#THE DEVIL COMES COURTING BY COURTNEY MILAN

[betterbooksandthings]

"Feminist romance novels are everywhere. With so many options and so little time, sometimes it’s nice to have a list like this as a starting point. This is going to be a very fun list of delicious feminist romance books that you must pick up and read, but before all that, we must discuss the feminism of it all.

For the sake of this article, I am following Mikki Kendall’s approach to feminism in Hood Feminism. The idea is that committing to intersectional feminism that includes trans women, women of color, and disabled women means understanding feminist issues are inherently variable and not always immediately recognizable as feminist issues. Kendall explains, “A one-size-fits-all approach to feminism is damaging because it alienates the very people it is supposed to serve, without ever managing to support them” (3). So, while feminism is about the promotion of gender equality, that is just an element of feminism. The role of active feminists is to be aware that more than just a person’s gender impacts their access to rights and services. While I would also recommend reading bell hooks and other excellent feminist writers, I appreciate Kendall’s explanation here.

Feminist literary critics have also looked at how romance can talk about the complexities of feminist issues within their story framework. Avidly Reads Guilty Pleasures by Arielle Zibrak understands the ways romance novels are a source of feminine media culture some associate with shame and censure, reflecting that the Western world often diminishes feminine interests and pursuits. All that is to say, romances have been praised for centering feminist interests and issues like love, job security, equal partnership, and reproductive rights."

[inkcurlsandknives]

Thinking about what makes a compelling narrative

I've been watching and reading a lot of anime/manga and romance lately. They're one of my comfort genres. Way too many real life terrible things have been happening for me to be able to experience escapism into anything with a hint of grimdark. For example right now I'm watching My Happy Marriage/Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon, which is an Anime/Manga/light novel romance. It is blatantly a Cinderella story, where all the villain's are cartoonish-ly evil, while the MC is simply a cinnamon roll, too sweet, too soft and good for this world. The whole thing should not hang together as a functional or even strong narrative, much less a show both my partner and I are enjoying wholeheartedly.

I think it's secret is that it is completely and utterly earnest. I think as an audience we're more willing to suspend disbelief and go along for the ride when a story wears it's beating heart on its sleeve. I think a huge weakness of a lot of popular western media and fiction is that it feels like everyone is allergic to sincerity. Everyone's too busy cracking a glib one-liner or being grimdark and gritty to care deeply and honestly.

It's something that a lot of anime/manga and the romance genre at large has completely embraced. Even media that is actually quite dark like Jujitsu Kaisen or Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba feels like a breath of fresh air because of how earnest the protagonists are. Romance books have this in spades, some of my favorites have been, The Sun is Also a Star, Get a Life Chloe Brown, and The Devil Comes Courting.

I think a lot of the time we're too ready to turn up our noses at narratives and characters that care and care deeply. Writers will say it' simplistic, or a character archetype that's overdone. But I think the first step of getting your audience to care is to have characters who care, and to not be shy about it. Let the audience care with your characters, let stories be earnest and sincere and wear their hearts on their sleeves. Not everything has to be a clever twist or a joke or afraid of real feeling, and we do ourselves and the stories we tell a disservice when we tell ourselves that sincerity and earnestness are trite and only serious grim and hopeless things are real and engaging.

One thing I always strive for in my own stories is to have characters who care and care deeply, and often for conflicting things.

[bookcub]

Book Review: When the Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan

Courtney Milan is one of the few historical romance authors I consistently enjoy but this might have been my favorite of her historical ones!! I think Milan effortlessly incorporates social commentary into her books, the contemporary feeling relevant even in a different time without feeling like a lecture, instead she shows you the emotion of these real life events.

Amelia was very funny but underneath her sweet exterior, I related to that listlessness she felt and how confused she initially felt. I also relate to how quickly she jumps from topic to topic. And although I loved the romance (they had great chemistry) I thought her personal growth and community connections really filled the book with life.

Some of the side plots were a little distracting, like Benedict's journey didn't matter much to me even though I had been introduced to him to previous books, so little happened, it felt a little frivolous. I wanted more to justify why it was included.

Grayson's arc was also good, I was less invested in his than Amelia's but they were a very good pairing and again, love letters in a romance!!

The ending of the book is especially solid, the last third of the book is extremely satisfying. It makes me tear up.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes romance novels, especially those who want them to have plot outside of the romance. 5 out of 5 stars.

[mediaevalmusereads]

Ok, more specific recs if you want historical romance with working class characters:

At Least One Character is Working Class

Ana Maria and the Fox by Liana de la Rosa - M/F, an heiress and an MP

The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan - M/F, a sauce-maker and a duke

Vampires of El Norte by Isabela Canas - M/F, an heiress and a vaquero

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by Cat Sebastian - M/M, a disgraces gentleman and a tavern keeper

Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare - M/F, daughter of a children's book author and a duke

Marry Me By Midnight by Felicia Grossman - M/F, heiress and a synagogue custodian

Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan - M/F, a fortune teller and a marquess

Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare - M/F, a barmaid and a duke

Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh - M/F, a soap maker and a duke

The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare - M/F, a seamstress and a duke

Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas - M/F, an impoverished heiress and a business owner

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare - M/F, a governess and a duke

Duke of My Heart by Kelly Bowen - M/F, a private investigator and a duke

Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean - M/F, a lady and a criminal

True Pretenses by Rose Lerner - M/F, an heiress and a conman

Sweet Disorder by Rose Lerner - M/F, a newspaperman's widow and a war vet

Both Are Working Class

The Marquis Who Mustn't by Courtney Milan - M/F, an innkeeper and a potter

An Unseen Attraction by KJ Charles - M/M, an innkeeper and a taxidermist

Hen Fever by Olivia Waite - F/F, a soldier's widow and a poultry farmer

Beauty and the Blacksmith by Tessa Dare - M/F, a gentlewoman (not nobility) and a blacksmith

The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan - M/F, a missionary's adopted daughter and a telegraph line worker

A Lady By Midnight by Tessa Dare - M/F, a music teacher and a corporal

Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins - M/F, a cook and a business owner

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews - M/F, a working class woman and a tailor

The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham - M/F, a lady libertine and an architect

Something Like Love by Beverly Jenkins - M/F, a seamstress and a bandit

The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan - M/F, a governess and a duke's servant

Unraveled by Courtney Milan - M/F, a criminal and a magistrate

[cosmicangst]

Hello! Do you have any favorite romance novels to recommend that are not YA? Thanks!

