The Gentleman and the Thief: Proper Romance Victorian

Author: Sarah M. Eden

Series: Book 2 in The Dread Penny Society

Genre: Historical Mystery/Suspense, Victorian Romance, Inspirational Fiction

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing (November 3, 2020)

Length: (368) pages

Synopsis

A standalone novel in The Dread Penny Society set in 1865 London brimming with secrets, scandal, suspense, and romance.

From the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he’s smitten. Even though he’s from a wealthy, established family and she isn’t, he wishes he could have a life with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: the deep coffers that have kept his family afloat for generations are bare, so he supports himself by writing penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he would be broke.

Ana Newport also has a secret. Though she once had a place in society thanks to her father’s successful business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced his fortune to nothing more than a crumbling townhouse. So Ana teaches music during the day, and at night she assumes the identity of the “Phantom Fox.” She breaks into the homes of the wealthy to reclaim trinkets and treasures she feels were unjustly stolen from her family when they were struggling.

When Hollis’s brother needs to hire a music tutor for his daughter, Hollis recommends Ana, giving him a chance to spend time with her. Ana needs the income and is eager for the opportunity to get to know the enigmatic gentleman. What neither of them expects is how difficult it will be to keep their respective secrets from each other.

When a spree of robberies rocks the city, Ana and Hollis join forces to solve the crimes, discovering that working together deepens the affection between them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?

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Praise

“The real joy in Eden’s follow-up to The Lady and the Highwayman (2019) is the furthering of the overarching crime story and the work of the Dread Penny Society as Hollis and Ana pursue a chaste romance. Eden excels at exploring the realities of Victorian life and class differences. Once again, chapters of penny dreadfuls written by the characters are interspersed throughout, with Hollis’ story about a school for ghosts offering particular delight. Fans of Eden’s smart series will be thrilled and impatient for the next installment.”— Booklist, starred review

“Every time I thought my racing heart just couldn’t take the suspense anymore, I’d turn the page and smile.”— Bookconfessions

“Eden writes it well, so thoroughly researched that you’re transported and in Victoria England. Great suspense and romance.”— Leslie, Books and Socks Rock

“Undeniably clever, suspenseful, well-researched, and deftly written…”— Katie Jackson, com

“Charming, suggestive, and featuring rich historical details, The Gentleman and the Thief has the elements of a gritty, juicy penny dreadful.”— Foreword Reviews

Review

I have enjoyed this new series by Sarah Eden. I love the historical aspect but what I think I really like are the stories within the story – the penny dreadfuls. They are witty and I can see where these would take a person’s mind off the bad things going on around them. Like they say, get lost in a book!

This is also supposed to be a proper romance. To me, that just means a very clean romance story set in the past when people were more proper and had manners. This book definitely fills that bill but the romance is very light. We know that Hollis and Ana are attracted to each other and have their flirtations and interactions, but I think the book was more focused on other things such as the DPS – Dreadful Penny Society – and their works trying to get urchins and orphans off of the street and away from those that abuse them. There is also the mystery of who is the Phantom Fox. Granted the answer is discovered early on, but I enjoyed watching how that story unfolded as well.

I found all of the characters engaging and they all added something to the story whether it was good or bad. I think that if you like clean, historical novels that you will like this series.

We give this 4 paws ups.

About the Author

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today best-selling author of witty and charming historical romances, including 2019’s Foreword Reviews INDIE Awards Gold Winner for Romance, The Lady and the Highwayman, and 2020 Holt Medallion finalist, Healing Hearts. She is a two-time “Best of State” Gold Medal winner for fiction and a three-time Whitney Award winner. Combining her obsession with history and her affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting deep 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.

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