Unveiled Turner #1

I came so close to abandoning this book before I'd even reached the halfway point. Ash's and Margaret's attraction was weird: it felt like instalove, but I didn't understand why the two of them liked each other at all. Ash was so persistent in pursuing Margaret, when she was openly hostile towards him in the beginning, it felt like harassment. Margaret was an annoying, stubborn snob right until the end of the book. She definitely felt like #notlikeothergirls character. At least Milan didn't go down the usual route of having the heroine be described as ugly whilst also having an insufferable personality. Back to Ash for a moment: can't see whatever it was that Margaret ended up seeing in him, especially whenever we would have Ash's perspective whilst he was talking to Margaret and his mind would wander to sexual thoughts. There was such a disconnect between their conversations and his weird sexual fantasies it felt creepy, and there's nothing naturally sexy about their chemistry. Its just contrived sexual scenarios with no build-up and weak pay-off. Also, their dialogue felt so forced and unnatural at most times. That's actually a general problem in the book tbh everything feels so inauthentic, even the ending. Also, what's the point of writing historical romance if your characters aren't going to follow the social conventions of the time? Now, I don't mean shit like racism, I mean stuff like the social conventions of the time. I understand Ash is supposed to not care for these conventions, but we never really see anyone respecting them, so it doesn't even seem like his behaviour is scandalous within the given context. I don't see why this had to be a historical story. It literally could have been a corporate Harlequin style romance and nothing about this story would have changed except a Duke would have been replaced with a CEO or something. Even the way the characters speak seems a-historical. 10/10 would not recommend. Boring, stiff, awkward, not good at all. Also surprised it so many people's favourite Milan book when her Brothers' Sinister series is much better.

My first Courtney Milan! I don't tend to read many historical romances, but I was surprised by the pace of this and the immediate sexual tension between Ash and Margaret. There are secrets and plotting, but when these two were together, the sparks were flying and I couldn't get enough. I had a little issue with something toward the middle and the plot was a little repetitive at times, but I think it had a very solid ending.

3.5