The Governess Affair

Brothers Sinister #0.5

by Courtney Milan

She will not give up…

Three months ago, governess Serena Barton was let go from her position. Unable to find new work, she’s demanding compensation from the man who got her sacked: a petty, selfish, swinish duke. But it’s not the duke she fears. It’s his merciless man of business—the man known as the Wolf of Clermont. The formidable former pugilist has a black reputation for handling all the duke’s dirty business, and when the duke turns her case over to him, she doesn’t stand a chance. But she can’t stop trying—not with her entire future at stake.

He cannot give in…

Hugo Marshall is a man of ruthless ambition—a characteristic that has served him well, elevating the coal miner’s son to the right hand man of a duke. When his employer orders him to get rid of the pestering governess by fair means or foul, it’s just another day at the office. Unfortunately, fair means don’t work on Serena, and as he comes to know her, he discovers that he can’t bear to use foul ones. But everything he has worked for depends upon seeing her gone. He’ll have to choose between the life that he needs, and the woman he is coming to love…

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Novella, Fiction, Regency

101 pages, ebook

First published April 21, 2012

About the author

Courtney Milan writes books about carriages, corsets, and smartwatches. Her books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. She is a New York Times and a USA Today Bestseller.

Courtney pens a weekly newsletter about tea, books, and basically anything and everything else. Sign up for it here: https://bit.ly/CourtneysTea

Before she started writing romance, Courtney got a graduate degree in theoretical physical chemistry from UC Berkeley. After that, just to shake things up, she went to law school at the University of Michigan and graduated summa cum laude. Then she did a handful of clerkships. She was a law professor for a while. She now writes full-time.

Courtney is represented by Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars



***Spoilers***

Wow okay this story was different. The heroine Serena was raped by the hero's(Hugo) boss the Duke of Clermont. She was pregnant from said rape and Hugo marries her behind the boss's back to keep her child from being labeled a bastard. He plans it to be a married in name only to help her but they make love, which was really sweet, and they fall in love. I have to say I liked that this story was a little different as it started out with something horrid like rape(not that you read the rape just that she shows up pregnant and she later tells what happened) but ends with a cute love story. I loved that Hugo was so sweet and willing to raise another man's child. I also loved that he punched his boss for his wife. I thought the end was bitter sweet with the two brothers meeting as preteens. One not knowing he had a bastard brother. I felt bad for both boys one finding out his dad is a pos cheater and that he had a brother, the other knowing he is a bastard. The only problem I really had with this book was it was too short I really wanted more. Just sayin'!

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Courtney Milan has become one of my favorite historical romance authors and books like this, The Governess Affair, is why. This introduction to the Brothers Sinister series is a charming, beautiful tale that I simply couldn't put down. And surprisingly, while this is a novella, a short read, it lacks nothing. A powerful story, romance, passion... yes, this book has it all - including one of the sexiest, sweetest bedroom scenes ever!

I fell hard for both Serena and Hugo... their secrets, their tortured pasts... everything about them drew me in. And as if that wasn't already enough to hook me, the Aftermaths & Beginnings at the end of the story totally sealed the deal and has me impatiently looking forward to the first book in the series, The Duchess War.

4.5/5 stars

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

ETA on 4-24: Free on Amazon! Grab it!

Historical romance isn't my least liked genre though it's nowhere near my favorite, but every now and then I feel the need to read something that isn't YA or fantasy and I branch out into the world of corsets, cravats, and carriages. I generally don't enjoy the time I spend there, and I often find myself at odds with fans of the genre, but thankfully this short story has high ratings because it's a tale that people who don't automatically love the genre can still enjoy. Milan's characters are well-developed, the plot is intriguing, and she writes in an easy-to-digest and quickly moving manner that makes it difficult to stop reading. And let's not forget the incredibly hot sex! Thank you for the realistic scene, Milan.

Let me get this out of the way though; the heroine is raped and she feels guilty and blames herself, though she never lets what happened define her. Don't click the spoiler if you want to go into this blind, but you will learn that info early on. I think the most important thing to remember is that this is a story of damaged people who haven't been broken beyond repair.

The relationship between the heroine, Serena, and her shut-in sister, Freddy, was one I found particularly interesting, as they each see the other as having deficiencies while they themselves are living the "right" way.

"Do you not understand what happened to you?" Freddy glared at her. "You suffered a fate worse than death, and still you—"
"I am alive," Serena said. "My child is alive. I intend to carry on living. Can you say that much?"

...

"You always put things at risk. If you fell out of a tree as a child, I'd clean you up and bandage your knees, and next I looked you'd be out climbing again. You never learned your lesson."
Oh, she'd learned her lesson: Climb harder.

...

How could they be sisters? It seemed impossible that they should view the world with such fundamentally different eyes.

The conversations between these sisters added a dimension to this romance that I think really helped to flesh out Serena's character. I thought it was a clever way to develop the heroine when Milan didn't have that many pages to do so.

