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Steam and Seduction #1
Gossamer Wing
A SPY. AN AIRSHIP. AND A BROKEN HEART. After losing her husband to a rogue French agent, Charlotte Moncrieffe wants to make her mark in international espionage. And what could be better for recovering secret long-lost documents from the Palais Garnier than her stealth dirigible, Gossamer Wing? Her spymaster father has one He won’t send her to Paris without an ironclad cover. Dexter Hardison prefers inventing to politics, but his title as Makesmith Baron and his formidable skills make him an ideal husband-imposter for Charlotte. And the unorthodox undercover arrangement would help him in his own field of discovery. But from Charlotte and Dexter’s marriage of convenience comes a distraction—a passion that complicates an increasingly dangerous mission. For Charlotte, however, the thought of losing Dexter also opens her heart to a thrilling new future of love and adventure.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2013
7 people are currently reading
1306 people want to read
About the author
Delphine Dryden
38 books369 followersI write contemporary and erotic romance, and sometimes steampunk romance! To contact me, go to my website or find me on social media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
September 30, 2016
http://bookslifewine.com/r-gossamer-w...
DNF
Welcome back to Clean Up Week at Books, Life & Wine! Today we are getting rid of Gossamer Wing by Delphine Dryden because...well...to be honest, I was bored.
So. I have seriously enjoyed a decent handful of Delphine Dryden’s work. In fact, Ms Dryden was my first “real” BDSM focused Romance – When in Rio . Before reading When in Rio, my only exposure to BDSM was “science fantasy” BSDM (i.e. Bound to Trust) and while I enjoyed the silliness of Bound to Trust , it IS silly while When is Rio is much more realistic.
I also greatly enjoyed The Theory of Attraction and simply fell in love with Ivan. So when I saw the blurb for Gossamer Wing, I quickly plunked down my money for a pre-order...and when I pre-order, I pre-order a DTB edition if at all possible. So on 03-Nov-2013 I received my MMPB copy of Gossamer Wing.
And I started the day it arrived...only to put it down because I was bored shitless. I didn't really care about the characters due to the pace of the book - it was so slow but without any real character development happening. I didn't feel the characters developed during my (admittedly short) time reading...nor did I feel any chemistry between the two.
So it sat.
And sat.
And sat.
Until I decided to push myself by placing it in the bathroom. I mean, I was bound to get stuck in there for periods of time and become a “captive audience.” I was sure this would help me get to the interesting parts of Gossamer Wing.
Instead, I discovered I would rather sit and twiddle my thumbs instead of force myself to read Gossamer Wing. :( I would NOT read Gossamer Wing when I became a “captive audience.” In fact, I got irritated every time I saw the [beautiful] cover. And I would see that cover a lot. I kept Gossamer Wing in the sink drawer and I would see it every time I opened that drawer! Need a band-aid? See Gossamer Wing. Need a Tylenol? See Gossamer Wing. Acccck!
Eventually, Gossamer Wing was shoved to the back of the sink drawer...never to see the light of day until 2016...when I decided to officially DNF it.
I did try to give it another change here in 2016. I lasted a total of maybe 3 pages. I would rather eat this book than read it at this point in time. I have ZERO interest in the very boring activity happening in this very boring book.
So. It’s official! After 2 years and 7 months, I’m finally calling it. Gossamer Wing has finally been put out of my misery.
DNF
Welcome back to Clean Up Week at Books, Life & Wine! Today we are getting rid of Gossamer Wing by Delphine Dryden because...well...to be honest, I was bored.
So. I have seriously enjoyed a decent handful of Delphine Dryden’s work. In fact, Ms Dryden was my first “real” BDSM focused Romance – When in Rio . Before reading When in Rio, my only exposure to BDSM was “science fantasy” BSDM (i.e. Bound to Trust) and while I enjoyed the silliness of Bound to Trust , it IS silly while When is Rio is much more realistic.
I also greatly enjoyed The Theory of Attraction and simply fell in love with Ivan. So when I saw the blurb for Gossamer Wing, I quickly plunked down my money for a pre-order...and when I pre-order, I pre-order a DTB edition if at all possible. So on 03-Nov-2013 I received my MMPB copy of Gossamer Wing.
And I started the day it arrived...only to put it down because I was bored shitless. I didn't really care about the characters due to the pace of the book - it was so slow but without any real character development happening. I didn't feel the characters developed during my (admittedly short) time reading...nor did I feel any chemistry between the two.
So it sat.
And sat.
And sat.
Until I decided to push myself by placing it in the bathroom. I mean, I was bound to get stuck in there for periods of time and become a “captive audience.” I was sure this would help me get to the interesting parts of Gossamer Wing.
Instead, I discovered I would rather sit and twiddle my thumbs instead of force myself to read Gossamer Wing. :( I would NOT read Gossamer Wing when I became a “captive audience.” In fact, I got irritated every time I saw the [beautiful] cover. And I would see that cover a lot. I kept Gossamer Wing in the sink drawer and I would see it every time I opened that drawer! Need a band-aid? See Gossamer Wing. Need a Tylenol? See Gossamer Wing. Acccck!
Eventually, Gossamer Wing was shoved to the back of the sink drawer...never to see the light of day until 2016...when I decided to officially DNF it.
I did try to give it another change here in 2016. I lasted a total of maybe 3 pages. I would rather eat this book than read it at this point in time. I have ZERO interest in the very boring activity happening in this very boring book.
So. It’s official! After 2 years and 7 months, I’m finally calling it. Gossamer Wing has finally been put out of my misery.
July 26, 2016
I really enjoyed Gossamer Wing which is steampunk romance. The leading characters in this are really good: Lady Charlotte Moncrief - a widow who is determined to finish her spy husband's final mission - and the inventor "Makesmith Baron" Dexter who is drafted to accompany Charlotte as her new 'husband'.
I really liked the leads, the Charlotte is good as the woman who has lived solely for the chance to avenge her husband (and doesn't plan on surviving the mission) but I really really liked Dexter - he is my favorite kind of hero: intelligent but still passionate and very respectful of his leading lady's skills and straight forward and completely besotted with Charlotte as well. I like reading about a romance that is a partnership as a nice change of pace from all of those dominant alphas that populate my normal genre of choice PNR (and make their heroines have to fight to keep from being completely dominated - in real life that would be just too much work.)
The background story with the pair's mission to France is interesting and I am looking forward to more from this world.
I really liked the leads, the Charlotte is good as the woman who has lived solely for the chance to avenge her husband (and doesn't plan on surviving the mission) but I really really liked Dexter - he is my favorite kind of hero: intelligent but still passionate and very respectful of his leading lady's skills and straight forward and completely besotted with Charlotte as well. I like reading about a romance that is a partnership as a nice change of pace from all of those dominant alphas that populate my normal genre of choice PNR (and make their heroines have to fight to keep from being completely dominated - in real life that would be just too much work.)
The background story with the pair's mission to France is interesting and I am looking forward to more from this world.
December 3, 2013
3.5 stars
Enjoyable, light, steampunk romance. I enjoyed the characters and the world building, but would have liked a bit more intensity -- either in terms of the action or the romance. It may be because I've enjoyed the author's bdsm stories, but I kind of felt like the characters wanted to be a lot more dynamic(?) than the story structure (or publisher?) allowed.
Enjoyable, light, steampunk romance. I enjoyed the characters and the world building, but would have liked a bit more intensity -- either in terms of the action or the romance. It may be because I've enjoyed the author's bdsm stories, but I kind of felt like the characters wanted to be a lot more dynamic(?) than the story structure (or publisher?) allowed.
November 7, 2013
3.5 stars - My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2013/11...
As both the daughter and the widow of spies, Charlotte Moncrieffe is determined to use her training, skills, and unique dirigible to become a spy herself. Though her father objects, Charlotte is determined to serve the Crown by recovering documents her late husband hid at the Palais Garnier during the last war with France. There’s just one problem. Her father – in a bid to keep Charlotte from engaging in espionage – has convinced her superiors that Charlotte must not go to France without a proper cover. And that cover involves marriage to inventor Dexter Hardison, known as the Makesmith Baron.
Dexter only knows Charlotte through letters, but he’s fascinated by the unusual widow. When he strikes a bargain that could further his own research, he doesn’t expect to find himself falling hard and fast for his new wife. The passion he feels for Charlotte is tempered by her insistence that their marriage will only last the length of the mission. Dexter’s determined to convince her to give their relationship a chance, but can he get through the walls she’s built around her heart? If a rogue spy and a dangerous megalomaniac have their way, neither Dexter nor Charlotte will live long enough to find out.
A world of possibilities await you in Gossamer Wing . Delphine Dryden has created an imaginative universe filled with plausible technological marvels and wonderfully creative steampunkery. I was intrigued by Ms. Dryden’s alternate-history America, one where the U.S. lost the Revolutionary War and is still under British rule. The alternate-history aspect of the story added a level of uniqueness to Gossamer Wing , particularly since the story features spies.
