“Smart and unconventional historical romance, packed with emotion and broken hearts.  Just superb!” ~Under the Covers

Courtney Milan has a talent for telling beautiful historical romances that are not like the norm you can find milling about.  Her characters have depth are will never be cut from the same mold.  THE COUNTESS CONSPIRACY follows in much the same fashion, and while we have the terrible supposed to be rake, Sebastian Malheur, whom we’ve met in the previous book in the series, we have an unexpected heroine for him.

See, he’s really not the author of his scientific experiments.  He’s just the show puppet.  The real mind behind the discoveries is a woman.  A woman who couldn’t come out and say her name because then everything she had found wouldn’t even be considered because of the mere fact she’s female.  She’s also Sebastian’s childhood friend, Violet.

Sebastian and Violet have been best friends their whole lives, always there for each other.  But where Sebastian has always been in love with HER, she’s always denied that she cared because she’s had to close herself off.  Enduring a loveless marriage that left her more than scarred, and a family who always put her down.  Having love, or Sebastian, never crossed her mind. But that all comes to a head now that Sebastian doesn’t want to continue with being the fake he has been until now.

I sincerely loved everything about this book.  I devoured it with a passion.  The complexity of her character and how she was able to slowly peel back those layers of protection she built throughout the years.  And for us, the reader, to discover the depth of Sebastian’s love.  To see the pieces of the puzzle fall in place.

Smart and unconventional historical romance, packed with emotion and broken hearts.  Just superb!  I’ve also come to expect in Ms. Milan’s books to have a huge betrayal, that may seem you can’t come back from.  I don’t think this big event was present in this book.  Yes, there are obstacles they have to get past, but nothing as big in my opinion as her previous books.

Nonetheless, Sebastian and Violet worked hard for their love to be.  And the path that got them there was an enjoyable one to walk with them.  I’m a glutton for Ms. Milan’s stories and I can’t wait to read another one…and another one.

*ARC provided by author

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About Courtney Milan

Courtney Milan lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, a marginally-trained dog, and an attack cat. Courtney wishes she could say she has lived in numerous fabulous places. But aside from her husband, there is a distinct lack of fabulousness in her life. Instead, she is happy when standards in the Milan household hover above mediocrity. Her husband attempts not to kill people for a living.[1] In exchange, Courtney attempts not to do the dishes.

Before she started writing historical romance, Courtney experimented with various occupations: computer programming, dog-training, scientificating... Having given up on being able to do any of those things, she's taken to heart the axiom that those who can't do, teach. When she's not reading (lots), writing (lots), or sleeping (not enough), she can be found in the vicinity of a classroom.

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1. The astute reader will notice that this sentence can be read as either "Courtney's husband attempts to make his living by means other than offing unsuspecting passersby," or as "Courtney's husband, while making a living, tries not to leave dead bodies in his wake." Luckily, both are true. Although it must be admitted that Mr. Milan has had greater success with the former.

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Francesca

Blogger/Reviewer at Under the Covers Book Blog

I’m a 30 something sun lover living in the Big Apple (read New York).I’m a book and coffee addict and lover of all things elephants.

I get easily distracted by pictures of sexy guys and have tons of book boyfriends.I keep all my alpha males chained to my basement and guard them fiercely.*Back off bitches*I like to see Jason Momoa as a lot of those boyfriends, because ….. mmmmmmm JASON.MOMOA!

I’m a part time graphic designer (yes, everything you see on UTC has been done by me), run my husband's business from home and on a good day I’m a self appointed superwoman (she who can do it all).I love blogging with my girls and I couldn’t do it any other way!My first love is everything paranormal, but in the past few years I’ve re-learned to love contemporary romance.Every once in a while I like to mix things up with a historical romance, a steampunk or an LGBT book.Because I need variety to avoid book slumps.I don’t always need an HEA although I prefer one, and I love authors that can rip my heart out and make me ugly cry.

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