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The Glorious Victorious Darcys #1
Her Sky Cowboy
Amelia Darcy has no interest in marrying well. Her heart belongs to the sky and the dirigibles of brass and steel that swoop over Victorian England. But when her father, an eccentric inventor, dies, the Darcy siblings are left with scrap metal—and not a penny to their names. Their only hope to save the family name and fortune is to embark on a contest to discover an invention of historical importance in honor of Queen Victoria.
Armed with only her father’s stories of a forgotten da Vinci workshop, a mechanically enhanced falcon, and an Italian cook, Amelia takes flight for Florence, Italy. But her quest is altered when her kitecycle crashes into the air ship of ex–Air Marshal—and scandalous dime novel hero—Tucker Gentry.
Challenged by political unrest, a devious sky pirate, and their own sizzling attraction, Amelia and Tuck are dragged into an international conspiracy that could change the course of history…again.
Armed with only her father’s stories of a forgotten da Vinci workshop, a mechanically enhanced falcon, and an Italian cook, Amelia takes flight for Florence, Italy. But her quest is altered when her kitecycle crashes into the air ship of ex–Air Marshal—and scandalous dime novel hero—Tucker Gentry.
Challenged by political unrest, a devious sky pirate, and their own sizzling attraction, Amelia and Tuck are dragged into an international conspiracy that could change the course of history…again.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2012
15 people are currently reading
1623 people want to read
About the author
Beth Ciotta
42 books470 followersStorytelling comes naturally to award-winning author Beth Ciotta. Limiting herself to one sub-genre does not. Dubbed “fun and sexy” by Publisher’s Weekly, Beth specializes in writing Romantic Comedy with a Twist of Suspense and is published in contemporary, historical, and paranormal romantic fiction. “I can’t think of anything more fulfilling than writing stories where everyone (except the villain, of course) gets a happy ending!”
Beth lives in New Jersey with her husband, two zany dogs, and one crazy cat. Although writing takes up most of her time, she still performs occasionally as a singer, character actress, emcee, and storyteller. To support literacy, Beth also works at her local library.
To learn more about her chaotic life you can visit her Web site at www.bethciotta.com
Beth lives in New Jersey with her husband, two zany dogs, and one crazy cat. Although writing takes up most of her time, she still performs occasionally as a singer, character actress, emcee, and storyteller. To support literacy, Beth also works at her local library.
To learn more about her chaotic life you can visit her Web site at www.bethciotta.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
did-not-finish
September 5, 2012Steampunk can be a tricky business, and I'll be the first to admit that I'm persnickety about what I like. For the most part, I seem to gravitate to darker versions of the genre, Meljean Brook’s Iron Seas or Lilith Saintcrow’s Bannon & Clare. Gail Carringer’s Parasol Protectorate series is the only one of the lighter, more overtly comical series that I made it through (and that can be contributed to how often I laughed out loud).
HER SKY COWBOY has glimmers of goodness, and I made it about 100 pages in before giving up. I like Amelia once she was on board with Tuck and his crew. I was a little disappointed that the only overt manifestation of her mechanical skill was whacking things with a wrench, but I presume she’s get a chance to dazzle later on in the book. The supporting characters were interesting, if not particularly deep. And underneath the flowery period jargon, both Amelia and Tuck seemed like they’d develop into real, relateable characters.
My sticking point with HER SKY COWBOY was the world building. Freaks and Flatliners and Peace Rebels, Ciotta took an interesting concept and just about rammed it down my throat. I was already struggling to adjust to the Victorian-flavored dialog, having to comb through dense paragraphs of politics and factions brought the narrative grinding to a halt. Rather than absorbing the world organically, I felt like I was cramming for a test that was coming too soon (every time Ciotta changed to the villain’s POV, I felt like I was scrambling to apply all that I had learned so I could give a damn about his plots).
Too much too soon, HER SKY COWBOY never got off the ground for me.
HER SKY COWBOY has glimmers of goodness, and I made it about 100 pages in before giving up. I like Amelia once she was on board with Tuck and his crew. I was a little disappointed that the only overt manifestation of her mechanical skill was whacking things with a wrench, but I presume she’s get a chance to dazzle later on in the book. The supporting characters were interesting, if not particularly deep. And underneath the flowery period jargon, both Amelia and Tuck seemed like they’d develop into real, relateable characters.
My sticking point with HER SKY COWBOY was the world building. Freaks and Flatliners and Peace Rebels, Ciotta took an interesting concept and just about rammed it down my throat. I was already struggling to adjust to the Victorian-flavored dialog, having to comb through dense paragraphs of politics and factions brought the narrative grinding to a halt. Rather than absorbing the world organically, I felt like I was cramming for a test that was coming too soon (every time Ciotta changed to the villain’s POV, I felt like I was scrambling to apply all that I had learned so I could give a damn about his plots).
Too much too soon, HER SKY COWBOY never got off the ground for me.
May 16, 2016
I've been looking for a book that reminds me of the Iron Seas series every since I read the first book a few years ago, finally I've found one that measures up to it... Some what, because really, will any book be as good as the Brook's Iron Seas series?
This book is one of my favourite steam punk series I've read thus far and I've read a fair few! This steam punk world is amazing! I feel some I've read in the past can be rather idiotic, this one however explains all the advancement so I was like, "Yeah, sure, whatever you say! I just won't read to much into it", the entire time. Sure it had moment that were rather confusing but I'd task you to find a stream punk novel that didn't have such moments.
I did however feel the romance was slightly rushed and it could have been developed more, it rather felt like it just happened after they'd know each other a day with no serious connection... However, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to any steam punk or romance lover like myself!
All in all a very enjoyable book and will definitely continue with the series and read this book again!
This book is one of my favourite steam punk series I've read thus far and I've read a fair few! This steam punk world is amazing! I feel some I've read in the past can be rather idiotic, this one however explains all the advancement so I was like, "Yeah, sure, whatever you say! I just won't read to much into it", the entire time. Sure it had moment that were rather confusing but I'd task you to find a stream punk novel that didn't have such moments.
I did however feel the romance was slightly rushed and it could have been developed more, it rather felt like it just happened after they'd know each other a day with no serious connection... However, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to any steam punk or romance lover like myself!
All in all a very enjoyable book and will definitely continue with the series and read this book again!
