King's Man

Outlawed #1

by Sally Malcolm

If you enjoy the way KJ Charles so skilfully weaves together romance, history and politics, then chances are you’ll enjoy this book, too -- All About Romance

Had there been no war, Sam Hutchinson and Nate Tanner would have lived their lives together as intimate friends, and secret lovers. But when the revolution convulsed America, it threw them down on opposite sides of history…

Five years later, Sam is a Loyalist refugee in London, penniless, bitter, and scrambling to survive amid the city’s shadowy underworld. It’s a far cry from his respectable life as a Rhode Island lawyer, and the last person he wants to witness his ruin is Nate Tanner— the man he once loved, the man who betrayed him.

The man he can’t forgive.

Now an agent of the Continental Congress, Nate is in London on the trail of a traitor threatening America’s hard-won freedom. But the secret mission of his heart is quite different. Nate longs to find Sam Hutchinson—the man he still loves, the man he lost to the war.

The man he can’t forget.

When their lives unexpectedly collide, Sam and Nate are thrown together on a dangerous mission. And despite everything that still divides them, old passions begin to stir...

Can they seize this second chance at love, or is their tangled past too painful to forgive?

This novel is approximately 76,000 words and comes with a HEA guaranteed.

Genres: Historical, Romance, M M Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Second Chance, Historical Romance

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2021

About the author

Sally Malcolm was bitten by the m/m romance bug in 2016 and hasn’t looked back. It’s fair to say she’s obsessed with the genre. She has four contemporary m/m romances out, set in the fictional Long Island seaside town of New Milton.

She's also the author of eight Stargate novels and novellas, including the hit "Apocalypse" trilogy. She has penned four Stargate audio dramas for Big Finish Productions, including Stargate SG-1: "An Eye for an Eye" starring Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, and Cliff Simon.

Sally lives in South West London.

Reviews

[len ❀ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am completely drained after reading this.

It took me more than a week to finish this. At only 288 pages, that’s ridiculous and absurd to me.

This has got to be one of the most boring books I’ve unfortunately come across reading. The prequel, at only 30 pages or so, was much better than this. It served a bigger purpose for me and the enjoyment was much larger as well.

Second-chance romance is one of my least favorite tropes because I really expect angst and, depending on the situation, groveling. Considering this is historical and takes place during the American Revolution War, I thought I’d be feeling so much emotion for the characters. In the end, I was bored out of my mind.

There was too much push and pull. Sam wanted Nate to grovel because of what happened, which I understood. His hatred for him was something I was so here for, especially because of the angst it would make. Yet, it didn't take long for the feelings to start coming back. Along with the push and push, there was then some miscommunication in the end, which caused some conflict. The conflict ended up getting solved so quickly, it was as it it was never there.

Going back to the second-chance, I felt nothing towards the characters and their relationship. Nate had a goal of winning back Sam, and while he did, I feel like Sam gave it to him easily.

This book was putting me in a reading slump. At around 30%, I felt done. I couldn’t bring myself to read a single page without putting my phone down and either starting a new book or not reading at all. It got to the point where I didn’t even want to read at all.

Yes, it’s the book, not me.

While this started off strong with beautiful writing later became a chore I didn’t want to finish.

At least it’s done and over with.

[Florence . · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 “Being with you was always easy. Easiest damn thing in the world” stars

“And I’d say we were lucky, only I don’t think we’ve ever had much luck. And, anyway, it’s not so much about luck as about wanting this more than anything else the world put between us.”

My emotions after reading this book can be described by this and only this:


This will probably be really short, I do not have much to say about this book, I loved every seconds of it, so much that I have don’t have to say about it, everything was just perfect to me.

I shed my first tear at 4% and i’m pretty sure I cried for about 70% of the book. Those last 15%, I was just a sobbing mess. This book was an experience unlike anything I have experienced before and I love every seconds of it.

I must admit that because i’m Canadian, I didn’t know much about the American Revolutionary War (the period in which this book is set in), but after a couple of google searches, I knew enough about it to understand the book and I found it so fascinating.

Brief summary:The story starts in 1778, Nate and Sam have been together for 4 years. The American Revolutionary War is about to start and they’re both on different sides of the war, Nate on the American side and Sam on the British side. They get separated by the war and Sam gets throwns out of America because he doesn’t want to join their side. The story then happens 5 years later, it’s 1783 and Sam is in London, living as a theif while Nate is on a missing in London because he works for the Continental Congress. They meet again and they discover that they still love each other and try to find a way to he together.

First, I adored the setting, so much. I loved how nicely everything was described and how it was easy to follow along. I didn’t know much about the context of the story before I started reading and everything was explained so well that I never felt lost. I adored how it talked a lot about the war and it got political and brought up a lot of very important issues. I had such a good time reading all of the political descriptions. I also loved how much the war affected the characters, I love how all of their actions were driving by the war and how it affected them.

Second, I adored how realistic this book felt. I loved that it felt like a story that really could have happened and I loved how real both Nate and Sam felt, they had real emotions and weren’t perfect and I really loved that.

Third, I absolutely adored both Nate and Sam. I loved how they both weren’t perfect but they owned it to it and tried to be better. I loved how bitter Sam was because he thought Nate betrayed him and how he stayed bitter for a while. I really loved how he made Nate work for his forgivness and didn’t give it to him easily, I really enjoyed how it took Sam a while to get feeling betrayed. All of it felt so realistic. And I loved how Nate was opened about his feelings for Sam and did everything to get him back. I really loved everything about these two men and I also adored them together, they fit so well.

Fourth, miscommunication almost always pisses me off, but I was enjoying this much and the miscommunication really made sense with the story. So much that it barely bothered me here.

Fifth, I absolutely adored the writing. It’s so nice and flows really well. And everything was described so well that it was easy for me to imagine the events of the book. I also adored all of the flashbacks to their old life together, in between their new moments.

Sixth, I have rarely been this happy at how a book ends. This book was so satisfying and ended exactly how I wanted it. It made me so happy while reading. This book was a hard journey to go through but it was so rewarding in the end that it was all worth it.

I don’t think I have enough words to explain how much I loved this book, I just adored everything about it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange of my honest opinion

[Nazanin]

DNF @ 12%

12% into the story and I used a dictionary more than ever in my life. It’s why I don’t usually read historical stories but it’s Sally Malcolm and I just couldn’t resist. It’s me and not the book. Hope you love it!

[Richard Derus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.5* of five, rounded up because I will definitely read the next one

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE AUTHOR. THANK YOU.

What you need to know is that I loathe Sally Malcolm inexpressibly. You see that "HEA guaranteed" half-truth purveyed above? Shyeah, like she means that. Burgling and being arrested on a hanging offense and all while guilty of being a sodomite in a London that loved killing its citizens as much as Texas does now? Being subjected to period-accurate violence and imprisonment and all while numbed-yet-hypersensitized by your very most belovèd's horrible silent betrayal?! I mean! (Oh and ABSOLUTELY read Rebel before even thinking of reading this book. Ab so lute ly imperative that you do.)

Does any of that sound like it's leading to "happily" at all, still less "ever" and there's nothing but after when you're so broken, so violated in your core, that the notion of living is gone and the drudgery of existing feels too burdensome most days.