I enjoyed the witty banter between the hero, Hugo, and Serena very much, and their notes back and forth to each other were some of the highlights of the story. I also thought that what we got of Hugo's backstory was sufficient; sometimes I don't need someone's entire life spelled out for me. When he recounted his memory of his mother I even teared up a bit, though I think I'm just a softy when it comes to moms (I've felt emotional at parts that dealt with moms where others didn't.)

I also liked that Hugo wasn't some gorgeous, overly tall, enormously endowed man and that Serena wasn't a "plain Jane" that nobody but the hero paid attention to; they're just average people who fall in love in an albeit unaverage way.

This is a novella so it's obviously not going to be as developed as a full-length novel, but Milan uses her 100 or so pages masterfully. Many people enjoyed this romance for good reason, and I think if someone like me who doesn't typically like historicals found it entertaining I think others will as well, and I'm excited to see what else she has to offer.

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Before you ask, I can tell you that NO, the Fluffy Siberian Bunnies (FSB™) have NOT hacked my account. This is really me non-reviewing this POC™. In my defense, I have to say that:

1/Liz forced me to do this.
2/This is the MacHalos' fault. Were it not for the bloody shrimping TBR Cleaning Challenge, I wouldn't have to get rid of all the crap stuff that's been sitting on my Kindle for centuries.
3/Being stuck on a ferry for 8+ hours has the strangest effect on one's sanity.
4/I'm innocent.

Were I my younger, more enthusiastic self, I'd write a novel-length crappy non-review explaining why this gloriously short story is so suicide-inducing. But I'm not, so I won't. All you need to know about this is:

① The level of stupid is staggeringly overwhelming.
QED and stuff.

② Boredom, it's a thing.

③ The unlikable characters are the most unlikable bunch ever.
Also, they are as emotional as a truckload of cardboard boxes and flatter than my favorite herd of ironing boards. Also, also, their behavior make no fishing sense whatsoever. Also, also, also, I might want to slightly skewer them all. Maybe.

④ The way rape and its aftermath are handled made me feel slightly homicidal.
You do not treat this subject in such an ambiguous way. No. You. Don't. You do not romanticize it and you certainly do not depict in such a frivolous manner.



No moral, no nothing for this one. I am bloody shrimping done with this crap.

P.S. Liz dear, I guess this means you won't be shaving your head. I'm going to kill you dead for challenging me to read this, but at least you'll make a delightfully hairy corpse.



[October 2015]

➽ This is not outside my comfort zone, this is beyond my wildest imaginings. I'm never going to survive this one.

☠ Thank you Liz, I love you forever and always. I really do ☠



ETA: Liz said she would shave her head if I ended up liking this one (read the comments if you don't believe me). I think I'm just about to fall in love with HR.

[mina reads™️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hm, can’t say I was a fan of this one

[♡Karlyn P♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!! Just when I thought I was getting burned out (ney, sick and tired!) of Euro/Regency historical romances, I pick up this Courtney Milan novella and realize my problem might have been something else. I was just bored. But Courtney Milan infuses such flavor into her writing I couldn't stop devouring it. which is simply refreshing among the glut of today's bland and formulaic offerings. I honestly haven't been this excited to read a Euro/Regency era historical in many months now, and I can't wait for more of this series.  Squee!

This novella tells the story of Oliver's parents, one of the brothers who will be featured in the series. And what a surprising couple too, I really couldn't imagine how they would find their HEA. I am looking forward to learning more about their story too, hope we see them in Oliver's story.  

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hugo Marshall is determined and ambitious. As a former boxer Hugo has squared off against any number of opponents and won. But Hugo has met his match. Serena Barton is tenacious and optimistic. She'll fight until she gets what she's owed.

The Governess Affair is a novella and prequel to Courtney Milan's new series, Brothers Sinister. Set in 1835 a generation before the characters in the main series, this is an introduction to what looks like another impressive series from this talented author.

Steam: 2.5

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars.

I quite enjoyed this short read. First time reading this author but I will be checking out other books by her.



I liked both characters. She was strong and would not back down for anything!!


As you know, if I don't do a review straight away, they are usually short. Thank fuck, I hear some of you say!!!

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Stars

Setting the stage for the following series about the next Victorian generation, Courtney Milan gives us a solid novella about two common people whose lives have been anything but common and who soon and poignantly recognise each other's hard-won inner strength, finding both healing from past hurts and hope for a brighter future in their love.

Hugo Marshall, a coal miner's son and an ex-pugilist, is now the Duke of Clermont's unscrupulous right-hand, the final step in a steady social and financial climb. The last problem the contemptible and careless aristocrat has literally brought on his doorstep has a name, Serena Barton, and a truth to tell that could destroy everybody's plans.
Armed with his usual ruthlessness, Hugo confronts the young woman who has been carrying on her dignified and resilient siege from a public bench facing the ducal residence, waiting for her rightful recognition. What he discovers is that things are usually not as they seem and that a greater revenge can come from allowing oneself to be loved.

