By Any Means

by E.M. Caro

New York City, 1905.

Investigative journalist (and fierce anti-capitalist) Laurie Tulley is no stranger to the sins rich men commit in the name of profit. He’s made a front-page career out of unearthing the injustices of industry.

But when his editor turns his sights onto wealthy glass industrialist Charles "Chary" Wright, Laurie sees neither injustice nor sensationalism. All the openly queer and once-disowned Fifth Avenue businessman seems to have is a dead brother, a bizarre inheritance of a blueberry farm, and a lotta trauma.

Chary has his secrets, however: the big, life-ending kind. When Laurie comes snooping, he’s determined the reporter won’t find them out, no matter how handsome he is.

Then a worker from the glass factory is murdered. Chary himself is brutally attacked. As Laurie uncovers murder after past murder, he realizes there’s a story to be written after all… so long as he can keep a professional distance.

And when Chary finds himself in the arms of the very man meant to be his ruin, he must confront exactly how far he’ll go for love—and just which ghosts he’s willing to bring forth from the past.


For fans of C.S. Poe, KJ Charles, and Cat Sebastian!

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

340 pages, ebook

Expected publication September 8, 2026

About the author

E.M. (aka Eri) is a bilingual language and linguistics nerd from the midwest USA who was raised on an unconventional combination of (some) secular homeschooling, romance novels, and a relatively tame exchange year (if you know you know). In what turned out to be very good financial foresight, Eri left academia early and hasn't yet returned.

Eri's books have been featured in The New York Times Book Review, Book Riot, The Smut Report, and other publications.

Reviews

[mar ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

4.5

this is my first requested arc from netgalley i've ever gotten and i've actually struck gold i think. i adored this! seeing that this book is also advertised for fans of cat sebastian was what made me want to read it since i loved we could be so good (which is also set in nyc and about journalists) and was craving something even remotely similar.
i was hooked from page one, from the writing, the setting to the immediate tension between the two main characters; i was hoping it would maintain the good impression and it did. i was honestly very impressed with the writing and characterisation most of all, everything came to life beautifully and clearly, like we were carefully placed in the middle of the story but without feeling utterly lost. the choice of also starting off the book with deception and letting the reader figure out what exactly the deception was further along was very fun. one thing i have to say is that i am very grateful to my fellow reviewers who said they also struggled with the book at certain points because it got too confusing. i fully thought that was my bad because i can be a distracted reader sometimes but it is just part of how the writing was sometimes and how abrupt a few conclusions were, i found myself having to reread paragraphs or going back to certain pages in fear i might've missed crucial information which can make for a frustrating experience and is why i'm not giving it the full five star.
having a mystery like this paired up with our main characters was the absolute perfect blend-i loved laurie and chary like they were my own, laurie was so charming and his dialogue is probably my favorite i've read this year. chary felt a bit like a skittish cat sometimes which is exactly my type of character and also very relatable, i loved their interactions and i spent so much of the book having the time of my life with their scenes. the mystery as well was so engaging! my absolute favorite thing and what contributed to me loving this story - and not getting bored as i often do with mysteries - were the twists and turns. none of them felt out of left field or put out here just for the sake of having a twist, i was genuinely shocked reading some passages which made my reading experience a thousand times better. this aspect was done very well and i loved how we got too see so many of laurie's traits and smarts acquired doing his job as a journalist. every scene felt purposeful and geared towards moving the characters forward and understanding them. adored the romance as well, i was so invested and holding my breath constantly. the tension was so present you could've cut through it with a knife and i was there for it. i was a bit nervous for the ending because i thought there might not be enough time to wrap things up but i enjoyed it and felt like it was very satisfying character and story wise, nothing was rushed to quickly conclude the story.
safe to say i loved this and enjoyed my reading experience so much! i love stumbling upon gems like this and i will definitely check out the author's other/future works.

[Nana_Rea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @NetGallery for the ARC.