November 8, 2012
I reviewed this on my youtube channel http://youtu.be/tts_fB7EH-o
I'm new to the steampunk genre and this book was easy for me to escape into. I loved the mashup of Victorian England, inventors, dirigibles, gadgets and the unique twist Beth took in her world building. The world was FUN! But I adored the characters. The heroine Amelia is feisty and brave and not willing to let her brothers go off on a treasure hunt and leave her out. She has clues that could lead her to the perfect prize to win Queen Victoria's challenge and so she sets off. I got a kick out of the contraption she flew in and one of my favorite scenes is when she nearly crashes into Tucker's dirigible! Tucker is a delicious hero. I love his courage and character and the way he viewed the world and judged everyone on their own merit. He admires the fly girl, Amelia's, skill in crash landing her vehicle is attracted to her bravery and attitude. This is a romance! And it's a yummy one. I enjoyed watching them get in deeper than they'd planned as they pursue the treasure and take you on their treasure hunting adventure. This book flew by and I didn't look up till I was done. :)
I am looking forward to the continuing adventures of the Darcy family in the sequels.
December 12, 2017
Come for the time-traveling hippies, stay for the banter.
I think steampunk is stupid, but had to read something in the genre for a book challenge. I basically picked this book off the shelf at random, but it was so fun I might read the next book in the series. Extremely pleasantly surprised!
I think steampunk is stupid, but had to read something in the genre for a book challenge. I basically picked this book off the shelf at random, but it was so fun I might read the next book in the series. Extremely pleasantly surprised!
June 13, 2013
Review from Backchatting Books
The first few pages of this novel drew me in raising my hopes but I found the rest of the book rather uneven. Our heroine Miss Amelia Darcy loses her eccentric inventor father during his attempt to create a rocket ship. Shortly after, she and her two brothers each receive a letter inviting them to partake in a competition to find a lost technological invention for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. In order to save her family from their financially embarrassing situation, Amelia heads off on her kitecycle to track down an invention her father had once told her about. Her vehicle of choice however collides with the airship of Tucker Gentry, ex Air Marshall and sky pirate cowboy.
Amelia was not my favourite heroine. She vacillated from strong, independent and full of adventurous spirit one minute to an immature, naive woman who made really silly decisions. She used phrases like "blinking hell" and "crikey" so often it was jarring. I suspect that the change in her personality occurred so Tucker could prove his prowess but it still irked me. For some reason Amelia was obsessed with politics and judged people based on whether they are Old Worlders, New Worlders or Flatliners. This affected her relationship with Tucker and I really felt she should have had the maturity to judge his worth herself by his actions rather than a political affiliation. Tucker is motivated by two things - money and sex. He needs the money to clear his name which was tainted with accusations of murder and theft. I didn't appreciate the way he got angry with Amelia for "leading him on" after they had first had sex and he discovered she was a virgin. On the plus side, at least Amelia and Tucker discussed issues they had with each other and misunderstandings were resolved rather than dragging on. His motley crew were enjoyable and I would liked to learn more about them.
Ciotta has obviously given some serious thought into how to build her world. We have a variety of steampunk inventions, an alternate history that developed due to 1960s Mods travelling back in time to the Victorian era and even genetically altered people who were the product of Mod and Vic parents. The problem was that it was either feast or famine with lots of fascinating things not fully explained and those that were often reading like info dumps. There was so much stuff included that it was difficult to keep track of it all. The happily ever after ending was a bit too twee for my tastes but I can see how others would enjoy everything being wrapped up in a nice bow.
This novel isn't bad but I would have preferred greater editing to smooth out the characterisation and strengthen the world. I'm going to give the next one a shot and hopefully it will appeal to me more.
The first few pages of this novel drew me in raising my hopes but I found the rest of the book rather uneven. Our heroine Miss Amelia Darcy loses her eccentric inventor father during his attempt to create a rocket ship. Shortly after, she and her two brothers each receive a letter inviting them to partake in a competition to find a lost technological invention for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. In order to save her family from their financially embarrassing situation, Amelia heads off on her kitecycle to track down an invention her father had once told her about. Her vehicle of choice however collides with the airship of Tucker Gentry, ex Air Marshall and sky pirate cowboy.
Amelia was not my favourite heroine. She vacillated from strong, independent and full of adventurous spirit one minute to an immature, naive woman who made really silly decisions. She used phrases like "blinking hell" and "crikey" so often it was jarring. I suspect that the change in her personality occurred so Tucker could prove his prowess but it still irked me. For some reason Amelia was obsessed with politics and judged people based on whether they are Old Worlders, New Worlders or Flatliners. This affected her relationship with Tucker and I really felt she should have had the maturity to judge his worth herself by his actions rather than a political affiliation. Tucker is motivated by two things - money and sex. He needs the money to clear his name which was tainted with accusations of murder and theft. I didn't appreciate the way he got angry with Amelia for "leading him on" after they had first had sex and he discovered she was a virgin. On the plus side, at least Amelia and Tucker discussed issues they had with each other and misunderstandings were resolved rather than dragging on. His motley crew were enjoyable and I would liked to learn more about them.
Ciotta has obviously given some serious thought into how to build her world. We have a variety of steampunk inventions, an alternate history that developed due to 1960s Mods travelling back in time to the Victorian era and even genetically altered people who were the product of Mod and Vic parents. The problem was that it was either feast or famine with lots of fascinating things not fully explained and those that were often reading like info dumps. There was so much stuff included that it was difficult to keep track of it all. The happily ever after ending was a bit too twee for my tastes but I can see how others would enjoy everything being wrapped up in a nice bow.
This novel isn't bad but I would have preferred greater editing to smooth out the characterisation and strengthen the world. I'm going to give the next one a shot and hopefully it will appeal to me more.
February 12, 2013
Amelia Darcy wants a life full of adventure and gadgets. She is utterly engrossed by the idea of flying and would rather tinker in her father’s inventing lab than worry about silly things like finding an eligible suitor and settling down. Gadgets and their inventors are the lifeblood of the Darcy family. Amelia sees no reason for her gender to push her destiny in a different direction than that of her two brothers.
Wrongly accused of a murder he has not committed, Tucker Gentry is on the run. At least the life of a sky cowboy is never dull. He has his airship and a loyal crew of misfits to watch his back. In fact, his life is darn near perfect until someone accidentally rams a kite cycle into his ship.
Now Tucker finds himself the keeper of an impetuous and irrepressible female. Amelia is utterly determined to find da Vinci’s lost workshop and spunky enough to make it happen. Before he realizes it, Tuck is swept up into the excitement of searching out a gadget worthy of win Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. In the end, will it be the thrill of the hunt or the company that makes it all worthwhile?
Ms. Ciotta paints a vivid backdrop of stodgy Victorian culture accented by the sleek trappings of futuristic machines and ideas. Her story is witty and easy to follow, even if readers are not normally fond of the steampunk genre. Amelia is perhaps just a little too naïve and impetuous, but finds a good balance in Tucker. It will be fascinating to see how the rest of this series develops.
