhorrent and are so totally blinkered by their innate sense of entitlement that they simply cannot conceive of the need to take any consideration into account that doesn’t benefit them or to perceive that the world around them is changing. I can’t even begin to describe how completely awful Flitby and Chingford are, in their puffed-up self-consequence and in their attitude towards Kim, who is trying to save his brother’s life (mostly because Kim doesn’t want to inherit a marquessate!) and to whom they are completely obnoxious.
Thankfully however, all this loathesomeness is outweighed by the deeply affectionate, loving relationship shared by Will and Kim, who have, over the course of the series, gone from a relationship based on attraction and an inequality borne of distrust to one of sincere trust and mutual understanding that has put them on a much more even footing. In the previous book, we learned more about Kim’s past and how it damaged him; here, Will has to face up to some home truths about his past and his coping mechanisms, and it’s a testament to how strong they are as a couple that he can do this with Kim steadfastly at his side. Their romance really is a thing of beauty – these strong, stubborn but broken men have come to really know and understand each other – and themselves – in ways that allow them to be vulnerable with each other and to face whatever life throws at them secure in the knowledge that they’re in it together. There are some gorgeously romantic and loving moments between Will and Kim in the story that show just how far they’ve come, both individually and as a couple, during the time we’ve been privileged to spend with them, and the moment when Kim communicates what he wants from their relationship is just heart-meltingly lovely.
Oh, and I can’t end this review without giving a quick shout-out to the awesome Phoebe and Maisie, who return to give the chaps an extremely useful helping hand. Not only are they superb characters in their own right, but the friendships between them and Will and Kim are so strongly written that the deep affection lying between them all simply leaps off the page.
If you’ve been following The Will Darling Adventures , then I know you’ll be eager to snap up Subtle Blood straight away, and if you’ve been waiting for the series to be completed, then now’s the time to get stuck in. Just make sure you clear yourself plenty of alone-time because once you start, I guarantee you won’t want to stop until the very end!
Clever, witty, sharply observed and beautifully romantic, Subtle Blood is a stonking read and an un-putdownable tour de force by an author at the very top of her game. I’m sorry to say goodbye to Will and Kim but I’m also so very glad to have made their acquaintance and that they’ve been given such a fantastic send-off. Definitely one for the keeper shelf and the Best of 2021 list.
Romance, drama, skulduggery and edge-of-the-seat adventure abound in this rip-roaring tale that brings the Will Darling Adventures to an absolutely magnificent close. In Subtle Blood, KJ Charles delivers everything I wanted from this series finale – a fast-paced, tightly-plotted mystery and a well-deserved HEA for Will and Kim – with her customary wit, razor-sharp insight and masterful storytelling.
There are spoilers for the earlier books in the series in this review.
It’s been a few months since the climactic events of The Sugared Game, when Will Darling and Kim Secretan uncovered the identity of the leader of Zodiac, a dangerous criminal organisation dedicated to tearing down the structures of power by any means necessary. But doing so saw Kim relieved of his duties – sacked – from the Private Bureau, so now he, like Will, is feeling just a little bit aimless. Or a lot aimless. For the time being, Kim is helping out at Darling’s Used and Antiquarian, the bookshop Will inherited from his uncle, and has turned out to be surprisingly adept at organising the shop and acquiring profitable collections – but neither of them is really cut out for the quiet life, and they both know it.
But the peace of the life they’re building together is suddenly shattered when Kim’s older brother Lord Chingford is accused of killing financier Paul Fairfax – a fellow member of the Symposium Club – and refuses point blank to offer any form of defence. Not because he doesn’t have one (which he kind of doesn’t), but rather because he fully expects that being the heir to a marquess means he’s untouchable and above the law, and that he doesn’t have to explain himself to anybody. Even the police. He says he was having a nap in another room in the club when the murder took place, and that’s all he has to say on the matter.
But then Will and Kim learn that Chingford was heard having a blazing row with Fairfax earlier in the day – and Will spots a tattoo on the underside of one of the dead man’s wrists in the exact same position as those worn by the members of Zodiac. Which begs the question… could some of its members still be at large and attempting to re-group?
KJ Charles has done her readers – and her protagonists – proud with this one. Will and Kim find themselves up to their necks in intrigue, betrayal and murder once again, and the mystery plot is perfectly paced. But the happenings in this story fall even closer to home than those in The Sugared Game did, and with Kim’s brother accused of murder and other developments which threaten Will’s safety, he has no alternative but to take Will home to the family pile so they can try to ferret out the truth about the murder. And in going home, Kim is forced to interact with the two people in the world he least wants to spend time with – his father, the Marquess of Flitby, and his brother Chingford, who is thick as shit and twice as despicable. We know from the previous book that Kim’s family life has inflicted some serious emotional damage, and that he doesn’t get on (putting it mildly!) with Fllitby and Chingford, who blatantly despise him, blaming him for the death of his younger brother and believing him a coward because he refused to fight in the war.
