A Thief in the Night

Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune #1.5

by K.J. Charles

Toby never meant to be a highway robber, but needs must. He didn’t plan to impersonate a top London valet either, but when the chance comes to present himself as the earl of Arvon’s new gentleman's gentleman, he grabs it. Unfortunately, the earl is the man he seduced and robbed on the road to get here. Oops.

Miles, Lord Arvon, is not impressed. But he’s faced with a tumbledown home and lost family fortune, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Toby—shameless, practical, and definitely desperate—may be just the man he needs.

To steal back a priceless bracelet, that is. What else were you thinking?

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

76 pages, ebook

First published October 13, 2022

About the author

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

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

Bluesky @kj_charleswriter.com
Join the lively Discord group at https://discord.gg/fmPTWSZfT6
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Please **do not** message me on Goodreads as I no longer check the inbox due to unwanted messages.

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I had a lot of fun reading this book! It’s a lovely story full of whimsy and charm that’s adorned with a simple and sweet romance story! In my experience, novellas can often run the risk of feeling underdeveloped because of how short they are, but that wasn’t an issue with this one at all. It focuses on the parts that really matter, like the oddball and unorthodox (because Toby is a thief who steals from Miles) relationship between Toby and Miles. The book has a minimalist appeal in that Miles and Toby are the only characters who show up on the page for most of the story. And due to this fact, there’s this intimate atmosphere that gives the whole thing the same vibes of a well put together stage-play. It also helps that they had great chemistry and the banter between them was equal parts witty and hilarious! The story can be really funny, but never at the expense of the character’s trauma; it’s sincere in all the right places. I loved this novella, and the fact that it has a fairly simple yet engaging plot is all I’ll ever need in a historical romance! It really stole my heart like a thief in… okay sorry, that’s way too easy. Anyway, I highly recommend this heartwarming and adorable comfort-read that manages perfection in its brevity.

“My money or my life?” He smiled into Toby’s glorious, glowing eyes. “Sweetheart, you can have all you want of both.”

[K.J. Charles]

An Audible Original (out in audio only 13 Oct 22, e and print versions coming in April 2023).

This is the story of Toby, a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles, and Miles, who has just come into an earldom, but not in a good way. There's a bit of angst, and a lot of care, and just a spot of highway robbery. As you do.

Toby, by the way, is the long-lost brother of Robin from The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, and there will be an epilogue for both in my newsletter to go along with the ebook release.

[captain raccoon. · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘the person i gave a fake name to, banged, & stole from last night is now my new boss oops’ trope but make it queer but make it regency but make it kj charles. let’s fucking gooooooooo.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read 10/2025
Short and lovely comfort read.
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Re-read 02/2025.
Not many authors are able to write a novella of less than 100 pages (85 in this case), with believable character development for both MCs, chemistry and a steadily building emotional connection between the MCs.
KJ Charles undoubtedly is one of the best of them.
I loved how the relationship between Toby and Miles slowly changed from working together with hostility to talking while working, opening up and letting the other see their vulnerable parts, to finally falling in love (the sex scenes were perfectly placed and developed, too).
The last part of the book starting with the formal dinner, and everything that happened afterwards was FANTASTIC (take your minds out of the gutter, friends, I was referring to the plot twists not sex!!). Such beautiful and touching writing, urgh.
This series is awesome.
----------------
Read 08/2023
This was my first book by this author, and it was charming and delightful!
Although it's a rather short novella (under 90 pages) I was highly entertained and felt the attraction and chemistry between the MMCs.
4,5 stars.

[Teal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this. So much personality and plot in less than 100 pages, with a romance between an earl and a vagabond petty thief that sounds preposterous as a concept, but ends up making perfect emotional sense.

I don't do audiobooks, so was stuck waiting six months for the print version to release. But it was worth the wait! Toby and Miles's story comes after The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, which featured different MCs and unfortunately was a dud for me. One in a long string of duds from KJC, which eventually ended up demoting her from the #1 spot on my list of favorite m/m authors. But this novella, following right after her most recent novel, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, which I also loved, leaves me feeling vastly encouraged.