Kaitlin
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Wrongly accused of a murder he has not committed, Tucker Gentry is on the run. At least the life of a sky cowboy is never dull. He has his airship and a loyal crew of misfits to watch his back. In fact, his life is darn near perfect until someone accidentally rams a kite cycle into his ship.
Now Tucker finds himself the keeper of an impetuous and irrepressible female. Amelia is utterly determined to find da Vinci’s lost workshop and spunky enough to make it happen. Before he realizes it, Tuck is swept up into the excitement of searching out a gadget worthy of win Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. In the end, will it be the thrill of the hunt or the company that makes it all worthwhile?
Ms. Ciotta paints a vivid backdrop of stodgy Victorian culture accented by the sleek trappings of futuristic machines and ideas. Her story is witty and easy to follow, even if readers are not normally fond of the steampunk genre. Amelia is perhaps just a little too naïve and impetuous, but finds a good balance in Tucker. It will be fascinating to see how the rest of this series develops.
Kaitlin
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
June 18, 2013
3.5 STARS
I was going to rate this 4 stars right up until the final chapters. The plot was interesting and inventive, the characters quite likable, action thrilling, and most importantly the author refrained from giving too much away to early. For me, a good novel provides the unexpected until the final page. Her Sky Cowboy certainly did that, but instead of cheering I was like "NOOOOOOO!" Okay, maybe I wasn't that dramatic.
I believe this is a trilogy. I was expecting Amelia to narrorate each book, but it looks as if each Darcy sibiling will have their own book. The Darcy's are indeed an interesting bunch, so I'm not opposed to learning about Amelia's brothers. My gripe is that Amelia's story seems unfinished. Yes, she had an amazing adventue and snared her heart's desire. However, her journey for greatness and nortoriety is clearly just begining. I was hoping it would continue into book 2. Now that I'm done bitching, onto the good...
As a steampunk romance, this was a wonderful read. I loved the Miss Ciotta's unique take on time travel and it's correlation to The Steam Age. London's 18th century is comprised of Mods, Vics, Freaks, Utopians, Flatliners, a vast variety of steam inventions, among MANY other things. All of which made for a thoroughly engaging read. I will definitly continue the series. Hopefully some of the unfinished threads will be tied up....
I was going to rate this 4 stars right up until the final chapters. The plot was interesting and inventive, the characters quite likable, action thrilling, and most importantly the author refrained from giving too much away to early. For me, a good novel provides the unexpected until the final page. Her Sky Cowboy certainly did that, but instead of cheering I was like "NOOOOOOO!" Okay, maybe I wasn't that dramatic.
I believe this is a trilogy. I was expecting Amelia to narrorate each book, but it looks as if each Darcy sibiling will have their own book. The Darcy's are indeed an interesting bunch, so I'm not opposed to learning about Amelia's brothers. My gripe is that Amelia's story seems unfinished. Yes, she had an amazing adventue and snared her heart's desire. However, her journey for greatness and nortoriety is clearly just begining. I was hoping it would continue into book 2. Now that I'm done bitching, onto the good...
As a steampunk romance, this was a wonderful read. I loved the Miss Ciotta's unique take on time travel and it's correlation to The Steam Age. London's 18th century is comprised of Mods, Vics, Freaks, Utopians, Flatliners, a vast variety of steam inventions, among MANY other things. All of which made for a thoroughly engaging read. I will definitly continue the series. Hopefully some of the unfinished threads will be tied up....
June 12, 2013
3 stars for the ideas, 1 star for the execution. I wanted so badly to love this book but there were so many things that fell flat or that were outright irritating. Really wasn't worth the time & effort but I might just end up reading the sequels anyway.
10% status update: It's going to be such a relief to read a Steampunk book written by an American that doesn't need to be Brit-picked despite having already been edited. Peace Rebels & a cowboy means the usual language errors won't actually be errors. Yay!
35% status update: "he ridded her of her bloomers" ... Is "ridded" a word now? When did someone decide that "rid" needed to be modified for the past tense? I was willing to forgive this book for an awful lot until I saw that.
45% status update: He’s the dangerous but oddly insipid cardboard cut-out hero from every cowboy bodice ripper I’ve ever read. She’s every self-involved twit the romance genre has produced who confuses stupidity & lack of foresight with naivety & gumption. He’s keen on her cleavage & she thinks his ride is cool. Must be love. Why am I still reading this?!
EDIT: Just read book two, about her brother Simon, and it is a VAST improvement. All of the things I hated about this 1st book have been smoothed out or eradicated and the jump in quality finally matches the intriguing world Ms Ciotta has created.
10% status update: It's going to be such a relief to read a Steampunk book written by an American that doesn't need to be Brit-picked despite having already been edited. Peace Rebels & a cowboy means the usual language errors won't actually be errors. Yay!
35% status update: "he ridded her of her bloomers" ... Is "ridded" a word now? When did someone decide that "rid" needed to be modified for the past tense? I was willing to forgive this book for an awful lot until I saw that.
45% status update: He’s the dangerous but oddly insipid cardboard cut-out hero from every cowboy bodice ripper I’ve ever read. She’s every self-involved twit the romance genre has produced who confuses stupidity & lack of foresight with naivety & gumption. He’s keen on her cleavage & she thinks his ride is cool. Must be love. Why am I still reading this?!
EDIT: Just read book two, about her brother Simon, and it is a VAST improvement. All of the things I hated about this 1st book have been smoothed out or eradicated and the jump in quality finally matches the intriguing world Ms Ciotta has created.
May 26, 2013
I really wanted to like this book.
I really, really did. It's got loads of elements I enjoy - a plucky young heroine, grand adventure, romance, a handsome hero, steampunk trimmings...I should have loved this book. The world building was actually something I was really fascinated by.
Except some parts of it really stuck in my craw. Particularly how the titular Sky Cowboy seems to be so inclined to have to restrain himself at the sight of the heroine once they meet. Gee, you're so turned on by this chick that only your high noble principles keep you from raping her? Thanks awfully.
There's a particularly bothersome line for me right around the time that Amelia and Tucker get it on for the first time, from Tucker's perspective, about how he's still inclined to be gentlemanly despite the fact that he now suspects Amelia of no longer being a virgin. Really? Decent behavior is only merited when a woman is virginal?
So yeah. I finished this book and my feelings are super mixed about it. Really nifty, interesting world building, but definitely a step back literary speaking in terms women being treated more like people and less like potential rape victims.