OH THE PANDORAS BOX YOUVE OPENED ANON ehem a not so exhaustive list

historical romance (this is my main genre so there's more books here)

bringing down the duke and a rogue of one's own by evie dunmore - part of a series but both can be read as stand-alones. victorian period ft suffragettes. the second one in particular is my absolute favorite. it's very Gender with an insouciant dandy and an ambitious activist leader, both lonely and stubborn.

the brothers sinister series (especially the countess conspiracy) and the turner trilogy by courtney milan - will admit i read these books a bit ago so i don't remember much of the details only to say that courtney is a brilliant romance writer so i automatically trust her any time i read her books. she makes the unromantic very romantic in a very grounded way. for example in one of the brothers sinister books, the couple has sex for the first time and it turns out to be understandably mediocre. but this becomes a starting off point that actually brings them closer together. i just love the touch of realism and imperfection she brings in a genre that's built off of heightened emotions and almost fantastical perfection in relationships.

the devil comes courting by courtney milan - separate rec because this is part of another series which i haven't fully read yet. but i just had to add this because i find it remarkably unique among the genre. the events span years (rather than the shortened time frame of most romance novels) and a large part of the courtship is epistolary. it's also interracial and does not feature a white person! (heroine is chinese and hero is black.) one of those hr books that is equally historical fiction as it is romance and explores a period that i think hasn't been touched upon as much yet.

a week to be wicked by tessa dare - the best romcom-y hr ive read! it's a zany road trip with a romance that happens so gradually it really does sneak up on you which is the best kind.

the belle of belgrave square by mimi matthews - marriage of convenience. read this recently and every plot beat was absolutely perfect. the reveals, the commitment between them, everything just made sense. nothing was extraneous.

convergence of desire by felicity niven - also marriage of convenience. I LOVE THIS HEROINE. she's on the spectrum and he has a toxic relationship to sex. he is absolutely not attracted to her in the beginning but the honesty she gives to him while she pursues her own ambitions has him absolutely at her feet by the end.

my deceitful duchess by aydra richards - nerdy virgin ass hero which is a breath of fresh air from all these alpha males. has one of the best grovels over a misunderstanding that absolutely makes sense and isn't contrived 👌👌👌

when beauty tamed the beast by eloisa james - read this a long time ago but this is the first romance book i read so i have a lot of fondness over it. a kind-of retelling of beauty and the beast. top notch banter.

suddenly you by lisa kleypas - older heroine and younger hero! virgin spinster and novelist starts a fwb relationship with her publisher. a bit dated but still a fun read.

devil in winter by lisa kleypas - oh very dated but a classic amongst the romance community. marriage of convenience. the hero sebastian is both loved and reviled (and rightfully so i think) by his readers but i just have so much fondness for evie and the way she absolutely does not give a shit about how intimidating he is.

a rogue by any other name by sarah maclean - childhood friends reunite years later. read this a loooong time ago and i don't remember much except he does the absolute most to push her away because of Revenge reasons and the fallout from that is delicious

a lady's guide to fortune hunting by sophie irwin - MY CURRENT LOVE. enemies to lovers with my favorite heroine. she is cunning and scheming and absolutely shameless without being a complete asshole. the hero is also equally savvy enough to match her wit and catch onto her grift. the interplay between them of trying to outscheme the other is hilarious and delightful.

contemporary:

georgie, all along by kate clayborn - sweet, slow romance where the drama happens around the couple rather than between them except for the very end and even that is handled pretty maturely. not a big fan of third act breakups in general unless it's for a very good reason so this one sidesteps that by not prolonging it.

against a wall by cate c. wells - small town enemies to lovers. one of those read with your pussy books. hero is kind of a dumb brick but he knows it and owns it and i admire him for it. heroine is the town pariah and spoilers he literally fights the whole town for her sake. get you a man!

the kiss quotient and the bride test by helen hoang - both feature leads on the spectrum. i've seen criticism regarding how she handles neurodivergent characters but reading her author's note, i can tell she definitely pulls a lot from her own experiences being on the spectrum herself so i don't really understand the crit tbh. kind of veers to melodrama a little at the very end but i eat that shit up

the hating game by sally thorne - overexposed now in the rec circles but still a mainstay for a reason. enemies to lovers workplace romance with two leads that are kind of deranged which i love. great prose, great banter.

the billionaire's wake-up call girl by annika martin - billionaires have no rights but just suspend your head for a sec. they could have made him a millionaire and functionally nothing would've changed. anyway also a yummy enemies to lovers with a case of mistaken identity.

well met by jen deluca - kind of like georgie, all along in that the heart of it is just two very normal people falling in love in a very normal way that feels true to life. setting is a renaissance fair which is delightful.

kiss an angel by susan elizabeth phillips - dated as all hell and has some troubling parts with a batshit premise. but the last several chapters honestly make the book and i reread it from time to time so im obligated to include it on this list.

bass-ackwards by eris adderly - okay TW on workplace harassment BUT JUST READ PAST CHAPTER TWO I PROMISE. if it's still not your cup of tea totally understand but anyway... er, workplace romance.

people we meet on vacation by emily henry - ive described this book before as when harry meets sally if harry and sally were making a travelogue. the best friends to lovers pining is actually painful.

other/kinda out there:

radiance by grace draven - arranged marriage interspecies romance! i love this one because both of them thinks the other is actually very ugly so they fall in love purely through their friendship.

