Gilded Cage (Lilywhite Boys #2) [James & Susan] by K.J Charles

WHAT a way to end this series. This book was PERFECT! and I truly hope it means KJ will be writing more heterosexual romance novels because Susan, or rather our not so little Sukey is a woman I can TOTALLY appreciate and look up to (sadly these kind of relatable heroines are not so easy to find these days). I really enjoyed the interaction between Susan and James (aka Templeton). He has so much respect and love for her and though we mostly see  him "do as he's told" (doesn't have a choice really) it's obvious the impact he has and had over her since the time they were both teenagers. He gave Sukey something she never had or realized she even wanted.

This book truly brings closure to the series including "Sins of the Cities" with a bit more of Greta (Lady Moreton) and Justin Lazarus but also glimpses into the lives of most of the couples we've met and came to love in these wonderful books. A lot of little hints thrown in there make much more sense when you know everything that happened in all the books so I REALLY recommend you read all of the start to finish. You won't be disappointed!

When Sukey (now Susan) Lazarus and James Vane met they were 15 and 16. Sukey was spending her days at his aunt's house being home schooled and since James' father had enough of him and his careless behavior he lets him spend his days there as well. They hit it off from the start becoming best friends and later on lovers but their love story came to an abrupt end resulting in James being sent to Australia only to return 15 years later with a different name when they are on the opposite side of the law with him being a jewel thief and Susan an enquiry agent working for her adopted father Justin and his friend Mark.



We know James Vane as Templeton Lane the second half of the Lilywhite Boys Duo. Returning from Australia he combined his new found love for gems and especially opals with his little habits from his younger years (some taught by Sukey herself) and together with his new found friend Jerry Crozier they became best friends as well as successful jewel thieves. Everything worked well until Jerry fell for Alec Pyne and James found himself missing a partner. He couldn't handle it, especially after Alec's accomplice turned out to be none other than Susan Lazarus. Being envious doesn't even start to describe his feelings. Seeing his best friend madly in love while seeing the love of HIS life totally indifferent to him (and his well being) made him bitter and resentful which is how he finds himself taking a job he shouldn't have and messing things up SO badly he isn't just accused of theft but a double murder.

After the way he treated Jerry (as well as their other partner Stan) James has nowhere to go but to Susan. She might hate him but she is the only one smart and determined enough to be able to prove he isn't guilty of murder (yeah he stole the opals he couldn't NOT do it.. they literally sang to him..). He knows her and believes she'll help even if she won't be thrilled about it.

It's hard spending time together and not visiting the past. In both their minds but also with one another especially when James feels like he might not have any time left. If / when he is found it's going to be all over unless Susan can find out who set him up. It's too convenient him coming to steal the opals and having an open safe and two dead bodies after all.. Susan does her best to investigate and she does find out who has a grudge big enough against him to orchestrate the whole thing but it jeopardizes HER life as well something that makes it hard on James. He never wanted to hurt Sukey but he did and he doesn't want her to be hurt AGAIN because of him. Every minute they spend together they find themselves unable to put the past aside, THEIR past, their passion, their companionship and their love.

Lucky for us this book is told from both James and Susan which was a true JOY to read. I loved both of them and I'll admit mostly Susan. She isn't an easy woman to deal with and she has many reasons for the way she behaves and the things she believes in. When James comes asking for help she knows she can't refuse him and not simply because she KNOWS he is telling truth because she knows HIM even if he more than butchered everything between them before he left.

There is much more I could say about this book but I would rather not. I highlighted half of it, I laughed out loud more times than I can count and yeah I also swooned quite a bit as well. These two were PERFECT together and I loved how this book concluded for both of them. I wish we'll get, somewhere in time, another glimpse into this wonderful couple (as well as any appearances from Justin hehe).

OUTSTANDING. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! One of the best series I've read in a long time and I'm counting "Sins of the Cities" here as well. So sorry to say goodbye... Missing everyone already!

Rating: ★★★★★

E-Book Edition

226 pages

Read on: 18-19 April 2020

 ABOUT THIS SERIES

Lilywhite Boys is a Historical Romance series by K.J. Charles. The Lilywhite boys are a professional jewel thieves. They are called Lilywhite especially for their ability to stay clear of the police's way. Though most jobs are done by Jerry Crozier and Templeton Lane they do get a bit of help from their friend Stanislav Kamarzyn. The series tells us their love stories, though the stories themselves aren't connected there are a lot of details thrown in that makes it best read in order and even more so starting from the "original" series "Sins of the Cities" which takes place 20 years before this one.

The is a bit of overlap of characters between the series mostly in the background but one takes quite the center point in both full length novels - Susan Lazarus. If her last name sounds familiar and her first doesn't it's because we've met her as Sukey, Justin's little helper in "An Unnatural Vice". She matured into one HELL of a woman and I really enjoyed her novel (notice, unlike the previous ones it's a heterosexual relationship).

The first gives as the feel of the times and the characters though it's a very sweet and endearing short novella with a bit of suspense, there are a few important details thrown in though that makes the next two makes more sense. The two full length novels gives us a real arc of action and a big mystery to be revealed with a beautiful complicated relationship buildup in each one.

WONDERFUL HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SERIES but please start with "Sins of the Cities" you WON'T regret it!

Books:
0.5 Rat-Catcher's Daughter [Stanislav "Stan" Kamarzyn & Miss Christiana] (Published 25 September 2019) ★★★★½
1. Any Old Diamonds [Alexander "Alec" Pyne-ffoulkes & Jerry Crozier] (Published 30 January 2019) ★★★★★
2. Gilded Cage [Susan "Sukey" Lazarus &  Templeton Lane / James Vane] (Published 29 October 2019) ★★★★★