Scan barcode
cmf11's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5
This was way too long. I didn’t really care about the characters and a lot of things kept getting repeated a bunch of times to the point where one statement was the characters whole personality.
This was way too long. I didn’t really care about the characters and a lot of things kept getting repeated a bunch of times to the point where one statement was the characters whole personality.
falulatonks's review against another edition
5.0
4 stars on the romance, but 5 for everything surrounding it that knocked it all up a notch - as almost always with Milan, I guess. But man, I loved this - it starts a little slow, but I couldn't stop reading it after I hit Chapter 4 or so.
I really loved Camilla; as miserable as parts of her backstory were, and as much as you could see certain parts of it shaping her, you could see the exact aspects of her character that kept her afloat. I really loved Adrian, and how good and loving and trusting he is, and how his emotional clumsiness can lead him to both good and bad. And I adored them together - the honesty, the push and pull, the fact that the climax of their romance had her ask things of him in a way I don't always see in romances!
I felt myself being weighed down by the plot in places, in that I was asked to keep track of things I wasn't really interested in pursuing, but the little spirals that the story took me down were wonderful and detailed in a really careful, loving way. I especially dug the way Milan drew attention to these little support structures that exist outside of white, high-ranking men - the women, the artists, the workers. It's also really cool to see the choice being made to start within peerage but for each character to shift further and further out, especially because the dynamics and navigation of class presents themselves really clearly in this specific story, with this specific family. (The other great historical romance writer I can think of who writes about romances outside of the norm is Rose Lerner!!)
Finally, and the most important, most score-defining thing thing: I get so snippy about books in romance series that linger around characters that aren't the two leads, but every bit of time spent with the other Worth siblings in this was gutting to me. What I loved most, I think(, and maybe what made the difference to me from other family series), is how readily Milan framed points of friction between them - there is really difficult, stubborn love here, for sure, but underneath that they also don't always like one another much, and I...love it? The closest I was brought to tears in this was actually across three scenes, all sibling-focused, and they were all super messy and I felt awful for all of them for getting one another so wrong. They all try so hard, but so badly, and so loathsomely! I LOVED IT.
Anyway, I just clicked through to see the covers of the other books in this series and I know who's going where and whom is going to be what and I'm so fucking excited. Back to the thing about centring on London society and then kind of unspooling from it - I really love how boundary-less you can tell the rest of the series will be. It feels like the whole world is ready to be trampled around in by these characters I really like already. I'm so excited!
I really loved Camilla; as miserable as parts of her backstory were, and as much as you could see certain parts of it shaping her, you could see the exact aspects of her character that kept her afloat. I really loved Adrian, and how good and loving and trusting he is, and how his emotional clumsiness can lead him to both good and bad. And I adored them together - the honesty, the push and pull, the fact that the climax of their romance had her ask things of him in a way I don't always see in romances!
I felt myself being weighed down by the plot in places, in that I was asked to keep track of things I wasn't really interested in pursuing, but the little spirals that the story took me down were wonderful and detailed in a really careful, loving way. I especially dug the way Milan drew attention to these little support structures that exist outside of white, high-ranking men - the women, the artists, the workers. It's also really cool to see the choice being made to start within peerage but for each character to shift further and further out, especially because the dynamics and navigation of class presents themselves really clearly in this specific story, with this specific family. (The other great historical romance writer I can think of who writes about romances outside of the norm is Rose Lerner!!)
Finally, and the most important, most score-defining thing thing: I get so snippy about books in romance series that linger around characters that aren't the two leads, but every bit of time spent with the other Worth siblings in this was gutting to me. What I loved most, I think(, and maybe what made the difference to me from other family series), is how readily Milan framed points of friction between them - there is really difficult, stubborn love here, for sure, but underneath that they also don't always like one another much, and I...love it? The closest I was brought to tears in this was actually across three scenes, all sibling-focused, and they were all super messy and I felt awful for all of them for getting one another so wrong. They all try so hard, but so badly, and so loathsomely! I LOVED IT.