transcendence by shay savage - OK LMAO hear me out: caveman and a modern human sent back in time due to shenanigans all from the caveman's pov. the premise is batshit and it's obvious which fandom this was originally a fanfic for if you think about it for more than a second but this author makes it work???? have no fucking clue how she did it but by god she absolutely did

last light by claire kent - apocalypse romance. kind of road trip with survival elements. again i just love unlikely romances where the couple isn't that attracted to each other from the start and having that gradually change through time in a way thats not signposting to the audience.

ghost walk by cassandra gannon - funniest shit ever. ghost who died in the revolutionary era meets a psychic who works as a walking tour guide and recovering from a nervous breakdown. absolutely ridiculous and over the top. insta love which i normally dont like but this was so campy and fun i didn't even care

all cishet but you can find my queer recs here

[shsenhaji]

📚 July Reading Round-Up 📚

I was able to finish a few books this month, and I also did a delightful deep dive into more of Courtney Milan's books

- House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J Maas (Amazing, such a good conclusion, rollercoaster, so many callbacks and references to previous books, saving the day through the power of love and friendship, JJ!, breathless action scenes, rough at first for most characters but things get better, so many good lines and quotes)

- Gild by Raven Kennedy (Re-read, took a while to get into but still enjoyable, noticed new things, really liked the ending, a lot of powerful messages)

- First Test: The Graphic Novel by Tamora Pierce, Becca Farrow and Devin Grayson (Lovely and cute, appreciated the art style as I read more, Numair!!!, glad it exists, loved seeing Kel in all her glory)

- The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan (Took me a bit to fully buy in, so fun and delightful and emotional and such a good resolution, low angst and high comfort and growth and being loved)

- The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan (Delightful, so emotional, felt so seen, Amelia is peak ADHD, definitely cried, loved the references to Uncles John and Henry!)

- The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan (Delightful and powerful and angry and cute, amazing relationship, loved the ending, really appreciated the author’s note)

- Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror by W. Scott Poole (Good, compelling, learned a lot, author was very descriptive and vivid with his phrasing and language, didn’t agree with all his hot takes but found them interesting nonetheless, the book got better as I read more)

- These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (Very good, loved the action scenes, great political and societal commentary, liked the relationships and the sympathetic characters, lots of queer characters, appreciated that the author committed to the gangster bit)

- Glint by Raven Kennedy (Re-read, read it in practically two sittings (didn’t want to stop reading), a bit frustrated at the characters but got over it, excited to try the next book again)

[thatgirlonstage]

Book Collage 2023

Collage of all the books I’ve read in 2023! This has been a fun little pet project for me for the past few months; I just really enjoy seeing all the covers together and playing around with organizing them in a way that looks cool. What’s included: all books (regardless of format), short stories, graphic novels, art books, VNs/multimedia novels, and poetry that I completed reading in 2023 (would include zines or plays as well except I don’t think I read any, at least not cover to cover). What’s not included: individual news/nonfiction articles, fanfiction (mostly bc it’s so much harder to track — I’m considering altering this next year if I do this again), individual chapters of ongoing serials (eg every new Black Butler chapter or Wayne Family Adventures episode from this year), works shared with me by friends that are not available to the general public, anything that was not archived in my Goodreads list that I forgot about before I decided to do this lol. Yes I did spend the last week figuring out what short things I had saved to read that I could use to fill in any holes.

NB: This is a value-neutral collection of things I read this year, not a rec list. Some of these are beloved favorites I am rereading for the tenth time. Some of them are new-to-me books that I absolutely loathed. Feel free to ask my opinion if you’d like to know what I thought of a specific book.

Thanks again to @fluffyblue-multifandommess for recommending software to make this with!!

ID/Book list below the cut

First Row: Black Butler Artworks 1 by Toboso Yana | The Cain Saga: Series 1: forgotten juliet by Yuki Kaori | Sachi’s Monstrous Appetite: Volume 1 by Chomoran | The Worth Saga: Once upon a Marquess by Courtney Milan | Sachi’s Monstrous Appetite: Volume 2 by Chomoran | The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin | The Worth Saga: After the Wedding by Courtney Milan | Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen | Sachi’s Monstrous Appetite: Volume 5 by Chomoran | The Worth Saga: The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan | Sachi’s Monstrous Appetite: Volume 6 by Chomoran | The Cain Saga: Series 4: the seal of the red ram, part 2 by Yuki Kaori | Black Butler Artworks 2 by Toboso Yana

Second Row: The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red by Martha Wells | The Cain Saga: Volume 2: the sound of a boy hatching by Yuki Kaori | The Murderbot Diaries: Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells | Saga: Volume 10 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples | Sachi’s Monstrous Appetite: Volume 3 by Chomoran | The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal by Clint, Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy and Carey Pietsch | Sachi’s Monstrous Appetite: Volume 4 by Chomoran | Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ko Hyung-Ju, and Ryan Estrada | The Murderbot Diaries: Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory by Martha Wells | The Cain Saga: Series 4: the seal of the red ram, part 1 by Yuki Kaori | The Murderbot Diaries: Network Effect by Martha Wells

Third Row: Tracking Song by Gene Wolfe | The Murderbot Diaries: The Future of Work: Compulsory by Martha Wells | Salt Magic, Skin Magic by Lee Welch | The Murderbot Diaries: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells | The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited by Clint, Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy and Carey Pietsch | The Murderbot Diaries: Exit Strategy by Martha Wells | Earthsea: The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin | The Cain Saga: Series 3: kafka by Yuki Kaori | Earthsea: The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin | The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Volume One by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu | The Adventure Zone: Crystal Kingdom by Clint, Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy and Carey Pietsch | The Murderbot Diaries: Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells | Sketchbook Number 1 by Zack Morrison | The Murderbot Diaries: System Collapse by Martha Wells | This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Fourth Row: Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 9 by Bisco Hatori | Inner Demons: The Art of Michelle Fus by Michelle Fus | The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins by Clint, Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy and Carey Pietsch | The Sawbones Book: The Horrifying, Hilarious Road to Modern Medicine by Dr. Sydnee and Justin McElroy | The Last Binding: A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske | Radiance: The Necromancer’s Light by Tavia Lark | Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao | Fence: Volume Three by C.S Pacat | The Green Bone Saga: Jade War by Fonda Lee | Perilous Courts: Prince and Assassin by Tavia Lark | Doomsday Books: The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J Charles | As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride by Cary Elwes | The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour by Clint, Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy and Carey Pietsch | Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 18 by Bisco Hatori

