An Unnatural Vice

An Unnatural Vice (2017) KJ Charles (Sins of the Cities)

Set in England in 1872

Although we were introduced to Nathaniel in the previous book, my favorite character by far is Justin.

Justin used innuendo and throaty moans in the same way he used stolen information and a fanatical level of planning: as weapons.

What he did for a living was vicious and despicable by the world’s standards, therefore he was frequently despised for it. Since Justin felt every bit as much contempt for the world and its standards as it did for him, this was not a problem.

“Look, everything comes with strings attached, and I prefer to see the strings, that’s all. In my experience, any helping hand is there to push you to your knees. Well, if I must kneel, I must, but I’m past pretending I want to.”

Nathaniel found himself with nothing to say for a blank second. “Dear God. That is what you believe?”

I find Justin utterly devastating. He brought himself up from nothing, was despised by everyone, but still had decency–if only for two people.

HOwever, the story needed more Clem.

“For heaven’s sake!” Clem slapped the table, making Rowley jump. “These are my niece and nephew! Edmund’s children, his legitimate children, running away from home and their mother to God knows what, and Repentance is the earl— and that poor girl, poor Emmeline, she was sixteen years old, on her own, miles from home, with child, and this—”

Also:

He was wearing an old tweed jacket, the sort rich people wore for years because it was too well made ever to fall apart.

Vimes theory of wealth!

Publisher: Loveswept

Rating: 8.5/10

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