After being recommended by my friends to read Courtney Milan’s books, I started with The Governess Affair, which is book 0.5 in The Brothers Sinister series. After I finished, I started reading The Duchess War (book 1) and this book was an absolute delight to read. This book is vastly different from other historical romances I’ve read, because it challenged my ability to fully understand the complexities of the storyline, the characters, and the way Courtney Milan delivers her intricate prose. It’s heavily entangled with politics, with the main characters involved verily in judicial reform.
I seriously admire Robert Baisdell, the Duke of Clermont. I have never read a historical romance novel where the male lead cared so much about the fate of those society deemed beneath him. Not only did he care, he was willing to do everything in his power to change the way of society itself. This was a man who recognised his privilege and was willing to use it to bring about a change so drastic and would result in him being censured by his peers. But then again—as of now—he is a duke after all, and I suppose that not many people would dare slight him.
Now, Minnie. Minerva Lane. She has got to be in my top 5 favourite heroines ever. Her past was so sad and I marvelled at her quiet strength. I couldn’t begin to imagine the sheer fear she felt when she faced crowds, and yet in the end, she managed to slowly power through it. Her fear didn’t go away completely, but it was absolutely gratifying to see that she was doing well.
He’d thought at first that she was a high-spirited, clever woman. He’d wondered next if she were a wallflower. But at the moment, she seemed beyond any category, larger and far more complex than anyone he’d encountered thus far.
And, finally, their romance was absolutely beautiful. It started out slow, but the buildup was extremely satisfying. Robert prioritised consent, partly because he was terrified that he would become like his toad of a father, who had decided that consent was of little to no import when it came to women. Robert genuinely cared about Minnie, and was attuned to her every need, every want. Minnie may be quiet and shy, but she had a steel backbone. Together, these two are a force to be reckoned with. Needless to say, if you wanted an amalgamation of politics, romance, and witty banter, with a side of great friendships, then this is the book for you.
“If family is a matter of choice,” she said softly, “I’ve chosen you.” He let out a long breath. “And I will,” she said, “again and again.”
