In Victorian London, passion burns bright—but darkness awaits underground . . . After a desperate act leaves Jillian Morehouse a fugitive, she flees to Whitechapel. The escapee finds work in a Mayfair corset workshop, but the walls are closing in. Jillian catches the eye of the handsome Michael Kelly, a reformed criminal with a dangerous history he's anxious to keep hidden. The pair are drawn together by a powerful attraction—but their love is tested when she's kidnapped and abandoned in the catacombs beneath London. With enemies circling and secrets threatening to destroy them both, Jillian and Michael must confront their darkest fears . . . or lose everything to the shadows of their pasts. In a world where love is the most dangerous game of all, will they find redemption, or will the darkness claim them both?
A career historian, Annie R McEwen has lived in six countries and under every roof from a canvas tent to a Georgian Era manor house. Annie is published by Harbor Lane Books (US), Bloodhound Books (UK), The Wild Rose Press, and Rowan Prose Publishing. When she’s not in her 1920s bungalow in Florida, Annie lives, writes, and explores castles in Wales.
Winner of the 2022 Page Turners Writing Award (Romance Category), Annie garnered both a First and Second Place 2022 RTTA (Romance Through the Ages Award), the 2023 MAGGIE Award, and the 2023 Daphne du Maurier Award. Her short fiction appears in numerous anthologies. She is a Finalist for the 2024 Page Turners Writing Award.
Thanks to BookSprout for a copy of this novel and this is my freely given opinion.
This is the first book I am reading from this author, and I am hoping there will be a follow up or two; because there were some threads left loose about a couple of characters I was curious about. Otherwise, this story is complete in and of itself, with an HEA. But as and FYI, this is not a lighthearted historical romance. There are dark themes, including criminal pasts, secrets, murder, sex trade work, poverty, family abandonment, etc, and the story starts dark and desperate, but grabs you from the beginning. This is a sharp contrast to the the stories I read before it, and I was tempted not to go on as it started so dark, but I am glad I did. Despite the darkness, there was a surprisingly sweet love story woven through it to lighten and brighten things, and lend hope to the spirit.
Micheal Kelly, also known as Kell, works as a bouncer in a local brothel, and has a dark past that haunts him, but he strives to keep in the past. He meets Jillian when she and Ada are fleeing desperate circumstances, and need a safe place to stay. Because he is given a room for his work, he gives them his former rooms where they can live safely. Jillian, orphaned as a young girl, has a past she was forced to leave behind and many secrets to hide herself. She and Ada find new work as corset girls, sewing the garments for both Society women and working girls alike.
Kell finds himself overseeing both girls to keep them safe, and when he is with Jillian, he becomes strange and awkward. Despite their attraction, they are both awkward and befuddled around each other. There is a sweet tentativeness about their growing attraction to each other that starts slow and quickly heats up.
But before Kell can declare himself to Jillian, the past forces itself into their present, and Kell and his colleagues are forced to take brutal action or risk losing Jillian completely. But forced to confront his bloody past, Kell also comes to fear that he is not worthy of Jillian and a future of hope and love.
An atypical historical love story that is quite sweet, that runs through a storyline that includes the darker side of historical London, for those living outside of glittering Mayfair and Society, encompassing gangs, corruption, and a criminal underworld. It is dark and gothic at times, but with a surprising brightness in Kell and Jillian's growing affection for each other.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Corset Girls Unlaced by Annie R. McEwen. The book opens with a bang and the plot doesn’t go sour. This book is well written with wonderful character development as well as world building. Jillian and Kel’s love story warmed my heart. That man would do anything for her.
If you enjoy books set in previous eras, has mystery and unbounded love then this one is for you.
Historical fiction / romance is one of my favorites, so I really enjoyed this book! I got sucked in immediately!
The story is set in London and centers around Jilllian, who is a servant in an upscale household. She commits a crime and must abandon her job and life immediately. She and her friend, Ada, go on the run and need a safe place to stay. Ada's brother, Kell (aka Michael Kelly) has a troubled past, but currently works as a bouncer in a brothel. He has rooms to sleep in at the brothel, so he offers Ada and Jillian his apartment that they can stay in. The ladies find work making corsets for society ladies and working ladies.
Kell finds himself watching over his sister and her friend to keep them safe. Kell and Jillian find themselves attracted to each other, but are vey awkward around each other. Before they can get together, something happens and Ada and Kell risk losing Jillian forever. Kell has to go into his past to get his friends to help save her.