And you know what? The cotton-candy version of "HEA" is not only NOT guaranteed, it's risible even to moot it. So what's left? How the hell does a romance novel come from this set-up?

I'm elderly by world standards. Old enough by American ones. But in these sixty*cough* years and counting, I've learned that breaking up with the past is the worst, least successful break-up you'll ever attempt. In fact, I've never seen it succeed. Nate and Sam don't have a future together after the events of a horrible night in 1778. They are never, ever going to get back together, not least because they're prideful men but also because it's the eighteenth century and getting unfindably lost is so very easy at the best of times, but during wartime it's damned difficult not to even when unplanned. And Nate's going to go around the world pining for the unfindable, unfixable Love of His Life. Who, oh y'know how ya do, he totally and utterly failed when failure could've been lethal. So he figures why not go the rest of the way down the weasel-hole, becomes a spy, and ends up in London searching for a certain special kind of traitor to the newly born United States. Like his much-mourned belovèd.

Sam, that belovèd, isn't an easy man. (I suspect he's a Taurus born in 1757, the Year of the Ox. He's damned near the perfect match for the profile!) He's quite stubborn, he's pig-headedly unwilling to compromise when it's A Matter of Principle, he's sunny and sweet and deeply devoted...until betrayed. His country, this colony America, the town of Rosemont in Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, has lost its fucking mind and is going to war with the *winners* of the planet's first World War (comme d'habitude, started by the Germans)! Yes, the British Parliament needs to welcome Americans if the laws they pass are going to apply to them and no, the taxes that pay for the colonies' protection from the French aren't wrong and besides who the hell likes tea anyway?

(I might've made that last bit up.)

These are men whose very essence is called into question by the other. And yet that is an attraction that's utterly unkillable, Opposites Attract, and its power is awe-inspiring. So they meet in the last place either really wants to be: London! A million people...just think of how *staggeringly*huge* that is to men who think Boston is a city!...and Fate *glowers at La Malcolm* in her blind ill will smashes the two into each other in a completely unavoidable, unignorable, and intimacy-demanding way.

What happens then is really quite fun, although it involves a lot less sex than I was expecting. The mud-wrestling (of a carriage!) doesn't count; the skinny-dipping (a perfectly astounding amount of the smexytimes in this series appears to be al fresco) isn't like that, and, when they Get It On at last, they're only slightly more ready to roll than is the reader. A vile person in the form of a barely-ennobled Baron does vile things to keep them apart. It works. There are misunderstandings, and missed opportunities to speak plainly (which, for once!, do not feel contrived to me), and machinations of people whose agendas have little to do with the spirits of two badly wounded, barely coping men who should be beside the Pawtuxet River fishing for their Sunday dinner. The entire time I was making my way around England with them, I felt so sad and bereft that they could never go back to Eden.

And really, that's what I mean about the obligatory HEA here...the two men who lost their demi-Paradise did not find it again in England's green and pleasant land. They found each other's bodies. But they had to work, and work hard, to find the way to be back in relationship. Like any long-term love, there are dark bits and things we don't say out loud and long, long silences. For many people, there isn't anything to cause them to seek ways to fix the broken bits. For Sam there isn't any way to forgive Nate's betrayal; for Nate there isn't any way to batter down Sam's walls.

It takes Death to do that job. And do it She does. That's your HEA for you, snatched from the actual jaws of Death Herself is the clarity and the love and the means to live with the awful hurts that never, ever go away, that leave scars. Tattoo a rose around the scar...make a feature out of a bug...love anyway, harder than ever.


Oh, and Author Malcolm...about that hit I had to place on you...tell your husband I am ever so sorry, but the w-bomb you dropped at 51% is simply not to be tolerated and Standards must be maintained.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I found the time setting and the circumstances of Sam and Nate’s lives interesting and the writing and characters were solid. I especially liked how the conflict of their “political” views and the consequences of their choices driving them apart in such an awful way were presented, with all the nuances that such a complicated situation required. I spent most of the book wondering how they would eventually solve the impossible situation they found themselves in and I appreciated how nothing was ever made black-and-white and hurt feelings weren’t just pushed aside as if they were nothing for the romance’s sake.
I can’t really find any great flaws in how the relationship arc was handled, except perhaps for some predictable consequences of Nate keeping the nature of his work and of what they were stealing a secret from Sam for so long and then Sam finding out and reacting in exactly the way I feared, feeling understandably betrayed (again) and running away. Still, Nate’s reasons for doing so were understandable and even logic.
My biggest problem with this book was that, as much as I can see how good it is, I didn’t much feel the romance. I liked both characters and I appreciated how fleshed out and realistic their personalities, thoughts and actions were, maybe even a little too much, because I had a problem believing that they were both ready to put each other first, after all that talking about how Nate’s commitment to the revolutionary cause had and would always come first. In the end it seemed like what it took for Nate to wake up and admit that there was a limit to what a person could sacrifice to a higher cause was for Sam to face an execution for a crime he hadn’t committed. I can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if Sam hadn’t been framed by the Colonel, Nate was ready to get back to America and his only regret seemed to be that Sam being angry with him meant that they wouldn’t part as friends. I’m not saying it wasn’t realistic, but when all I want from a book is realism, romance isn’t my first choice of reading material.
I had a hard time connecting with the emotional part of the story, the one that should’ve had me feeling their pain, the hurt feelings and regrets for the past, their longing for each other and a future together that seemed impossible for most of the book. I enjoyed reading their story regardless, but that aspect was missing for me.
Given that this is primarily a romance, and even taking into account that this might have to do as much with real life distracting me at the moment as with any lacking in the writing, I’m rounding down for now.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 Stars - Rounded to 5 - Only because 5 Stars is the highest rating Goodreads offers.

Move this title to the very top of your ‘Must Read’ list.

Reading Sally Malcolm’s latest novel, King’s Man (Outlawed #1), you’ll find yourself putting the book down at the end of every chapter because you just don’t want her story to ever end. And then, only a few minutes later, you’ll pick it back up because you can’t wait to see what happens next.

King’s Man is an extraordinary read. It’s a beautifully written M/M romance novel that could stand on that fact alone. But it also causes the reader to reflect on on what life must have been like for Americans holding differing views at the time of the American Revolution. And, even more importantly, you can’t help but reflect on the way it relates to the political divisions that exist in America today.

While it isn’t a prerequisite to reading King’s Man, I’d highly recommend reading the prequel short-story, ‘Rebel’ (Outlawed #0.5) first. In Rebel you’ll first meet Malcolm’s protagonists, Sam Hutchinson and Nate Tanner, two talented young lawyers from very different backgrounds who find themselves as associates working in the same Rosemont, Rhode Island law firm in the year 1774.

King’s Man begins in Rosemont on August 13, 1778 and rapidly progresses through a horrific incident to resume 5 years later on July 22, 1783 in London where the two now former lovers find themselves in very different circumstances.

Sam is an understandably bitter refugee simply trying his best to survive. Previously a highly respected American lawyer, he’s now a larcenist for hire - the best lock-picker in London.

Nate is in London as an agent of the Continental Congress trying to snare a traitor threatening America’s freedom. He desperately hopes to find Sam, but realizes the likelihood of that happening is slim indeed.