The writing is very good, surely a notch or two above average, and for the ability to convey deep emotions through revealing gestures without many superfluous words and leaving the reader some margin for interpretation, Milan reminds of Laura Kinsale at her usual mesmerizing self and of Connie Brockway at her best. And I always welcome a writer who doesn't spell me out the obvious, telling me what to think every step of the way.

My only quibble, hence the lower rating, is that the author tackles some "heavy" themes such as class differences, injustice, power abuse and women's disadvantaged condition which the shorter format cannot in no way support, allowing only a too superficial skimming, in my view. I know the genre's focus is supposed to be on the romance and Milan, thanks to her gifted storytelling, has indeed succeeded in making the falling in love believable forcedly rushed novella-pace notwithstanding (not a small feat), but I still see the initial choice as unwise and a little too ambitious. Those issues really needed a full book, romance genre or no.

On balance, a promising prologue to the ensuing quartet and even if not strictly necessary, I suggest you to enjoy this quick read to better understand how it all began.

[Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

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THE GOVERNESS AFFAIR is the fourth Courtney Milan book that I have plowed through this month. I regret nothing about this experiment, except for the fact that I have gone through all the books of hers that I already owned, so any further binges must be put on hold until I am able to obtain more books. Booooo.



GOVERNESS AFFAIR is the direct prequel to THE DUCHESS WAR. I think it could be read as a standalone, but reading it was also interesting in hindsight because it fleshed out some of the characters who were only alluded to in DUCHESS. This book is about the parents of one of the characters in THE DUCHESS WAR.



Hugo is known as the Wolf of Clermont because the Duke only has to snap his fingers before Hugo comes running in to deal with whatever problem is at hand. When a strange woman shows up one day, staging a quiet, sit-down protest outside of the Duke's estate, Hugo is surprised to learn that this quiet, not classically beautiful woman, is the latest problem.



Serena has good reason to hate the Duke, and she is determined to see that his dastardly deeds do not go unpunished, even if it means she has to wage war upon his intermediary first. The battle between Hugo and Serena is a battle of wills, and even as Hugo makes his attempts to crush her rebellion, he is curious to find out what, exactly, his employer has done to warrant such wrath.



I liked this book a little more than I did TALK SWEETLY TO ME, but that's mostly because of Hugo. Hugo is an amazing love interest. He's not quite as passive as most beta heroes, but he isn't exactly an alpha hero, either. I liked the power he had, and how he chose to wield it. Even though he was working for a bad man, he did not let that tarnish his personal sense of honor. Also, the sex scenes in this book are very good, featuring one scene in particular that was very inventive in how it went about showing that consent in sex can be very sexy, indeed.



I'm sorry to say that I did not particularly like Serena at all. I think she was probably my least favorite heroine out of all the Milan books I've read, which makes me unhappy, especially considering what this character had to go through. My problem her was that she struck me as very immature and a little petty. I would have liked to have seen her anger more fully realized, and to have gotten a better sense of her character beyond the victim mentality and the half-cocked quest for revenge.



That said, I enjoyed her banter with Hugo, and it was great to see her learn to trust again.



P.S. Milan seriously has the best romance novel covers ever. Just look at all those fabulous jewel-toned dresses on the covers. Looking at all the books she's published is like looking at a rainbow - especially in the new, as yet unpublished remainder of the Worth series.



GIVE THEM TO ME NOW.



3 stars!

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You could make me say it again," he whispered. "Make me say it always. Make me say it so often that you never have cause to doubt. I love you."

Oh yes, again, I love it when a story turns from pretty good to amazingly good! 3 stars for the first half and 5 stars for the second half of the story.

"A perfect sunrise--seen once, remembered always. Never duplicated."

This was a first for me but certainly not my last read by Courtney Milan. I really loved the second half of the story. In hindsight I think I wanted more interaction/dialogue between Hugo and Serena during the first half of The Governess Affair. I assume that writing engaging dialogue is one of Ms. Milan's strengths. I like her writing style--her prose is beautiful. It was fun to witness the H and h's exchange of "lovely" letters. My oh my...

These two gave one another a piece of their minds, that's for sure and their interaction was riveting and at times even amusing.

"Never hit a man with a closed fist," he told her.
He could feel her pulse.
"Why? Because it gives you an excuse to manhandle me?"
He let go. "Slap his face instead."
"Ha."
"It will make him take you less seriously, and then he won't be expecting it when you knee him in the groin."
She let out a surprised burst of laughter at that.
"That's better," Hugo heard himself say. "I spent my day flirting with a beautiful, maddening woman," he told her. "How was yours?"

The characters are well-drawn and complex. Ms. Milan packs quite a bit into this novella. With that said, I appreciated the fact that the reader gets a plot and on top of that, some interesting secondary characters as well. Hugo and Serena are nicely portrayed and you will even learn about their pasts and motivations. The love scene. Well, I totally adored the pins thingie! So thoughtful and lovely. The love scene was sweet and sensual and really well-written.