This is a sweet story, but it also contains a darker side. It includes criminal acts, sex work, secrets, murder, poverty, gangs, etc. This book has great character development, and is really nicely written . If you love historical romance with some darker elements, I really recommend this book!
4.25 / 5 stars
Thank you to R&R Book Tours and to the author for the ARC copy to review.
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a historical romance, but I’m so glad this one caught my eye. The Victorian London noir vibes sucked me in immediately, and I had a hard time putting it down. After Our FMC, Jillian, commits a murderous act out of desperation, she becomes a fugitive, and must abandon the life she knows. She goes into hiding, taking up work as a corset girl, and tries to forge a new life for herself. Sparks fly when she meets the delicious and charismatic Kell, and they fall into a passionate romance. But Jillian‘s troubles are far from over, and she finds herself in another dangerous predicament, with her life turned upside down once more. This book was dark, deeply atmospheric, and beautifully written. I loved the character development, which continuously grew throughout the story. I truly felt invested in Jillian & Kell’s journey, which was surprisingly moving, and at times complex. There was also a bit of action and angst, that kept me fully invested. If you’re into historical romance, especially with dark, broody themes, I highly recommend picking this one up. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
✨Huge thanks to R&R Book Tours, Bloodhound Books & the author for my digital review copy.
An unexpected attack leads to deadly consequences. Jillian Morehouse, a maid in a wealthy household, escapes to Whitechapel with her resourceful friend Ada. The two secure positions as corset girls. They sew these garments for women from all social ladders.
The story that unfolds pulled me in as Jillian was tasked with a home fitting. The home is an upscale brothel. Before she leaves, she will find herself accosted and rescued by the bouncer, Michael Kelly (Kell), a reformed criminal with a dark history. The two have instant chemistry and the romance that unfolds is sweet, sexy and felt genuine.
Kell is Ada’s brother and since he is provided a room at the brothel, he gives Jillian and Ada his rooms. Kell acts as a protector for the young ladies. We learn Jillian is an orphan with her own dark secrets, and I appreciated getting to know both Kell and Jillian as their relationship progressed.
We’ve got plenty of suspense, as Scotland Yard interviews the young ladies regarding a murder at their former employers. Both Jillian and Kell’s past threatened them, bringing us to the darker side of London from criminal activities to gangs.
Gemma Dawson narrates and did a great job with accents and the tone of the story. I highly recommend listening.
La reseña del libro me llamó muchísimo la atención y tenía unas ganas terribles de leerlo, pero al final no ha sido lo que esperaba.
Aun que la forma de escribir de la autora me ha encantado, hay varias cosas que han hecho que el libro no me gustase tanto. Los personajes principales se iban mucho por las ramas y hasta el 60% del libro no pasaba realmente nada interesante, casi todo eran pensamientos inconexos que luego tampoco han tenido mucha relevancia. Cuando ha cogido algo más de acción el libro y parecía que iba a haber una buena trama de suspense, al final se ha solucionado todo demasiado rápido y para el 85% del libro ya se había solucionado todo.
Como puntos positivos, la escritora realmente tiene algo que engancha en la forma de expresarse, sino no me hubiera acabado el libro con todo lo que ha costado empezar la historia. La ambientación del antiguo Londres me ha gustado mucho y creo que si la trama de suspense hubiese empezado antes y hubiese estado mejor desarrollada, tenía un gran potencial como historia.
Dicho lo cual, lo recomiendo para una rápida lectura.
Jillian gets into trouble and runs away to Whitechapel to hide. She is assisted by Ada and her brother, Kell, and ends up working at a Mayfair corset workshop. Though there is instant attraction between Kell and Jillian, he is hesitant to pursue Jillian who is innocent and too far above him in status (in his opinion) due to his dark past.
When Jillian is abducted, Kell goes into a rage and stops at nothing to rescue her and exact revenge. His allies from his past step in to help him with his plan and together they work so well to succeed in their rescue plan. But that incident affects their relationship….
I loved how Ada, her family and the girls at the corset workshop embrace Jillian into their fold easily. When trouble came calling, they were supportive of each other. Kell’s mama is one smart lady and I loved how she helps him see the error of his ways. The ending was pure perfection and I hope we get to see the other characters getting their happy ever after too.
