Trial by Desire by Courtney Milan (Carhart #2)

Synopsis:
SHE CANNOT FORGET THE FIRE HE IGNITED ...

In the three years since her husband left her, Lady Kate Carhart has managed to forge a fulfilling life for herself. But when Ned Carhart unexpectedly returns, she finds her tranquility uprooted --- and her deepest secrets threatened. Though she has no intention of falling for Ned's charms, Kate can no longer deny the desire that still burns in her heart.

OR THE PROMISE OF HIS LOVE ...

Ned is determined to regain his wife's trust by using unbridled seduction. But just as Kate surrenders to Ned's passion, her carefully guarded past threatens to destroy her. Now Kate must place her faith in the only man she's ever loved, and the only one who has ever betrayed her ...

  

Quite disappointing.

I’d been saving this book, so I could savour it whenever I felt like I needed to read a really good romance novel. After the last couple of months, it felt like it was time.

Trial by Desire is a sequel to Proof by Seduction and although the couple set up is much more believable than in its prequel, the romance itself isn’t.

A scandal forced Ned and Kate to marry, but it was clear that both of them—Ned—at least needed to grow up in leaps and bounds for them to earn their (believable) happy ever after mandated by the genre. Milan’s solution is to send Ned away soon after the nuptials for three years and let him grow up into a capable man abroad.

Ned does grow up. When he comes back he’s a changed man and his reunion with his estranged wife is promising. Of course there are the familiar tropes keeping them apart: Miscommunication and a caricature villain. I’m wretchedly disappointed in the villain’s characterisation as the early promise of a multilayered characterisation for the domestic abuser is never realised. He has his internal logic that justifies the abuse but the reader is never shown why he thinks that way. Other than it’s assumed the period explains men’s attitudes towards women.

Even so, one man wanting his runaway wife back isn’t what stands between Ned and Kate and their happiness. It’s Ned himself. Milan tackles an important issue by making Ned bipolar—I assume that’s the correct diagnosis—and showing people have battled with mental illness before they had names for them. As admirable as it is to see Ned find his own solution for his mood swings, it doesn’t change the fact that his dogged insistence to cope on his own is what destroys the romance. The constant repetition of his desire to be the hero and secrets kept until the very end, don’t make him good husband material. He may have learned to stand on his own feet, but Ned doesn’t believably learn to lean on his wife, which leaves their marriage a sham.

Worse than Ned’s inability to transform from an independent man into a half a married couple, is how Kate’s plot is handled. She’s supposed to be saving battered wives from their husbands and an early feminist who learns to win her own battles, but time and time again Ned rushes to her rescue. He saves her both from a physical and a juridical attack. He’s the one who comes up with the final solution. Having read Kate’s story makes me appreciate Margaret and Jessica and all the other Milan heroines that much more.

The writing itself is uneven—which still occasionally true for Milan’s novels—and the story is boring. There are hideous amounts of telling and horrible smut euphemisms I wish never to see in a romance book again. Milan kept me engaged with the story at times but only at times.

I feel like I’ve read the worst Milan has to offer and I can go back to waiting for her next book. At least I know most of these novice mistakes won’t be repeated quite as blatantly ever again.

Rameau's Review Archive: Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan (Carhart #1)

Originally posted on Goodreads on February 2nd 2012. This is one of our second opinion reviews and if you click the 2nd opinion icon, you'll find the original:

Synopsis:
"She was his last chance for a future of happiness..."A gifted fortune-teller from a humble background, Jenny can make even the most sophisticated skeptic believe her predictions simply by batting her smoky eyelashes. Until she meets her match in Gareth Carhart, the Marquess of Blakely, a sworn bachelor and scientist.

"He just didn't know it yet"

Broodingly handsome, Gareth is scandalized to discover his cousin has fallen under the spell of "Madame Esmerelda," and vows to prove Jenny a fraud. But his unexpected attraction to the fiery enchantress defies logic. Jenny disrupts every facet of Gareth's calculated plan--until he can't decide whether to seduce her or ruin her. Now, as they engage in a passionate battle of wills, two lonely souls must choose between everything they "know."..and the boundless possibilities of love.


Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan

When an uptight scientist meets an alluring fortune-teller, a clash is unavoidable. Rich and dutiful Lord Blakely is ready to fight the conniving liar Madame Esmerelda for the soul of his cousin Ned Carhart. Who could have guessed that they'd end up fighting for something else instead?

Who indeed?

It's the basic set up for a historical romance novel. A powerful aristocratic man meets a poor but somehow exceptional woman who changes him irreversibly. Naturally he does the same for her. They meet, they squabble, and go their separate ways. Until they meet again and start anew. They end up challenging each other in ways that neither fully understands until the very last pages of the story.

What sets this novel apart from the rest, is how Milan fills the pages. There's enough material for two novels, and all the important exposures are knitted with plot points instead of being offered in info dumps. Milan also utilises secondary characters in a way many forget to do. The scenes told from Ned's point of view don't feel like a distraction from the main story, but add something heartwarming to the mix. I can't wait to read more about him.

However. This is not a fair rating. Proof of Seduction may be her debut novel, but it isn't the first Courtney Milan romance I've read, and thus she's competing against herself. And as good as this book is compared to all those other romance novels out there, I've read better, especially from Mrs Milan.

The story has all the elements I've come to love about Milan's writing–abundance of plot, tempting set up, intriguing characters, bewitching storytelling, and a historical world I'd be more than happy to suspend my belief for–but from a purely technical standpoint it's by far her weakest work. There are unfortunate word choices, questionable characterisations–Jenny, for example, is painfully naive on occasions– and unnecessary scenes, which amount to repetition at times.

Unlike with Milan's other fictitiously happy Harlequin endings, I didn't buy this one. I felt like the trademark ending only served to distort the characterisations in a way that made them unbelievable to me. I've become accustomed to suspending belief when it comes to historical romances, but this time the magic of the story wasn't strong enough to carry me through the disparity of the marriage.

See, nothing fair about that.

Review: The Heiress Effect (Brothers Sinister 02) by Courtney Milan

Book info:
Genre: Victorian romance, historical romance
Target audience: adults

Synopsis:

“Never before had so much money been put in the service of so little taste.”