World building aside, Gossamer Wing features two protagonists who are innately likeable. Charlotte is an intelligent, headstrong woman, and the death of her first husband on their honeymoon forever changed her. She’s determined to gain closure through her first fieldwork assignment and nothing and no one will stop her. She’s thrown for a loop, however, by Dexter. It’s impossible for her to resist the big bear of a man; physically and intellectually, he attracts her. Dexter’s inventiveness, sensuality, and patience make him a sigh-worthy hero. He’s a great match for Charlotte, but it isn’t easy for her to accept that they could have a real marriage (though I admit I didn’t always understand her logic).
Gossamer Wing is the first Steam and Seduction novel, and though it wasn’t quite as engaging as I’d have liked (I never felt emotionally invested in the story or the characters), I definitely can’t wait to read the next book, Scarlet Devices. If Gossamer Wing is anything to go by, Ms. Dryden’s world building is sure to be a gift to readers that keeps on giving.
As both the daughter and the widow of spies, Charlotte Moncrieffe is determined to use her training, skills, and unique dirigible to become a spy herself. Though her father objects, Charlotte is determined to serve the Crown by recovering documents her late husband hid at the Palais Garnier during the last war with France. There’s just one problem. Her father – in a bid to keep Charlotte from engaging in espionage – has convinced her superiors that Charlotte must not go to France without a proper cover. And that cover involves marriage to inventor Dexter Hardison, known as the Makesmith Baron.
Dexter only knows Charlotte through letters, but he’s fascinated by the unusual widow. When he strikes a bargain that could further his own research, he doesn’t expect to find himself falling hard and fast for his new wife. The passion he feels for Charlotte is tempered by her insistence that their marriage will only last the length of the mission. Dexter’s determined to convince her to give their relationship a chance, but can he get through the walls she’s built around her heart? If a rogue spy and a dangerous megalomaniac have their way, neither Dexter nor Charlotte will live long enough to find out.
A world of possibilities await you in Gossamer Wing . Delphine Dryden has created an imaginative universe filled with plausible technological marvels and wonderfully creative steampunkery. I was intrigued by Ms. Dryden’s alternate-history America, one where the U.S. lost the Revolutionary War and is still under British rule. The alternate-history aspect of the story added a level of uniqueness to Gossamer Wing , particularly since the story features spies.
World building aside, Gossamer Wing features two protagonists who are innately likeable. Charlotte is an intelligent, headstrong woman, and the death of her first husband on their honeymoon forever changed her. She’s determined to gain closure through her first fieldwork assignment and nothing and no one will stop her. She’s thrown for a loop, however, by Dexter. It’s impossible for her to resist the big bear of a man; physically and intellectually, he attracts her. Dexter’s inventiveness, sensuality, and patience make him a sigh-worthy hero. He’s a great match for Charlotte, but it isn’t easy for her to accept that they could have a real marriage (though I admit I didn’t always understand her logic).
Gossamer Wing is the first Steam and Seduction novel, and though it wasn’t quite as engaging as I’d have liked (I never felt emotionally invested in the story or the characters), I definitely can’t wait to read the next book, Scarlet Devices. If Gossamer Wing is anything to go by, Ms. Dryden’s world building is sure to be a gift to readers that keeps on giving.
April 5, 2015
A totally enjoyable Steampunk adventure that had me engrossed from start to finish. I totally loved every moment of this very interesting romance. The other thing is that this is a mystery/spy adventure that takes a lot of interesting turns. Charlotte and Dexter have a relationship that is absolutely fun to read.
The way that this book starts out is interesting because it takes us to the past so that we can understand what is going on between the English and the French. We are in the middle of a mission going wrong, papers designed for some kind of weapon have fallen into the wrong hands, plus someone dying. The person who dies is important to our heroine, as it was Charlotte’s husband. Charlotte has always wanted answers as to why her husband died.
Charlotte is now an agent herself. She finds that Dexter is a very interesting guy as he makes all of the gadgets that she needs. Plus he himself is a Baron of sorts. So he is nobility like herself in a way. Him and Charlotte are going to enter into a fake marriage, not realizing that they will develop very real feelings along the way. Also Charlotte has invented an airship of her own, that she calls the Gossamer Wing. The Gossamer Wing is an airship that can move very quietly and will come in handy during night missions.
Dexter finds Charlotte to be a very interesting and intriguing woman. One that intrigues him so much in fact. While they are on their honeymoon, they start to get to know one each other very intimately in fact. I really like how their conversations really get more intense and that they start to know one another on a deeper level. Plus what happens on the boat is very scary and intense. I really found myself enjoying what happened between Charlotte and Dexter was riveting and intense. They in that instant understand that they need each other more than either of them ever realized. I also like how necessary that some of the obstacles can be at times, but they can overcome them together.
Also the other thing that I liked about this book was the world building was incredible. I can actually believe a lot of things about the inventions and gadgets are invented. Also it’s believable that women can be agents. Plus the inventions are part of society and a business.
This book some incredible moments that were like so unexpected and utterly captivating to behold. Both Charlotte and Dexter realize that they don’t really want their marriage to be dissolved after this case is solved because they really do have feelings for one another that neither of them expected. It was like falling in love again for Charlotte and for Dexter to have someone he cared and loved. He never wants this fascinating woman to leave his side. Dexter and Charlotte definitely had a real genuine growing period as a couple.
This was a great start to what looks like an excellent series.
Rating:
4.5 Hearts
The way that this book starts out is interesting because it takes us to the past so that we can understand what is going on between the English and the French. We are in the middle of a mission going wrong, papers designed for some kind of weapon have fallen into the wrong hands, plus someone dying. The person who dies is important to our heroine, as it was Charlotte’s husband. Charlotte has always wanted answers as to why her husband died.
Charlotte is now an agent herself. She finds that Dexter is a very interesting guy as he makes all of the gadgets that she needs. Plus he himself is a Baron of sorts. So he is nobility like herself in a way. Him and Charlotte are going to enter into a fake marriage, not realizing that they will develop very real feelings along the way. Also Charlotte has invented an airship of her own, that she calls the Gossamer Wing. The Gossamer Wing is an airship that can move very quietly and will come in handy during night missions.
Dexter finds Charlotte to be a very interesting and intriguing woman. One that intrigues him so much in fact. While they are on their honeymoon, they start to get to know one each other very intimately in fact. I really like how their conversations really get more intense and that they start to know one another on a deeper level. Plus what happens on the boat is very scary and intense. I really found myself enjoying what happened between Charlotte and Dexter was riveting and intense. They in that instant understand that they need each other more than either of them ever realized. I also like how necessary that some of the obstacles can be at times, but they can overcome them together.
Also the other thing that I liked about this book was the world building was incredible. I can actually believe a lot of things about the inventions and gadgets are invented. Also it’s believable that women can be agents. Plus the inventions are part of society and a business.
This book some incredible moments that were like so unexpected and utterly captivating to behold. Both Charlotte and Dexter realize that they don’t really want their marriage to be dissolved after this case is solved because they really do have feelings for one another that neither of them expected. It was like falling in love again for Charlotte and for Dexter to have someone he cared and loved. He never wants this fascinating woman to leave his side. Dexter and Charlotte definitely had a real genuine growing period as a couple.
This was a great start to what looks like an excellent series.
Rating:
4.5 Hearts
February 27, 2014
I’m always up for a great steampunk romance and this one really hit the spot. Charlotte Moncrief is a young widow whose ambition is to use her small stealth dirigible, the Gossamer Wing, to retrieve long lost documents vital to the nation from Paris, allowing her to finish her late husband’s last mission. Her father won’t allow her to participate in the mission unless she agrees to a sham marriage with Dexter Hardison, the Makesmith Baron, whose skills are needed on the mission. Their honeymoon to Paris will give them an excellent cover as they complete their mission. What neither of them planned on is just how much such close proximity will complicate matters as the sham marriage begins to feel all too real. I loved the steampunk aspects of the story, with the exciting inventions and devices, and the alternate world where the British Empire retained control of America. There was plenty of chemistry between Charlotte and Dexter, and it was nice to see two adults act on their attraction with no sneaking around or terrible consequences, just lots of steamy fun. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, Scarlet Devices.
May 2, 2022
Steampunk isn't my favorite genre. I tend to find it kind of boring and, too often, the world-building is overly reliant on gadgetry and silly terms rather than creating a real sense of place, time, or people. This was unfortunately the case with this one, as well. It also took my favorite romance trope - pretend relationship - and made it boring. There was none of the fun shenanigans or the slow burn chemistry. It could have maybe salvaged the romance story with a more full exploration of Charlotte's struggles with coming to terms with her feelings on her first marriage vs. her feelings now, but nope. And the spy story was so boring (How many times can I say that word in this review? Not enough.). I could not have cared less about anything that was happening. Anyway, it wasn't terrible, it was just a snooze.
