A Clockwork Christmas

Bustlepunk Chronicles #1

by Angela James (Editor)

We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

Anthology includes:

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail
This Winter Heart by PG Forte
Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz
Far From Broken by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase separately.

117,000 words

Genres: Steampunk, Anthologies, Christmas, Romance, Short Stories, Holiday, Fantasy

Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2011

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.

Reviews

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Clockwork Christmas is a fun collection of four Steampunk novellas and I honestly enjoyed each story. They're a terrific sampling of the genre, and if you've never read Steampunk before but would like to, this is a great way to explore this very unique world.

My spoiler free breakdown of each story:

1. Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail– A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. This was a great story! Funny, sweet, very sexy… I LOVED it! 4.5 stars

2. This Winter Heart by PG Forte - A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. This was a very unique story of faith, hope and unconditional love. Very good! 4 stars

3. Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz - And an American inventor finds love Down Under. What a fun story! An Americanized English rake takes on a smart, feisty Suffragette from Down Under! Another great one! 4 stars

4. Far From Broken by JK Coi - Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. Okay, now this one was so emotional, and is another story of forgiveness and unconditional love. *sigh* So, so good! 5 stars

The bottom line - The stories in this anthology gave me everything I want in my Christmas themed readings. The tales are sweet, and funny, and filled with hope, honor, love, generosity, charity and even some sexy goodness… but most importantly to me - forgiveness and redemption. Of course I wish they had been longer, but they are what they are and I'm so glad I had the chance to read them! I'm excited to have discovered four very talented new-to-me authors and look forward to more of their writings!

Overall rating - 4.5 stars

This ebook was provided by netgalley.com in behalf of Carina Press.

[Cheesecake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I've read two of the stories and do plan to read the other two... someday ; )
Anyways, just the two I've read make it worthwhile to get this book if you are a fan of Steam Punk or if you just like an angsty read with an HEA.

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail *** 3 stars
I found the ending a bit too quick what with all the angst built up. It should have taken more than a couple pages to disperse it all. But I still really enjoyed this moralistic tale of redemption.
She is a thief and yes, she did steal from him. Does this make her evil like he says? No just misguided, as he will come to understand. In fact, he is just as misguided!
He maneuvers her into his control so that he can force her to recover what she stole from him.
I loved the gadgetry and 'Victorian science'. I loved that she is such a strong woman. Yes she suffers from lustful longings around him, but he is the one with the weak-knee syndrome. Neither of them truly gets the upper hand.
safety is good she is a virgin, but it doesn't really bear on the story, but it makes sense with her lone wolf status. I was a little disappointed he didn't remark on the blood or some such harlequin style reaction. Anyways, no deets on his sexual history.

This Winter Heart by P G Forte *** 3 Stars
I found this a harsh story the first time around, but after re-reading it, I still find her injuries hard to read about, but overall it's a great story.
..................................................
A short steampunk story about a mechanical woman (Ophelia) who falls in love with her father/creator's apprentice (Dario) and they marry. This happened before the story.
Now it is 8 years later...
I loved the premise. Love between a human and a machine/AI in a time when a mechanical person is property, having no rights of their own. So when her father dies, she needs protection for herself and her child. A miracle child, who Dario won't accept is his. He kicked her out 8 years ago when he discovered that she wasn't actually human. So he needs to decide now if she does have feelings or is it a case of anthropomorphism.
There are a few brief flashbacks interspersed throughout the story that are particularly damning to Dario's prejudice. And Dario struggles quite convincingly with what to believe. Eight years ago he kicked her out, but he also stopped living himself.
But he is so harsh to her, even going so far as to threaten kicking her out again but keeping their child.
Then when he finally realizes he is wrong, he is deliciously remorseful and the grovel is quite long. I just wish she hadn't had to be so injured for him to realize the truth. I think that was a big part of why I gave this less stars the first time 'round.
Safety is good she was a virgin. No mention of his sexual past except he wasn't a virgin. No mention of others when they were apart. I like to think not, as he was kinda a hermit during those 8 years

Far From Broken by J K Coi ...not read yet

Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz ...not read yet

[Aoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful way to discover four new steampunk authors.! While none of the stories have the "Christmassy" feeling that you come across in traditional romances, the stories are centered around the protagonists discovering love, compassion, forgiveness and redemption.

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail- 5 stars
Shopping for Christmas takes a darker turn when thief extraordinaire Cornelia has to return a stolen Faberge egg to its former owner, professor Roderick Coddington (*snort*), or lose her life in forfeit. Cornelia was sassy and sharp as a nail- her rather delightful inventions explained away satisfactorily by the author. Roderick maybe driven half mad by grief, but once their passion explodes, all bets are off! Loved it :)


This Winter Heart by PG Forte- 5 stars
Nearly destitute and helpless, Ophelia returns to her husband Dario, the man who turned his back on her eight years ago, with a surprise secret in tow. The 'steampunk' element demands a suspension of disbelief, but what can I say- I'm an angst puppy through and through.

And then, when he was finally gone, she couldn’t keep from feeling his absence like a cold, bitter wind, whistling through all the chinks in her defenses, chilling her to the bone.

The unspoken longing, their charged silences and the poignancy of their estrangement brought tears to my eyes.


Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz- 3 stars
A lighthearted, steampunk novella set in the Australian frontier. Reads much more like a HR, but immensely readable.


Far from Broken by J. K. Coi- 3.5 stars
A darker, more grislier read than the norm. Often in HR novels, we are shielded from the brutalities of that era. In this story, the heroine has to live with the aftermath of capture and torture at the hands of her husband's enemies. A former ballerina, Callie wakes up inside an alien, prosthetic body. Her husband Jasper must also deal with his demons of guilt and despair as he struggles to her through to his damaged wife

I felt that it was a powerful story, but would have benefited much more from being longer in length. There just wasn't sufficient time to explore the changes this incident wrought on their marriage and their personalities. Everything felt a little 'told' and not 'shown'.

[willaful · Rating 4 out of 5]

If, like me, you’re a romance reader who’s not really sure about steampunk as a genre yet, this anthology is a good way to dip your toe into the water. The focus on romance is strong, with the steampunk elements providing unique situations in which couples can fall or re-fall in love. Each of these stories is also sold individually.

“Crime Wave in a Corset” by Stacy Gail

A hero who shackles a heroine with a device that can blow her to smithereens -- not quite what you’d expect from a Christmas romance! Being a far bigger fan of angsty than sappy, I enjoyed the touch of edginess -- and have no fear, the Christmas sap does come along for a warm happy ending.

Cornelia Peabody, the smartest, toughest and most determinedly heartless thief around, is shocked to be taken off guard by Roderick Coddington. (And excuse me for a moment while I snort at that awesome Victorian name. *Snort*! Okay, done.) A theft that had been a triumph for her had been a personal disaster for him, causing him to believe Cornelia that lowest scum that ever walked the earth. Sadly enough, Cornelia agrees with him.

With Coddington’s deadly invention giving her only a week in which to recover his lost item, Cornelia faces one of the hardest challenges of her exceptionally hard life. Coddington is also facing a challenge -- resisting his attraction to a woman he hates.

While I was enjoying reading this, I wasn’t sure how well it would hold up to close scrutiny. Much become clear by the end, however -- I won’t give any spoilers, but I think most of the things that made me go “hmmm” were cleared up. The historical accuracy was a bit dubious at times, but this is steampunk, so I guess we can’t really hold authors to that. Anyway, even while a few things were niggling at me, I was swept up in the fast-paced and strongly emotional storytelling. Poor Cornelia is so tragically sad, falling in love with a man she thinks she can never deserve, and Roderick, when not driven mad with grief, is just the strong, caring man she needs. A couple of steamy scenes are very enjoyable, without taking over the story. Recommended for anyone who likes Christmas romance that’s sweet without sending you into a diabetic coma. 4 stars.

“This Winter Heart” by P.G. Forte

This story doesn’t really have a whole lot to do with Christmas, but it certainly gives a steampunk twist to secret baby romances. Eight years previously, Ophelia’s husband threw her out after learning the shocking truth that she was not human, but a mechanical creation housed in a human shell. The death of the man she considers her father has put Ophelia in grave danger; if her secret is discovered, she could be declared to be “nothing more than a piece of unclaimed property, or ever worse perhaps part of her father’s estate.” She has no option but to turn to Dario. She also has a surprise for him: the son she was carrying when she left.

This happens to be a flavor of angsty goodness I’m particularly fond of: the badly behaving hero who has to suffer oceans of remorse for hurting the heroine. Dario believes Ophelia to be a “thing,” incapable of emotions, and the fact that he still has unwanted feelings for her makes him especially cruel:

"'You gave me everything I wanted, all my heart desired -- only none of it was real. If that's not a betrayal, I don't know what is.'

'Betrayal!' She almost spat the word out. 'And... and... how was it not real, pray tell. In what way did I ever play you false?'

'It was not real because you are not real."

Of course, this makes Dario's eventual realization that she does have feelings, indeed shows far truer love than he, the "real" person, ever had, even more gut-wrenching.

The science behind the story is pretty dubious, even for steampunk, and there are any number of plotholes, but the poignancy of the situation brought tears to my eyes. 4 stars.

“Wanted: One Scoundrel” by Jenny Schwartz

Esme has big ideas for her Australian frontier city, but being a woman keeps her out of the political swim. So she decides she needs a “scoundrel” -- someone clever and charming and unscrupulous -- to be her front man. Jed is not quite the scoundrel he appears -- but he’s only too willing to play a part that will keep him closer to the luscious Esme.

This seemed a bit of an odd man out in the anthology: it’s a light story, and the steampunk elements are so mild, I had difficulty telling what was actual historical detail and what was invented. (Though there was an amusing section about designing cars built like kangaroos, and mechanical devices were helpful in bringing about the happy ending.) It’s also very low on steam of the sexy kind. I found Esme implausibly progressive for a woman of her time -- though I suppose that’s one way of creating an alternative history -- and the politically motivated sections seemed preachy. Overall, cute but thin. 2 stars.