I would be thrilled to see a third book in this series. And I realize I haven't actually said anything of substance about the story itself (like usual) — so I recommend you check out lauraღ's excellent review, which is informative without being spoilery.

[Warda]

I just am not a fan when the plot overtakes the development of the characters and their romance. And for a novella, I don’t see why a plot was needed. I couldn’t connect to the characters because of it.

I’ve only read one book by K.J. Charles - The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting - which I loved. But this won’t be a story I’m going to remember.

[Ben Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read 31/08/2024: Reread this before I pick up A Rose by Any Name, which is an epilogue to A Thief in the Night and The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting.
__
This is so good, but I'm greedy and wish it was a full length novel.

Love the link to The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, which is my favourite K.J. Charles so far.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ]

***no rating*** dnf @45%


Maybe it was just the audio that didn't work for me, but I wasn't invested enough in the story so far. So I decided, for this novella, I rather want my credit back than continue.

audio length: 2hrs 45min

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a lovely (standalone) novella with threedimensional, utterly charming characters, an engaging plot, a well developed relationship and a rich setting - and all that on 80 pages! Truly remarkable 🥹

KJ Charles truly is the queen of what she does, I thoroughly enjoyed this!

[Vanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Loved it stars!! ❤️❤️ I do love a good M/M historical and KJ Charles has written some of the best historical romances out there. I love her writing and despite this being a short, it didn’t feel incomplete or rushed. Miles and Toby are great MCs, opposites in every way; in their personalities, upbringing and societal class. But in reality they are long lost souls who are perfect for each other despite their unconventional first meeting.
Highly recommended to all fans of KJC and historical M/M romances. 👍🏻👍🏻

[Moraa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was short and cute and the perfect palate cleanser🥰 I liked the parallels between Toby and Miles’ pasts and how sweet Toby was with Miles until he finally caved.

Audiobook review: 5 stars
The narration was top notch! Between James Joseph and Ryan Laughton I’m not sure who voiced Miles but it was🥵

Audiobook included with my Audible membership.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely novella, solid development and well paced for a short page count, with an engaging storyline and well established characters. This didn’t feel too rushed although I would have loved it to be full length. It’s been a while since I’ve read The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting but when I realised who Toby was it all came back to me and I was quite charmed by his story.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been in a huge reading slump for months and months. I’ve read but not even close to how much I usually read. And the genre I have read the least of is romance. I’ve only read one this whole year. (Who even am I? 🤣)

Maybe I was burnt out on the genre. Anyway I snagged this not long ago and decided to try it today and see if I was still burnt out. Trust KJ to give me at least a temporary boost. I read this in one sitting.

I was positively delighted by this. It’s a sequel or prequel of sorts. Not sure where in the timeline it falls. But you wouldn’t need to read the other one to enjoy this. I didn’t know it was connected to the other book until I finished and saw the note. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Do I wish it was a full novel? Is the Pope Catholic? Duh. But at the same time, maybe I wouldn’t have been able to read a full one. Who knows.

It felt complete for its length and KJ’s sparkling prose and wit popped off the page. 🥰

Thank you and goodnight. Oh it’s 2:00 pm so not goodnight but you catch my drift. 😉

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good - funnier than I had expected, which was refreshing. I will probably read more by this author.

Updated with further thoughts:
So the last romance story I listened to centered around friends in love with each other, and I found it very unrealistic. This one featured a far less chaste beginning, then a theft, almost but not quite blackmail, a search for 60,000 pounds worth of jewellery, an arrest and a subsequent rescue that involved pretending to be a highwayman - - and I completely bought into it. I think it highlights how much more you will believe if the characters feel well crafted.

[Melanie THEE Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

K.J. Charles never misses! My only complaint is that I needed this to be longer.

[gracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute!!

[Rhosyo MT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet.