Jane Fairfield is trying on a new dress. She knows she looks utterly ridiculous but she has no choice – that’s the way it has to be. Her hideous, expensive, ghastly attires, overflowing with lace and silk of any imaginable kind, are her only armour against the polite society. She must drive away any potential marriage candidate while pretending she is actively looking for a husband – no mean task when you are young, fresh and you have one hundred thousand pounds of dowry.

Still the happiness and well-being of Jane’s sister Emily, is at stake so Jane will go to any lengths to achieve her goal. Four hundred and eighty days – that’s how long she must endure, attending parties, spouting the most stupid, the most cheeky nonsense she can think of to practically everybody and bear the consequences. Everybody around calls her the Feather Heiress; they joke about her poor taste, brainless head and giggle behind their fans and tumblers when she opens her mouth. It doesn’t matter. Being dreadful is such a wearing work but she is prepared to suffer it to the bitter end.

Everything is going exactly according to her plan until she meets Olivier Marshall, an illegitimate son of a duke, a very ambitious young man, a future politician and possibly also a prime minister. She takes him for a servant. And then insults him some more, calling him ‘common’. And then she insults his father. Such a grave mistake but at that time Jane was unaware of the consequences of treating Olivier as if he was just a headless aristocrat. Will she manage to fend off Mr. Marshall like her other suitors – with brainless talk, horrible dresses and a complete lack of manners? Never trust a politician – that’s how I’ll end my synopsis. If you want to know more you must read this novel. ;p

My impressions:
Once again Courtney Milan proved that when it comes to challenging Victorian romance clichés she has no equals. In this novel you have your ordinary uncouth heiress who is invited to the parties only because she is filthy rich. However our heroine, not as stupid as everybody would like to believe, has her own secret agenda: she can’t marry for the sake of her beloved younger sister. She must fool her uncle Titus who would love nothing more than to get rid of tempestuous Jane for good. She must endure endless jokes and derision.

It worked surprisingly well, allowing Ms. Milan to add several deliciously funny scenes during which Jane, looking as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, was offending in public everybody around her. Not to mention the fact that she deliberately dressed as if she wanted to test the sense of sight and colour recognition of all the present guests at the same time. Who would like such a wife: not only stupid and socially inept but also with a complete lack of any sense of colour coordination? And here I hit the first little snag because I believe plenty of men would gladly close their eyes, plug their ears and pocket both one hundred thousand pounds and their owner, no matter how uncouth or stupid she was. Add to that the fact that Jane was rather curvaceous and pretty and I believe her little ruse wouldn't work in real world at all, not even for a month, let alone for over a year. I bet a clever gentleman would outmaneuver her in no time, using the old, stupid Titus as a bait.

Now we get Mr. Olivier Marshall who, despite being an illegitimate son of a duke, wants to make a career in politics. He is of course aware of his disadvantages; he also knows that the right wife might help his prospects a lot. Unfortunately, he falls for our heiress, admiring her stamina, wits and stubbornness. Once again, the romantic cliché of a strong male delivering a weaker female from dire straits, social or otherwise, was inverted here: firstly Jane didn’t need delivering, not really, secondly she actually provided greater assistance to Olivier than the other way round. And, surprise, surprise, soon enough the gentleman got scared off because he’d never envisioned somebody as assertive and colourful in his life. He wanted a wren and he got a phoenix. What’s more, a darker, more opportunistic part of his nature was whispering in his ear dangerous ideas: perhaps the foolish heiress could be used to his advantage after all; she had trod on too many toes. If only he could persuade his conscience there is nothing wrong with humiliating her a bit so she stops pestering his aristocratic friends with her inanities. I liked that aspect of Olivier’s personality very much but, unfortunately, it wasn’t developed properly. Eh, the woes of romance fiction...

The secondary characters I liked the best. The romance between Emily, Jane’s little sister, and a certain Hindu student of law was unexpectedly sweet. Emily was an avid reader of popular adventure series penned by a woman which also sounded very original. Sebastian Malheur and Violet reappeared again and made me curious about their relationship to say the least of it (I try hard not to spoil you here so bear with me).

As I already mentioned Emily and her interracial affair...it made me do some research concerning the actual status of Hindu-English marriages in Victorian times and, although I agree it was completely possible, I have to say it sounded a bit unreal. Let me quote a fragment from a very interesting article (which can be found here) written by William Dalrymple who presented the results of his own (much more professional) research concerning that topic:

“This period of intermixing did not last: the rise of the Victorian Evangelicals in the 1830s and 40s slowly killed off the intermingling of Indian and British ideas, religions and ways of life. The wills written by dying East India Company servants show that the practice of marrying or cohabiting with Indian bibis quickly began to decline: from turning up in one-in-three wills between 1780 and 1785, they are present in only one-in-four between 1805 and 1810. By 1830, it is one-in-six; by the middle of the century, they have all but disappeared. Biographies and memoirs of prominent 18th-century British Indian worthies that mentioned their Indian wives were re-edited in the mid-19th century so that the consorts were removed from later editions. The mutiny of 1857 merely finished off the process. Afterwards, nothing could ever be as it was. With the British victory, and the genocidal spate of hangings and executions that followed, the entire top rank of the Mughal elite was swept away and British culture was unapologetically imposed on India.”

The Heiress Effect is set clearly after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 also known as the sepoy mutiny, so you can assess on your own the probability of an Indian-English marriage in India, let alone in London. Of course it is not a historical book, just my inner nerd had to be appeased. ;p

Finally the ending. I know, I know, romance and HEA are like a horse and carriage or rather like petrol and a car – virtually inseparable. Still the HEA in this one was, again, a tad too rushed and too perfect, at least in my opinion. We were never shown the struggle of adjusting and readjusting of any of the young couples. Pity.

Final verdict:
I liked this one more than The Duchess War but less than some of the Turner series novels which were simply brilliant. Overall I of course recommend it but I do hope the next part will be even better. I know it can be so.