There is so much I’d like to say about King’s Man - and so many amazing passages I’d like to quote. To do so, though, would only diminish your reading pleasure.

If you’ve read any of Malcolm’s previous works you know that King’s Man will have at least a HFN ending. Still, as you read this heart-pounding adventure/romance novel you’ll wonder time and time again how that can possibly happen.

I seriously hope screen rights for this extraordinary story are obtained as soon as King’s Man is released. It’s a perfect period piece for either a TV mini-series or a big screen feature film.

Be sure to read the Author’s Note at the end. Malcolm’s personal background and the reason she’s chosen to write this novel, make it even more compelling.

I received a copy of King’s Man from Gay Romance Reviews. This is my very enthusiastic, honest review.

[juli✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★・・4 Stars・・★


Song Rec. - Violet Hill by Cold Play

He’d thrown Nate’s apology back in his face. He’d thrown Nate’s love back in his face. And now that precious gift was lost to him forever.

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆ the intro ⋆｡˚☁˚｡⋆.


Fun fact about me, I am a certifiable hoe for any and all romantic content pertaining to the American Revolutionary War. I'm a history major, what can I say ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯

For real though, either I'm looking in the wrong places or for some reason every historical romance author feels the need to hang out in Regency era. Don't get me wrong, I am always here for some corsets, a bit of repression, and a whole lotta heavy breathing, but there's something about a revolution that gets me going. That's why when I saw that NOT ONLY was King's Man a book set near and around the American Revolution, BUT IT WAS ALSO AN M/M ROMANCE? Well I think my nerdy history loving heart just about died and went to heaven.

KING'S MAN delivered everything I wanted and more. Not only did author Sally Malcolm do a great job capturing the essence of the American Revolution, through Samuel Hutchinson she told an often untold side of the Revolution. Through Nate Tanner I was fully able to understand why "Give me liberty, or Give me Death", was something he felt to his very core. Likewise, I could feel the pain and anguish that Sam felt at being forced to leave his home simply because he denounced a cause that to him, felt like nothing more than a mob gone too far. MS. MALCOLM did a great job weaving a touching second-chance romance into a deeply familiar piece of American history. Also, I love how a book that takes place right at the end of the American Revolutionary War ends up being set in England. . . what a baller move on England's part!


.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆ the plot ⋆｡˚☁˚｡⋆.


Hey, so, what happens when your boyfriend happens to be a staunch Patriot and you're the lone Loyalist living in your tiny town of Rhode Island? Well, said boyfriend watches as you get attacked by an angry mob, thrown out of your home, tarred and feathered, and finally sent to a mine to die. . .

Cut to five years later, it's 1783, London, England, and former lawyer Samuel Hutchinson has become a certified outlaw. No longer able to go home he's bitter, angry, and trying to forget the love of his life Nate Tanner. Fortunately - or unfortunately depends on how you look at it - the fates intervene and Nate Tanner ends up needing Sam's lock picking skills. Nate now works for the Continental Congress of the newly formed United States of America. He's on a mission to retrieve a list with some names of Loyalist's to the British Crown. However, when Nate locks eyes on Sam for the first time in 5 years he knows he will do everything in his power to win his Samuel back.


.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆ the good ⋆｡˚☁˚｡⋆.


✓ THE (SECOND-CHANCE) ROMANCE ✓ in this book damn near brought me to tears. I have to say in my old age *cough* lol, okay *cough* I've grown quite fond of second-chance romances. When done right they can call forth a cacophony of emotions. All that angst, longing, dramatic staring, and eventual explosive reunion makes for a great time. Oh and did I mention the angst? KING'S MAN is actually a sequel to a novella about Nate and Sam called Rebel. It ends with Sam and Nate blissfully happy and they're seemingly going to spend the rest of their lives together. . . well not if Georgey W. & His Bois have anything to say about it.

What I loved about this second-chance romance was the fact that the love between Sam and Nate was still burning so strongly between them. You could feel how strongly they cared for one another, but in order to truly forgive and make amends Sam would have to forgive Nate in a huge way. See, as I mentioned earlier Sam is a Loyalist, and being a Loyalist in the United States during the American Revolution was a sure fire way to see yourself run out of home and country. Nate stood by and watched as an angry mob descended on Sam. Nate watched as they tarred and feathered him. Nate simply stared as they took Sam away. While Nate had some valid reasons for doing nothing in Sam's eyes (and mine) it was a betrayal of the highest order.

At the last moment, Sam stood up, struggling to balance. A final act of defiance, perhaps. But, no, he had a purpose. His gaze roved across the crowd, searching for something, and Nate’s pulse skipped when Sam’s eyes found his for one last look of utter betrayal.

Basically, KING'S MAN is one giant grovel party and I loved it. Nate has A LOT to atone for. Meanwhile, Sam must determine whether or not he can put aside his hurt and find a way to forgive Nate for what he didn't do. I personally love the second-chance romances that don't let either party off the hook. Sam for all his righteous indignation still hurts Nate at times. He throws all of his anger, hatred, and hurt at him, while Nate simply takes it. See, Nate did mess up - greatly - BUT he didn't have the influence or power to stop that mob. Thus, they are both at a stalemate. What reignites this romance is actions. Nate proves that Sam can trust him again, he proves that the love they shared was real, and he proves that his life is not complete without Sam.

“I'm so sorry,” he breathed, holding Sam tight. “I’m sorry for everything you lost. I’m sorry for everything you suffered. And I’m sorry I couldn’t stop it happening.”

Watching these two get their hard-earned happily ever after left me with a huge cheesy smile on my face. Second-chance romances are hard. They're messy, angsty, and take a whole lotta soul searching, but they prove that if the love is strong enough any two souls can find their way back together.


✓ THE HISTORICAL SETTING ✓ had me all kinds of hype. I love, love, LOVED, that this book was set in the 1780's. I thought it was so cool that Nate Tanner was this enlightened thinker who wholeheartedly supported the American Revolution.

I greatly enjoyed the fact that Nate worked for the first Continental Congress. It was such a fun easter egg! What piqued my interest even more was the fact that Sam Hutchinson was a Loyalist. Now, because we're 'Murica, whenever we do talk about the American Revolution we tend to skip right over the fact that our baby nation was actually very split about the whole "let's be independent" thing. Many people living in the Colonies at the time considered themselves British and remained loyal to the British crown. In fact at first the Colonies didn't even want independence, they just wanted the taxation (without representation) to stop. These Loyalist stories are not usually highlighted, thus through Sam and the hypocrisies he faced, they finally brought into focus.


✓ NATE AND SAM ✓ both tugged at my heartstrings. Seriously, these two guys needed all the hugs in the world. Well no time like the present -

My boys deserve all the hugs ❤︎ They were both broody and miserable without each other, and then broody and miserable in each others presence. However, when Nate and Sam weren't brooding they were intriguing ass characters. For example, what I liked about Nate was how intensely he loved learning, reading, and the revolution. He was the type of man who wholeheartedly believed in not only the Revolution but in his own morals as well. Due to that, it was really interesting watching him grapple with what he should do about Sam. On the one hand, he loved Sam with his whole being, yet they very opposite visions for America's future. Then there was Sam. Man Sam was this angry ball of fury. He felt betrayed, exiled, lonely, and abandoned. And yet when Nate comes back into his life he's not sure how to react. When you break it down KING'S MAN was essentially a book detailing Sam's path to forgiveness and calm.


