It's K.J. Charles. Of course, it's going to be great. Le Duh.

A Fashionable Indulgence - K.J. Charles



BR with Adam & Cupcake!

A tag-team review betwixt Cupcake and Baby can be found here:




4.5 HEARTS--Regency era through the mighty pen of K.J. Charles.

My favorite historical period written by one of my favorite authors? You know I was all over that.
This wasn’t fabulous on-dit with the Ton and clandestine meetings at molly houses (I like those too) Charles brought her fabulous vocabulary to the London streets of 1819 where the working class continues to suffer under British society. The upper class aren’t listening nor helping the lower classes. The class system is unjust. For a quick minute while I was reading, if you switched some of the main players’ names around to today’s US big wigs – it’s like reading the today’s news. :/ Don’t worry I won’t get political.

“A Fashionable Indulgence” is a story that features action, the effects of classism, rags to riches and an ice man who melts for the one he loves…and doesn’t lose his acerbic tongue in the process. Oh, oh and has the best choice dandified clothes. Ever.

Julius is just--(timeout: He brought to mind Lucius Malfoy and I know, he’s evil, but I have such a crush on him and I kept picturing Lucius as Julius, same ice queen, ice blond, sharp tongue ways and I just melted. Okay time-in) If you look up the word dandy, you might have a picture of Julius cutting you with his eyebrows, slaying you for days.

Harry Vane is the son of radicals. He has lived life on the run and knows nothing else. He flees to France with his parents while an adolescent, only to return a near-man, penniless and an orphan. His parents radical friend, Silas, is the only one who takes him in. and there he works until a windfall with strings is bestowed upon him. He can become one of them, the Ton. A life without having to worry about being arrested or worse for helping Silas fight for the cause.

He takes it (he’d be crazy not to) but those strings. See, Harry has to learn how to ape like his betters. He inherits a family with all sorts of society connections including Lord Richard Vane and friends. Lord Vane and his friends form a sort of society where the man love can be free if you know what I mean and I think you do. They’ll help carry the rest of this series (Also can’t effing wait – good lord)
But this first book is all Julius, flawless dressed (he really loves his fashion) dandy on the outside, damaged ex-soldier on the inside who knows how to move and shake within the Ton. He becomes Harry’s mentor in all things except one.

Ah, you thought Harry was a nubile virgin? Nope. That trope isn’t played here. Harry teaches Julius a few things as well, more importantly lasting things such as caring and love. Reading someone who comes off as having a hard exterior fall in love is always refreshing and one of my favorite characters to read about. As usual, K.J. Charles brings a different light to the regency era. It’s not society by plays but more about the friends as a whole, their personalities and how they play a part in the larger arc of radicalism. I don’t think I can remember too many regency romances with radicalism, it was different. I equally love society and the working class when it comes to this era I find.

Since it’s not my first go round with K.J. Charles, I found this to be a very solid start. I’m more intrigued with how she’ll pull off the other two books. There was something about the swiftness of Julius going all hearts in with Harry that can’t make me give all the hearts. Still one of my favorite books of the year.

Oh and the sex was awesome, passionate and fitting, not overdone. :D

Highly recommended.

A copy provided for an honest review.