Band Sinister by K.J. Charles
on October 11, 2018
Genres: Historical
Goodreads

FINAL DECISION: This book was uneven for me. There were some parts that I really enjoyed and then other parts that I thought were deadly dull. I did enjoy the writing, which felt gothic, especially in the beginning, and the banter between the characters.

THE STORY: Guy and Amanda Frisby live quietly after their mother caused a scandal. Their neighbor is Philip Rookwood, who is the talk of the country town. He and his friends are at Rookwood Hall, where rumors of a hellfire club where orgies are going on. When Amanda is injured in a riding accident, she must stay at Rookwood Hall to recover. Guy must stay with her as well to protect Amanda from Rookwood’s disreputable crew. Soon, however, Guy learns that Rookwood’s friends are different than he expected and that he can’t stop thinking about Philip.

OPINION: This book was difficult for me to rate because I liked the different characters and seeing their relationships, but ultimately, so many characters and motivations just diminished the relationship between Philip and Guy. I really didn’t buy their romance. It seemed more like a sexual dalliance than a relationship. Or perhaps it is just the difference in the experience without really understanding Philip. I think there was too much going on so the main relationship never really got time to gain complexity especially because this is a shorter novel. It was fine, but I wanted more depth in the relationship between these characters.

At the same time, I loved the gothic feel of this book. I thought there were so many nuanced characters in this book that I wanted to know more about them and was disappointed in the quick resolution. This might have been a better book as the first in a series.

WORTH MENTIONING: There is more than one romance afoot in this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: BAND SINISTER is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.