As a compulsive consumer of anything and everything that KJ. Charles blesses us with, the premise of this book was an automatic ‘yes please!!’ And it did not disappoint at all.
‘By Any Means’ is set in NYC in 1905, the story revolves around two main characters; Laurie a journalist investigating labour exploitation, and ‘Chary’ the wealthy capitalist who’s inherited a glass factory and a random blueberry farm, after his brother, August dies.
The book chips away at every preconceived notion that both these characters, and the reader, have. Chary is frankly useless at being a capitalist, and Laurie’s investigation in to labour laws turns in to an investigation of anything but that. There’s murder, police corruption, fraud, bribery, secrets upon secrets, a false beard, jam jars (so many jam jars!) and a surprise appearance from…. well I can’t possibly say because *spoilers!!*
I adored both main characters, Chary was perfectly depicted and made me want to reach in and hug away all that inherited trauma, and then hide him away from the world. Just glorious!!
The dual narrative worked perfectly, as a reader I felt I was actually discovering things at the same time as the characters. I was left as confused as them - the moment I thought I had figured it all out there was another revelation. The twists were seamless and everything came together perfectly- rather like Chary and Laurie!!
The supporting characters, save for Tjo (boo, hiss!!) were perfectly written.
I haven’t consumed a book with quite so much fervour in a while. Super excited to see what else this author has written.

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EM Caro is one of my favourite new authors - after devouring their debut book ‘Rears & Vices’ (which if you haven’t read it, go do that now!) I was thrilled to be given a chance to ARC read By Any Means!

This is a clever and twisty book set in New York at the start of the 1900s. Laurie is an investigative reporter who has been given a puzzling lead… a dead industrialist, a recluse brother who has inherited and a blueberry farm in the middle of Maine. As he investigates, Laurie is expecting wealthy Charles Edward to be like every other self-indulgent capitalist. Instead he meets nervous, exhausted Chary. Chary is clearly hiding secrets - why is this millionaire living hand to mouth and scurrying about NYC in the cover of darkness? And what happened to his brother?

This book tackles complex themes of capitalist corruption, homophobia, child labour and workers rights. The mystery that the main characters are tied up in had my attention captured for the whole book and I loved that what we saw on the surface of each of the characters didn’t necessarily hold true against their actions.

I loved the budding romance between Chary and Laurie - I’m glad that it took a few misfires before they actually got onto the same page as each other, even though it did take a while for them to fully trust. Once they did though, ohhhhh they weee just perfect! I also loved the cast of side characters that supplemented the story so well!

The reason this loses a star is because it did get extremely confusing in the middle… I’m still slightly unsure as to why the factory murders happened (unions? Race reasons? Mechanisation??) and at times I had to skip back and forth to try and work out what exactly was happening and why… but it also may be because I know literally nothing about US unions and workers rights from that time period (I’m not American, so it was never part of my schooling although I’m aware UK workers rights deviated quite drastically in that time period!) so I was having to look stuff up as I went (like Tammany Hall).

Overall an excellent historical read and one I definitely recommend!

Read By Any Means for:
✨ Early 1900’s NYC & Rural Maine
✨ MM historical romance
✨ Reporter x Industrialist
✨ Mysterious factory worker deaths
✨ Workers rights, child labour laws
✨ Twisty plot, who is lying?
✨ He’ll do anything to get the story
✨ Everyone has secrets…

Thanks Tides & Troths publishing & the author for an ARC! It’s available on 8th Sept :)

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by publisher:

This is a good slow burn mystery with a romance woven through it, but it’s also the kind of book that asks you to pay attention.

I’ve read this author’s previous book, and my experience was very similar. Nothing against the writing itself, but it’s not a prose style I’m particularly accustomed to. I found myself rereading passages and flipping through make sure I understood what was happening. It’s denser than the average romance, and there were moments where I felt like I was working harder than usual to follow the narrative.