From now on, whenever IG shows me those stories-commercials, whatever they are called, about those phone-games were the young MC inherits an old house and it’s their duty to repair and clean it, solving family mysteries and finding love in the meantime, I will always think of this short story!
Nobody can convince me that K.J Charles wasn’t thinking about that when she came up with this idea, LOL.

I’m so happy I have this on paperback!❤️

[Megan [At The Cottage] · Rating 3 out of 5]

MM Romance
Thief Meets Match
3.5 Stars ⭐️

Audiobook Narrators: 4.5 Stars ⭐️

This was included with my Audible plus subscription and it’s the first book I’ve listened to without ever picking up the actual book. Most audiobooks just haven’t worked for me so I’ve switched to ebook but holy hell the narrators voices were gorgeous and I couldn’t get enough because I am an accent whore. I had never read anything by this author before and had always been a tad wary since they appear to have historical settings and that’s not really my thing, usually. However, listening to the accents really made me feel like I was there immersed in the culture and it made the entire book come alive.

The downside of audiobooks is I can’t highlight sentences and without them I forget the major plot points so this is why my review is so lacking and why I have no names shown because I don’t remember 😂. This starts with sexual favors and stealing to get by and then karma kicks our mc in the arse. He’s tasked with helping the victim of his crimes clean out his mansion and they end up falling for each other. I thought the overall premise was good and it kept my interest for the 2.5 hours it took to listen to it. I wasn’t a huge fan of the sex scenes but that’s partly to do with the old school language. Hearing the word “prick” used kind of took me out of them but for a novella, I really enjoyed this and I’d be willing to look into more from this author.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down

Lovely characters with a great connection and a loosely interesting plot to hold them all together. I will say, unlike most of this author's other short works, I was left with the feeling that this really should have been a full-length novel. It wasn't precisely unsatisfying, but there were a number of places where the pacing felt off, and developments--both relational and plot-wise--felt glossed over in a way that didn't give me exactly what I wanted. Usually I think Charles does a great job of writing short stories that are supposed to be short stories, but in this instance, this one felt like a novel that had been cut down to size. Still a very enjoyable read, but not as strong as I'd expected.

(As an aside, I also felt like it had a lot in common with the most recent book of hers I've read, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen, down to the mysterious missing money, smut dynamics, and the sad nobleman suddenly in the country due to the death of the father he has a fraught relationship with only to be confronted by the man he last had sex with who has in some way betrayed him... like, they're different books for sure, but I couldn't help see the similarities in vibe--not a bad vibe! but I wish they were more distinct, and it might not have struck me so much if I hadn't read that one so recently...

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was nice. KJC expands her Gentle Art world with this book. Another thief, another member of the peerage. I liked both MCs and how they overcame their first impression to learn to rely on each other. A short, pleasant read, but it doesn't really stand out in any way. The narrators were okay; I never really warmed up to them. And it's dual narration, which was already a negative point before I even started.

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️/5 this was cute and pretty fluffy plus the beginning was such a banger

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had so much fun with this little novella!

I think it’s very telling of one’s talent to be able to write a less-than-a-hundred page novella and fit in both a plot AND a believable romance without loosing one’s self too much on the other details.

the characters were likable, and the plot well-constructed and not too rushed even for the setting, I genuinely had such a great time reading this!

~ spoiler below ~

“My money or my life?” He smiled into Toby’s glorious, glowing eyes. “Sweetheart, you can have all you want of both.”

[Papie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What fun and sexy adventure!

[QuietlyKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit that I’m not sure this is necessarily a 5 star book but I LOVED it. Something about the isolation of house, the fact that the 2 main characters are nearly the only characters in the story and clearing out a hoarder’s house greatly appealed to my introverted, obsessive compulsive, clean freak, needs order brain and happy hermit heart 😅😆 Seriously, clearing something like that out would give me so much satisfaction and such an incredible sense of accomplishment and order 🤣

Beyond that, I loved Miles and Toby (especially Toby) and their relationship dynamic and its evolution. This one just worked for me.