One more remark. I want to use this opportunity to emphasize the fact that Courtney Milan is one of those authors who appreciate both positive and negative reviews. If you don't like her book you don't have to be afraid that, after expressing your opinion in public, you might be attacked by her/her friends online for your 'cheek'. What's more she encourages sharing her novels with friends, often publishing them without DRM. I really appreciate both approaches - thank you Ms. Milan for a bit of normalcy!

The Heiress Effect (Brothers Sinister #2) by Courtney Milan

Synopsis:
Miss Jane Fairfield can’t do anything right. When she’s in company, she always says the wrong thing—and rather too much of it. No matter how costly they are, her gowns fall on the unfortunate side of fashion. Even her immense dowry can’t save her from being an object of derision.

And that’s precisely what she wants. She’ll do anything, even risk humiliation, if it means she can stay unmarried and keep her sister safe.

Mr. Oliver Marshall has to do everything right. He’s the bastard son of a duke, raised in humble circumstances—and he intends to give voice and power to the common people. If he makes one false step, he’ll never get the chance to accomplish anything. He doesn’t need to come to the rescue of the wrong woman. He certainly doesn’t need to fall in love with her. But there’s something about the lovely, courageous Jane that he can’t resist…even though it could mean the ruin of them both.


Trust Milan to turn another historical romance cliché on its head. No, it’s not an inexplicable déjà vu, yes, I’m repeating myself again.

Jane Fairfield doesn’t want to get married. It’s not that she doesn’t want to fall in love and have a family, it’s that the family she has—her sister—is more precious. Having been neglected and starved for parental love and care, Emily and Jane are each other’s worlds. Well, there’s some bad literature involved too, a girl can’t avoid that not even in the 19th century. Or they would be if Emily’s guardian would let them. The Fairfield girls have little choice but to wait and count the days until Emily’s majority and freedom.

It’s just that a promise and Jane’s enormous fortune make achieving this goal a little bit difficult. Here’s where the mountains of lace come in. Jane was never brought up to be a proper lady and now she’s taking those liberties she has taught herself to the extreme to protect herself, her fortune, and her autonomy. That is to say she wears horridly tasteless gowns (some do like bright colours, even I, occasionally) and doesn’t shut up like a proper lady should (not—which, good for her—but is expected to). She’s smart and capable, but she’s also been coddled in a way. No one has taught her how to be ruthless. She’s about to learn.

Oliver is ambitious. He has everything Jane doesn’t: A loving family and a thorough education he means to use. He wants a career in politics (which makes me question his intellect and attractiveness to be quite honest) and he wants to change the world. He knows how to be ruthless, when to take a punch and when to walk away, and that has left its mark on him. Nope, we’re not talking about visible scars either, unless you count the freckles, which my mother does every summer just to annoy me.

Both Jane and Oliver are well off. They’re not starving and though they have their challenges, they’ve found ways to cope. Neither recognises that in this link or circumstances it’s them in danger of breaking. They both need saving before they lose themselves.

I admired how proactive Jane was. She didn’t stand still and wait someone to come rescue her, she faced the danger and rescued herself. It was a treat especially now that I’ve read theCarhart books. She was the one who found a solution for Oliver’s problem. She was the one who discovered the strength to play dirty. Jane recognised Oliver’s doubts and adapted but only to a degree her self-worth would let her. And in the end her choices forced Oliver to adapt.

As I saw Jane conquer one obstacle after another, I was left wondering whether there’d be left anything for Oliver to do. Sure he had the important task of negotiating a new law, but on a more personal level he appeared inert. I didn’t get it until I did. The flinching, it’s what I’ve learned to do. Not from fights, but talking. I simply don’t have the passion and strength to do it like I used to and I’ve learned to pick my moments. I understood the importance of Oliver reclaiming that part of himself. I also chalked it up to different tempers and theatrics. Partly.

The rest of it were the genre dictated expectations, which I’m also blaming for the epilogue. Too nice a bow for the story. Maybe that moment of absolutely happiness had been earned, but I think Jane and Oliver would have been better—more real—without it.

This being a romance novel I have my little gripes too. I’m definitely not a fan of the euphemisms even if it’s virginal Jane describing the scene. However, that doesn’t explain why Oliver would ever refer to his penis as his member (of parliament). And let’s not forget the slight ridiculousness of how their short-lived affair began. It should have been Jane who interrupted them, not the rain.

There’s also something that takes this book a step beyond the typical romance. Milan gives Emily a voice to show just how capable she is and to highlight another less talked of historical fact: Immigration. As surprised as I was to see the time taken to develop this side of the story, it fit well into the rest of the narration.

On a technical level, this is one of Milan’s successes. The text flows and plot is balanced. There weren’t any of those weak moments that plagued The Duchess War.

There weren’t any violent mood swings this time, only some deep laughs, but I loved it all the same.

Rameau's Review Archive: Unveiled (Turner #1) by Courtney Milan

Rameau's ramblings: After reading Unclaimed and converting Anachronist into a romance reader, I had to hunt down everything Milan had ever published. So far. These days I savour her books instead of devouring them. 

Originally posted on Goodreads September 22nd 2011.

Synopsis:
Ash Turner has waited a lifetime to seek revenge on the man who ruined his family--and now the time for justice has arrived. At Parford Manor, he intends to take his place as the rightful heir to the dukedom and settle an old score with the current duke once and for all. But instead he finds himself drawn to a tempting beauty who has the power to undo all his dreams of vengeance....Lady Margaret knows she should despise the man who's stolen her fortune and her father's legacy--the man she's been ordered to spy on in the guise of a nurse. Yet the more she learns about the new duke, the less she can resist his smoldering appeal. Soon Margaret and Ash find themselves torn between old loyalties--and the tantalizing promise of passion....


Unveiled by Courtney Milan

I'm in no shape to write as comprehensive review as I did for the sequel Unclaimed, mostly because I'm lazy and because this not being one of my few ARCs I don't feel obligated enough. But at the same time I feel like I'm not doing this book justice if I don't.

Courtney Milan can write a romance, again, in the best sense of the word. Her characters while highly sexual beings even in historical setting don't just abandon their morals and jump in the sack at the first opportunity. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to name another author who understands as clearly the need for seducing the mind as Milan does. It's all about showing why these two characters are right for each other and why they should choose each other above everyone else with Milan.