Part of that, I think, is that the book doesn’t hand you everything directly. Characters often communicate in ways that are indirect, and as a neurodivergent reader, there were scenes where I struggled to track exactly what was being said or implied. Your mileage may vary, but it’s something I’ve noticed in both books I’ve read by this author.

What kept me reading was the story itself. The mystery is compelling, and it’s very much the primary focus for most of the novel. Despite being a slow-burn romance, the relationship takes a back seat to the larger narrative for much of the book.

Comp is if “We Could Be So Good” and a KJ Charles mystery had a baby.

[Bonnie among the pages and chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shout out to NetGalley and the author for letting me enjoy this ARC for which I very much enjoyed 🙂‍↕️.

Rating: Me and a socialist journalist have apparently both been successfully enchanted by a capitalist heir who is far too neurodivergent to be doing capitalism successfully. (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ + stained glass romance, berry farm, and jam jar drama)



Honestly, this book surprised me by how genuinely good it was. I came for the industrial gothic murder mystery vibes and stayed because suddenly I was deeply invested in queer men navigating class politics, family trauma, labor exploitation, murder, identity confusion, and artisanal ✨glass✨. There is a berry farm and jam jars too.

What fascinated me most is that despite centering a wealthy industrialist, the story somehow still manages to preserve its intersectional and anti-capitalist lens without undermining its own values. The narrative never feels interested in absolving systemic harm just because one rich man is personally traumatized, socially awkward, and built like a tragic adorable queer baby.

And Chary himself is SUCH a fascinating character because beneath the “wealthy industrialist” label is essentially a man who desperately wants to disappear into anonymity, make glass, avoid inheriting capitalism AGAIN, and process approximately fourteen layers of inherited psychological devastation in peace.

Meanwhile Laurie is out here trying to investigate labor exploitation for his socialist newspaper and instead finds himself emotionally entangled in whatever the hell is happening inside this rich victorian people telenovela.

Also, the mystery genuinely hooked me from start to finish. Every time I thought I understood what was happening, the story revealed another layer of family secrets, social performance, trauma, murder conspiracy, or a new plot twist.

There were definitely moments where I had absolutely no clue what was going on because my understanding of era-specific slang is held together by vibes, context clues, and divine intervention, but I persevered by the power of needing know what happens next.

I also cannot speak to the historical accuracy, but as a historical mystery and romance? This absolutely worked for me.

Anyway, this book has the energy of:
“what if a socialist journalist accidentally adopted the world’s saddest capitalist?”

Consumed this in a day. I may genuinely be too emotionally entertained to register flaws at this point 🤌

[Dísir · Rating 3 out of 5]

E.M. Caro is a new author to me, but the premise—two men essentially on opposing sides of the social and ideological divide—was juicy enough for me to request an advance copy.

There’s a mystery to unravel here, as a journalist investigates several deaths and the roles of wealthy industrialists knee-deep in shady business they’d prefer to keep out of the press. Journalist Laurie Tulley wades a little too deeply into the muck, finding himself tangled in a web he can barely escape. Everything seems to lead back to Chary Wright, the first man he meets (and rejects) on this quest, and it quickly becomes clear that nothing is quite as it seems once Laurie starts snooping.

This being 1905, the language and prose differ quite a bit from contemporary writing (as it should). I needed to take a moment or two just to recalibrate my understanding of the vernacular. It’s well-written nonetheless and thank goodness for the glossary, especially pertaining to definitions that are associated with the queer space of the era. That said, it did break the flow of reading a fair bit, and due to the denseness of the plot, I’ll admit I stayed confused for a large portion of the first part of the book.

The romance isn’t at the forefront of the story at all; we’re instead taken through the meandering loops that Laurie himself takes, which can be quite arduous. The main plot driver is the seeming contradictions that Laurie finds—which bring him into Chary’s orbit again and again—while taking his role a little too seriously. That intense focus on romantic connection isn’t present if the romantic angle is that you’re looking for, and it’s the slow, slow burn (along with the pacing) that had me skimming a bit.

Ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with the writing or the book itself. This is simply a case of "it's not you, it's me," and my rating reflects my personal reading tastes rather than the story's overall quality.

*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley

[liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a 1905 New York City, you will follow Laurie Tulley, a fierce anti-capitalist and investigative journalist and his latest target, Charles "Chary" Wright, a glass industrialist who has recently inherited a mysterious blueberry farm that will make you and Laurie completely down to do some snooping and unearth some interesting things.

For me, one of the best parts of this book was its ideological backbone. Laurie is an unapologetic socialist, and I absolutely loved the sentiment and framing of the class struggle in this narrative. The anti-capitalist critique didn't feel cheap or an afterthought, it felt central to who these characters are and to where the story was going. If you enjoy historical fiction that actually engages with the labor movements of the era rather than just using them as a aesthetic backdrop, this will certainly scratch that itch.

Now, the book is tagged as a romance so I was expecting it to be a fair part of the plot and while it is there, if fell flat to me. I did find Laurie and Chary cute, but the romantic progression felt like an afterthought, it lacked the slow-burn depth and emotional development to make me really care about the couple and not about... everything else.

Another point that didn't quite make the landing to me was the mystery part. I really, really enjoyed the twists but I feel like it was handed to us so fast that the last 25% was just there, the stakes felt too low for me to enjoy it fully.

Despite that, it is ultimately a good book with a solid commentary on the issues of the time, characters with strong morals that mean something within the story and twists that when revealed just makes you want to know more about the story. It’s a very solid 4⭐ read that I'm glad I picked up.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tides & Troth Books LLC for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sof · Rating 4 out of 5]

NYC, 1905: Laurie Tulley is an investigative journalist and a staunch anti-capitalist, known for his front-page articles exposing various injustices. When his boss asks him to investigate Charles “Chary” Edward Wright, the rich industrialist owner of Wright Glass, Laurie is skeptical he’ll find anything of value beyond Chary’s traumatic past. But when glass workers begin disappearing, another is murdered, and Chary himself is attacked, Laurie realizes his editor might have been on to something. For Chary, keeping his secrets close is of utmost importance, and when a handsome journalist shows up snooping around, Chary will have to put his interest in him aside. But as each thread in the story unravels, both Chary and Laurie find themselves falling deeper and deeper into each other’s arms, and possibly, in danger.

I didn’t realize how much I longed for a historical romance and mystery until I read this! 🩷 I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved the characters. Laurie was so feisty and confident, and I loved his anti-capitalist stance. Chary was sweet and kind and a little naive, but in an endearing way haha. I liked the chemistry between them, from their first meeting, to their less than ideal second meeting (IYKYK), and beyond. I also really enjoyed the mystery and plot. It was a lot of fun and the side characters really made the story pop, especially Hiram and Brasher (also IYKYK). The author definitely did a lot of research for this book, but almost to a fault, because there were so many time-period specific terms and analogies that weren’t explained, which made for a very staggering reading experience. It can be tough to find a balance between wanting to be historically accurate, but also accessible for readers. I appreciated the author’s dedication, but I think it could have been toned down a bit to make for a smoother reading experience.

Overall, a captivating read that I highly recommend! 🩷

Thank you to the author, Tides & Troth Books, and Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review 🩷

[Phoebe Wilkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a bit confusing for me. I enjoyed reading it and, in fact, I think the author did an excellent job with the historical research. But... the mystery ended being a little hard to grasp, given how the plot unfolded.

This is the story of Laurie, an anti-capitalist journalist who´s investigating some deaths related to a glass factory owned by an aristocrat named Chary Wright. There´s a mystery (or should I say confussion?) about the identities of at least two people, a questionable inheritance and a lot of social critic (which is very much my jam, mind you). The romance was of the slow burn kind, and it developed through Laurie´s investigation, which caused a few twists and interesting friction between the characters (because of course, in these kind of mysteries there´s always someon with a bit of information they rather not tell).