“Far from Broken” by J. K. Coi

As romance readers, we’re often protected from having to suffer too much vicariously. Usually our heroes and heroines are rescued just in the nick of time. This story is an exception... terrible, terrible things have happened to its heroine, and although not graphic, it’s very dark and painful to read.

Former ballerina Callie wakes up to find herself in an alien and monstrous body. A brutal attack by men searching for her spy husband left her minus her legs and an eye; now clockwork prosthetics and nanoagents have made her a bionic woman - stronger, but very different. As Callie learns to live with her new self, her husband Jasper must also learn to live with a very changed wife and with his own sense of guilt.

This was an interesting exploration of how use of the prosthetics common to a steampunk universe might play out in people’s real lives, including the fact that Callie’s surgeries leave her indebted and open to exploitation. It was a powerful story, but I thought things moved a little too fast. The depth of the horror Callie faced and the difficulty of the adjustment for both seemed larger than could be encompassed in a novella, especially with time given to a mystery subplot. 3 1/2 stars.

(reviewed from e-arc provided by netGalley.)

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the current phase of Steampunk genre mixed with the fact that Christmas is nearing quickly, a collection of authors have paired up with Carina Press to bring forth to us a Steampunkery Clockwork Christmas Anthology featuring four short stories from four fabulous authors.
The first story is Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacey Gail , it takes us into the heart of Victorian London where we meet thief Cornelia Peabody - she has made her way and living up from working on the streets as an urchin to stealing valuable resources and items, all is well for her until one night - the week before Christmas, she arrives home to find her safeguard "a flag" has been tripped , somebody has broken into her home. As she enters , she is attacked by a Professor Coddington - according to him , she stole a valuable piece from the Cambridge University - a piece that took her only 10minutes to obtain and now it's come back to bite her on the bum. Coddington catches Peabody with a device "enter the steampunkery feel" that will go off in Seven Days and she will find herself dead if she does not do what she is told. Can Cornelia pull off the crime of a century-retrieve a Faberge Egg and live or will her current situation distract her from the prize and on Christmas Day she finds herself six feet under?
The next story is This Winter Heart by PG Forte , set in the year 1870 we read as Ophelia is chucked out of her house and left for poor , left to raise her son Arthur on her home. After the death of Ophelia's father , she has nowhere to turn and can't bear the thought of her and her son being turned onto the streets in the middle of a cold christmas - herself she can handle, but her eight year old Son Arthur - he had no choice . Being her pride and joy and needing somewhere that can care for him, she swallows her pride and hurt and returns on a ship to Dario with her son Arthur in tow. Sensing a call of duty, Dario feels obliged to let them stay, but due to Ophelia's past he is wary when she claims that Arthur is in fact his son. Desperate to keep them safe but also at a distance, Dario allows the pair to stay at his house till they can get on their feet . However, as we all can realise when a father gets with a boy that may be his son , their hearts together start to beat as one and as we turn the pages we can see the Love poured out between Arthur and Dario. But is the love and bond they develop strong enough to include Ophelia in the mix and will the tension that surfaces between Ophelia and Dario be able to be repaired?
The third story is Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz - In this short story this time set in the 1800's in good ol' across the ditch Australia , we meet Esme Smith - a suffragette and one for Women's Rights . She is in the market for a man who can weasel himself into the gentlemen's clubs and into the male world to put across her thoughts etc and of course as we discover with Esme -money is no option. Esme enlists her Uncle Henry's help to find the perfect man - Enter Jedidiah Reeves , a man that not only shares Esme's POV but one that also finds her a beaut - as the aussies would say. However , as we are well aware with novels and plans like this one where you fake marry -love always happens and the plan never turns out exactly how you wanted it to go as Jed and Esme are chucked headfirst into a world of politics, blackmailing, kidnapping and dangerous times. Now it's up to Jed to save the day and prove once and for all that under his American exterior he is not a scoundrel and of course that he really is the man for Esme.
Last but not least , is Far From Broken by JK Coi - this tale is set in the world of War, Dancing and Love. It tells the tale of Colonel Jasper who had a plan and was set in his ways until he met Callie - the girl of his dreams , she literally swept him off his feet and turned his life upside down. As a prima Ballerina , Callie lives to dance but tragedy will strike her in an unfortunate way which makes this story feel like Saw/ Inspector Gadget feel to it. When Callie is kidnapped by the enemies and villians that Jasper has been hunting down , she is tortured which as I was reading it - I felt for Callie as she had her whole life ripped apart - I don't know what I would do if I wouldnt be able to write or use my hands, For Callie , they tortured her - destroying her limbs and replacing them with mechanical parts. Her legs, hands and even one of her eyeballs. It seems as when she is rescued she has turned into the Tin Girl or the story of The Patchwork Girl except in this case The Clockwork Girl. Has her heart been hardened and disappeared as she is consumed with anger and raw hatred for Jasper for not saving her in time , for letting her go through this agony and pain and heartbreak. Can Jasper prove to her that he loves her no matter what and that Beauty isnt nessecary what you look like on the outside but what's on the inside that counts ?
As Christmas nears ,we read as Jasper again comes face to face with the villians who destroyed his wife and her nature. By confronting them and dealing with them can he also find it in his heart to save what little life is wife still has and prove to her that no matter what he will always and forever love her .
A Clockwork Christmas was an amazing anthology and trying to come up with a favourite one was difficult as they each brought something different to the writing deck. We had Crime Wave in A Corset which I loved the chemistry between Coddington and Peabody and of course I could imagine the costumery. We had This Winter Heart which shared the love and bonds of Father and Son , Wanted: One Scoundrel which I loved due to the Australian setting as to me it was close to home type story and finally Far From Broken, had that strong theme of Never giving up and Love Never Dies - the passion that was shared despite all odds between Callie and Jasper and as she came out I felt for her and imagined how hard it would have been - its beyond imaginable the pain, hurt and betrayal she felt.

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ who the fuck knows %.

Ugh, I hate to be a grinch!



But this book made it onto my naughty list. I was super excited about it, too. I mean, come on! Steampunk. check. Romance. check. Sexy times. check. Christmas. CHECK!

I couldn't finish ANY of these stories. Not one. So what happened?? Well, it was a steamy, hot steampunk mess.

Sort of like Justin Bieber in this video:



Or this guy:



For starters, these novellas had nothing to do with the holidays. Nothing. Christmas was a bait-and-switch gimmick and nothing more. Second, the info dumping and flat characters. I was bored. Third, the rampant abuse of adjectives and adverbs. Authors, please just stop the insanity. Lastly, the narrators were pretty bad.

So yeah, I'm bummed.



But on to the next adventure!

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two Stars: This book is not a Christmas themed book.

I requested A Clockwork Christmas from NetGalley, hoping to find a book with a Christmas theme and Steampunk elements. While this anthology did deliver with the futuristic, automated inventions, i.e, there are clockwork automatons, steam powered inventions, flying ships, humans with robotic technology, to mention a few, it fell short with the Christmas topic. Only the first story, Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail, actually exhibits a Christmas message. The other three stories make a few tiny mentions of Christmas but it is not a main theme or focus. Normally, this is not a big issue but when the book is marketed as a Christmas novel, then it should focus on Christmas aspects. It did at least deliver on the Steampunk portion. In fact, that was my favorite part of the book. There are numerous clever infusions of the steampunk staples. For those of you unfamiliar with the Steampunk genre, it usually takes place in the Wild West or Victorian England. What makes this genre unique is it features futuristic inventions, usually airships and clockwork gadgets and anachronistic items as well. The stories, often have a divergent history or alternate universe. One of the favorite components for the ladies, is the Victorian era fashion, corsets, lace, handkerchiefs etc. I admit I am drawn to the style of Steampunk, it is lovely. Then practicality smacks me in the head and reminds me of the uncomfortable part, tight constricting bindings, heavy skirts and being demure. If you love the fun, imaginative ideas of a good Steampunk book, Clockwork Christmas does provide a strong dose of Steampunk components.

My biggest complaint with this novel is the false labeling. As I said, I planned on reading a Christmas themed Steampunk novel. I was happily reading the first story, Crime Wave in a Corset, there were fashionable dresses, Christmas tidbits and a seething standoff between the two main characters, they literally despised each other. The simmering tension was a high point in the story. I was at a loss for words when a few pages in the relationship abruptly turns from spite to erotica. Seriously!? It moved into pages of explicit sexual euphemisms. I was certainly surprised. Did I miss something was this supposed to be a romance novel? To make sure I went back and checked the synopsis. Nope. No mention of this being a romance book. Well, maybe I was wrong in my understanding of Steampunk. So, I looked up the Steampunk definition. There is no mention of romance being a mainstay. I was just duped. Now, a couple of my Goodreads friends (Bonnie and Wendy) pointed out that the publisher, Carina Press, deals in romance novels. I felt dumb, thinking I should have checked out the publisher beforehand. On second thought, no this isn't my fault, they packaged their book under false pretenses. It should say in the description, that this is four romance novellas.

So, fair warning, if you are looking for a romantic anthology with some clockwork flair and a "bare" hint of Christmas (double innuendo intended), then you will enjoy A Clockwork Christmas. As for me, after I glossed over pages of sex scenes, ( I am not prudish but steamy romance is so not my thing) I found for the most part I did enjoy the stories. The third story, Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz, does not have the numerous, pages of "sexy time". But, I can't recommend this book to you unless you are a romance enthusiast. I wanted to feature a unique, Christmas book for the holidays and instead I got a mislabeled, romance novel. Hopefully I will have better luck in my search next time around for a great holiday book. At least I read Christmas Lites. Did any of you find a good Christmas book?

Happy Holidays!

Favorite Quotations:

"The questions collided into each other like cars on a derailed freight train, one right after another."

"For a sweet moment stolen from the stream of time, she wallowed in the possibility he might be as overwhelmed by the seductive retribution."

"Waiting is for those who have time to waste."

"When he was gone, her thoughts sailed off in pursuit."

"Now, come on. There's no sense in borrowing trouble from tomorrow, is there?"

"The real issue was trust and courage--two far less hardy blooms."