In here, Ash Turner is the epitome of as self-made man. He left home at the age of fourteen to make his fortune and ensure the future of his brothers, in doing so, he sacrificed his relationship with them. Now, it's his turn to exact vengeance on those who wronged him and his family when they were poor and in desperate need of help. But he doesn't know if he can have that revenge without damaging his tenuous connection with his brothers permanently.

Margaret Dalrymple is an innocent victim of Ash's revenge, collateral damage if you will, but she's prepared to fight back. Her only chance is to find some unforgivable flaw in the new Parford heir to reclaim her family's inheritance. The only problem, she finds herself falling for the last man whom she should ever fall in love with.

There are numerous reasons why these two should hate each other and why they should be bitter enemies to the end. There's also that tiny spark that if nurtured correctly can grow into an unquenchable blaze. And that's what Milan does. She introduces that tiny spark of chemistry and attraction and lets it grow into an unforgettable love affair without ever sacrificing the uniqueness of the characters.

I might even like Ash and Margaret more than I did Sir Mark and Jessica, but as a whole, the second Turner book was better paced. This one seemed to drag towards the end only to collect itself at the last minute and finish the race in top three.

Spoilers for Unveiled and Unclaimed both: <spoiler> As much as I enjoyed the Sir Mark seduce the debauched courtesan in Unclaimed, nothing in it came close to the sexiness of Margaret taking that key from Ash and locking them in his bedroom for the night before their planned wedding. </spoiler>


Still, I have a feeling I'm going to like Smite's story the best, he just sounds like my kind of man. Can't wait for Unraveled.

Rameau's Review Archive: Unraveled (Turner #3) by Courtney Milan

Rameau's ramblings: What can I do to help kick off the Romance May? Give you another Milan review! Naturally.

Originally posted on Goodreads December 14th 2011.

Synopsis:
Smite Turner is renowned for his single-minded devotion to his duty as a magistrate. But behind his relentless focus lies not only a determination to do what is right, but the haunting secrets of his past—secrets that he is determined to hide, even if it means keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Until the day an irresistible woman shows up as a witness in his courtroom…

Miranda Darling isn’t in trouble…yet. But she’s close enough that when Turner threatens her with imprisonment if she puts one foot wrong, she knows she should run in the other direction. And yet no matter how forbidding the man seems on the outside, she can’t bring herself to leave. Instead, when he tries to push her away, she pushes right back—straight through his famous self-control, and into the heart of the passion that he has long hidden away…

Unraveled by Courtney Milan

Having read Unveiled and Unclaimed both, I knew what I was getting myself in for. That's why this review is littered with comments about the anxious wait I was made to suffer until self-published Unraveled was released. You'd think the author would have the decency to write something bad to make it up to me, to make my part as reviewer easier, but no. Damn you Milan, how dare you make me love Smite Turner even more than I thought I would? And Miranda Darling and Ghost? How dare you!

Of the three Turner brothers Smite is the most scarred. His skin may be intact, but inside he carries the weight of the water that once nearly crushed and suffocated him. Inside he's an impenetrable fortress that stands alone under the storms of his nightmares. Inside he's cold, but far from dead.

Ghost, the puppy, may have started the thawing, but it takes a blazing sun like Miranda Darling for Smite to forget himself and break the barriers he's erected just to be able to function. For two decades he's spent simply existing, but when Miranda flattens him with few sharp remarks Smite finds himself wanting to live again.

She's naive yet worldly as only a child grown amidst actors can be. She's a survivor, but not hardened through and through. She has a sharp tongue and wicked mind, but she's also loyal and too trusting. She's a ray of sunshine that lights up the room, but will scorch if faced directly. Miranda is just the right woman to get under Smite Turner's skin.

What starts with a lie and on the grimy streets of Bristol, moves to shining marble halls and into a bedroom. While they are discovering new physical boundaries, an unexpected accord forms between the two lovers. Miranda finds herself attracted to a decent man and Smite opens up to her in a way he hasn't been able to do with anyone else.

I could quote the whole book and it would make more sense than this review so far.

What you need to know is that Smite is a diligent magistrate in Bristol with an unerring memory. He recognises Miranda and stops her from committing perjury, he also follows her to warn her not to try that particular trick in his court again. What Smite doesn't realise is that Miranda has her own set of problems and very little choice. She's bartered her life and skills to the Patron for personal protection for herself and the boy living with her.

Smite might be able to remove Miranda from the dirty and sooty streets, but he can't free her from her obligations. And here, Milan surprises positively. Instead of hiding her troubles and trying to deal with them by herself, Miranda faces Smite and confides in him risking everything now dear to her. Of course this doesn't stop Smite from reacting rather stupidly, but he has the baggage to excuse it.

Despite the slight feel of repetition in the beginning–which might be because I kept putting the book down and rereading to get where I'd left off–the text carried me through the story like a gentle way pushing me to the shore. The way Milan writes makes days feel like hours and weeks feel like years. By the time I finished reading the last chapter I couldn't believe how far both characters and their extended families had come. It felt like I had read the first pages a lifetime ago instead of few hours.

I know I'm forgetting something important–like the laughs–but for the life of me I can't think of anything else without spoiling the journey. This is the best I can do for a five star review and I know it's not nearly enough.

P.S. If anything, this story shows you how important a comma can be.

Rameau's Review Archive: Unclaimed (Turner #2) Courtney Milan

Rameau's ramblings: This will be listed under second opinions, but technically this is the first opinion and the review that got Anachronist reading historical romance. Go me!

Originally posted on Goodreads September 20th 2011.

Synopsis: 
Her only hope for survival...

Handsome, wealthy and respected, Sir Mark Turner is the most sought-after bachelor in all of London and he's known far and wide for his irreproachable character. But behind his virtuous reputation lies a passionate nature he keeps carefully in check...until he meets the beautiful Jessica Farleigh, the woman he's waited for all his life.

Is to ruin the man she loves...