Fifth Row: The Witcher: Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 10 by Bisco Hatori | Dark Rise Book 2: Dark Heir by C.S Pacat | Dear Senthuran by Akwaeke Emezi | The Last Binding: A Restless Truth by Freya Marske | Radiance: The Paladin’s Shadow by Tavia Lark | Fence: Volume Two by C.S Pacat | Fence: Volume One by C.S Pacat | Fence: Volume Four: Rivals by C.S Pacat | Perilous Courts: Prince in Disguise by Tavia Lark | Doomsday Books: If He Had His Legs We’d Be In So Much Trouble by K.J Charles | Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree | The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 17 by Bisco Hatori | InCryptid: Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire

Sixth Row: Whyborne & Griffin: Balefire by Jordan L. Hawk | A Charm of Magpies: The Magpie Lord by K.J Charles | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 11 by Bisco Hatori | Crush by Richard Siken | The Last Binding: A Power Unbound by Freya Marske | Radiance: The Sword-Witch’s Heart by Tavia Lark | Spitfire by Maya Kern | Fence: Volume Five: Rise by C.S Pacat | The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen | Perilous Courts: Prince and Pawn by Tavia Lark | Doomsday Books: A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by K.J Charles | The Wandering Inn: Volume One by PirateAba | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 16 by Bisco Hatori | Montague Siblings: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee | Six of Crows Book 2: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Seventh Row: Feminine Pursuits: The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite | Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (trans. Simon Armitage, perf. Bill Wallis) | Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (trans. Brian Stone) | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 12 by Bisco Hatori | 17776: an American football story by Jon Bois | Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud | Soul of Sovereignty: Prelude by gigidigi | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 15 by Bisco Hatori | Gentle Art: The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K.J Charles | Gentle Art: A Thief in the Night by K.J Charles | Gentle Art: A Rose by Any Name by K.J Charles

Eighth Row: Nimona by [ND] Stevenson | A Safe Place to Land by boneturtle | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 13 by Bisco Hatori | The Enigma of Amigara Fault by Junji Ito | The Sandman: Volume 7: Brief Lives by Neil Gaiman | A Mutual Interest by Alec J. Marsh | The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book by Neil Gaiman | The Sentence by Lousie Erdrich | Ouran High School Host Club: Volume 14 by Bisco Hatori | We All Need To Get By by Lyn Weaver | Always Human: Love and Gravity by Ari North

Ninth Row: Black Butler Artworks 4 by Toboso Yana | Soul Eater: The Perfect Edition: Volume 5 by Ohkubo Atsushi | Memento Mori: Madison Square Murders by C.S Poe | Baal’s Heart: Caged: Love and Treachery on the High Seas by Bey Deckard | Soul Eater: The Perfect Edition: Volume 6 by Ohkubo Atsushi | Sugar & Vice: Liar City by Allie Therin | Memento Mori: Subway Slayings by C.S Poe | Roaring Twenties Magic: Once a Rogue by Allie Therin | Soul Eater: The Perfect Edition: Volume 7 by Ohkubo Atsushi | Reforged by Seth Haddon | Memento Mori: Broadway Butchery by C.S Poe | Soul Eater: The Perfect Edition: Volume 8 by Ohkubo Atsushi | Black Butler Artworks 3 by Toboso Yana

[spookfished]

nov 2023 media roundup

hello again :3 welcome to the world from 2024!! im doing backlogs of media reviews lol. well i was really busy. and then i was super busy playing umineko!! looking back at this month, it seems like i didnt read a whole lot this month, but then i forgot that ruzhui is literally 300 chapters long. so.. a couple of these i read uh quite a few months ago by now so the review might be a bit stale. however i had like 80% of this written for several weeks so theres only a couple! this will be posted on my neocities at some point

books:

ruzhui by please dont laugh: f/f. after a terrible breakup, college yun an is happy to leave her life behind for some TIME TRAVEL! but while disguising herself as a man to avoid discrimination, she gets looped into a matrilocal marriage with businesswoman lin buxian?! intended as a fluffy palate cleanser after pdl's previous work a clear and muddy loss of love, i think it still kinda ended up getting mired in politics two thirds of the way in, when a lot of us were here for the moments with miss malewife yun an and her powerhouse wife? on the other hand, its hard to stretch out fluff for an entire 300 chapters without contriviances. i also really enjoyed how it managed to balance like. idk. 'returning to the simple emotions of the past' with 'holy shit guys the past actually sucked ass lmfao'. its a pretty relaxing read, so id recommend checking it out if youre into f/f!