February 9, 2014
Gossamer Wing uses a rather simple theme. A woman is seeking revenge for the death of her husband. What's different about this is the steampunk element and the characters themselves. I'l admit and say I've read steampunk-lite. But I've read enough about dirigibles and metal limbs to get a visual of what this world could look like.
Charlotte Moncrieffe has been trying to be a spy behind her father's back. She knows that he will shut down her attempts to work for the Crown despite working in it himself. Her plan is to go undercover and retrieve secret long lost documents that the French have stolen. Her father in an attempt to undermine Charlotte leaving says the only way is to go deep undercover and that involves securing a husband. It's one thing to work undercover, it's another thing for Society to know a young widow has married (and married up while at it). But that doesn't deter her and she goes through with it with the knowledge that at the end of the mission she can get an annulment.
Charlotte was very fond her of late husband. They knew each other for about 8 years and he courted her for about 2 of those years. But he died 3 days into their marriage. When she meets Dexter (whom she's had a 4 year strictly business only correspondance), he awakens something inside of her, stronger feelings that she didn't feel with Reginald. So there's that surprise. She also doesn't want to get close to him and then lose him during their mission like she did with her husband and her trainees. But she can't help be attracted to such a brawny looking man, but with such a delicate touch.
I love Dexter. He's so manly, but so caring and rather delicate. He's very thoughtful and when he says something without thinking he immediately apologizes. He takes care of Charlotte when she's seasick, he cleans her up, comments on how bad her post-vomit breath it. Charlotte describes him like a teddy bear and he is. He's not a jerk of a hero. He's very smart and very precise and he's so amazed that this physically little woman can fit so well into his body. We don't get that much of their one month courtship, but you can imagine there was a fine line between pretending and them being into it.
So on the romance side, they both don't want to get involved because at the end of the day it's a sham marriage. They both have their reasons why it would be tricky to get together. So as they try to avoid their feelings, they can't help but give in to temptation. I loved how Dexter pretty much initiated their week long shenanigans and wanted to reevaluated once they landed on shore. I loved how he obviously wanted more out of their relationship and when Charlotte doesn't something little like get out of bed and when she returns snuggles up to him, his heart soars. And for the most part they do talk to one another, there are things left unsaid, but aren't many misunderstandings. It's interesting how Dexter is relatively perfect, but he's also a little dominant. When he tells Charlotte to get on her knees - whoa baby!
And what I like on the suspense side is that basically Dexter is Charlotte's cover. He isn't an agent for the Crown, he's never had any official training. He's willing to help out his country, but he doesn't really do subterfuge. There's a scene where Dexter helps to prepare Charlotte's dirigible so that she can embark on her mission alone. I liked that the whole purpose is to retrieve the lost documents, but it's a mission only Charlotte can go on. And Dexter is left behind to wonder if she made it or not. When Dexter receives word that she's ok and he vomits in relief I just wanted to give Dexter a hug and a high five for just being him. I liked that he was the first to make declarations and realize why Charlotte tries and wants to remain aloof. And she's the one that has to rescue Dexter. He isn't a beta hero per se, but I liked that Charlotte was a strong character doing all the espionage.
Charlotte Moncrieffe has been trying to be a spy behind her father's back. She knows that he will shut down her attempts to work for the Crown despite working in it himself. Her plan is to go undercover and retrieve secret long lost documents that the French have stolen. Her father in an attempt to undermine Charlotte leaving says the only way is to go deep undercover and that involves securing a husband. It's one thing to work undercover, it's another thing for Society to know a young widow has married (and married up while at it). But that doesn't deter her and she goes through with it with the knowledge that at the end of the mission she can get an annulment.
Charlotte was very fond her of late husband. They knew each other for about 8 years and he courted her for about 2 of those years. But he died 3 days into their marriage. When she meets Dexter (whom she's had a 4 year strictly business only correspondance), he awakens something inside of her, stronger feelings that she didn't feel with Reginald. So there's that surprise. She also doesn't want to get close to him and then lose him during their mission like she did with her husband and her trainees. But she can't help be attracted to such a brawny looking man, but with such a delicate touch.
I love Dexter. He's so manly, but so caring and rather delicate. He's very thoughtful and when he says something without thinking he immediately apologizes. He takes care of Charlotte when she's seasick, he cleans her up, comments on how bad her post-vomit breath it. Charlotte describes him like a teddy bear and he is. He's not a jerk of a hero. He's very smart and very precise and he's so amazed that this physically little woman can fit so well into his body. We don't get that much of their one month courtship, but you can imagine there was a fine line between pretending and them being into it.
So on the romance side, they both don't want to get involved because at the end of the day it's a sham marriage. They both have their reasons why it would be tricky to get together. So as they try to avoid their feelings, they can't help but give in to temptation. I loved how Dexter pretty much initiated their week long shenanigans and wanted to reevaluated once they landed on shore. I loved how he obviously wanted more out of their relationship and when Charlotte doesn't something little like get out of bed and when she returns snuggles up to him, his heart soars. And for the most part they do talk to one another, there are things left unsaid, but aren't many misunderstandings. It's interesting how Dexter is relatively perfect, but he's also a little dominant. When he tells Charlotte to get on her knees - whoa baby!
And what I like on the suspense side is that basically Dexter is Charlotte's cover. He isn't an agent for the Crown, he's never had any official training. He's willing to help out his country, but he doesn't really do subterfuge. There's a scene where Dexter helps to prepare Charlotte's dirigible so that she can embark on her mission alone. I liked that the whole purpose is to retrieve the lost documents, but it's a mission only Charlotte can go on. And Dexter is left behind to wonder if she made it or not. When Dexter receives word that she's ok and he vomits in relief I just wanted to give Dexter a hug and a high five for just being him. I liked that he was the first to make declarations and realize why Charlotte tries and wants to remain aloof. And she's the one that has to rescue Dexter. He isn't a beta hero per se, but I liked that Charlotte was a strong character doing all the espionage.
January 10, 2014
4.5 stars - great!
At the beginning of this book, I found the story to be a bit slow and I was easily distracted from it. At the time I suspected and hoped that this was because I had finished Simon R. Green's Something from the Nightside earlier the same day I started Gossamer Wing. I already knew the two stories were very different: Gossamer Wing is a steampunk romance, while Something from the Nightside is most definitely not. I so loved the latter book that I was having trouble stopping my thoughts about it ("it was so great!...I must buy it!...I need to read book two ASAP!...why doesn't my library own book two?...wahhhh!"). This litany is likely what kept distracting me from Gossamer Wing.
I had hoped that the next day, after a hopefully good night's rest, I would be able to read Gossamer Wing with a fresh perspective and hopefully enjoy it more. Thankfully, my hopes were realized. :)
On this new day, I began by reading a chapter (Chapter Four) that I thoroughly enjoyed. I smiled widely when But then in Chapter Six, I read something that really made me laugh (and still makes me laugh!):
lol!!
And then in Chapter Seven, the Dexter is pretty much perfect in every way to me. And if I didn't like Charlotte so much, I'd be insanely jealous of her. But as it was/is, she's pretty much perfect for him. :)
This great day of reading was capped off by the spying portion of the story really taking off. There's really nothing I like more in my fiction than a combination of intrigue and romance. Between that and Dexter and Charlotte's "escalating war of endearments," I was highly entertained.
On my third night with this book, I was so engrossed in the story I couldn't put it down to go to sleep. First
I'm still not sure if the beginning was really a bit slow or if it was purely my mood that was responsible for my lackluster feelings for this story, but I do know that even if it was slow, my mood played into it. I can say this because I don't usually feel that way about books I've just begun, especially when I'm not even 50 pages into a 300 page book.
However, the fact remains that my initial impression was that the beginning was slow and I was easily distracted from it (never a good sign). For this reason, I have docked a half-star from what would otherwise have been a five star book for me.
By the end, though, I was thoroughly in love with this story. I am going to have to buy it so I can reread the parts I mentioned above and the rest again and again. It turned out to be a great story and I'm very glad I picked it up on that second day to see how it went. :)
At the beginning of this book, I found the story to be a bit slow and I was easily distracted from it. At the time I suspected and hoped that this was because I had finished Simon R. Green's Something from the Nightside earlier the same day I started Gossamer Wing. I already knew the two stories were very different: Gossamer Wing is a steampunk romance, while Something from the Nightside is most definitely not. I so loved the latter book that I was having trouble stopping my thoughts about it ("it was so great!...I must buy it!...I need to read book two ASAP!...why doesn't my library own book two?...wahhhh!"). This litany is likely what kept distracting me from Gossamer Wing.
I had hoped that the next day, after a hopefully good night's rest, I would be able to read Gossamer Wing with a fresh perspective and hopefully enjoy it more. Thankfully, my hopes were realized. :)
On this new day, I began by reading a chapter (Chapter Four) that I thoroughly enjoyed. I smiled widely when But then in Chapter Six, I read something that really made me laugh (and still makes me laugh!):
lol!!
