Narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies
I couldn’t resist picking up this second book in K. J. Charles’ Society of Gentlemen series as soon as I’d finished listening to book one, A Fashionable Indulgence. A Seditious Affair contains all the ingredients that made the earlier book such a compelling listen; excellent narration, strong characters, a steamy, but deeply-felt and well-developed romance and a terrific story that makes excellent use of the historical setting.
Some of the events of A Seditious Affair run concurrently with those in A Fashionable Indulgence, so anyone who has read or listened to that book will already be familiar with some of the references herein and with the protagonists of this story, well-to-do, upstanding Home Office official Dominic Frey, and bookshop owner and political polemicist Silas Mason.
For the past year, Dominic and Silas have been meeting regularly on Wednesday evenings at a discreet house of assignation. In his working life, Dominic is a man of authority and not inconsiderable power, but when it comes to the bedroom, he needs to be controlled and humiliated; the rougher the sex the better. Neither Dom nor Silas is aware of the other’s identity until a raid on Silas’ bookshop by government officials looking for evidence of sedition suddenly rips away their anonymity. Both are horrified at the discovery and Silas, especially, feels utterly betrayed – but the relationship they have built up over the past year has become such an important part of both their lives that neither can envisage a life without the other in it. Being on opposite sides of the political spectrum is a recipe for disaster, especially given that the British government is pushing through punitive legislation designed to stamp out all those who would speak out against the dreadful conditions endured by so many of the people, large numbers of whom are denied political representation. So many historical romances take place in the rarefied world of the ton, that it’s easy to forget sometimes, that the later part of the Regency was a time of great political unrest and mass discontent. This wasn’t something I knew much about going into reading and listening to these stories, and I found it absolutely fascinating.
Silas has been a reformist all his life, determined to give a voice to those denied one and to do whatever he can to further the cause. He’s a superbly drawn character, a big, rough-hewn, plain-spoken man of the people with a big heart and a genuine desire to make things better for his fellow man. He’s intelligent and well-read, and beneath his large, brutish exterior is a man who wants love and tenderness and to be able to give it in return. One of the things that works so well about the romance is the way both men recognise the needs of the other and are unconditionally giving and accepting.
The relationship between Dominic and Silas has great emotional depth and is beautifully drawn. It might have begun as something to satisfy their sexual urges, but it’s clear, right from the start of the book, that it has already become something more than that, and that the pair derives as much satisfaction from their discussions about literature, poetry and politics as they do from the sex. Dominic believes in the need for order, while Silas argues that people should be able to make their own choices, even if they aren’t always the right ones. It’s hard to see how these men who clearly care very deeply for each other are ever going to find a way to be together, but Ms Charles handles the situation masterfully, having both of them profoundly changed by their association in a way that feels utterly believable. This is no mere plot-device to ensure an HEA; Silas and Dominic have a lot of soul-searching to do and both have to make compromises; but thanks to the way the author has developed their relationship and orchestrated their development as characters, the resolution is a plausible one, and is all the more satisfying for its being so hard-won.
Matthew Lloyd Davies returns to narrate this second instalment in the series, and is every bit as good here as he was in the previous book. I have one minor issue, which isn’t really a problem as it’s something that works; but his portrayal of Dominic is slightly different to that in A Fashionable Indulgence. I actually prefer the way Dominic sounds here – in the previous book, his voice was slightly higher pitched and a bit whiny at times, whereas now he has lost the whine and is performed at a lower pitch which is much more attractive to the ear. Mr Lloyd Davies’ portrayal of Silas, however, is simply outstanding. He gives him a suitably “cockney” sounding accent and performs his dialogue using a low-pitched, gruff growl which suits the character down to the ground, and which can sound either menacing or wonderfully tender, depending on what is called for in the text. We met the small cast of secondary characters in the previous book and I particularly enjoyed meeting Julius Norreys again, who has a small, but key part to play at an important juncture. The narrator’s portrayal of him and of Richard Vane, also an important cog in this story, are consistent and recognisable, and knowing that Richard’s Machiavellian valet, David Cyprian, will be one of the protagonists in the next book, I paid particular attention to his characterisation, which is excellent and certainly bodes well for my future enjoyment. (Even though I have to wait until next April *gnashes teeth*!) There is, as before, just one portrayal that doesn’t quite hit the spot, that of Mistress Zoe, who runs the assignation house. The narrator’s tone is fine for a female character, but her accent (which I imagine is, like her brother Jonathan’s, supposed to be West Indian) leaves something to be desired. Again, however, it’s a minor issue and not something that bothered me overmuch given the otherwise excellent characterisations and well-paced narrative.
A Seditious Affair is a superb listen on all fronts, and while it probably helps to have read or listened to A Fashionable Indulgence first, it’s not essential in order to enjoy this story. Both books are among my favourites of 2015, and I’m looking forward (not at all patiently) to getting my hands and ears onto the third book next Spring.
[section label=’Audiobook Information’ anchor=’Audiobook Information’]
Caz
AUDIOBOOK INFORMATION
TITLE: A Seditious Affair
AUTHOR: K. J. Charles
NARRATED BY: Matthew Lloyd-Davies
GENRE: Historical Romance
STEAM FACTOR: For your burning ears only
REVIEWER: Caz [button type=’link’ link=’http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018RC59T4/?tag=audiogalsnet-20′ size=’btn-lg’ variation=’btn-default’ target=’blank’]Buy A Seditious Affair by K. J. Charles on Amazon[/button]