Hugo has one goal in his life. He wanted to be the richest coal miner's son in all of England. He thought that he had to prove himself with money and accomplishment. Ultimately it was wrong because you don't need to be wealthy to be somebody special. Hugo found love and a wonderful woman--the greatest gift. Now he is somebody.

"I've never pretended to be a good man, you know. It's just that…I'm yours."

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

5...I told you so Karla...Stars!!

Safe. Yes Serena, Hugo Marshall is...Safe, and the most honorable of men. One of the softest, sweetest stories, I've ever read! Never were two people more meant to be together.

I'm doing the Yippee Skippee and I can't stop smiling!



Thanks for the push Jill and Dhes, it was so worth dropping everything!

[Sam (AMNReader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

BR with Brian 1/3/2020.
Old review:
When I think of novellas that actually deliver, this is the first I think of. I'm surprised I gave it a 4 initially last November, maybe because before I didn't have all the context of the series.

But now I do. And it's that much sweeter, a quick and beautiful book that delivers swoons just when the hero just says "I solve problems." I'm a sucker for Sabrina and Hugo, and a bigger sucker for Robert's vulnerability so that epilogue is something else entirely to me. And Oliver and his pride ("I punch well enough with both")

This is just one of those books that showcases a fierce, stubborn woman complemented wonderfully by a fierce, tender man who both refuse to let their lives to that point define them. And don't we just love how Serena makes him hers.

I just love this one! Oh, and it's a 5 now.

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

I blame myself. My disappointment with this book is partially my fault. I just set the bar too high. I built up my own hype. I gave myself unrealistic standards for this book.

I've resisted reading this novella since it was released, despite reading all the glowing reviews on it. I thought for sure it would be good, and that I would love it if I ever gained the courage to read it. Why? Because of the premise. The rape, the defilement of an innocent governess? Her strength in standing up for herself? Her bravery in seeking justice against a powerful duke? The David vs. Goliath battle of one powerless, wronged woman against a powerful peer?

Before reading this book, I thought I knew for sure that this book would break me. It would turn me into a sobbing, blubbering mess. I would feel so much empathy and pain on the heroine's behalf that I would not be able to bear it. That is why, for the longest time, I absolutely refused to read this book. As for how good it would be...well, fuck yeah I thought it was going to be good. It's Courtney Milan, after all.

Wrong. Ambiguous is our word of the day.

It wasn't good. It was not on par with her other works that I loved. It was boring. Dull. Anticlimactic. I did not shed a single tear. I didn't feel anything. And coming from me, that's saying something, particularly when it comes to this subject. I hate sexual violence. I abhor it. It is deplorable, unforgivable, and I hate any man who dares to sexually abuse a woman. My friend and I both agree on that matter, and I think Cory's review is a pretty good reflection of my feelings towards this book.

The subject of sexual abuse was my reason for avoiding this book, and it seemed as if I worried over nothing. The way in which the subject of the rape/not rape matter was approached in this book was so ambiguous, my feelings remained largely unprovoked but for the constant twinges of absolute confusion.

The premise of this book was simple enough: Serena Barton is a former governess, who is seeking vengeance for a wrong done to her by the Duke of Clermont. The trouble is that the whole fucking thing was a poorly organized mess. Serena came off as more of a brainless woman, naive, and stubborn to the extreme, rather than one who is strong, and brave.

There is a difference between stubbornness and bravery. Bravery requires you to know what the fuck you're getting into. Bravery requires intelligence, a plan of execution, both qualities that our not-so-intrepid heroine, Serena, lacks.

Serena is stubborn. Serena does not think things through. Serena's plan to get justice for herself and her unborn child runs somewhere along the line of "I SHALL SIT ON THE BENCH IN FRONT OF THE DUKE'S HOUSE FOR MONTHS AT A TIME, IN THE RAIN, IN THE COLD, UNTIL SOMEONE ASKS ME WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEN I SHALL NOT GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER BECAUSE IT'S BETTER TO KEEP PEOPLE GUESSING BECAUSE THAT'S HOW GOSSIP WORKS AMONG THE TON."

What. The. Fuck?

Seriously. For the majority of the novella, I didn't know what the fuck Serena was hiding. She is so fucking vague. She doesn't let anyone knows what's going on. She doesn't answer any fucking questions as to what the Duke has done to her. She wants to keep people guessing. She kept ME guessing. And I lost my fucking patience. For a heroine who might have been raped. It's so wrong, and yet, I can't bring myself to fucking care because by this point, Serena has gotten on my nerves so damn much with her "Pish, posh, I shall keep my fucking secrets to myself because you are not fucking worthy" attitude.

“I believe none of it, not without proof. Tell me what really happened, Miss Barton, and perhaps I can help.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Marshall,” she said. “I really will not say.”

