How to Fake It in Society

by K.J. Charles

Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue meets Bridgerton in this stunning queer romance by KJ Charles, author of The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting

'KJ Charles is, in my opinion, a titan of her genre'
TALIA HIBBERT, bestselling author of the Brown Sisters series

Nicolas-Marc, Comte de Valois de La Motte, is making a splash in Society. The son of a French noblewoman wrongly convicted for a notorious crime, he hopes to restore his mother’s reputation, if only he can raise the funds. Or, at least, that’s his story.

Titus Pilcrow, an unassuming shopkeeper, accidentally married an immensely wealthy woman on her deathbed. Now possessed of a fortune, he’s the target of every conman and beggar in London. Including Nico.

Broke and desperate, Nico latches on to Titus. It’s his big chance to get rich—until he falls in love with the man he needs to cheat. Still, Nico is sure they can have a happy ending together. If he can just find a way out of his own web of lies . . .

'An absolute romp of a book . . . I read it in one glorious day'
T. KINGFISHER, Sunday Times bestselling author of Hemlock & Silver

Genres: Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Queer, LGBT, Audiobook

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 28, 2026

About the author

KJ is moving to Storygraph.

KJ is a writer of romance, mostly m/m, historical or fantasy or both. She blogs about writing and editing at http://kjcharleswriter.com.

She lives in London, UK, with her husband, two kids, and a cat of absolute night.

Bluesky @kj_charleswriter.com
Join the lively Discord group at https://discord.gg/fmPTWSZfT6
Sign up to the (infrequent) newsletter at http://kjcharleswriter.com/newsletter

Please **do not** message me on Goodreads. I won't read it.

Reviews

[M Gregs]

“Rising genre star” like I haven’t been living on KJ Charles books for the better part of a decade.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY TO TITUS AND NICO ♥️

I know I say this every time, but fuck me, KJC can spin an entertaining tale. But even in an exceptional catalogue of wonderful stories, this one has stuck out to me as something extraordinary. I JUST HAD SUCH AN UTTERLY DELIGHTFUL TIME.

After having his rent raised by his landlord and sometimes lover, Titus Pilcrow finds himself potentially out of a home and shop front where he has worked hard to establish his small but respectable paint making business. Whilst in the act of completing a home delivery to his elderly, eccentric and (most importantly) wealthy client, Miss Whitecross, Titus comes to finds her unexpectedly on her death bed and in desperate need of assistance. Miss Whitecross needs to marry, and marry immediately to stop her horrid nephew from inheriting her fortune upon her death which she claims he is responsible for.

Thus, Titus finds himself unexpectedly married, widowed and wealthy in short order.

Suddenly everyone is hoping to take advantage of the newly wealthy Mr Pilcrow and his new status, including the handsome, charming and roguish Nicolas- Marc, the Comte de Valois de La Motte, and Miss Whitecross’ originally planned fiancée, who secretly owes a quite substantial debt to some very bad people with a fast approaching deadline.

It’s no surprise that KJC can write some effortlessly engaging characters and Nico and Titus are no exception. Fleshed out alongside these two are a number of terrible, yet delghtful villains, and KJCs usual trademark of wonderful supporting characters including the Thorpes, Eve and Vespasian.


Nico was a toucher, and Titus was a man desperate for touch, and it came so very naturally to reach out to him.


So many elements of this story worked as a dopamine injection to my poor stressed, smooth little brain. I cant help but feel a little feral for the dynamic were one character is good and golden but has been misused by opportunistic people in their life and is so down trodden that they hide their light, and then a witty resourceful rogue comes along and is just KNOCKED FOR SIX BY HOW WONDERFUL THEY ARE. I eat it up every time. Yum yum yum.


And, he realised, what had freed him was caring for people who cared back. As a starving man would eat from the gutter, a man hungry for affection would take what he could get, even if it came with brutal kicks.

He was becoming someone who decided how he let people treat him, and he felt a fierce pride in that, along with a certain embarrassment it had taken him to the age of thirty-one.


I'm sure y’all get sick of me saying this, because I will continue to say it every time, but if KJC writes it, I will read it, and I will likely love it and this is no exception. I DEMOLISHED this in a single day and could not have been happier. I think that rather effortlessly Nico and Titus have slipped into the spot of my favourite KJC couple and will feature in my comfort read rotation.

(I will tell you that when i looked up the French translation for one of Nico’s lines and it turned out he had said “Shit cockroach” I GASPED OUT LOUD WITH LAUGHTER and Nico cemented himself firmly in my books as a beloved.

