Unveiled is the first novel in the first book in the Turner series by Courtney Milan.
Finished on: 13.1.2025

Plot:
Ash Turner has finally made it. He has gotten his revenge on the Duke of Parford, proving his bigamy, making his children illegitimate and thus becoming the heir to the Dukedom and Parford Manor himself. Margaret Dalrymple, now bastard daughter of the Duke of Parford is prepared to destroy Ash in turn when he comes to Parford Manor. She pretends to be her father’s nurse to learn about Ash’s weakness. Only the more she learns about him, the more conflicted she becomes.

With Unveiled, Milan once more managed to get it just right for my own preferences and taste, and that with a trope – enemies to lovers – that isn’t usually that much my thing.

The set-up here for the relationship between Ash and Margaret to unfold is really a masterclass in how you can get the enemies vibe right: just from the circumstances, the two of them are pitted against each other so it’s almost inevitable that they hate each other – or at least think they do. As they get to know – and appreciate – each other, those circumstances again cause some hurt, but it’s never so much that it makes the romance seem like a bad idea. Ash is a bit of an oaf, sometimes, faster to talk than to think, but he isn’t outright mean or cruel. And Margaret is deceptive with pretending to be staff, but she too never crosses the line over to outright betrayal. That means that when they finally make up, it’s neither unbelievable nor uncalled for.

Plus, Ash is disabled/neurodiverse, and I don’t think I have ever encountered a learning disability in a romantic hero before – I am not also here for it because of the representation angle, but also because Milan makes it such a precious part of his personality without making light of the very real negative effects it had on how he has to move through the world – and his relationships.

Ash and Margaret together are really great, and I was rooting for them so hard, I really blazed through the book – and am absolutely looking forward to the rest of the series.

Summarizing: perfect romance.