Talk Sweetly to Me (The Brothers Sinister)

TALK SWEETLY TO ME is billed as a coda to the fabulous Brothers Sinister series. The novella tells the story of Stephen Shaughnessy, who was introduced in THE SUFFRAGETTE SCANDAL. Stephen writes a column for a women’s newspaper. (As an aside, the column is hysterical and THE SUFFRAGETTE SCANDAL is worth reading just to catch up on them.)In this novella, Shephen meets Rose Sweetly. Rose is a mathematician who helps with calculations regarding astronomical issues. Stephen and Rose live close to one another and Stephen loves to hear Rose talk about mathematics. Rose is intrigued with Stephen, but she is wary of him because he has a reputation as a rake and also because she is of African descent, she fears that he might believe she has loose morals.This novella is short, but I loved the interaction between Rose and Stephen. Rose is brilliant and Stephen is clearly entranced with her. The story between the two is sweet and caring. The story reminds me somewhat of THE COUNTESS CONSPIRACY, but with much less angst and pain.The edge in this story comes from the racism and sexism of the society at large. What brings the characters together is that they both represent outsiders in society. Rose is black and is a brilliant female in a predominately male field. Stephen writes for a feminist newspaper and is an Irish Catholic. At one point, Rose points out that any children they would have would be black Irish Catholics and all of their lives would be immensely difficult.Milan writes original stories. It is difficult that seduction and romance can be expressed through mathematics, but that is exactly what happens here.This novella doesn’t have the complexity of a full-length novella, but I found it a beautiful addition to THE SUFFRAGETTE SCANDAL. There are no appearances by other characters of the series so fans may be disappointed, but new readers can pick this one up without missing much (although it is best read after THE SUFFRAGETTE SCANDAL because a reader will get to know Stephen better).

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.

This was my first CM book and I was amazed with the research that went into this novella, it was well written and gave me as the reader a glimpse into life for black Britons in Victorian times. I really enjoyed the novel and I’m glad that Rose was presented as a strong female character, with a high intellect. The romance between her and Stephen was well developed and he was able to balance her intensity with his laid back attitude. I loved the romance between the two and look forward to reading other CM novels.

Es un libro entretenido, de fácil lectura. Su personaje masculino demasiado moderno pero muy sweet. El final como en todas las novelas románticas es previsible, aún así la trama se desarrolla de forma fluida y cumple con la función de entretenerte y transportarte a otro tiempo y lugar.

I really liked that the main character is a clever woman and that it's about astronomy. But the story and the love goes a bit too fast for me.

A good book but disappointing compared to the others in the series.

Very ''sweet''. Love Ms Milan's style. Once you've read one of her books, you want to get them all and that is what I did with The Brothers Sinister's series. Loved it a lot.