I’m taking a break from my weekend with the Hubby (it’s our anniversary weekend, and I made him promise to stay off the computer so I have to as well. NOBODY BREAK ANYTHING IN HERE, PLEASE!) to tell you two one thing:

1. You should buy this novella immediately.

 

Back to Unlocked. I may have to resort to all caps to talk about this novella. For real. Here’s a list of reasons why you should buy this RIGHT NOW.

1. It’s a three-day holiday weekend in the US. Chances are you are tired of people and want some quiet. Take this book, which is digital so you can put it on your smartphone or your reader or your laptop, and go hide and go read it. It’s a present to yourself. The third day of a three-day weekend can be tough. This novella is restorative like a two hour massage and foot rub with one of those really awesome tingly scalp treatments thrown in.

2. Why do I like this novella? Because Courtney Milan rocks the novella format. HARD. This story is emotional, wrenching, beautiful, touching, and incredibly rich – and a novella so you get the whole experience of a romance in a shorter format.

3. Plot summary? Ok, fine: Evan Carlton made Lady Elaine Warren’s life miserable in her first Season. Then he left, and she remained unmarried, alone, and the subject of continued derision in his absence. Carlton returns from years away, a different person who is determined to make up for his past wrongs, no matter how difficult it is to undo years and years of damage.

YOU GUYS. There is groveling. He has to make amends. IT IS A GROVEL-VELLA.

4. This novella is based on the simplest of premises: the boy who teases a girl because he likes her. It also explores how hard it is to change your habits, to change who you are and the role you play in front of others, and most of all how hard it is to apologize for what you’ve done wrong.

5. In Milan’s hands, nothing is simple or easy. Every word, every phrase, means multiple things in some scenes. Dialogue has layered meanings that only the reader and maybe certain characters understand. Its’ a rich and delicious and intelligent experience. Pay attention. Don’t miss anything. It’s short – and you should savor it.

6. Enough? Why an A-? I wish one of the ancillary characters had been developed – I don’t want to say too much, but there’s one character who shows up at the end, and I would have sworn he was never there in the first place. He has no role in the beginning and a rather pivotal role in the end. My sidenote on him reads, ‘Who?! Where has he been?!”

7. Look, go buy this. Go read it. It’s wonderful. If it were in three-dimensional form, I’d run around hitting people with it. It’s thoughtful and rich and intelligent and beautiful. Jane at Dear Author called it “remarkable” in a conversation with me, and it really is. It is worth the absolutely minuscule amount of money it costs: .99c except at Goodreads, where it is $1. It’s worth the extra penny at Goodreads.

You can also read an excerpt here.

8. Why are you still here? Bring a tissue when you go hide with this book. You might be a little teary.  Go read this! It’s wonderful!