Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: The Sugared Game 
SERIES: Will Darling Adventures
AUTHOR: K.J. Charles
PUBLISHER: KJC Books
LENGTH: 241 pages
RELEASE DATE: August 26, 2020
BLURB:
It’s been two months since Will Darling saw Kim Secretan, and he doesn’t expect to see him again. What do a rough and ready soldier-turned-bookseller and a disgraced shady aristocrat have to do with each other anyway?
But when Will encounters a face from the past in a disreputable nightclub, Kim turns up, as shifty, unreliable, and irresistible as ever. And before Will knows it, he’s been dragged back into Kim’s shadowy world of secrets, criminal conspiracies, and underhand dealings.
This time, though, things are underhanded even by Kim standards. This time, the danger is too close to home. And if Will and Kim can’t find common ground against unseen enemies, they risk losing everything.
A 1920s m/m romance trilogy in the spirit of Golden Age pulp fiction.
REVIEW:
Note: this is a series and should be read in order. Not recommended as a standalone.
In this second installment, Will hasn’t heard from Kim, Lord Secretan, in a couple of months. He’s out with his friend Maisie when things go a bit sideways – in that he realizes there is something afoot at the nightclub they visit. Interestingly shortly thereafter, Kim reappears. This is not a coincidence and Kim needs Will’s connections and assistance to get what he wants from said club.
But things go from bad to worse quite quickly. And what’s worse, both Maisie and Phoebe are potentially at risk. As usual, Kim plays things quite close to the vest, and never shares the full truth with Will. But when Will figures out just exactly what Kim has withheld from him, he’s furious and the climax that ensues has consequences for everyone.
Oh my! This was a wild roller coaster ride. Kim and Will continue to battle with each other while also needing each other – in every possible way. Kim is still suffering from guilt and Will wants to help him, but he’s furious with him as well. Both men are protective of not only each other but their best female mates, Phoebe and Maisie. But there is danger close at hand – and there’s no way to resolve it without someone getting hurt. The exciting climax of this story is movie worthy! I loved every second of it. All the of the main characters are brilliantly written and I believed every single motivation in this story – nefarious and true! I really cannot wait to see what happens next. Brava to the author who is simply brilliant with historicals that have all the details to paint the picture. This series has hit its stride with this romp and I’m on pins and needles to see what the duo of Kim and Will get up to next.
RATING: 
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