"Her mouth made him think of cotton candy and kisses."
Originally Posted on my blog http://rainydayramblings.typepad.com/

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thoroughly intrigued by Steampunk Romance so I just had to give Clockwork Christmas a gander - four steampunk romance shorts how could I resist - but since it's not really steampunk if you just toss in an airship, I've pointed out the steampunk elements that had a hand in shaping the story. All scored on the steampunk but the Christmas part was really thin and not at all central to any of the stories.

Crime Wave in a Corset - Stacy Gail - A thief is outsmarted by one of her former targets, and now is the not so proud owner of a piece of jewelry that is the equivalent of a ticking timebomb - and if she is unable meet his demand to retrieve his possession in time it's not going to be a very Merry Christmas for our leading lady. - Nifty steampunk inventions: check. (steam of the 'human variety' too) I enjoyed the story, the heroine has enough of a backstory to flesh her out and to make her a sympathetic character and I liked the enemies to lovers theme, the transition is quick since it's a short story, but still it worked for me.

This Winter Heart - P G Forte - A woman with nowhere to turn seeks help from her estranged husband, but will they be able to get past the hurt and betrayal caused by a lie of omission - The big secret which caused the estrangement is the major steampunk element in this one which is set in the old West. I enjoyed this short by PG Forte, who has the honor of being one of the "Nine Naughty Novelists" who authored The Zillionaire Cowboy Vampire's Secret Werewolf Babies (which I thought was a silly hoot btw, but you have to be in the mood....) The hero starts out as a real jerk though, but has a true change of heart and does some major groveling - though the heroine is delirious at the time - before the HEA .

Wanted: One Scoundrel - Jenny Schwartz - A woman seeks a scoundrel to put forth her agenda in the one political arena denied her, men's social clubs, and gets so much more than she'd planned in her intelligent and charming 'advocate' - Old Australia is the setting for this one, there are steampunk elements here and there and one helps to save the day. It took me awhile to warm up to this story since I wasn't really that intrigued by the politicking, but I really liked both of the characters and there is some action along the way so I ended up liking the story, which offers just the promise of a romance.

Far from Broken - KJ Coi - Desperate to save his wife, a man is willing to pay any price, and so she lives but it remains to see whether he can repair her shattered trust and win back her love. - The wife's salvation definitely falls into the steampunk arena. The conflict for the story is well done, and it made me wish for a longer story, because the pair have a lot to work through and I would have like to see the wife become whole enough to dance again.


ARC provided by Carina Press via Netgalley pub date 12/5

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great collection of very lightly Christmas-themed novellas, provided to me via netgalley. I enjoyed all of them apart from the third one, and even that one wasn't a total loss. In my opinion, 3.5 out of 4 great stories is pretty good going for a collection.

So, in order of preference..

-
. My favorite - just - of this series (yes, it was that good a series). It is the most atmospheric, the hero and heroine feel incredibly real, and it's hard to believe how much character and plot development the author has managed to pack into this little novella. It stars out as a far more dark, heart-wrenching and sad tale than is usual in romances, even steampunk or paranormal, these days. Some things aren't truly resolved, but it's a story of how two people managed to move on, as changed people, and still find love for each other. The character development is wonderful. The changes the hero and heroine experience really make sense, and the plot and setting is excellent - very tight and very controlled. We only meet those secondary characters who have a purpose - others are briefly explained in a couple of sentences, so the focus remains on those we really "need" to know. None of the characters are completely blameless or completely sympathetic. There is a callousness about them all that makes this quite a harsh story. I loved it. 5 stars

-
. My equal second favorite (together with the next one), this one has a lovely hotness, but again with a sadness about it, and an incredible atmosphere of isolation and loneliness in the middle of the Chrismas season. The plot is one thing - a thief and victim seeking revenge on her, and the gadgets are interesting but not overwhelming, and well-described, but the relationship and the interactions between the hero and heroine are just beautiful, with pain to hide and discover. The suitably mushy ending is absolutely perfect. 5 stars

-
is my equal second favorite. I loved that was set in Australia at the period in its history when it was leveraging the power behind it's convict history, and discovering the wealth behind it's mineral resources and agricultural strength. To me, Australia somehow equals the US West as the perfect steampunk setting - must be something to do with the dustiness, the wildness and the desperation of a lot of people drawn to it, and the fact that some would succeed but most would fail. I love how the dialog is written with just enough vim to make the accents realistic but not OTT. And I love how the author doesn't skimp on the descriptiveness, from the hummingbirds on the hero's waistcoat to the ostrich-feather-pencil in the heroine's hat. The hero and heroine are great personalities and great people, full of convictions, integrity and purpose. There is just enough of the Australian setting to keep it interesting but real, and not to distract from the plot. The story is tame heat-wise, but the author has used the word count to give us an excellent story instead. 5 stars

-
was the only one I didn't really enjoy overmuch. It relies too much on two standard tropes that I personally have no time for (a heroine who has never told her husband that he is a dad and a husband who refuses to admit that he loves the wife he deserted during a hissy-fit). I always end up asking myself whether people really behave that way, and, of course, the fact that I'm asking myself this whilst reading means that the book has lost me. It doesn't help that the husband is a prat, and the wife is a whimpering doormat. I was yawning through this, which is a shame because the basic premise was actually really very unique and quite interesting, and a different twist on the steampunk theme. Unfortunately, it just felt too long, even for a novella, which is not a good sign. Alas, the 8 year old child (I can't believe I'm saying this..) was the most interesting, realistic and mature character in it. 2 stars.

So, I'm keeping this as a regular seasonal read. Very enjoyable.

[Educating Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Disclaimer - I have never read a steampunk novel before, which is why this title caught my attention. Because of my ignorance of steampunk walking into this read, I can't really judge it on how well it fits that category. I am looking for steampunk recommendations, though so please send them my way because the genre itself interests me quite a bit!]

A Clockwork Christmas includes four romantic novellas all centered around the Christmas holiday. I hardly ever read holiday themed books (Halloween is the exception) because I'm generally not much of a traditional celebrator. Some holiday concepts are quite foreign to me. Consider this my winter read. Now onto the four reviews:

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail

Aiiight, s'okay. There's this feisty and beautiful thief who thieved from the wrong person, a dashing and witty professor. Dashing Professor fiends Feisty, Beautiful Thief and says: you stole from me and now you must DIE. Or, in the very least, steal back that which you stole from me OR DIE. And then there's a cool watch contraption that Dashing Professor puts on Feisty Beautiful Thief to ensure she doesn't just disappear. And then there's some nakedness. A few pages go by, little bit of characterization that is so Obvious that one could skim. And then there's some MORE nakedness. Until the end. More nakedness, anyone? In a nutshell this was some good erotica if you were looking for that kinda thing. If you were looking for an original story with a plot or some such thing - move on.

This Winter Heart by PG Forte

Now this one was interesting especially since I don't really read science fiction. The setting is the early West, turn of the century, and a woman is still financially dependent on either her hubs or her paw. (Or I guess you could be a fancy lil' call girl, but that's only charming in some Westerns; shout out to Lonesome Dove). Here, the young heroine returns to her hubs with an eight your old son. THEIR 8 y/o son. But he's not quite accepting. Outside of the unaccountable years, young wife isn't completely human. Hello, what makes a person a person and let's talk about soul. Holla! When I think about science fiction, this is the sorta thing that pops into my mind. A story that makes us question humanity, progress, acceptance, goodness. And this one is a doozy. Plus, sure, there's some nakedness, but it's not soft pr0n as much as it's good ole fashion harlequin sexytimes.

Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz

Now this was a fun one. And it was totally PG-13. This setting is in the Outback, which totally rocks my world because I don't think I've ever read anything set in Australia. And then, furthermore, I don't know if I studied anything that HAPPENED in Australia. My American education lacking somewhere along the way. I guess I assumed that Australians went through the same woman's suffrage movement, but it just seemed out_there. Wanted: One Scoundrel is sorta about that BUT with a cool *scoundrel*. Oh there were also some nifty inventions, a villain, a heiress, some kidnapping, and overall ACTION-PACKED PLOT. Two thumbs up over here.

Far From Broken by JK Coi

Weepa! What a doozy this one is. Picture Covert Affairs, right? You know the one...it started as a summer show but got such positive feedback that it's now on. Like, now. DVR that shizzat. Here we have a secret agent whose wife gets kidnapped and tortured and the only way she'll live is if she gets mechanical parts. This of course devastates her because she was once this high-in-demand ballerina and now these mechancial parts are somewhat bulky and not nearly as flattering as, maybe, LEGS. So there's some heavy internal conflicts going on here. This one left me wishin it was a lot longer than the 80-100 pages it was.

___________

So there you have it. I'm still not sure if these are all considered Steampunk as I'm still wading through the websites out there that are telling me what is and what isn't steampunk. Is it just the time period? Is it the inventions of the time period without the technology that we have now? Please folks, help a sista out.

IF you like yourself some romance and IF you like yourself some science fiction AND can tolerate short stories like novellas then this is your think. I can honestly say, although it's not ENTIRELY my thing, it wasn't a waste of time.

[Jenny Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. This is an imaginative and enjoyable quartet of novellas, and with the exception of Wanted: One Scoundrel, they're very steamy, too. Crime Wave in a Corset finds master thief Cornelia plotting the most important heist she's ever made in order to save herself from professor Roderick's plans for vengeance. Tasking her to retrieve the item she stole from him months earlier or face death, he's determined to bring the heartless criminal to her knees, but soon discovers Cornelia's not all that she appears in this sexy story of opposites attracting. This Winter Heart is wildly inventive, taking place in the southwest after the Confederacy won the Civil War, thanks in part to Ophelia's father's invention of the automaton soldier. But it was not happily ever after for the celebrated scholar, and after his death Ophelia is destitute, leaving her no choice but to return to Dario, the man who broke her heart years ago when he discovered her biggest secret. And now she has another secret to share with him--their son. I thought this story was the most creative out of the bunch, but Dario's close-mindedness was so infuriating and so insulting to Ophelia, that I had a hard time rooting for the two of them to find their way back to each other.