.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆ the big disappointment ⋆｡˚☁˚｡⋆.


✘ THE LOCATION ✘ of KING'S MAN was probably the biggest disappointment for me. Honestly, I was so disappointed by it that I knocked a whole star off of the book. That's how much it bugged me that a book detailing the American Revolution (and the after effects) took place in London/the English countryside. Like, wha - why?

No, but for real, WHY? I'd have even been fine with Sam escaping to Canada or something because at least then it wouldn't be another historical romance set in England. Idk, I guess I was so excited about that this was a romance centered around the American Revolution and then we only spend one chapter in the 13 Colonies. . . uggghhh. . . don't get me hype like that only to disappoint me. I guess I'll just have to re-read The Pursuit of… again.


.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆ the wrap-up ⋆｡˚☁˚｡⋆.


So, we have arrived, let me detail my concluding thoughts. To those of you who made it this far, thank you. If you guys couldn't tell the historical setting/context of this book had me all kinds of excited. To be 100% honest with you guys I wasn't even going to review this book. Then I started reading it and my history loving heart demanded I talk, in length, about this magnificent story. History aside, KING'S MAN was just a wonderfully heartbreaking second-chance romance. Nate and his Sam went through it. Their HEA was not an easy one. There was a lot of pain, heartbreak, betrayal, and hurt to wade through. One of them was going to have to if not compromise, then forgive. SALLY MALCOLM did a wonderful job incorporating a second-chance romance into the American Revolutionary War. So, if you happen to be a history buff and a lover of second-chance romances, then this is 100% the book for you.

Nate watched in silence as Sam took his hand and slipped the ring back onto Nate’s finger where it belonged. “Always together,” Sam promised.
“Always and forever.”

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 'You're my everything' stars

Amicus est tamquam alter idem: a true friend is a second self.

Since I loved prequel novella Rebel, I knew I'm gonna love this book too and I wasn't wrong. Sam and Nate stole my heart in Rebel, so I was devastated to see them so heartbroken and hurt at the beginning of this book. Fortunately, I didn't need to wait too long for them to be reunited.

He hardly knew what he felt, only that it was too much. Overwhelmed, he drove his fingers into Nate’s hair, knotting them there, forcing Nate’s head back to deepen the kiss. To make it a punishment. But Nate only took Sam’s face in his hands, too tender, too gentle, murmuring soft sounds that set Sam blazing.

However, I had a little mixed feelings about the reunion. There was just so much angst. I do love angst but in manageable measures. And maybe I just wasn't in a mood for lots of angst because I only wished they would get over their misunderstandings and past hurt already. But on the other hand, it would be entirely too unrealistic if they had just forget all bad blood between them and I actually liked how their slow reconciliation was handled. Yeah, I know I'm contradicting myself just now but well, that's totally a me thing and can't be helped *shrug*

Anyway, back to the story. Angst apart, I loved how Sam and Nate built their relationship back together and parts of that process were so sweet and romantic *swoon*

He reached out with both hands and captured Nate’s face, pressing their lips together. They kissed like the world burned, like floods were rising and the heavens falling. Like nothing else mattered but the slide of their mouths, the slow exploration of lips and tongues.

There was also lots of very interesting political background that I don't have the patience to explain. Julia did this brilliantly, so make sure to check out her amazing review.

This was really a great read and I'm glad I was on this intriguing journey with Sam and Nate.

“Sam,” he said again, in invitation, in offer, and held out his good hand. “I want to feel you everywhere.”

“God, Nate, you’re…” Beautiful. Glorious. Mine. He couldn’t find the word.
“Impatient.” A slow smile curled Nate’s mouth and he held out his hand again. “Come here.”

I can't wait for the rest of the series. I'm already hyped for the game of cat and mouse that Cole and elusive Wessex has going on. This is gonna be delicious, I just know. And of course, I'm very curious what kind of man will steal Hal's heart.

[.Lili. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends to lovers

Enemies to lovers

Resentment and pining

Second chances

Forbidden love

Soul mates

I devoured King's Man. Sally Malcolm is my favorite Historical Romance author. Her writing style just does it for me. She writes that angst that hurts so good. I also appreciate that the romance never took a backseat to politics in the story.

I can't wait for the following two books!

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.

4,5 stars!

Ever since reading Outlawed a while back I have been dying for this book. we left Nate and Sam happy and in love, but a teaser at the end showed us that they wouldn't stay that way. #AngstAlert
I fell in love with these men as well as the writing style and once I had this in my hand.... I couldn't put it down. and I was right... THE ANGST IS REAL.

What I loved...
1. The Characters:
Sam... He was GLORIOUS: in his loyalty and devotion, in his firmness and spirit. He was even glorious in his bitterness. Even poor as dirt, stripped from everything and everyone he held dear, he held still in his beliefs and didn't back down. he stood tall against prejudice and innate wrongness of what was happening around him and what happened TO him. and through it all, he was still in love with Nate... deep down, it was still a fact that he couldn't ignore or lie about. #HateToLoveYou



Nate: Not gonna lie... in the beginning of this book you're gonna hate Nate, for what he did, or more accurately, what he didn't do. we understand later that he had no choice but that doesn't decrease the hurt and betrayal, in the readers' eyes and in Sam's as well. But Nate has lived with his guilt, betrayal and loss for years and he is determined to be a part of Sam's life, however small. #HopelesslyDevotedToYou


The Plot:
It's a close proximity kind of trope. For 2 weeks, the men are in close quarters on a mission. Through out that, their love, which hadn't really disappear, reignites and slowly Sam softens and Nate takes advantage of that to lead his case and reconnect. Politics are dispersed through out the book, telling a story that has pulled Nate and Sam apart time and time again. #NeverGiveUp

The Romance:
this is second chance with so much ANGST, and SORRY, and Groveling and it was PEREFCT. I loved the progression. Sam was hurt but his heart knew who it belonged to. Nate was sorry and he knew that he would do anything to get Sam back. Their reunion was weary and timid, but when the going got tough, they were all in. #AnythingEverything

Steam-o-meter: Lowish steam.

Angst-o-meter: HIGH ANGST! But that was par or the course. #TearsAndHeartache

The HEA: After everything they went through, the heartache and the loss, they are finally together and happy.

My only niggles was that I wanted more of them together after they had reconciled and after everything calmed down. Maybe in the coming book? Hopefully!!
I also wanted a little bit more steam... but I'm a perv and I always want more steam lol!

#HappyReading!

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was absolutely wonderful historical second chance romance. We return to Sam and Nate and see how the war has torn them apart. At times gut wrenching well researched story told from on one side a man who lost everything - his home, his pride and his dignity, on the other hand told by a man who has lost his love and was trying to find his way back to him. Dual POV, emotional intensity, a smidgeon of suspense and love that defies time, distance and betrayal made this such a fantastic read for me.

We get to read about what happens when a man has to lift himself from the very bottom and remake himself in order to survive. We see reconciliation, fight with one's own principles, desperation and desire to belong. Both MC, Sam and Nate, are well written rich characters who within the duration of this book learn to accept inevitable and learn to forgive and trust again. Their banter is heartfelt and witty, the feelings they harbor and try to hide spill across the pages.