Anyway, I just clicked through to see the covers of the other books in this series and I know who's going where and whom is going to be what and I'm so fucking excited. Back to the thing about centring on London society and then kind of unspooling from it - I really love how boundary-less you can tell the rest of the series will be. It feels like the whole world is ready to be trampled around in by these characters I really like already. I'm so excited!
pn_hinton's review against another edition
5.0
Don't let how long it took me to read this book lead you to think I didn't enjoy it because I did. I just have a bad habit of getting sidetracked by work, life, motherhood, and other books, usually about this time of the year. It's something I working on though.
That being said this book had a rough start for me and that is likely why it took so long to dive into. It wasn't that it was second in the series but more that I felt that starting from the wedding and then moving back to set up the opening before moving on the 'present' was awkward. I don't feel it came across well and ended starting the story off on a disjointed foot. However once we got to the present and the friendship and eventually romance between Adrian and Camilla, it picked back up.
I agree that that inclusive characters, such as the biracial hero and bisexual heroine were a nice tough but I don't think it was in any way too much. It's actually something that has always been in most romance as I distinctly remember reading an Amanda Quick novel at a young age only to re-read it later and realize what 'companion' meant. Actually I felt that there was just the right amount of commentary on Adrian's race because that is something that happens now with biracial people let alone back in the 1860's when it really wasn't the cultural norm it is now. Having to have that thick skin from the constant comments of "people like you" or not getting acknowledged because of it is likely something that was harsher than anything we saw Adrian experience and for me if anything there could have been more of that. And honestly the fact that Adrian wasn't more jaded was surprising. Same with Camilla. I know other reviews mentioned not liking the consistent internal monologue she had about not being worthy of love and felt it got old but honestly if someone is passed off like Camilla was from the age of twelve that is how someone is treated their whole life, passed on from one person to another from the time they were they would feel that way especially if they had someone like the decidedly un-Christian like Rector Miles berating them regularly.
The fact that both of them were so hopeful about anything was inspiring in a way. That and the guilt they carried around from their older siblings, whether it was from angry words shouted in the heat of the moment or self-imposed guilt is what helped to bond them. It wasn't just their forced marriage but that they were optimistic and they they helped each other to recognize the things they deserved in life from the people who professed to care about them and just for being human beings. And their moments with their older siblings were very emotional; the one between Grayson and Adrian actually made me tear up when I was reading it.
Overall I enjoyed this book and would re-read it. Now that I know that the (what I still feel) awkward and rocky start didn't set the pace for the entire novel. I've never really been disappointed with a Courtney Milan novel and this helped to keep that trend up.
That being said this book had a rough start for me and that is likely why it took so long to dive into. It wasn't that it was second in the series but more that I felt that starting from the wedding and then moving back to set up the opening before moving on the 'present' was awkward. I don't feel it came across well and ended starting the story off on a disjointed foot. However once we got to the present and the friendship and eventually romance between Adrian and Camilla, it picked back up.
I agree that that inclusive characters, such as the biracial hero and bisexual heroine were a nice tough but I don't think it was in any way too much. It's actually something that has always been in most romance as I distinctly remember reading an Amanda Quick novel at a young age only to re-read it later and realize what 'companion' meant. Actually I felt that there was just the right amount of commentary on Adrian's race because that is something that happens now with biracial people let alone back in the 1860's when it really wasn't the cultural norm it is now. Having to have that thick skin from the constant comments of "people like you" or not getting acknowledged because of it is likely something that was harsher than anything we saw Adrian experience and for me if anything there could have been more of that. And honestly the fact that Adrian wasn't more jaded was surprising. Same with Camilla. I know other reviews mentioned not liking the consistent internal monologue she had about not being worthy of love and felt it got old but honestly if someone is passed off like Camilla was from the age of twelve that is how someone is treated their whole life, passed on from one person to another from the time they were they would feel that way especially if they had someone like the decidedly un-Christian like Rector Miles berating them regularly.
