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Wedgeford Trials #3
The Earl Who Isn't
Nobody knows that Andrew Uchida is the rightful heir of an earl. Not his friends, not his neighbors, not even the yard-long beans growing in his experimental garden. If the truth of his existence became public, the blue-blooded side of his family would stop at nothing to make him (and anyone connected with him) disappear. He shared one passionate night with the woman he loved…and allowed himself that only because she was leaving for Hong Kong the next morning.
Then Lily Bei returns, armed with a printing press, her irrepressible spirit, and a sheaf of inconvenient documents that prove the very thing Andrew wants that he is actually the legitimate, first born son of the Earl of Arsell.
What’s Andrew to do, when the woman he’s always desired promises him everything he’s never wanted? Andrew’s track record of saying no to Lily is nonexistent. The only way he can avert impending disaster is by stealing the evidence… while trying desperately not to fall in love (again) with the woman he shouldn’t let into his life.
Then Lily Bei returns, armed with a printing press, her irrepressible spirit, and a sheaf of inconvenient documents that prove the very thing Andrew wants that he is actually the legitimate, first born son of the Earl of Arsell.
What’s Andrew to do, when the woman he’s always desired promises him everything he’s never wanted? Andrew’s track record of saying no to Lily is nonexistent. The only way he can avert impending disaster is by stealing the evidence… while trying desperately not to fall in love (again) with the woman he shouldn’t let into his life.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2024
94 people are currently reading
1227 people want to read
About the author
Courtney Milan
68 books5,483 followersCourtney 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.
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.
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August 28, 2024Comparisons of the television adaption of Bridgerton to the Wedgedord Trials trilogy are both easy and incorrect: Both are romance series which include a large number of people of color in their casts and in a historical context, true. But Bridgerton is something like an alt history, where the Black queen of England elevated a number of people who aren't white to the nobility. Though I'm sure there are some exceptions, the nobility of England hasn't included Black people until very recently. It's a fantasy of history like it is a fantasy of romance.
The Wedgeford Trials trilogy instead deals with the mostly unassuming Asian ex-pats who people the small town of Wedgeford England. Though they've been largely memory-holed, such places did exist. Colonial people have been finding their way to England since at least the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and likely before then as well. Wedgeford is not a fantasy, it's a correction to fantasy.
Anyway, blah blah. The Earl Who Isn't follows Andrew, the son of one of women who run the hotel in Wedgeford. A blast from the past called Lily appears and informs Andrew that he's actually the son and heir of an earl, something Andrew already knows, and is terrified by. He knows exactly how badly the peerage of England would respond to a biracial earl, because he knows how badly they treated his Cantonese mother (attempted murder, legal erasure, etc.) Lily has her own fears and forces driving her actions, some of which are so overwhelming they blind her to Andrew's distress.
Per usual, Milan grounds romance tropes is such realism that I almost didn't recognize them. It was seriously late in the game when I realized Andrew was doing the thing where the hero has resolved never to marry because of [some dumb bullshit with his dad] and this is one of the conflicts with his paramour. (Speaking of Bridgerton, this is exactly the situation in The Duke and I, which is then dealt with by a truly hilarious amount of coitus interruptus and a somewhat less hilarious instance of what reads to me as sexual assault.) But it's really not dumb bullshit here, which is harder to do than it looks. Excellent end the the series.
The Wedgeford Trials trilogy instead deals with the mostly unassuming Asian ex-pats who people the small town of Wedgeford England. Though they've been largely memory-holed, such places did exist. Colonial people have been finding their way to England since at least the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and likely before then as well. Wedgeford is not a fantasy, it's a correction to fantasy.
Anyway, blah blah. The Earl Who Isn't follows Andrew, the son of one of women who run the hotel in Wedgeford. A blast from the past called Lily appears and informs Andrew that he's actually the son and heir of an earl, something Andrew already knows, and is terrified by. He knows exactly how badly the peerage of England would respond to a biracial earl, because he knows how badly they treated his Cantonese mother (attempted murder, legal erasure, etc.) Lily has her own fears and forces driving her actions, some of which are so overwhelming they blind her to Andrew's distress.
Per usual, Milan grounds romance tropes is such realism that I almost didn't recognize them. It was seriously late in the game when I realized Andrew was doing the thing where the hero has resolved never to marry because of [some dumb bullshit with his dad] and this is one of the conflicts with his paramour. (Speaking of Bridgerton, this is exactly the situation in The Duke and I, which is then dealt with by a truly hilarious amount of coitus interruptus and a somewhat less hilarious instance of what reads to me as sexual assault.) But it's really not dumb bullshit here, which is harder to do than it looks. Excellent end the the series.
August 8, 2024
People think that soil is just there. They’re wrong: soil is what we choose to nurture, and the more we choose to nurture it, the better it resolves.
4.5/5 will reconsider the rounding later.
[August 2024]
If you want to do the miscommunication trope, this is how you do it. I really loved this and how Milan put the miscommunication in the first part of the book, before it would start to become contrived and ruin the good vibes about the relationship that we're forming. And have the characters lean into it. Andrew, because of his secret - not wanting people to know that he is the son of an earl -, and Lily, because she is most definitely neurodivergent so she misses some cues and has to mask heavily to function in society (sadly).
Really liked these two together, they were best friends since childhood and pined for each other while being apart for seven years, and the book really made me buy into that. There's lovingly rendered detail here (as always with this series) about cultivating vegetables - those long beans, for instanc, for the benefit of the people in Wedgeford, to have foods that they long for, that they used to use in China and Japan -, we have a heroine who wants to print very political & feminist poetry (loved that), and also has some already printed smut and has been helping women on reproductive health issues, which is kick-ass.
I loved finding out about womb veils (diaphragm precursors) and lilac daphne flower bud, an abortifacent (that might be dangerous, actually). I for one always enoy finding out about previous contraceptive methods that were used. And I also liked the commentary on suffragettes, who were a really shitty racist bunch, a lot of them (some of them turned to fascism before WWII).
There's also a lot of humor to this book, like a passage where they're trying to fit a metal rod in a passage that needs to be lubricated... inside a printing press, of course! Also, Mr. Callum, a guy who is waaaaaaay into logbooks is a hilarious presence in the book. You'll know him when you see him.
And the political aspects extend to the earldom. Both Andrew and his half brother are very aware that being an earl means doing evil in service of money and power and they both want to opt out of it, which leads to some fun shenanigans, but also cool discussions and deconstructing the earl archetype, which I don't usually see in histroms, but I always comment on!