As in many of her other books, the author has a lot to say about the nature of privilege, but here, she really lets rip and exposes the deeply cruel rottenness and blatant injustice of it, showing what some men will do in order to retain power and the lengths some will go to in order to attain it. And yet, these characters are not caricatures or cartoon villains; they’re real people who act in ways that are abhorrent and are so totally blinkered by their innate sense of entitlement that they simply cannot conceive of the need to take any consideration into account that doesn’t benefit them or to perceive that the world around them is changing. I can’t even begin to describe how completely awful Flitby and Chingford are, in their puffed-up self-consequence and in their attitude towards Kim, who is trying to save his brother’s life (mostly because Kim doesn’t want to inherit a marquessate!) and to whom they are completely obnoxious.
Thankfully however, all this loathesomeness is outweighed by the deeply affectionate, loving relationship shared by Will and Kim, who have, over the course of the series, gone from a relationship based on attraction and an inequality borne of distrust to one of sincere trust and mutual understanding that has put them on a much more even footing. In the previous book, we learned more about Kim’s past and how it damaged him; here, Will has to face up to some home truths about his past and his coping mechanisms, and it’s a testament to how strong they are as a couple that he can do this with Kim steadfastly at his side. Their romance really is a thing of beauty – these strong, stubborn but broken men have come to really know and understand each other – and themselves – in ways that allow them to be vulnerable with each other and to face whatever life throws at them secure in the knowledge that they’re in it together. There are some gorgeously romantic and loving moments between Will and Kim in the story that show just how far they’ve come, both individually and as a couple, during the time we’ve been privileged to spend with them, and the moment when Kim communicates what he wants from their relationship is just heart-meltingly lovely.
Oh, and I can’t end this review without giving a quick shout-out to the awesome Phoebe and Maisie, who return to give the chaps an extremely useful helping hand. Not only are they superb characters in their own right, but the friendships between them and Will and Kim are so strongly written that the deep affection lying between them all simply leaps off the page.
If you’ve been following The Will Darling Adventures , then I know you’ll be eager to snap up Subtle Blood straight away, and if you’ve been waiting for the series to be completed, then now’s the time to get stuck in. Just make sure you clear yourself plenty of alone-time because once you start, I guarantee you won’t want to stop until the very end!
Clever, witty, sharply observed and beautifully romantic, Subtle Blood is a stonking read and an un-putdownable tour de force by an author at the very top of her game. I’m sorry to say goodbye to Will and Kim but I’m also so very glad to have made their acquaintance and that they’ve been given such a fantastic send-off. Definitely one for the keeper shelf and the Best of 2021 list.
August 25, 2022
Might do a review tomorrow
May 21, 2024
Reread May '24, a delicious treat of a reread. I love these characters so much.
Original review:
Absolutely wonderful; this is how you trilogy. It’s been such a joy to follow these two damaged madmen and their magnificent flapper support squad (can two girls really be a squad? Yes, if they’re Phoebe and Maisie, absolutely they can) as they grow together and sort out the various sinister conspiracy plots that follow them around like rabid puppies, as well as their no less fraught and tangled relationship.
There is so much to love in here and the writing’s an absolute joy. My favourite thing, though, is how these books run with the fast-paced entertainment of the 20s crime pulp genre and balance that cunningly with interpersonal developments that are genuine and mature and hit every emotional beat just right. The plots are cheerfully ridiculous, which is great, since one wants to be entertained, but the emotions are real and lovely and painful, and any pay-off is hard-earned.
Can’t wait to reread these books with no waits in between. They’re such a treat.
Original review:
Absolutely wonderful; this is how you trilogy. It’s been such a joy to follow these two damaged madmen and their magnificent flapper support squad (can two girls really be a squad? Yes, if they’re Phoebe and Maisie, absolutely they can) as they grow together and sort out the various sinister conspiracy plots that follow them around like rabid puppies, as well as their no less fraught and tangled relationship.
There is so much to love in here and the writing’s an absolute joy. My favourite thing, though, is how these books run with the fast-paced entertainment of the 20s crime pulp genre and balance that cunningly with interpersonal developments that are genuine and mature and hit every emotional beat just right. The plots are cheerfully ridiculous, which is great, since one wants to be entertained, but the emotions are real and lovely and painful, and any pay-off is hard-earned.
