The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan review

If you want to read the synopsis, you've probably been to Amazon and have read it there. If you haven't, here's the summary of the Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

The start of a new series from New York Times bestselling author 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…

My review:

1. The characters
These are not your usual prince, princesses, dukes and duchesses. Serena Barton and Hugo Marshall are actually common people.  And yet, despite not having an illusion of grandeur on these characters, Milan still writes a compelling tale of two people falling in love in the historical times.

2. The reality
Not all people are good people. In usual regency novels, we read about the fat, greasy looking, old or not so old  earl/duke/viscount assaulting the governess, chamber maid or some other poor random people. But we never got to meet that person. What ever happens to her?

3. Love vs Ambition/Wants/Practicality

Will you give up your lifelong dream for love?  How much do you want it?
Here we see a reality of choosing and finding out what really matters the most.

4. This book only costs 99c! It's a short novel but meaty. ^_____^