Proper English

By: KJ Charles

Narrated by: Bella Lowe

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

A shooting party at the Earl of Witton’s remote country house is a high treat for champion shot Patricia Merton - until unexpected guests turn the social atmosphere dangerously sour.

That’s not Pat’s biggest problem. She’s visiting her old friend, the Earl’s heir Jimmy Yoxall - but she wants to spend a lot more time with Jimmy’s fiancée. The irrepressible Miss Fenella Carruth, with her laughing eyes and lush curves, is the most glorious woman Pat’s ever met, and it quickly becomes impossible to remember why she needs to stay at arm’s length.

But while the women’s attraction grows, the tensions at Rodington Court get worse. Affairs, secrets, betrayals, and blackmail come to light. And when a body is discovered with a knife between the shoulderblades, it’s going to take Pat and Fen’s combined talents to prevent the murderer destroying all their lives.

©2019 KJ Charles (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

Excellent!!!!!

This is the first book I've read by KJ Charles and I was not disappointed. This book was well written and beautifully performed by Bella Lowe. I couldn't put it down and was wanting more from Fenn and Pat. The brilliant writing combined with the talented narration made for a wonderful listening experience. Well Done!

lovely story and brilliant performance!

I always love KJ Charles' characters. they are all so real and flawed and relatable. they are also uncompromising. I like how the author always manages to concoct a story where the good guys always win and they don't loose themselves or their identifies along the way. no compromises, just themselves!
special kudos to the narrator. they made every voce distinctive. I especially liked the variety of Northern accents in the staff.

fantastic

Fantastic " who did it" with a twist! very enjoyable, and well spoken. Voice actor was easy to follow.

Mystery, romance, two women in love

A change for KJ Charles, who I think normally does MM romance novels, and a novel, which greatly beefed up the mystery portion-- I didn't manage to figure out who it was until it was almost at the reveal point-- with two women protagonists. I really don't understand people complaining about Fern being too silly-- that was explained and I quite like the intelligent woman behind the fluff. Actually I really wish Pen was less mannish-- for goodness sake us ladies can be good looking and fluffy and also good shots, although the gender lines were much stricter during this era so perhaps not, but I would have liked there to be much less a division of the two women in terms of "types" but overall a great story and a good foray into WW romance novels for KJ as well as mystery books.

Great story, unfortunate attitudes about dress

A really lovely classic country house party murder mystery, with lesbian romance, plenty of couples having sex, and a character-driven plot. You may be able to guess some secrets before they're revealed to the main character but nothing is too obvious, the twists and turns will surprise you forgot coming out of nowhere.

Unfortunately the author doesn't seem to understand corsetry or aspects of women's fashion--in the Edwardian period especially a well-fitted corset would have had very little restriction on a woman's ability to breathe or move, and they would have still been written by women of all classes similar as bras are worn today. Nobody would have worn "stays," a form of early corsetry that creates a conical shape and pushes the bust up, unlike the lower and more natural busts of the late Victorian and Edwardian period. Also a shirtwaist and sensible skirts would not have been an eccentric choice for ladies' daywear or casual wear.

Throwing Propriety out the window!

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. In fact, it may be one of my favorites of Charles' works. It felt very much like the development of the relationship between characters (not just the romance between Pat and Fen, but the friendships and familial relationships written about as well) developed at a pace that felt natural. The reader is very much treated to a study in the interplay between a group of people with mixed emotions and opinions of each other, as well as the surroundings.

While I identified most with Pat, who shares many of my own qualities and outlooks on life (though I'm not a gun person), I was most entranced by the development of Fen, who I felt blossomed outward in a way that had me wanting to know more of this woman who hated the masks that people wore, yet found it so protective to wear her own. The idea of her having this secret self, one that was so strong and determined, was absolutely everything.

My only complaint about this book (and the reason the story is 4 star and not 5) had to be, well, the steamier, romantic parts. This is the first primarily f/f pairing I have read by K.J. Charles, and I found it fairly disappointing. It almost fell into what might consider "traditional gender roles." While Charles' m/m pairings are usually a rush of excitement, of power dynamics and surrender, of stripping off the armor that these characters wear so that they are laid bare (no pun intended) to the dangers of the heart, Pat and Fen felt more subdued, more demure, when neither character behaved in such a manner during the rest of the story. Fen's attempt at "teaching" in some of the more private scenes felt lackluster at best, and utterly frustrating at worst. I mean, I feel that the story, characters, and setting more than made up for it, but I would have preferred that it didn't have to.

Fun story well read

The narrator does a great job with this novella. The story is a bit rushed towards the end, but it was quite enjoyable. I hope KJ Charles will consider writing more books centering wlw.

one of my favorites

the story is about lady love with a side of murder mystery. there's some background m/m but the focus is definitely on Patricia(Pat) and Fenella(Fen)

Couldn’t Stop Listening

This book has everything I love. It’s a period piece, wlw, drama, and mystery!! If you like those things, search no more. This is it!
Narration was very well done, easy to differentiate characters and the story was highly entertaining. 10/10 would recommend

Excellent reader, good story

I do wish there were hotter sex scenes. What there was was good though. The reader is superb, especially as Fen.