A Thief in the Night was a library borrow but I’d be happy to buy it.

5 squirrelly stars

[dobbs the dog · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun!

Really quick, I think it was only 3 hours, but lots packed into it.

[Keysia⁷ Herondale 🍉 *kinda ia* · Rating 3 out of 5]

2024: first read

actual rating: 3.5 stars

You made this house feel like a home for the first time in so long.

i immediately picked this up after reading The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting slightly hoping for a scene happening after the events of that novel, from the pov of toby and/or miles of course, but unfortunately that did not come to pass.

the novella itself was sweet though. the vibes were similar to “the gentle art”, but the space constraints were very costly in terms of character and interaction depth, so while i do believe the couple could be great, and as joy-inducing as hart and robin, they stopped at good and only made me smile.

a fun read, but don’t expect too much.

[Nelly S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great novella! Only KJ Charles can infuse short stories with such depth, vivid characters, and witty dialogue. Toby was such a fun and nuanced character and a perfect foil for Miles.

[Janet (iamltr) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review

This is a short novella that introduces us to Toby and Miles. They meet on the road and get to know each other uh a bit before Toby leaves the traveling spot.

Toby was so sweet and I just wanted to wrap him up and keep him safe. Miles was unlikable to me until the last part. His speech to Toby made my heart clench, especially the comment about the watch. I snorted after hearing that

The narration was perfect. James Joseph and Ryan Laughton are both new to me, but I absolutely enjoyed their performance.

[kmac · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely afternoon read to make the rain go away. I've never been a fan of novellas because I want something more substantial. So I'm rather in awe that Charles could pull this off. Characters that had enough back story to keep it believable and plot that had enough twists and turns to keep a good pace. I only felt their connection was a little rushed, but this had more to do with the length of the story, not the authors fabulous writing.

I only wish it had been longer.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this an A/B for narration (James Joseph & Ryan Laughton) and a B+ for content at AudioGals. 4.5 stars.

In KJ Charles’ 2021 novel The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, we were introduced to Robin and Marianne, two siblings who conned their way into society with a view to their both making very advantageous marriages. Brief mention was made of the fact that they had grown up with an older half/step sibling named Toby who just up and left them one day and whom they haven’t seen since. In A Thief in the Night, we get to meet Toby, who, like his brother and sister, lives by his wits, with one eye (metaphorically) always looking over his shoulder, and the other always on the main chance.

The story opens at an inn where Toby, while waiting for the drink he’s ordered to arrive, is keeping an eye on the attractive man of military bearing sitting by the fire. His clothing is travel-stained, but looks to be that of a man of means, so Toby nonchalantly walks over and strikes up a conversation. After exchanging names (Toby doesn’t give his real one, of course), they get to talking, and Toby learns that his companion, Miles Carteret, has recently returned from fighting on the Penunsula and is on his way home. Toby is quick to recognise the signs of interest, and to make his own interest clear; before long, they’re out back, exchanging greedy touches and frantic kisses and Toby is on his knees. After putting themselves to rights, they had back inside where Miles dozes off – and Toby helps himself to his watch and pocket book and scarpers.

Not surprisingly, the money doesn’t last long, and when we next meet Toby a short while later, he’s thinking he really needs to get a job of some sort. His contemplation is interrupted by the entrance of a snooty individual he correctly judges must be a gentleman’s gentleman – a valet. Toby discovers that Edwin Harrowby is on his way to take up a post with the Earl of Arvon, and very quickly, through a mixture of charm and obsequiousness, wrangles a seat on the coach to Arvon Hall where he hopes he might be able to secure some employment. On arrival, however, Mr. Harrowby is so appalled by the dilapidated state of the house, he demands to be taken back to the village, but Toby decides to stay. After all, with the place in such a mess, there must be plenty that needs doing. He walks hopefully towards the man he sees staggering down some steps clutching a teetering pile of boxes, his head and torso hidden behind them, cheerfully introduces himself as Edwin Harrowby and offers his assistance. When the man puts down the boxes and turns to face Toby, he recognises him as the man he’d sucked off and then robbed.

