Sheila's Books Read

Sheila's bookshelf: read

The Best Intentions
Scotland's Melody
The Secret Society of Salzburg
Secret of the Sonnets
20-40-60-Minute Dinners: Meals to Match the Time You Have
Through the Wilderness: My Journey of Redemption and Healing in the American Wild
Secret Santa Claus Club: A Tool to Help Parents Unwrap the Secret of Santa
Mr. Pudgins
Revenge Never Rests
The Best Mistake
Meriden Park
More Inspirational Stories for Young Women
The Great Tree: A Christmas Fable
To Capture His Heart
The Call of the Sea
Esperance
Livvy and the Enchanted Woodland
Come, Gentle Night
The Bad Boy Theory
Guide To Smart Wedding Planning: What You want to know and everything you haven't thought of yet.


Sheila's favorite books »

2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Sheila has read 4 books toward her goal of 100 books.
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Sunday, September 15, 2019

The Lady and the Highwayman (Proper Romance Victorian) By Sarah M. Eden-Blog Tour Review




Product Details

  • Title: The Lady and the Highwayman  (Proper Romance Victorian) 
  • Author: Sarah M. Eden
  • Series: Proper Romance
  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Shadow Mountain (September 3, 2019)
  • Genres: Historical FictionClean RomanceMysteryAction/Adventure 
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1629726052
  • ***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own***



Book Summary
Elizabeth Black is the headmistress of a girls school in 1865s Victorian London. She is also a well-respected author of silver-fork novels, stories written both for and about the upper-class ladies of Victorian society. But by night, she writes very different kinds of stories--the Penny Dreadfuls that are all the rage among the working-class men. Under the pseudonym Charles King, Elizabeth has written about dashing heroes fighting supernatural threats, intelligent detectives solving grisly murders, and dangerous outlaws romancing helpless women. They contain all the adventure and mystery that her real-life lacks.

Fletcher Walker began life as a street urchin but is now the most successful author in the Penny Dreadful market, that is until Charles King started taking all of his readers. No one knows who King is, including Fletcher s fellow members of the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of  authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the social and political causes of their working-class readers. The group knows King could be an asset with his obvious monetary success, or he could be the group s undoing as King s readership continues to cut into their profits.

Determined to find the elusive Mr. King, Fletcher approaches Miss Black. As a fellow-author, she is well-known among the high-class writers; perhaps she could be persuaded to make some inquiries as to Mr. King s whereabouts? Elizabeth agrees to help Fletcher, if only to insure her secret identity is never discovered. What neither author anticipated was the instant attraction, even though their social positions dictate the impossibility of a relationship.

For the first time, Elizabeth experiences the thrill of a cat-and-mouse adventure reminiscent of one of her own novels as she tries to throw Fletcher off her scent. But the more time they spend together, the more she loses her heart. It's upper-class against working-class, author against author where readers, reputations, and romance are all on the line.



My Review
The Lady and the Highwayman is a clever twist on a Proper Romance. Sarah Eden has crafted a tale like none she's done before. Everything from the characters, setting, and plot are unique and exciting. This is not a Regency Romance but takes place during the Victorian era in England. 

Both of the main characters are authors of the "Penny Dreadfuls" that were the rage among the working-class men. Elizabeth writes under the pseudonym of a Mr. King. As the headmistress of an all girl's school, she needs to remain in good standing with the upper class of Victorian Society. She meets fellow author, Fletcher Walker, who also writes Penny Dreadfuls. The novel is told from both Elizabeth's and Fletcher's POV. I also really loved how we were also able to read the stories written by Mr. King and Fletcher. What an incredible undertaking for Eden to write so many "stories" within the pages of this novel.

I learned so much about the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the social and political causes of their working-class readers. This novel once again shows the incredible work and dedication that Sarah Eden does in researching before she writes a book. I found an article that gave great information about The Dread Penny Society and the Penny Dreadfuls that were written. It was all very interesting.{http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20160502-the-shocking-tale-of-the-penny-dreadful}

This new novel is a brilliant combination of mystery, suspense, history, and of course romance. The witty dialogue makes the interaction between Elizabeth and Fletcher a delight to read. If you are a Sarah Eden fan, be prepared for something new and just as well written as her previous books. 





Purchase The Lady and the Highwayman HERE:
-Amazon:https://amzn.to/31tERTq

-Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lady-and-the-highwayman-sarah-m-eden/1130650833?ean=9781629726052#/

Meet Author Sarah M. Eden


Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today Bestselling author of witty and charming historical romances, including Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, as well as 2014 Whitney Award winner for “Best Novel of the Year,” Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski. 

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