Tag Archives: Courtney Milan

Review: Unveiled

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Review: UnveiledUnveiled (Turner, #1) by Courtney Milan
Series: Turner #1
Published by HQN Books on January 25th 2011
Genres: Historical
Pages: 384
Goodreads
five-stars

Unique Version of Familiar Story

UNVEILED is the first book in the Turner series. It is the story of Ash Turner who is the eldest of three brothers. Ash has managed to make himself the heir to the Duke of Parford a distant cousin by proving that the Duke’s children are illegitimate because the Duke had a secret marriage to his mistress in his youth. Margaret Dalrymple is the Duke’s daughter. She is, however, masquerading as the dude’s nurse to find out more information about Ash in order to restore her family.

The premise of this story may sound familiar but zero Milan has a way of executing these familiar story tropes in a way that is unique and empowering to her characters. Ash and Margaret are simply amazing. Ash makes Margaret see herself as empowered — as a person who makes things happen rather than having things happen to her. He gives her the confidence to see in herself the strength to make her own future.

Milan subverts the expectations of the reader and thus pulls her characters into being more real, more human.

I had read the synopsis of this book before reading it and had in fact put off reading the book because Ash sounded like a horrible person, but he is simply amazing.

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five-stars

Review: The Duchess War

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Review: The Duchess WarThe Duchess War (Brothers Sinister, #1) by Courtney Milan
Series: Brothers Sinister #1
Published by Courtney Milan on December 8th 2012
Genres: Historical
Pages: 270
Goodreads
four-half-stars

Very Enjoyable Book

THE DUCHESS WAR is the first novel in the Brothers Sinister series. It is the story of Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, who suffers from the evil that his father did. Robert is a good man, and a radical, who wants to use his position for changing the world. He meets Minerva Lane, who has made a point of hiding because of her scandalous past.

This book took a while to really grab me. There is a lot of set up involved in the story and at times the threads of the story just went on and on. However, by the middle of the book, I began to really love the character of Robert, who is sensitive and caring. He lived such a sad life but did not become hardened.

These two characters have a slow building relationship that I really enjoyed. These were two people who had seen a hard world and yet found in each other a kindred spirit.

Spoilers: I really loved that Robert and Minerva were both virgins on their wedding night and that things did not go perfectly, but that they worked through learning together. There was something really real and sweet about them.

I look forward to the other books in the series. There is a great introduction to them here.

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four-half-stars

Review: Birthday Gift

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Birthday Gift by Courtney Milan
Series: Turner #0.5
Genres: Historical
four-stars

BIRTHDAY GIFT is a very short vignette found on Milan’s website that tells of an incident at Eton between Richard Dalrymple and Smite Turner. Readers of UNVEILED will recall that Richard and Smite were once friends. This short vignette gives insight into their friendship. This story is pure extra and will only be significant to readers of the series. For fans, however, this is a nice add on scene.

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four-stars

Review: The Governess Affair

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Review: The Governess AffairThe Governess Affair (Brothers Sinister, #0.5) by Courtney Milan
Series: Brothers Sinister #0.5
Published by Courtney Milan on April 21st 2012
Genres: Historical
Pages: 110
Goodreads
four-stars

Good Novella Prequel

THE GOVERNESS AFFAIR is the prequel to the Brothers Sinister series. It is the story of Serena Barton who was raped and left pregnant by the Duke of Clermont. She is seeking recompense for her and her child. Hugo Marshall, known as the Wolf of Clermont, has the job of taking care of the Duke’s problems and finances. Hugo soon begins to have feelings for Serena and has to make a choice between his future and Serena.

I liked this story. My only complaint is that considering the seriousness of Serena’s story, I thought that it was too quickly resolved. For me, she too quickly got over her rape and moved on. I think this would have been better as a full length novel. That being said, it was well done considering the length. The characters were well drawn and I really liked the romance between the two. The notes and letters between the two are classic — funny and romantic.

It made me interested in reading the other books of the series, which is the goal, I think.

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four-stars

Review: This Wicked Gift

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Review: This Wicked GiftThis Wicked Gift (Carhart, #0.5) by Courtney Milan
Series: Carhart #0.5
Published by Entangled: Edge on July 7th 2014
Genres: Historical
Pages: 126
Goodreads
four-stars

Interesting Twist on Premise

THE WICKED GIFT is a prequel novella for the Carhart series. It is the story of William White who has had his eye on Lavinia Spencer for a year. William is barely getting by and has no prospects for marriage because although he was raised as middle class, he had slipped down the social ladder. When William discovers that Lavinia’s brother is in debt, William spends his entire ten pounds to but her brother’s note so that he can blackmail Lavinia into going to bed with him. Lavinia is not about to allow William to control her. I loved their relationship and how William and Lavinia grow and change and manage to find a better life together. This prequel is not about aristocrats or gentry and this gives a different view than most historical.

The version I have has additional supplemental content by the author. There is nothing earth shattering here, but some of the material is very interesting especially about the dilemma that William faces.
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four-stars

Review: Trade Me

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Review: Trade MeTrade Me (Cyclone Book 1) by Courtney Milan
Series: Cyclone #1
on January 19th 2015
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 281
Goodreads
four-stars

A Different Kind of Book From Courtney Milan

“Try trading lives with me.”

THE STORY: Tina Chen is a 20 year old college student struggling to finish college. She is also having to care for her family because her mother gives the little money they have to others. Blake Reynolds is 23 years old and a billionaire. He has been in public display since a child when he did commercials for his father’s technology company (think Apple clone). Blake has struggles of his own as he attempts to distance himself from his father’s shadow. When Tina and Blake end up in an argument during a class, Blake proposes that Tina and Blake trade lives. They end up finding out about themselves, their families, and each other. Romance ensues.