I really, really did. It's got loads of elements I enjoy - a plucky young heroine, grand adventure, romance, a handsome hero, steampunk trimmings...I should have loved this book. The world building was actually something I was really fascinated by.
Except some parts of it really stuck in my craw. Particularly how the titular Sky Cowboy seems to be so inclined to have to restrain himself at the sight of the heroine once they meet. Gee, you're so turned on by this chick that only your high noble principles keep you from raping her? Thanks awfully.
There's a particularly bothersome line for me right around the time that Amelia and Tucker get it on for the first time, from Tucker's perspective, about how he's still inclined to be gentlemanly despite the fact that he now suspects Amelia of no longer being a virgin. Really? Decent behavior is only merited when a woman is virginal?
So yeah. I finished this book and my feelings are super mixed about it. Really nifty, interesting world building, but definitely a step back literary speaking in terms women being treated more like people and less like potential rape victims.
May 4, 2025
So uhh I didn't finish this sadly. I rate this book a 2.5
My reasoning is this book got boring really quick. I loved Amelia I liked her fiesty and confident personality. I enjoy female characters like that! The main issue was how fast-paced the romance was. I enjoyed this book at first, but I'm a person that lovessss slowburns. It just makes the romance more rewarding and fun. Amelia and Tuck didn't have tension for very long. They hadn't known eachother 24 hours before they started having romantic feelings. And I thought the story was cool, even if it was a lot all at once and I was confused at times. I stopped a little bit on page 202 and gave up. I wanted to give this book a chance, but I'm not gonna force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying. And I debated not finishing it since I was pretty far in already, but I couldn't do it anymore. I really wanted to find a good steampunk romance, but I guess I'll have to keep looking :(( no hate to anyone that liked this book ofc!! I just wouldn't recommend this if you enjoy slowburns when it comes to romance.
My reasoning is this book got boring really quick. I loved Amelia I liked her fiesty and confident personality. I enjoy female characters like that! The main issue was how fast-paced the romance was. I enjoyed this book at first, but I'm a person that lovessss slowburns. It just makes the romance more rewarding and fun. Amelia and Tuck didn't have tension for very long. They hadn't known eachother 24 hours before they started having romantic feelings. And I thought the story was cool, even if it was a lot all at once and I was confused at times. I stopped a little bit on page 202 and gave up. I wanted to give this book a chance, but I'm not gonna force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying. And I debated not finishing it since I was pretty far in already, but I couldn't do it anymore. I really wanted to find a good steampunk romance, but I guess I'll have to keep looking :(( no hate to anyone that liked this book ofc!! I just wouldn't recommend this if you enjoy slowburns when it comes to romance.
April 2, 2018
In a parallel world where a Gentleman inventor has jumped forward 100 years in time and then a group of hippy geeks have jumped back from the '60's warning of world catastrophe in 1967, precipitating a "Peace War", our story begins thirty some years later.
Our heroine, Amelia Darcy. grew up as the steampunk equivalent of a tomboy daughter, tagging not her brothers but her distracted father, assisting with "inventions" in his "laboratory" (a converted stable) where he made, among a lot of other things, working prosthetic wings for a falcon, a two seater human-powered flying machine, and an "improved" Zeppelin ... The falcon wings were a lot more reliable than most of his other inventions, 'tho all worked.
After her Pops blows himself up in her absence, she hooks up with a renegade discredited law-man from the "Americas", and after the usual steampunky excitement the story pauses at a cliff-edge, leaving our heros headed for the colonies, and the saving of Queen Victoria for a later volume in the series.
The story seemed to me well done, moving right along with negligible editing distractions. I'll not have any trouble finding something else to read!
Our heroine, Amelia Darcy. grew up as the steampunk equivalent of a tomboy daughter, tagging not her brothers but her distracted father, assisting with "inventions" in his "laboratory" (a converted stable) where he made, among a lot of other things, working prosthetic wings for a falcon, a two seater human-powered flying machine, and an "improved" Zeppelin ... The falcon wings were a lot more reliable than most of his other inventions, 'tho all worked.
After her Pops blows himself up in her absence, she hooks up with a renegade discredited law-man from the "Americas", and after the usual steampunky excitement the story pauses at a cliff-edge, leaving our heros headed for the colonies, and the saving of Queen Victoria for a later volume in the series.
The story seemed to me well done, moving right along with negligible editing distractions. I'll not have any trouble finding something else to read!
January 17, 2021
This was ok....pretty much what you'd expect from a romance with a steampunk twist. Some of the ideas were a little odd (hippies in the victorian age), and it kind of fizzled out towards the middle. I probably would read a second one.
October 29, 2013
This book is FANTASTIC. It's the closest thing to a feminist, egalitarian romance I've seen in quite some time, and the romance subplot is expertly woven into the main treasure hunt plot. With it all set against the steampunk backdrop of a time-travel-altered Europe, this is a spectacularly fun read.
The book is set in 1887, 31 years after the "Peace Rebels" traveled back in time from 1969. They came back to warn the world of the dangers of technology - they had stories of Hiroshima, and the Holocaust, and the horrors visited on the human race by nuclear bombs and tear gas and pollution and other terrible things. Their travel had a consequence, though - they apparently came from another dimension. They're still human, but when "Mods" have children with "Vics" (Moderns vs Victorians), their children then get labeled "Freaks." Freaks have kaleidoscope eyes - they're said to look like time travel, or what the Mods saw when they traveled back to 1887. And Freaks all have some sort of ability - the main Freak in the book is a healer. Others can read minds, or control weather. The danger of this is that no Freak is older than 31 years old; no one knows what they're truly capable of, not even themselves.
Mods came back in time to warn of the dangers of technology, but at the same time, some of them couldn't resist re-inventing some of the things they'd left behind. And spreading their knowledge. So the setting is Victorian Europe (Britain, mostly) but with varying amounts of steam power, electric power, gas power - dirigibles and air-cycles and the rumors of a lost time-machine.
Among all of this lies the Darcy family. The Darcys have a family connection to the man that built the first time machine, and as such are somewhat rejected from society, since a lot of people are not very happy with the sudden technology and blame them for bringing it upon them. Baron Darcy is an eccentric inventor who can never focus on one thing long enough to see it through. His three children, Amelia (the heroine of this book) and her twin brothers, Simon and Jules, are all equally brilliant, but it's Amelia that's taken after her father the most. She dreams of captaining her own airship someday. When Baron Darcy dies and leaves the family destitute, their only hope to regain the family fortune (and respect from their countrymen) is a contest for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. They each receive a personal invitation to join the hunt for "lost or legendary technological inventions of historical significance." (Future books follow Simon and Jules' adventures in this quest, and I WILL be looking for those!)
