“Nico was a toucher, and Titus was a man desperate for touch, and it came so very natural to reach out to him.”
Okay so How to Fake It in Society might only be the second book I have read by K.J. Charles, but I am already declaring her an auto-buy author for me now because her writing just tickles my brain in the most delightful way. This book is honestly queer historical romance at its very best, and I was living for the silly, funny, heartfelt, and yearning vibes of it all.
Now, the set-up of How to Fake It in Society is so hysterically unbelievable that I found it incredibly easy to just surrender to the wild shenanigans. I mean, we have Nico who is the son of an infamous woman who allegedly stole a priceless diamond necklace meant for Marie Antoinette herself… or maybe that is all very much a lie because he is actually just broke and running from terrifying gangsters. Then you have Titus who was a simple shopkeeper making artists’ paints until he stumbled into marrying a wealthy woman on her deathbed just so she could spite her nephew, so now he’s basically a walking golden purse for every scammer in the city. And don’t you believe it, the two cross paths and feelings may or may not spark.
I loved how How to Fake It in Society leaned into that absurdity without losing its emotional weight. Titus and Nico just captured my heart so fast, and I could not stop myself from rooting for them even when they made terrible decisions that hurt everyone, including themselves. Nico was probably my favourite because I am simply a sucker for a dramatic diva with a French accent, but he somehow really did not overshadow the more quiet Titus, who had a beautiful growth arc of his own as he moved on from an abusive past lover and blossomed in the company of Nico.
I also really enjoyed the strong family aspect of How to Fake It in Society, with Nico’s cousin Eve (like, can they get their own book??) and with Titus reconnecting with one brother while finally standing up to his other absolute shithead of a brother. At times I did feel like the themes of personal growth, forgiveness, self-love, and morality were a bit on the nose and cheesy, but I was still here for the messages even if they weren’t as impactful as they could have been.
Also, I came here for the cute but messy romance, and Charles absolutely delivered on that. Sure, it’s a bit wild how their deep bond develops so ridiculously fast over the course of a few weeks, but it still felt like a great slow burn to me because the yearning was just so delicious. I loved that we get a lot of banter and emotional bonding rather than raw lust and spice, because that is exactly how I like my romances. That said, when they finally do get together, things get quite hot, and I honestly love that for them.
The final act of How to Fake It in Society was perhaps a little rushed and frustrating with its inevitable hidden identity reveals and forced melodrama, but ultimately I loved how it all came together so perfectly with a final solution to all their problems that was just so extremely dumb in the absolute cleverest way possible. I devoured this book in just two sittings, and I honestly cannot recommend this highly enough if you are in the mood for a fun queer historical romance with a side of danger and a whole lot of heart.
Thank you to NetGalley & PanMacmillan for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. How to Fake It in Society is scheduled for release on April 30th, 2026.
