My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Synopsis:
"London, 1859
Engineer Winifred "Wink" Hadrian has been in love with Inspector Liam McCullough for years, but is beginning to lose hope when he swears to be a lifelong bachelor. Faced with a proposal from a Knight of the Round Table and one of her closest friends, Wink reluctantly agrees to consider him instead.
Because of his dark werewolf past, Liam tries to keep his distance, but can't say no when Wink asks him to help find her friend's missing son. They soon discover that London's poorest are disappearing at an alarming rate, after encounters with mysterious "mechanical" men. Even more alarming is the connection the missing people may have with a conspiracy against the Queen.
Fighting against time—and their escalating feelings for each other—Wink and Liam must work together to find the missing people and save the monarchy before it's too late..." -goodreads.com
My Review:
I found this book interesting, in that I feel like it elaborated the Steampunk concept more than anything I've previously read on the subject. Granted I've only read three other books of that genre, this book stands out for me. The author's implement of the book's backstory was done well, because without having to read the previous books, I knew what was going on. Wink's character is likable as she is independent and a hard worker. She's ahead of her time and wants to get London to move along with her strategies to incorporate a cleaner, breathable environment. Her love interest, Liam is a werewolf moonlighting as an inspector, and has to fight his inner conflicts to break his barriers and fall in love.
"'Yes. Something is afoot in Wapping, Inspector. I hope to heaven you can find out what, and put an end to it before more good people disappear.'" (loc. 782)
I liked the action of the overall mystery with the Ascot society and the Royals. With a romantic tinge, and a revolutionary feel, this book was very enjoyable and I would absolutely love to find and read the author's previous Gaslight Chronicle books!
First Line: "Winifred Carter, almost sixteen, barely dared to breath for fear that something would ruin the moment as a bury dark man and a fair-haired faerie-tale princess said their wedding vows in the garden of a duke." (loc. 40)
Last Line: "Life among this family was never going to be dull." (loc. 2949)
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Quotes
"Every day, Londoners too poor to employ air filters in their homes died of black lung, and other respiratory illnesses as if they were coal miners. Couldn't the blighters in the Royal Society see the urgency of the problem or the elegance of the solution? Electrical power was the stuff of the future." (loc. 146)
"'If you want to woo Winifred, don't talk about her beauty or grace. She couldn't care a fig about those. Think, man. What makes her unique? What makes her the woman you want to marry? Praise her brains, her strength with a sword, her ability to fix any machine that's ever been made. Let her know you see her for who she is, not just the pretty social façade she's forced herself to cultivate for her family's sake.'" (loc.345)
"'Only you can make that decision, darling. But there are so many different kinds of love. Make sure you choose the one that's right for you.'" (loc. 641)
Galley provided by Carina Press via NetGalley
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ebook
Published October 2012 by Carina Press
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