Band Sinister

I read this delightful fluff in a sitting. (A lying, to be more precise.) I'm pretty sure I was expecting the chuckles I got, but not the lesson in how to make explicit consent offered by the debauchee to the debaucher so well-integrated and even steamy. I've always contended that the largest sex organ is the brain, so really all it took was a bit of imaginative effort to make consent part of seduction and foreplay. Author Charles did this deftly, erotically, and satisfyingly.

I liked Guy, our virginal debauchee, more and more as time went by. He annoyed me to no end at first. I think he was expected to. His deep devotion to his younger sister was disarmingly sweet, so he wasn't one of those characters one wants to smack in the occiput show more with a niblick, but he did try my not-legendary (lack of) patience to its uttermost extent.

Rookwood the debaucher is, not to put too fine a point on it, too good to be true. Beautiful, rich, thoughtful...*sigh*repine* (Speaking of rePineing, have y'all piped Chris Pine's lovely genitalia in Outlaw King? If not, get thee hence to Netflix! I suppose he had lines and stuff, but ya couldn't prove it by me.) So, Rookwood. Yes. Lovely man, his past is very deftly integrated into his present-day actions, as is Guy's; this being a KJ Charles book, that is unsurprising. She just does that. Part of the service. So why mention it? Because it's both satisfying and anachronistic for men to reveal their hurts and scars to...anyone, really...and Rookwood is an aristocrat, so his upbringing is simply not going to include emotional honesty. How Author Charles side-steps that issue is one of my great pleasures taken from this story.

Lord Corvin and John Raven, well, window dressing has never looked so good. Heh. Read the Society of Gentlemen books, y'all. Read KJ Charles. This is escapism done well. show less

I just spent two days absorbed in this marvelous book.

Yes, I needed a glossary of historical idioms at times, but I relished the thorough construction of the historical framework immensely.

I adored the diversity and complexity of the characters, all of them, not only the protagonists. I know, I know, this characteristic is not to everyone's taste, but when a good story has a complex context and a multitude of voices, I’m as happy as a dog with two tails!.

The romance was charming and sweet but not cloying. The sex is delightful and there is classy dirty talk.

What I loved most was the conception that underlies and sustains the broad, deep, inclusive, and timeless content. I found practically in each conversation or each thought, matters show more that in their essence (and often in its surface too) are absolutely current issues. And KJ Charles achieves that without ever losing the historical tone, or falling in moralization.

I hope there will be more stories about the Murder, and that we don't have to wait too long for them. show less

What a delightful set of characters do we have here! And the tropes! OH MY GOD! All the tropes! *laughs*

And yet, it's still a story in which our humble and doom-destined protagonist find the strength to stand for himself in his love for his sister and his lover. He faces his fears and not only survives but gets all he never knew he had wanted.

I love every bit of their story, and more than read it, I devoured it. but then, it's K. J. Charles, I shouldn't be surprised :P

To my fellow KJ Charles fans: you already know how awesome she is, this is one of her best, aren't we lucky to live in her world?

To anyone who isn't familiar with her work and is wondering whether you should read this book: YES OMG what are you waiting for hit that one-click purchase button RIGHT NOW.

I'm not sure what else there is to say but I will mention a few of my favorite aspects of this near-perfect novel. It's funny. It's smart (next time someone tells you romance novels are trash, ask them to use the words "farrago" and "propitiate" in a sentence). It is diverse. It deals with consent in a way that feels true to both its time and our own.

Of course none of this would matter if the romance didn't work, and KJC doesn't let us show more down. Guy Frisby may start the book as a prudish "plank" but he comes out of his shell and becomes a passionate, thoughtful and brave man. Helping him along his journey is the "fair-haired, scientifically minded libertine" Philip Rookwood, whose hard-hearted cynicism melts pretty much the first time he realizes how much Guy loves and takes care of his sister Amanda. His seduction of the virginal Guy is eye opening for both parties, and features a unique lesson in Latin verb conjugation.

Frankly, the secondary characters almost run away with the book, most notably the other hellfire club members: the notorious rake Lord Corvin and the talented, bitter John Raven (it's probably not a coincidence that the book is called Band Sinister and not "Philip and the Plank"). The scenes with the three of them together fairly crackle with energy, and it's almost a disappointment when Charles returns to the main love story. Fortunately she knows what a treasure she has created, and leaves open the possibility that Philip and Guy's HEA might not necessarily be a completely monogamous one.

I can tell a book should be awarded 5 stars from me, because as I approach the end I read more slowly, not wanting the experience to be over; and then I immediately start a re-read. No question that Band Sinister deserves every one of its stars. show less

I haven't read a ton of KJ Charles, but this is my favorite of what I have read. Set in the Regency, the story revolves around siblings Guy and Amanda Frisby, who live in the country on an allowance provided by their aunt. Previous family scandals compel them to stay out of society, and they have a somewhat happy (if starkly limited) life together. When Amanda breaks her leg on the property of a notoriously scandalous neighbor and is forced to stay in his home while she convalesces (I love this nod to [Pride and Prejudice], Guy joins her, partly out of genuine sibling warmth and partly to protect her and her reputation. But the neighbor turns out to be not what he seems (and neither is his "band" of guests), and both siblings end up show more following for members of the company. The story mostly focuses on Guy and Philip (the scandalous neighbor), but Amanda's love story chugs along in the background nicely (I'd love to see a book devoted to her, either set during this same period or later). A thoroughly enjoyable read. show less

When Amanda Frisby breaks her leg and has to recuperate in the home of the notorious Sir Philip Rookwood and his hellfire club, her brother Guy rushes to her side in an attempt to protect her and ward off scandal.

After finishing a very upsetting book, I asked some friends for a recommendation for something fluffy to read and this delivered in spades. Specifically I wanted a fluffy romance with no consent issues (which I know are a common thing in romance novels and it’s fine, but aren't my favorite and definitely not what I wanted to read right then). This is a delightful book and sent me down a rabbit hole reading many more of Charles’ books.

This is cheerfully anachronistic queer historical romance fluff. Guy Frisby's sister gets into a serious accident and is forced to recuperate at Rookwood Hall, the home of notorious rake Sir Phillip Rookwood. While nursing his sister back to health, Guy finds himself falling for Phillip and learning just how short his refractory period can be. (This is the kind of book in which everyone has a very healthy libido.)

The pacing, particularly when it comes to the development of the main romantic relationship, is better than in the previous novels of K.J. Charles that I've read, though it's still uneven. Yet while the relationship between Guy and Phillip is just a tad underwritten, I still enjoyed Band Sinister a great deal for its emphasis show more on kindness, choice, realistic diversity (the novel's anachronisms are ones of manners, not the fact that it contains Jewish, black, and trans characters), and found family. This leads to perhaps a few too many vaguely sketched side characters for the reader to easily keep track of, but I suppose without them there wouldn't have been the scope for rumours of orgies to swirl around the wayward Sir Phillip.

A quick, fun read. show less