Review- The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

I had to take a break from the Holiday Romance Reviews to bring you this exciting new realease from Courtney Milan.

Title: The Duchess War (book#1 The Brother Sinister Series)

Genre: Historical Romance/Victorian

Author: Courtney Milan

Publisher:  C. Milan/Amazon Digital, Dec. 2012

Source: Free for review from the author

Rating: 5

Sexy Rating: 5

Description from amazon.com:

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the center of attention, it ended badly–so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don’t get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention.

But that is precisely what she gets.

Because Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, is not fooled. When Minnie figures out what he’s up to, he realizes there is more to her than her spectacles and her quiet ways. And he’s determined to lay her every secret bare before she can discover his. But this time, one shy miss may prove to be more than his match…

The Duchess War is the first full-length book (97,000 words) in the Brothers Sinister series. It is preceded by The Governess Affair, a prequel novella. Each book stands alone, but those who prefer to read in order might want to read that book first

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The Governess Affair is available for Kindle and PC from Amazon.com for $.99. A review can be found on this blog by typing Courtney Milan in the search box in the left hand column.

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This is the story of a genteel woman with a scandal to hide and an aristocrat with secrets.  Not precisely something new in the Historical Romance genre, right? Not so! This story is so well and intricately plotted that it is one of the most original romances I’ve yet to read.  Two Victorian radicals set out to best each other at their respective games and proceed to fall in love, but not until there are events upon events that appear to drive them apart.

Courtney Milan can write characters that breathe life into a story.  They have histories that totally explain their foibles and actions. She conjures up a heroine that is not the usual raving beauty but who is a beautiful person.  Our hero is troubled and nearly done-in by his past. The scandal and secrets are given to us in increments and we wonder can all of the calamity coming at them keep them apart?  This is what kept me reading straight through until the last page. There is action, pathos, romance, a fabulous story and the most original sex scene.

The Duchess War will go into my “Best Books of 2012″ list.  I cannot wait to read the rest of this series.

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