Thank you Tor Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this delightful book.

Planned release date 16 April 2026





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[Lottie from book club · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Casey McQuiston meets Queer Bridgerton' is an unwarranted insult

edit: I see it's been changed to 'Bridgerton meets The Goldfinch' #myimpact

actual review: 1) clearly I don't get on with marketing departments (see above) but you REALLY can't say 'meets The Goldfinch' about a book that is only Goldfinchian in that it has a painting in it. I mean really. 2) now don't get me wrong, I love KJC and as far as I'm concerned she can do absolutely no wrong and I will read even her less-than-perfect books thrice, but this is a FANTASTIC return to form after a couple of books that, to me, have been Just Good and not amazing. this woz sick xxx

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

K.J. Charles is always a comfort author for me. So when the end of the year rolls around and we all start reminiscing while also looking ahead, what could be better than settling in with a new historical romance?

Of course, K.J. Charles delivers once again with How to Fake It in Society. Titus is such an earnest, quietly sincere main character, someone who seizes the chance to marry a dying old woman in hopes of securing a future he’s never been allowed to imagine. And then there’s Nico: charming, a little morally gray, and so intent on forming a genuine connection with Titus that you can’t help rooting for him.

How to Fake It in Society is an utterly engaging read. I found myself smiling again and again whenever Titus and Nico shared the page. Their chemistry is warm, awkward, and so tender. Even though I guessed a few twists early, I loved the entire read (I even understood the inevitable third-act breakup).

Thank you, Bramble and NetGalley, for this lovely ARC!

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[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

KJ Charles strikes again and gives us a rich historical setting, immensely loveable and interesting MCs and high stakes overall.

Meet Nico and Titus.
Titus, an oil and colourman by profession (HOW COOL IS THAT??) suddenly and quite unexpectedly finds himself a rich man - only to realise he’s utterly unprepared for everything that comes with it, both good and especially bad.
Enter Nico, the Comte de la Motte: stupidly beautiful, immensely charming, but also secretive, with a decidedly murky past, in desperate need of money and prepared to play a part to get it. He inserts himself into Titus’s life to lend a helping hand - and if he happens to walk away with money in the end, all the better. If there weren’t those pesky feelings making everything just a bit more complicated..

This isn’t the first time Charles has written a scoundrel character and I eat it up every time. Nico was morally grey, yes, but so wonderfully charming that neither I nor Titus stood a chance at resisting him.
I appreciated it immensely though, that even while falling for Nico‘s charms, Titus never drifted into naïveté. He understood what kind of character Nico was - and liked him anyway 🥹

Titus in general was an incredibly endearing character and I related to him and his struggles quite a lot. I was rooting so hard for him to find his place - in his new circumstances but especially in himself. To watch him slowly grow into the man he wanted to be - a man who can say no, who can decide for himself and put himself first after a lifetime of not being allowed to - was so satisfying to read. When he decided he wanted to learn how to paint I fistpumped the air I was so proud of him, and stayed that way until the very last page.

The romance between the two is slow and subtle and, because of that, their growing feelings very believable. I loved watching them become friends first - talking, exploring, respecting, helping each other - and being so careful and tentative while developing real feelings. I maybe would’ve loved a bit more tension or chemistry, a few more butterflies overall, but it was also really soft and lovely the way it was.

Now… When one MC is hiding his true identity or circumstances though, you know there’s a third act conflict coming and it was the same here. And while I definitely fell in love with Nico too and could sympathise with him and his guilt a lot, watching him hide the truth as long as he did gave me a slight stomach ache. I couldn’t really let myself fall into their budding relationship with that Damocles sword hanging over them, already anticipating the betrayal Titus would feel after the Big Reveal.
But that definitely stems from me feeling very protective over the absolutely lovely, kind, gentle man Titus is. I just wanted him happy and not get hurt again 😭

The overall pace is fast and the stakes high: we have an abusive ex, a mobster on Nico’s tails, opportunists trying to exploit Titus for his money and ofc - like I said - the tiiiny issue of Nico’s secrets. I couldn’t wait to find out (and dreaded) how all that would be resolved, which made this a page turner for sure.
The final showdown was absolutely magnificent but I also wished we would’ve gotten a more concrete glimpse into how Titus and Nico would manage being together in the future, without secrets and lies and particularly given the constraints of the historical setting. But that might just be me being greedy!

