Review of Unveiled by Courtney Milan

TURNER BROTHERS SERIES BOOK 1

Ash Turner has waited a lifetime to seek revenge on the man who ruined his family–and now the time for justice has arrived. At Parford Manor, he intends to take his place as the rightful heir to the dukedom and settle an old score with the current duke once and for all. But instead he finds himself drawn to a tempting beauty who has the power to undo all his dreams of vengeance….Lady Margaret knows she should despise the man who’s stolen her fortune and her father’s legacy–the man she’s been ordered to spy on in the guise of a nurse. Yet the more she learns about the new duke, the less she can resist his smoldering appeal. Soon Margaret and Ash find themselves torn between old loyalties–and the tantalizing promise of passion….

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I was totally captivated by Unveiled. It is original, beautifully written, with finely crafted characters and a tender love story.

How I imagined Parford House, Somerset

He wasn’t supposed to be handsome. He wasn’t supposed to be human. He wasn’t supposed to have any good qualities at all.

Ash totally captured my heart with his charm, kindness and sincerity. I love his innate ability to understand people and make them feel special. This scene with Mrs Benedict, the housekeeper, is one of my favourites.

”Go on with you!” Mrs Benedict wagged a finger at him, as if he were a wayward child. “I’m fifty-five, if I’m a day, and I’ve watched every last hair on my head turn gray.”
Ash frowned at her and peered at the unruly curls peeking out of from under her cap. “Silver,” he said. “Like moonlight, I think.”
She burst into laughter then, and Ash knew he’d won. It wasn’t flirtation – no sense of awareness had passed between him and the housekeeper. It was something sweeter and friendlier. He’d seen her as a person, rather than a servant, and she knew it.

A self-made man, Ash has worked hard for his wealth and there’s no mistaking his aura of strength and confidence. But no-one knows his deepest secret, not even his brothers. Seeing this vulnerable side to him made me adore him even more.

I can even forgive him for inadvertently hurting Margaret in his desire for revenge simply because…

He thought she was magnificent and he meant it – really meant it – beyond all possibility of fabrication

He’d robbed her of her name, her dowry, her everything.

I adore Margaret. Despite have her life turned upside down, being declared a bastard and being shunned by her friends, she still retains her dignity and an inner strength. I admire her fierce loyalty to her family although they certainly don’t deserve it.

How do you choose between your family and the man you love? I really felt for Margaret having such a terrible dilemma.

She walked through the gallery, the sunset painting the walls variegated shades- not dark, not light – but a dizzying blend of the two, echoing the muddle in her mind.

I love how ultimately she is able to take charge of her life on her own terms.

Ms Milan develops the romance between Ash and Margaret in a believable and completely satisfying way. Even though I knew they would have a happy ending, there are still bitter-sweet moments when the obstacles in their path seem so insurmountable. I love how unpredictable Ash is. When I thought I knew how he would react to a certain situation, he would totally surprise me. Never more so than when he discovers Margaret’s true identity. The love scenes fit the mood of the story perfectly. They aren’t particularly explicit, but written with such skill that they’re still sensual. I loved the ending which seemed the perfect conclusion to such a wonderful story.

I am really intrigued by Ash’s brothers, Mark and Smite, and I’m hoping their own books will throw light on what happened whilst they were living on the streets of Bristol.

VERDICT: SUPERB, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

RATING: STELLAR ★★★★★