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bhnmt61's review against another edition
4.0
I spent most of my adult life looking down my nose at romance novels. I have Taste, I thought. I don't have time for that drivel.
Until about five years ago when I actually started to read them, and discovered that there are some terrific writers out there writing romance novels. Not all romance novels are good, of course, but that's true of any type of book.
So I read through all of Loretta Chase, Elizabeth Hoyt, Joanna Bourne, and Jennifer Crusie. Tried a bunch of others, found some good, some mediocre, some awful. Then my favorites started to fail me, either by not writing or churning out serialized books that didn't live up to their previous standards. I'd just about given up on ever reading a well-written, intelligent romance novel again.
Enter Courtney Milan. Her books remind me why I love the romance genre. I could quibble about some details, but really every one of hers I've read has been worth reading. Unveiled, the first in her Turner Brother series, is one of the best. It was so good I was even willing to forgive Milan for using one of my pet peeves--the heroine has a secret, and she just can't bring herself to tell the hero because then he'll leave her. (Blecch. Grow a spine and say what you need to say already.)
Ash Turner discovers that the current Duke of Parford's wife is really his second wife, and the first marriage was never ended--making him a bigamist, and his children illegitimate. Parford treated Ash (a distant cousin) horribly when he was a child, so Ash relishes the opportunity to destroy the duke's reputation and depose his children. As the only legitimate next of kin, Ash is in the process of applying to Parliament to become the heir to the dukedom, and he sends the current sons packing while their father is in the ducal bedchamber dying.
Parford's daughter, Anna Margaret, stays behind, pretending to be the duke's nurse, but really to spy on Ash and figure out how to defeat his claim to the title. But of course she discovers that Ash is really not a bad guy, and they fall in love.
*minor spoilers ahead* (I'm giving some things away, but this is really only a sideline of the plot, not the main point--the bit about who Anna Margaret really is has been known to the reader since the first chapter.)
It's not exactly an earth-shakingly original plot, but it's good enough that I was thoroughly absorbed. But finally it becomes clear that she won't be able to keep the secret of her true identity any longer. The reason why I'm giving Unveiled four stars instead of five is because even at the last minute Margaret is such a lily-livered coward that she can't bring herself to 'fess up. She marches in to tell him, but oh no, he's seducing me! I can't think straight! The next morning, she's about to tell him, but oh no! she hears her brother coming up the drive! Oh no he's coming up the stairs! and still she can't bring herself to say the words. *rolls eyes*
Which is just dumb. It buys Milan the moment of shock--Ash finding out who Margaret is from Margaret's brother-- but it's at the expense of any respect we might have had for Margaret. So it says a great deal about how much I like Milan's writing that I still say I loved this book. Margaret's personal issues are movingly addressed and the way Ash finally resolves the question of who will inherit the title is perfect. So ignore the lame resolution to the secret, and enjoy the rest of the book. Highly recommended.
Until about five years ago when I actually started to read them, and discovered that there are some terrific writers out there writing romance novels. Not all romance novels are good, of course, but that's true of any type of book.
So I read through all of Loretta Chase, Elizabeth Hoyt, Joanna Bourne, and Jennifer Crusie. Tried a bunch of others, found some good, some mediocre, some awful. Then my favorites started to fail me, either by not writing or churning out serialized books that didn't live up to their previous standards. I'd just about given up on ever reading a well-written, intelligent romance novel again.
Enter Courtney Milan. Her books remind me why I love the romance genre. I could quibble about some details, but really every one of hers I've read has been worth reading. Unveiled, the first in her Turner Brother series, is one of the best. It was so good I was even willing to forgive Milan for using one of my pet peeves--the heroine has a secret, and she just can't bring herself to tell the hero because then he'll leave her. (Blecch. Grow a spine and say what you need to say already.)
Ash Turner discovers that the current Duke of Parford's wife is really his second wife, and the first marriage was never ended--making him a bigamist, and his children illegitimate. Parford treated Ash (a distant cousin) horribly when he was a child, so Ash relishes the opportunity to destroy the duke's reputation and depose his children. As the only legitimate next of kin, Ash is in the process of applying to Parliament to become the heir to the dukedom, and he sends the current sons packing while their father is in the ducal bedchamber dying.
Parford's daughter, Anna Margaret, stays behind, pretending to be the duke's nurse, but really to spy on Ash and figure out how to defeat his claim to the title. But of course she discovers that Ash is really not a bad guy, and they fall in love.
*minor spoilers ahead* (I'm giving some things away, but this is really only a sideline of the plot, not the main point--the bit about who Anna Margaret really is has been known to the reader since the first chapter.)