//
[Jun 2024]
Omg, are you kidding me? This is soooo exciting and coming so soon!
4.5/5 will reconsider the rounding later.
[August 2024]
If you want to do the miscommunication trope, this is how you do it. I really loved this and how Milan put the miscommunication in the first part of the book, before it would start to become contrived and ruin the good vibes about the relationship that we're forming. And have the characters lean into it. Andrew, because of his secret - not wanting people to know that he is the son of an earl -, and Lily, because she is most definitely neurodivergent so she misses some cues and has to mask heavily to function in society (sadly).
Really liked these two together, they were best friends since childhood and pined for each other while being apart for seven years, and the book really made me buy into that. There's lovingly rendered detail here (as always with this series) about cultivating vegetables - those long beans, for instanc, for the benefit of the people in Wedgeford, to have foods that they long for, that they used to use in China and Japan -, we have a heroine who wants to print very political & feminist poetry (loved that), and also has some already printed smut and has been helping women on reproductive health issues, which is kick-ass.
I loved finding out about womb veils (diaphragm precursors) and lilac daphne flower bud, an abortifacent (that might be dangerous, actually). I for one always enoy finding out about previous contraceptive methods that were used. And I also liked the commentary on suffragettes, who were a really shitty racist bunch, a lot of them (some of them turned to fascism before WWII).
There's also a lot of humor to this book, like a passage where they're trying to fit a metal rod in a passage that needs to be lubricated... inside a printing press, of course! Also, Mr. Callum, a guy who is waaaaaaay into logbooks is a hilarious presence in the book. You'll know him when you see him.
And the political aspects extend to the earldom. Both Andrew and his half brother are very aware that being an earl means doing evil in service of money and power and they both want to opt out of it, which leads to some fun shenanigans, but also cool discussions and deconstructing the earl archetype, which I don't usually see in histroms, but I always comment on!
//
[Jun 2024]
Omg, are you kidding me? This is soooo exciting and coming so soon!
June 9, 2025
9 June 2025
I don't normally need more than eight months to read a book, particularly the work of a favorite author like Milan. But. I've been reading fewer books for a while now, Find nng it harder to get started, harder to become absorbed, harder to stay absorbed, harder to pick one up once I set it aside, and so on. Lots of books haven't made it past two pages. I am Pickler. I am also rather less interested in rereading books I previously enjoyed enormously. So.
Well, I got two pages in and it was a struggle. So I set it aside for a time when I could get more engrossed in it. I didn't want the book to become tainted by my lack of enthusiasm. Which was wise, as it turned put, because I have lost all interest in some authors through this. Fortunately my library started a Library After Dark. It is exactly the book club I need because
1. What reader hasn't wanted to be in a library after it closes?
2. I cannot make myself read an assigned book that doesn't inherently appeal (it's astounding that I managed to graduate with a degree in English Literature).
3. I needed to get out of the house more.
4. Peer pressure works. In my case, not enough for something I don't want to do, but very well for something I do want. Accountability is my friend. And vice versa, in the case of weekly walks.
So. Reading for an hour was enough to get me firmly established in a book, and I wasn't tempted to put the book down to look something up on my phone.
I'm glad I waited, because of course this is a book I love. The idea of Wedgeford is enormously appealing, along with the goofy Wedgeford Trials. And the romance is lovely. And once again, (they're popping up all over, not just in Milan's books) a heroine who is not like other people as far as having an unspecified but identifiable neurodiversity. Oh, and the conundrum with a clever solution. Also, repugnant rich people.
Excellent. Ten out of 5.
Personal copy
I don't normally need more than eight months to read a book, particularly the work of a favorite author like Milan. But. I've been reading fewer books for a while now, Find nng it harder to get started, harder to become absorbed, harder to stay absorbed, harder to pick one up once I set it aside, and so on. Lots of books haven't made it past two pages. I am Pickler. I am also rather less interested in rereading books I previously enjoyed enormously. So.
Well, I got two pages in and it was a struggle. So I set it aside for a time when I could get more engrossed in it. I didn't want the book to become tainted by my lack of enthusiasm. Which was wise, as it turned put, because I have lost all interest in some authors through this. Fortunately my library started a Library After Dark. It is exactly the book club I need because
1. What reader hasn't wanted to be in a library after it closes?
2. I cannot make myself read an assigned book that doesn't inherently appeal (it's astounding that I managed to graduate with a degree in English Literature).
3. I needed to get out of the house more.
4. Peer pressure works. In my case, not enough for something I don't want to do, but very well for something I do want. Accountability is my friend. And vice versa, in the case of weekly walks.
So. Reading for an hour was enough to get me firmly established in a book, and I wasn't tempted to put the book down to look something up on my phone.
I'm glad I waited, because of course this is a book I love. The idea of Wedgeford is enormously appealing, along with the goofy Wedgeford Trials. And the romance is lovely. And once again, (they're popping up all over, not just in Milan's books) a heroine who is not like other people as far as having an unspecified but identifiable neurodiversity. Oh, and the conundrum with a clever solution. Also, repugnant rich people.
Excellent. Ten out of 5.
Personal copy
November 26, 2024
Loved this, and the heroine was just who I needed to read right now. Lilly was strong and creative, and motivated by social justice after being kicked out of a suffragette group due to her race. Andrew was so gentle in comparison, and while I found his hesitation a little frustrating at times, ultimately they worked so well together. Wonderful wrap up to the trilogy with lots of cameos from the first two books.
April 1, 2025
nobody can make me care about straight romances like Courtney Milan. even though pining is not one of my favorite tropes, it's done well here, and all the characters are a damn delight.
November 4, 2024
A great book to end this series. A perfect book to read before 2024 presidential elections.
August 18, 2024
Smart Bitches Summer Bingo: 2024 Summer Release
Disclaimer! This was an ARC from the author. This has not affected my opinions or my review. I have also paid actual money for my own copy of the book because Courtney Milan is on "my pre-order immediately when she announces a new book" list.
Andrew Uchida works very hard to collect and cultivate seeds, plants, and vegetables, and every time he learns of a plant or vegetable that one of the diverse residents of the little town of Wedgeford misses from their homeland (Wedgeford has inhabitants who have ended up there from all sorts of corners of the globe, many of them from Asia), he does his best to figure out a way to grow it, to allow said resident to feel a bit more at home in their new homeland. He also helps run the inn that his mother, aunt and uncle own.