Two special shout-outs:
First, to the wonderful supporting cast, that KJC always writes so well: Eve, the Thorpes, Vespasian - they all added so much to this story!

And second, to all the fascinating little details about colours - where their names come from, how the pigments were made - as well as the general historical anecdotes and their little tours through 1821 London. I live for that kind of stuff (my inner historian was thriving), and it might honestly have been my favourite part of the book. (Also yes, I am 100% buying The Secret Lives of Color the author recommends in her author’s note!)

All in all, an absolutely wonderful addition to KJ Charles already rich back catalogue and one I recommend wholeheartedly!


Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the chance to read this arc. This is my honest opinion!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this! My favourite KJC release of the last few years, since the Will Darling Adventures were completed in 2021. This just really hit the spot for me. Flawlessly written as usual, packed with quirky British historical facts hidden under the guise of a clever plot line and of course including an obscure and now obsolete profession. Throw in some utterly ridiculous storylines that someone just manage to be pulled off perfectly and completely believably and I was utterly invested throughout.

The writing is super polished but never feels pretentious. The humour wry but never overdone. The romance sweet but never sickly.

I have zero complaints.



Delighted to receive an ARC copy of this book, although I already had this on pre-order.

[Samantha (ladybug.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

KJ Charles is one of my favorite historical romance writers. How to Fake it in Society was an incredibly fun read that I never wanted to put down. The events that led to Titus stumbling into Society with more money than he knows what to do with were just the right level of absurd. He is in over his head and unprepared, but incredibly honest and genuine with the way he handles his new life. I love how his relationship with Nico lends him the confidence he needs to build a happy life for himself.

I was really impressed by how well the "con artist" portion of the story was handled. This setup easily could have spiraled into a mess of miscommunication, secrets, and betrayal. But KJ Charles strikes a good balance of tension and spiraling schemes without ever making the relationships feel inauthentic or unfair. I never felt like anyone was really being taken advantage of. The mistakes are natural, lessons are learned, characters grow, and forgiveness feels deserved.

How to Fake it in Society is a really emotionally rich read with characters that you love to root for, incredible tension, and engaging hijinks. This is a story about people finding the strength to be themselves.

Thank you so much to Bramble for the early copy!

Links to my TikTok | Instagram | Bindery Books

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

flirting by telling him his favorite colors to wear are made from arsenic and dead people, horrifying him to no end

thank you to the publisher for providing the advance review copy. full review to come

Bookstagram | Blog

[lara]

my number one girl kj charles getting published by tor? okaaay queen.

“queer bridgerton” though? julia quinn wishes she had kj charles’ pen game.

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

~3.5~

The release of a new K.J. Charles novel always feels like a holiday. I look forward to her stories so much.

While How to Fake It in Society isn't quite on par with Society of Gentlemen, The Doomsday Books, or Gentleman of Uncertain Fortune, I enjoyed it for the most part.

For one, I really liked the MCs, Nico a little bit more than Titus, which surprised me. Mostly, it's because Titus was such a doormat and pushover, not my favorite personality type. Granted, Nico was a liar and scammer, but he was so damn competent and sweet to Titus, I couldn't hold it against him.

Charles knows so much about English history and has an endless array of intriguing facts at her disposal. I loved the mentions of real places and historical figures, like the unassumingly brilliant painter John Constable.

What I liked less:

- A bit lacking in the romance department (the romance was just getting started when the book ended), but I appreciated Nico and Titus becoming such good friends first. Nico really pulled Titus out of his shell.

A good friendship was so very much better than a bad love affair.

- Too many caricature villains: Augustus, Titus's overbearing, selfish eldest brother; Laxton, Miss Whitecross's evil nephew; Henry Morris, Titus's abusive ex; Baynes, the lunatic obsessed with Marie Antoinette. I was exhausted by their greed and bullshit.

- The whole Eve situation: I liked Eve as a secondary character, but the lack of pronouns throughout the story (not even "they") was genuinely confusing. I guess Eve was ... nonbinary? This was sort of awkwardly announced toward the end, but I think we needed more.

- The ending: I LOLed. I couldn't help it. The entire scene was hilarious! But was it realistic and fitting to the rest of the story? Probably not.

Special shoutouts go to Mr. Thorpe, the unflappable butler, and, of course, to Miss Whitecross. Her untimely death (or, shall I say, murder) precipitated Titus coming into immense wealth. She didn't get much page time, but I adored her sassiness and single-mindedness. Absolute legend!