And then in Chapter Seven, the Dexter is pretty much perfect in every way to me. And if I didn't like Charlotte so much, I'd be insanely jealous of her. But as it was/is, she's pretty much perfect for him. :)
This great day of reading was capped off by the spying portion of the story really taking off. There's really nothing I like more in my fiction than a combination of intrigue and romance. Between that and Dexter and Charlotte's "escalating war of endearments," I was highly entertained.
On my third night with this book, I was so engrossed in the story I couldn't put it down to go to sleep. First
I'm still not sure if the beginning was really a bit slow or if it was purely my mood that was responsible for my lackluster feelings for this story, but I do know that even if it was slow, my mood played into it. I can say this because I don't usually feel that way about books I've just begun, especially when I'm not even 50 pages into a 300 page book.
However, the fact remains that my initial impression was that the beginning was slow and I was easily distracted from it (never a good sign). For this reason, I have docked a half-star from what would otherwise have been a five star book for me.
By the end, though, I was thoroughly in love with this story. I am going to have to buy it so I can reread the parts I mentioned above and the rest again and again. It turned out to be a great story and I'm very glad I picked it up on that second day to see how it went. :)
July 27, 2014
Think 007 meets romance and steampunk; that is Gossamer Wing. Filled with espionage, fake-married sex and lots of ridiculous endearments, this book was A TON of fun.
Lady Charlotte Moncrieffe is a spy, out to avenge the death of her murdered husband. First, she needs a fake husband who will honeymoon her in France. And who better to play her new husband than the Baron Makesmith Dexter Hardison. Its a perfect cover. Charlotte can spy with her little airship the Gossamer Wing, and Dexter can work at creating his new seismograph-thangy-ma-jig. How long do you really think these two will keep things between them strictly business??
The Romance: Charlotte and Dexter were HOT together! Even though Charlotte was a widow, she was still pretty innocent…and it didn’t take long for Dexter to teach her the ways her body could be pleasured. I really felt the connection between them, and Dexter was such a sweet, possessive bear. Charlotte did start to annoy me there towards the end when she was acting like she couldn’t be with Dexter as a real wife, but she redeemed herself nicely. I’m just sad I didn’t get to see their makeup.
The Endearments: Ha! Since Dexter and Charlotte were only pretending to be newlyweds, they had to put on show in front of other people…so they were constantly using silly endearments for each other. Hardly any were ever repeated and I was laughing my ass off every time Dexter called Charlotte another succulent dessert (dumpling, my sweet brioche, my delicious slice of coconut cream pie, etc). Haha! And Charlotte struggled finding fitting ones for Dexter (Mister Woolly Bear). Hahahaha!! I’m laughing here thinking about it…
The Espionage: Ohmygod I was so confused! I think what kept from loving this book was that I struggled so much in following the political dynamics and history of the war between the French and English. There were to many names and entities that I couldn’t tell whose side I was supposed to be on. Who was good or who was bad. So my confusion continued for so long that it caused the story to drag in some places. It eventually all made sense…I think.
The Villain: Some parts of the story were told from Coeur de Fer’s POV, and I found myself really feeling bad for the guy…even after all the horrible crimes he committed. Such a well done villain.
I’m so happy I found this series and will definitely be continuing on with Scarlet Devices very soon.
3.5 Stars
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
Lady Charlotte Moncrieffe is a spy, out to avenge the death of her murdered husband. First, she needs a fake husband who will honeymoon her in France. And who better to play her new husband than the Baron Makesmith Dexter Hardison. Its a perfect cover. Charlotte can spy with her little airship the Gossamer Wing, and Dexter can work at creating his new seismograph-thangy-ma-jig. How long do you really think these two will keep things between them strictly business??
The Romance: Charlotte and Dexter were HOT together! Even though Charlotte was a widow, she was still pretty innocent…and it didn’t take long for Dexter to teach her the ways her body could be pleasured. I really felt the connection between them, and Dexter was such a sweet, possessive bear. Charlotte did start to annoy me there towards the end when she was acting like she couldn’t be with Dexter as a real wife, but she redeemed herself nicely. I’m just sad I didn’t get to see their makeup.
The Endearments: Ha! Since Dexter and Charlotte were only pretending to be newlyweds, they had to put on show in front of other people…so they were constantly using silly endearments for each other. Hardly any were ever repeated and I was laughing my ass off every time Dexter called Charlotte another succulent dessert (dumpling, my sweet brioche, my delicious slice of coconut cream pie, etc). Haha! And Charlotte struggled finding fitting ones for Dexter (Mister Woolly Bear). Hahahaha!! I’m laughing here thinking about it…
“Charlotte was actually running out of ridiculous endearments, a circumstance that annoyed her as Dexter seemed to have a constant supply. It was easier thinking up sugary nicknames for ladies, she thought. One could hardly call a man honey muffin or cream puff.”
The Espionage: Ohmygod I was so confused! I think what kept from loving this book was that I struggled so much in following the political dynamics and history of the war between the French and English. There were to many names and entities that I couldn’t tell whose side I was supposed to be on. Who was good or who was bad. So my confusion continued for so long that it caused the story to drag in some places. It eventually all made sense…I think.
The Villain: Some parts of the story were told from Coeur de Fer’s POV, and I found myself really feeling bad for the guy…even after all the horrible crimes he committed. Such a well done villain.
I’m so happy I found this series and will definitely be continuing on with Scarlet Devices very soon.
3.5 Stars
Reviewed for The Blogger Girls
December 29, 2014
4 stars.
First of all, I want to say up front, I loved this book, despite the fact I had no idea what this odd steampunk thing was all about. Some of you might be scratching your heads too, so here is a down-and-dirty version of steampunk. It is a sub-genre of sci-fi that features steam-powered machinery and is mostly set in the Victorian era or the “wild west” (Any of you remember that old show “The Wild, Wild West” or the movie?). Think H.G. Wells or Jules Verne but in reverse. Modern writers imagine what 19th century characters would create in a steampunk world. Sounds odd, but trust me, this totally works.
This story begins in the American Dominions and then moves to Europa in France. It contains one of my favorite tropes: the marriage of convenience that morphs into so much more. The two main characters, Lady Charlotte Moncrieffe, a widow and agent for a secret service type organization and Dexter Hardison aka the Makesmith Baron, are placed together as a newly married society couple traveling to France on their honeymoon. The marriage is a cover, though it was legally done in the fashion of the day. Their mission is to retrieve documents that could presage a new world war with a WMD of unimaginable destructive power.
Despite their dangerous mission and best efforts to the contrary, the pair is drawn together like iron filings to a super magnet. Powerful UST abounds and they fail spectacularly at maintaining the ‘fake’ relationship. The intimate scenes are both hot and full of unexpressed emotions. Charlotte tries so hard to deny her feelings and poor Dexter is afraid to express his for fear of driving her away.
The conflict and tension in the story is skillfully treated and resolved beautifully, with enough ups and downs that you feel like you’re on a wild rollercoaster ride. I also really enjoyed the ‘steampunk’ elements, especially the ‘gossamer wing’. The inclusion of the machinery was an extra that added immensely to the story overall. It took what could have been pedestrian to another level entirely.
I loved both main characters, but absolutely adored Dexter. Just the exact right mix of physical attractiveness, sharp intelligence and emotional vulnerability. Charlotte was a strong female character with an agenda that she refused to be swayed from, but she was never capricious. She confronted her challenges with brains and heart and inevitably accepted that her world order had shifted on its axis with her growing affection for Dexter.
I strongly encourage everyone to read this book. Whether you’re a fan of steampunk, sci-fi, romance or name-your-genre, you will find something to love in Gossamer Wing .
For more reviews and bookish talk, visit our blog at Pretty Sassy Cool
First of all, I want to say up front, I loved this book, despite the fact I had no idea what this odd steampunk thing was all about. Some of you might be scratching your heads too, so here is a down-and-dirty version of steampunk. It is a sub-genre of sci-fi that features steam-powered machinery and is mostly set in the Victorian era or the “wild west” (Any of you remember that old show “The Wild, Wild West” or the movie?). Think H.G. Wells or Jules Verne but in reverse. Modern writers imagine what 19th century characters would create in a steampunk world. Sounds odd, but trust me, this totally works.
This story begins in the American Dominions and then moves to Europa in France. It contains one of my favorite tropes: the marriage of convenience that morphs into so much more. The two main characters, Lady Charlotte Moncrieffe, a widow and agent for a secret service type organization and Dexter Hardison aka the Makesmith Baron, are placed together as a newly married society couple traveling to France on their honeymoon. The marriage is a cover, though it was legally done in the fashion of the day. Their mission is to retrieve documents that could presage a new world war with a WMD of unimaginable destructive power.
Despite their dangerous mission and best efforts to the contrary, the pair is drawn together like iron filings to a super magnet. Powerful UST abounds and they fail spectacularly at maintaining the ‘fake’ relationship. The intimate scenes are both hot and full of unexpressed emotions. Charlotte tries so hard to deny her feelings and poor Dexter is afraid to express his for fear of driving her away.