I especially liked that the author showed how the war affected regular folks that had neither riches nor connections, how life tried to break them and the courage and gumption it took to get back up. The grimy streets, danger lurking in every corner and simple things that people crave in life - we get the full picture of consequences of standing firm in one's convictions. But we also get to see both Sam and Nate fight for their lives and a chance to be together despite them being on the opposite sides.

I enjoyed the story, the characters, the steady pace and a bit of intrigue and suspense. (FYI, heat level was 2.5 out of 5) I can't wait for the next in the series. I am fairly sure who one of the MCs is going to be and I am so excited. Highly recommend this story. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review

[Ele · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

I loved it. It has a lot of historic details in it, so I get why someone might get bored but I eat that up with a spoon. And most importantly, the romance didn't took a backseat at all. Second chance, enemies to lovers, hurt feelings and unforgiving attitude are my most favorite tropes. I'm super happy this is a series. I hope some of the characters in this book get their own story.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A at AAR. One of the best books of 2021.

In King’s Man – the first full length book in her new Outlawed series – Sally Malcolm has pulled off a feat that, in these days of clichéd, been-there-read-that historical romance is little short of a minor miracle.  This book is that rare gem in an overcrowded genre and something that every fan of historicals has been waiting for, something refreshingly original in terms of story and setting that  combines a gorgeous, deeply emotional love story that will tug at the heartstrings with an exciting, high-stakes plot that will have you on the edge of your seat.

In 1774, lawyer Samuel Hutchinson met Nathaniel Tanner when the latter was sent from his home in Boston to clerk for James Reed, a respected lawyer in the small Rhode Island town of Rosemont.  Over the ensuing months, the two men became friends and eventually fell in love, forming a soul-deep connection they expected to last for their lifetimes.  (This story is told in the prequel novella, Rebel ; it’s not essential to have read it before starting King’s Man, but I’d strongly recommend it - it’s a gorgeous romance and cements Nate and Sam’s backstory).  But four years later, and with the effects of the revolution continuing to reverberate throughout America, the two men find themselves more often than not disagreeing over ideology, with Nate supporting the war against the British and Sam opposing it, hating the way it’s dividing American from American and allowing the rule of law to flounder in the face of those who would deny him and those like him their liberty and freedom of thought.  Neither man can see a way to bridge the gap between them, and even though it feels like they’re ripping away a part of themselves, they agree it’s best they don’t see each other any more;  and when, two months later, Sam is dragged, bound, from his home by an angry mob of (so-called) patriots and taken away to God-knows-where, a devastated Nate knows his life has changed forever.

Five years later, Sam is one of thousands of American refugees eking out an existence in London.  Bitter and angry, heartsick and homesick, he lives in a fencing ken in the stews of St. Giles, where he makes his living valuing stolen goods and as “a larcenist for hire”, the best lockpicker in London.  It’s in this capacity that he’s instructed to present himself the following evening to someone who has a job for him – a job which will send Sam north to the home of Lord Marlborough in order to steal sensitive documents.  But he won’t be travelling alone.

Nate is now an agent in the Department of Foreign Affairs and has been in London for three months, having accompanied Colonel BenjaminTalmach there on his mission to root out Tory (those who opposed the war) traitors.  In the guise of a lowly lawyer, Nate works for an American merchant named Paul Farris and is gathering the evidence needed to prove the man is involved in a plot to destabilise the Continental Congress (the Congress of the Confederation, which governed America from 1781 to 1789). When Nate attends a meeting between Farris and Lord Marlborough (a nasty piece of work if ever there was one) at which Marlborough boasts of having a list of names of allies in America who could stir up an armed revolt that would help “bring the Continental Congress to its knees”- Nate realises this is it; this is the information he’s been seeking in order to bring Farris down.  But Talmach – whose hatred of Tories is legendary, wants more than just Farris; he wants Marlborough’s entire list of traitors and is sending Nate to Marlborough Castle to keep an eye on the man Talmach has employed to steal it.

Nate’s decision to accompany Talmach to London wasn’t just for his job; his main reason for going was that he hoped he might be able to find Sam – but even so, Sam is the last person Nate expects to see when he arrives at Talmach’s lodgings to discuss the theft of Marborough’s list.  The sight of his former lover – so bitter and resentful, and in such reduced circumstances – is a real punch to the gut, and Nate can feel hostility emanating from the other man in waves.  But he refuses to be put off by Sam’s coldness and is unable to stop hoping that having found him again they might at least be able to rebuild their friendship even if they can never be what they once were to each other.

Days spent in close proximity during their journey lead to some agonising soul-searching and bitter recriminations as Sam and Nate finally confront the truths of their past. Seeing Nate again stirs up so many conflicting emotions for Sam; the gut-wrenching pain of the way things ended between them, self-loathing at the joy he feels at still wanting Nate in spite of what happened, a melancholic yearning for the way things were – the author vividly evokes all that and more as Sam slowly allows himself to remember why he’d fallen in love with Nate in the first place and then to reach a place where forgiveness is possible.  Nate is utterly heartbroken when he learns the full extent of what Sam’s convictions cost him – his freedom, his home and his identity as an American – and now bitterly regrets not standing beside him when it counted. As their journey progresses, he comes to a greater understanding of Sam’s position, but knowing they can never recapture the idyll of their early days together and believing there’s no future for them makes this reunion and rapprochement bittersweet.  Neither man can deny that the intensity of the attachment between them has never waned, and while their soul-deep bond may have been fractured and its strength greatly tested, it’s still there, and growing stronger by the hour.  The slow rekindling of Sam and Nate’s feelings for one another is beautifully done, full of raw but heartfelt emotion and likely to bring a lump to the throat on more than one occasion.

Sally Malcolm creates longing and sexual tension so intense it leaps off the page, and the way she’s seamlessly woven together this emotionally powerful love story with a tense and exciting plot and a wonderfully (and obviously very well researched) rich historical background is nothing short of masterful.  Her writing is marvellous and she has imbued her story with a sense of time and place so strong that the reader feel s transported to the narrow, muddy streets of eighteenth century London, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city and able to hear the cries of the hawkers and breathe in the intrigue of the coffee houses.  In her author’s note, Ms. Malcolm explains her motivations for writing a story that explored the experience of American Loyalists, and I’m so pleased she did, because I had no prior knowledge of this particular part of history and found it absolutely fascinating.  I was also forcibly struck at how relevant so many of the issues confronting Sam and Nate still are; it’s impossible not to draw parallels between Sam’s warnings against demagogues and mob rule, the deep divisions created between compatriots, and recent events on both sides of the Atlantic. Perhaps some of the highest praise I can offer is to say that if you enjoy the way KJ Charles so skilfully weaves together romance, history and politics, then chances are you’ll enjoy this book, too.

Heart-breaking, uplifting and utterly captivating, King’s Man is a compelling read and easily one of the finest historical romances I’ve read over the past few years. I’m happy to recommend it without reserve or hesitation.

[sanju (on and off) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had been on my feed for quite a while, and the plot seemed interesting so I dived right in.

Sam Hutchinson had been hurt and betrayed by his lover. It ran deep its course for five years and then they are thrown together out on a two week journey.