ETA: How could I forget the colours? Titus was a colourman, an artist in his own right, who created pigments and paints, some of which were made with arsenic. Yikes!

Daffodil Yellow was the star of the show though; you'll see why.

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 4 out of 5]

KJ Charles is so consistently top-notch that I end up holding her books to a different standard than my other reading -- comparing herself to herself, essentially. Which is to say: while this would be an easy 5 stars for pretty much any other author, it didn't quite reach the level of KJC at her best. The perils of consistent excellence!

Ignore the marketing: whoever brought Casey McQuiston and Bridgerton into this is clearly on something (derogatory). The actual comp here comes, naturally, from KJC herself. This reminded me of nothing more than the excellent, heartfelt The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting. In Gentle Art, we had impoverished siblings Robin and Marianne fronting as gentry in order to make their fortunes through marriage (with Robin doing a bit of modest cards cheating on the side); in Fake It, we have cousins Nico and Eve working their own con with limited success and increasing desperation. (Eve, short for Evelyn -- a name that was previously used as commonly for men as women -- is nb, and their pronouns vary depending on which role they're playing and whose POV we're in; Nico generally doesn't use pronouns for them at all, referring to Eve by name or as his cousin, while Titus generally uses "he" based on Eve's gender presentation when in Titus's presence). In Gentle Art, we had Hart, a down-to-earth Sir, good of heart and gruff of manner, with a complicated family history; in Fake It, we have Titus, a down-to-earth, genteelly impoverished artisan, good of heart and gentle of manner, with a complicated family history. Both stories deal with differentials of power, status, and wealth between the MCs; with issues of trust, deception, and how access to riches affects our notions of what's honorable and permissible; and with questions of what constitutes family and the deference owed familial obligation. And both are, of course, clever, briskly paced, and acutely observed, sprinkled with dry humor and fantastic turns of phrase.

For whatever reason, though, Titus and Nico just didn't capture me as much as Hart and Robin, or any of the other pairings I have in my personal pantheon of KJC legends. The con was a bit too obscure for too long, something that was done deliberately -- in order to spring surprises that set in motion the events of the last third of the book -- but that made Nico seem somewhat wishy-washy and indecisive. The risk of having a character keep a secret from their love interest is that we really need to buy into the fact that the secret MUST be kept; yet Titus is so lovely and kind, and so genuinely uninterested in hoarding his unexpected riches, that Nico's reasons for clinging to his secret become less and less convincing as we go, much to this reader's impatience. It all comes together very satisfactorily in the end, but there was a period where the setup seemed more forced than natural, which inevitably affects our perception of the MCs and the connection between them.

Don't get me wrong: I thoroughly enjoyed this, and as said above, it would be an automatic 5 stars for virtually any other author. But this is KJC, and on that scale: I liked it, but it didn't make me feral.

I got an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 2.75 stars ✰

“You were perfect, and I was a fool.”

It's been almost two years since I've read a KJ Charles novel, and it pains me to see that my return was marked by a rather disappointing and lackluster one. For a story that concerned the art of colors, the read itself was less than colorful. 😞

~The Crowned Jewels~

“If Titus were to express a desire for himself, he knew exactly what it would be.”

📿 Titus Pilcrow's personal growth, spurred by Nico's presence in his life due to the vagaries of Fortune was rewarding to see. His useless, inept spirit had been discouraged on so many occasions in his life; it was refreshing to see him finally have the gumption and confidence to find his voice and courage by his own belief in him. 😤

📿 KJC excels at historical details, and learning about different aspects of paints and colors was both interesting and surprising. Some facts were better left unknown! The Affair of the Diamond Necklace was also a unique story that was nicely incorporated into the Comte's own history.

📿 I would've liked a little more of Nico's POV, heck, even more romance. But what I liked was how Titus understood why he behaved and acted the way he did by not being upfront with him from the start. 🥺 It was a believable realization that then made his own forgiveness of his transgression feel more genuine, too. even if it was resolved a little --- not neatly, but conveniently so. ❤️‍🩹

~The Frowned Fumes~ (SO LAME, but I needed it to rhyme, and it does fit the mold of the colors, so... 🙈)

“He’d done nothing wrong. Except for all the lies, of course, and the intent, but they couldn’t hang you for intent.”

🥀 The weight of Nico's own guilty conscience of subtly deceiving Titus, his own history of family drama, Titus' own disruptive family upbringing, Titus' previous damning relationship, along with the pressure of Matthew Laxton's vow of vengeance, overwhelmed the narrative. 😣 I know. Life can't always be just bed and roses; it has to grow with the fold, but there was just too much of that and less of a heart to make me really feel their romance.