Andrew has also hidden a secret for most of his life. He is, in fact, the eldest legitimate son of the Earl of Arsell, and his mother is technically a countess. Now his father (who he has never met) is dying, and Andrew is very determined not to have to become an earl. So when Lily Bei, the woman he has loved for most of his life, returns from China after seven years away, and excitedly confides in him that she has proof that he is next in line to the earldom, he isn't exactly thrilled. While he hates having to lie to and dissemble with Lily, he also can't have her "help" him by securing him a noble title he desperately doesn't want. Complicating things further, Andrew is very aware, from stories his mother told him, that the relatives of the Earl of Arsell are extremely ruthless, and are not going to accept a half-Asian man as the heir to the title. If they discover that his mother is still alive, and has a son, they are likely to try to do away with both of them.
Fear for the safety of himself, but mostly his mother, is also the reason why Andrew never told Lily how he felt about her before she was sent off to China by her grandfather. Before she left, they shared one night together (because Lily wanted to make sure she wasn't married off to anyone and made sure to ask her best friend to help divest her of her pesky virginity). Now Lily is back, and more irresistible than ever, but Andrew just cannot bear anything happening to her or any potential children they might have.
Lily believes Andrew sees her as nothing but a good friend. She also believes her grandfather sent her to China because he was disappointed in her when she tried to join the English suffragist movement. In China, instead of learning to be a dutiful wife, she became even more radicalised and learned to use a printing press. Now she has bought one of her own and intends to print translated poetry in order to inspire universal suffrage. Never one to entirely fully understand subtle language or social cues, Lily always felt like the odd one out in Wedgeford, growing up. She is surprised to discover that many of the people she thought disliked her or wanted nothing to do with her are delighted that she's back and eager to include her in their social circle.
The Earl Who Isn't is the third and final book in Courtney Milan's The Wedgeford Trials, about the inhabitants of the fictional village of Wedgeford in the south of England, where a large number of immigrants, especially of Asian descent have settled down and made new homes for themselves. It was established early in the series that one of the unspoken rules of the town is that newcomers aren't really asked about their past, where they came from, or why they have moved there, allowing them the possibility of a blank slate and a chance at a new beginning. In this book, we discover part of why this rule came to be.
Andrew Uchida has been a supporting character in both the previous two novels in the series, and Lily has been mentioned, although she was away when both of the other couples in the series got their happy endings. There are cameos from Chloe and Jeremy (or Posh Jim), as well as Andrew's cousin Naomi and her husband Kai, and the young and implausibly named Mr. Wilderhamsher plays a fairly significant part in the story.
In my opinion, Courtney Milan has yet to write a bad book. Some are on my all-time favourite romances list, but all are good and I always learn new things when I read them. In this, while the romance between Andrew and Lily was sweet, I found that the personal developments of each of the protagonists as well as the growing relationship between Andrew and his previously unheard-of younger brother took up more of the story than the actual romantic plot. So that makes me unable to rate it more than 4 stars.
Judging a book by its cover: All three books in this series have had excellent covers (a far cry from the photo-shopped wedding dress covers of The Worth Saga novels). I love the colour of the woman's dress (although it seems way more bright and colourful than anything Lily is described as wearing in the story), I love the way the couple is embracing and gazing at each other. Really well done.
Disclaimer! This was an ARC from the author. This has not affected my opinions or my review. I have also paid actual money for my own copy of the book because Courtney Milan is on "my pre-order immediately when she announces a new book" list.
Andrew Uchida works very hard to collect and cultivate seeds, plants, and vegetables, and every time he learns of a plant or vegetable that one of the diverse residents of the little town of Wedgeford misses from their homeland (Wedgeford has inhabitants who have ended up there from all sorts of corners of the globe, many of them from Asia), he does his best to figure out a way to grow it, to allow said resident to feel a bit more at home in their new homeland. He also helps run the inn that his mother, aunt and uncle own.
Andrew has also hidden a secret for most of his life. He is, in fact, the eldest legitimate son of the Earl of Arsell, and his mother is technically a countess. Now his father (who he has never met) is dying, and Andrew is very determined not to have to become an earl. So when Lily Bei, the woman he has loved for most of his life, returns from China after seven years away, and excitedly confides in him that she has proof that he is next in line to the earldom, he isn't exactly thrilled. While he hates having to lie to and dissemble with Lily, he also can't have her "help" him by securing him a noble title he desperately doesn't want. Complicating things further, Andrew is very aware, from stories his mother told him, that the relatives of the Earl of Arsell are extremely ruthless, and are not going to accept a half-Asian man as the heir to the title. If they discover that his mother is still alive, and has a son, they are likely to try to do away with both of them.
Fear for the safety of himself, but mostly his mother, is also the reason why Andrew never told Lily how he felt about her before she was sent off to China by her grandfather. Before she left, they shared one night together (because Lily wanted to make sure she wasn't married off to anyone and made sure to ask her best friend to help divest her of her pesky virginity). Now Lily is back, and more irresistible than ever, but Andrew just cannot bear anything happening to her or any potential children they might have.
Lily believes Andrew sees her as nothing but a good friend. She also believes her grandfather sent her to China because he was disappointed in her when she tried to join the English suffragist movement. In China, instead of learning to be a dutiful wife, she became even more radicalised and learned to use a printing press. Now she has bought one of her own and intends to print translated poetry in order to inspire universal suffrage. Never one to entirely fully understand subtle language or social cues, Lily always felt like the odd one out in Wedgeford, growing up. She is surprised to discover that many of the people she thought disliked her or wanted nothing to do with her are delighted that she's back and eager to include her in their social circle.
The Earl Who Isn't is the third and final book in Courtney Milan's The Wedgeford Trials, about the inhabitants of the fictional village of Wedgeford in the south of England, where a large number of immigrants, especially of Asian descent have settled down and made new homes for themselves. It was established early in the series that one of the unspoken rules of the town is that newcomers aren't really asked about their past, where they came from, or why they have moved there, allowing them the possibility of a blank slate and a chance at a new beginning. In this book, we discover part of why this rule came to be.
Andrew Uchida has been a supporting character in both the previous two novels in the series, and Lily has been mentioned, although she was away when both of the other couples in the series got their happy endings. There are cameos from Chloe and Jeremy (or Posh Jim), as well as Andrew's cousin Naomi and her husband Kai, and the young and implausibly named Mr. Wilderhamsher plays a fairly significant part in the story.