OPINION: TRADE ME, a contemporary new adult romance, is not a book I would have picked if it had been written by anyone other than Courtney Milan. Milan, however, has wowed me with her historical romances and I am always willing to give such authors the benefit of the doubt.

TRADE ME is told in two first person voices: Tina and Blake. This is a book where both characters are on a personal journey. I really enjoyed how the secrets in this book are slowly revealed for the reader and the characters themselves. Much of the book feels more like a self discovery book than a romance book, but there is no doubt that this is a romance book. There is a deep connection between Tina and Blake even as Tina wishes to push away from Blake for almost the entire book. Blake feels like the more vulnerable character here perhaps because part of Tina’s coping mechanism is to be the strong character in her family.

This book also addresses many serious issues, but is not an overly serious book itself. It confines its examination of social issues to discussions relevant to the characters which keeps the book from being didactic. I also like how the issues the characters face are not ones that conform to any stereotype. The story also doesn’t conform to the standard response to a trading places type of story: that everyone has it hard. This story doesn’t rely on that easy answer. The problems and the solutions to this story are complex and difficult and feel real.

My minor complaint with the story is that it feels unfinished because it is. There is more to Tina and Blake’s story and so this book feels like the characters have reached a good place, but that their difficulties are not behind them.

WORTH MENTIONING: I really appreciate the interracial romance and they are still rare enough to mention that TRADE ME is one of them.

FINAL DECISION: This book takes a little time for the reader to comprehend what is at issue because the depths of the characters are slow in being revealed. While the characters have a happy ending, they clearly have unfinished business (luckily Book 3 will return to Tina and Blake).

CONNECTED BOOKS: TRADE ME is the first book in the Cyclone series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: In Which Madame Esmerelda Makes a Prediction

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In Which Madame Esmerelda Makes a Prediction by Courtney Milan
Series: Carhart #0.3
Genres: Historical
three-stars

This is a short story that tells a story of the heroine of PROOF OF SEDUCTION acting in her guise as Madame Esmerelda. It really assumes that you already know the story of PROOF OF SEDUCTION and it is a nice add on to the series but should be read after PROOF OF SEDUCTION.
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three-stars

Review: Dark Horizon

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Dark Horizon by Courtney Milan
Series: Carhart #0.25
Genres: Historical
three-stars

Dark Horizon is a short vignette set in the Carhart world (#0.25) and tells a story of Gareth Carhart’s trip to Brazil and the dangers involved. This is a nice add on to the series but doesn’t substitute for any of the books. I appreciate the additional content but it is for fans of the series rather than a new reader.

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three-stars

Review: Once Upon a Marquess

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Once Upon a Marquess
Once Upon a Marquess by Courtney Milan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Complex Romance to Kick Off New Series

“Once upon a time, there had been a marquess and Lady Judith Worth had thought that he would conquer the world. He had. She just hadn’t realized at the time that he meant to take it from her.”

FINAL DECISION: Complex and difficult situations face the couple in ONCE UPON A MARQUESS which proves that second chances are possible. Judith and Christian have a painful past and yet they yearn to be together. Complex, well written and an a great first course of the Worth Saga.

THE STORY: Judith Worth struggles to keep what is left of her family together. Eight years before, her life fell apart when her brother and father were accused of being traitors. The facts supporting the accusations came from the man that Judith once thought to marry. Christian Trent, Marquess of Ashford spent summers with the Worth family and Judith’s brother was his best friend. He expected to marry Judith but when he father killed himself and her brother was transported, Judith rejected him. Christian has never forgotten Judith. Now the two meet again when Judith needs his help finding out what has happened to her younger sister. Despite their sad past, the two still feel an uneasy attraction to one another.

OPINION: Milan is a master at crafting complex and difficult situations for her characters to navigate. ONCE UPON MARQUESS introduces readers to the Worth family who have many secrets. For me, the weakness of the book was the amount of exposition necessary to provide introductions to all the different dramas that are starting out for the members of the family.

I am a great believer in Milan’s work, however, and I am sure that the complexity and drama will continue and develop throughout the series.

The romance of Judith and Christian is difficult and I loved how they rationally talk through their issues. Milan’s characters are great talkers. Their romance is partially a debate regarding the issues that challenge their happiness. ONCE UPON A MARQUESS is not only about romance. It is also about finding oneself through challenges, about weighing following the letter of the law and the harm that it causes, about the challenges that women face.

MIlan’s books always make me think. Not only is the romance sweeping, but the issues they face are complex and the answer is not always clear. I thought that Judith and Christian have a sweet romance. Christian has challenges of his own. Losing Judith meant that he lost the woman who understood his quirks.

In the years since they parted, both Judith and Christian have been pretending. They have been living lives made comfortable by accepting lies. Those lies have become impossible for them to continue to live with. Christian fears that he made a mistake by disclosing the crimes of his best friend and Judith fears that her beloved brother might actually have been guilty of treason. Redemption for these characters comes from confronting reality rather than relying on comforting lies.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book introduces a whole lot of characters and situations that will be explored further in the subsequent books in the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ONCE UPON A MARQUESS is the first book in the Worth Saga.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

Review: Out of the Frying Pan

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Out of the Frying Pan
Out of the Frying Pan by Courtney Milan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN is a short vignette posted on Milan’s website that gives more insight into the friendship/animosity between Richard Dalrymple and Smite Turner and the secrets they share. This short vignette is not intended to be read alone but rather is an add on for those who have read the series. Much of the information is disclosed in UNRAVELED as well, but having read it first, I understood some of the mysteries that were hinted at in UNVEILED.

This is a nice addition for fans.