Amelia's quest leads her to run into Tucker Gentry, a notorious ex-Air Marshal from America. Convicted of a crime he didn't commit and sentenced to hang, his crew rescued him and ran to Europe. Amelia and Tucker immediately strike sparks on each other and soon fall in love. And their love story is one of the best I've read recently. It's repeatedly noted that it's her mind and personality that drives Tucker wild - her aptitude with aeronautics, her sass, her ability to do things for herself. It's also repeatedly demonstrated that she CAN, indeed, take care of herself. She rebuilds her air-cycle on his ship - or almost does, until one of his crew members takes over and adds a bunch of new stuff to it as thanks for saving his life. When she's abducted he finds her having dinner with her captor, bargaining for her own release. She's the one that leads them to the treasure, putting together the clues and finding the secret cave. It's that self-sufficient streak that really captures Tucker's heart: "By marrying you, I'm gaining the wife of my dreams, a woman who'll share the wheel with me, soar the skies, experience adventures."
Looking back on it, there were a few times where Tucker soared to her rescue, but I never noticed it while I was reading. They were equals throughout the entire book, and that's not something you see often in a book with a strong romantic sub-plot. Even in the sex scenes, of which there are two or three, she takes an equal, demanding role. I was extremely impressed, and I cannot WAIT to read more about "The Glorious Victorious Darcys," as the series is called. This is one hell of a book, and if you like steampunk and don't mind a romantic sub-plot, you should DEFINITELY pick this up.
The book is set in 1887, 31 years after the "Peace Rebels" traveled back in time from 1969. They came back to warn the world of the dangers of technology - they had stories of Hiroshima, and the Holocaust, and the horrors visited on the human race by nuclear bombs and tear gas and pollution and other terrible things. Their travel had a consequence, though - they apparently came from another dimension. They're still human, but when "Mods" have children with "Vics" (Moderns vs Victorians), their children then get labeled "Freaks." Freaks have kaleidoscope eyes - they're said to look like time travel, or what the Mods saw when they traveled back to 1887. And Freaks all have some sort of ability - the main Freak in the book is a healer. Others can read minds, or control weather. The danger of this is that no Freak is older than 31 years old; no one knows what they're truly capable of, not even themselves.
Mods came back in time to warn of the dangers of technology, but at the same time, some of them couldn't resist re-inventing some of the things they'd left behind. And spreading their knowledge. So the setting is Victorian Europe (Britain, mostly) but with varying amounts of steam power, electric power, gas power - dirigibles and air-cycles and the rumors of a lost time-machine.
Among all of this lies the Darcy family. The Darcys have a family connection to the man that built the first time machine, and as such are somewhat rejected from society, since a lot of people are not very happy with the sudden technology and blame them for bringing it upon them. Baron Darcy is an eccentric inventor who can never focus on one thing long enough to see it through. His three children, Amelia (the heroine of this book) and her twin brothers, Simon and Jules, are all equally brilliant, but it's Amelia that's taken after her father the most. She dreams of captaining her own airship someday. When Baron Darcy dies and leaves the family destitute, their only hope to regain the family fortune (and respect from their countrymen) is a contest for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. They each receive a personal invitation to join the hunt for "lost or legendary technological inventions of historical significance." (Future books follow Simon and Jules' adventures in this quest, and I WILL be looking for those!)
Amelia's quest leads her to run into Tucker Gentry, a notorious ex-Air Marshal from America. Convicted of a crime he didn't commit and sentenced to hang, his crew rescued him and ran to Europe. Amelia and Tucker immediately strike sparks on each other and soon fall in love. And their love story is one of the best I've read recently. It's repeatedly noted that it's her mind and personality that drives Tucker wild - her aptitude with aeronautics, her sass, her ability to do things for herself. It's also repeatedly demonstrated that she CAN, indeed, take care of herself. She rebuilds her air-cycle on his ship - or almost does, until one of his crew members takes over and adds a bunch of new stuff to it as thanks for saving his life. When she's abducted he finds her having dinner with her captor, bargaining for her own release. She's the one that leads them to the treasure, putting together the clues and finding the secret cave. It's that self-sufficient streak that really captures Tucker's heart: "By marrying you, I'm gaining the wife of my dreams, a woman who'll share the wheel with me, soar the skies, experience adventures."
Looking back on it, there were a few times where Tucker soared to her rescue, but I never noticed it while I was reading. They were equals throughout the entire book, and that's not something you see often in a book with a strong romantic sub-plot. Even in the sex scenes, of which there are two or three, she takes an equal, demanding role. I was extremely impressed, and I cannot WAIT to read more about "The Glorious Victorious Darcys," as the series is called. This is one hell of a book, and if you like steampunk and don't mind a romantic sub-plot, you should DEFINITELY pick this up.
December 23, 2013
I really liked this book. So much fun! It was probably one of the better books, in terms of romance, that I've read. I actually really loved the couple together and found them absolutely adorable. It's a steampunk book, heavy on the steam (While this was a steamy book, I actually mean that in the sense of clockwork and machines lol) which rocked. The characters were great, lovable, and the story was well paced. My only complaint was the occasional chapters from the bad guys point of view. I hate it when books do that. However, this is the first adult romance series that actually seems to be building an arch story line. Yes, it will feature a new couple each book, like most romances, but there is also going to be an overarching plot and that's not something that I've comes across yet. I would not know anything about this overarching theme if I hadn't at least skimmed the bad guy chapters as I did-- Oh yes, I skimmed. I talk about this book and others on my YouTube channel, here: http://bit.ly/RN2j5n
My Spoilery Thoughts:
Recommended & Honorable Mention
Yes/No Checklist
Sex: Yes *Oh yeah!
Gore: Minor
Rape: No
Magic: Yes
Drugs: Alcohol
Star Categories
Romance: 5 Stars
Action: 4.5 Stars
Pacing: 5 Stars
Writing: 4 Stars
Plot: 4 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars
Protagonist Meter
Damsel------*----Badass
Sure she's a damsel in the really dangerous situations, but she wasn't a coward. I loved her thrill for adventure.
My Spoilery Thoughts:
Recommended & Honorable Mention
Yes/No Checklist
Sex: Yes *Oh yeah!
Gore: Minor
Rape: No
Magic: Yes
Drugs: Alcohol
Star Categories
Romance: 5 Stars
Action: 4.5 Stars
Pacing: 5 Stars
Writing: 4 Stars
Plot: 4 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars
Protagonist Meter
Damsel------*----Badass
Sure she's a damsel in the really dangerous situations, but she wasn't a coward. I loved her thrill for adventure.
