A Fashionable Indulgence by K. J. Charles

Narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies

The first in a new series of books by K.J. Charles, A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentlemen Book 1) is, at first glance, a fairly simple story. It’s basically a rags-to-riches tale about a young man who is plucked from relative poverty and obscurity, and who has to learn to be a gentleman so that he can be presented to society by his well-to-do family. But Ms Charles turns it into an utterly compelling and unforgettable story, combining a heartfelt and sensual romance with an element of mystery set against a richly detailed and fascinating historical background; and when I read the book in the summer, I was utterly captivated.

Harry Vane is the child of parents who espoused radical political beliefs in an England which had watched a revolution in France and had no desire for such events to be repeated on this side of the channel. When he was twelve, the family was obliged to flee the country, but Harry returned to England after his parents’ deaths, penniless and homeless. He was taken in by a former associate of his parents, Silas Mason, a bookseller who continues to write and publish works which speak out against the huge injustices in English society and the paranoid and oppressive government.

Harry has been back in England for six years when, completely out of the blue, a gentleman enters Silas’ city bookshop, introduces himself as Lord Richard Vane and says he is Harry’s cousin, come to take him away to live with his wealthy grandfather, who has been looking for him for the past few months. Harry, who has known nothing but poverty and privation all his life, is stunned and, in spite of his distrust of the nobility and the principles of his upbringing, is all too ready to begin a new life.

But even though he was born a gentleman, Harry as not been brought up as one, so Richard brings in some help in the form of Julius Norreys – a man famed throughout society for his exquisite manners and taste in dress – to educate Harry in the ways of society. Julius is not too keen on the idea at first, but very soon, Harry’s natural charm and zest for life start to win him over, and Julius is surprised to find that he actually enjoys Harry’s company. He is also feeling the first stirrings of attraction he has felt in years, but the danger inherent in making an ill-advised advance holds him back. And in any case, Harry’s grandfather is determined to marry the young man off to his cousin, and once Harry is introduced into society Julius’ role will be at an end and they are unlikely to meet often.

But Harry is just as strongly attracted to his mentor, who is, quite simply, the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. When the opportunity arises, he doesn’t hesitate to make clear his interest, and even knowing that Harry is likely to be married soon, Julius can’t resist this open-hearted young man who is starting to melt the layer of ice around his heart.

What starts out as a purely physical attraction morphs slowly into something more, and I was really impressed with the way Ms Charles developed their relationship from a sexual to a more romantic and loving one. Julius is a terrific character, extremely clever, aloof, quick-witted and with a tongue so sharp that it has earned him the reputation of being the most offensive man in London. A former cavalry officer, he fought at Waterloo, and, following a personal tragedy, retreated behind a wall of cold, standoffishness, not wanting anyone to get close. There’s a poignant moment in the story when he says that he got it wrong when he imagined himself playing Pygmalion to Harry’s Galatea, and that it’s Harry who has brought him to life and not the other way around. Harry is a generous, giving young man, but he struggles to reconcile the life he wants with who he has been brought up to be. He has lived a hard life, so it’s natural that he would grab the chance to leave that behind him and live in the sort of luxury he has never known, and Ms Charles writes him in such a way that it is easy for the listener to feel sympathy for him, even when he appears to be turning his back on his principles or acting foolishly. He has to work out who he is and where he stands, and his dilemmas feel very realistic.

Aside from the romance and the characterisation – which is excellent throughout – I thoroughly enjoyed the historical and political background to the story, which is set in 1819, around the time of the Peterloo Massacre, in which a peaceful protest was invaded by mounted troops who killed and maimed indiscriminately. This takes place “off screen” during the events of the novel, and its effects for the characters are far-reaching, as Harry finds himself unable to keep himself from expressing his outrage. If I have a complaint about the story, it’s that things are resolved a little too perfectly, but really, it’s such a great book that it didn’t worry me to any great extent, and in any case, it’s no more perfect than most other HEAs I’ve read.

Matthew Lloyd Davies is a narrator unfamiliar to me, although I see that he has around fifty titles to his credit at Audible, of various genres. He has a pleasant, slightly husky baritone which is attractive and easy to listen to, and his pacing of both narrative and dialogue is excellent. His vocal characterisations are generally good and consistent throughout; he differentiates effectively between a large number of male characters, giving every one of them their own distinct tone so that there is no confusion in those scenes where there are more than three or four characters present. I particularly enjoyed his portrayal of Julius, to whom he gives a very light drawl which perfectly fits the character of the ennui-laden dandy, yet when he needs to, he adds a harder edge to his voice and loses the drawl, bringing into clear focus the ex-military man beneath the flawless tailoring. There is a small cast of important secondary characters who will appear throughout the series, the so-called “Ricardians”, the select group of friends who gravitate around Richard Vane, whose wealth and impeccable breeding afford them a degree of protection which means they can live their lives as they choose. Mr Lloyd Davies excellently captures Richard’s authoritative presence, using rich, deep tones and a very deliberate method of delivery. The one weak point I noticed among his portrayals is of one of the minor characters, a former slave called Jonathan Shakespeare, whose West Indian accent is wobbly, at best.

But that’s a minor issue, because A Fashionable Indulgence is a terrific book, and one I’d recommend highly to those who like a good dose of history in their historical romances. K. J. Charles writes incredibly well, all the relationships are superbly drawn and the romance is both tender and steamy. Her eye for historical detail is excellent, but ultimately this is the story of two lost souls who find each other and themselves, and I loved it.

[section label=’Audiobook Information’ anchor=’Audiobook Information’]

Caz

AUDIOBOOK INFORMATION

TITLE: A Fashionable Indulgence

AUTHOR: K. J. Charles

NARRATED BY: Matthew Lloyd-Davies

GENRE: Historical Romance

STEAM FACTOR: Glad I had my earbuds in

REVIEWER: Caz [button type=’link’ link=’http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PVQBVM/?tag=audiogalsnet-20′ size=’btn-lg’ variation=’btn-default’ target=’blank’]Buy A Fashionable Indulgence by K. J. Charles on Amazon[/button]