From StoryGraph: It is 1821 and Nicolas-Marc, Comte de Valois de La Motte is making a splash in London Society. The son of Jeanne de Valois de La Motte, infamous for stealing a priceless diamond necklace meant for Marie Antoinette, Nico hopes to restore his wronged mother’s reputation, if only he can raise the funds. But he must operate with great secrecy, because the Bourbon dynasty murdered his mother, and he fears for his life. 

At least, that’s what he tells Titus Pilcrow. Titus was a simple shopkeeper, making and selling artists’ paints, when he found himself suddenly married to an immensely wealthy woman who wanted to disinherit her nephew on her deathbed. As word spreads of his fortune, Titus finds himself a target of every scammer and beggar in London…including one Nicolas-Marc, Comte de Valois de La Motte.

Nico is on his last legs, out of money, and on the run from some terrifying gangsters. When Titus offers Nico a space in his household, it’s the perfect chance for him to exploit London’s newest golden purse—until he falls in love with the man he needs to cheat. Still, Nico is sure they can have a happy ending together. If he can just find his way out of his own web of lies…

That’s a very long description but it’s currently 4:30 in the morning because I always have insomnia when we “fall back” and supposedly get more sleep, so I can’t think of my own simpler way of describing the book, and will fall back on this official synopsis. I also don’t have much to say about this one. It was an enjoyable book, but it didn’t have the spark that I’ve felt in other books by KJ Charles. Oddly, it was more polished, but I prefer some of the rougher edges in her prose. (I don’t mean bad writing – I mean that this one seemed to have less narrative voice than the others.) It won’t rank up amongst my favorites by Charles, but I still enjoyed it well enough, and that makes like 12 for 12 for the author. Some have been just okay, but if the worst an author can do for me is “just okay,” while simultaneously writing books that I’ve literally read half a dozen times each in the last year? I’ll take it!

Performance: The audiobook was read by Will Watt. He did a good job, especially with Nico’s varying accent, which I imagine was difficult to pull off! Sometimes the character’s accent would change literally mid-paragraph or sentence!