Oops.

This is the first time in five years Miles Carteret has been in England. Estranged from his father over a number of youthful indiscretions and an even larger number of gambling debts , he’s returned home hoping to reconcile with him, only to learn that he died just a week earlier. When Miles left, his father had furiously vowed to leave him nothing to inherit, and it seems he’s made good on that promise; the house is in desperate need of repair and is full of junk (it seems his father was a hoarder), there’s no money to put things right and nothing to sell to raise any. Miles is despondent – not so much because of the lack of funds and state of his childhood home, but more because the last letter he’d written to his father asking if he could come back home had met with a favourable response and he was looking forward to seeing the old man again and repairing their relationship. And now, that can never happen. The fact that the man standing in front of him now is the same one who stole from him – and whose mouth he hasn’t been able to forget – just adds insult to injury. Miles is understandably wary, but when Toby doesn’t so much as mention the fact that he could ruin Miles with a few well-placed words, he relaxes a little and decides to take Toby up on the offer of help. It’s not as if he’s got anything left to steal.

KJ Charles takes the “oops, the person I had sex with last night is my new boss” trope and runs with it, turning Miles and Toby’s inauspicious beginning into a charming and tender love story between a couple of misfits who discover they fit together very well indeed.

Toby is, despite his circumstances, one of those people who seems never to let life get them down too much. He’s charming, cheerful, pragmatic and very kind; he senses how unhappy Miles is and longs to offer comfort and companionship for no other reason than that he – Miles – so obviously needs it. Miles decides Toby is too much of a temptation and that he needs to keep his distance, but he finds it impossible to resist the pull of a sympathetic ear and frank, intelligent conversation, and soon, as he and Toby work to clear the various rooms of rubbish and clutter, a real – though unlikely – friendship develops between them. The attraction that sparked between them at the beginning is still there, too, thrumming away in the background, and it’s not long before they give into it again, both needing the connection and comfort offered by mutual pleasure and simple human contact.

Although A Thief in the Night comes in at under three hours, it’s a little gem of a listen. The close proximity Miles and Toby find themselves in engenders plenty of opportunity for them to get to know and fall for each other, and I especially liked how intuitive Toby is, and how the caring he so unostentatiously offers Miles is exactly what the other man needs. That love and caring doesn’t just go in one direction though – Miles gets his chance to shine later when he gets Toby out of a very tight spot.

The narration is enjoyable, although I don’t think something this short with so few characters really needed two narrators. Ryan Laughton is new-to-me and although the name James Joseph is also new-to-me, his voice isn’t; if you listen to a lot of m/m romance, chances are you’ll recognise him as a ‘veteran’ of the genre. (He records under two other names that I know of!). Mr Laughton’s voice is an attractive mid-range baritone with a nice clarity of tone and timbre to it, but he does manage to mis-pronounce several common words (“stifle” is said as “stiffle” for instance) and in the earlier chapters, there are times Miles and Toby sound a bit too similar. Mr. Laughton differentiates them entirely through pitch – which is fine for this two-hander – but although he reads with expression, there’s not a great deal of depth and colour to his voice. Maybe that will come with experience. I can’t fault James Joseph’s performance, however, which is skilfully characterised and imbued with emotion. His portrayal of both leads is excellent – Miles’ despair and loneliness come through strongly, and is nicely contrasted with Toby’s more upbeat manner. He’s an extremely capable and very experienced performer, and I’d have been more than happy had he narrated this one solo.

A Thief in the Night is, as the adage goes, short and sweet, a lovely romance laced with warmth, humour and tenderness featuring two well-defined and engaging protagonists. I really enjoyed it and am more than happy to recommend it.

Note: This is an Audible Original and will be available in audio ONLY for six months; print and ebook versions will be available in 2023.

This review originally appeared at AudioGals .