Book Review → A Right Honorable Gentleman

TITLE: A Right Honorable Gentleman
AUTHOR: Courtney Milan
GENRE: Romance, Historical
RATING: 4.5 / 5
Goodreads • Amazon
Miss Catherine Hooks is one of the best governesses in all of England; her employer, the Right Honorable Edward Glennon, is one of the busiest men. The fact that they’ve fallen in love is immaterial. Honorable people in their situation do not mention such things. But Edward’s son is on the verge of leaving for school, and when Cat asks for the only thing she can demand under the circumstances—a reference and help finding a new position—she discovers that even a right honorable gentleman has his limits…

Let me start by saying that this is not a full book, but rather a 30 page short story from Courtney Milan, and I was lucky enough to read it for free by being subscribed to her newsletter! So if you like Courtney's work, I would definitely recommend going to her site and subscribing to the newsletter for future freebies and sneak peeks. I finally got around to downloading this short story last night for something to read before bed, and I am so glad that I did!

I can't tell you exactly how long it took me to read the whole story because I was in bed, in the dark, and tearing up more often than I care to admit, but it was definitely less than an hour. But even with it being a quick read, it was so good! Cat and Edward suited one another like two sides of the same coin, and the tension and affection between them was nearly palpable, even when they were doing their best to ignore it themselves. This is also an amazing example of how you can use the "employer/employee" trope without playing into any uncomfortable power dynamics.

Cat is a middle-aged governess who holds her own against one of the most powerful men in the country in a way that is satisfying and believable for the story. And by the end, you're absolutely rooting for them. And maybe a little misty eyed if you're like me and just prone to crying when when a line gets you right int he feels. My only complaint, aside from wishing the story were a little longer, is that I do wish we'd gotten to see just a little more from Cat's perspective after her resignation, her on her own outside of Edward's company. But ultimately, the story was incredibly sweet, the character compatibility was fantastic, and for a short story, the wrap up was satisfying. I'll definitely be checking out more from Courtney after this!