It hurt well. Reconciliation felt good. An entertaining read, it was. It had a lot to do with what both Sam and Nate felt all along plus there was the war. Everything was connected pretty well. I liked it.

[lakshmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I wish you still loved me.”

This book had my heart in its fist and it just kept on squeezing.

-THE TROPES. I READ IT FOR THE TROPES!-

Lovers to enemies to lovers. Forced proximity. One bed. Second chance.

I loved this book oh so much. The angst and slow burn was so perfectly done.

“I miss you, too,” he said quietly, without turning around. “But that’s just another reason not to look back.”

It had everything I want. The perfect amount of ‘ I hate you because I still love you’ and the writing was excellent. It made my heart tighten more times than I can count.

Story in short is basically : Nate and Sam living in America in 1778. Deliriously in love. But on opposing sides on how the war should go. Sam, true to his beliefs, declines the oath of loyalty and is punished brutally for his actions and banished from America. Years later they are reunited and forced to work together on a mission and we see Sam struggle with his feelings for the man that stood by and did nothing as he got beaten and abused. And we see Nate try get through to Sam and apologise.

“It’s like scratching a mosquito bite — you get a little temporary relief but end up making it bleed.”—“The way I see it, I’m better off keeping my eyes on the horizon and not looking back. There’s nothing there for me anymore.”

The transition was Enemies to lovers was so effortless. I didn’t even notice it. It all seemed so smooth and natural and it was fucking satisfying. The was Sam softened and lowered his walls slowly. It was beautiful.

I’ll never regret finding you again. It’s what I longed for.”

I highly recommend this. It was amazing.

[Renée · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than I thought it would be. Even the politics of it cut me to the core. Still relevant today.

[Anne Boleyn's Ghost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings time! After enjoying Rebel, the prequel to King's Man, I expected to enjoy this as much, if not more. So I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t.

The positives? Well-written, with interesting characters and a gripping beginning. Before reading King's Man, you must read Rebel, which establishes the relationship between young lawyers Nate and Sam. A bit wild and a lot idealistic, Nate contrasted nicely to the steady but no less passionate Sam, and their transformation from friends to lovers was tenderly emotional. Not to mention the setting, Revolutionary War America, isn’t often seen in romance (but should be)!

Within chapters of the story moving to England, however, the plot grew increasingly convoluted and the romance was frequently back-burnered. Although there was much promise in Nate and Sam’s reunion after a years-long estrangement, I found it emotionally unsatisfying. The elements were there, from Sam’s rage at betrayal to Nate’s regret over inaction to both characters’ longing, but they weren't always tangible. I needed more of their backstories, both together and apart, to better connect. Flashbacks would have served the story particularly well.

Rest assured, Nate and Sam find their way back to each other; this is a romance, after all! Yet the messages regarding liberty, justice, war and political intrigue were hard to discern, and considering how substantial they were to the larger story, I also found that unsatisfying. I think that Malcom wanted to paint “shades of gray”, but instead it was murky. The Americans were largely depicted as villainous, with the Revolution acting as a vehicle for mob rule and cycles of tyranny. And while Malcolm did highlight how members of the English aristocracy could, quite literally, get away with murder, that flowed into my biggest pet peeve: the ending. I couldn't wrap my brain around Nate and Sam's decision to remain in England, where Sam had been falsely charged with murder and escaped on the way to prison. He wasn't exactly in good standing in Rhode Island, but there was opportunity to clear his name. Moreover, the characters had mutually and fervently agreed to build new lives and forge change in America, and I was invested in seeing that through. Resigning themselves to living in a seedy hovel in the London underworld, with only limited protection from a crime boss, was very much the opposite of "happy" for me. I'm admittedly skeptical that they will make it back, although I hope that they do.

Oh, and on a final note: if you want to go after American hypocrisy, be my guest, but don't have the same character who acted all high-and-mighty suggest living on the frontier, which furthered the displacement of indigenous people. You can't divorce this country's founding from hypocrisy and, in many cases, evil. But we have to accept that history even as we strike not to repeat it. Ideally, Sam will help the new American government, the government can show its gratitude by restoring his rights, and he and Nate can return to Rosemont.

While I liked many aspects of King's Man, I didn't love it. However, many other readers did so it very well may be a "me" thing! The world and characters introduced were compelling enough that I'm interested in reading future additions to the series.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tremendous.

If you are tempted to start this novel without first reading the prequel novella Rebel, I want you to reconsider. Rebel is an outstanding story on its own and well worth your time (and your best of list at the end of 2021), and it beautifully sets the stage for these principal characters and their long, painful road to happily ever in King's Man. It's quick and lovely and wonderful, so slow your roll and read it first.

You finished Rebel. You sighed in swoony contentment...and then you belatedly discovered King's Man, the first novel in the Outlawed series, is about Sam and Nate. Again. Uh oh. Alarm bells start ringing. And then you read the blurb. And you wince knowing these two didn't actually get the HEA you happily ooh la la'd over. Just a delicious HFN. So you're happy but also super bummed. And excited because Ms. Malcolm is a terrific writer and you love these two men. Hard.

Well, patient reader, prepare to be rewarded for sticking with them - King's Man is EVERYTHING you want in an historical romance novel and it's marvelously done. When we last left Sam and Nate they were all loved up in Rhode Island. King's Man picks up four years after Rebel ended. Sam and Nate are deeply in love, but increasingly divided over the prospect of war. Sam (a loyalist) is opposed to it, while Nate believes it's the only way forward. **This is a gross oversimplification of their positions, BTW.** Their bond is tested when Nate tells Sam it isn't safe for them to be together any longer, and then it's wholly severed when Sam is nearly killed by a vengeful mob who brand him a traitor.

Fast forward five years. The war is over. Sam is a Loyalist refugee in London doing whatever he has to to survive. Once a successful, prosperous lawyer in Rhode Island, he now appraises stolen goods and is known as the best lock-picker in London. He's under the protection of a London underworld kingpin, and in return for that protection, he serves at his leisure. Sam hopes to one day return to his home and put his life back together again, but is frustrated by the slow pace of justice. When Sam is told to meet up with a stranger for an important lock-picking job, he heads to the meet-up and is shocked to find a familiar face staring at him from across the room.

Nate watched - silent and horrified -when Sam was attacked by a Rhode Island mob. He's never forgiven himself for the betrayal, and now that the war is finally over, he's determined to find him and beg for forgiveness. When he's sent by the Continental Congress to London to track down a traitor working to undermine America's fledgeling democracy, he keeps his true mission a secret: Finding Sam - the man he loves and cannot forget. When Sam shows up at his rendezvous to meet with a famed London lock-picker, Nate cannot believe it's his former lover. He's secretly thrilled - and dismayed. This Sam is nothing like the man he spent four years loving...This Sam is angry, bitter, and unforgiving.

But fortunately for us, this is a ROMANCE NOVEL! And Ms. Malcolm is a brilliant writer. And EVERY ROMANCE READER KNOWS THAT THIS EXACT SCENARIO IS RIPE FOR ROMANCE TROPES.

Road trip? Check!
One bed? Check!
Long, tension filled rides in a teensy, tiny carriage? Check!
Lots of time alone - to think? Check!
Longing? Check!
Loathing? Check'ish.
Pining? Check!
Second chance? Check!
Enemies to lovers? Check!

