Against all odds, Milan ends her Brothers Sinister series with a banging novella. More often than not, novellas tend to have pacing issues. Either they feel too compressed or even too long. Talk Sweetly to Me is the perfect length to allow a new romance to develop without feeling too rushed.

Readers will recognize Stephen Shaughnessy from the previous novel in this series, The Suffragette Scandal as a witty writer on Free's newspaper. He was a joy to read about, and he's even more fun to read about in his own story. Unlike the other heroes in this series, he doesn't have a super traumatic past to brood over; although, he certainly hasn't had an easy life being Irish and writing for a feminist periodical, but this works in his favor as he anchors the story. Meanwhile, the plot centers around the vibrant Rose Sweetly.

Rose is brilliant and loving. She's an aspiring astronomer and brilliant with numbers. At the same time, she dotes on her pregnant sister and takes care of her while her brother-in-law is away at sea. Her relationships round her out as capable and dedicated without making her too stuffy. The other thing readers will instantly notice about Rose is that she is black. As a white woman, I can say I appreciated a heroine of color, and I thought Milan did a marvelous job creating a character who's complex and tough as she fights against the cards dealt her, namely being a woman and black, without making her a martyr or a stand-in for other black women of her era. The scenes with the aptly names Dr. Chillingsworth showcase the prejudice black women faced then and, unfortunately, still face now. The ending, while immensely satisfying, is likely far most optimistic than most women's actual encounters with racist doctors. Still, I appreciated the balance and a more honest portrayal of life back then for women of color.

Not just romance novels, but period drama series and movies often gloss over the fact that people of color existed in the past, let alone had their own love stories. Milan's story is not only heart-warming and romantic but important. It's about more than representation. Stephen not only vows to protect and support Rose as she navigates an unjust world, he promises to preserve what makes her unique. Rose wants to be an astronomer, and Stephen will always support that dream. It's the most romantic gesture I can think of, and one that lets every woman know - regardless of their race - that their dreams are important. They deserve to thrive, as well as survive. Can't recommend this novella enough. ( )

Absolutely wonderful! Milan is so good. ( )

Another excellent, unique story. Loved the heroine!!!!!! ( )

Talk Sweetly is the final installment (in the form of an additional novella) in the Brothers Sinister Series by Courtney Milan.

Content Note: (critical treamtent of) racism/misogynoir

Plot:
Rose Sweetly works as a computer at the astronomy department. She is happy when she gets to do math, especially in the field of astronomy, though very few people around her understand that passion. Stephen Shaughnessy is a satirical columnist for a feminist newspaper where he dispenses the wisdom only an Actual Man can share. He also lives next door to Rose and is utterly enchanted by her and her science rants. So much so that he hires her to tutor him in math. And if something more should develop, even better.

Talk Sweetly to Me was a really nice addition to the series, one that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss. It combines political issues with a very nice romance in a very balanced way that I very much enjoyed.

Read more on my blog: https://kalafudra.com/2022/04/09/talk-sweetly-to-me-courtney-milan/ ( )

Loved it. Such a sweet quick romance. The characters are so interesting. I've loved this entire series and this is the last book. I'm not as sad as I could be though as I'm excited to read more this author. ( )