It's not exactly an earth-shakingly original plot, but it's good enough that I was thoroughly absorbed. But finally it becomes clear that she won't be able to keep the secret of her true identity any longer. The reason why I'm giving Unveiled four stars instead of five is because even at the last minute Margaret is such a lily-livered coward that she can't bring herself to 'fess up. She marches in to tell him, but oh no, he's seducing me! I can't think straight! The next morning, she's about to tell him, but oh no! she hears her brother coming up the drive! Oh no he's coming up the stairs! and still she can't bring herself to say the words. *rolls eyes*
Which is just dumb. It buys Milan the moment of shock--Ash finding out who Margaret is from Margaret's brother-- but it's at the expense of any respect we might have had for Margaret. So it says a great deal about how much I like Milan's writing that I still say I loved this book. Margaret's personal issues are movingly addressed and the way Ash finally resolves the question of who will inherit the title is perfect. So ignore the lame resolution to the secret, and enjoy the rest of the book. Highly recommended.
lady_smith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
mommytaco's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jenn_alwaysreading's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bluestockinglaura's review
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
megatza's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Well that was spectacular. I can tell it's one of Milan's earlier books, but i am so thoroughly impressed with what she does with characters. I don't always love when one character keeps an identity secret for so long, but it works here because Margaret keeps telling herself to try to tell Ash. And Ash, oh Ash lives up to his name. His best talent is reading people, and he knows who he can trust immediately. He sees Margaret - in disguise- and knows she's the woman for him. And Milan is brilliant with the way she plays out his character. In some ways I found this less subtle than her more current books, but it matches Ash's openness (in most things) so very well.
pinkcowlandreads's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
pinkcowlandreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
meenarh's review against another edition
5.0
Okay this is my new best, this was a masterpiece. Loved it!!!
zaza_bdp's review against another edition
4.0
Je ne connaissais pas du tout les romans de Courtney Milan et je dois dire que là, je suis complètement sous le charme.
J'ai vraiment apprécié ce livre, et plus particulièrement la personnalité des héros. Ash est un homme ambitieux, protecteur, très dévoué auprès de ceux qu'il aime, en apparence impitoyable envers ses ennemis. C'est un homme marqué par son passé, par son enfance difficile, un homme prêt à tout pour se racheter auprès de ses frères, et leur offrir un avenir à la hauteur de ce qu'ils méritent. Calculateur certes, mais généreux et bon, c'est un homme qui cache des secrets, un homme du peuple qui s'est élevé à la seule force de son travail.
J'ai été très sensible à son comportement envers Margaret. Si au début il est direct dans son approche, il change vite et pose sur elle un regard qui va tout changer. Car pour la première fois depuis longtemps, Margaret va être considérée comme une véritable personne, quelqu'un qui compte. Il va en quelque sorte la libérer d'un carcan, sans savoir qu'il peut mettre ses projets en périls en lui accordant sa confiance. Il se place finalement en position de faiblesse, et jusqu'au bout, c'est elle qui aura les clés de leur histoire commune.
Margaret est un beau personnage de femme, très bien mise en valeur par l'auteur. Elle a une sacrée force de caractère, elle est loyale et aimante. C'est une femme qui prend conscience qu'elle compte, que sa voix a de l'importance, et qu'elle a envie d'être libre. Elle n'a pas une position facile dans l'histoire, dans la mesure où elle se retrouve prise entre deux feux.
La romance est très belle, pleine de sensualité et de délicatesse. La force du lien et des sentiments qui unissent Ash & Margaret est très touchante, teintée d'une gravité qu'on ne rencontre pas forcément dans nos chères romances historiques.
Ce que j'ai beaucoup aimé également, c'est la manière dont l'auteur explore les liens fraternels, que ce soit du côté du héros, ou de son pendant féminin. Loyauté, amour, passé commun, responsabilités ... Courtney Milan apporte là un questionnement qui donne un vrai plus au livre.
Une très belle découverte donc, je me garde la nouvelle incluse à la fin du livre pour plus tard, histoire de faire durer un peu ...
J'ai vraiment apprécié ce livre, et plus particulièrement la personnalité des héros. Ash est un homme ambitieux, protecteur, très dévoué auprès de ceux qu'il aime, en apparence impitoyable envers ses ennemis. C'est un homme marqué par son passé, par son enfance difficile, un homme prêt à tout pour se racheter auprès de ses frères, et leur offrir un avenir à la hauteur de ce qu'ils méritent. Calculateur certes, mais généreux et bon, c'est un homme qui cache des secrets, un homme du peuple qui s'est élevé à la seule force de son travail.
J'ai été très sensible à son comportement envers Margaret. Si au début il est direct dans son approche, il change vite et pose sur elle un regard qui va tout changer. Car pour la première fois depuis longtemps, Margaret va être considérée comme une véritable personne, quelqu'un qui compte. Il va en quelque sorte la libérer d'un carcan, sans savoir qu'il peut mettre ses projets en périls en lui accordant sa confiance. Il se place finalement en position de faiblesse, et jusqu'au bout, c'est elle qui aura les clés de leur histoire commune.
Margaret est un beau personnage de femme, très bien mise en valeur par l'auteur. Elle a une sacrée force de caractère, elle est loyale et aimante. C'est une femme qui prend conscience qu'elle compte, que sa voix a de l'importance, et qu'elle a envie d'être libre. Elle n'a pas une position facile dans l'histoire, dans la mesure où elle se retrouve prise entre deux feux.
La romance est très belle, pleine de sensualité et de délicatesse. La force du lien et des sentiments qui unissent Ash & Margaret est très touchante, teintée d'une gravité qu'on ne rencontre pas forcément dans nos chères romances historiques.
Ce que j'ai beaucoup aimé également, c'est la manière dont l'auteur explore les liens fraternels, que ce soit du côté du héros, ou de son pendant féminin. Loyauté, amour, passé commun, responsabilités ... Courtney Milan apporte là un questionnement qui donne un vrai plus au livre.
Une très belle découverte donc, je me garde la nouvelle incluse à la fin du livre pour plus tard, histoire de faire durer un peu ...