🥀 'What the devil just happened?' was certainly my utterly bewildered reaction to the climax! 😆 I figured out how it was meant to bring the plot lines and characters together, but it was a chaotic, dramatic mess that felt like it belonged in a comedic skit.

🥀 It was a little strange at the start how KJC pointedly avoided addressing a character with their pronouns, so when it was abruptly brought up at the end, it felt odd—more like drawing attention to it, as is... 🤷🏻‍♀️

🥀 Not much witty banter, nor smexy times, tbh. I know; I'm a disgrace for wanting more heated passion. But there were plentiful introspective reflections of maturity, I suppose, so maybe that was the m.o., even if it was a bit boring at times. 😮‍💨

🥀 Charming, confident Nico and quiet, serious Titus were so very unlike the other, but their differences complemented each other - even as friends. It was endearing how their mutual attraction and fondness grew, in spite of the deceit, for how Titus wholeheartedly embraced the changes Nico brought into his life and heart. There were just no sparks. 🥺 I couldn't feel their chemistry.

So, the downs sadly outweigh the ups, which is a shame. I was hoping my return to KJC would be a fruitful one, but it just was a tad too bland, lacking the usual flair and charm I've previously enjoyed. 🤧

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25-ish stars?

Look- I love everything this woman writes, and I devoured this. It also got me out (somewhat) of a very bad slump. Is it my favorite of hers? No. The characters were a little too perfect and it was overall... i don't know... missing... some rawness? realness? hunger? pining? ....Something. But even still, I enjoyed it a lot. I do love to see a traumatized hero who learns to stand up for himself, and there was a nice clean arc for Titus here. I liked Nico's character too- mostly, but I did feel like, he should be a little rougher? Considering what he had been through. He was just a little too considerate maybe. I don't know.

tl:dr: This was good, I love this author, she is still consistent, but this wasn't my favorite of hers and I can't really articulate why.

[Ditte · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Fake It In Society by KJ Charles (OUT APRIL 28 US/APRIL 30 UK) is a delightful romantic romp with trickery, focus on class differences, and a gentleman in need of assistance.

The book's a fantastic queer histrom full of fun hijinks. I loved the characters, the intrigue of the plot, the ever-evolving chaotic schemes, and how charming the romance was. There isn't a lot of mystery to this one and the resolution felt fairly obvious but you don't need to reinvent the wheel to put out a great book and I had a fantastic time reading this one.

As always in KJC books, there's great diverse rep, a focus on class differences, fleshed out characters, and a body count.

How to Fake It In Society should be a hit with anyone who likes queer historical romance and especially those who're already KJC fans as it reads like somewhat of a mix between her previous novels The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, A Fashionable Indulgence, and The Duke at Hazard, plus sprinkled with elements from The Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel.

The way I can easily comp it to 4 of her other popular books makes it that much more hilariously ridiculous that the US promo material refers to KJC as a "rising genre star" 🤠 Pan Macmillan calling her a "genre powerhouse" definitely feels more apt lol

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the physical ARC and Bramble for the e-ARC.

[Moony Eliver]

Ngl it bothers the hell out of me that there's a Casey McQuiston comp in this blurb. 😭 But I'm always excited about a new KJC!
(Who, for the record, was setting standards for stellar M/M before McQuiston could legally vote.)

[X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light, fluffy, went down smooth. Felt like a prototypical KJC.

I do think this could have been a novella - that’s the amount of story it has in it. Yes, it was written (and edited) so well that it still works as a novel that you can read happily, and very fast. But in a way this book is the opposite of, say, August Lane by Regina Black, where there’s so much going on that only a fraction of it can be stuffed onto the page and the rest is just floating out in the ether, ready for the sequel or the spinoff (or the fanfiction). In How to Fake It in Society, nothing exists off the page. It could—it could come into being at any moment, KJC is eminently capable of it—but as the book exists now you can feel exactly where the painted portions become the edges of the pencil sketch, and then after that it’s just blank canvas.

I guess what I’d like to see from KJC next is one of those classic sprawling epic mass market paperbacks about the whole dynasty, the family saga across generations, great loves and great tragedies and great drama. She’s done things a little like that before - working the Vane family into books across generations, or putting DS into the Will Darling trilogy - and I know that she has the capacity for it.

