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Series Review: The Brothers Sinister by Courtney Milan

Greetings and welcome to Reviews That Burn: Series Reviews, part of Books That Burn. Series Reviews discuss at least three books in a series and cover the overarching themes and development of the story across several books. This review is for The Brothers Sinister by Courtney Milan. Full Audio Here   The Governess Affair Miss Serena Barton intends to hold the petty, selfish duke who had her sacked responsible for his crimes. But the man who handles all the duke's dirty business has been ordered to get rid of her by fair means or foul. She’ll have to prove more than his match… The Duchess War The last time Minerva Lane was the center of attention, it ended badly—so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention. But that is precisely what she gets... A Kiss for Midwinter Miss Lydia Charingford does her best to forget the dark secret that nearly ruined her life, hiding it beneath her smi...
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A Thief in the Night by KJ Charles (Gentle Art World #1)

Toby never meant to be a highway robber, but needs must. He didn’t plan to impersonate a top London valet either, but when the chance comes to present himself as the earl of Arvon’s new gentleman's gentleman, he grabs it. Unfortunately, the earl is the man he seduced and robbed on the road to get here. Oops.

Miles, Lord Arvon, is not impressed. But he’s faced with a tumbledown home and lost family fortune, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Toby—shameless, practical, and definitely desperate—may be just the man he needs.

To steal back a priceless bracelet, that is. What else were you thinking?

COVER ARTIST: Elizabeth Turner Stokes
PUBLISHER: KJC Books
YEAR: 2022
LENGTH: 91 pages
AGE: Adult
GENRE: Historical, Romance
RECOMMENDED: Yes

Queer Rep Summary: Gay/Achillean Main Character(s), Bi/Pan Main Character(s), Trans Minor Character(s).

A THIEF IN THE NIGHT follows the older brother of the protagonist from THE GENTLE ART OF FORTUNE HUNTING. For me, it was a pretty light read, though it does touch on themes of war and addiction that take place off-page. There's very little time between the initial incident where Toby tricks Miles by stealing his watch, and when they meet again. I read this pretty quickly and had a great time, though I'm looking forward to the more substantial entries in the main series, as this is definitely a companion to the first book rather than a full sequel on its own. It's clearly meant to be just that, and it's a testament to KJ Charles' writing that I so consistently enjoy her work.

This is pretty complete as a novella, with room for some complexity, but not a ton of depth. As a kind of sequel, this addresses a loose end from THE GENTLE ART OF FORTUNE HUNTING. Rob and his sister have an older brother who they haven't seen in years. That brother turns out to be one half of the main couple in this book. Other than the family connection, this storyline in A THIEF IN THE NIGHT is completely new and separate from the first book. The issue of Miles' inheritance is introduced and resolved, and I am eager for the possibility of a sibling reunion in a future volume of the main series. As for the reading order, I think this could be read interchangeably with the first book, but both should be read before THE DUKE AT HAZARD.

If you like this you may like:

  • One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny

Moderate CW for alcohol, sexual content.

Minor CW for homophobia, neglect, child abuse, war, death.

Fantastic Fiction

Two men in a moonlit room, one is dressed in a waistcoat and shirt, holding a pocket watch behind his back. The other is more formally dressed in a red coat, reaching behind the first man to try and grab the watch.


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