Can’t wait to reread these books with no waits in between. They’re such a treat.
April 20, 2022
This is how you end a series...not with a whimper, but a loud, resounding bang.
The entire world could've finished exploding and I'd've ignored it. I needed to know how it ended. I needed the series to live up to the start. It did.
And there were plenty of surprises along the way. Enough that I could really go to town with the spoilers... but won't. (That does not apply to the author, I remind you; don't even think of reading How Goes the World until you're completely current with the entire universe she's created.)
Full review up now at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.
The entire world could've finished exploding and I'd've ignored it. I needed to know how it ended. I needed the series to live up to the start. It did.
And there were plenty of surprises along the way. Enough that I could really go to town with the spoilers... but won't. (That does not apply to the author, I remind you; don't even think of reading How Goes the World until you're completely current with the entire universe she's created.)
Full review up now at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.
November 20, 2022
О ні, о ні, я дочитала свій особистий сорт героїну 😭
Я чесно хотіла поставити цій книзі 4, бо вона трошки не дуже потрібна (ми вже знаємо майже все про наших персонажів і їхні сексуальні вподобання), і тут купа фан-сервісу (на перших 40% сексу було більше ніж сюжету, і цього разу ці сцени нічого не розкривали і не додавали), але в мене рука не підіймається ставити 4 богині.
Це одні з найкращих персонажів, яких я коли-небудь читала, і те, як Чарльз вміє одною фразою пропустити все минуле персонажа через ситуацію і його дії, буквально як нитку крізь вушко голки, і тебе проймає, ти бачиш це «втрачене покоління» після першої світової і їхні проблеми як на долоні. Величезну тему і величезну проблему показати через одну фразу чи один вчинок - це настільки філігранне виконання, що я speechless і breathless.
І так. У нас не пишуть таких персонажів. Я не знаю чому, може, це просто не в українській традиції.
Мені дико сумно, бо я дуже рілейтилася до Вілла, і в мене ніби відірвали шматок душі.
Я чесно хотіла поставити цій книзі 4, бо вона трошки не дуже потрібна (ми вже знаємо майже все про наших персонажів і їхні сексуальні вподобання), і тут купа фан-сервісу (на перших 40% сексу було більше ніж сюжету, і цього разу ці сцени нічого не розкривали і не додавали), але в мене рука не підіймається ставити 4 богині.
Це одні з найкращих персонажів, яких я коли-небудь читала, і те, як Чарльз вміє одною фразою пропустити все минуле персонажа через ситуацію і його дії, буквально як нитку крізь вушко голки, і тебе проймає, ти бачиш це «втрачене покоління» після першої світової і їхні проблеми як на долоні. Величезну тему і величезну проблему показати через одну фразу чи один вчинок - це настільки філігранне виконання, що я speechless і breathless.
І так. У нас не пишуть таких персонажів. Я не знаю чому, може, це просто не в українській традиції.
Мені дико сумно, бо я дуже рілейтилася до Вілла, і в мене ніби відірвали шматок душі.
September 20, 2023
This third instalment made me so happy. After all the danger and death was done I guess. But also during because Kim and Will have a knack for making us laugh just as we are worrying about them making it out alive or not.
The humour. The love. The love! Kim was finally all in and open and honest and it was so beautiful to watch. The sex. The connection. The friendships. The seedy characters. I loved this, and was once again entertained from start to finish.
I’m now imagining them forever living crazy dangerous adventures, fucking, laughing, loving and escaping murder together.
“Jesus, Kim. I was on my own in a dusty bookshop and you turned up, and now it feels like I’ve got the whole world at my feet.” “And a hole in your leg.” “And a scar on my arm and a broken hand, but who’s counting?” “You are, clearly.”
The humour. The love. The love! Kim was finally all in and open and honest and it was so beautiful to watch. The sex. The connection. The friendships. The seedy characters. I loved this, and was once again entertained from start to finish.
I’m now imagining them forever living crazy dangerous adventures, fucking, laughing, loving and escaping murder together.
“Jesus, Kim. I was on my own in a dusty bookshop and you turned up, and now it feels like I’ve got the whole world at my feet.” “And a hole in your leg.” “And a scar on my arm and a broken hand, but who’s counting?” “You are, clearly.”
August 26, 2021
Як добре, що все добре закінчується, третя частина теж топ, але я щиро тішуся, що нарешті дочитала, бо неможливо жити, відволікає від усього. Наступного тижня ще має вийти епілог, дуже чекаю.
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