Esme and Jed from Wanted: One Scoundrel were probably my favorite characters, but their story was the least developed. Their story did have the most clockwork, though, with a lot of neat little inventions making Victorian life easier. Taking place in an Australian town on the verge of explosive growth and prosperity, Esme is fighting for women's rights but finds she needs a man in her corner to sway the members of the gentlemen's clubs. Fresh off the boat from America, Jed is more than willing to play a part in a beautiful woman's plans. But he finds he has a rival for Esme's affections, someone willing to go to any lengths to have Esme's fortune for himself. And last but not least, Far From Broken is a story with so much substance, emotion, and backstory that it would've made a great full-length novel. Colonel Jasper Carlisle is deeply involved in the British intelligence game, but kept that information from beautiful ballerina Calliandra when he wooed her and proposed marriage. Two years later, while Jasper was off on a mission, his enemies targeted his wife, abducting her and brutally torturing her. Suffering horrific injuries, a talented doctor reconstructs Callie, but the resulting body leaves her feeling like a monster, and her psychological injuries may never heal. Submerged in guilt and rage, Jasper spends the months of Callie's recovery tracking down her assailants and exacting his revenge. Finally ready to face his wife, Jasper returns and discovers that she's not ready to face him. He is determined to win her back, but as the couple starts to make headway and Callie finds new strength, an enemy returns to finish the job he started.

Overall, I enjoyed each of these romantic stories, but none of them had enough Christmas in them to make them Christmas stories, in my opinion, and in Wanted: One Scoundrel and Far From Broken, Christmas is barely even mentioned. So that disappointed me, because I was really looking forward to some steampunk Christmas celebrations, and I didn't find those in this collection. But if you're looking for something different in romance, you should definitely check this collection out, It's unlike anything else I've read this year, and that's a good thing! And since it's digital, you've still got plenty of time to download it and read it this Christmas!

[L.E.Olteano · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, steampunk - compared to other genres, haven't read much of it really. But it's cool, I find I'm really liking it.

So, this collection of novellas was an interesting read. Of the four titles, Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail , This Winter Heart by PG Forte, Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz, Far From Broken JK Coi, I really loved the first one. We're talking really loved it, like a 5 butterflies rating. The second story was cool too, liked it a lot, that would be a 4 butterflies rating; the last 2, while I liked them as well, were more of a 3 butterflies each. So, the overall rating is...*does the math*...4 butterflies.

The stories themselves were all very beautiful and touching, each story had a different steampunk feel to it and I loved the diversity. They all had another thing in common, aside the steampunk theme, and the emotional, touching stories: a great writing style, a bit traditional and conservative - in tone with the time-frame of the novellas-and I loved it to bits. I really really did. Beautiful writing in each of them, careful wording and attentive structure, just beautiful.

As far as characters go, I loved the main couple in Crime Wave in a Corset, I loved them each and I loved their chemistry. Though the tone of writing is a tad conservative and sort of old-school, this story was undeniably fun and the the characters were charismatic and charming. Being a very character-oriented reader, it makes sense that this would be my absolute favorite of the collection.
The characters in the second story, This Winter Heart, felt a bit more uptight and considerably less charming from my perspective, but I loved the idea of the story so much I would have enjoyed it even if I'd have hated the characters, which of course I didn't, I just wasn't crazy about either of them.
The third story, Wanted: One Scoundrel, brings forth this spunky, sort of heroine, and the guy is enjoyable too, I just didn't go with the flow as much as with the others honestly. It had a lighter tone, and the characters were entertaining and had interesting chemistry, and would I have read the story on its own I'm quite sure I would have probably rated it one butterfly higher, but coming in after the first two did it a disservice in my opinion.
Same goes for the forth and last story, Far From Broken. This one was somewhat in the tone of the second, a dramatic situation, only a lot more dramatic then I would have expected, honestly. It was well written and intriguing, but I somehow felt the length of the novella didn't do the plot justice. The characters didn't really appeal to me probably because I didn't connect with their inner workings as much as I should have to really enjoy it. The situation the characters found themselves in seemed considerably tougher, and though they did find their happy ending, like all the couples in the stories, this particular felt like it could and should have been more. Does that make sense to you guys?...

Anyways, I say get it and read it, I mean just for the first story I would totally recommend you read it, but all stories are interesting, and emotional in diverse ways, with happy endings that will give you a feel-good state of mind. It's a great collection of short stories and I'm very happy I read it. :)

[rameau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall rating: 3,25 stars.

Crime Wave in a Corset
by Stacy Gail
2 stars

If you don't mind sentimentality and erotica clichés in abundance, this very well might be the perfect Christmas steampunk short story for you. I however couldn't get past the limping characterisation and how her intelligence was sacrificed to underline his. There's social naivety and there's survival naivety, and these two shouldn't be confused. Still, I didn't hate it. I might have even liked it would my tastes veer towards the saccharine.

This Winter Heart
by PG Forte
4 stars

That's more like it. This is the story I added "something positive" shelf for, since I couldn't think of anything else. I also discovered I have way too many ranty shelves.

This one is much more plot oriented and less let's get naked at whatever cost. Although, there was a fair amount of erotica in there too, it was used to point out the evolution of their relationship. I really liked the fact that the story didn't promptly end after the tragedy that gives him his epiphany moment. It was good to see the characters actually work through some of their issues instead of promptly forgiving and swearing eternal love to each other. It wasn't as thorough as I would have liked, but considering the length of the story, it was more than I could have asked for. And the mushy came after.

Wanted: One Scoundrel
by Jenny Schwartz
4 stars

Hurrah! A steampunk story without sex and that's all about plot. I'm in love. More these, please. Oh, there's romance, there's misunderstandings and flirting, but most of all there are inventions. There are inventors. There are people who want to build a better world and there are people who only care about themselves. There are surprises and spot on characterisations. There are references to real history and to real "future" and there are levels that should be found in every good alternative history novel. And it's the shortest story so far accomplishing more than the other two combined. Definitely my favourite so far.

Far From Broken
JK Coi
3 stars

This one is by far the most grisly of the four stories and from the start it feels like the author might be overreaching. The themes and the underlining plot in this novella are something that I feel deserve more than 27,000 words, but she makes it work. Somehow. Instead of burying the reader under a mishmash of steampunk, physiological and psychological hurt, all the pieces fall in place nicely supporting each other, until the scene that should have been the cherry on top: A truly seductive coupling and reconnection between two people in love. Alas, it was not meant to be. This would have been four star story, but the ridiculous sex scene in the end wrecked it for me. Not enough to drop too stars, mind you, but still.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Mariachiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Titolo: A clockwork Christmas

Autori: vari

Inedita in italiano

Trama: L'antologia è composta da quattro racconti:

- Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail

Non è un caso che questo sia il primo racconto dell'antologia, in quanto, a mio avviso, è il più bel racconto tra i quattro. Romantico, avventuroso, ben scritto, con bellissimi personaggi, è un vero peccato sia breve. La storia racconta di una ladra che agisce in una Londra vittoriana Steampunck, ma una ladra con un proprio senso dell'onore, e di un inventore che ha giurato di vendicarsi di lei per ciò che rubò a sua sorella, ma ciò che parte come una vendetta finirà per trasformarsi in amore.

-This Winter Heart by PG Forte

Molto bello anche questo racconto. Si parte da un tema classico dei romance, marito e moglie si sono separati da anni e poi all'improvviso il coniuge ritorna. Qui però la causa della separazione era di una certa gravità in quanto il marito aveva scoperto che sua moglie non era del tutto umana ma creata in laboratorio da un inventore. Lui è convinto che lei non sia capace di sentimenti umani ma si sbaglia di grosso....


-Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz

Forse il meno bello dei racconti, ma comunque piacevole, solo meno d'impatto. Qui abbiamo una suffragetta che ha bisogno di un uomo perchè porti avanti le sue idee politiche nei club maschili. Lei è figlia di un inventore e sceglie a casa proprio un altro inventore appena sceso dalla nave....


-Far From Broken by JK Coi

Molto duro questo racconto e a tratti forte. Una spia al lavoro del governo vede la sua amata moglie, una ballerina, torturata quasi fino alla morte. Chiede e ottiene dal governo che la salvino e loro lo fanno rimpiazzando molti suoi arti e organi con parti meccaniche. lei, ne è devastata. Odia ciò che è diventata e crede di odiare anche il marito.....


I racconti sono disponibili anche separatamente in versione elettronica, io personalmente vi consiglio di leggere i primi due, i più belli dell'antologia senza alcun dubbio.
Molto forte questo racconto e a rtatti duro

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Clockwork Christmas is the perfect holiday gift for anyone who loves steampunk romances. The anthology contains four tales set in unique locations. I enjoyed each tale in this delightful book. The four stories offer a brief glimpse into the wonderful world that is steampunk. The tales contain steam powered devices, clever inventors, gadgets and elaborate contraptions. The plots range from a thief, who has stolen a prized possession to a spouse kidnapped and forever changed. There is drama, suspense, danger and love. Each tale is about 35,000 words and perfect for a cold winter evening. While each is centered on the Christmas holiday it is not the central theme. This aspect could easily have been edited from the stories and should not deter anyone who dislikes Christmas themes.
My favorite tale is Stacy Gail’s Crime Wave. I adore the spunky, intelligent wit of Cornelia. The chemistry between her and Roderick is delightful. The plot was exciting and I would love to read a full length version of this story. I also love Wanted: One Scoundrel. Esme is proud and determined. She has an agenda and will not be deterred. When Jed meets her he doesn't quite know whats hit him.
Each of the tales offers romance, suspense and a wonderful glance of the steampunk genre. I applaud the editor for choosing four distinct writing styles and fictional pieces. I recommend A Clockwork Christmas to anyone who enjoys romance, steampunk and historical romance. This book is scheduled to be released on December 5, 2011.

I want to thank netGalley and Carina Press for providing me with this ARC, in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Janga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t a steampunk virgin before I read A Clockwork Christmas. In fact, I requested the anthology from the publisher via NetGalley after reading JK Coi’s Iron Seduction and finding it fascinating. But I am an inexperienced reader of steampunk, and the anthology made me aware of the variety that exists. All four novellas take place in the 19th century and have the gadgets, steam technology, eccentric inventors, and adventure that are characteristic of steampunk, but only Coi’s story is set in Victorian England. The tone and style of the four selections vary widely. This variety provides a good introduction since it allows the novice reader to sample a range.