But Jessica is a courtesan, not the genteel lady Sir Mark believes. Desperate to be free of a life she despises, she seizes her chance when Mark's enemies make her an offer she can't refuse--seduce Mark and tarnish his good name, and a princely sum will be hers. Yet as she comes to know the man she's sworn to destroy, Jessica will be forced to choose between the future she needs and the love she knows is impossible.

Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

Why should you read this?

Because it's a historical romance of two people coming together and surpassing social and personal obstacles. You need more convincing do you?

Let's see. There's a virgin, there's a seduction, and there's a defamation that'll separate the two lovers. Not sold yet?

Well, he's the one with an untarnished reputation and virtue to protect, and she's the experienced lover who'll teach him to know better.

That did it, oh, good. Just in case...

Sir Mark has written a book about chastity and to his disbelief it's taken a life of its own. He's become the darling of the public and an unwilling role model for men in search of new challenges. He's also become the target of envy and resentment. Someone wants to see Sir Mark's good name in the gutter and they're willing to pay for it.

Enters Jessica, the experienced courtesan who longs for freedom. She doesn't want to sell her body to survive anymore. All she needs is enough money to break free and make a quiet life of her own far away from the city. She grabs the opportunity with both hands and prepares for one last tryst.

Sir Mark is immediately attracted to the mysterious widow Jessica pretends to be, but he's not ready to succumb to her charms quite so easily. After all he's battled his yearnings for nearly thirty years and there have been other temptations. Nothing quite like this though.

What follows is a delicious tale of two people circling and trying to outsmart each other. It's a seduction in the best sense of the word. It's a seduction of the mind as well as the body and the erotica is far from gratuitous. It's actually earned.

It isn't until near the end when the reader has all but abandoned hope for Sir Mark and Jessica that they do come together and admit the extent of their feelings for each other. After all, there's more than love involved; there's respect and dignity to consider.

Milan's writing is solid as she slowly guides the couple together. She takes her time introducing the characters and explaining just what makes them so unique especially considering the setting. Milan doesn't skirt around sex scenes, because she's afraid to write them, she simply ensures they fit in with the plot - questionable word choices and all.

Yes, an actual plot in a romance novel, can you imagine? So, what are you waiting for? Go, read, and enjoy the slow burn.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Review: A Kiss for Midwinter by Courtney Milan

Form: e-book, mobi format

Genre: historical romance
Target audience: adults
Series: Brothers Sinister Holiday Novella

I got this one from Rameau as a gift - thank you very much my dear! I hope you won't regret it! ;p

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Miss Lydia Charingford is always cheerful, and never more so than at Christmas time. But no matter how hard she smiles, she can't forget the youthful mistake that could have ruined her reputation. Even though the worst of her indiscretion was kept secret, one other person knows the truth of those dark days: the sarcastic Doctor Jonas Grantham. She wants nothing to do with him...or the butterflies that take flight in her stomach every time he looks her way.

Jonas Grantham has a secret, too: He's been in love with Lydia for more than a year. This winter, he's determined to conquer her dislike and win her for his own. It all starts with a wager and a kiss...

My impressions:

I usually have my issues with novellas and this one was no exception. Still the problems I encountered here ran deeper than my usual ' it was too short' carping. For a novella it was actually quite substantial but this time I didn't relate to the main characters and the whole premise as well. Proving once again that I am not a great romance fan. Oh well.

First of all I admit I liked how Ms Milan presented our good doctor - a cynical young man with few inhibitions concerning conversational topics in polite company.  I do regret he wasn't allowed to tell one of his famous gonorrhoea jokes, though. One thing about him surprised me a bit: he was so strangely altruistic, never even enquiring about a dowry, just looking for a pretty face. I would understand if he was a son of an aristocrat or a rich squire; however why a son of a scrap metal shop owner didn't want to get a bit richer, pocketing several hundred pounds with a bride, as almost any gent wanted to do at that era, was a bit puzzling... it seemed that Ms Milan forgot that she was writing about a self-made little town doctor, not one of those dukes. Oh well, I could survive that.  Especially that I also was impressed by the author's research concerning the Victorian medicine problems and how it was included in the plot. However Miss Lydia was one big dark spot in this overall cheery Yule romance picture and pray, tell me, how to like a book which heroine doesn't appeal to you?

If you read The Duchess War (reviewed by me here), the first full-length novel of this series, you will already know a lot about Lydia - she was the sidekick of Minnie, the main female lead. I didn't like her there and, unfortunately, the novella wasn't able to change my mind.

Lydia is your average bland, smiling miss who can see advantages of every situation and is cloying and  cheery even though, theoretically at least, she has had little luck in her short life - such is the premise which, I suppose, was to emphasize the steely core of that young woman.

 It didn't persuade me, not for a moment.

 You see, Lydia was seduced at the tender age of 15 (not a big spoiler) and abandoned, pregnant, by her dishonest lover. Then she miscarried but her family was able to hide that fact because they had already managed to go away with her to Cornwall. Lydia returned, regained her health and...nothing worse happened. Her loving parents allowed her to continue living in the relative safety and comfort of her family home, supporting her admirably at every turn.  She could attend church and social gatherings, she had friends, her reputation remained practically intact.  Even the fact that Lydia's child was born prematurely and died, a very painful experience indeed, in the long term was very convenient as it helped her to keep up appearances. All rosy and nice - so where is the hardship and grit? Where are the obstacles to overcome? Where is the admirable show of an exquisite strength of the character? Imagine just for a moment what would happen if Lydia actually had that child and was thrown out of the house by her irate parents, all on her own, without any means to support herself... 

Oh wait, there were psychological scars as well - our Lydia hated when someboy called her 'darling'  because that's what her first lover used to say. She was also a bit distrustful when it came to gentlemen (small wonder) but, on the other hand, she  missed sexual intercourse and, for obvious reasons, she was very unlikely to indulge herself outside of the wedlock. Ok here we get the tension. Add to that the fact that doctor Grantham as a young student paid her a professional visit with his mentor so he knew about her past. Now whenever he looks at her Lydia thinks he is judging and criticising her mistake and naivete whereas he is just admiring her face and wits. Sweet but somehow I found it lacking.