The conflict and tension in the story is skillfully treated and resolved beautifully, with enough ups and downs that you feel like you’re on a wild rollercoaster ride. I also really enjoyed the ‘steampunk’ elements, especially the ‘gossamer wing’. The inclusion of the machinery was an extra that added immensely to the story overall. It took what could have been pedestrian to another level entirely.
I loved both main characters, but absolutely adored Dexter. Just the exact right mix of physical attractiveness, sharp intelligence and emotional vulnerability. Charlotte was a strong female character with an agenda that she refused to be swayed from, but she was never capricious. She confronted her challenges with brains and heart and inevitably accepted that her world order had shifted on its axis with her growing affection for Dexter.
I strongly encourage everyone to read this book. Whether you’re a fan of steampunk, sci-fi, romance or name-your-genre, you will find something to love in Gossamer Wing .
For more reviews and bookish talk, visit our blog at Pretty Sassy Cool
December 3, 2013
2.25 stars. Rounded down because ... meh.
It started out interestingly, but then it went limp pretty quickly. The idea was that the hero and heroine were exceptional people: brilliant, courageous, attractive, charismatic, etc. The villain was also meant to be extraordinary. Unfortunately, as written, none of the characters actually achieved even the level of being 'remarkable'. I actually hovered over my "hero is whoa" shelf for this book, but didn't select it because, although we are TOLD how much whoa the hero is, any "whoa" occurs offstage and reader doesn't get to see or -- equally importantly! -- feel it.
It may be a factor of attempting to write an historical setting in which a more formal, archaic language was used (an authenticity which was not achieved), or it may have been that writing brilliant people who thought and acted and spoke brilliantly was beyond the author's skill, or it may have just needed a better editor to tighten and punch up the entire book. In any case, IMO it doesn't deliver on the emotion or on the genius, and as a result, lacks both intensity and resonance.
It was long and it was ponderous (though not precisely dull). I had to fight myself not to skim &/or abandon it. The ending was abrupt and trite, and I admit that I was relieved that I'd reached it at all (like making a finish line).
I'm surprised that this is my review, because I really like the author, the genre(s) and the concepts. I'm sad that the execution disappointed. I hope that D.Dryden tries again. I'll keep reading, and hope for better in the future.
YMMV.
ETA: Still love the cover. ;-)
It started out interestingly, but then it went limp pretty quickly. The idea was that the hero and heroine were exceptional people: brilliant, courageous, attractive, charismatic, etc. The villain was also meant to be extraordinary. Unfortunately, as written, none of the characters actually achieved even the level of being 'remarkable'. I actually hovered over my "hero is whoa" shelf for this book, but didn't select it because, although we are TOLD how much whoa the hero is, any "whoa" occurs offstage and reader doesn't get to see or -- equally importantly! -- feel it.
It may be a factor of attempting to write an historical setting in which a more formal, archaic language was used (an authenticity which was not achieved), or it may have been that writing brilliant people who thought and acted and spoke brilliantly was beyond the author's skill, or it may have just needed a better editor to tighten and punch up the entire book. In any case, IMO it doesn't deliver on the emotion or on the genius, and as a result, lacks both intensity and resonance.
It was long and it was ponderous (though not precisely dull). I had to fight myself not to skim &/or abandon it. The ending was abrupt and trite, and I admit that I was relieved that I'd reached it at all (like making a finish line).
I'm surprised that this is my review, because I really like the author, the genre(s) and the concepts. I'm sad that the execution disappointed. I hope that D.Dryden tries again. I'll keep reading, and hope for better in the future.
YMMV.
ETA: Still love the cover. ;-)
June 24, 2018
I really enjoy steampunk novels especially ones involving dirigibles so this seemed right up my alley. Unfortunately I enjoyed this book but didn't love it.
I expected a book set in this time frame to be more circumspect with the sex and language and yet they talked of cocks and dictation and the language wasn't as olde school as it should have been. None of this offended me, it simply pulled me from the scene.
For two brilliant people - heroine is an inventor of steampunk gadgets while hero creates what she invents (among other things) - there wasn't a whole of of "proof" of their genius. Even the bad guy was supposed to be unparalleled at spying and yet he's a bumbling idiot (until the end where he redeems himself).
I did like that Charlotte wasn't one of those wishy washy females who needed rescuing every five minutes - boy that irritates me. She's a strong heroine who didn't take any crap from Dexter, or anyone else for that matter.
I will definitely read Scarlet Devices to see where our intrepid hero and heroine venture next.
I expected a book set in this time frame to be more circumspect with the sex and language and yet they talked of cocks and dictation and the language wasn't as olde school as it should have been. None of this offended me, it simply pulled me from the scene.
For two brilliant people - heroine is an inventor of steampunk gadgets while hero creates what she invents (among other things) - there wasn't a whole of of "proof" of their genius. Even the bad guy was supposed to be unparalleled at spying and yet he's a bumbling idiot (until the end where he redeems himself).
I did like that Charlotte wasn't one of those wishy washy females who needed rescuing every five minutes - boy that irritates me. She's a strong heroine who didn't take any crap from Dexter, or anyone else for that matter.
I will definitely read Scarlet Devices to see where our intrepid hero and heroine venture next.
April 12, 2014
I really enjoyed this book, a steampunk romance. The characters were great, the plot was interesting and steampunk is not overwhelming. I really liked Charlotte and Dexter, they were pretty well shaped characters and I liked their interactions. The romance in this book was believable too, it wasn't just a guy and a girl that meet and 5 minutes later have hot sex. This had more feeling to it, they were attracted to each other but also fell in love. I liked the building up of the love story, The story of them being spies in France was a little confusing at some parts but was still interesting and made for some suspenseful scenes in the book. The sex scenes were not overly graphic and were tasteful. The world building was also very well done, since the steampunk aspects were not over the top, not everything they did and had was mechanical, just enough to make the story interesting.
Overall I am giving the book 4 out of 5 stars and I am excited about reading more in this series.
Overall I am giving the book 4 out of 5 stars and I am excited about reading more in this series.
June 15, 2014
It took me almost a month to finish this book and I can't say I loved it. It reminded me a lot of the classics like Balzac and Alphonse Daudet with the writing - very long, very political and stuffy. Very English in the Victorian age.
To be honest, I doubt I'll be reading anymore books from this series - even if the plot was good, the writing was too tiresome and I struggled to finish it.
Still, it's an unusual style and I appreciate the work the author did.
To be honest, I doubt I'll be reading anymore books from this series - even if the plot was good, the writing was too tiresome and I struggled to finish it.
Still, it's an unusual style and I appreciate the work the author did.
April 18, 2013
I read this in manuscript, and all I can say is DEXTER.
Also, BOAT SEX.
Beautiful romance, hot sex, great worldbuilding details, and an overall fun rompy steampunk vibe all make this one a pleasure to read.
Also, BOAT SEX.
Beautiful romance, hot sex, great worldbuilding details, and an overall fun rompy steampunk vibe all make this one a pleasure to read.
January 8, 2015
Ugh, so little sex and so boring when it finally happened.
January 21, 2016
Hard to get into, but a good story!
January 20, 2014
Review originally posted on The Book Pushers here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/11/07/...
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley
A spy. An airship. And a broken heart.
After losing her husband to a rogue French agent, Charlotte Moncrieffe wants to make her mark in international espionage. And what could be better for recovering secret long-lost documents from the Palais Garnier than her stealth dirigible, Gossamer Wing? Her spymaster father has one condition: He won’t send her to Paris without an ironclad cover.
Dexter Hardison prefers inventing to politics, but his title as Makesmith Baron and his formidable skills make him an ideal husband-imposter for Charlotte. And the unorthodox undercover arrangement would help him in his own field of discovery.
But from Charlotte and Dexter’s marriage of convenience comes a distraction—a passion that complicates an increasingly dangerous mission. For Charlotte, however, the thought of losing Dexter also opens her heart to a thrilling new future of love and adventure.
This blurb came from the author’s website.
I have what can probably be described as a love/tolerate relationship with steampunk. There are a few authors whose steampunk I love and I tolerate the others I have tried. So when I saw that Dryden had a steampunk series starting I wasn’t sure if I wanted to risk it. But then, I remembered that I have enjoyed what Dryden has written in the past, primarily erotic romance, so I decided to stretch my comfort zones a bit and give Gossamer Wing a try. I am glad to say that Dryden didn’t let me down.
From the opening lines, I knew that the steampunk aspect would be thoroughly incorporated into the world-building which allowed me to settle into the story. It also started off with an interesting piece of action that tied nicely into the body of the story. I found the first interaction between Dexter and Charlotte very intriguing. The history of written requests, the development of technology, and the difference between spelling out the how vs stating the requirement all kept me wondering how they would manage to get along in person. The twist Dryden provided to enable their meeting and “marriage” was a great play on a certain familiar historical trope.