ARG. TELL. ME. NOW.

There are almost no details as to the actual rape, and Serena kept the event so cryptic and inconclusive that her response just undermines the actual abuse.

“No.” Her voice broke on the word, but she did not look down. “He did not force me.”
I let him do it.

I understand that there is always a quality of self-censure, of self-blaming in the case of rape, when a woman has been the victim of sexual violence. She sometimes blames herself. If only I had done this. If only I had done that. I understand that perfectly, but the way that this book portrayed Serena's attitude made it seem less like self-blaming than a woman who doesn't know exactly what the hell is going on, who's just seeking vengeance because she feels that maybe, possibly, perhaps, she should seek reparation for an act that perhaps she didn't like, than that of a victim. I don't know if I'm explaining myself well here.

Serena doesn't even realize that there was a wrong done to her, despite the fact that something wrong has been done to her. But if she doesn't think she was wronged, why does she seek justification?

As for vengeance? What vengeance? Serena doesn't know what the fuck she wants. She wants some obscure idea of "vengeance" rather than a woman who is bent on getting justice. Serena is wishy-washy. She is pitiable, rather than admirable. She doesn't know what she wants out of this, and I was frustrated at her lack of will, her lack of decisiveness; she is everything that is obstinate, and she wants nothing exact.

I don't get it. The premise could have been executed so much more powerfully. Instead, Serena's very ambiguous rape was approached in such a way that I, the reader, was left shaking her head in confusion rather than rooting for her. The writing was good, but the characters were unbelievable, the premise poorly executed, and I feel so very let down by an author that I admire.

[Beatriz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una novela cortita, muy dulce (a pesar que las circunstancias que dan pie a la trama no son nada dulces) y con personajes que no son los habituales en las novelas del género. Además, abre el apetito para los libros de la serie, que serán protagonizados por los herederos de los personajes de esta historia. En mi caso, ya me los he apuntado entre mis pendientes.

[Anna (Bobs Her Hair) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grade: A+ or 5 brightly shining stars

Beautiful, poignant, and skillfully written novella! I absolutely loved it!

***updated to add full review****

The Story
Serena Barton is a ruined woman. Her dismissal as a governess position leads her to demand compensation from the Duke of Clermont. Serena will not leave empty-handed. She is prepared to fight for there is much at stake. She’s aware the duke employs an unmerciful man of business, yet she bravely resolves never to be weak again.

Hugo Marshall has one grand ambition, which is to become the “richest coal miner’s son in all of England.” Once his employment with the duke concludes successfully he will have the necessary funds to actualize his dream. Hugo has worked too hard to resolve Clermont’s financial woes. Success equals a substantial fortune from a bet. Serena will not cost him his five hundred pounds.

The Characters
Serena and Hugo are incredibly well-written characters. I absolutely loved them! Serena’s spirit burns bright. She’s courageous, resilient, charming, and simply powerful. Her inner strength quietly resonates throughout the story. Serena’s sister’s fragility provides a nice contrast to her character. Frederica is a sad character frustrated with her sister’s pugnacious spirit.

At first glance, Hugo appears to be your typical hero – ruthless, ambitious, and self-serving – he’s not! Courtney Milan structures his character around a bittersweet core. What drives him is more than rising above his coal miner’s background. When I discovered what it was I found it deeply touching.

My Thoughts
I adored this achingly lovely historical romance about two ordinary-looking commoners, which Milan gently reveals in layers. Their story and romance was affective, balanced, and beautifully written. The Governess Affair deftly weaves dialogue, reflection (inner dialogue), and expressive actions (the showing part).

Hugo and Serena are heroic survivors with hopes and dreams. Physical appearance is bypassed; it’s how they make each other feel that establishes their connection. Their happy ending left me feeling triumphant for them. If this story were in paperback it would have a special place on my Keeper Shelf. It is now one of my favorite historical romances, and I’m highly anticipating the upcoming Sinister Series. Ms. Milan has gained a new fan! Overall, this is a touching novella that subtly and ultimately reveals the power of a mother’s love. If you haven’t tried this author’s work yet then this is the perfect introduction! Sincerely!

Memorable Moment

Safe, her dastardly senses whispered. He’s safe. There was something comforting about his forthright recital—comfort with an edge that only sharpened when he took a step closer to her.

“If I were a cobbler,” he said, “I’d offer you a discount on shoes.”

“Now you’ve completely lost your mind.”

“No. It would give me an excuse to measure your feet with my bare hands.” His lip twitched up. “And don’t think I’d stop at your toes.”

She had both her hands on top of his walking stick. She felt herself lean toward him, ever so slightly.

“But you’re not,” she said. “You’re the Wolf of Clermont, and I’m the woman you cannot drive away.”

“Can’t is such an unforgiving word,” he said. “I prefer do not wish to.”

This was a man who had walked away from his family at fourteen. He had a reputation for getting what he wanted.

