Sunday 19 May 2013

Review: Bargain Reads - The Governess Affair (Brothers Sinister #0.5), 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…



The second of my bargain reads really earns the title, The Governess Affair is currently free for the Kindle on Amazon! You can't get much more of a bargain than that, can you? Courtney Milan is an author new to me and I thought that offering the novella prequel to her 'Brothers Sinister' series for free was an excellent way to draw readers in. Well, it certainly worked on me anyway.

The Governess Affair is definitely a novella, hovering around the 200 page mark, and yet Milan manages to spin quite a charming and engaging story in such a short space. Serena and Hugo are both well developed characters given the limitations of space in the novella, Serena's motivations especially seemed particularly well thought out. Hugo's backstory is a bit more convoluted and long-standing than Serena's, which at times made the divulgation of information seem a little rushed and perhaps a tad forced. Nonetheless, the characters are both likeable and relatable. The byplay between the two, especially through the missives that are sent throughout the book, is particularly enjoyable. The only thing I wasn't quite sure of was Freddy, Serena's sister, whose presence in the plot felt decidedly 'for convenience only', but perhaps she plays a role in the wider novels of the series?

The Governess Affair is an enjoyable short read, perfect to while away yesterday's rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. I don't know if The Governess Affair's price tag (or lack thereof) is permanent so grab it while you can, after all what have you to lose? The first novel in the 'Brothers Sinister' series, The Duchess War is currently available on the Kindle for only £2.49, which can easily be counted amongst the ranks of bargain reads, and I think I might be giving the series a go. Let me know if you've read any of the 'Brothers Sinister' and what you think of them.

Do you have any bargain reads to recommend? Were you tempted by my last bargain read? Let me know in the comments.

2 comments:

  1. I've downloaded the book, can't wait to start it. It's a miserable today so i might just start it now...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Let me know what you thought of it!

    ReplyDelete