My final remark: doctor Grantham falls in love with Lydia just because she tells him 'no way, not me, find another girl'. Perhaps some obstinate young men do like overcoming such obstacles just for the glory of winning with a difficult opponent but eight out of ten eligible, sexually starved bachelors would indeed go and find another mark - prettier, richer and more willing. Here you go. I managed to write a whole essay about a novella. Perhaps it wasn't so bad after all?

Final verdict:

I think I could live without finding out more  about the love life of Miss Lydia and doctor Grantham. I do not regret reading this one, from time to time it was fun, but overall hardly different from other cute Yule romance novels. Which is not a compliment in my mouth. 

Review: The Duchess War by Courtney Milan (Brothers Sinister 01)

Book info:
Form: pdf
Genre: historical romance 
Target audience: adults

Synopsis:

Once upon a time there was a girl who resembled a mouse. She was small and quiet, her hair was dark blond or light brown – in short mousy – she had no wealth or great education, she had no family, she had to scrape a living. Still she had brains and it was one of her most important secrets. When she fell in love, it all became a game for her, a game she wanted to win at all cost because it was one of those opportunities which shouldn't have happened. Not to her anyway.

If you ever watched a mouse you would know that little rodent can be surprisingly fast, resourceful and clever. Calling somebody a mouse is, in fact, a compliment. Some mice outsmart cats. Our heroine – Wilhelmina Pursling or Minevra Lane, depending on who was asking – certainly was determined to outsmart somebody far stronger and more formidable than herself. Her opponent was Robert Blaisdell Duke of Clermont a handsome, rich and  influential young man every lady of the ton would desire to catch, if not for herself then for her daughter. A man who knew nothing about tactics or chess. A man who was supposed to think that women are just empty, spoiled dolls to be dressed up or down and displayed in a ballroom or in a bedroom.

“I’m winning,” he announced. “You can’t bore me into a surrender.”

“You probably think battles are won with cannons and brave speeches

and fearless charges.” She smoothed her skirts as she spoke. “They’re not.

Wars are won by dint of having adequate shoe leather. They’re won by

boys who make shells in munitions factories, by supply trains shielded

from enemy eyes. Wars are won by careful attendance to boring detail. If

you wait to see the cavalry charge, Your Grace, you’ll have already lost.”

He blinked. “You’re trying to make me back down. It won’t work.”

So he defies Minnie’s careful, bland plans. He brings his friends and tries to defend himself better. If you can’t win you should call a truce – always a better option than losing, right?

What I liked:

An aristocrat and a nobody…there are so many romance novels with such a pair of characters. He is usually a duke or a count, she is your ordinary miss from the country with shadows in her past. The male lead is made into a kind of a rake, a drunk or a gambler – until he falls in love with the right girl of course. She in turn is more often than not somebody in dire need of a strong male arm and quid, a biddable, quiet person; perhaps not exactly stupid, with a sense of humour even, but also not especially intrepid or clever. How very cliché. However the novel by Milan is always different.

Robert Alan Graydon Blaisdell the Duke of Clermont is a man with a mission – he wants to prove that he is better than his late father. He doesn’t gamble, he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t whore, he wants to make amends to those who have been hurt by his unscrupulous parent. He befriends his half brother born of rape and a cousin with a scientific mind and a great sense of humour. He visits spinning mills and wants to improve the living conditions of the working class. Not your ordinary romance hero, right?

Minnie is poor and has very few choices available but she makes use of her brain and strives to find the right path, thinking about the future of those she loves and cares for. She takes a lot of risky decision hoping one of them might be the right one. She is a chess player and a strategist even when she doesn’t play chess anymore.

Robert and Minnie both had horrible fathers who tried to exploit them mercilessly. Will they be able to trust each other? It is, I suppose, the main issue between them – lack of trust, weak attempts at breaking the protecting barriers which were supposed to shelter them from the outside world and in fact, imprisoned them. Robert doesn’t believe somebody might actually love him without strings attached. Minnie cannot believe she might be worth something at all, because after her childhood drama she became ‘nothing’. Even after their marriage (and it is not difficult to guess they will marry) they must overcome their demons together which was kind of sweet.

Also some secondary characters, like Robert's mom, Sebastian Malheur and Violet were a joy to meet. I am looking forward to reading about them more in the next installments!


What I didn’t like:

It was a story written by Courtney Milan and yet, and yet… it wasn’t completely faultless. I think my expectations were set too high mainly due to the previous novels, some of them really excellent. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a great historical romance book but I really missed that clever strategy promised on the cover, a more convoluted plot, like a good game of chess. I expected Minnie to think more before she acted, to plan before she took a decision. She was at war but she behaved more like a befuddled conscript soldier than a general. I missed chess terms as well – after all our heroine was supposed to be somebody like an international chess master and a child prodigy too so it would be natural for her to think using a chess board and terms involved with that game. Instead too often she thought like your ordinary country miss, without entering those boring details she talked about at the beginning (see my quote above). Those close to her also have difficulties with realizing that Minnie deserves something better, really unnerving. Her great-aunt says:

 “Men look for many kinds of wives,” Eliza finally said. “Pretty,

vivacious wives. Wealthy, indulgent ones. Highborn, prideful ladies.” She

bit her lip. “I don’t want you hurt, Minnie. But it is my duty to make you

face the truth. Nobody is looking for a shy, clever girl whose father died

halfway through his sentence of hard labor.”

Minnie’s friend, Lydia, annoyed me a bit, being just a bland sidekick with (nothing new, really) trust issues and just one good scene, involving several glasses of punch. Overall there was not enough funny, cynical moments which made the previous novels so enjoyable (still shortening Wilhelmina to Hell did crack me up!).