January 24, 2013
This inventive alternate history steampunk story was great fun. Set in Victorian England after the arrival of time travelers from the future (the 1960’s), we see the effects such a visit would have on history. After Amelia Darcy’s father is killed while tinkering with one of his inventions, she vows to bring honor and respect to the Darcy name by winning a competition to produce the best item of historical significance. She has an idea of where she can get her hands on such a thing, and sets off for Italy on one of her father’s inventions, a kitecycle. When she almost collides with American cowboy Tucker Gentry’s airship, the Maverick, she crashes the kitecycle. After she relates a sad tale of trying to get to Italy to see her dying grandfather, Tuck agrees to help her reach her destination. As the story continues, we see lots of inventions influenced by knowledge of the future, a plot by an unscrupulous nobleman to try to gain knowledge of a time machine, a dastardly pirate, and some pretty colorful members of the Maverick’s crew, as well as the delightful Miss Darcy and Tucker Gentry. This was a wonderful start to the series, The Glorious Victorious Darcys, which will include the stories of Amelia’s twin brothers, Simon and Jules.
February 24, 2013
“Her Sky Cowboy” mixes Victorian England with 1960's technology.
Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee is a chance for Amelia Darcy and her twin brothers to save the family’s reputation and wealth. If one the Darcy siblings can discover an invention of historical importance in honor of the Queen’s Jubilee. Amelia embarks on trip to Italy to find a lost da Vinci workshop with her mechanical enhanced falcon and an Italian cook but when her kite cycle crashes into a ship of ex-Air Marshal Tucker Gentry. Tucker agrees to take her to Italy not realize all the problems that will happen on this trip.
“Her Sky Cowboy” would be a good book for those 16 years and older who enjoy reading historical fiction with a twist.
Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee is a chance for Amelia Darcy and her twin brothers to save the family’s reputation and wealth. If one the Darcy siblings can discover an invention of historical importance in honor of the Queen’s Jubilee. Amelia embarks on trip to Italy to find a lost da Vinci workshop with her mechanical enhanced falcon and an Italian cook but when her kite cycle crashes into a ship of ex-Air Marshal Tucker Gentry. Tucker agrees to take her to Italy not realize all the problems that will happen on this trip.
“Her Sky Cowboy” would be a good book for those 16 years and older who enjoy reading historical fiction with a twist.
December 18, 2012
Okay, not entirely sure why I didn't enjoy this book more. I love steampunk, and I love unconventional women, which Amelia definitely falls under. Maybe I wasn't feeling the Western aspects or the time travel. Maybe the villain was too familiar. Maybe the sex wasn't hot enough. Maybe everything was too easy.. I really don't know, which makes it all the more frustrating.
I'll have to read the twins' stories before passing judgment.
I'll have to read the twins' stories before passing judgment.
January 14, 2013
I've read some of Beth's other books and thoroughly enjoyed them. I love the steampunk genre and couldn't wait to give this one a try. I wasn't let down nor disappointed. It brings the fun of history meets new age and thrown in steampunk components, a unintentional love, and a crew full of fun and interesting characters.
February 23, 2013
I am loving this new steam punk genre of fiction. I love that it blends the Victorian age with technology. This story was so much fun to read. The witty repartee between Tucker and Amelia (aka Sky Cowboy and Flygirl) was as heartwarming as it was funny. I can't wait until the next book comes out.
June 7, 2013
This book really did not do it for me. I can not put my finger on what exactly bothers me about the book. Was it the storyline that was not explained enough or the world wind romance that was just not believable enough or was the writing just not there, I do not know. However I thought the idea of the book was interesting just could not get into it.
September 10, 2014
I love steampunk novels but this just.... I don't know. Somehow it all fell flat to me. Maybe I need to come back to it at a later date but for whatever reason, I just couldn't get lost into this novel, I wanted action, adventure and dirigibles, but this book just seemed... somehow one dimensional to me. So sad.....
May 25, 2013
Just couldn't get into it. The characters felt very stereotyped. There was so much world building that it was a bit confusing. I didn't hate it, I've just got too large of a tbr to mess with something that isn't grabbing me.
August 26, 2013
Sadly, this didn't work for. I generally like spare writing and more streamlined plots and this was the opposite. There were too many adjective and too much craziness in the plot. The characters and the world were all too over the top for my taste.
dnf
February 28, 2015I like the idea of this series but the writing and the characters just didn't click for me on either of my attempts to read this... oh, well.
May 30, 2013
Fantastic world building and a great plot. Loved the characters. Can't wait for the next installment.
July 9, 2017
I was very prepared to like this book - steampunk, airships, time travel, cowboys, romance, what's not to like. However when I was reading it I kept falling asleep. You could say I must have been sleep deprived or jet-lagged, but in the same time frame I read other books without falling asleep. So I guess that says something for the pacing of the book. The pacing did pick up in the last 3rd of the book and I managed to read that part without falling asleep in the process.
One thing I found confusing is the book kept referring to events that happened in the past (e.g. "The Peace War") but didn't provide much explanation of what that was or why it happened. Over the course of reading the book you do learn that a Darcy invented a time machine in 1858, and took it into the future, arriving during the 1960's. A few years later, a time machine travelled back to the Victorian era, bringing hippies and mods. They were concerned about a nuclear apocalypse resulting from the Cold War, so went back in time to try to change things. This is the first book in the series, and at the end of it, you get a teaser chapter of the 2nd book. That teaser chapter actually includes a much better explanation of the Peace War and the resulting aftermath than you get in all of "Her Sky Cowboy." The book has a prologue, but that deals with the main character's rejection of a marriage proposal. I felt it needed an additional prologue, to explain the time travel and the Peace War. The information leaks out in dribs and drabs, but it is really hard to build a complete picture of what happened.
One thing I found confusing is the book kept referring to events that happened in the past (e.g. "The Peace War") but didn't provide much explanation of what that was or why it happened. Over the course of reading the book you do learn that a Darcy invented a time machine in 1858, and took it into the future, arriving during the 1960's. A few years later, a time machine travelled back to the Victorian era, bringing hippies and mods. They were concerned about a nuclear apocalypse resulting from the Cold War, so went back in time to try to change things. This is the first book in the series, and at the end of it, you get a teaser chapter of the 2nd book. That teaser chapter actually includes a much better explanation of the Peace War and the resulting aftermath than you get in all of "Her Sky Cowboy." The book has a prologue, but that deals with the main character's rejection of a marriage proposal. I felt it needed an additional prologue, to explain the time travel and the Peace War. The information leaks out in dribs and drabs, but it is really hard to build a complete picture of what happened.
