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.

Any Old Diamonds (Lilywhite Boys #1) [Jerry & Alec] by K.J Charles

This one was SUCH a ride. LOVED IT TO PIECES! It was complex and intriguing with both MCs go through quite the journey on their own as well as together. I thought I had things figured out but I was WRONG. I had so much respect for both Alec and Jerry. They tried their best to keep pretenses, to do the job they signed to do, but with the emotions between them it became harder to do their job without considering the cost for both of them and how it's going to wreck everything they've build together in the past few months they staged becoming friends (and lovers) and realized it was never actually fake.

Our whole novel is told from the POV of Lord Alexander Pyne-ffoulkes, though he calls himself simply Alec Pyne considering his estranged relationship with his father the Duke of Ilvar and horrible stepmother. Mostly he managed on his own, he is an illustrator and quite good at what he does so though he lives in a small attic he is able to pay his bills. But his brother and younger sister are having a hard time and he can't stand by and see their lives being wrecked when he has an idea to make things right for them. His idea might sound strange at a first thought and yet it makes perfect sense - stealing a priceless diamond parure his father intends to gift his wife for their 20 years anniversary. It's spiteful and it reeks of vengeance but it will also actually HELP his siblings even though it could never give back the one thing they all lost - their youngest sister Cara who died because they couldn't help her any better with the little means they have.

The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter (Lilywhite Boys #0.5) [Christiana & Stan] by K.J Charles

This was SUCH a sweet novella. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't what I've got hehe Christiana and Stan are an ENDEARING couple. So gentle and sweet. I could imagine them walking the streets holding hands having a quiet conversation like nothing around them really matters. They had each other and they were happy the way they are.

Yet that's not how we start.. Miss Christiana found herself in a REALLY bad situation being "owned" by Kammy Grizzard who took her debt and made it his own, or rather, made her HIS own expecting her to pay up through working for him - "entertaining" rich men and stealing from them. It's not something she could EVER imagine herself doing no matter the cost and now that Kammy's men are in her dressing room she feels it's all over.. She is more than surprised when two men appear on the doorstep telling Kammy they are paying her debt for her and after Kammy has left, tell her she is basically off the hook and have her life back and she can take it as a birthday present of whatever.. The only thing they suggest is saying her thanks (and nothing more!) to their friend Stan.