Anyway, might be my reader´s block or that the line of events (and how it was explained) wasn´t that easy to follow. And yes, this for me was that kind of book where the more it was explained, the less I understood. Yet, I have the feeling if I reread this one (already knowing what I´m getting into) I´ll be able to enjoy it even more than I did. So take my score with a graint of salt.

Do I recommend the book? Absolutely, and I want to read more of this author.
Just don´t read this one in a heat wave and with lack of sleep. Trust me.

[M H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of an advance copy from NetGalley. No incentive was provided in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a fun read, a bit of a difficult read, but so fun. Be prepared; there are period references and turns of phrase. I like to think my vocabulary is decent, but I had to reach for the dictionary several times!

The historical context is well grounded and the characters are engaging. Some of the exposition can get a little preachy but is interesting nonetheless. There are a number of moments where I stopped to remind myself to be grateful for the progress we have made in so many areas, even if it's still incomplete. Protection of racial minorities, women's right to vote, police brutality, political corruption, homophobia, working conditions, and a right to a childhood are all areas starkly highlighted throughout the story.

There is one story aspect that did get on my nerves, and to avoid spoilers I'll just Shakespeare himself would have been left asking who's who and to whom am I speaking?

The mystery element is engaging, laced with humour, particularly when Laurie has to throw out a theory due to new context - welcome to the reader's experience!

There is a spice level to the story, but weighted toward the latter half and only explicitly referenced a couple times.

Overall, not a holiday read, but well worth the effort.

[Alyssa Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of By Any Means via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I happily give By Any Means 5 stars for a fantastic mystery, endearing and deep characters, and historical insight into queer history, all of which together kept my attention (and resulted in me finishing this book at about 5am).

The romance and interconnectedness of all the characters was really well done. I felt like everyone had their own consistent motivations but also connections to a shared community that played out in interesting ways within the plot. The mystery itself unfolded well and I could see where foreshadowing had been laid earlier once we got into the crux of it all. And I'm not always one for historical romance, but this one was highly accessible, felt relevant and informed, and it was just a genuine pleasure to be taken on a tour of the time by the author.

Pacing and writing were solid, I never felt lost in the world or the story, and I appreciate a story that leaves a reading asking a few questions, but mostly in a way that makes the world feel bigger than what was just in the book.

An excellent read that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a well-done historical queer mystery and romance.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable story, with extremely likeable main characters. They had a really sweet connection, too. The mystery was really interesting (I won't say what it is - no spoilers!), and I enjoyed the unique setting. I especially loved Chary, and his POV chapters.

A couple things annoyed me, probably because I have an advanced degree in linguistics, and the author has tried to showcase their own linguistics knowledge by inserting a couple of details into the narrative that are really unnecessary, and unlikely to be understood by anyone who isn't into phonetics. The bit about Chary's complete lack of "r" sounds was inaccurate and ridiculous to imagine (it's only the "r" sounds at the ends of syllables that are omitted in that style of posh speech), and most people are not going to know what an "alveolar l" is (and in my dept., at least, that's usually referred to as a "light l" anyway, the one where the tongue connects on the alveolar ridge, behind the teeth). It just took me out of the story. I realize that the author is enthusiastic about phonetics and is trying to convey a specific phonetic realization of those words, but most readers are not going to get it, anyway. They'll just shrug and pass over it.

Also, the section revealing something significant about the relationship between the brothers (I don't want to specify, can't without spoilers) was confusing. I read it several times. I got the general meaning it was trying to convey, but the details were unclear and I gave up trying to make it make sense.

It took me a bit to get invested in this story, but I did get there once I was about a third of the way in. I was really rooting for Laurie and Chary, and that part of the story was really satisfying. I know I've complained a lot, but I did enjoy it and I'm glad I read it. The setting was intriguing, and the mystery was compelling. I liked how we were given clues bit by bit and I didn't find it predictable at all.