In my opinion, Courtney Milan has yet to write a bad book. Some are on my all-time favourite romances list, but all are good and I always learn new things when I read them. In this, while the romance between Andrew and Lily was sweet, I found that the personal developments of each of the protagonists as well as the growing relationship between Andrew and his previously unheard-of younger brother took up more of the story than the actual romantic plot. So that makes me unable to rate it more than 4 stars.
Judging a book by its cover: All three books in this series have had excellent covers (a far cry from the photo-shopped wedding dress covers of The Worth Saga novels). I love the colour of the woman's dress (although it seems way more bright and colourful than anything Lily is described as wearing in the story), I love the way the couple is embracing and gazing at each other. Really well done.
May 14, 2025
Every so often, romancelandia will debate a particular hot button issue that irritates a lot of long standing romance readers and it usually occurs when a newish author markets their romance novel as subverting the genre. “Not like your mother’s romance novel,” they’ll exclaim. I’m still not entirely sure what they mean by the phrase “subverting the genre” unless it’s the fact that their romance has no HEA and doesn’t therefore meet genre expectations.
HOWEVER.
This book IS a romance with a HEA but has managed to subvert typical histrom tropes. A lot of histroms have heroes who are titled or about to inherit a title or desperately want to inherit a title or are second or third sons and are title adjacent. Very rarely have I come across a book where the hero is the heir to an earldom and has spent his entire life hiding that very fact, desperate to avoid inheriting said title.
Andrew is many things. A devoted son. A farmer obsessed with bringing the fruits and vegetables of his mother’s homeland to the people of Wedgeford to give them a sense of home and belonging. He is a loyal friend. He is deeply and secretly in love with his friend Lily. He is a brother pretending to not be a brother. And he is, very definitively, NOT a would be Earl. He is also not his father. Has no wish to be.
In spending his entire life devoted to not being that one thing, he has failed to realize all the things he IS. And all the things he deserves to have.
I cannot explain how much I just thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s warm and witty and funny and sharp and makes some really acute observations about feminism and how exclusionary white feminism can be. It is also deeply romantic the lengths to which he’ll go to safeguard the woman he loves. Deeply romantic and also deeply frustrating.
Because Lily doesn’t need safeguarding. Lily is, in the grand tradition of Milan heroines, strong and fierce and unwavering in her determination to fix what’s broken. There is much secret mutual yearning in this book - they are both in love with each other and yet don’t have a clue about the other’s feelings. And Lily is desperate to help Andrew who has lived his entire life not asking anyone for help.
One of the most interesting characters in this book is Alan, Andrew’s half brother who was raised as the legitimate first born when their father’s first marriage to Andrew’s mother was brushed under the rug and his father’s entire evil family doesn’t even know about Andrew’s existence or legitimate claim to the earldom. But Alan knows and here’s the truly strange thing about this white boy raised in luxury; he doesn’t want the earldom either. He understands his family is evil and he wants no part in it. He’s also gay and in love with another boy and wants to just live a quiet and peaceful life without the burdens that inheriting a title would place on him. Burdens to marry an English lass and procreate. How he grows up to understand his family is evil and he needs to break their evil ways is kind of amazing.
It’s smart and clever and really well plotted and the resolution is so diabolically brilliant. The one thing you’ll always get in a Milan book is that the baddies always get what’s coming to them, it’s part and parcel of the HEA.
Anyway, this book was great and I loved it.
THE END
HOWEVER.
This book IS a romance with a HEA but has managed to subvert typical histrom tropes. A lot of histroms have heroes who are titled or about to inherit a title or desperately want to inherit a title or are second or third sons and are title adjacent. Very rarely have I come across a book where the hero is the heir to an earldom and has spent his entire life hiding that very fact, desperate to avoid inheriting said title.
Andrew is many things. A devoted son. A farmer obsessed with bringing the fruits and vegetables of his mother’s homeland to the people of Wedgeford to give them a sense of home and belonging. He is a loyal friend. He is deeply and secretly in love with his friend Lily. He is a brother pretending to not be a brother. And he is, very definitively, NOT a would be Earl. He is also not his father. Has no wish to be.
In spending his entire life devoted to not being that one thing, he has failed to realize all the things he IS. And all the things he deserves to have.
I cannot explain how much I just thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s warm and witty and funny and sharp and makes some really acute observations about feminism and how exclusionary white feminism can be. It is also deeply romantic the lengths to which he’ll go to safeguard the woman he loves. Deeply romantic and also deeply frustrating.
Because Lily doesn’t need safeguarding. Lily is, in the grand tradition of Milan heroines, strong and fierce and unwavering in her determination to fix what’s broken. There is much secret mutual yearning in this book - they are both in love with each other and yet don’t have a clue about the other’s feelings. And Lily is desperate to help Andrew who has lived his entire life not asking anyone for help.
One of the most interesting characters in this book is Alan, Andrew’s half brother who was raised as the legitimate first born when their father’s first marriage to Andrew’s mother was brushed under the rug and his father’s entire evil family doesn’t even know about Andrew’s existence or legitimate claim to the earldom. But Alan knows and here’s the truly strange thing about this white boy raised in luxury; he doesn’t want the earldom either. He understands his family is evil and he wants no part in it. He’s also gay and in love with another boy and wants to just live a quiet and peaceful life without the burdens that inheriting a title would place on him. Burdens to marry an English lass and procreate. How he grows up to understand his family is evil and he needs to break their evil ways is kind of amazing.
It’s smart and clever and really well plotted and the resolution is so diabolically brilliant. The one thing you’ll always get in a Milan book is that the baddies always get what’s coming to them, it’s part and parcel of the HEA.
Anyway, this book was great and I loved it.
THE END
August 4, 2024
What a spectacular conclusion to the Wedgeford series. The Earl Who Isn't has amazing energy - it's bawdy and bold and fun, while still cutting to the heart of sentimentality, love, romance, and family. Lily is a Suffragette, and she's returned to Wedgeford after seven years in Hong Kong under the watchful eye of her grandmothers, translating explicity poetry and rescuing women. Andrew has lived with his mother in Wedgeford, where he's focused on growing long beans and maintaining a seed catalogue. And hiding the fact that he's the legitimate son of an earl....
October 13, 2025
I LOVED THIS BOOK. I laughed. I cried. i swooned.
I especially loved Lily’s portrayal of a Chinese and British suffragette who was rejected from the white suffragettes in England. Lily moves to China where she finds different ways to support women. There is discussion of abortion and helping women flee abusers.
In the author’s note Courtney Milan talks about how race and class differentiated Free (Suffragette Scandal) and Lily. Never skip a Courtney Milan authors note!