The fact that both of them were so hopeful about anything was inspiring in a way. That and the guilt they carried around from their older siblings, whether it was from angry words shouted in the heat of the moment or self-imposed guilt is what helped to bond them. It wasn't just their forced marriage but that they were optimistic and they they helped each other to recognize the things they deserved in life from the people who professed to care about them and just for being human beings. And their moments with their older siblings were very emotional; the one between Grayson and Adrian actually made me tear up when I was reading it.
Overall I enjoyed this book and would re-read it. Now that I know that the (what I still feel) awkward and rocky start didn't set the pace for the entire novel. I've never really been disappointed with a Courtney Milan novel and this helped to keep that trend up.
chirson's review against another edition
4.0
ETA: This book is on sale right now on Amazon; if you're wondering whether it can be read as a stand-alone, it definitely can, and if you're looking for a historical romance fix, this is a good choice!
I read this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second main installment in the Worth family saga - a story (apparently soon!) spanning continents, multiple siblings, a variety of crimes and a large and diverse cast. This volume focuses on Camilla - the prodigal sister who left the family in the wake of her father's execution for treason to live in comfort with an unkind uncle. Suffice to say, things didn't quite go according to plan, and nine years later she finds herself poor and somewhat ruined, living under an assumed name as a servant - until she is forcibly married off to Adrian, pretending to be a valet, but in truth, the heir to a large family business and the secret (Black) nephew of a scheming bishop. Now, after the wedding the two of them must find a way to make the best of their situation. Preferably - by consciously uncoupling, since they're not a couple in the first place. Or must they?
It's been quite a wait for me for this novel, but yes, it's all worth it (pardon the pun). Courtney Milan does it again: she weaves a romance that is so much more than a love story. I loved Camilla - she reminded me of Anne Shirley, with a twist. The same desperate need to be loved and cherished, hope and imagination, but a far less idealised world and less idealised psychological portrayal of the repercussions this might bring. I loved Adrian, kind and loving and clever - he wasn't as interesting as Camilla, admittedly, but he was a great romantic protagonist.
The plot avoids so many obvious choices and instead allows the protagonists to be honest and faithful to each other in a truly unusual way for a genre that thrives on secrets and misunderstandings. This could have led to lack of tension in a lesser book, but was rendered fresh and exciting in Milan's capable hands. I loved the way she constructed the plot here.
This is also a very timely book, engaging honestly with the #MeToo moment without being preachy or becoming dated. It takes on a very difficult issue (though I don't mean to imply it's a book about rape - it's about power and abuse, but more broadly) and does it justice. And its characters fight for justice and dignity for those denied it, and it makes them all the more interesting and complex.
In addition - while the romance is obviously an important element of a romance novel, I must say the secondary characters and storylines are even better than the romantic plot between the two protagonists. I can't *wait* to read a book about Grayson, Theresa and even Benedict (as well as spoilers). These characters and subplots, for all the little space that is devoted to them, were fully-rounded and fascinating. I loved the humour, too - the encounter with the wealthy widow in particular. I was also happy to see a reference to Milan characters from [b:Hamilton's Battalion: A Trio of Romances|36242916|Hamilton's Battalion A Trio of Romances|Courtney Milan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1506806595s/36242916.jpg|57888058], Henry and John.
The book comes out tomorrow. Do yourself a favour and if you like historical romance - give it a try (with or without the previous volumes), and if you don't like historical romance - well, it's still a great read.
(I'll be posting about this on my blog and if I end up adding more there, I'll edit this to post a link.)
Review here.
I read this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second main installment in the Worth family saga - a story (apparently soon!) spanning continents, multiple siblings, a variety of crimes and a large and diverse cast. This volume focuses on Camilla - the prodigal sister who left the family in the wake of her father's execution for treason to live in comfort with an unkind uncle. Suffice to say, things didn't quite go according to plan, and nine years later she finds herself poor and somewhat ruined, living under an assumed name as a servant - until she is forcibly married off to Adrian, pretending to be a valet, but in truth, the heir to a large family business and the secret (Black) nephew of a scheming bishop. Now, after the wedding the two of them must find a way to make the best of their situation. Preferably - by consciously uncoupling, since they're not a couple in the first place. Or must they?