Spice-wise, there was a bit, but nothing too graphic, hardly any detail. I would have enjoyed a bit more, to be honest!

I'm grateful to NetGalley and Tides & Troth Books LLC for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

[aestchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Any Means by E. M. Caro is set around the turn of the 20th century and brings together two characters who, at first glance, could not be more different: an investigative journalist and an industrialist. And a murder. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that they share more similarities than one might expect.

The novel is full of twists, and what kept me especially engaged was the feeling of never quite seeing the whole picture. Step by step, new clues are revealed, and this gradual uncovering of the truth made it very hard to stop reading. I particularly enjoyed the complexity of the story, especially the crime-related aspects, which are carefully constructed and rewarding to follow.

The developing love story grows naturally over time. It feels authentic and supports the larger narrative rather than overshadowing it. Another aspect I found very interesting was the insight into the industrial situation of that era. It is written in a way that goes beyond the surface and adds depth to the setting.

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this book and could hardly put it down. It is a gripping and layered story that stays with you even after finishing.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Bethany J · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!*

Unfortunately, I really struggled with this one. A large part of that was due to the writing style. The way this author wrote felt very much like they were attempting to imitate the very snappy 1900s style of talking (at least, that's how it appeared?), but for me it didn't really work. In many cases, I ended up having to re-read parts just to try and get a grasp of what was being conveyed.

I also think the pacing, for me, felt a little off and impacted some of how the relationships and mystery developed. Unfortunately, I never really connected to Laurie and Chary as a couple, though I definitely bought that they held an attraction to one another. Just something for me was missing and I'm not quite sure what would have fixed it.

That larger mystery also was a little confusing and wasn't fully satisfying to me. I think the way it concluded kind of made sense, but the route the author took to get there didn't work for me. I'm not saying it had to be linear. It just could have been neatened up a bit, I think.

Truly, I don't really have much else to say about it. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't really have a good time reading it either.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this was quite a nice surprise ! I couldn't resist requesting this ARC when I saw it was an historical queer mystery romance set in 1905 NYC. I really enjoyed the historical setting, especially the details about the glass works factories and the social issues addressed such as child labour and racial discrimination.

The mystery plot is compelling and kept me guessing - it's not very difficult to see who the main villain is, but the details and a few twists I hadn't seen coming really kept me engaged until the end.

And I loved the characters - Laurie is a socialist investigative journalist who doesn't shy from writing difficult stories and I liked his self-assurance and commitment to his ideals, but since I have a weakness for the nerdy and unassuming ones with a heart of gold, it was Chary who I ended up loving the most. Their banter and chemistry is also quite good and I enjoyed how their romance developed. There are also some interesting secondary characters who I was sorry we didn't have time to know better (I'm hoping there will be a second book with August's story sometime in the future).

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy !

[Barb Gogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, and Tides & Troth Books LLC for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this very quickly and then read it again in order to make sure I didn't miss anything the first time as I was swept up in the plot. I can only read books that fascinate me twice in a row and this book certainly did that!
I loved the historical setting. Clearly a ton of research went into the writing of this early 20th century world--the queer world of NYC, labor movements, racism, glass manufacturing, and especially the slang! I loved that the main characters' social stances seemed progressive but accurate to how some were during this time.
There were a few things that didn't work for me. The characters' dialogue is sometimes written so that it's not immediately understandable and I would have to stop and try to figure out what they were saying. I also love complicated plots but there were so many things to keep track of I only really understood what was happening during my 2nd reading. I think this could have used maybe one more passthrough with an editor.
However, I enjoyed it and will be looking forward to Caro's next book!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book that is well worth reading, but I found it a bit too complicated/confusing/opaque to be fully satisfying. I'm seeing other reviewers saying they had to read it twice to understand all (or at least most of) the twists; I didn't love it enough to do that. I'm not sure whether this is primarily an editing issue or an expectation issue. (I'd chalk it up to being a me issue, but if multiple readers are having the same reaction, it's probably not my fault.)