the devil comes courting by courtney milan: f/m romance. can romance bloom while trying to create the first telegraphic encoding for chinese...? sooo cute im a huge fan of courtney milan as always. surprisingly goes into some pretty heavy topics including like. forced assimilation via child stealing?????? i thought it was well handled though the ldr stuff and the way amelia grows as a person was soo nice

the marquis who mustnt by courtney milan: f/m romance. the son of a conman returns home for one final trick. meanwhile, naomi just wants to take her medic class. the two become engaged on false premises and of course, catch feelings. once again extremely cute im very charmed. also liked the pottery details :3 i think in every fake engagement the whole 'pretending to themselves they dont have feelings' is a little ridiculous so i liked that they just like. acknowledged it at the outset. i think its honestly more compelling to be like 'yes my feelings are sincere and true however X still outweighs '. loove a guy shackled by duty

wandering souls by cecile pin: follows anh and her two siblings, refugees of the vietnam war. ok honestly i dont remember a lot about this book :( sorry but i did like it! its a really fast read and made me really sad so id recommend. (DISCLAIMER: AMERICAN) i also feel like i dont read a lot of non-american diaspora books so thats pretty interesting as well. nice prose also :]

detransition baby by torrey peters: a trans woman who yearns for motherhood, her detransitioned ex-boyfriend, and his pregnant partner struggle to find a way to live--together, or apart? ok sorry this is another review written in january so its kinda weighted more negatively. i had a LOT of thoughts about this in november but i forgot most of them. this novel is a deep look into a very specific kind of queer subculture--a subculture which is both very white and very annoying. sorry. the characters feel like a vivid, true-to-life depiction of the poeple i try to avoid at my little liberal arts college. however, it ALSO feels like the kind of really good gossip that you love to hear secondhand. also, the author shoehorns in discussions of race in ways that are really jarring and also, kinda bad? i honestly really loved the inner voices of all the characters which is why it sucked when i got to suddenly read a copy-pasted twitter thread about intersectional oppression instead. (especially coming from the mouth of a cis wasian woman..?) it feels all the more tokenistic since we immediately go back to the inner struggles of ames and reese instead. ugh. however, it sparked some really interesting conversations with me and my friends. i also got to learn more about ah i guess transfem detransition? as opposed to transmasc detransition. they are very different! um but i guess id recommend?

comics/manga:

surviving romance: action/horror webtoon?? the woman living in the body of a romance novel character is determined to get her picture-perfect happy ever after-- at all costs. everything goes according to plan until the day zombies attack the school. chaerin is forced to bond with the faceless extras of her story, and find out what is rotting at the core of *love every day*. very solid writing!! i like how the author gradually introduces characters, and how the tension ratchets up as more people to care for becomes more people that can be lost. definitely goes into some orv-lite type themes, which i appreciated. i guess my only complaint is that despite the solid execution it didnt really ~wow~ me in any way... still worth checking out though :3

run away with me girl by battan: f/f romanceish? two high school lovers meet again after midori decided that their relationship was just a childish whim. but even though midori has decided shes straight (and is married with a kid on the way!), maki still has feelings for her. dude soooo cute the art style is not personally my thing but i felt like all of the characters were really grounded and the introspective parts were really interesting. some beautifully atmospheric parts! would recommend :3 witch hat atelier kitchen (reread) by shirahama kamome: a spinoff of witch hat atelier, where the two teachers qifrey and olrugio make food together after hours! gorgeous art as always, and some cute recipes too! i reread this since an official english translation came out lol. monotone blue: short furry m/m about apathetic, aloof cat hachi, who meets aoi--a shy transfer student who happens to be the only lizard in the whole school. pretty lighthearted for the most part, but also heavily implied a sexual assault scene?? or at least the vibes?? in a way that treated it far too lightly and left a bad taste in my mouth. possibly worth reading for the art, but idk :/ definitely falls into the romance trap of having a love interest go "ill save you from these bad guys!" for like a cheap plot device and then not really going into it

movies/tv:

parasite: class-focused comedic thriller? the kim family finds a way out of choking poverty by working for the extremely affluent park family. its almost too easy--until it isnt. man everyone says parasite is so good. AND IT IS!!! i cant believe i took so long to see this movie i got to see it with some friends over thanksgiving break and it was so good :] had me stressed for my fucking life sitting at the edge of my seat. has a lot of meat to bite into analysis-wise but is also just so crushing in many ways.. the ending stuck in my head for a long time. rewatching it this january was honestly more stressful in some ways haha

revolutionary girl utena: allegory-heavy commentary on shoujo and princess narratives and the nature of heroism and-- f/f. utena is a girl who aspires to be just like the prince of her dreams. she is somehow wrapped up into an engagement with anthy himemiya, who calls herself "the rose bride." ahhhh i still havent watched the last two episodes actually. people always say "utena is a fantastic show but PLEASE mind every single trigger warning" and its true! utena tackles some really heavy subjects in a way that is delicate, understated, and vicious. i watched a bunch of these episodes late at night in the computer lab and they honestly left me breathless. has so many layers of symbolism to dig through that it can honestly be overwhelming, but also very compelling just on the surface! watch utena. also watch this amv https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THN3gYKYojs

the wonderful story of henry sugar: a netflix adaptation of one of roald dahls stories (within a story). it was cute :3 not a lot of sticking power lol but i think this is the first wes anderson production ive ever watched. very visually distinctive!

video games:

lethal company: cooperative horror game about trying to collect garbage in a dystopically capitalist world ft. proximity chat! dude this game is blowing tf up i tried playing it with neil but 1. we are huge pussies 2. its really only feasible with 3+ people

music:

TILT by nanoray: anime breakcore is one of my truly guilty pleasures. i see the anime girl on the cover and cringe a little bit HOWEVER nanoray is a really good artist. the intro is so liquid... i think the album as a whole really just sweeps you up into a groove. some of my favorite tracks are into and DOGWALK2000 THE LONELIEST TIME by carly rae jepsen: i was so mean to carly rae jepsen in middle school. im so sorry miss jepsen i was just so tired of hearing call me maybe everywhere. im now a changed man. just a really well constructed pop album 👍admittedly not as iconic to me as emotion, but joshua tree and talking to yourself are my favorites atm SAYONARA WILD HEARTS OST: ive never played sayonara wildheart, but i think its a rhythm game about girls fighting each other on motorcycles? with bisexual lighting and tarot cards? but anyways this is a synth-y lush pop album thats super fun! it feels like it tells a story (probably bc it does) and it always makes me want to listen all the way through :3 my favorites are sayonara wild heart and their clair de lune remix

anyways if you read to the end, thanks as always! its really interesting to try and condense my thoughts about something into one paragraph.. sometimes its easier than others huh! im almost done with the december one so please look forward to that 👍

[sometimesrosy]

Do you want to share some titles of your historical romance?