Steampunk will probably never replace European historicals and romance-women’s fiction hybrids as my favorite subgenres in romance fiction, but I will be checking out more steampunk romances. I recommend that others new to the subgenre give it a try. But don’t expect classic Christmas romances from this anthology. All references to Christmas could have been omitted without changing the stories significantly.

See full review at Just Janga:
http://justjanga.blogspot.com/2011/10...

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Clockwork Christmas by Stacy Gail, PG Forte, Jenny Schwartz, and J.K. Coi is a collection of four steampunk novellas set during the Christmas season. It is set for release on December 5 2011. The for novellas are: Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail in which a professor seeks revenge against a stunning thief, This Winter Heart by PG Forte in which one man discovers that love is what really defines humanity, Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz in which a headstrong woman and an American inventor find love in Australia, and Far From Broken by JK Coi in which a married couple changed forever through tragedy must rediscover their love and redefine themselves. The stories included in this anthology will also available separately, but they are all worth the read so I suggest getting them in the one volume and enjoying a very merry steampunk Christmas.

See my complete review here on Associated Content.

[Drmgrl99 · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I heard about this anthology I was very intrigued. Then I saw the covers and knew I had to read these (I'm a total cover junkie). So last night I grabbed the iPad and my heating blanket and curled up ready to read. I was immediately sucked into the stories. Each authors has a unique take on their steampunk story. I don't read a lot of anthologies or steampunk but this group really did an amazing job. I highly recommend this book even if you are not a steampunk fan you will still love and appreciate it.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

~* 4.5 Stars *~
Still Feeling The Holiday Spirit
I've been vaguely aware of the steampunk sub-genre for quite some time, but being the massively cool trend-setter that I am (that's irony...or sarcasm...it's sarcastic irony, even), I hadn't dipped my reading toes in those toasty waters before I came across this nifty little anthology. Maybe that lack of experience skewed my opinion. Maybe these four tales aren't an accurate representation of a genre with limitless potential. I don't know. All I do know is I fell headfirst in love with the steampunk romance genre because of this anthology and the stories featured in it.

Of the four holiday anthologies I picked out to read, this one is my favorite. There's something about the worlds created by each author that drew me in. The characters - especially the female protagonists - and their stories struck a chord with me. They are unique; a breath of fresh air. They are an appealing blend of science and fiction, revisionist history, and creativity. Each novella captivated and entertained me. Some I liked more than others, not all I felt were good fits for a holiday anthology, but each one was a pleasure that I fully appreciated.

Crime Wave in a Corset
by Stacy Gail
~* 5 Stars *~
33,000 Words

Even master thieves such as Cornelia Peabody make mistakes, a fact that is driven home with painful clarity the night her sanctuary is breached by a very brassed off professor, one Roderick Coddington. Six months ago, Cornelia stole something truly priceless from Roderick's home, the loss of which sent Coddington's family into a tailspin that no amount of money could reverse.

Furious and reeling from loss, Coddington has worked for months on this retribution. He breaks into Cornelia's home, accosts her, and slaps a timepiece on her wrist; a very special time piece. Either Cornelia gets him the property she stole or the timepiece explodes and she dies. She's got seven days. Until Christmas morning. Then...ka-BOOM.

No pressure.

~*~
I loved this novella! I loved everything about it. Cornelia was a joy of a character. She's a strong, independent female with some definite shades-of-gray morals but with a code of personal ethics and a less-than-pleasant personal history that kept her sympathetic. She's smart, cunning, and no-nonsense, and when she's with Coddington, their chemistry sizzles. I enjoyed her immensely and was utterly charmed by her early in the story. Coddington struck me as a cold, ruthless prat at first, but it didn't take long to warm up to him, either, especially when his lust for Cornelia derails his ferocity at every turn and his opinion of her starts to evolve.

The novella has a particularly nice enemies-to-lovers theme in the romance arc. Gail kicks it off fast and furious, then manages to add depth to her characters, widen the scope of their relationship, and add a few twists and turns just to keep in interesting. This was a fully complete-feeling novella that made me want to hunt down more stories by Stacy Gail and read every word. I found her writing style and her storytelling smooth, intelligent, and both easy and pleasant to read. Of the four titles in the anthology, I have to admit, this one was my favorite.

This Winter Heart
by PG Forte
~* 5 Stars *~
30,000 Words

It's been eight long years since Ophelia Leonides has seen her husband, and if she had any other choice, she wouldn't be seeking him out now. Problem is, the war didn't end well and she's dangerously close to being destitute and having her son taken from her. Her son...and her husband Dario's son. Her ability to convince him of that fact may be the only thing that keeps them safe and gives them any hope for a future.

Dario is incensed to find out his wife Ophelia has returned. He cast her out long ago for her deceptions and her lies, but most importantly, for the yearning love and heartbreak he felt despite them, despite everything. Now she is back with the one thing that Dario never dreamed possible, his son. There is little doubt the child is his image. What's in doubt is the child's humanity. He is also, after all, his mother's son. Or so the bewitching Ophelia claims.

The bitterness in Dario's heart is just as strong as it ever was, and that bitterness may cost him the only two people left in his life who want nothing more than to love him. It will take a Christmas miracle to air all the grievances and heal wounds that run this deep.

~*~
At times painful and poignant, at times somber and sad, this beautifully written novella speaks of the desperation of love and the painful potential of hope. It draws into question the very definition of life, of soul, and of the ability to feel beyond the boundaries of flesh. Ophelia and Dario have both lost so much, hurt each other so deeply...though admittedly, I felt more sympathy for Ophelia than Dario, who I mostly wanted to bop on the head - repeatedly. With their son between them, the trio made for powerful story.

Dario is a hard and unforgiving man, difficult to like at times, but there are chinks in his armor that make him tolerable before he redeems himself. Ophelia's inner core of strength and compassion are a testament to love and motherhood. She's ultimately sympathetic, even for those who may tend to agree more with Dario's opinions. I didn't think this novella was as entertaining to me personally as the previous one, but the characters and their issues are deeper and richer, the plot is more complex, and it has more emotional impact. I think it's just as good, a solid five star read, but it's very different in tone.

Wanted: One Scoundrel
by Jenny Schwartz
~* 4 Stars *~
26,000 Words

Heiress Esme Smith needs a man. Not for so pedestrian a purpose as romance or physical intimacy, but to go where she can't, be what she, for her gender, is barred from being. A voice for suffrage in her colony. Esme is intent on her goals, with a vision for her Australian territory that includes women's rights, aboriginal rights - including the vote for both - and freedom from Britain's greedy tyranny.

But she needs a mouthpiece. A male mouthpiece who can enter the clubs closed to women and put forth her politics, represent her ideals. And convince the population in the meantime. She needs a man.

American Jed Reeve was minding his own business as the ship pulls into port, happy to be in Australia after a long trip from the States. He wasn't expecting to have such a bright beauty as Esme Smith propose such an outlandish partnership before he'd even set foot on her soil, but Jed's more than happy to roll with the punches, as it were. And if partnering with the fiery, politically passionate Esme gives him an opportunity to win her hand as he represents her causes, then he'll consider himself doubly blessed.

~*~
There was much to admire about Schwartz's novella. Though it's slightly outside the realm of what I consider a holiday novella, really, as winter Down Under is in July, I did like how some measure of Christmas revelry was included. I also thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses of colonial Australia provided. I don't often read much with that setting.

I thought the characters were likable, the storyline well developed and thoroughly evolved, and as a woman, I surely sympathized with Esme's political platform. I also enjoyed the thread of suspense woven into the storyline. It added another nuance to the anthology as a whole.

I wasn't as satisfied with the romantic story arc in this one as I was in the two that preceded it. Maybe it was Esme's intent focus on her suffrage movement, but I didn't really feel she was much of an active participant in any developing relationship with Jed. That was a shame, actually, because I liked Jed quite a lot, and I certainly felt his attraction to Esme. That chemistry just seemed a bit too one-sided to thoroughly appeal to me as a part of a satisfying romance. A little more focus on their romance and slightly less on the political jockeying would have elevated this read for me. I liked it, but it fell short of any deeper emotional connection and was my least favorite of the four.

Far From Broken
by JK Coi
~* 4.5 Stars *~
27,000 Words

His job got his wife kidnapped. His job got her viciously tortured. His job almost killed her. His job saved her life and changed her forever.

It's been four months since Colonel Jasper Carlisle left his battered and broken wife Callie in the hands of a doctor he believed was her only chance for survival. He left because she wouldn't stop screaming when he was around. He left to hunt down the monsters who broke her. He broke them all. All except the traitor most responsible. Jasper didn't know who that was. Yet. He'd find out.

For now, he was returning to his wife with every intention of taking her home for the holiday.

Rage. Loss. Sorrow. Disgust. Betrayal. Calliandra had been a prima ballerina married to the love of her life once. Now she was something she could hardly comprehend married to a man who had lied to her about who and what he was. Her eye, her hand, both legs from above the knee...gone. Replaced with metal, with machinery, and in her blood the little mechanisms that made her able to use them as she had her own limbs, her own eye...but better. And so very much worse.

Now she's been conscripted into duty for her country, the payment for the technology that's saved - and damned - her. Now Jasper has come, trying to reconnect with her. But she's dead inside. And if he touches her heart, it will shatter. She will shatter. Again.

~*~
Dark and intense, I can't say that this novella is my idea of a warm holiday read. It's got a bit too much blood, torture, and pain to put me in mind of roasted chestnuts and kisses under the mistletoe. That being said, it was a fairly awesome read. I kept thinking the Bionic Woman meets the Napoleonic Wars as I was reading it, but I'm probably dating myself terribly to admit that.

