First sentence: Rumor had it, Fletcher Walker wasn’t born but had simply appeared one day, swaggering down the streets of London.
Premise/plot: Elizabeth Black and Fletcher Walker are both authors living in Victorian London. He writes penny dreadfuls. She writes silver-forks. He is the “king” of his genre until another King starts outselling him, a Mr. Charles King to be exact. Walker fears that King may not be a kindred spirit—one who will do just about anything, legal or not, to help the down and out children. Who is this man? Can he be trusted? Should he be invited to join the Dreadful Penny Society? Will he help their cause or hurt it? Does he want to see the poorest, dirtiest children get off the streets and receive an education?
Fletcher Walker asks Miss Black for assistance. Does she have any idea who this Charles King is?! Could she help him follow the clues and solve a mystery?! All indications point to her keeping his identity secret—but why? Likewise it seems Walker has his own secrets he keeps close. Will love bloom between these two authors?!
My thoughts: I absolutely love Sarah Eden’s romances. This one is not an exception. I loved that we get excerpts from each of their serial novels. It is a fun play on a genre that has not truly survived into this century. (Though one could argue that cheap, formulaic non-literature for the masses has. One could also dive into the topic of what makes a book worth reading...what makes a book “good.”) I loved the hero and heroine. I loved them individually and as a couple. I also cared for the fictional heroes and heroines within the story—the characters created by Walker and King. Granted I’m not sure that outside the framework I would want to spend hours with them. But maybe I would?! A novella length perhaps! Eden’s writing kept me turning pages. Turning pages and sometimes grinning from ear to ear.
I would recommend this one if you enjoy clean romance or historical romance. I loved the setting of Victorian London. It was romance packed with adventure.
© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
1 comment:
I love Sarah Eden's romances, too, and am really looking forward to reading this one! :)
Post a Comment