[Hirondelle (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a regency lottery winner romance, a struggling shop keeper unexpectedly marries a dying old spinster and becomes very very rich and develops a relationship with a dubious nobleman who had been formerly courting that same spinster. It is a sweeter romance than I expected - mainly because the fraudster MC is himself a lot sweeter and more moral than expected (sweet is not a euphemism for chaste, I mean sweeter in the sense of them being kind and thoughtful).

The historical setting and details are glorious, fantastically interesting, I loved the art setting, and how well matched the two MCs were, and the writing just zips along entertainingly. But there are a lot of villains in this book. I used the old fashioned word villain (instead of antagonist or external conflict or whatever), because wow, they are all really extremely villainous on page! The grasping murdering cousin, the cruel older brother, the former lover evicting our MC, the money lender threatening our other MC, the insane fan reneging on deals (and I might be forgetting someone!). It's a lot of them and they are all kind of extreme, moustache twirling on page and all. And it all kind of gets in the way of the main romance, and the plots kind of crash against each other into final scene which is very entertaining but over the top (for me).

No epilogue and while the ending is nice, I am a spoiled romance reader at heart and I wanted some more of their future life on page, more of Titus finding more of his place and assertiveness and helping artists, and a more detailed image of how Nico will fit into it and what they will do about his title..

[QuietlyKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! Just the kind of read I needed after back to back heavy reads. Heck, just the kind of read that works for me no matter what my mood, stress levels, state of insomnia, etc. How to Fake It in Society is a thoughtful, captivating, entertaining, light hearted, soul comforting story with delightful characters and beautiful character interaction, evolution and development. As always, KJ Charles weaves a clever tale that worked for me in every way.

I borrowed this one from the library but it appears to be available on KU as well. I’ll definitely buy the ebook on a double or triple points day.
I also borrowed the audiobook and while Will Watt, the narrator, seems fine, I didn’t love his voice or style like I’ve loved some of Charles’ narrators in the past (Cornell Collins/Matthew Lloyd Davies, in particular) but I definitely preferred it to Martyn Swain, narrator of the Doomsday series, whose voice is ok but whose delivery/cadence is incredibly annoying. If you’re purchasing, check the audio sample first. I haven’t decided if I’ll buy the audiobook. I can definitely see myself grabbing it again and again, but I’m still on the fence about Will Watt as a narrator.

4.25 stars

[Jordan Fischer | julietfoxreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was WONDERFUL! I feel like every time I read another KJ Charles book I say that it’s my new favorite, but maybe this one actually is? The plot is wild - Titus, a colourman (he makes paint) unexpectedly marries a rich old woman on her deathbed and inherits all her money. He finds wealth and being thrust into society overwhelming, and he’s really lost until he meets Nico, the Comte de la Motte. In Nico he finds an amazing friend and confidante who makes Titus feel seen and helps him find his confidence. However, it’s clear he’s hiding SOMETHING - and as their feelings for each other grow, Tutus finds that he desperately wants to help him in return.

This book is full of twists and turns, wonderful characters, and rich history. I LOVED learning about making paint and art, and the whole plot with The Affair of the Necklace was 🤯🤯! This is NOT your typical Regency romance and I found that delightful, I literally couldn’t put it down.

How to Fake It In Society is out April 28, and you DO NOT want to miss out. Probably one of my top reads of the year so far 😱.

[mtrics · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I've been an enthusiastic KJC reader for years and eagerly pick up every new book she writes, not all of them hit with the same intensity. It would be foolish to expect everything in her large body of work to scratch my brain like it was made just for me, so I was excited to say, just last year, that I thought All of Us Murderers was "the strongest release in [her] catalogue yet." Well, I'm thrilled to say that How to Fake It in Society may have already dethroned it (RIP).

I honestly don't know how to put into words why this book worked so well. Every possible angle of analysis just clicks: the characters, the motivations/stakes, the realism (or rather, the consistency within the novel's universe), the twists, the pacing, the romance, the banter. Every cog in the machine spins in perfect harmony, and even taken apart, each element holds up. I think this is KJC's strongest book yet, in a technical manner (whether in prose or plot structure) ontop of having the her usual eye for detail and artistic flair. The book is so full of drama that you're kept on the edge of your seat while the pages fly by. Even the moments that could have turned into cheesy deus ex machina are so well foreshadowed that you can only admire how thoughtfully the author ties every thread together in the end.

