Unveiled

Unveiled (2011) Courtney Milan

Set in Somerset, August 1837

I started this and put it back down several times, because I was unsure about the premise. But I eventually got through the first chapter, and fell right into the story.

Margaret Dalrymple lost everything to Ash Turner–her home, her title, her legitimacy. So when she secretly remains to care for her father when Ash comes to the estate, she is looking for ways to defeat him and allow her and her brothers to take back their legitimacy.

Ash Turner is a self-made man, who discovered that the current Duke of Parford was a bigamist, and has become heir to the Dukedom–all for revenge against the Duke.

I truly could not see how this relationship was going to work out, which is what initially put me off, but then I discovered that Ash was actually a good man, and that Margaret would have reason to both fall in love with him and understand Ash’s grudge against her father.

If you gave people compliments, they tended to like you. If you confided in them, they were likely to trust you. And if you then asked for their help, they were yours forever. Of course, it helped that Ash genuinely liked almost everyone. People could sense that; it was as good as a master key on a housekeeper’s ring, opening up the affections of even the most recalcitrant of individuals.

The other thing I especially liked was that Ash can’t read. He’s dyslexic, and I was fascinated by how this worked in the story.

He must have realized how ridiculous he appeared, because he shook his head.

“No, madam,” he said. “There’s no problem here. We were having ourselves a friendly fight, we were—me and this book.”

I also liked Mark (the subject of the second book) who is writing a “Practical Guide to Male Chastity”.

I was thinking I ought to drag my brother with me to some of the society events this upcoming Season, so he can find a woman virtuous enough to satisfy his practical needs.”

“In point of fact,” Mark said dryly, “a wedding would be of little practical use, if she remained virtuous after marriage.”

But don’t think that Ash is completely virtuous. He will fight for what is his. Literally.

If you do, I won’t just steal your title and your lands. I will run any bank that holds your funds into the ground. I will bribe your servants to slip nettles into your bed. I will hire trumpets to stand outside your home every evening, where they will sound notes at irregular intervals.

OK, that last line just makes me giggle, because it is so horrible to contemplate.

The other thing I particularly liked was the explanation for why the Duke was such a horrible jerk. He isn’t a shallow evil character, but the product both of his past, and:

But he’s particularly a jerk—and almost childishly so in Unveiled—because of his medical history. Throughout the book, he’s having an ongoing series of transient ischemic attacks (sometimes called mini-strokes).

I really like that she put so much thought into how and why he would behave as he did.
Rating: 8/10

Published by Courtney Milan

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