Some of the books I love? Sure. I'll try. I'm not great with names and titles (they start blending together imo), but these historical romances often go in series anyway.

So lets say you saw Bridgerton and loved it and wanted more. Definitely read Julia Quinn. I thought the first season was a good adaptation of The Duke and I, but there was no reason to add that awful sister-love triangle. The book was funnier, more romantic and less soapy. Although the casting is amazing. I like all eight of the books but the third (which they are skipping out of order for some reason) is actually my least favorite. Cinderella story but just a bit boring imo.

My first reintroduction to Historical (I read A Rose in Winter by Kathleen E Woodiwiss as comfort reading when I was a teen. It's old fashioned by our standards) was Lisa Kleypas, particularly the Wallflower series (Devil in Winter is famous [maybe infamous]) The Hathaways, and the Ravenels, which is still going. They all share characters and a universe but the Ravenels is the next generation.

Tessa Dare is more of a romcom vibe and her books tend to be a little lighter. Spindle Cove is about a little resort village full of spinsters, bluestockings and scandalized ladies. (A Week to be Wicked is on everyone's favorite list.) Also Girl Meets Duke and Castles Ever After series. Tessa hasn't put out a book since the quarantine so we're still waiting for the next Girl Meets Duke.

Courtney Milan is also a favorite. She's half Chinese and an ex lawyer and famously shut down the Romance Writers Association for racism the month before the quarantine. She's very active on twitter. I loved the Brother's Sinister (especially Countess Conspiracy and Suffragette Scandal) and... oh look I haven't read the other series but I did read two other books.The Devil Comes Courting, set in China with a Chinese engineer heroine and The Duke Who Didn't, with a half Chinese duke and a Chinese woman living in a little village full of immigrants.

Oh. Right now my historical romance book club is doing a season of Cat Sebastian, who mostly writes queer romances. Not mostly. She writes queer romances. Even her m/f pairings are queer. Bisexual, non binary, asexual, etc. A good portion of them are MLM and some are WLW. One of my favorites so far was Unmasked by the Marquess, where a house maid dresses as her charge's dead brother so she can get her a good marriage and ooops. Falls in love with the pan marquess.

You know. I could literally go on and on with this. So let me just end with some authors. I'll mark if they're on kindle unlimited so you can try them out without $$$)

Lorraine Heath

Elisa Braden (kindle unlimited)

SM LaViolette aka Minerva Spencer (kindle unlimited)

Eloisa James

Beverly Jenkins (Ms. Bev, she writes Black american stories)

Joanna Shupe (she mostly write Gilded Age american stories set in NYC)

Mary Balogh (not quite as spicy, lots of trauma healing, welsh)

Stacy Reid (kindle unlimited and hit or miss for me but I loved her latest The Wolf and the Wildflower [tarzan H+h who dresses as a man to be a psychiatrist it's bonkers]) Stacy is black but her characters are mainly white.

Sarah MacLean

Kerrigan Byrne (kindle unlimited)

I hope that helps. :)

[lisareadsthings]

Best Books of 2022

I love me a good end-of-year book list. This was a solid reading year, though I seem to have firmly settled into a post-pandemic pattern of reading significantly less than I did in the before times--one of the few perks of my pre-pandemic commute was lots of dedicated audiobook time.

Here's a few of the highlights:

Overall: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

I rarely power through a book in a day or two anymore, but I did with this one. Intertwined stories, "literary" science fiction, writing about a pandemic that was somehow honest and brutal but not completely depressing to read while living through a pandemic.

Book that made me think the most: How to Read Now by Helen Castillo

This essay collection may win for book with the most highlights. Convincingly makes the argument that there is no such thing as apolitical reading.

Honorable mention to Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution by Elie Mystal for asking "What if we faced up to the fact that the Constitution is trash?"

Best book about characters being kind to one another: The Tea Dragon Society by K. O'Neill

Beautiful artwork. I want a tea dragon. Literally, just about characters being kind and gentle with each other.

Honorable mention to Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree for also being about characters being kind to one another but also introducing my hero, Thimble.

Best self-help: Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab

Learning how to set boundaries has been one of the hardest things I've done as an adult. I think most people I know should read it, and I'll definitely be coming back to this book in the future.

Honorable mention to How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis because I also think most people should read it.

Best historical fiction: Matrix by Lauren Groff

Lesbian separatist nuns.

Honorable mention to The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel because I finally finished this series!!! Also, these books are great.

Best romance: The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan

This one is tough because I don't think The Devil Comes Courting is a great capital-R romance; the characters are kept apart most of the book, and they're less interesting together than apart. But it is still a romance and is better than any other romance I read this year.

Honorable mention to Kiss Her Once for Me by Allison Cochrun because it was a solid, sapphic holiday romance.

[genius-species]

What I Read in 2022

I read 88 books in 2022. Mostly romance (37) followed by adult science fiction and fantasy (13).

I also read a vast amount of fan-fiction, but I don’t track fic on my reading list (which I’ve kept as a .txt file on various computers since 2006).

Best Romance:

Husband Material by Alexis Hall - a lot of folks hated the ending of this one. No spoilers, but I adored it. The ending was perfectly in character for Luc and Oliver. I’m really looking forward to Hall’s upcoming 10 Things That Never Happened (which features Jonathan, an mildly unpleasant minor character in Husband Material) which comes out in October 2023.

Evie Dunmore’s historical romances were a new find for me this year, and I liked them a lot. Grumpy men! Spunky women! Hot sex! What’s not to like? The fourth book (about Catriona! My favorite, as she too is deeply introverted and has uncontrollable hair!) has no publication date on Dunmore’s website, but Amazon says it publishes in September.