The fact that I didn't entirely understand what was going on or who the main characters were (not to mention the large cast of secondary characters) kept me from caring about them as much as I'd have liked to. Which is not to say that reading on was a chore; it wasn't. I just wasn't engrossed in the way I'd have liked to have been.

All that said, the world the author creates/shows is intriguing, and I'll be interested to see what they write next.

My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

[Indie-Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC

When I saw this book, I was hoping for something similar to K. J. Charles or Sebastian Northwell, and this definitely delivered. It's a historical romance that feels very well-researched, with twist after twist in the story. The story is entertaining and kept me on my toes the whole time, trying to figure out what would happen next.

My only complaint is that both the writing style and the plot got confusing at times. The writing is pretty period-accurate, which made it hard to follow at points, and the reader is left to fill in blank spots. By the end, there were a few things I wish had had more attention (like Laurie says earlier in the book that Chary's waist looks like it could be corset, and then in the epilogue it is confirmed that he wears a corset - I'd have liked to know more about that. Also Chary's brother is in a relationship with two other men by the end of the book, but we never learn much about how the three met or how the two other men got involved in this whole scheme, which made the ending less satisfying).

[Hhh · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Any Means delivers on both the mystery and the romance front, and it doesn’t spoon-feed the reader at all in terms of the dense plotting. I definitely had to pause at certain points and go backwards to make sure I was digesting the details and the reveals, but that’s what a great plotting does by laying the seeds and groundwork early on.

As others have noted, the book is very KJ Charles-esque and the inherent conflict in who Laurie and Chary are as characters was simply delicious. Both come into the book with preconceived notions of who the other is, but through the dual POV we completely understand why they do what they do, and that doesn’t flatten the tension. There’s also a great villain that I despised wholeheartedly, which made the reading experience very fun.

E.M. Caro has filled the book with tons of detail on what living and working in NYC was like at the turn of the 20th century, and as it’s a period that I don’t think a lot of authors cover, I thought the setting was a breath of fresh air as well.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always on the lookout for historical romance that doesn’t take place in regency England so I was very happy to come across a book set in 1905 industrial New York. This had great characters, a sweet romance, a plot so intense I sped through it in a day, and very impressive attention to historical detail. However, this is not a book that babies you and the historical accuracy extends to the writing style so if you’re not familiar with the setting and the time period (as I am not) then it can get a little hard to follow. Especially when you combine that with the plot being incredibly twisty, the narrators being unreliable ones, and every other character being a dirty liar (all great things but just lot to handle). Despite finishing the book I feel as though I could only explain about 80% of what was going on, particularly in the latter half, but overall I enjoyed it.

(Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review)

[Silvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was sent this book as an advanced copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

2.5 stars 😭

Nobody is sadder than I am to have finished a queer historical romance and being left with a big meh. It's mostly a case of "I feel too stupid to read this book" and I'm saying this as the biggest supporter of "show don't tell" and "don't spoonfeed the reader every single bit of information," but christ there were so many passages I had to read two or three times just to understand what the fuck these people were even talking about. Other than that it was a good book but I couldn't fully care about any of the characters nor the story because of how hard it was to follow. And I've read quite a few books in my life so I know I'm not illiterate, my brain and the author's simply travel at different wavelengths and that's okay. I still think it is worth giving this a go if you like the genre and the blurb intrigues you.

[Eve Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc received through NetGalley, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.

E.M. Caro has done it again, they’ve written another beautifully steamy gay historical romance filled with politics. I loved ittttt! The pacing, the slow burn, the plot, the *spice*. ALL of it.

Laurie and Chary are perfect, well actually they’re not far from it but that’s the point they’re human. I loved all the side characters too… that’s a lie. I love how they were written, some of them one in particular I hate which was easy to do. There were so many moments where thought I knew what was happening and then I’d have a fat plot twist thrown right in my face and be proven very wrong.
The ending was nothing like I was expecting, but everything I could’ve wished for after all the plot twists and things that were left unsolved up until the 15 or so pages.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley

It's more of a 3.5🌟for me.