The romance between Charlotte and Dexter was slow growing but full of spikes in intensity. The reluctant attraction that started in admiration for their respective strengths grew with Charlotte’s awareness of Dexter as a man not just as a faceless acquaintance. On Dexter’s side, he was aware of his attraction but kept reminding himself that this was not a true marriage until he finally decided to see if Charlotte was willing to explore expanding their relationship. One of the things I enjoyed with their relationship was that sex didn’t solve or miraculously equate to HEA. They had to continue to work for their happiness and to learn to trust each other making the ending that much more satisfying.
In addition to the romance, Dryden included layers of intrigue. Like any situation there is the truth, there is the best guess on each side about the truth/motivation of the other side, and there is what happens. The interweaving of those threads colored as they were with past events made the story even more interesting. I really didn’t know what some of the individuals were going to do until they did it which kept me invested in the rest of the story. I also thought it was fascinating to see how motivations could and did change throughout the story as facts were uncovered.
Towards the beginning of this review I mentioned how the steampunk elements were seamlessly integrated throughout the story. One aspect of the integration, which added a nice touch, was the realization that personal enhancements came with a cost. If the enhancements or replacement body parts were metal, in cold weather they might not function as well or they could potentially cause frost damage to the connection between the implant/enhancement and human flesh. Or when the enhancements were more sophisticated and used not for a body part but for one of the five senses, if there was a problem or the implant was disconnected the particular sense was gone not just muted.
There were several scenes in this story that I really enjoyed and bookmarked. One was the scene when they decide to take the next step and “consummate” their marriage. The discussion prior, logic used in the argument, and then the openness during really spoke towards the partnership Charlotte and Dexter were building. I also enjoyed one of the many discussions when Charlotte was insistent on keeping emotion out of their relationship because she was scared and didn’t understand what she was feeling. The last scene I wanted to highlight was the one in which Charlotte actually grew up. She learned some painful truths about herself, her first husband, and how much Dexter meant to her. I loved how she prepared and executed her grovel. Just like I loved how Dexter was abiding by her wishes as promised with their initial arrangement. He knew that she had to be the one to decide what kind of life she was going to live. I thought the way Dryden kept them in character even under pressure was admirable because I was sitting on the edge of my seat willing them to make their “marriage” a real one. I think I can safely say that I have found another steampunk author to add to my very slowly growing list.
I give Gossamer Wing a B.
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley
A spy. An airship. And a broken heart.
After losing her husband to a rogue French agent, Charlotte Moncrieffe wants to make her mark in international espionage. And what could be better for recovering secret long-lost documents from the Palais Garnier than her stealth dirigible, Gossamer Wing? Her spymaster father has one condition: He won’t send her to Paris without an ironclad cover.
Dexter Hardison prefers inventing to politics, but his title as Makesmith Baron and his formidable skills make him an ideal husband-imposter for Charlotte. And the unorthodox undercover arrangement would help him in his own field of discovery.
But from Charlotte and Dexter’s marriage of convenience comes a distraction—a passion that complicates an increasingly dangerous mission. For Charlotte, however, the thought of losing Dexter also opens her heart to a thrilling new future of love and adventure.
This blurb came from the author’s website.
I have what can probably be described as a love/tolerate relationship with steampunk. There are a few authors whose steampunk I love and I tolerate the others I have tried. So when I saw that Dryden had a steampunk series starting I wasn’t sure if I wanted to risk it. But then, I remembered that I have enjoyed what Dryden has written in the past, primarily erotic romance, so I decided to stretch my comfort zones a bit and give Gossamer Wing a try. I am glad to say that Dryden didn’t let me down.
From the opening lines, I knew that the steampunk aspect would be thoroughly incorporated into the world-building which allowed me to settle into the story. It also started off with an interesting piece of action that tied nicely into the body of the story. I found the first interaction between Dexter and Charlotte very intriguing. The history of written requests, the development of technology, and the difference between spelling out the how vs stating the requirement all kept me wondering how they would manage to get along in person. The twist Dryden provided to enable their meeting and “marriage” was a great play on a certain familiar historical trope.
The romance between Charlotte and Dexter was slow growing but full of spikes in intensity. The reluctant attraction that started in admiration for their respective strengths grew with Charlotte’s awareness of Dexter as a man not just as a faceless acquaintance. On Dexter’s side, he was aware of his attraction but kept reminding himself that this was not a true marriage until he finally decided to see if Charlotte was willing to explore expanding their relationship. One of the things I enjoyed with their relationship was that sex didn’t solve or miraculously equate to HEA. They had to continue to work for their happiness and to learn to trust each other making the ending that much more satisfying.
In addition to the romance, Dryden included layers of intrigue. Like any situation there is the truth, there is the best guess on each side about the truth/motivation of the other side, and there is what happens. The interweaving of those threads colored as they were with past events made the story even more interesting. I really didn’t know what some of the individuals were going to do until they did it which kept me invested in the rest of the story. I also thought it was fascinating to see how motivations could and did change throughout the story as facts were uncovered.
Towards the beginning of this review I mentioned how the steampunk elements were seamlessly integrated throughout the story. One aspect of the integration, which added a nice touch, was the realization that personal enhancements came with a cost. If the enhancements or replacement body parts were metal, in cold weather they might not function as well or they could potentially cause frost damage to the connection between the implant/enhancement and human flesh. Or when the enhancements were more sophisticated and used not for a body part but for one of the five senses, if there was a problem or the implant was disconnected the particular sense was gone not just muted.
There were several scenes in this story that I really enjoyed and bookmarked. One was the scene when they decide to take the next step and “consummate” their marriage. The discussion prior, logic used in the argument, and then the openness during really spoke towards the partnership Charlotte and Dexter were building. I also enjoyed one of the many discussions when Charlotte was insistent on keeping emotion out of their relationship because she was scared and didn’t understand what she was feeling. The last scene I wanted to highlight was the one in which Charlotte actually grew up. She learned some painful truths about herself, her first husband, and how much Dexter meant to her. I loved how she prepared and executed her grovel. Just like I loved how Dexter was abiding by her wishes as promised with their initial arrangement. He knew that she had to be the one to decide what kind of life she was going to live. I thought the way Dryden kept them in character even under pressure was admirable because I was sitting on the edge of my seat willing them to make their “marriage” a real one. I think I can safely say that I have found another steampunk author to add to my very slowly growing list.
I give Gossamer Wing a B.
June 12, 2019
This started out strong (fake marrieds! espionage! steampunk!) and then became a slog, so I just decided to call it. I did enjoy the author's Theory of Attraction novella, so maybe it's the longer format?
December 31, 2017
Decent steampunk romance. Very cute and fun.
February 2, 2017
Steampunk romance, a rather curious mix but a fun read. If it doesn't cost 3 times as much as it should I may get the next book in the series.
January 25, 2018
I enjoyed most of it. It has potential.
December 6, 2021
Quick easy read that I enjoyed! Read on Kindle.
November 10, 2024
It was cute, I liked Charlotte and Dexter and was more invested in them then in the plot and the espionage. But it did start drag by the middle of the story.
January 20, 2014
Originally published at Reading Reality
Gossamer Wing is a mixture of “pretend marriage” with “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” in a steamy (and somewhat angsty) steampunk world.
The alternate history is quite fun, the romance is suitably hard won and the steampunk adds just the right amount of engineered insanity to go along with the derring-do.
We have the engineer and the lady spy, entering into a pretend marriage for the good of jolly old England. Except that the marriage is real, and there will be a real divorce when the mission is over.
Or maybe not.
Lady Charlotte Moncrieffe is three things; daughter of an English secret agent, widow of an English secret agent, and pilot of the only airship light enough to fly over Paris at night. The mission is hers.
Dexter Hardison is also three things; a world-reknowned engineer, a baron, and unmarried. He is the best candidate to play Charlotte’s temporary besotted husband.
He’s already carried out several engineering commissions for her, he just didn’t know that her little dirigible, the Gossamer Wing, was a secret project of the government. He also didn’t know that the lady was beautiful. Or tempting.
Charlotte plans to go to Paris to retrieve the secret plans that her first husband hid on the roof of the opera house, just before the war ended. Their honeymoon and his subsequent death prevented him from retrieving them.
Dexter plans to finish several engineering commissions for the government, help to conceal Charlotte’s true mission, and woo Charlotte.
Charlotte believes that emotion clouds judgement. But then, she’s spent the four years since her first husband’s death pretending that she has none.
She learns differently. But when they arrive in Paris, her husband’s killer lays in wait to see if he can retrieve the secret plans that were his downfall.
Escape Rating B+: The steampunk in Gossamer Wing turns it into deliciously frothy fun, with a whole lot of steam heat in the romantic tension between Dexter and Charlotte.
Charlotte is interesting because she has trained herself to be a perfect agent; she’s always cool and controlled. She’s an actress playing a part because it means her life. She loved her first husband, but he was a part of her life long before their very short marriage. Her mission is about finishing his work. She doesn’t have a life beyond it. But her supposed grief, like so many other things in her life, is just another cover story.