Coi did a great job capturing the painful emotional repercussions of the sort of trauma and healing Callie endured, and the relationship issues between her and her husband as a result were realistic within those parameters. It's a relatively short novella with a whole lot of plot crammed into it, though, so something had to give. In this case, the evolution of Callie's character was a bit disjointed. She started out very withdrawn, struggling with a quagmire of emotional detritus and seeming both unwilling and unable to deal with Jasper, her physical changes, and her new responsibilities. I can't say I blame her for any of that, really, but where I would have enjoyed a more gradual shift in attitude and healing, with a more realistic relationship evolution with her husband, there seemed to be a few small steps of progress preceding an abrupt paradigm shift that seemed too fast and too convenient.

To be honest, though, I didn't mind that so much. The novella became much more enjoyable a read after that shift. Caused a bit of a conundrum, really. And I liked Callie much better at the end than I did at the beginning, as self-pitying heroines don't do much for me, even when they're given as much cause as Callie is.

Still, it's a great novella. Imaginative, dark, and chock full of emotion. I can't say it was a good fit for a holiday anthology. Not unless you like your eggnog with side orders of stabbing, beating, and mutilation, anyway. It was pretty darn impressive despite that, though, and well worth a read.

Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

[Melissa Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four lovely romance stories with a gear- and steam-punk world setting. All coming into Christmas holiday! I enjoyed this with rotating around Holidays, in the strange world of mechanical. Dark, sweet, sexy, daring... all in one place!

****FULL REVIEW****

I enjoyed all the Holiday centered stories, and it's perfect for the holidays. I think two stood out over all for me; Crime Wave in a Corset and Far From Broken. I think these two stood out for me because they had more action and mystery to them. Oh goodness, after writing the review I realized I loved each of these stories in different ways as they are all different in their designs. You have daring, sexy, sweet, and dark stories in one place.

Crime Wave in a Corset
Cornelia returns home to signs someone had tripped her defenses and broke into her home, then to find someone, a man, attack her in her hidden office. Roderick Codington. Roderick finds he's attracted to the woman he fastens his deadly wrist shackle on and giving her seven days, until Christmas morning, before it will kill her unless she brings to him what she stole from him. A Fabrege Egg that brought happiness to a loved one. Once Cornelia learns where the Fabrege Egg is, she realizes whether she tries to get it or not, she very well could die by Christmas or if she does pull it off she'll break another's heart.

This story is full of steampunk gadgets. That's what a steampunk story should have! Clockwork devices, dawning of electrical harmful devices, and more. I have a soft spot for crafty thieves, and Cornelia is a successful thief at that. She keeps a hidden office accessed by a steam powered dumbwaiter along with many more at her fingertips.

We start with one chapter from Cornelia's view then go to Roderick's view. A romance love story in which maybe both Cornelia and Roderick will have more than gifts by Christmas morning while they learn about themselves and each other.

The Winter Heart
Ophelia and her son, Arthur, exit the Airship they took from Pennsylvania to Texacali where she left her estranged husband eight years earlier. Now needing her husband's support, she returns. Ophelia is more than her husband, Dario, had known. They married for love, but Ophelia wasn't what he thought, and she never told him. Now Dario's all that's left of his family and married to a woman who left when he found out the truth about her and he believed her to be barren, no children to carry on the Leonides family name. When Dario hears of Ophelia's return, he takes her and her proclaimed son back to his home claiming for the holidays but to really stop the rumors circulating through town. By taking them home and making the mistake of not thinking Ophelia can love anyone, he might put his only son in harms way unless he learns and accepts the what lies deep in him and his wife.

These two were deeply in love, a true love and even with what happened between them eight years ago they both feel the love and desires for the other - neither knowing of the other's feelings. Dario wonders on Ophelia's true emotions since not really human. Is her love real? Was it ever?

There is mention of mechanical technology in this story. Clockwork mechanicals. I love the mention of the garden with pipes and such to keep ground warm. And then Ophelia! Wow. Ophelia is special, different thanks to her father. Part mechanical. I love this creation!

Ophelia is fighting a battle she has no idea she's fighting, and no idea how to win. Dario has to make a choice to believe Arthur is really his human son and not an automaton. Then decide what to do about his wife.

This story pulls at heart strings as you want Arthur to be accepted and Dario to accept his wife for what and who she is.

Wanted: One Scoundrel
Esme wants a scoundrel; a well dressed, well spoken man who all in town will like, to front her political campaign on the manly side since one man has convinced other to carry political discussions in Gentleman clubs. She'll even pay him. Esme's Uncle, running a skimmer boat in from England, has just the man - an American who won money from all passengers every night on the trip, Jed Reeve. Esma heads the suffragette movement in Australia and is hard at work at making changes. Jed has found he's attracted to Esme at the first meeting and looks forward to working closely with her.

As I read this sweet story I became ever so curious of why Jed came to Australia and who he is to be able to pick up the reins of what Esme wants, and do a fine job with them. All this we learn in the end. And it was wonderfully played.

This story for me felt like the sweet innocent love. It's not at intimate as the others but pure innocent falling in love here. I liked reading as Esme and Jed became closer and not even know it.

Far From Broken
She wakes in a hospital room made to be cozy, with her appendages heavier and not her own... metal and a mechanical eye. She wanted to die, they wouldn't let her. Thinking she'll never dance again and where is her Jasper? Four months has passed as Jasper was sent away from his wife as he seemed to upset her and to find those who attacked and tortured her and others, Jasper is now on his way to retrieve his wife. Jasper works to get close to his wife again. As she seems to come out of her shell, there are debts to be paid for saving her life and possibly danger for both still surviving.

Oh, this one caught my attention on many different levels from the get go. There are hints of many things, and all are answered here. I wondered on what the plans were with creating Callie into what she is, why she was attacked, and if these two could find a way to get to know each other again.

Jasper feels guilty, he's the reason she was attacked and tortured, and the one who saved and asked to have this work done to her - to have his love, Callie, with him. Now the War Office is coming to see what they've created and Jasper fears they will try to lay claim on his sweet Callie. Callie seems furious with Jasper as with all that pain, she just wanted to die.

I was drawn in to the characters with the recovery and learning what happened, then the action started! This story was full of elements to draw you into their dark events and to see light at the end of the tunnel, and action. This is a complete story yet there is a feeling as the author could easily pick up with these characters and do more short stories with them. And, truth be told, I would love to follow this couple! Agents in the line of duty, and with the amazing abilities Callie now possesses while she learns from Jasper the experienced spy and fighter. Ooo, that would be so good!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Clockwork Christmas is a fabulous anthology containing some really sweet Christmas themed steampunk stories and makes perfect holiday reading. I hadn't read anything by any of these authors before but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more by all of them in the future. I'm going to review each of these stories separately but I would highly recommend this anthology to steampunk and historical romance fans.

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacey Gail

Cornelia didn't have the best upbringing and with having no education she falls back on stealing as a way to survive. She is highly intelligent and good at what she does so it comes as quite a shock when one of her victims manages to track her down. Roderick is determined to get revenge on Cornelia after she stole a priceless object from his beloved Beth who then died shortly after the robbery. He wants the Fabergé egg back and he's going to make Cornelia get it for him. When he shackles her with a deadly timepiece that will electrocute her if he doesn't disable it within seven days Cornelia knows she has to do what he asks but as Roderick gets to know her he realises that she isn't quite the cold heated thief she appears to be.

Crime Wave in a Corset is a sweet story and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Cornelia may be a thief but she is a really likable character and although she thinks of herself as heartless she is much nicer than she gives herself credit for. She has never had anyone she can rely on and believes herself completely unworthy of love. Roderick was devastated by the loss of Beth, he thinks Cornelia is the lowest of the low and is determined to get revenge on her. His threats to kill her make it hard to like him in the beginning but you can understand why he has such a low opinion of her. The last thing he is expecting is for the thief to steal his heart but the more time he spends with Cornelia the deeper she gets under his skin. It was sweet watching this couple get to know each other, their romance is hot and I enjoyed the steampunk elements to the story. A fun Christmas read and one I'd recommend to fans of historical romance and steampunk.

This Winter Heart by PG Forte

When the death of her father leaves her destitute Ophelia has no choice but to turn to her estranged husband Dario for help raising their son. Ophelia never stopped loving Dario but when he discovered her secret he wanted nothing more to do with her. He didn't believe she could have children so when she shows up with seven year old Arthur is instincts are do deny that the child is his but it is impossible to ignore the resemblance between them. Can Dario forgive Ophelia for the secret she kept from him and is there any way they can save their marriage?

I'm not going to tell you Ophelia's secret because it would be a major spoiler but I have to say that the one problem I had with this novella was the fact that I didn't really understand quite what her father had done and I shared Dario's scepticism that she could have become a mother in the circumstances. If you can put that issue to one side though then This Winter Heart is an enjoyable story. Although it was easy to see why Dario was as upset by the revelation of Ophelia's secret as he was (I'd have felt exactly the same way if I was in his situation!) that doesn't excuse the way he is so cruel to her. There were a couple of times I wanted to slap him for the things he said to her and I really was starting to worry that they would never be able to work things out. However once he realises his mistake he works hard to convince Ophelia that he has changed and the couple are so cute together that you have to route for a happy ending. It is obvious that Dario loves his wife and was devastated by her deception so even though his behaviour was despicable it was fairly easy to forgive him.

Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz

Esme is a fierce believer in equality between the sexes and has set up a political party to campaign for it. She had hoped to lead the party herself but as she is unable to enter the men's clubs where politics is such a hot topic she realises she is going to need a representative. After deciding to hire a scoundrel to spread her vision her uncle introduces her to Jed. Now Jed isn't quite the scoundrel he first appears to be but he's prepared to go along with Esme's plan if it gives him the chance to get to know her better.

Although there is some steam technology I feel that Wanted: One Scoundrel is more like a historical romance than steampunk. That didn't stop me from enjoying the story though and I loved reading a historical story set in Australia. I did feel that the story focused a little too much on Esme's political ambitions, I would have liked more time spent on the actual romance but either way I really liked both Jed and Esme. This was an enjoyable story and one I think historical romance fans will enjoy even if they aren't keen on steampunk as a genre.