The writing and prose is unlike anything I have ever read before so I had a hard time following the story. A lot was happening in this story. We follow an investigative journalist trying to uncover a mystery about disappearing factory workers which leads to him meeting with the other MMC. I wouldn't say it's a slow burn romance only that the romance was not at the forefront of the story.

Needless to say I was very endeared to Chary and I need to protect him with all my life. I spent the better part of reading this in suspicion of August not gonna lie. The whole mystery surrounding these two brothers is something I for sure did not see coming at all.

I will be sure to check out more stories from the author for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for the ARC.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1905 New York city, this was a good combination of a mystery combined with some romance. There were quite a few heavier themes - the dangers of being homosexual at that time, the big gap between the very rich and workers, unionists, some child labour opinions etc. Cary was really unexpectedly appealing - a queer traumatised wealthy capitalist but working anonymously in his own glass blowing factory, and being socially awkward and possibly neurospicy. There were plenty of unexpected plot twists and turns, and the mystery was definitely without an immediate answer. I liked the historical setting, this felt very authentic.
Thanks for the advance copy via NetGalley, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got so absorbed in reading this book at work that I almost forgot to clock out. It's good, solidly enjoyable, some great mystery elements, and compelling characters (Please, I need to know everything about the triad that happens slowly in the background). At the same time, I do think it needed a bit more editing and polish. I was confused at times at what was going on, but I'm willing to admit some of that might be simply not being familiar with the time period the Caro is writing in. I am really looking forward to seeing how Caro evolves as an author, and plan on buying Caro's previous novel right after I finish writing this review.

[Tori Furman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of eARC received from NetGalley. Thank you!!

4.5 rounded up - this was everything I look for in a historical romance. The complexity of the relationship, the focus on the societal stressors, not shying away from any of it, *chef kiss* Chary made my heart melt on more than one occasion.

Parts of the plot had me scratching my head and it took me a little bit of time to fully flesh out what was happening at points - but we got there in the end. And the setting was so unique!

Looking forward to reading more from this author, & highly recommend to my fellow queer historical romance fans.

[Ines · Rating 3 out of 5]

By Any Means is a slow-burn, character-driven historical romance with strong chemistry and flawed main characters.

I struggled with the prose at times. While it isn’t poorly constructed, I often found the dialogue and narrative difficult to follow and had to reread passages. I also occasionally lost track of the supporting characters. The slower, more introspective narration also wasn’t always a perfect fit for me. This is something I’ve also experienced with the author’s previous book, though I still enjoyed both.

Even so, this is an emotionally rich romance with a compelling central relationship, even if the style didn’t fully click for me.

[Emma Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a strange one for me. The plot is engaging, the characters are endearing, and it slots right into many of my favrourite tropes. However, the writing is dense and hard to follow in many places (especially where dated slang is utilized to such an extent that it is difficult to parse what is actually being said) and things like character arcs and logical progression are thrown out in places to make room for necessary story beats. There's also so many convoluted twists and turns happening in the plot that I got a little lost in places, and at regular intervals our characters made decisions that seemed entirely out of character in order to facilitate a scene or a plot beat.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

3.5⭐️I wanted to like this one more than I did. I found the language to be difficult to understand at times - sometimes the author used lingo of the times pretty heavily with no real context clues as to what it meant and then other times used words I felt didn’t belong. I liked the characters and the story overall but had a hard enough time following the plot that it detracted from my overall experience with the book.

[Tasmin Bradshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Set in 1905, with a whodunit vibe.

This book was a fun read over all. I really liked the two main characters. Laurie was a journalist that refused to write fake news and hit pieces on people. And Chary would do anything for the people he loved and cared for. Even working himself into the ground.
I think if you enjoy KJ Charles you would enjoy this one for. It had a few twist and turns along the way.


I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.