But there was so much more to him than the boorish drone she’d once envisioned. He had talked about crushing her hopes and dreams, but when he stood next to her, he drove away the despair she’d carried for so long.

The Sinister Series
Set in the 1860s and nearly thirty years after the prequel < i>The Governess Affair

The Duchess War – Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont (releases Summer 2012)
The Heiress Effect – Oliver Marshall, Serena’s son (releases Fall 2012)
The Countess Conspiracy - Sebastian Malheur, the Earl of Rane - Robert’s cousin (releases 2012 or 2013)

From the author’s website: http://www.courtneymilan.com/brothers...
“The series is named after the men, but the individual books are named after the women. The women all share one characteristic: they’ve all been ruined. Just not in the usual way…” – Courtney Milan



[Note to readers: As of 4/23/12, this sweet little gem is only 99 cents and it's lendable!]

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe this edition was expanded as it is showing on Goodreads as 154 pages whereas the editions with this cover are showing as 101 pages. Believe me, this one felt longer than a novella! I think Ms Milan may have expanded this slight story beyond what it could bear.



I really liked the original idea. I liked the opening scenes. I could overlook anachronisms such as duke wearing a coat with gold thread - in 1835.

But too many things were improbable, too many scenes were repetitive and this book was just generally too much talky talky for me.

[Alba Turunen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3'5 Estrellas. Me ha gustado mucho, la lástima es que al ser un relato corto no profundiza demasiado en la historia, y siempre te quedas con ganas de saber algo más. Algo más de los personajes, de lo que les llevó a ser quienes son actualmente.

Sin duda el personaje que más me ha gustado es Hugo Marshall, éste ex-boxeador no tiene nada de rudo o duro, es un oso amoroso, con todas las letras. Trata a Serena con una paciencia, una amabilidad y una ternura que nada tienen que ver con el sobrenombre que lleva "El lobo de Clermont".

Ambos personajes se conocen en las más extrañas circunstancias. Serena era una dama de buena familia venida a menos que tuvo que emplearse como institutriz, por culpa de la indiscreción que cometió con el duque de Clermont la echaron de su trabajo y vive en la miseria junto a su hermana. Ahora, con una situación delicada, exige compensación por parte del duque, y éste deja a su mano derecha, Hugo, que se encargue de todo.

La historia entre los dos protagonistas se cuece poco a poco, las cartas que se envían, tan ingeniosas, me han encantado. Los momentos que pasan juntos son deliciosos, y posteriormente el romance que surge entre ambos muy bonito. Pero lo bueno es breve, y es por ello que al ser un relato corto no da mucho de sí.

Ya tengo ganas de leer los siguientes libros, tanto para saber qué fue de Hugo y Serena, como de la vida que debió llevar el joven Robert, no dudo que odiara al asqueroso de su padre. Y por supuesto el tercero en discordia, Oliver. Me han encantado y estoy deseando leer sus libros.

Un detalle que me ha chirriado un poco es que me ha parecido que no se han cuidado mucho las formas de dirigirse unos personajes a otros para tratarse de una novela histórica, ni con formalidad ni con la educación debida. No es que yo sea muy purista, pero me gusta que por la forma de hablar de los personajes, pueda hacerme a la idea de la época en que viven. Por menos de esto ha habido más de una autora a la que he dado puerta, pero creo que los libros de Courtney Milan merecen la pena, en el fondo me ha gustado, y creo que sus tramas van a ser algo originales, o distintas de las habituales.

[Al George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love this book

Setting / Time / Genre: Regency, I think.

Length: 201 pages.

Series: Yeppers and I am reading em all! This is the fist. An introductory novel if you will.

Sexy times: One or two scenes. All well done. There's a scene with hair pins. Just trust me on this. Hashtag worthit.

Plan on reading more by the author Hell to the yeas, my friends.

Synopsis in one sentence or slightly more: Hmmm, there's this governess, and this man of business and a sh!thead of a Duke, and an issue to be resolved. And it's awesome!

Heroine: Serena, the strong. I adore her. She's tough, she's made a decision and no one will sway her from that decision. She's kind and she's steady in her resolve and her belief. This woman is a survivor.

Hero: Hugo. Talk about strong. Steady. And yes, ruthless. But his ruthless is as a solver of problems. He doesn't have the intent to be unkind. He's got some serious family baggage and he needs to unpack that Samsonite before it weighs him down.

Why it did or didn't work for me It worked. It had wonderful characters and we watched a relationship develop and real problems get solved. We saw poor Hugo get absolutely gobsmacked by a witty and awesome woman. Rather than playing games or lying to each other, the h and h were just trying to get their needs met and it seemed as if their needs conflicted. In the end, they didn't and I clicked on the last page of this book with a big old smile on my face.

This is a freebie folks. Go now, get it, read it. Tell me that you loved it!

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 2 out of 5]

❦ BR with the awesome Kat and Nenia ❦

So, The Governess Affair...