Far From Broken by JK Coi

When Jasper's wife Callie is captured at tortured by his enemies she suffers horrific injuries and comes close to death. Jasper is desperate to keep his wife alive and agrees to life altering surgeries to keep her with him. When Callie wakes up to discover her eye, hand and legs have been replaced by mechanical equivalents she is horrified. Once a beautiful prima ballerina she now believes she is a monster and that she will never be able to dance again, she would rather have died in the attack than live the rest of her life with a body that isn't fully hers. Jasper is wracked with guilt for failing to protect Callie in the first place and because she hates what he allowed to be done to her. Can Callie come to terms with what happened and forgive Jasper for his part in it?

Far From Broken was a surprisingly dark story and one that had me hooked from the beginning. It was easy to relate to both of the main characters, Callie had been through a terrible ordeal not only at the hands of her torturers but also in the military hospital where her body was changed dramatically without her permission. Although her mechanical limbs kept her alive she wasn't sure if it was a life worth living and it took her time to come to terms with everything that had happened. Jasper will never forgive himself for the fact that she was tortuted because of him. If he wasn't a spy she wouldn't have been in danger and he feels he should have been at home to protect her. It was easy to feel both of their emotions and I was routing for them to work things out and find a way to move forwards together. Definitely a highly recommended read.

[Deelylah Mullin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Clockwork Christmas

Over-all rating: 4 stars

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail

Rating: 4 stars

Cornelia Peabody, the independent heroine of our story, has quite the history. Coming from a heritage of opportunists, Cornelia has carved a niche for herself, albeit illegal. She leads a low-profile lifestyle in order to evade suspicion. However, when we catch a glimpse into who the REAL Cornelia is, we learn that she's brilliant and enjoys surrounding herself with items that challenge her mind and infuse beauty into her life. She also prides herself on ensuring safety by utilizing her mind to rig elaborate systems of warning to alert her of intruders to her abode. Caught off-guard by Roderick Coddington, Cornelia finds herself releasing control to a man that is conflicted about his feelings for her...for awhile.

Roderick Coddington, a college professor, takes the law into his own hands when he tracks down the thief that stole more than a trinket from him and his family. With such feelings, it is difficult for Roderick to process his true feelings for Cornelia. After all, there IS a fine line between love and hate. We are led through week in which Roderick pressured Cornelia to retrieve the trinket she stole from his family, while threatening her life. Although it is not difficult to see, we watch the burgeoning love between the two, as well as the internal conflicts presented for both characters as they wrestle with what their heart feels and what their logic dictates.

I really enjoyed the way the author presented these characters, and how she created a wonderful Steampunk environment within which her story took place. Enough detail was present for me to get wonderful images of the settings and actions taking place. I also felt the author tied together technology and the Victorian era quite effectively. As this was my first venture into the Steampunk genre, I didn't really know what to expect. I feel that Ms. Gail has set a high bar for future Steampunk authors to hurdle.

This Winter Heart by PG Forte

Rating: 4 stars

Loved this story! I would, however, like to see how the story plays out. Definitely thought there was enough material for a novel instead of just a novella! I really liked Ophelia. She is a spunky woman, and is 100% momma-bear. There could have been more done with her, and the story could have been developed into a novel.

Dario. Picture Antonio Banderas on a horse (ala Zorro), and this is the image I get for Dario. Jus' Sayin'. I liked the way Dario's thinking shifted throughout the course of the story. I eneded up LOVING the way he expressed his love for Ophelia. Also dug the way he spent time with his son.

Over-all, I think this was a sweet little Steampunk story, full of technology and things not deemed possible 'back in the day'. The infusion of standard Steampunk schools-of-thought was kind-of nice. Nothing new and twisted or convoluted. Only hesitation with this novella: Seriously. Make it longer. There's enough material. ;)

Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz

Rating: 4.5

I really REALLY liked this one! Ms. Schwartz totally surprised me at the end of this novella! Suspense and the slow-burn romance without all the bow-chica-wow-wow. Great historical references, too.

Esme, our heroine, is the rock-on, hard-core girl that believes in equality for all. S'all good. She definitely has earned the right to require independence at any given point in her life. Making it legal would be all that much better! Far from the traditional lady of the '20's, Esme has a strong conviction to bring equality to all those in Australia.

Jed, our swarthy hero, does all the right things. Says all the right stuff. Esme thinks he playing her, or he's hiding something. Creative, and thinks-on-his-feet, Jed definitely has something to offer a young lady of marrying age.

When things become complicated through thievery and trickery (not by Jed!), Esme finds out who really cares about her, and who she can trust. Creative minds, ah, they can be dangerous.



Far From Broken by JK Coi

Rating: 4.5
Out of the four novellas in A Clockwork Christmas, I believe that Far from Broken was the most 'Steampunkish'. I also felt that it was 'hotter' than the others. The conflict leading up to the ultimate resolution (yes, there's a HEA...) really tore at me, and I was compelled to finish the story. Eh. Sleep is highly over-rated. ;)



Callie, ballet dancer, is very disciplined and believes that she isn't worthy of Jasper's love after the horrible kidnapping and torture she endured. What she feels even more strongly about is the mechanical trappings that make her able to function independently. This is the one thing that prevented me from giving this story 5 stars: Sure, pity party for the situation... but dang, Callie...you're the Bionic Woman now. You're stronger, faster...able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. The mechanical stuff doesn't make you less, Girl. It makes you MORE. OK. Dealing with that might take a minute in the story, but the whole woe-is-me thing, I'm not diggin'. Sure. She can be ticked off at Jasper for what happened, and he SHOULD have to work his way back into her life. That's OK. But the rest? I'm not feelin' it.

Jasper, our hero and member of the militia. Although, I don't know who is the bigger hero in this story, Jasper or Callie. Jasper avenges his wife's torture. He wakes up the dormant part of her that feels emotions. He tries to protect her. Has a great finale at the end of the story. I believe Jasper handled all the situations in the story in the perfect manner. He COULD have been stubborn and harsh with Callie, demanding their reunion, but he went for the soft-sell. The only way to go with a strong female. Besides, earning his way back into her life – the trust factor- was something that should have been explored a bit more, in my opinion.

I really, really liked this novella! Excellent job, Ms. Coi! I felt as though I experienced the time in history, as well as the plot. Fast paced, with several peaks & valleys for a novella. Don't expect to put it down.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blue Ribbon Rating: 3 out of 5
Original Review Link

CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET by Stacy Gail
Cornelia Peabody is the consummate thief. But after stealing a Fabergé egg from Roderick Coddington’s house, Cornelia finds herself in a world of trouble. She has seven days to retrieve the egg or she’ll die. The threat of death doesn’t rattle the professional thief, but the fact that Roderick may steal her heart most definitely does.

Author Stacy Gail brings a dark edge to the Christmas holiday in CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET. Roderick may toe the line close to villain territory at the beginning of the story – threatening the instantly likeable Cornelia with death isn’t the most endearing of introductions for a hero – but Ms. Gail slowly brought me around as I learned more about the clever professor. Cornelia and her inventions do tend to steal the show though, which is perhaps appropriate with a thief for a heroine. A healthy dose of sensuality rounds out the enemies-turned-lovers plot, making CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET a sexy seasonal story.


THIS WINTER HEART by PG Forte
Eight years ago, Ophelia’s husband Dario sent her back to her father after discovering that she wasn’t entirely human. Now that her father has died, Ophelia has no choice but to turn to Dario for aid. Dario’s anger at her return intensifies when he learns that Ophelia has a seven-year-old son she never told him about – one he doesn’t believe can be his. Ophelia knows that Dario once loved her…before he found out about her mechanical parts and started viewing her as a machine incapable of returning his love rather than a woman. Can she convince him that she’s far more human than he believes?

Estranged spouses and secret babies may be tried-and-true romance plots, but author PG Forte gives them her own dazzling, unique twist in THIS WINTER HEART. Ophelia wound her way around my heart almost immediately; and I found myself emotionally invested in her story, wanting Ophelia to find happiness. Dario, in turn, is a bit harder to like since he thinks of – or tries to think of – Ophelia as a thing, rather than a person, but Ms. Forte was able to make me follow his logic, even if I didn’t agree with it. I enjoyed watching Dario become the man worthy of Ophelia’s love, and ultimately I found THIS WINTER HEART to be a satisfying, original tale.


WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL by Jenny Schwartz
Australian heiress and suffragette Esme Smith needs a man. And not just any man, but a respectable scoundrel she can hire to represent her political party, the Women’s Advancement League. American inventor Jedediah Reeve seems to fit the bill perfectly. But as the political intrigue that Esme and Jed are involved in heats up, so does their connection. Will Esme fall for her scoundrel who may or may not be all that he seems?

WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL is light on both steam and steampunk devices, but it’s an interesting tale. Esme is a smart woman with a spine of steel, ready to go after what she wants. She doesn’t seem to want to depend on anyone, but thankfully, she’s not the type of heroine who turns away help just to make a point. Esme and Jed fit each other well on a number of levels, and the dynamic between them keeps WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL afloat when the plot slows down in a couple of places. I enjoyed the Australian setting; it was a nice change of pace since almost all of the steampunk stories I’ve read have taken place in England or America. All in all, WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL was an entertaining story.


FAR FROM BROKEN by JK Coi
Colonel Jasper Carlisle fell fast and hard for prima ballerina Callie and courted her until she agreed to be his wife. Their happiness comes crashing to a halt when Jasper’s enemies kidnap and torture Callie. By the time Jasper is able to find her, only a number of experimental surgeries can save her. But the surgeries leave Callie with a mechanical eye, hand and legs, making her feel like a stranger in her own body. Her anger at Jasper and his guilt at leaving her unprotected threaten to tear them apart. However, Jasper’s not about to give up on Callie or their marriage. He’ll prove to his wife that his love hasn’t changed, and he’ll regain her trust. But Jasper has to move quickly – his old enemies are back, and they’re determined to finish what they once started.

FAR FROM BROKEN is a heartbreaking story about two people finding each other once again. Callie has been through an unbelievable trauma that has left her physically and emotionally injured. Both Jasper and Callie’s true strength shows in how they come to connect with each other and the world around them. Though author JK Coi almost made me cry while reading FAR FROM BROKEN, I absolutely loved the story. The romance, character building, danger and steampunk elements all worked together flawlessly to create one fabulous story. I could go on, but suffice it to say that readers looking for a different kind of romance – one rich in both joy and tragedy – should read FAR FROM BROKEN.