January 25, 2019
I'm afraid that I wanted to like this book far more than I actually did.
First, the negatives:
All of the characters (except perhaps for the hero) felt flat and showed little to no growth or development throughout the story. The heroine had the most personality, but both her moods and mannerisms seemed to flip-flop a lot - so much so, in fact, that I wondered if two people actually wrote this book. The story had decent set-up, but then seemed to falter for a while, and honestly the main plot didn't feel like it got going until a good 2/3 of the way through the book. Also, the ending was a bit anti-climactic. I know this is the first book in a series, so not everything should be tied up neatly with a bow, but the story felt unfinished but not in a good way. Also, I wanted more detailed descriptions of the steampunk world besides just airships and grease; I felt that the clothing was described far more than anything else, to the point of being overdone.
Now, some positives: fun adventure, steampunk gadgets, alternate history, steamy romance - if you like those features of a book, you'll probably really enjoy this story. I could tell that the author had a very richly developed alternate history world built in her mind - I just felt like it wasn't communicated in the most effective way for me to really get fully involved in. Lots of cool steampunk ideas, and an entertaining (if one-dimensional) cast of supporting characters.
A fun, light read, but honestly, I'm not overly motivated to read the rest of the series.
First, the negatives:
All of the characters (except perhaps for the hero) felt flat and showed little to no growth or development throughout the story. The heroine had the most personality, but both her moods and mannerisms seemed to flip-flop a lot - so much so, in fact, that I wondered if two people actually wrote this book. The story had decent set-up, but then seemed to falter for a while, and honestly the main plot didn't feel like it got going until a good 2/3 of the way through the book. Also, the ending was a bit anti-climactic. I know this is the first book in a series, so not everything should be tied up neatly with a bow, but the story felt unfinished but not in a good way. Also, I wanted more detailed descriptions of the steampunk world besides just airships and grease; I felt that the clothing was described far more than anything else, to the point of being overdone.
Now, some positives: fun adventure, steampunk gadgets, alternate history, steamy romance - if you like those features of a book, you'll probably really enjoy this story. I could tell that the author had a very richly developed alternate history world built in her mind - I just felt like it wasn't communicated in the most effective way for me to really get fully involved in. Lots of cool steampunk ideas, and an entertaining (if one-dimensional) cast of supporting characters.
A fun, light read, but honestly, I'm not overly motivated to read the rest of the series.
August 13, 2018
Typically, I like the aesthetic of steampunk more than I like what it actually looks like in book form. I mean, I've tried a few Gail Carriger books and never managed to finish any of them. I've had a handful of other ones recommended to me (like Boneshaker), but this is one of the first I've actually started and finished.
I was mostly drawn to the genre mashup. Time Travel Steampunk Adventure Romance Western? I'm there.
Anyway, it was quite cute. Silly, but endearing. Amelia was as plucky as you would want your romance heroine to be, and Tuck made for a quintessential but forward-thinking cowboy, and I generally enjoyed them both. I can't say I was incredibly invested in what happened to them, which made me take a weirdly long time to actually get through this relatively short book, but it was worth the read. The ending did seem to come on a bit suddenly, but it seemed like maybe they were setting up sequels or other books in the same universe, so it may have been intentional. I'd happily recommend it to people who like crazy mashups and don't take their paperback romances too seriously.
I was mostly drawn to the genre mashup. Time Travel Steampunk Adventure Romance Western? I'm there.
Anyway, it was quite cute. Silly, but endearing. Amelia was as plucky as you would want your romance heroine to be, and Tuck made for a quintessential but forward-thinking cowboy, and I generally enjoyed them both. I can't say I was incredibly invested in what happened to them, which made me take a weirdly long time to actually get through this relatively short book, but it was worth the read. The ending did seem to come on a bit suddenly, but it seemed like maybe they were setting up sequels or other books in the same universe, so it may have been intentional. I'd happily recommend it to people who like crazy mashups and don't take their paperback romances too seriously.
November 9, 2012
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/11/05/...
Publisher: Penguin
Publish Date: Nov 6th
How I got his book: ARC from the publisher
Amelia Darcy has no interest in marrying well. Her heart belongs to the sky and the dirigibles of brass and steel that swoop over Victorian England. But when her father, an eccentric inventor, dies, the Darcy siblings are left with scrap metal—and not a penny to their names. Their only hope to save the family reputation and fortune is to embark on a quest to discover an invention of historical importance in honor of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
Armed with only her father’s stories of a forgotten da Vinci workshop, a mechanically enhanced falcon, and an Italian cook, Amelia takes flight for Florence, Italy. But her quest is altered when her kitecycle crashes into the airship of ex–Air Marshal—and scandalous dime novel hero—Tucker Gentry.
Tuck agrees to escort Amelia to her destination, but the two are challenged by political unrest, a devious sky pirate, and their own sizzling attraction. Soon the pair is dragged into an international conspiracy that could change the course of history…again.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.
I have a complicated relationship with steampunk. I really like the idea behind it; I have loved some of the ways I have seen steampunk done, while others I have found to be meh or no thanks. Because I continue to think that the idea is fascinating, I keep giving steampunk a try. I was really excited when I read the blurb of Her Sky Cowboy because it mashed together several things I have enjoyed in the past. While I did enjoy those elements, there were some things that I didn’t quite enjoy.
Ciotta has created a very complex world for her Glorious Victorious Darcys’ series. Not only did the world contain steam-based elements, it also was very much an alternate history. The divergence seemed to happen sometime after the Italian Renaissance because people were still trying to locate some of Da Vinci’s inventions and plans. Famous musicians and their music were present but with slightly altered names. Many of the countries we have today also existed. There was a rather entwined structure of social and political parties that provided a constant undercurrent of tension throughout the world. There were also genetically altered humans consisting of a combinations of genes from the past and future. Those different humans had what we might call a wide range of mental powers. Time travel was utilized as the instigator that caused the split history. While I was able to understand most of the world-building, I continually struggled with the different political and social parties. I never quite understood what differentiated them from each other – just that they didn’t seem to get along. In fact, I had the impression from the heroine that she was unable to look beyond someones party affiliation if it was counter to what she believed. I think I missed some of the more subtle elements in the story because the parties were important, but they never really worked for me.
