The Devil Comes Courting

Captain Grayson Hunter needs to establish a telegraph line across the Pacific Ocean. His quest leads him to Shanghai, where he seeks assistance from the Ming Wai School for girls and its innovative approach to Chinese telegraph code. At the school, he meets Amelia Smith, who develops Chinese telegraph code under a male pseudonym. Despite initial mistrust between them, their shared interest in advancing telegraph technology creates an unexpected connection. Their collaboration occurs against the backdrop of 1870s colonialism, racial tensions, and rapid technological change. Both must navigate complex cultural and social barriers while pursuing their professional goals. This historical romance explores themes of identity, progress, and the ways technology can both unite and divide. The story challenges assumptions about innovation, communication, and who gets to write history.

Readers highlight the depth of historical research about Chinese telegraph operators and the complexity of the cross-cultural romance. Many reviews mention how the book handles themes of identity, language barriers, and colonialism. Likes: - Strong character development, especially of Captain Grayson and Amelia - Integration of linguistic and historical details without overwhelming the story - Treatment of racism and discrimination in the 1870s - Balance of serious topics with moments of humor Dislikes: - Some found the pacing slow in the middle sections - Technical language/telegraph details too complex for some readers - Several reviewers wanted more romance scenes Ratings: Goodreads: 4.08/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,100+ ratings) Notable review: "The amount of research that went into the linguistics and telegraph history is impressive without being dry." - Goodreads reviewer

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🌏 The story features the real-life historical Trans-Pacific telegraph cable project, which connected North America to Asia in the 1870s. 📝 Author Courtney Milan drew inspiration from the actual Chinese Telegraph Code, a system developed to transmit Chinese characters via Morse code. 👩‍💼 Before becoming a romance novelist, Courtney Milan worked as a law professor and served as a clerk for the Supreme Court of the United States. 🔍 The book explores the complex relationship between language, communication, and colonialism in 19th-century China and America. 💕 This novel is part of "The Worth Saga" series, but features an interracial romance that was extremely rare for the time period it depicts.