I spent the first 20% of the book reveling in the mounting tension (made even better by the fact that I went in blind, and, for the first few pages, thought [PREMISE] the romance would be between Titus and Laxton!). You're then kept on edge, equal parts excited and anxious, as the characters head toward disaster while you wonder how they'll ever get themselves out of this mess. It was an incredible reading experience from start to finish.

I'm once again so grateful to have received an ARC from one of my favorite authors, and even happier that it turned out to be for a book that felt perfect from the epigraph to the author's note. I loved this and can't recommend it enough!

[Ali L · Rating 5 out of 5]

review tk

[kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

thank you to netgalley and macmillan audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest and voluntary review!

if theres one thing im learning more throughout my reading journey its that i actualy ADORE regency romances in pretty much ever variation - and this was no different! this book was genuinely so easy and funny to read through! our MCs are loveable even with their flaws and so are the side characters too which is such a bonus

i will say if i had to read the word 'prick' much more than i did throughout this book then it would've honestly made it kind of unenjoyable (saying this, it was really only in 1 or 2 chapters, i just cant forget about it lmaoo)

the narrator of this book did a fabulous job of giving everyone in the book their distinctive vocal attributes and delivered the emotions perfectly!! id love to check out more of their work in the future

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so this is good, enjoyable, but it was cruising along headed for a 4 star rating most of the way despite its charms. Maybe that’s because I read it when I did because of external considerations, not because I was drawn to it in the moment.

It felt a little more self-conscious and tongue-in-cheek than KJC’s usual. I felt distracted by some of the obvious influences, and at times I wished it would just get on with it.

But…

I really liked the handling of the final split and Titus’s delayed realization. The mechanics of it all were more noticeable than those things usual are for me, but that’s not a bad thing. What came after was (once again) a little more comical than usual, but in line with the tone overall.

Definite step up from Copper Script.

[A Low Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up. A return to form for the great KJ Charles. A truly wonderful set up for a historical (LOVED learning about color and pigments) along with emotional depth and a slight return to the class commentary that marked her earlier works. I finished the last page smiling.

To be clear, this is KJ, Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting league good, but perhaps not Magpie Lord/Will Darling league good (IMO). Just felt the need to add that.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

And she's done it again! All the stars for this heartfelt, hilarious romp.

I loved every second of this. Titus and Nico were just so perfect, bringing out the absolute best in each other, and watching Titus growing more and more confident was just everything. I also really loved how he saw the world and would constantly talk about colors (he used to have his own artist supply shop and make his own paints) and poisons. Nico was also really sweet, and I loved watching him starting to care and showing it with actions. These two were just. Couple goals! I mean. Except for the initial lying...

With every new KJ Charles book I'll be like, "this is definitely my favorite!". And then the next book comes out and. I really can't pick a favorite book of hers anymore, she just always delivers.

*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Hari Conner]

Starts and ends with some truly fantastic plot shenanigans, bad guys, and big drama that I loved. But despite that and the false identity premise, the romance itself is cute, romantic and enthusiastic - so depends if that’s your thing - with a sweet but nuanced character learning to stand up for himself. Predictably, though, my favourite parts were the scammer, his cool trans cousin, the servants, and the specificity about historical London and mixing toxic oil paints.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very similar to the author"s other works 'The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting' which made me less excited to pick it up each time. Still a nice easy read though.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5.

Heat Index: 6.5/10

—con artist falling for the mark

—mON CAESAR!!!

—sexy and plot important use of paint

The Basics:

Titus Pilcrow, a shopkeeper with a thing for mixing artist's paints, is down on his luck when his crotchety client asks him to marry her on her deathbed. Because she wants to spite her nefarious nephew and will her substantial fortune to Titus, of course. Flustered, he takes her up on the offer... and after her death, discovers she actually intended to marry another guy first. Except that other guy, Nico, Comte La Motte, de Valois de La Motte, was out of town at the time. Without the fortune he expected, Nico can't restore the reputation of his beloved mother, who took the fall for the Affair of the Necklace and was murdered by the Bourbon dynasty. And now they might be out to get Nico! Which is why he really needs Titus's help. And money. Sure. But what happens? If he actually? Likes this guy?

The Review:

You can always trust KJ Charles to write a book in which there's legitimately a plot, legitimately twists and turns, and legitimately... lots of feelings. This is no exception, and it dives right into one of her favorite dynamics: The everyman meets one of the most ridiculous people on the planet, while dealing with the fallout of rich people problems he really doesn't want to deal with.