♬ ♪ Congratulations! ♬ ♪ You successfully entered my I don't care territory : no chemistry, not to mention that the rape issue isn't well-handled in my opinion. To be frank, the characters' behavior is incomprehensible to me. I. DON'T. GET. THEM. Add a complete and utter boredom, and what do you get? Certainly not a good romance.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

March 20, 2015

This is what I love about Milan's historical work: she's created characters who are subject to the specific mores of their time and place but who rebel. We get to see people fighting the strictures of their lives using the tools of their times. Here, a governess who has been let go without a reference seeks justice. The modern reader knows the vulnerable position women of the time were in, unable to resist anything from seduction to rape because they had no rights or protections. Most of them ended up in the crowded London sex trade, succumbing early to poverty and disease. It's enormously gratifying to read a story where the heroine isn't saved at the last minute and still manages to have a happy ending.

Personal copy

[Bubu · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Despite my best intentions to start Nalini Singh's series, I simply didn't have the mindset and instead went for another novella whilst I'm still away from home.

Finally! Finally! Finally! After a very long time; after many of my GR friends telling me to read The Governess Affair already; and after reading two or three duds in a row, I went ahead and pulled this little beauty out of the depths of my Kindle and read it in one go. Not that it was a big thing (it's a novella after all), but reading Selena and Hugo's story (parents of my fuchsine-coloured waistcoat-wearing red haired Oliver), I felt like a Kluntje im Tee. It's a German saying from the North where most people drink tea and Kluntje is a very peculiar kind of sugar we put in our tea, roughly translated into rock candy. Now, when we Northeners are truly, truly happy we say 'I feel like a Kluntje im Tee.' Rock candy in a cup of tea.

To give this little candy its proper place: I don't have many GR friends in the first place but 35 of them have put this on their To-Read list, with 26 having read it already. Out of 26 ratings The Governess Affair has an average rating of 4.21. I do have some friends on my list who didn't like this at all, but go figure anyway. That rating is no small feat for a novella and a Historical at that.

Why am I not talking about the story itself? What about Selena and Hugo? I tend to gush over a book much more often after getting really annoyed with previous books. Their story is powerful and putting it into words like that doesn't seem right.

The only words that would come anywhere close to what I've been feeling is: I wish it hadn't ended. I didn't want it to end.

Milan. Who else?

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first try of a Courtney Milan book and I have to admit I ended up a little bit underwhelmed. I think that is likely due to overly high expectations as my Goodreads friends have been recommending Milian to me for years! I felt like The Governess Affair was an OK romance story but nothing better than that. It had a strange mix of humour, romance, and a bit more realism than is typical in the genre in terms of characterisation and tone. The big negative for me was the fact that I never really connected with the writing so never got sucked into the story or emotionally invested in any of the characters or happenings.

The story was OK. Serena Barton was a governess before a scandal involving a petty, selfish, swinish duke saw her fired from her position with no prospect of a reference to find employment elsewhere. Serena intends to see the Duke pay for his crimes and seeks to cause a public scandal that will ruin the Duke's reputations, especially in the eyes of his Duchess who controls his purse strings! That brings Serena into opposition with the Duke's fixer, the ruthless Wolf of Clermont, as he is tasked with making her go away quietly. A task he needs to see achieved if he wants the funds he needs to finally break from the Duke and start his own business!

It is a shame I never enjoyed this one more as the story managed to feel comfortably familiar and unique at the same time. What I mean by that is that this did feel like a normal HR book but that it also managed to be quite different in style from the others I've been reading lately. I guess the fact that characters were not the typical stock mould character type paired with the fact that the hero and the heroine managed to avoid most of the usual toxic behaviour that can creep into other stories in the genre is why so many people are a fan of Courtney Milian. It was just a pity for me I never managed to get sucked into the story!

I might give the next full book in the series a chance at some future point but I fear this might be one of those times when I'm just never going to find Milian or her books to be more than 3 star quality.

Rating: 3 stars.

Audio Note: I'm usually a fan of Rosalyn Landor but I must admit to finding her male voices a little annoying while listening to this one. Perhaps she just had an off day while recording this or perhaps it just suffered from proximity to a bunch of excellently narrated books in the genre that I've listened to lately.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS!!!!!


He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to answer any questions. He didn't know who he was or what he wanted or what dreams would come to fill his heart. He only knew that if he couldn't have her, nothing would ever be right again. And so he kissed her. He tasted her, sweet and steady against him, put his hand in the small of her back and drew her toward him.



OH BOY!!!! I've got a new author!!! What a wonderful little gem this is. It's just a short novella, but man oh man, don't let that deter you. What a sensational little romance this is. I'm just thrilled to be starting a new series, and since I've been consistently slacking on my reviews, I will leave it here, for now. Hopefully I'll work up my review writing mojo soon.