I especially loved Lily’s portrayal of a Chinese and British suffragette who was rejected from the white suffragettes in England. Lily moves to China where she finds different ways to support women. There is discussion of abortion and helping women flee abusers.
In the author’s note Courtney Milan talks about how race and class differentiated Free (Suffragette Scandal) and Lily. Never skip a Courtney Milan authors note!
January 3, 2025
And then all the suffragists clapped
September 29, 2024
Such a cozy and warm book. The humour was kind and gentle, the hero and heroine were wonderful and I loved the community and family subplots. Made me want to drink nettle tea (which I am not a fan of).
September 6, 2024
Ok. Not my favorite, but still pretty good. I wish that more than the first book in the series had incorporated the actual games of the Wedgeford Trials into the story
October 8, 2025
I do like this author because of her BIPOC and neurodivergence rep. Andrew Uchida always seems like a jokester but he is loyal and wants to take care of those around him. Unbeknownst to those at Wedgeford even his best friend, Lily Bei, he is the heir to an Earldom but he does not want it because of how cruel his father’s family was to his mother.
Lily and Andrew have history, they had a one night stand before she was sent to Hong Kong by her grandfather. He thinks that meant nothing to her but they do both like each other so much. Lily returns and she wants to print a female poetry book and has a small press to do so, the art of printing sounded very interesting. Andrew is determined to grow long beans for the elders as they miss this part of home. He panics when she tells him when she returns that she has evidence that he is an earl and that becomes the conflict point because they are supposed to be best friends. She has her own insecurities of always feeling too much and not proper enough like her friend, Chloe. She always says the wrong thing and does not know how to be social (I suspected neurodivergence).
It was interesting how the characters have alot of negative things to say about themselves but the way they see each other could not be more different. Andrew sees Lily as bright and determined, if she wants to do something, nothing will stop her. Whilst Lily sees Andrew as supportive and he never judges her, he is a steady force. I liked the interactions between Andrew and Alan, his younger half brother. The idea of found family is strong and this is one of my favourite tropes. My only complaint was that the author’s writing is a hit and miss for me, at times flowing well but at others awkward and chunky. I can see the amount of effort she put into researching things like printing with a printing press and the art of roasting tea. Her themes are universal in terms of how we see ourselves and how self sacrificing we can be at times. This installment had a strong theme of feminism as well as intersectionalism between gender and race. The conversations the main characters have with their elders is probably a dream for East Asian children where they are vulnerable and admit what they have done wrong.
Tropes: Friends to lovers
Representation:
- Heroine has Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria and social anxiety
- Supporting character, Alan is gay
Lily and Andrew have history, they had a one night stand before she was sent to Hong Kong by her grandfather. He thinks that meant nothing to her but they do both like each other so much. Lily returns and she wants to print a female poetry book and has a small press to do so, the art of printing sounded very interesting. Andrew is determined to grow long beans for the elders as they miss this part of home. He panics when she tells him when she returns that she has evidence that he is an earl and that becomes the conflict point because they are supposed to be best friends. She has her own insecurities of always feeling too much and not proper enough like her friend, Chloe. She always says the wrong thing and does not know how to be social (I suspected neurodivergence).
It was interesting how the characters have alot of negative things to say about themselves but the way they see each other could not be more different. Andrew sees Lily as bright and determined, if she wants to do something, nothing will stop her. Whilst Lily sees Andrew as supportive and he never judges her, he is a steady force. I liked the interactions between Andrew and Alan, his younger half brother. The idea of found family is strong and this is one of my favourite tropes. My only complaint was that the author’s writing is a hit and miss for me, at times flowing well but at others awkward and chunky. I can see the amount of effort she put into researching things like printing with a printing press and the art of roasting tea. Her themes are universal in terms of how we see ourselves and how self sacrificing we can be at times. This installment had a strong theme of feminism as well as intersectionalism between gender and race. The conversations the main characters have with their elders is probably a dream for East Asian children where they are vulnerable and admit what they have done wrong.
Tropes: Friends to lovers
Representation:
- Heroine has Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria and social anxiety
- Supporting character, Alan is gay
August 7, 2024
Content warnings: racism, colonialism, attempted murder (in the past), homophobia, threats of institutionalisation, theft, adult/minor relationship (in the past)
4.5 stars
This series has been so utterly charming, and Milan has crafted a delightful world filled with fabulous characters. I do KIND of wish these two had been slightly older than they were, but the history between them was precious and their awkwardness together was well done. Andrew's backstory worked effectively and I absolutely adored the dynamic between Andrew and his younger brother and how it changed as the story progressed. (Side note: would absolutely read a book about Alan once he's an adult)
Lily was a joy to read about, and while I wish there had been SLIGHTLY more made of the relationship between her and her grandfather (in terms of wrapping things up, I mean), her fierceness and determination shone throughout. I think this is probably my favourite of the trilogy, and I desperately hope Milan writes more Asian-centric historical romances in the future.
4.5 stars
This series has been so utterly charming, and Milan has crafted a delightful world filled with fabulous characters. I do KIND of wish these two had been slightly older than they were, but the history between them was precious and their awkwardness together was well done. Andrew's backstory worked effectively and I absolutely adored the dynamic between Andrew and his younger brother and how it changed as the story progressed. (Side note: would absolutely read a book about Alan once he's an adult)
Lily was a joy to read about, and while I wish there had been SLIGHTLY more made of the relationship between her and her grandfather (in terms of wrapping things up, I mean), her fierceness and determination shone throughout. I think this is probably my favourite of the trilogy, and I desperately hope Milan writes more Asian-centric historical romances in the future.
August 19, 2024
Genuinely sad that this series is over. It’s so heartwarming and fun! Courtney does friends to lovers flawlessly, and Andrew & Lily’s story is no different. First of all, Andrew is a short king, which we LOVE. The romance genre desperately needs diversity in general, but also with the MMC’s. They can’t (and shouldn’t really) all be tall with dark hair. Courtney also does a phenomenal job at addressing and acknowledging racism within the suffragette movement in England. Lily is a suffragette and has plans to publish some radical poetry written by women. Additionally, Lily was raised by her lesbian grandmothers, and she has rejection sensitivity dysphoria. So while this is a sweet friends to lovers romance, Courtney, as per usual, packs some excellent diversity and important topics into it.