Ms. Malcolm hits only high notes once Sam and Nate are forced into close proximity - Nate needs a lock-picker and Sam is 'the man.' These two are strangers with a shared history, but Nate has never stopped loving Sam - or hoping they would one day reconcile. He's full of guilt about their past, and despite his affection and love for Sam, he never wavers from his commitment to the Colonies. He loves Sam and wants him - even though he knows their past is a roadblock they might never break through. Sam hasn't altered his opinion about the war or its cost, and he resents Nate. Except his heart isn't quite on the same page. Nate betrayed him. Nate abandoned him. Nate is his...enemy? Sam can't quite get to that point because HE LOVES NATE, TOO. He ruthlessly suppresses any affection for Nate and fights hard to resist his attraction and affection for his former lover. But friends? This is a LOVE STORY! So he's destined to fail. Sorry Sam.

King's Man is sexy, frustrating, lovely and just The Best. I loved every single bit of it. The pacing is perfect, will they or won't they? tension fills every page, and the swoony ending that sees these two finally loved up and loving life is awesome. And did I mention the steamy chemistry between these two?? More please. Ms. Malcolm masterfully incorporates the historical time period into the evolution of this relationship, and King's Man is equal parts history lesson and love story. I thought her villain could use a bit more character development, and I'm not a big fan of servants who get up to shenanigans on behalf of strangers "just because," - but these are minor quibbles. This is a book you pick up and can't put down - it's terrific.

King's Man is Ms. Malcolm's best novel to date (and she's written MANY wonderful novels), and one of the best of 2021. I loved it.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I love historical romances for the small glimpses at pieces of history I may not know much about, and this was a new perspective for sure. The MC is an American who did not agree with the tactics and mob mentality of the Patriots during the American Revolution and was branded a traitor because of it. 

He's lucky he escaped with his life and is now living as one of thousands of American refugees in London, and I'm not sure I've ever even thought about the people caught in this strange gray area between countries. Pop culture tends to stick to the Benedict Arnolds and those who spied on or turned in their neighbors, friends and family to the other side, but the author focuses on those who neither agreed with the actions of the rebels nor stood in their way, but simply refused to declare their loyalty to a group they couldn't support in good conscience. 

I've merged the Freedom of Speech with the Revolution in my mind, so it's a pretty jarring picture to paint, and holy hell was the depiction of "King Mob" and the mindset of some of the agents of the new Continental Congress thought-provoking AF in the context of the last few years. Just ... being a modern American is such an epic mindfuck when you look past the surface (on good days; we just leave it floating on top during the bad ones 😂😭), and I was not expecting this smutty little m/m romance to do such a fantastic job putting that into historical perspective. Brilliant.

The romance itself was less successful for me, but in a way that's hard to pin down. It was just so clear how it was going to play out that it felt inevitable in all the wrong ways. 

That seems like a crazy thing to say when I read the genre for this very reason -- I am Team HEA/HFN Guaranteed all the way -- but there was something about it here that made it hard to buy into/get invested in the MC's emotional states? Not in each particular moment, but the overall premise it's all based on for the most part? I don't know how to explain it. 

I think there's also an over-reliance on the prequel novella to do all the heavy lifting on their connection beyond the physical/emotional. It leaves a huge gap (four years, I think) between the early days of their romance and the point where the Revolution started interfering, and I think I needed that gap filled to know if I could fully get behind Nate's actions/inaction. I had some lingering concerns about him, and I don't think I was meant to.

I still really enjoyed it overall, and the romance works well enough that I would *highly* recommend it to anyone who enjoys the historical part of these things as much as the romance itself. As a romance, it's still better than average.

[Joanna Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope to add more later, but I found this to be a moving story. Enjoyed the historical context.

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read Nov 2024

I read this before I started tracking on GR and had it as 4 stars with no review. Upping to 5-stars on re-read because this is second-chance romance done right, in a historical context that we almost never see in romance. Sad the series didn't continue!

Be sure to read the prequel story, which is emotionally (if not plot-wise) necessary to understand and be invested in these two from the jump.

Wish there was more to read in this world! Cole and Wessex, will you never get your HEA??

[Kazza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. I started this book off in a bad mindset. I subscribed to the author's newsletter with the promise of Rebel, a free book that is the prequel to this one upon subscription. I'd pre-ordered this so thought that was a good place to start. Apparently I took too long to claim Rebel - just over a week - and I couldn't be given the book because of that. I believe a third party was involved in organising it. It left a bad taste. Anyway, I'm discussing my experience here because it's also mentioned at the back of this book - getting Rebel if you subscribe to the author's newsletter.

About this book. I never understood or fully felt the relationship between Sam and Nate. Sam was angry with Nate after not being willing to accept a loyalty oath and being tarred and feathered, run out of his home town of Rosemont, Rhode Island by an angry mob, and being subjected to the mines before escaping to London, England. I truly did not understand Sam's perspective, it needed more development, and I didn't like Nate's lack of empathy of Sam's ordeal when he rediscovers his ex lover rather serendipitously in London. Did I understand how and why Nate was scared of supporting Sam at the time of the mob mentality in their town? Sure. However, to be so blinded as to the ordeal Sam would have faced was naïve given his connection to the feelings and uprising in America. Nate's obvious, continuing connections to the powers that be, and so forth.

The book's MCs to and fro over the ill will of Sam's (ongoing) experience and Nate not fully understanding Sam's vehemence, and Nate's continued fervent dedication to America, the cause, and liberty and loyalty, etc. My feelings are fuck war and, even though I am a keen geopolitical observer, fuck politics. I struggled with Nate for a while but he did come good.

I'm giving this book 3 stars because it's middle of the road reading and Sally Malcom can write, but after reading the beautiful and brilliant The Last Kiss this was an inferior tale with MCs that were kind of okay, nothing more.

[BevS · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up from me.

You'll know all about Sam and Nate if you've read Sally's little appetiser Rebel; I was anxious to find out what had happened to them. As per usual with Sally's work, this was a well-written historical piece, with rounded characters that make you want to jump ahead to the end of the story and discover what's what [bravely, I resisted the urge to do just that 😉]. Frightening times for anyone believing in just causes and considered a 'traitor' and an anarchist in that particular era, both here at home and in the newly-fledged US.

Cannot wait to read books 2 & 3 with their MC's, Elias and Hal.

[NicoleR.M.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to gather my thoughts about this book and think of how I will ever be able to put them into words...One thing I know for sure, though. I'd give this book the double amount of stars if I could.
RTC.

And so I find myself sitting here a couple of days later, still not being able to let go of Sam and Nate and still trying to find the words that will do this book justice.
IT WAS SO SO GOOD, JUST READ IT!! The story of Sam and Nate blew me away on so many levels, my heart broke for Sam when I was only 7% in this book and though I hardly ever cry over books, I found myself a blurring mess towards the end of the story.