Titus is automatically endearing, and Nico is automatically... I mean, clearly a scammer, but also charming. I get why one would be scammed by him. He clearly really wants to dislike Titus for foiling his plans, but—oh no. He might... like him. He might want to kiss him. And what do you do with that?

(Charles also loves a "someone just a little bit naive catches the attention of a jaded sinner who like them against their will" dynamic. And she's right for that.)

This is neither a fast or slow burn, with the attraction between Titus and Nico cracking from the beginning. They just don't act on it off the bat, taking some time to get to know each other and bond. While Titus might not be quite as slick as Nico, he also isn't an idiot—that's always a delicate needle to thread with "falling for the mark" romances. The guy isn't sheltered. He's struggled. He's not destitute, but we also open on him wondering how the hell he's going to find a place to live now that things haven't quite worked out with his landlord.

Honestly, it's a great example of how to write a historical romance that's totally relatable for the average 21st century "just trying to get by" person. Which is most of us, right?

I really liked the way Charles wove in real French history, using it to offer class commentary and deconstruct some of the ridiculous romanticization of the past... while never taking away from a story that is ultimately about two men having a romance in the past.

One thing I appreciate about her work is that by remaining true to the reality of the era—and that's not a knock on intentionally ahistorical romances, I love a lot of those—she actually validates the existence of queer people, and queer joy, even more. Titus and Nico live within a world that won't let them legally marry, but that doesn't mean that they and other queer people in their moment don't live rich, full lives. I'll add—there's a really cool subplot with a side character I deeply enjoyed.

The ending is a little rushed here, and this is a little lighter than some of my KJ Charles favorites. But it's still a well-written, super enjoyable, and unique in the current tradpub historical romance market. If you're a KJ Charles fan, you'll have a really good time. If you're new to her, this is a great way to start!

The Sex:

I would say this is a bit less explicit than most of the KJ Charles books I've read. It's still explicit, don't get me wrong. But it's a little tamer than her usual fare.

That being said, I really did enjoy the ways in which Nico used Titus's rather Roman name to tease him in and out of bed. MON CAESAR indeed.

There's a really sweet moment in which they discuss what they're into beforehand as well, which you don't see a lot of in romance. By no means is this a prudish book, but it was kind of refreshing to see a character openly go "eeeeeh I'm actually just into more vanilla stuff' while having tried not so vanilla stuff. It just felt like these characters slept with each other in a way that stayed true to who they were.

The Conclusion:

Witty, entertaining, and sweet, this is another strong book by an author who just knows what to do. I wonder if this will introduce newbies to KJ—you have a lot to look forward to, if so!

Thanks to Bramble and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read: Still trés bien 😌 And honestly, even better on the second read through!

***

KJC is back and I couldn’t be happier! I adored this book; it contained all of the joyous plot twists, loveable yet flawed characters and assorted crimes that I could ever want 🥹 Plus my inner-voice is now talking in a French accent; zut alors!

Titus Pilcrow has accidentally inherited a fortune. Previously a shop keeper selling art supplies, he’s now trapped in a nightmare, fending off people who are desperate to get their hands on his newfound wealth. One of those people seems to be the suave, charming French aristocrat Nico, the Comte La Motte, however when the Comte offers friendship instead, Titus is eager to take him up on it.

But something about Nico’s story isn’t sitting quite right with Titus… and Titus has problems of his own, including a terrible ex lover, Henry, who’s threatening to out him if he doesn’t pay him off.

This was just wonderful - I adored Titus and Nico and the sheer drama that seemed to follow both of these men around; I enjoyed their budding relationship and also the slightly nightmarish knowledge that it was definitely all going to go wrong before it got better 🙈 The last 20% of the book was an absolute riot as everything went to hell and the building drama finally exploded!

Read How To Fake It In Society for:
✨ Accidentally inheriting a fortune
✨ Friendship with a sexy French aristocrat
✨ Escaping an abusive ex-lover
✨ Your green jacket is made of arsenic
✨ He’s definitely lying… about something
✨ This is why we don’t go to loan sharks
✨ Genderqueer key side character
✨ Being rich is terrible/ly convenient
✨ Paints & poisons used interchangeably

Thank you so much to PanMacmillan for an ARC, I absolutely loved it! It’s available in April 2026 💕

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. I think the "reveals" take place far too late in the narrative and make earlier aspects of the plot a little muddy and confusing, and the actual romantic story feels pretty perfunctory, but it's a perfectly serviceable KJ Charles book.