Slippery Creatures

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This was more than decently all right and pretty much in line with my expectations for K J Charles, who consistently churns out really great m/m romance. While The Willing Darling Adventures takes place in the 1920s and has a bit more of an adventure vibe to it, it's still pretty much cosy romance at its heart without being annoyingly contrived with the way it throws its main characters together, or being overly saccharine with the romance. It also does have a touch of some politics thrown in, although nowhere near as thorough and involved in the romance element as it sometimes is in her other works (e.g. A Seditious Affair). I don't mind action and adventure but I honestly have a tough time keeping up with it when it's represented in a textual medium, so I had to skim over some parts of this one. I much prefer books with more dialogue and character study than action, but that's really just my own inclinations. Overall though, I enjoyed this one a fair bit and would likely read the next one in the series.

After a short no-read period I was more than ready to plunge right back into it. I had no idea what to pick from my list, but I've had this novel for a while now so I thought it was about time I see what it is all about, what adventures is this Will Darling engaging in. And oh, what an adventure!

I knew I was going to like the book from the first pages. This is my first K.J. Charles novel and I loved the writing style so much. It flowed so beautifully and it pulled me in so easily. Loved the description and I'm all in for that slow burn romance story. It's all so complicated too, I could weep with joy.

Will Darling is a regular man in a regular world trying to manage a regular business. After war and after going back into a society that had no use of him, he'd been blessed to inherit his uncle's bookshop. Or so he thought because things took quite a turn when a man came looking for something. What? Will had no clue, but he'd made up his mind and he's a stubborn man who sticks to his principles.

Then enter Kim Secratan, this cunning bastard who I inexplicably like. (I'm joking, it's not completely inexplicable.) Kim raised a few red flags from the start, but I wasn't sure what to make out of them. I had no choice but to keep reading. He is devious, a man who tries to do the right thing no matter what, and so great.

Will and Kim make an excellent pair. The chemistry was obvious and the air was sizzling when the two of them were in a room. I loved them together so much! But the whole situation made things so tough and when doubt creeps in there's just so much one can do. But the heart wants what the heart wants. Right?

The relationship between Will and Kim progresses slowly and tantalizing. It gives just enough to not frustrate the reader, but not too much so you would feel satiated. All in all, Slippery Creatures is a great first novel of the series, it pulls you in and promises a very good experience throughout.

The plot is definitely intriguing and fun to read. It is also pretty easy to figure out, but it's so good. I just really loved it, and I loved how brilliant both Will and Kim were. While the reader knows relatively early where this is going, in broad lines, there still is something there that keeps you glued to the pages. Like I already said, I loved the writing style, K.J. Charles knows how to use words and does it flawlessly.

Needless to say I am looking forward to the next books in this series.