KD Casey’s baseball romances were also very fun. I’ve long been a fan of Taylor Fitzpatrick’s extended hockey romance universe; I enjoyed athlete romances for a difference sport.

Most Likely to Effect Actual Change in My Life:

400 Friends and No One to Call by Val Walker - everyone who is lonely should read this book. It’s the first self-help book I’ve read that provides concrete advice for expanding your circle of support/socialization.

Out of Thin Air: Running Wisdom and Magic from Above the Clouds in Ethiopia by Michael Crawley - an anthropologist and 2:20 marathoner goes to Ethopia to study running. Hoping to put lessons from this book into practice in my own running in the coming year.

Honorable mention to Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution by Peter Calms. I’m still thinking about “humanure” and admiring the depth of his commitment.

Recommended:

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas - The world-building is superb. Yadriel’s family doesn’t accept him as a brujo because he’s trans. When Yadriel accidentally brings Julian Diaz back from the dead, everybody is going to Learn Something (especially Yadriel’s family). Also (I feel like this is not a spoiler since the book is published by the Swoon Reads imprint) Yadriel and Julian’s romance is delightful.

See No Stranger by Valerie Kaur - Kaur is a Sikh American and an activist and filmmaker. I wish I could have 1/10th the compassion and grace under pressure that she does.

T. Kingfisher - Ursula Vernon is going on my short-ish list of authors who I will read based on name alone, i.e. the “I’d-read-their-grocery-list-writers.” She consistently delights. I adore the Paladins.

Goals for 2023

A more balanced book-diet. I’d like to read more broadly across genres (I read very historical nonfiction this year) and across time (the majority of what I read was published in the 21st century). 

I’d also like to improve my (very rudimentary) Spanish language skills by reading picture books en español.

What did you read this year?

Romance:

Isn't It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

A Delicate Deception by Cat Sebastian

If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy

Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore

The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan

The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan

After the Wedding by Courtney Milan

The Turner Series (An Enhanced Box Set) by Courtney Milan

The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

A Novella Collection by Courtney Milan

Lady Notorious by Theresa Romain

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

One Dance With a Duke by Tessa Dare

A Sedition Affair by KJ Charles

Any Old Diamonds by KJ Charles

Gilded Cage by KJ Charles

The Sugared Game by KJ Charles

Subtle Blood by KJ Charles

Slippery Creatures KJ Charles

Husband Material by Alexis Hall

Fire Season by KD Casey

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Unwritten Rules by KD Casey

Selfie by Amy Lane

Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian

The Missing Page by Cat Sebastian

Tommy Cabot Was Here by Cat Sebastian

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

Mr. Malcom's List by Suzanne Allain

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev

Nonfiction - Self-Help:

Indistractable by Nir Eyal

The Home Edit by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski

It's Not You: 27 Wrong Reasons You're Single by Sara Eckel

400 Friends and No One to Call by Val Walker

Meet the Frugalwoods: Achieving Financial Independent Through Simple Living by Elizabeth Willard Thames

Nonfiction - YA

The Radium Girls: Young Readers Edition by Kate Moore

Awesome Ospreys: Fishing Birds of the World by Donna Love and Joyce Mihran Turley

The Puffin Plan: Restoring Seabirds to Egg Rock and Beyond by Stephen W. Kress and Derrick Z. Jackson

Nonfiction - Memoir/Personal Experience/Art

From Field and Forest by Anna Koska

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

Mergers and Acquisitions by Cate Doty

Out of Thin Air: Running Wisdom and Magic from Above the Clouds in Ethiopia by Michael Crawley

I Never Thought of It That Way by Monica Guzman

As Simple as That: Collected Essays by Edie Clark

The Maine House by Maura McEvoy, Basha Burwell, and Kathleen Hackett

Best. State. Ever. A Florida Man Defends His Homeland by Dave Barry

See No Stranger by Valerie Kaur

Sci-Fi/Fantasy - YA

Dark Rise by C. S. Pascat

Terciel & Elinor by Garth Nix

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon

The Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones

Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Adult

Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows

Captive Prince by CS Pascat

Prince's Gambit by CS Pascat

Kings Rising by CS Pascat

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske

Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell

The Angel of the Crows by Catherine Addison

Provenance by Ann Leckie

Nonfiction - Craft

Craft in the Real World by Michael Salesses

Nonfiction - History

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels by Jon Meacham

The Women Who Saved the English Countryside by Matthew Kelly

Nonfiction - Science/Environment

Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution by Peter Calms

What If? by Randall Munroe

Science Matters by Robert M. Hazen

Microadventures by Alistair Humphreys

Zero Waste by Shia Su

Expecting Better by Emily Oster

All Things Reconsidered: My Birding Adventures by Roger Tory Peterson, edited by Bill Thompson III

Black and White Styles in Conflict by Thomas Kochman

Mystery

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray

Classics/Poetry

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson

Hard Times by Charles Dickens

[mediaevalmusereads]

A few recs for my followers, if interested:

KJ Charles, Olivia Waite, and Cat Sebastian all write queer/lgbt+ romances set in the 19th century (some will be Regency, some later). Charles in particular has a whole series (Society of Gentlemen) which might work for you (though some characters are upper class).

Courtney Milan usually has stories set post-Regency, but not quite full-blown Victorian. Some good ones without upper class: The Marquis Who Mustn't (no actual marquis), The Devil Comes Courting, and The Governess Affair. Unraveled is also good.

If you don't mind moving away from England, try Beverly Jenkins and Alyssa Cole. They write about the Old West, the Civil War, etc. 19th Century America.

Tess Dare has a couple, but my favorite is Beauty and the Blacksmith. A Lady By Midnight might also work for you, though there are some upper class shenanigans in that one.

Mimi Matthews has a few, though they're later than Regency. Try The Siren of Sussex first.

Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas features a heroine whose family is on the brink of ruin. She grapples with the benefits of marrying a man who isn't a member of the peerage. He's rich, but owns a business, so it's up to you if that counts as upper class.

