I have been lucky to receive an ARC of one of KJ Charles’s new books. Since we live in neighbouring time zones I have managed to catch her call for ARC-readers the last few times. So I did get this book for free but the opinions in this review are all my own.

Proper English is a stand-alone novel set three years before the events in KJ’s book Think of England. It centres around a fave character from Think of England, Patricia ”Pat” Merton coming to her best friend’s home for a shooting party in the British countryside. Sort of like a last hurrah before her friend marries his fiancée, Fenella Carruth*.

The premise is quite standard – a group of people, gathered together for a long stay in an isolated place. One is murdered and the others can’t leave but have to solve the crime together before the police arrives. This all being extra awkward since one of them surely is the murderer.

While the premise is a common and standard one, KJ manages to give it her very own twist. I couldn’t tell for sure who would be snuffed and once I got to know all the characters I certainly had a favourite for our murder victim but I wasn’t sure – probably because KJ rarely does what you think she will do.

I’ve not searched out f/f books before to a very high degree but from what I have gathered from other people I know they aren’t very common. The ones I have read before have all been short stories with not even a PG rating.

This one is not only a full length novel but the sex is steamy and nothing fades to black. I like that Pat and Fen gets their story told. I loved them both when they showed up at the end of Think of England and stood all expectations on their heads by not being just part of the decorations but integral to the resolution of the story.

Centering the story on a woman who does not conform to the traditional romance novel’s heroine was also a refreshing read. Just as I would have expected from KJ.

Proper English is available in e-book format on May 8th!