Meet New Books
Book Cover

The Devil Comes Courting

Book 4 in the series:The Worth Saga

Save:
Find on Amazon

In "The Devil Comes Courting," readers are introduced to Grayson Hunter, a biracial Black man facing racism in a white-controlled world, and Amelia Smith, an Asian woman struggling to find her identity in a society that tries to suppress her roots. The story follows their journey of healing and self-discovery as they come together to work on creating a Chinese telegraphic code in Shanghai. Set in the 1870s, the book beautifully weaves themes of grief, guilt, racism, and cultural identity, while also exploring the historical context of Western imperialism and the challenges faced by its victims.

Characters:

The characters are complex, each dealing with their respective traumas, and their relationship serves as a means of mutual healing.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style combines heartfelt storytelling with historical context, providing insight into complex emotional and cultural dynamics.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative follows a unique historical premise involving telegraphy and the dynamics of a cross-cultural romance, centering on the development of a Chinese telegraphic code.

Setting:

The setting provides a rich historical backdrop that informs both the characters' experiences and the broader themes of the narrative.

Pacing:

The pacing enhances the emotional depth of the story, focusing on character growth and the development of their relationship over time.
It was midsummer in tea-trading season, yet Captain Grayson Hunter had not come to Fuzhou for tea. Tea was the treasure of traders with small aspirations—those who wished only to build fortunes throug...

Notes:

The book is set in mid-19th century China during the development of the first Atlantic telegraph network.
Amelia, the Chinese heroine, was raised by British missionaries after being separated from her birth family.
Captain Grayson Hunter, the male lead, is a Black American focused on completing the transatlantic telegraph line to honor his deceased brothers.
The story explores themes of imperialism, racism, and the complex impacts of missionary work.
Amelia has a strong interest in megalodons, adding a unique quirk to her character.
The narrative structure includes time jumps, which some readers found confusing but intriguing.
The book addresses the emotional struggles of both main characters as they cope with their traumatic pasts and seek healing through their relationship.
The communication between the leads includes a romantic and creative use of telegraphic messages.
Amelia is portrayed as a brilliant inventor tasked with creating a telegraphic cipher for Chinese characters, a significant challenge compared to English letters.
The author, Courtney Milan, includes a variety of cultural and historical details, rooted in extensive research of the time period and locations such as Fuzhou and Shanghai.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of racism, imperialism, trauma related to cultural identity, and family issues, particularly relating to feelings of displacement and belonging.

Has Romance?

Yes, there is a high level of romance present in the story, centered around the developing relationship between the two main characters.

From The Publisher:

Captain Grayson Hunter knows the battle to complete the first worldwide telegraphic network will be fierce, and he intends to win it by any means necessary. When he hears about a reclusive genius who has figured out how to slash the cost of telegraphic transmissions, he vows to do whatever it takes to get the man in his employ.Except the reclusive genius is not a man, and she's not looking for employment.Amelia Smith was taken in by English missionaries as a child. She's not interested in Captain Hunter's promises or his ambitions. But the harder he tries to convince her, the more she realizes that there is something she wants from him. She wants everything. And she'll have to crack the frozen shell he's made of his heart to get it.

Reader Stats (5):

Want To Read (2)
Not Interested (3)
 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.