Amelia and Tucker were interesting and yet also disappointing. They both shared an interest in the different ways you could make/improve steam technology. They were both hiding secrets from each other, yet also refreshingly honest once they decided to act on their mutual attraction. Tuck, however, seemed a pretty static character. Initially his character was motivated for money and revenge. I could see that Amelia fascinated him because she was so different from the people he usually interacted with but I never got a sense of character growth from him. Amelia kept flipping back and forth from irritating me to interesting me. I really liked her in the beginning and when she initially started her adventure, but then she started acting extremely naïve – almost like she refused to comprehend that there might be a good reason why she was told to do/not do something. In fact there were times when I thought that if she hadn’t met up with Tucker then she never would have survived her initial journey. While I am aware that people often do impulsive things, if the expert tells you don’t do something then you should probably listen to them.
While Amelia and her brothers had set out on their independent quests, Ciotta took the tactic of introducing the main villain and providing his viewpoint and actions. So in essence I know there is a lot more going on than just the hunt for an artifact and the prize money it will bring. In some cases I enjoy that technique but in this one I think it took too long for Tucker and Amelia to decide that something else was afoot. That diluted the impact of seeing events unfold from both the good and the bad sides. The supporting cast was interesting, and the contrast between Amelia’s brothers was rather striking. I also liked the wide assortment in Tuck’s motley crew; they each had an area of specialty and their own individual secrets but they had meshed well together as a team. They also slowly accepted Amelia’s presence aboard their ship, which was really nice to see.
As I said earlier Her Sky Cowboy had some pieces I enjoyed and some pieces that I didn’t find as smoothly executed. I found the world fascinating but I am still puzzling over some of the elements. I also with wish there had been a bit more substance to both Amelia and Tucker. It seemed from the brief mentions of her brothers that they were a bit more complex and thus could prove to be more interesting characters in their stories. The combination of shallow main characters and some world-building elements that I never quite grasped did bring down my overall enjoyment in reading this novel.
I give Her Sky Cowboy a C
Publisher: Penguin
Publish Date: Nov 6th
How I got his book: ARC from the publisher
Amelia Darcy has no interest in marrying well. Her heart belongs to the sky and the dirigibles of brass and steel that swoop over Victorian England. But when her father, an eccentric inventor, dies, the Darcy siblings are left with scrap metal—and not a penny to their names. Their only hope to save the family reputation and fortune is to embark on a quest to discover an invention of historical importance in honor of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
Armed with only her father’s stories of a forgotten da Vinci workshop, a mechanically enhanced falcon, and an Italian cook, Amelia takes flight for Florence, Italy. But her quest is altered when her kitecycle crashes into the airship of ex–Air Marshal—and scandalous dime novel hero—Tucker Gentry.
Tuck agrees to escort Amelia to her destination, but the two are challenged by political unrest, a devious sky pirate, and their own sizzling attraction. Soon the pair is dragged into an international conspiracy that could change the course of history…again.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.
I have a complicated relationship with steampunk. I really like the idea behind it; I have loved some of the ways I have seen steampunk done, while others I have found to be meh or no thanks. Because I continue to think that the idea is fascinating, I keep giving steampunk a try. I was really excited when I read the blurb of Her Sky Cowboy because it mashed together several things I have enjoyed in the past. While I did enjoy those elements, there were some things that I didn’t quite enjoy.
Ciotta has created a very complex world for her Glorious Victorious Darcys’ series. Not only did the world contain steam-based elements, it also was very much an alternate history. The divergence seemed to happen sometime after the Italian Renaissance because people were still trying to locate some of Da Vinci’s inventions and plans. Famous musicians and their music were present but with slightly altered names. Many of the countries we have today also existed. There was a rather entwined structure of social and political parties that provided a constant undercurrent of tension throughout the world. There were also genetically altered humans consisting of a combinations of genes from the past and future. Those different humans had what we might call a wide range of mental powers. Time travel was utilized as the instigator that caused the split history. While I was able to understand most of the world-building, I continually struggled with the different political and social parties. I never quite understood what differentiated them from each other – just that they didn’t seem to get along. In fact, I had the impression from the heroine that she was unable to look beyond someones party affiliation if it was counter to what she believed. I think I missed some of the more subtle elements in the story because the parties were important, but they never really worked for me.
Amelia and Tucker were interesting and yet also disappointing. They both shared an interest in the different ways you could make/improve steam technology. They were both hiding secrets from each other, yet also refreshingly honest once they decided to act on their mutual attraction. Tuck, however, seemed a pretty static character. Initially his character was motivated for money and revenge. I could see that Amelia fascinated him because she was so different from the people he usually interacted with but I never got a sense of character growth from him. Amelia kept flipping back and forth from irritating me to interesting me. I really liked her in the beginning and when she initially started her adventure, but then she started acting extremely naïve – almost like she refused to comprehend that there might be a good reason why she was told to do/not do something. In fact there were times when I thought that if she hadn’t met up with Tucker then she never would have survived her initial journey. While I am aware that people often do impulsive things, if the expert tells you don’t do something then you should probably listen to them.
While Amelia and her brothers had set out on their independent quests, Ciotta took the tactic of introducing the main villain and providing his viewpoint and actions. So in essence I know there is a lot more going on than just the hunt for an artifact and the prize money it will bring. In some cases I enjoy that technique but in this one I think it took too long for Tucker and Amelia to decide that something else was afoot. That diluted the impact of seeing events unfold from both the good and the bad sides. The supporting cast was interesting, and the contrast between Amelia’s brothers was rather striking. I also liked the wide assortment in Tuck’s motley crew; they each had an area of specialty and their own individual secrets but they had meshed well together as a team. They also slowly accepted Amelia’s presence aboard their ship, which was really nice to see.
As I said earlier Her Sky Cowboy had some pieces I enjoyed and some pieces that I didn’t find as smoothly executed. I found the world fascinating but I am still puzzling over some of the elements. I also with wish there had been a bit more substance to both Amelia and Tucker. It seemed from the brief mentions of her brothers that they were a bit more complex and thus could prove to be more interesting characters in their stories. The combination of shallow main characters and some world-building elements that I never quite grasped did bring down my overall enjoyment in reading this novel.
I give Her Sky Cowboy a C
July 18, 2018
I like steampunk and I like romance, however this book was lacking in my opinion. It throws a lot of terms at you, some times several at the same time, and you have to infer what kind of device it is based on the name alone. Also, there should be some explanation about how some of the devices work but even the characters don't seem to know how it works and yet they helped make the device. For example there are attachable wings for a horse and yet the main male character doesn't even know how it works but somehow helped build them for the horse. That doesn't make sense to me. Also, the author was trying to do too much in the book with finding the devise and the side conspiracy going on and it didn't mesh well together.
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