It's been quite a wait for me for this novel, but yes, it's all worth it (pardon the pun). Courtney Milan does it again: she weaves a romance that is so much more than a love story. I loved Camilla - she reminded me of Anne Shirley, with a twist. The same desperate need to be loved and cherished, hope and imagination, but a far less idealised world and less idealised psychological portrayal of the repercussions this might bring. I loved Adrian, kind and loving and clever - he wasn't as interesting as Camilla, admittedly, but he was a great romantic protagonist.
The plot avoids so many obvious choices and instead allows the protagonists to be honest and faithful to each other in a truly unusual way for a genre that thrives on secrets and misunderstandings. This could have led to lack of tension in a lesser book, but was rendered fresh and exciting in Milan's capable hands. I loved the way she constructed the plot here.
This is also a very timely book, engaging honestly with the #MeToo moment without being preachy or becoming dated. It takes on a very difficult issue (though I don't mean to imply it's a book about rape - it's about power and abuse, but more broadly) and does it justice. And its characters fight for justice and dignity for those denied it, and it makes them all the more interesting and complex.
In addition - while the romance is obviously an important element of a romance novel, I must say the secondary characters and storylines are even better than the romantic plot between the two protagonists. I can't *wait* to read a book about Grayson, Theresa and even Benedict (as well as spoilers). These characters and subplots, for all the little space that is devoted to them, were fully-rounded and fascinating. I loved the humour, too - the encounter with the wealthy widow in particular. I was also happy to see a reference to Milan characters from [b:Hamilton's Battalion: A Trio of Romances|36242916|Hamilton's Battalion A Trio of Romances|Courtney Milan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1506806595s/36242916.jpg|57888058], Henry and John.
The book comes out tomorrow. Do yourself a favour and if you like historical romance - give it a try (with or without the previous volumes), and if you don't like historical romance - well, it's still a great read.
Review here.
wildwolverine's review against another edition
5.0
What a book! What a romance! Everything was perfect: the hero was sufficiently gentlemanly and dashing; the heroine was relatable and sweet and strong without having a bleeding heart; the pacing was great, and the stakes were real. Best of all, the plot wasn't driven by a lack of communication, meaning the hero and the heroine actually talked to one another. I wasn't screaming at my kindle and instead got to enjoy the ride and the creativity that sprung from a story helmed by two, sensible and mature leads. No tropes. No tripe. Just good story-telling.
Camilla is part of the notorious Worth family who has descended from lady to underpaid servant. She's married off in a plot to get her away from some powerful people to man who is also getting in the way: Adrian Hunter. The youngest son of five (now two since the other three died in the American Civil War), Adrian feels the pressure of healing what's left of his family. He wants to make up for the loss of his three brothers by convincing his powerful and white bishop of an uncle to accept the black side of the family. To do that, Uncle Bishop has Adrian doing a bunch of crazy errands to "earn" his love. Until those shenanigans end up with him being married at gunpoint to Camilla.
Starved for love, Camilla wants to believe that someone somewhere will care about her. On paper, she sounds like she'd be a pitiful character, but she isn't. She's someone who's faced a lot of trauma but who is very strong as she continues to be hopeful. She's resourceful, romantic, overly trusting, and an overall complex character who is fun to read about. Watching her blossom under Adrian's love and friendship is truly a sweet thing to behold.
And Adrian really does take care of her. If this were an old-fashioned historical romance, the two would've consummated the relationship on their first night as married couple followed by a lot of negging until the hero eventually learns to value his lady. However, Adrian treats Camilla with respect without overwhelming her. He helps her to buy new shoes and clothes without reserving a modiste for the day. He pays for her own room at inns and doesn't impose on her when she comes to stay at his place. Their first, illicit kiss is spicy but never once do you feel like he's taking advantage of her. Nor do you ever feel like she's manipulating him. Adrian is truly a kind man, and he's such a joy to read about on the page.