A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS contains a quartet of unique steampunk romances. Each story is very different from the others, and I liked not knowing what to expect from one story to the next. The Christmas holiday isn’t really a big element in any of the stories in A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS, so readers are sure to enjoy this anthology all year long. Stacy Gail, PG Forte, Jenny Schwartz and JK Coi are all talented authors, and I look forward to reading more of their work.


Note 1: All the stories in A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS are also for sale as individual ebooks.

Note 2: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here courtesy of Romance Junkies.

[Tricia Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were all very entertaining holiday stories filled with steampunk inventions and creations, but I will admit that I enjoyed the first and last stories the very best.

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail was fast-paced and suspenseful with interesting and mysterious characters. The characters clashed at the beginning and then were forced to work together which only brought them closer. It was a well-written story.

Far From Broken by JK Coi left me breathless. Although this story started out more slowly than the first, that by no means detracted from the story unfolding to introduce two tortured characters in need of love and healing. Callie and Jasper's ordeal touched my heartstrings as they both struggled to overcome the ugly hand that was dealt to them. This was an emotionally touching story that I enjoyed so much that I instantly bought the sequel, Broken Promises, which continues their story.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're still within the 12 days of Christmas, aren't we? I mean, this is my last day of Christmas break (as is The Husband's and the kids) so I think I'm good in getting this review posted in the nick of time for the holiday season. Not that it really matters, because even though A Clockwork Christmas is billed as "A Steampunk Christmas Anthology," there isn't very much in the way of the yuletide in these four novellas that comprise this collection. Trust me when I say you're good to go if you want to read this in the middle of July.

A Clockwork Christmas does, however, deliver in regards to the steampunk elements - which I had to look up, being that I'm very new to the steampunk genre. I requested A Clockwork Christmas from NetGalley because I thought a Christmas-themed collection of novellas would be a good introduction to the genre as well as be a fun, entertaining book to read on my Kindle during our 6 hour drive (each way) to and from Philadelphia for the holidays. And that it absolutely was.

(For those who, like me, are unfamiliar with steampunk, here's how Wikipedia describes it: a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that involves a setting where steam power is used, most often in Victorian era Britain or the Wild West era of the United States. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians might have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architecture, etc.)

Now, there's an added element in A Clockwork Christmas that certain readers might want to know about beforehand and that bears mentioning. Carina Press is a publisher of romance novels - some of them on the steamy side, from some of the descriptions of ones I've seen - and the first two steampunk novellas (and even the fourth) in A Clockwork Christmas are definitely powered by that particular type of ... uh, steam. From what I understand and can gather from reading other reviews, this isn't typical of most steampunk works. (Or maybe it is. I don't know. I don't have enough experience with the genre, truthfully, but I do know that it is definitely present here. In great - sometimes, often graphic - detail.)

So, some readers may not appreciate that added romantic element. As for me? Well, that didn't bother me nor did it take away from my enjoyment of these four novellas.

Take Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail, the first novella in the anthology and my favorite of the four. This is the story of Cornelia, a beautiful professional thief who grew up knowing no other way of life and who keeps her physical and emotional scars hidden from anyone who tries to get close to her. When Roderick discovers that Cornelia has stolen a valuable (and sentimental) Faberge egg from him, he demands that she return it - or he'll make certain that she won't live to see Christmas Day. The tension between the two is delicious and makes for a fun and entertaining (and steamy!) story.

Then we have This Winter Heart, by PG Forte, which I also liked. Destitute, Ophelia has returned (from eastern Pennsylvania!) to her husband Dario's estate in the Wild West, after being away for eight years during the Civil War. (An interesting twist there: in this tale, the Civil War happens to have been won by the South.) Lia, as she is known, doesn't return alone; she arrives with her 8 year old son, whose father happens to be (you guessed it) the cad Dario. This comes as somewhat of a surprise to Dario, who believed Lia to be barren - and, because of her father's inventor interventions - inhuman as well. He treats her callously, refusing to admit that he once had feelings for her - and perhaps, still does.

Esme Smith is the protagonist of Wanted: One Scoundrel, Jenny Schwartz's novella about a suffragette in Australia who hires Jed Reeve ("a scoundrel") to promote her feminist agenda in the male social clubs that she's denied access to because she's a woman. I gotta say ... I loved Esme, who was my favorite of all the strong female lead characters presented here. I just adored her independence, smarts, and spunk in a time when women's voices were often silenced and that made Wanted: One Scoundrel a fun story to read. (Plus, there was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.) And while I liked the romance between Cornelia and Roderick in Crime Wave in a Corset, I really liked the relationship with Esme and Jed.

Finally, JK Coi's Far From Broken was a heartbreaking story about a accomplished ballerina who suffers a horrible crime as revenge for her husband's work as a government spy, the lengths that one will go to save a life, and what it means to be human. There are some similar thematic elements to This Winter Heart in this one, but it is different enough to stand alone. This one had me riveted to my Kindle, as it was the novella I spent New Year's Eve with.

While I thought the Christmas aspect of A Clockwork Christmas was definitely lacking, overall this was an enjoyable, entertaining, turbo-charged romantic read with strong characters and good writing. I'm glad I gave it a try, as it was one of my most surprising reads of 2011. These four novellas were a great introduction to steampunk and while I don't think I'll be abandoning my regular preferences anytime soon, I would certainly consider reading additional works by these talented authors.

Originally posted on http://bettyboochronicles.blogspot.com

[Christen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The word Christmas in the title was misleading, there wasn't a lot of holiday cheer in this set of short stories. There was, however a great deal of steamy, steampunk adventure. This was an enjoyable book but there was nothing truly standout about it.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance


I love reading steampunk novels, so when I saw this anthology of Christmas themed steampunk novellas for review on NetGalley, I couldn’t wait to read it. When I finally sat down to write this review, I learned that each novella is also available for individual sale, which is a really nice feature. Kudos to Carina Press for offering this option - I’d love to see more publishers offer stories in anthologies that way! That said, I felt that this anthology was a really solid collection, and I liked each of the novellas, which is unusual.




Stacy Gail’s Crime Wave in a Corset


The decision to place this novella first in the collection was excellent. Crime Wave in a Corset draws the reader in from the beginning, and you’ll soon find yourself rooting for the dubious heroine, Cornelia Peabody, thief. Cornelia’s fought her way from the streets and invents all sorts of clever contraptions to aid her robbing organizations such as the local university. Unfortunately, one of her more successful jobs, stealing a Fabergé egg, has come back to haunt her.


Roderick Coddington (Coddington is NOT the best last name for a hero, imo) ambushes Cornelia in her home. That Fabergé egg belonged to his beloved Beth, who died shortly after its disappearance. He attaches a deadly timepiece to Cornelia’s wrist, and if she can’t recover the egg in a week, the timepiece will kill her.


Ms. Gail did a great job of this enemies-turned-lovers novella. At first Roderick comes across as unlikeable, even though he’s not the villain , but Cornelia is a very likeable character, and you’ll enjoy watching the two fall in love. 4 out of 5


PG Forte’s This Winter Heart


Ophelia Leonides finds herself destitute after her father’s death and forced to return to the husband who abandoned her in order to support their son, Arthur. Her husband, Dario, is part of a powerful family in the Republic of New Texacali after the Civil War, and is not at all inclined to help his estranged wife. Since he believed her to be barren, he’s even less likely to accept that Arthur’s his son, but the resemblance is undeniable. Can the marriage be saved, or will Dario refuse to accept his wife for what she is – a women with a heart and feelings.


I love reunion romances, so this was a winner for me. Once Ophelia’s dark secret is revealed, it’s very easy to see why Dario would have rejected her. The only problem I had with the novella has to do with Ophelia’s secret, which is only explained in a very vague sort of way. Steampunk technology doesn’t have to be completely explained for me (in fact, I’d prefer that it not be), but I was fairly puzzled over how Ophelia’s father had pulled off what he had. 4 out of 5


Jenny Schwartz’s Wanted: One Scoundrel


This novella doesn’t feature steampunk technology as much as the others, but I found it to be a romantic read. Esme Smith is the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Australia, and she’s an ardent suffragette. Unfortunately, she’s not able to enter the men’s clubs where much of the political debate takes place, so she decides to hire a scoundrel to espouse her views where she cannot. Her uncle introduces her to American Jed Reeve, an inventor, and he’s so intrigued by the beauty that he agrees to her scheme without letting her know that she’s mistaken about his lack of funds.


Ms. Schwartz’s novella reads more like a traditional historical romance with a few steampunk elements, but it’s delightful none the less. The more Jed learns about Esme, the more he admires her intelligence and spirit, and I enjoyed the Australian setting, and Esme is a suffragette we could all root for. 4 out of 5


JK Coi’s Far from Broken


This was darkest contribution to the collection, because the steampunk elements are used to modify injured characters, almost like a member of the Borg from Star Trek. This isn’t necessarily a new element of steampunk – I love Meljean Brook’s Iron Duke series, and many of the characters in that series have prosthetics – but I found this novella to be somewhat disturbing because of the hero’s initial treatment of his wife.


Coronel Jasper Carlisle is a spy, married to prima ballerina Calliope (Callie). While he’s away from home, his wife is tortured by his enemies, and Carlisle spirits his injured wife to a military hospital, where she’s fitted with a prosthetic eye, hand, and legs. What bothered me the most about this story is that the Coronel leaves his wife alone in the hospital for the four months of her recovery, only returning later in an attempt to salvage their marriage. I liked Callie’s character, and the world building was fascinating, but I felt like Callie should have used her new iron legs to punt her husband across the room for his abandonment, and even with the romantic resolution I was a little miffed at Carlisle. 3.5 out of 5

I received this book for review from the Publisher through NetGalley.

[Joyousmoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great one! Loved the stories!

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to give this a chance since I have been trying to find good steampunk. However, it's too raunchy for my tastes and I gave up on the first story.

[Holly]

Surprisingly lacking in Christmas. Not a bad collection- just not as Christmasy as I had hoped