The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham features a lady libertine and an architect.

Rose Lerner has a few romances about working class people all set in the same town (Lively St. Lemeston). I liked True Pretenses and Sweet Disorder, though all are very charming. I haven't read Listen to the Moon yet, but it might be more your speed.

Sarah MacLean's Bareknuckle Bastards series was fun, though it features the children of a duke. Most of them grew up on the streets, however, and have no connection to their father.

I think Elizabeth Essex has some featuring naval officers, though I'm not the most enthusiastic fan of her writing.

i wish regency era romance novels weren’t all about rich upper class people. less romancing a random duke and more romancing the hot rousseauist guy who holds seditious gatherings in his home in sheffield. there should be a romance novel about the london corresponding society

[betterbooksandthings]

“The role of fashion history in historical romance is an ongoing topic of conversation. Every stitch has a story, especially before the electric sewing machine or ready-to-wear fashion was widely available. Production was slow, personalized, and expensive. So it is no surprise historically based fashion has become an important element in historical romance novels. Fashion History is broadly defined as the object-study of clothing and its development through time and across regions. Historians use extant garments, sewing guides, textiles, and patterns to understand clothing design. Additionally, scholars also examine paintings, photographs, literature, and news articles for supplemental information. 

I am of the opinion that historically based elements of historical romance will always be exciting. However, we shouldn’t forget the discussion around proving accuracy via the author’s note in Vanessa Riley‘s recent piece. Broad debates on historically accurate versus historically based writing in historical romances is not a new discussion. A historical doesn’t have to be historically based for me to enjoy reading it. Does the use of fashion history in clothing descriptions bring me joy? Yes. Can we have specific conversations about the role of fashion history in historical romance generously? I also think the answer is yes. In historical romances, every layer of clothing can play an important role in building character and developing the setting. So why not have fun with fashion history?”

[bookcub]

five star ratings of the year so far:

the broken earth trilogy by n. k. jemisin

with the fire on high by elizabeth acevedo

paola santiago trilogy by tehlor kay mejia

the very secret society of irregular witchs by sangu mandanna

a guest in the house by e. m. carroll

tristan strong punches a hole in the sky by kwame mbalia

pet by akwaeke emezi

loveless by alice oseman

a lady for a duke by alexis hall

the devil comes courting by courtney milan

harriet the invincible by ursula vernon

how moon fuentez fell in love with the universe by raquel vasquez gilliland

[the-final-sentence]

'Where do you think we should link next?'

Courtney Milan, from The Devil Comes Courting

[maddie-grove]

Little Book Review: The Devil Comes Courting

Author: Courtney Milan.

Publication Date: 2021.

Genre: Historical romance (Victorian).

Premise: Amelia Smith, a Chinese woman raised by British missionaries, is living in Fuzhou with her adoptive mother after the death of her bland and detached British husband, waiting to be married to an even blander and more detached British man. She doesn't seem to have many other options, until African-American merchant ship captain and businessman Grayson Hunter appears on her doorstep, offering her a high-paying job doing her very favorite thing (devising a Chinese-based telegraphic code). Soon she's living a life that she never imagined, but to what extent will that life involve Grayson? There are also many subplots involving Amelia birth and adoptive families, Grayson's survivor's guilt, the future of telecommunications in China, and Grayson's youthful in-laws getting hassled by the British government.

Thoughts: At some point in the late 1990s or early 2000s, historical romance narrowed its scope. Before that, it was common for historical romance novels to take place over a year or more in several different countries, all described in detail; now romance novel couples are more likely to stay put (or at least stay within the region) and wrap up their relationship in a few months. The compact romance has its charms, of course, but there's something luxuriant about the epic nature of 1970s-1990s romance. So I was pleased when I heard that The Devil Comes Courting takes place over about two years and involves some international travel. Milan still isn't the strongest setting writer--she's great at incorporating cool historical details, but she's not much for creating an atmosphere--yet I enjoyed the breadth of the novel. History is a huge presence in the story; the Civil War, the Opium Wars, and the development of the telegraph loom large over the characters' pasts and futures.

On a more prosaic note, it's nice to read a romance where the main relationship has the space to develop naturally while the protagonists are also working out their individual issues. Amelia especially goes through tons of changes: abandoning the life that's been scripted for her, starting a new career, making more Chinese friends, finding her birth family, navigating her extremely fraught relationship with her adoptive mother, exploring her sexuality, falling in love, training a dog--she has a busy couple of years.

Grayson isn't quite as interesting. He's appeared in earlier installments of the Worth Saga (he's the elder brother of Adrian Hunter, hero of After the Wedding and husband of Camilla Worth, and a descendant of John Hunter, one of the heroes of The Pursuit of ...), so his personality was more familiar to me going in. He's sardonic, aloof, and overall an unobjectionable example of the Milan STEM Hero (prickly, super-intelligent, progressive for his time but still a little bit of a dick). I don't love this type of dude, but Grayson's all right; his dickishness is limited to a reputation for ruthlessness (rarely displayed) and smart-assedness that's usually charming. The real problem is that his arc hinges on him believing for a long time that his mom resents him for surviving the Civil War when three of his brothers didn't...and I never bought for a second that his mom was Ordinary People-ing it up. (The lady from Ordinary People was weird, and also reacting to a lot of things besides losing the son she was closer to! You can't tell me some woman I've never met is Beth Jarrett!) That wouldn't be an issue if Grayson talked to his mom sooner and realized that he still had stuff to work out even though she was very glad he was alive, but I spent a lot of time in ineffective suspense.

Hot Goodreads Take: There are some complaints that Grayson and Amelia spend too much time apart. That's a valid preference, but I appreciate it when romances show what the protagonists are like on their own.

(I will also take this space to note that both Amelia's late husband and prospective husband are named Alden. I'm guessing this is a reference to Alden Pyle of The Quiet American, which is clever.)