Final verdict:

The Duchess War was a good novel, highly readable and fun but, in my humble opinion, not the best Milan book I’ve ever read. I am still a fan and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series (this one is the first and there is a prequel available as well) hoping that the next ones will be better - I know they can be so. Like Unraveled and Unclaimed which I adored to no end. Of course as far as a romance novel can be adored by me. ;p

Review: The Governess Affair (Brothers Sinister #0.5) by Courtney Milan

Book info: 

Form: Kindle format, e-book

Genre: historical romance

Target audience: adults

Synopsis:

The Duke of Clermont was so bored one evening that he raped Serena Barton, a governess hired for his unborn child, as, quoting his words, she had the bad luck of being the closest thing to a real woman (read: decently pretty) in his household. Serena protested but not loudly enough – her living and reputation was at stake. When she got pregnant she was shown the door unceremoniously. However Serena proves to be a much bigger problem that the Duke has ever imagined. You see, she has brains and she doesn’t hesitate to use them.

Knowing the Duke’s weakness, she starts pestering him by sitting on a bench in a park opposite to his London house, clearly visible to anybody, inspiring plenty of gossip. The Duke is seriously worried – if his wife gets a whiff of another scandal his father-in-law will stop giving him money. The Duke has significant debts to be paid off and he likes the comforts of aristocratic life. Serena Barton must disappear as soon as possible, before her pregnancy will be visible, leaving little to the imagination.

That’s why Hugo Marshall, the Duke’s problem shooter known as the Wolf of Clermont, has to intervene. He approaches the injured party with the worst intentions on his mind and he finds himself trapped by Serena’s intelligence, intrepid character and perseverance. They fall in love with each other. He has a duty to perform. His future depends on the happiness of the Duke. The Duke demands that Serena and her child go to hell and never return. What is Hugo going to choose - his love or his ambition?

What I liked:

I have read and reviewed many Milan novels so far. I could repeat in this section roughly the same I’ve written previously: I liked the main heroine who was intelligent, knew how to defend herself, decided to act against all odds etc. I could add that Hugo Marshall was also a kind of hero I usually love reading about: complex, not without faults, with dark shadows in his past. I don’t like repeating myself though so let me say just this: I really LOVE how Courtney Milan takes every romantic cliché and turns it upside down.

A damsel in distress? Surely but not such a defenseless damsel even though Serena’s only weapons are her brain and stamina. A cruel, egoistic rapist? Yes, but also a man who is dependent on the purse of his father-in-law and despises every minute of it. Of course not squandering money is out of question, he is a duke and it is his birthright, but the more he squanders the nicer he must be to his wife…and he becomes the more frustrated as a result. Try to be nice to your wife AND to have a mistress. A brutal henchman? Yes, Hugo can be brutal and ruthless but he is also shown as a man with conscience, a real knight who wants to defend Serena despite himself. And they have no secrets since the very beginning! What a bliss! Can you imagine that? A romance novel and no pesky secrets - he knows she is pregnant, he knows who the father is, she knows he knows because she told him like any sensible person would... nicely done! Very nicely done indeed!


The cover is lovely!

What I didn’t like:

It is a short novel or a long novella. I would like it better if it was longer. Now I must wait for the rest of the series.

Final verdict:

I am a fan. I recommend Courtney Milan’s books to everyone. I am almost ashamed of this eulogy but what can be done…Let me tell you one more piece of good news. The author officially allows her readers to share this novella with  friends. Finally a sensible approach to the well-known problem of piracy and related issues. 

Review: Unraveled by Courtney Milan (Turner #3)

Book info:
Form: Kindle e-book
Genre: historical romance
Target audience: adults


Synopsis: 

“ ‘Well’, Miranda said. ‘It’s a sweet tale about kittens and puppies and rainbows and love.’ “

If I were cruel I would leave you only with that quote (loc. 4736) which is great, true, cynical and deceptive at the same time. Officially it is a romance novel but it also reminded me of Eugene Sue and Jane Austen – not bad authors to be compared to!

Miranda Darling is a gifted girl like no other. She has been raised among actors and had a fairly happy childhood. Unfortunately she was soon left alone because her father couldn’t get over the death of her mother. Not only alone but also burdened with another child, Robbie, abandoned by an actress and left to her tender care.

Now they try to survive in Bristol’s slums watching each other's back. Miranda sew and make wigs but it is hardly enough to make the ends meet. She is under the paid protection of a shadowy crime master called the Patron - in return she must use her acting talents whenever they are needed. For example in a court. There she catches the eye of Smite Turner, one of the magistrates with total recall, a sense of justice and a logical mind which is like a knife all blade (Rabindranath Tagore, I owe you!). You can figure out the rest…their romance will be not only inevitable but also very funny…wait, I almost started the next section without being aware of it!

What I liked:

The sense of humour. I found it the biggest asset. I really laughed out loud at least several times reading this one, you must admit not a mean feat for a romance book. There were plenty of highly entertaining scenes – let me just list the best ones: the first visit to a theatre with a mistress in tow, a night in a country inn with the same mistress who pretends to be your wife (Mr and Mrs Dashwood – any Austen fan will howl with laughter!!!), a ‘date’ in a prison and a supper afterwards…overall whenever Miranda showed her freckled face and her mop of red curls things immediately got interesting – well-done! Not to mention an underestimated, humble punctuation mark which here was tantamout to love...or lack thereof. I will try never to forget a comma any more!

All in all the above-mentioned lead female character (ladies first) was sensible, clever, resourceful and as level-headed as I like. In fact Miranda Darling is currently my favourite romance heroine. Why? She speaks her mind. She knows what she wants. She uses every opportunity to get it. No stupid secrets, no hasty decisions, no hysterical regrets or useless crying the morning after, when you cannot change anything anyway. She knows when to say ‘no’, she knows when to say ‘yes’…that’s my girl!

Smite Turner was a perfect Introvert who’s been through a lot and has to deal with it. In my humble opinion the author rendered his character in a great way, making him a really three-dimensional romantic nerd (no kidding – his sentimentality quota are the best proof!). If only there were more of such romantic heroes I would read these books more often…

Now perhaps you wonder: what about the baddies? I am proud to say that the baddies here are…not exactly bad. They are human and sympathetic (I can’t say more without spoiling you so let’s stop here) so closer to real life than you could reasonably expect in such a novel. Once again I was very pleasantly surprised.

The narration was so good that I devoured the book during one evening – not because I wanted to know what would happen (it is a romance book with a  pretty much predictable plot – they fall in love/lust/ go to bed/ have some troubles/ reunite and/or marry) but because I was so entertained that I didn’t want to stop.

