I found this to be absolutely terrible. Not only did I find the writing  inexperienced, the MMC is incredibly unlikable — and lowkey a disgusting, sexist creep — when he isn't supposed to be. 

The story is set in the 1840s, but only the FMC sounds like she's from the past, her formality and propriety constantly a joke to the MMC. There's a completely useless romance subplot, which mostly consists of them not talking about it and the FMC constantly blushing. The whole thing with the MMCs past (the reason and manner he was disowned) made zero sense, and the villain of the story is mind-numbingly stupid. Add to that the convenient ending where it turns out that

Merritt is a wizard

and you have yourself a hot mess of a book.

I will not continue the series, but I sincerely hope that Baptiste gets his cow and chickens.