Why did this story speak to me so much?
First of all there is Sally Malcolm's sublime writing. It's just beautiful, her words carefully chosen and her stories are always very thoroughly researched.
There is this perfect sense of the time, the descriptions so detailed and beautifully written, it feels like you walk these 18th century streets of London. You feel the mud on the soles of your shoes, hear the rustle and bustle of a lively city, smell the horses and the crowded inns.
You see Sam and Nate, feel their connection, the heartbreaking decisions they make. The tension between them, the anger, the regret are palpable, but also their memories of what used to be, the secret longing. It's all there and you feel it like they are feeling it.
Because those feelings!! From the first pages of this story, your heart is involved, whether you like it or not. That's what Sally Malcolm's writing does. You are not capable of protecting it, her words are so carefully written, her sentences have no other purpose than to draw you in completely, to have Sam and Nate settle for a place inside your heart. The dialogues, Sam's inner struggles, the contradictions of his feelings, wanting Nate but loathing himself for doing so. Hating Nate for having left him to lose everything he had, and not doing anything to prevent that from happening. To safe him. Sam really broke my heart more than once.

To thoroughly enjoy this story, you should read Rebel first, because that's where Sam and Nate's story starts. When they meet as the protagonists of a well known lawyer in Rosemont, Rhode Island and fall in love. The year is 1774.
This book starts off four years later, 1778. Then fast forward to the year 1783 and we find Sam in London, lost everything he had, a refugee, banned from the American colonies when he refused to fight against the English. A tory. He tries to survive every way he can, becoming a well known lock-picker and living in the baddest parts of London.
It seems very unlikely for Nate and Sam to meet again, but they do. Nate never gave up looking for him, never stopped loving him. But Sam is bitter, he hates Nate for all the things he didn't do to prevent Sam from losing everything he had.

Recoiling, Nate said: "I meant that I can't believe chance has thrown us together like this. And in London, of all places."
"Well, I always did have rotten luck."

It seems almost impossible for them to get past the things that tore them apart, the politics, the war. Even when they are forced to work together and are forced to spend days in the close proximity of a chaise, it's hard for Sam to understand Nate's motives and find forgiveness for them. But as time passes, the memories of them and of the love they once shared, make it harder and harder for him to hold on to the hatred and anger.

"You hell-born bastard. I loved you."
(...)There were no words to explain the howling agony of seeing Nate standing with the mob, watching in silence while Sam was humiliated, abused and driven out of his home. There were no words for the pain of that betrayal, the pain of knowing that Nate simply hadn't loved him enough to try and save him. Maybe it wasn't rational, but that was how he felt and offering his heart, bloody and beaten, to the man who'd already crushed it was impossible.

There's a satisfying HFN/HEA. There had to be. Despite their differences, their love was real. Like the scripting in Nate's ring. Like Socrates had said:

"A single soul inhabiting two bodies"

Sam and Nate were one single soul, they couldn't not live without that other piece of their own soul inhabiting the other one's body in the end.

"I wish I could undo that night. I wish none of it had ever happened. I wish-" His forehead dropped onto Sam's shoulder, his hand fisting into his coat. On a shivery breath, he whispered, "I wish you still loved me."

Be prepared to have your heart broken, but the healing is oh so alluring and satisfying, and I'm tempted to do it all over again. And again. And again.
I could have highlighted almost the whole book, so many beautiful words to remember. All I can say and keep on repeating is READ THIS BOOK. It's one of the most captivating, exquisite, sublime books I have ever read.
Also, don't forget to read the author's personal note.

Highly, highly recommended (Can't say it enough!)

I received an ARC by Gay Romance Reviews and this is my unbiased, honest review

[Dísir · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounding up

Sally Malcolm isn't that new of an author to me; she'd been on my feed since my ol' SG-1 fic reading days and even back then, the writing was absolutely stellar and unforgettable.

Years later, the quality of her writing - along with the historical research - has only shot up higher, more so that she's found such a unique dimension of situating the conflict that we find ourselves in today within 2 men's personal dilemma during a time when America was still finding its democratic feet.

It is admittedly, a historical period that is foreign to me, yet Malcolm frames this conflict in a fascinating way, its forward momentum coming through not just because of the tumult that characters both sides of the Atlantic face, but also because of the intensely-written emotions and deep insights into human nature that she has written deep into both the protagonists.

As a result, Sam Hutchinson's and Nate Tanner's relationship takes on a unique sheen; Sam's un-erasable hurt, his sharp longing and deep anguish both for his 'lost' partner and the country he'd been banished from jump off the pages and his subsequent vindication somehow, seems like a story that I think I'd always wanted to read all my life. That Malcolm kept me wide-eyed and hoping for his redemption (perhaps also quite unfairly) made me wonder however - and it's my only complaint here - if she should have written Nate with a little bit more courage and less subterfuge.

Yet their holding pattern by the end is oddly enough, their HEA (for now), though there's clearly more to come in a saga that's shaping up to be quite an epic series. 'King's Man' is quite possibly the most standout of books in 2021 (thus far); from the sun-drenched tranquility of Rosemont to the filthy back alleys and secretive coffee houses of London - it's such an brilliant, expansive story of intrigue, deceit and love that already makes me wonder how its sequel will match up.

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful story. Sally Malcolm is so good at writing historical books about romance and reunions between lovers or friends who become lovers. This book is the full length novel that follows Sam & Nate who first met and fell in love in a short story, Rebel. I suggest reading that first so you can see how they met and get a feel for who they were before the revolution and war in America tore them apart.

After years of being apart Sam & Nate have never forgotten each other. Sam is furious at Nate and believes he left him to his fate which now has him exiled from his home in America and living a very different life on the tough streets of London. Nate regrets that he had to see Sam treated poorly by their friends and neighbors but he just wishes Sam would have not been so outspoken in his beliefs, beliefs that are not the same as Nate’s for the future of America. He has searched for Sam to no avail and wishes to see him again. In a twist of fate they come face to face to fulfill a mission. Nate hopes to win Sam over to become friends once again but Sam does not want to forgive Nate.

This was full of tender moments and excitement. I loved seeing Sam & Nate overcome so much to fight for a future with each other. There were other characters who will also be getting books and I am very excited about that! I look forward to reading much more from Malcolm!

ARC provided in exchange for review

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oi! Revolution!
Loyalty oath to my love.
New start in Old World.

I really didn't know that Americans were exiled back to England--that they didn't want to go--during the Revolutionary War, so that was fun. The spy plot/grand theft (and its credulity-stretching denouement) was much less interesting to me than the romance, frankly. The Tories vs the Patriots vs the British vs the Americans was confusing (and I have pretty strong grip on early US history), and the evil Lord Marlborough and his merry band (uh... who was that queer roue? is he going to be in another novel? What about Elias Cole? and the highwayman? and the Black bar owner?) plus Hal Foxe's crew... there was just a lot going on.

But the romance, including the pining and the sex, was top notch. And ultimately, that's what rounded this up from 3.5 to 4 stars for me.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series! This was everything I look for in historical romance: longing and vulnerability between the two main characters, a story grounded in history, and an external conflict that created some action towards the end of the book. The writing was polished and pulled me into the story. The complexity and detail to the story reminded me of the wonderful Enlightenment series by Joanna Chambers.

I look forward to the next book.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll just be honest; I didn't like this. I had a sneaking suspicion I wouldn't based on the novella, but I was trying to be hopeful. This book just dragged on and on and on. It was also very cliche and predictable as well. Not for me.

[Sam I AMNreader]

Short and very Malcom. So it's well-written and emotional and angsty.

It took a really interesting time period and plot too.