Dexter is the really fascinating character. He is the “makesmith Baron” and doesn’t use his title in his business. He hasn’t disavowed it or anything rash, but he knows it puts his business contacts off, so he's just Mr. Hardison when it comes to business dealings. Dexter is always genuine, and doesn’t ever pretend. He can’t manage to fake being married, either. His emotions are real, and that’s how the romance begins.
The alternate history is a treat. Britain never lost her colonies, so the “Dominions” are still part of the Empire, but they are a happy part. The other interesting thing is that Napoleon never seems to have arisen, but there was still some kind of French and English war at that period. Also there seems to have been something that wasn't quite the French Revolution, but wasn't quite not, either. It provides the opportunity for lots of background skullduggery, including something that reads a lot like a “cold war” between England and France. But then, England and France didn't really get along until World War I. Of course they're spying on each other. And spying on the spies.
The steampunk industrial revolution even allows for industrial espionage, which just adds more layers to the plot. The mystery behind the enigma is very nicely convoluted and provides tons of chances for misunderstandings all around. Opportunities that the author makes excellent use of!
I adored the ending. Such a perfectly melodramatic bit of propaganda by both sets of secret agencies. I can’t wait to see where the next book in this series, Scarlet Devices, takes this story.
Gossamer Wing is a mixture of “pretend marriage” with “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” in a steamy (and somewhat angsty) steampunk world.
The alternate history is quite fun, the romance is suitably hard won and the steampunk adds just the right amount of engineered insanity to go along with the derring-do.
We have the engineer and the lady spy, entering into a pretend marriage for the good of jolly old England. Except that the marriage is real, and there will be a real divorce when the mission is over.
Or maybe not.
Lady Charlotte Moncrieffe is three things; daughter of an English secret agent, widow of an English secret agent, and pilot of the only airship light enough to fly over Paris at night. The mission is hers.
Dexter Hardison is also three things; a world-reknowned engineer, a baron, and unmarried. He is the best candidate to play Charlotte’s temporary besotted husband.
He’s already carried out several engineering commissions for her, he just didn’t know that her little dirigible, the Gossamer Wing, was a secret project of the government. He also didn’t know that the lady was beautiful. Or tempting.
Charlotte plans to go to Paris to retrieve the secret plans that her first husband hid on the roof of the opera house, just before the war ended. Their honeymoon and his subsequent death prevented him from retrieving them.
Dexter plans to finish several engineering commissions for the government, help to conceal Charlotte’s true mission, and woo Charlotte.
Charlotte believes that emotion clouds judgement. But then, she’s spent the four years since her first husband’s death pretending that she has none.
She learns differently. But when they arrive in Paris, her husband’s killer lays in wait to see if he can retrieve the secret plans that were his downfall.
Escape Rating B+: The steampunk in Gossamer Wing turns it into deliciously frothy fun, with a whole lot of steam heat in the romantic tension between Dexter and Charlotte.
Charlotte is interesting because she has trained herself to be a perfect agent; she’s always cool and controlled. She’s an actress playing a part because it means her life. She loved her first husband, but he was a part of her life long before their very short marriage. Her mission is about finishing his work. She doesn’t have a life beyond it. But her supposed grief, like so many other things in her life, is just another cover story.
Dexter is the really fascinating character. He is the “makesmith Baron” and doesn’t use his title in his business. He hasn’t disavowed it or anything rash, but he knows it puts his business contacts off, so he's just Mr. Hardison when it comes to business dealings. Dexter is always genuine, and doesn’t ever pretend. He can’t manage to fake being married, either. His emotions are real, and that’s how the romance begins.
The alternate history is a treat. Britain never lost her colonies, so the “Dominions” are still part of the Empire, but they are a happy part. The other interesting thing is that Napoleon never seems to have arisen, but there was still some kind of French and English war at that period. Also there seems to have been something that wasn't quite the French Revolution, but wasn't quite not, either. It provides the opportunity for lots of background skullduggery, including something that reads a lot like a “cold war” between England and France. But then, England and France didn't really get along until World War I. Of course they're spying on each other. And spying on the spies.
The steampunk industrial revolution even allows for industrial espionage, which just adds more layers to the plot. The mystery behind the enigma is very nicely convoluted and provides tons of chances for misunderstandings all around. Opportunities that the author makes excellent use of!
I adored the ending. Such a perfectly melodramatic bit of propaganda by both sets of secret agencies. I can’t wait to see where the next book in this series, Scarlet Devices, takes this story.
January 24, 2023
Losing a husband to the world of espionage and secrets made the heroine yearn to do her part for her country and finish the mission her husband started before his murder. Small, petite and unassuming, she's the only one capable of piloting a one of a kind aircraft which is silent and nearly invisible in flight. To travel low key into France however, she's going to need more than her skills as a spy and her aircraft- she's going to need a husband.
Cue the hero. He's a great bear of a man but he's what you call a gentle giant. He's kind, resourceful, patient and will to agree to the sham of a marriage in order to aid the woman he's admired greatly if only through their letter communications. He sees past the cold exterior the heroine portrays to the world and deep into her soul where a fire burns brightly. And he knows that there will be no way for him to deny himself the pleasure to be found in her arms so they soon enter into an affair. Under the pretense that their marriage will be annulled after the mission is complete, the heroine agrees to entering a sexual relationship with her husband. In his arms she finds herself happier than she's been in a very long time. So different from her dead husband, the hero brings her alive as a woman, helps her to discover herself and let herself be free of the grief and the pain she's been harboring for all these years. When they arrive in France, she tries to distance herself from him and her growing feelings but to no avail. Her gentle yet passionate and demanding lover has firmly taken possession of her heart and though it scares her to death, the joy to be found in his arms is just to much of a temptation to deny. As they fall heavily into the world of spies and intrigue the hero finds it harder and harder to sit back and watch the love of his life put herself in danger time and time again but he's man enough to accept that this is her job. Though he makes it clear how scared he is for her safety and how relieved he is when she's back home where he can hold her, he lets her be herself and never tries to change her. But he himself is no spy so when he's targeted, the heroine will do everything to get him back. Because she's realized just how much her bear has come to mean to her.
Another great book in a great series. This steampunk romance done right and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were both so suited to each other so it made it extremely easy for them to find themselves falling for one another. The hero was amazing. He was such a support system for the heroine while still be useful and valid in his own merit. He was backbone to their partnership, the level headed one. Always quick with a smile or a joke, making the heroine laugh and slowly breaking down all her walls to reveal the passionate woman underneath. The heroine was amazing as well. She was the special agent, the one on the mission but she was also a very fragile woman at the same time, both physically and emotionally. She never truly grieved her dead husband before the hero made her comfortable enough to let it go and she was so small in stature and certainly much smaller than the hero in size. But she had smarts and the strength of will to see her mission complete and when the time came, she also had the strength to accept the man who loves her and whom she's come to love so much in return. The story was great, the passion and chemistry between the characters was great and you gotta love a good steampunk romance as they are so few and far between. Great book by a new author to watch.
Cue the hero. He's a great bear of a man but he's what you call a gentle giant. He's kind, resourceful, patient and will to agree to the sham of a marriage in order to aid the woman he's admired greatly if only through their letter communications. He sees past the cold exterior the heroine portrays to the world and deep into her soul where a fire burns brightly. And he knows that there will be no way for him to deny himself the pleasure to be found in her arms so they soon enter into an affair. Under the pretense that their marriage will be annulled after the mission is complete, the heroine agrees to entering a sexual relationship with her husband. In his arms she finds herself happier than she's been in a very long time. So different from her dead husband, the hero brings her alive as a woman, helps her to discover herself and let herself be free of the grief and the pain she's been harboring for all these years. When they arrive in France, she tries to distance herself from him and her growing feelings but to no avail. Her gentle yet passionate and demanding lover has firmly taken possession of her heart and though it scares her to death, the joy to be found in his arms is just to much of a temptation to deny. As they fall heavily into the world of spies and intrigue the hero finds it harder and harder to sit back and watch the love of his life put herself in danger time and time again but he's man enough to accept that this is her job. Though he makes it clear how scared he is for her safety and how relieved he is when she's back home where he can hold her, he lets her be herself and never tries to change her. But he himself is no spy so when he's targeted, the heroine will do everything to get him back. Because she's realized just how much her bear has come to mean to her.
Another great book in a great series. This steampunk romance done right and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were both so suited to each other so it made it extremely easy for them to find themselves falling for one another. The hero was amazing. He was such a support system for the heroine while still be useful and valid in his own merit. He was backbone to their partnership, the level headed one. Always quick with a smile or a joke, making the heroine laugh and slowly breaking down all her walls to reveal the passionate woman underneath. The heroine was amazing as well. She was the special agent, the one on the mission but she was also a very fragile woman at the same time, both physically and emotionally. She never truly grieved her dead husband before the hero made her comfortable enough to let it go and she was so small in stature and certainly much smaller than the hero in size. But she had smarts and the strength of will to see her mission complete and when the time came, she also had the strength to accept the man who loves her and whom she's come to love so much in return. The story was great, the passion and chemistry between the characters was great and you gotta love a good steampunk romance as they are so few and far between. Great book by a new author to watch.