April 22, 2025
I’m sad to see this series end. It’s definitely a great read for people who want historical romance but not just the typical bon ton season with a revolving door of dukes and viscounts. The romance between Lily and Andrew is fine but it’s their own plot lines that take center stage. Lily’s fight for a place within the suffrage movement is topical as well as her fight to keep women safe and educated. Milan does amazing research that really elevates the novel (now I want to make nettle tea for myself as well!)
Read
August 3, 2024Den hade samma problem som den förra i serien. Det finns ingen egentlig konflikt i boken. Ingen är moraliskt grå, alla missförstånd löses – gärna genom att alla har god självkännedom och pratar med varandra som om de behärskar alla terapiverktyg av idag.
August 5, 2024
Loved it. I was torn between not being able to stop and not wanting to say goodbye to Wedgeford. Now I want to go back and re-re-read the others so I can see if there are clues about Andrew. Also, sad that I am once again caught up with my favorite author.
September 16, 2024
Historical romance with a jacket cover that caught my eye. What a green flag ML - plants long beans to give townspeople a taste of home and protects his mom. Lily with the universal suffrage movement and passion for publishing feminist poetry made for a strong FL. I like the 'clearing the air' conversations between Lily and her grandfather, Andrew and his mom. My first Courtney Milan book (only knew her name for speaking out against racism and getting booted off the Romance Writing Association committee for her troubles), a comfort read. 3.75 ⭐️ Will check out the first book of this series.
September 28, 2024
It took me a second to get into this one. There is a lot of silent pining.
October 3, 2024
This is what all historical romance books wish they could be.
November 25, 2024
Another really excellent romance from Courtney Milan. Also, the dedication had me tearing up omg.
December 9, 2024
Closing out the Wedgeford series with a bang! As always, just a delightful story about people who are trying their hardest to do the right thing falling in love, with very cool historical details.
December 18, 2024
If you like the making of books and growing plants and cooking tea...
December 7, 2024
I've really enjoyed Courtney Milan's Wedgeford Trials series because it's really refreshing in how it can imagine a small village where people of colour could've existed (and built their own idyllic community where no questions are asked about their pasts), with some of them somehow stumble into these very sweet romances.
The Earl Who Isn't was definitely one such sweet romance, involving Andrew Uchida (who turns out to a secret issue of an earl but who just wants to be left alone to grow long beans) and Lily Bei (a socially awkward suffragist who has accidentally stumbled across Andrew's secret and is determined to make him an earl). The two of them are best friends, who could have turned into something more when they had a passionate time together but then Lily was sent away to Hong Kong and Andrew was left behind in Wedgeford. Only now Lily has returned and Andrew has to pretend to be stunned by her revelation that he might the firstborn of an earl.
Milan's books always shine in terms of their characterisation of the male and female leads and I found it lovely how Lily and Andrew complemented each other. Lily has a forceful, exuberant presence with rough social edges while Andrew is a quieter, steady presence who just wants to help those around him and they both think the world of each other:
Andrew
Lily
Who wouldn't root for these two, especially when they both yearn for each other so prettily? Moreover, there is a pretty decent plot going on about Andrew refusing to claim his title as an earl and his half-brother being adamant that he's not suited to be earl to a pretty hilarious result:
I also liked how Milan has also given Lily her own agency. Lily's role isn't just to uncover Andrew's past and try to make him an earl - she has returned hoping to start her own printing press, after she's learnt some serious skills from her time in Hong Kong, and to agitate for universal suffrage. Lily really grows up during her time away from Hong Kong and has matured to learn more about how she can use her skills to achieve her goals.
A lovely end to this series, to be sure.
The Earl Who Isn't was definitely one such sweet romance, involving Andrew Uchida (who turns out to a secret issue of an earl but who just wants to be left alone to grow long beans) and Lily Bei (a socially awkward suffragist who has accidentally stumbled across Andrew's secret and is determined to make him an earl). The two of them are best friends, who could have turned into something more when they had a passionate time together but then Lily was sent away to Hong Kong and Andrew was left behind in Wedgeford. Only now Lily has returned and Andrew has to pretend to be stunned by her revelation that he might the firstborn of an earl.
Milan's books always shine in terms of their characterisation of the male and female leads and I found it lovely how Lily and Andrew complemented each other. Lily has a forceful, exuberant presence with rough social edges while Andrew is a quieter, steady presence who just wants to help those around him and they both think the world of each other:
Andrew
She had always struck him as too exuberant to be confined with lesser social strictures like beauty or marriage. Lily, he'd always wanted to say to her detractors, was never to get a husband. If he were lucky, a husband would get her.
Lily
It would be a better world if people like him were earls, instead of the pasty sort of man who never bothered to learn how grass grew or how many kinds of it there were.
Who wouldn't root for these two, especially when they both yearn for each other so prettily? Moreover, there is a pretty decent plot going on about Andrew refusing to claim his title as an earl and his half-brother being adamant that he's not suited to be earl to a pretty hilarious result:
"Technically, it's the Earl of Arsell. But if I am forced by circumstance to become an earl, I will be the Earl of Arse and nothing else."
Andrew had patted his back again. "You'll be the best Earl of Arse ever."
Alan laid back in the new grass, smiling. "It will be grand. I'll be the best kind of earl: an earl who isn't. And you're going to help me not be one."
I also liked how Milan has also given Lily her own agency. Lily's role isn't just to uncover Andrew's past and try to make him an earl - she has returned hoping to start her own printing press, after she's learnt some serious skills from her time in Hong Kong, and to agitate for universal suffrage. Lily really grows up during her time away from Hong Kong and has matured to learn more about how she can use her skills to achieve her goals.
A lovely end to this series, to be sure.
August 4, 2024
This is my 1000th post from CBR6-CBR16. Amazing. Not my 1000th review, because I’ve posted a lot of challenge and diversion posts over the years too.
I loved The Earl Who Isn’t. I had to lie down and process my emotions more than once while reading. I’m not going to get into the specifics, because that would spoil the emotional journey for those who haven’t read it yet. Courtney Milan is such a lovely author. I know when I open one of her books that I’m going to be swamped with swoony feelings and feel more hopeful about the world at the end of it.
In the pervious two Wedgeford Trials books, Andrew Uchida has been a cheerful fixture in Wedgeford. In The Duke Who Didn’t, he introduced us to the idea of the commons not as a tragedy, but as a triumph of community. He runs a the seed exchange which allows residents to pool resources to strengthen the wellbeing of the community. In The Earl Who Isn’t, we learn that Andrew sees himself as a potential threat to Wedgeford, that if the truth about his parentage comes out, he’ll have to leave for the safety of the people and place he loves. Lily Bei, for whom he has been pining, returns after 7 years away and immediately throws Andrew into crisis, announcing that she has proof he is the heir to an earldom.