It wasn't the thought of bedding her - repeatedly - that most caught his fancy. It was the thought that for the first time in years, he might have someone.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Are you flexing your muscles for me?" she asked.
"That", he said smoothly, "would be vanity".

What a romantic, inspiring, heartbreaking, heartwarming, wonderful, amazing tale.

"If you fell out of a tree as a child, I'd clean you up and bandage your knees, and next I looked you'd be out climbing again. You never learned your lesson."
Oh, she'd learned her lesson: Climb harder.
Somehow, Serena didn't think that was the lesson Freddy had expected her to learn.

I have a soft spot for rape-recovery tales. This was so beautiful, and so inspiring. I wish there were more stars. I am in awe of Serena. And I want a Hugo for my own. It was an amazing start of the Brother Sinister series and I can't wait to read on. Courtney Milan confirmed it again, she is a wonderful historical romance writer.

"I am done with things happening to me. From here on out, I am going to happen to things.

What are you waiting for? It is still free *bouncing up and down* in kindle store!

[Mimi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Loved, loved, LOVED it. It's so hard to write a great, believable novella. It's too short, there's no time for the characters to feel real, or the relationships... But here, boy...

We have:

1. Serena Barton, a former governess, girl with big dreams and a grudge against the Duke of Clemont.
2. The Duke of Clement, a rather simple and shallow gentleman with little self-control, morals and a money problem, which led to his spouse problem.
3. Hugo Marshall, the Wolf of Clemont, a boy who has plans to be the richest miner's son in England, and is ruthless when it comes to his dreams. The Duke is his way to that dream, but Serena might be another dream altogether.
4. Serena's sister, an antithesis to everything she is, too scared of life.
5. The barely present, but very important, Duchess, Clemont's wife.
6. And two small, adorable boys I'm very curious about.

And as interests of Serena and Hugh collide in a spectacular way, we get to see a heart-warming story of a wolf being tamed and dreams merging.

As I said, I liked the story, how all those characters kept their uniqueness and how very different they were, yet so very real and integral to the story. The dialogues were great, heck everything was!

I have to admit, in a time when I lost the interest for most HR this was a true balm for my romantic spirit!

Now, onto the next book, coming soon...

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

Lovely start to a new series. Narrator was good in the audio, and I immediately bought the next two in the series the moment I finished.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so GOOD

[Ingie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written March 22, 2013

A little shiny genuine gem pearl, 4 1/2 Stars.

Book #0.5

A wonderful story, I loved it. Two nice a bit special characters, not the richest, no one is noble, not the prettiest or the most handsome, not the most innocent, not the nicest BUT with two really, really smart and cunning brains. I got mad (stupid and mean men), got hurt in the heart (... just choose her!), I smiled (over and over), laughed (the letters), and am very pleased at last.

A really good reading as so often with short novellas.

And the witty and entertaining correspondence ...

... he wrote to her again:
You can call me your friend if you like, but I think of you when I stroke myself. When last I checked, that points to feelings that are decidedly mote than friendly. Have I horrified you to much?

He waited days for her reply. When it finally came he read it instantly:
Sir: I am a respectably married woman. I cannot express in words the horror and revulsion that arise in me upon reading the sentiments you have communicaited.

Hugo raised his head from the letter. But he hadn't finished, and some penchant for punishment force him to continue:
Your letter only underscored my own failings. After all, as your wife, it is my duty to stroke you. Is it not?

Recommended!!

I LIKE - hurray so good (for free)

[b.andherbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, romance reader confession, this is my first Courtney Milan *ducks and hides*. I haven't read her work not for a lack of wanting to, I was just waiting for the right time, and that time is now!

This started a little slow for me, I was concerned that the Hugo was the Duke's right hand man, seeking to make sure the Duke would be able to get his Duchess back, no matter if that meant the "problem" of Serena needed to go away. This concern was quickly dissolved when Hugo and Serena began exchanging their barbed letters, and from there I was sold and devoured this novella in a sitting.

CW rape (off page, in the past), discussion of "not forced" vs. "forced" sex, physical violence

There are so many great scenes and quotes, from the letter exchange, to Hugo just being so enchanted by Serena's dogged perseverance and snarky responses, to the "he's safe" feelings Hugo inspires. Sigh. There's a great discussion of what it means to consent to sex, and that despite "letting" the Duke have sex with her that Serena did not have any power and it was in fact forced.

Serena's pregnancy is handled extraordinarily and Hugo is just a peach. Of course he had to go through his little song and dance about not wanting a "real marriage" and that he was a nobody with nothing to offer (EXCEPT HIS MUSCLES AND HIS LOYALTY AND HIS OBVIOUS LOVE YOU DOPE), but I knew it would be okay!

Also, Milan understands the female gaze. I adored the hairpin scene, when Hugo uses Serena's hairpins to allow her to consummate their marriage. She has all the power and control, and it is sexy consensual sex and so good.

Anyway this is mostly incoherent but I loved it can you tell? Go read it all!