October 9, 2014
Steampunk romance is tricky. I generally want to like it more than I actually do. From a genre romance perspective, it seems like it would be a powerful combination to add a fantasy or science fiction element to alternative history: all the atmosphere of a historical with none of the rigidly defined social conventions or ultra-precise historical reckonings (in theory, though this book, Gossamer Wing by Delphine Dryden, adhered to some typically Victorian social conventions and it worked very well).
The problem seems to be that the loosey-goosey nature of the steampunk subgenre lends itself to a mix of science fiction and fantasy, blending pseudoscience with clearly fantastical elements resulting in murky world-building. The ones I have liked, this one by Dryden, and Prosperity by Alexis Hall (out later this month), seem to decide between a science-heavy worldview and a magic (or fantasy science) worldview. Dryden's offering is more science-based. Hall's is more mystical. Both work equally well.
Gossamer Wing is a humorous, fast-paced, sexy romance that flips the traditional adventurer-solider-spy/bluestocking pairing on its head. The action-packed adventure undertaken by Charlotte and Dexter is well-balanced with a marriage-of-convenience romance plot. Charlotte's spymaster father tries to distract her from the ongoing grief of her first husband's death at the hands of a French spy by interesting her in a mission in France.
Dexter is known as the legendary Makesmith Baron. Not only has he made much of the equipment Charlotte uses to fly her personal dirigible, the Gossamer Wing, he may be able to solve a problem with an underwater base the British and Americans hope to utilize in their ongoing cold war with the French. By enacting a temporary marriage, Charlotte's father hopes Dexter can keep Charlotte safe (though in reality Charlotte ends up keeping Dexter safe most of the time) and keep their cover intact as honeymooners vacationing in France.
Charlotte is delightfully independent and capable. She has education, training and wits. She reminds me a bit of Miss Fisher from Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. She's not completely averse to violence, but she, like Dexter, mostly thinks her way out of tight spots. Speaking of Dexter, he is quintessentially tall, dark and handsome, but also a raging geek, in true Dryden fashion. He's also more emotionally intelligent and more sexually experienced than Charlotte and it's him driving their relationship to a large extent.
I adored both Charlotte and Dexter and will hope to catch glimpses of them in the rest of the series. If all the books in the Steam and Seduction series are as good as Gossamer Wing, I will be happy to say I've finally found a steampunk romance series worth reading.
For a recipe based on Gossamer Wing, visit Cooking Up Romance: http://www.cooking-up-romance.com/201...
The problem seems to be that the loosey-goosey nature of the steampunk subgenre lends itself to a mix of science fiction and fantasy, blending pseudoscience with clearly fantastical elements resulting in murky world-building. The ones I have liked, this one by Dryden, and Prosperity by Alexis Hall (out later this month), seem to decide between a science-heavy worldview and a magic (or fantasy science) worldview. Dryden's offering is more science-based. Hall's is more mystical. Both work equally well.
Gossamer Wing is a humorous, fast-paced, sexy romance that flips the traditional adventurer-solider-spy/bluestocking pairing on its head. The action-packed adventure undertaken by Charlotte and Dexter is well-balanced with a marriage-of-convenience romance plot. Charlotte's spymaster father tries to distract her from the ongoing grief of her first husband's death at the hands of a French spy by interesting her in a mission in France.
Dexter is known as the legendary Makesmith Baron. Not only has he made much of the equipment Charlotte uses to fly her personal dirigible, the Gossamer Wing, he may be able to solve a problem with an underwater base the British and Americans hope to utilize in their ongoing cold war with the French. By enacting a temporary marriage, Charlotte's father hopes Dexter can keep Charlotte safe (though in reality Charlotte ends up keeping Dexter safe most of the time) and keep their cover intact as honeymooners vacationing in France.
Charlotte is delightfully independent and capable. She has education, training and wits. She reminds me a bit of Miss Fisher from Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. She's not completely averse to violence, but she, like Dexter, mostly thinks her way out of tight spots. Speaking of Dexter, he is quintessentially tall, dark and handsome, but also a raging geek, in true Dryden fashion. He's also more emotionally intelligent and more sexually experienced than Charlotte and it's him driving their relationship to a large extent.
I adored both Charlotte and Dexter and will hope to catch glimpses of them in the rest of the series. If all the books in the Steam and Seduction series are as good as Gossamer Wing, I will be happy to say I've finally found a steampunk romance series worth reading.
For a recipe based on Gossamer Wing, visit Cooking Up Romance: http://www.cooking-up-romance.com/201...
December 5, 2013
Disclaimer: I was given a free ARC through Goodreads First Reads.
Gossamer Wing was an enjoyable book, full of espionage, wit, and romance. (Note: romance in this case means explicit sex scenes, so if that's not your style you may want to skip.) The main characters are fairly fleshed-out; the world-building is intriguing; the dialogue and descriptive passages are both engaging.
Charlotte, the heroine, is the most interesting of the characters. Her husband, a spy for England in France, was killed prior to the beginning of this novel (it's on the back cover--not a spoiler). I don't recall ever coming across a novel of this genre where the female lead is a widow--the male lead being a widower, sure, fairly common. It adds an interesting layer to Charlotte, and to her motivations & relationship with Dexter. Additionally, the impetus of the story is Charlotte's ability to pilot a small dirigible--the titular Gossamer Wing--something only she can successfully do as a lighter-weight person.
The universe Gossamer Wing takes place in is fascinating: standard steampunk vaguely Victorian/Edwardian feel to the society, but the United States are not an individual country. Instead, North America is a dominion of England (possibly the United Kingdom) still, and Charlotte & Dexter are both titled. England & France were, until recently, at war (shocker!), and the main characters are involved in espionage for the Crown. I look forward to reading further about the world Dryden has created--we only know that Europe is referred to as "Europa" and that France is still pretty much the same, but nothing of the other countries. Is there still Germany & Italy? Did the Ottoman Empire take over the rest of the continent? What about other former European colonies in the "New World"?
There were a few complaints I had with this novel. Charlotte is a very petite blonde, and Dexter is described as a "bear" with "paws" and surprising dexterity/carefulness for his size...cue the yawns. While Charlotte's size actually does bear on the story (see above), it's still pretty standard fare for romance novels, and I wish Dryden had taken a different route. The other primary issue was the characterizations of Dubois & Martin--they came across as fairly flat, and their motivations were what they seemed, no interesting twists or hidden agendas.
Overall, I liked Gossamer Wing and look forward to reading not only more in this series, but also other work Dryden has done.
I recommend this to fans of steampunk, especially authors such as Meljean Brook & Gail Carriger; romance and adventure; and comedy of manners.
Gossamer Wing was an enjoyable book, full of espionage, wit, and romance. (Note: romance in this case means explicit sex scenes, so if that's not your style you may want to skip.) The main characters are fairly fleshed-out; the world-building is intriguing; the dialogue and descriptive passages are both engaging.
Charlotte, the heroine, is the most interesting of the characters. Her husband, a spy for England in France, was killed prior to the beginning of this novel (it's on the back cover--not a spoiler). I don't recall ever coming across a novel of this genre where the female lead is a widow--the male lead being a widower, sure, fairly common. It adds an interesting layer to Charlotte, and to her motivations & relationship with Dexter. Additionally, the impetus of the story is Charlotte's ability to pilot a small dirigible--the titular Gossamer Wing--something only she can successfully do as a lighter-weight person.
The universe Gossamer Wing takes place in is fascinating: standard steampunk vaguely Victorian/Edwardian feel to the society, but the United States are not an individual country. Instead, North America is a dominion of England (possibly the United Kingdom) still, and Charlotte & Dexter are both titled. England & France were, until recently, at war (shocker!), and the main characters are involved in espionage for the Crown. I look forward to reading further about the world Dryden has created--we only know that Europe is referred to as "Europa" and that France is still pretty much the same, but nothing of the other countries. Is there still Germany & Italy? Did the Ottoman Empire take over the rest of the continent? What about other former European colonies in the "New World"?
There were a few complaints I had with this novel. Charlotte is a very petite blonde, and Dexter is described as a "bear" with "paws" and surprising dexterity/carefulness for his size...cue the yawns. While Charlotte's size actually does bear on the story (see above), it's still pretty standard fare for romance novels, and I wish Dryden had taken a different route. The other primary issue was the characterizations of Dubois & Martin--they came across as fairly flat, and their motivations were what they seemed, no interesting twists or hidden agendas.
Overall, I liked Gossamer Wing and look forward to reading not only more in this series, but also other work Dryden has done.
I recommend this to fans of steampunk, especially authors such as Meljean Brook & Gail Carriger; romance and adventure; and comedy of manners.
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