The Earl Who Isn’t is such a lovely exploration of belonging, rootedness, community and selfhood. Andrew feels like a threat to the place where he has roots and Lily thinks she was sent away for being a problem. It takes them a while to figure out that their feelings are not one sided and that they are not a danger to the other. Lily figures it out faster, of course.
I once made an ass of myself in a Discord chat with Courtney Milan by regurgitating what I learned in law school about “the tragedy of the commons.” She quite rightly dismissed my wisdom by saying something like that was made up by men who wanted to justify taking common land for private use. In the years since I’ve learned more about the harm of colonization, indigenous land management, and community building. So, once again, just because your professor said it with the voice of authority doesn’t make it true. One of the things I love most about Courtney Milan’s books is that she writes about social issues by showing them in action in her characters’ lives. They never swamp the story because they are part of the lived experience of the characters.
I’m going to end with a quote:
“You learn a lot about a person by the gifts they give,” Mrs. Uchida said. “Our deepest gifts—the ones we give over and over to complete strangers—are the things we most need ourselves.”
I received this as an advance reader copy from the author. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
Similar Reviews
I loved The Earl Who Isn’t. I had to lie down and process my emotions more than once while reading. I’m not going to get into the specifics, because that would spoil the emotional journey for those who haven’t read it yet. Courtney Milan is such a lovely author. I know when I open one of her books that I’m going to be swamped with swoony feelings and feel more hopeful about the world at the end of it.
In the pervious two Wedgeford Trials books, Andrew Uchida has been a cheerful fixture in Wedgeford. In The Duke Who Didn’t, he introduced us to the idea of the commons not as a tragedy, but as a triumph of community. He runs a the seed exchange which allows residents to pool resources to strengthen the wellbeing of the community. In The Earl Who Isn’t, we learn that Andrew sees himself as a potential threat to Wedgeford, that if the truth about his parentage comes out, he’ll have to leave for the safety of the people and place he loves. Lily Bei, for whom he has been pining, returns after 7 years away and immediately throws Andrew into crisis, announcing that she has proof he is the heir to an earldom.
The Earl Who Isn’t is such a lovely exploration of belonging, rootedness, community and selfhood. Andrew feels like a threat to the place where he has roots and Lily thinks she was sent away for being a problem. It takes them a while to figure out that their feelings are not one sided and that they are not a danger to the other. Lily figures it out faster, of course.
I once made an ass of myself in a Discord chat with Courtney Milan by regurgitating what I learned in law school about “the tragedy of the commons.” She quite rightly dismissed my wisdom by saying something like that was made up by men who wanted to justify taking common land for private use. In the years since I’ve learned more about the harm of colonization, indigenous land management, and community building. So, once again, just because your professor said it with the voice of authority doesn’t make it true. One of the things I love most about Courtney Milan’s books is that she writes about social issues by showing them in action in her characters’ lives. They never swamp the story because they are part of the lived experience of the characters.
I’m going to end with a quote:
“You learn a lot about a person by the gifts they give,” Mrs. Uchida said. “Our deepest gifts—the ones we give over and over to complete strangers—are the things we most need ourselves.”
I received this as an advance reader copy from the author. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
Similar Reviews
July 30, 2024
I loved the first two books in this series so when I saw this third one was coming out I was so excited! When I happened to get an advanced copy I might have done a happy dance that had my mom wondering what in the world was going on. I didn't even read anything about the book prior to reading as when I really think I will love something I like going in without knowing anything. And oh, this book did not disappoint! I loved Andrew and Lily so so much!
I adored Andrew and how his passion was growing things. How he tried to get seeds and grow foods that the people in town missed. That he loved giving this to them and making everyone so happy. There was a whole part about soil and he is so passionate about it it was amazing. He was so kind and caring, but he also doesn't feel like he really can fit in as he has a secret that could ruin everything if it came out. He is afraid of what will happen, how he might have to leave to keep everyone safe, so he doesn't let himself believe he could be with the woman he loves in the town he loves as he won't be that selfish. Oh, my heart hurt for him. I really wanted nothing but the best for dear Andrew. He really is one of the best people and always trying his hardest to the do the right thing.
Lily has been gone for 7 years and just popped back up and seems to be trying to ruin Andrews's life. Only she doesn't know that as no one know his secret, not even Lily. She was just as amazing and I loved her so so much. I loved how she slowly realized that some of her perceptions of people and herself were not really accurate. How yes, she doesn't understand conversations and has a hard time with small talk and such, but that doens't mean everyone hates her. My heart hurt for her as well as she so wants to be loved and yet doesn't think she is. She comes back to town with her printing press (which I loved! I loved how excited she was to print her poems) and is going to figure out a way to be enough. To not be too much. To not have everyone hate her. Oh, she was so sweet. It's was obvious people do care about her, but she didn't see that.
These two were so perfect for each other. I loved watching them go on about the things that excited them and work to figure everything out. I loved seeing them come together and get their happily ever after. I loved this book. I am a bit sad that it is the last in the series as this town and it's people were simply wonderful to read, but at least I can go back and re-read them whenever I want to revisit it.
Thanks to the author for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
I adored Andrew and how his passion was growing things. How he tried to get seeds and grow foods that the people in town missed. That he loved giving this to them and making everyone so happy. There was a whole part about soil and he is so passionate about it it was amazing. He was so kind and caring, but he also doesn't feel like he really can fit in as he has a secret that could ruin everything if it came out. He is afraid of what will happen, how he might have to leave to keep everyone safe, so he doesn't let himself believe he could be with the woman he loves in the town he loves as he won't be that selfish. Oh, my heart hurt for him. I really wanted nothing but the best for dear Andrew. He really is one of the best people and always trying his hardest to the do the right thing.
Lily has been gone for 7 years and just popped back up and seems to be trying to ruin Andrews's life. Only she doesn't know that as no one know his secret, not even Lily. She was just as amazing and I loved her so so much. I loved how she slowly realized that some of her perceptions of people and herself were not really accurate. How yes, she doesn't understand conversations and has a hard time with small talk and such, but that doens't mean everyone hates her. My heart hurt for her as well as she so wants to be loved and yet doesn't think she is. She comes back to town with her printing press (which I loved! I loved how excited she was to print her poems) and is going to figure out a way to be enough. To not be too much. To not have everyone hate her. Oh, she was so sweet. It's was obvious people do care about her, but she didn't see that.
