BOOK REVIEW: THE GENTLE ART OF FORTUNE HUNTING by KJ CHARLES

I feel like my experience of reading K.J. Charles’s novels can be summed up by that TikTok sound that goes “another one, thank you. another one, thank you.” I’ve loved so many of her novels that every time I pick up a new book by her I’m like “here we go, another romance favourite in the bag.” All of this is to say, The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting is yet another KJC novel that has joined my favourites list, and that I just loved.

As always, I loved the discussion of class, of how much money (or lack thereof) can affect your sense of security and the choices you feel you can or can’t make in your milieu. I’ve said before that I’m endlessly drawn to inter-class romances, and we get one here, so I was basically sold right from the get-go. Robin and John have such a compelling dynamic, too, one that gradually changes over the course of the novel: first combative, then a tentative detente, then slowly romantic. Their dynamic works well, I think, because their personalities complement each other so perfectly. Robin is outspoken, expressive, shameless, rarely afraid to say what he means. John, on the other hand, is more circumspect; vocal, yes, but standoffish in a way that hides how shy he really is. Together, then, these two characters make for such a fun and engaging dynamic, Robin bringing John out of his shell, John helping to ground Robin.

Every K.J. Charles novel is different, but I feel like I always love them for the same reasons: the sharp, snappy dialogue; the nuanced approach to class; the attention to historical detail; and, obviously, the romance. This was a genuinely and deeply delightful novel from start to finish, and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out this year.