This is a story of two people learning to believe in their own self-worth, but what makes this a great romance is that they help each other to realize that. Adrian helps Camilla realize she's worthy of love and lemon tarts without sleeping with her (and when they do come together, it's precious). Camilla helps Adrian realize he's worthy of affection and sympathy and helps him through his survivor's guilt. It's a very touching story, but most importantly, it's a wonderful romance built for a modern audience.
Camilla is part of the notorious Worth family who has descended from lady to underpaid servant. She's married off in a plot to get her away from some powerful people to man who is also getting in the way: Adrian Hunter. The youngest son of five (now two since the other three died in the American Civil War), Adrian feels the pressure of healing what's left of his family. He wants to make up for the loss of his three brothers by convincing his powerful and white bishop of an uncle to accept the black side of the family. To do that, Uncle Bishop has Adrian doing a bunch of crazy errands to "earn" his love. Until those shenanigans end up with him being married at gunpoint to Camilla.
Starved for love, Camilla wants to believe that someone somewhere will care about her. On paper, she sounds like she'd be a pitiful character, but she isn't. She's someone who's faced a lot of trauma but who is very strong as she continues to be hopeful. She's resourceful, romantic, overly trusting, and an overall complex character who is fun to read about. Watching her blossom under Adrian's love and friendship is truly a sweet thing to behold.
And Adrian really does take care of her. If this were an old-fashioned historical romance, the two would've consummated the relationship on their first night as married couple followed by a lot of negging until the hero eventually learns to value his lady. However, Adrian treats Camilla with respect without overwhelming her. He helps her to buy new shoes and clothes without reserving a modiste for the day. He pays for her own room at inns and doesn't impose on her when she comes to stay at his place. Their first, illicit kiss is spicy but never once do you feel like he's taking advantage of her. Nor do you ever feel like she's manipulating him. Adrian is truly a kind man, and he's such a joy to read about on the page.
This is a story of two people learning to believe in their own self-worth, but what makes this a great romance is that they help each other to realize that. Adrian helps Camilla realize she's worthy of love and lemon tarts without sleeping with her (and when they do come together, it's precious). Camilla helps Adrian realize he's worthy of affection and sympathy and helps him through his survivor's guilt. It's a very touching story, but most importantly, it's a wonderful romance built for a modern audience.
jehanne's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
roseybot's review against another edition
4.0
I had really hoped to like Camila better, as she seemed a bit more lively than Judith (who I was a little meh about tbh), but again, I found myself underwhelmed by the protagonist. I'm still rating it 4 because it was better than most of the other historical romance out there, and I very much enjoy the side characters. I'm DYING for information on what's going on with Theresa and really want to read that book (which... does not seem to be happening in the next book, ugh).
Camila didn't quite feel like a real person to me, which is unusual for Courtney Milan. Adrien also felt a little light, but less so than Camila, and I think it was partly the expectation of what I thought she was going to be like from Judith's book versus being in Camila's head now.
Anyways, some stats, for myself:
Days between when I added this to read and when I read it: 762. (Confounding factor being Courtney Milan continually pushing the date of this book back and back, and then me forgetting about it).
| 1/1/19 1,136 ratings (332 5*, 405 4*, 300 3*, 78 2*, 21 1*) 285 reviews / added by 4237 people, 47 to-reads
Camila didn't quite feel like a real person to me, which is unusual for Courtney Milan. Adrien also felt a little light, but less so than Camila, and I think it was partly the expectation of what I thought she was going to be like from Judith's book versus being in Camila's head now.
Anyways, some stats, for myself:
Days between when I added this to read and when I read it: 762. (Confounding factor being Courtney Milan continually pushing the date of this book back and back, and then me forgetting about it).
| 1/1/19 1,136 ratings (332 5*, 405 4*, 300 3*, 78 2*, 21 1*) 285 reviews / added by 4237 people, 47 to-reads