Let me add that, aside from a number of hot and heavy make-out scenes, there is also unexpected depth and emotion in this story. These characters are layered and feel very real so this book pushed a number of buttons for me.

Finally the research behind the book (it is a historical romance from the 19th century) was flawless – the ship, the petty court records, everything fitted. Ms. Milan – I truly appreciate!

Cover art

The dress and the colours are nice, I love this deep emerald -blue, but I doubt Miranda would appreciate a portrait of her when about 3/4 of her face are invisible...

What I didn’t like:

Well, you know me. I am yet to find a flawless romance book but this one came very close indeed. One negative remark - the ending could have been a bit more bitter-sweet but still it was very amusing, mainly because of the cynical Miranda.

Final verdict:

I actually had to design a new button for this one. Let it speak for itself.

Review: Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan

Book info:


Form: e-book, Kindle format
Genre: historical romance
Target audience: adults

Synopsis:

Gareth Carhard, the Marquess of Blakely et cetera, a gifted scientist, an aristocrat and a sworn, stone-cold bachelor, has just returned from Brazil to take care of the estate and the title left to him by his grandfather. He is bored in London but he must perform his duties. For example he  must save his younger cousin, Ned, from the clutches of a skillful and fraudulent fortune-teller. Ned takes him to Madame Esmerelda (a.k.a Jenny Keeble) asap– poor boy thinks that woman is a god-sent psychic, never realizing she’s been bilking him for almost two years. In his view Madame saved him from a suicide during a bout of teenage depression and she has always acted like the combination of an indulgent, although a bit spooky parent and a best friend to him. It was enough he paid for her time. Gareth doesn’t understand Ned at all. He yearns for revealing the truth behind the obviously false persona of Madame Esmerelda. That’s how he gets entangled with a woman who, coming from a humble background, managed to find for herself an original and relatively profitable if not shady career. A dangerously intelligent woman. A voluptuous woman. In short an unusually interesting woman for a Marquess and a single man. Gareth’s unexpected attraction to Jenny defies his notion of logic. Will their relationship bring them more joys or more bitterness ? Who will win and who will profit from it?

What I liked:

It’s the second historical romance by this author which I read and, actually, Ms. Milan’s debut novel. I was slightly shocked it was so good. Once again it’s a bit different than the normal romantic fare. First of all I would like to mention psychologically complex and engaging set of characters. Ned, Gareth and Jenny are very close to fully-fledged people, well-rounded and believable from the psychological point of view. Their actions are always logical and justified by their particular psychological profile. I especially liked the descriptions of Gareth’s poor attempts at communication with the outside world– the guy is one of these painfully shy introverts who never know what is expected from them and what to say so they have learned to cover any shortcomings by haughtiness and disdain. It was described very well and, being a kind of introvert myself, I could relate to him.

Jenny is the linchpin of the novel – a person who makes things happen even though she doesn’t always mean it. I liked the fact that her romance made her see her shady profession in a different light. She also had the courage to ditch it. The awakening in both Jenny and Gareth was a poignant moment – definitely more serious than topics usually mentioned in pink romances. I don’t doubt that nowadays Jenny would have a great career as a psychologist as she was intelligent enough to learn pretty quickly what her clients expected from her and she understood why they visited her at all – not for predictions but for support. What’s more, she educated herself in different areas in order to sound plausible and she was pretty successful at it. I also liked the fact that she learned to value her own person and she really knew what she wanted to achieve before anybody suggested that to her.

Once again the book features a plot which didn’t disappoint me and the sense of humour which was able to disarm me successfully – Ned, a gawky, sweet young man, and his cold but socially inept cousin providing much needed comic relief time and again (Ned’s exchange of invectives with Lord Ware, the father of his prospective bride, was simply priceless). In general I found Ned a great addition to the leading pair - his actions pushed the narration forward, not letting us dwell too much on the turmoil and passion between Jenny and Gareth (no, they didn’t wait till the marriage because, firstly, marriage was never their plan and secondly, Jenny was already a kind of a fallen woman so why bother?).

What I didn’t like:

Of course I didn’t like the fact that, in the end, somebody like Lord Blakely married somebody like Jenny Keeble/Madame Esmerelda. How could I like it? It was totally improbable, downright scandalous etc. etc. but who will listen to my arguments? Cinderella rules…In other words, the book sticks to the classic pink formula – as soon as Gareth realizes he can't live without Jenny he jumps through a few last hoops and she agrees to marry him. No, I don’t think it is a spoiler as I saw the ending from a mile away, but I admit it was kind of sweet. However, I had to brush my teeth afterwards just in case there was too much sugar in it. J Cavities are no laughing matter.

Jenny is a heroine who pulled herself by her own bootstraps against all odds although she was sent to school at a tender age of four (way too young), never knowing her parents, and was never cared after in an appropriate way. Once again I might just say it was highly unbelievable that she became such an intelligent, sensitive woman but who will pay attention? Repetitive, aren’t I? Speaking about repetitiveness…I also noticed some of it in the book (comparing ‘Proof by Seduction’ to the first Milan book which I read and reviewed not so long ago – ‘Unclaimed’) but I suppose there is a limited number of variations how e.g. a love-making scene can be written so perhaps it is not so big a flaw…still when two very different characters repeat verbatim the same phrases it makes you think ‘huh?’.

Overall I must say that explicitly-described sex scenes, a traditional feature in romance novels as far as I know, are more often than not a complete passion-killer for me. The ones in this novel weren’t very bad but still... sometimes really less is more. 

My final remark: if you are looking for setting that can immerse you into the period of 1830s England or, more precisely, London, you would probably be left a bit disappointed – but, after all, this is more about the characters and their interactions within the given setting. And the romance, of course. 

Final verdict:

If you are looking for a light read with a well-balanced amount of humour, sensuality and strength throughout the story and with a great set of lifelike characters, Milan’s novels can give you that much. Don’t be too inquisitive or too choosy though, just immerse in the narration and enjoy your HEA. If you find it a tad too syrupy sweet, just brush your teeth and you'll be fine. J