These two were so perfect for each other. I loved watching them go on about the things that excited them and work to figure everything out. I loved seeing them come together and get their happily ever after. I loved this book. I am a bit sad that it is the last in the series as this town and it's people were simply wonderful to read, but at least I can go back and re-read them whenever I want to revisit it.
Thanks to the author for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
August 1, 2024
Rating: 5/5
This was a perfect conclusion to the Wedgeford Trials series and evidenced how intentionally and carefully Milan built the plot arcs across all three books. In the opening chapters, subtle moments and seemingly innocuous side characters from previous books become pivotal to the plot set-up, revealing the mysterious (and now urgent) backstory that was hiding in plain sight all along.
Andrew and Lily are perfectly paired childhood best friends and once-lovers. Andrew uses humor as distraction, giving the security and safety he's always craved to everyone in his orbit. He is also a passionate farmer devoted to growing heirloom vegetables native to the countries his neighbors have had to leave behind. Lily, a bold political radical, aspiring suffragist, translator and printer of sensational poetry, struggles to decode innuendo or conversational courtesy, complicating her understanding of how others perceive her. Andrew and Lily were each other's safe haven for years, until a pivotal moment in her teens when her grandfather sent her off to her grandmothers in Hong Kong. They're reunited seven years later in a disastrous first encounter where Lily unknowingly threatens to unravel Andrew's carefully constructed fiction, innocuously rerouting his life.
Milan frequently explores hidden identity and does so with such care and attention to the power imbalance in miscommunication and deception. The pacing of Andrew and Lily's conflict is so well done, and the heart-wringing interpersonal angst we feel in their early encounters appropriately explodes into honesty at exactly the right time. For Milan readers, this hit some of the emotional notes that I loved in Once Upon a Marquess, including reunited childhood friends who had always longed for more, a forest of mutual pining, it-was-always-you, and disastrous aristocratic families. The plot set-up, though, feels reminiscent of The Suffragette Scandal, a radical printer and suffragette and a secret-aristo. Here, though, Milan is exploring universal suffragism outside a white gaze, and it is so powerfully done.
With a beautiful sub-plot that explores the cultivation and cultural significance of various tea leaves, a hilarious side-quest into Callum's Holy Order of Logbooks (justice for Kenneth!), a COOL exploration of radical feminist literature, several on-page discussions of birth control and abortion care, and a brilliantly executed deception that once-again plays to the ignorance of empire, this is a new favorite Milan for me.
This was a perfect conclusion to the Wedgeford Trials series and evidenced how intentionally and carefully Milan built the plot arcs across all three books. In the opening chapters, subtle moments and seemingly innocuous side characters from previous books become pivotal to the plot set-up, revealing the mysterious (and now urgent) backstory that was hiding in plain sight all along.
Andrew and Lily are perfectly paired childhood best friends and once-lovers. Andrew uses humor as distraction, giving the security and safety he's always craved to everyone in his orbit. He is also a passionate farmer devoted to growing heirloom vegetables native to the countries his neighbors have had to leave behind. Lily, a bold political radical, aspiring suffragist, translator and printer of sensational poetry, struggles to decode innuendo or conversational courtesy, complicating her understanding of how others perceive her. Andrew and Lily were each other's safe haven for years, until a pivotal moment in her teens when her grandfather sent her off to her grandmothers in Hong Kong. They're reunited seven years later in a disastrous first encounter where Lily unknowingly threatens to unravel Andrew's carefully constructed fiction, innocuously rerouting his life.
Milan frequently explores hidden identity and does so with such care and attention to the power imbalance in miscommunication and deception. The pacing of Andrew and Lily's conflict is so well done, and the heart-wringing interpersonal angst we feel in their early encounters appropriately explodes into honesty at exactly the right time. For Milan readers, this hit some of the emotional notes that I loved in Once Upon a Marquess, including reunited childhood friends who had always longed for more, a forest of mutual pining, it-was-always-you, and disastrous aristocratic families. The plot set-up, though, feels reminiscent of The Suffragette Scandal, a radical printer and suffragette and a secret-aristo. Here, though, Milan is exploring universal suffragism outside a white gaze, and it is so powerfully done.
With a beautiful sub-plot that explores the cultivation and cultural significance of various tea leaves, a hilarious side-quest into Callum's Holy Order of Logbooks (justice for Kenneth!), a COOL exploration of radical feminist literature, several on-page discussions of birth control and abortion care, and a brilliantly executed deception that once-again plays to the ignorance of empire, this is a new favorite Milan for me.
October 7, 2024
Milan continues to write great historical romance novels.
Her usual "guy supports amazing gal" trope continues. As Giles said in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "I think the subtext is rapidly becoming text." For instance, Milan has her hero say this:
However, it was nice to see the heroine being really crucial to supporting the hero this time too.
I am a little concerned with Milan's relationship with fathers, however. How many leads are we going to have who hate their terrible fathers? Unveiled, The Duchess War, The Marquis Who Mustn't, and so on... indeed, the only good fathers she allow are adoptive ones (e.g., The Heiress Effect and The Duke Who Didn't). It's getting a little concerning...
Also, I hate to pick nits, but the copyediting could have been better. In two different places I noticed the wrong name being used (e.g., saying "Alan" when "Andrew" is meant), and there's a confusing bit near the end where something appears to happen but the subsequent chapter is anticipating it happening in the future. Courtney, we're willing to wait years for your books, because they're great and we don't want to rush your creative process. So please take a little extra time to get some better editing.
Her usual "guy supports amazing gal" trope continues. As Giles said in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "I think the subtext is rapidly becoming text." For instance, Milan has her hero say this:
Every arrow needs a bowstring to propel it. My ambition has always been to be the bowstring, not the arrow" (p. 349).
However, it was nice to see the heroine being really crucial to supporting the hero this time too.
I am a little concerned with Milan's relationship with fathers, however. How many leads are we going to have who hate their terrible fathers? Unveiled, The Duchess War, The Marquis Who Mustn't, and so on... indeed, the only good fathers she allow are adoptive ones (e.g., The Heiress Effect and The Duke Who Didn't). It's getting a little concerning...
Also, I hate to pick nits, but the copyediting could have been better. In two different places I noticed the wrong name being used (e.g., saying "Alan" when "Andrew" is meant), and there's a confusing bit near the end where something appears to happen but the subsequent chapter is anticipating it happening in the future. Courtney, we're willing to wait years for your books, because they're great and we don't want to rush your creative process. So please take a little extra time to get some better editing.
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