I got pulled into this story very quickly and couldn't put it down. The Corset Girls is a captivating historical romance set in the shadowy world of Victorian London. The story follows Jillian Morehouse, a fugitive seeking refuge in a Mayfair corset workshop. There, she crosses paths with Michael Kelly, a reformed criminal with a dangerous past. I liked the unique setting of the corset shop, which showcased the lives of ordinary women at the time. I really liked the two main characters. Jillian and Michael are well-developed with complex backstories and hidden depths. There was an instant attraction between the two but the low-burn romance created a powerful emotional connection. Michael fell hard, following her movements, finding excuses to be near her and hunt down those who would harm her. The thrilling suspense near the end made up for the slower pacing in earlier parts of the novel. This was a greatly entertaining historical romantic suspense.
Let me just start my review with the beautiful cover of the book, I loved it, along with the description and premise, the cover is one of the things that draw me to read the book. Life in Victorian London is not an easy one, especially for Lillian Morehouse, after she becomes a fugitive she flees with her friend Ava to Mayfair and finds employment in a corset store. Along with the feelings of guilt, fear of getting caught and hardships of life, she meet Michael and sparks fly between them, there was instant attraction between them. Michael not only brings new experiences, lust, attraction and love, but also danger. With vivid descriptions of the life, situations and places you feel you’re living the life and experiences of Jillian. Very well written with character growth and an exceptional plot, this book is a no miss book. I’m looking forward to read more books from this writer.
Victorian London, recovering gang member, FMC took care of an attacker, lots of pining, accepting each other's past, depiction of the not well off in the times, instalust but slow burn, touch her and 💀, found family
This book was a bit of a slow start for me and didn't flow (again just for me) due to the time period language. But things really picked up a little after the half way mark and cruised from there! I don't want to give too much away but our FMC ends up in danger and our MMC comes unhinged for her. Dark romance in a historical setting. Please read the trigger warnings. Our girl Jillian has a harrowing journey and while our Kell has a dark past, none of the trigger warnings are him against her.
I'm thinking there will be some more of these in an interconnected standalone fashion with some of the characters we met in this book.
I was surprised to really like this, but currently on a Whitechapel setting kick, so b it appeared in searches for books about the area. First, it has nothing to do with the Whitechapel murders as we know them, and is set a few years after those. Second, it also has a Peaky Blinders feel, what with rough gangs defending their territories i.e. the Burmingham mentions and this gang of "The Jacks" around Whitechapel. I also liked both the Mains, which is a nice surprise. Jillian and her friends are corset-makers, hence the title. Working girls around darkest Victorian London. It is definitely a bit darker and spicier than a typical romance, so have a care. I think my favorite characters were secondary ones: the French henchman Dagger and the corset shop owner mispronouncing her words.
This started dramatically and I quickly liked Ada and Jilly as main characters, especially the way they looked out for each other straightaway. The introduction of further characters and especially Ada's brother Kell kept the story flowing very well with events and relationships described very well. Jilly's naivety was very endearing and I was championing her throughout. Who knew corset making could be so dramatic?! Even as Kell's past was revealed, somehow he stayed likeable because he seemed like a changed person. I was lucky enough to get an ARC.
If you love these tropes, this one is a definite read for you!!!! 💛 HEA 💛 Friend’s brother 💛 Historical romance fiction 💛 Mystery 💛 Morally Grey MMC 💛 Found family
I was first taken by the title and felt really want to read this book and I’m not disappointed. The plot, the spice and character developments blend well together. Who wouldn’t want a ‘Touch her, you die’ man in their books and life! Jillian and Kell’s angst scenes are my favourite. I like it shows darker side of the Victorian streets which I miss in movies or series so if you are like me , pick up this book!
This is an exciting and engaging page turning love story. It tells of past loss, death, and violence, a disgusting vile plot uncovered, and so many more emotional issues that kept me entertained. I enjoyed the beautiful romance with delicious steamy passion and a very happy ending. I recommend reading!
Wow, the writing on this one was fantastic. This isn’t something I’d normally pick up, but I’m so so glad I did. I think I will always love a dark romance with mafia undertones. Kell’s feelings for Jillian are so beautiful and human. Jillian’s trials and tribulations as a woman are so relatable. The spice was tasteful and pretty mild compared to a lot that I’ve read. I loved the setting and the accents that you can hear through the writing.
A huge thank you to Annie McEwen and her team for the opportunity to read an ARC of this wonderful novel
It’s been a while since I’ve read a historical romance so I decided to revisit this year. Really enjoyed it. When I have read historical romance in the past it was always rich/titled people and this one was definitely a little grittier. Would definitely revisit this author/genre.
This book had me on the edge of my seat. I love pride and prejudice so a period book was right up my alley but it didn’t feel like it was set in a different time. I loved this book. It was written beautifully.
Some of this book was way too racy for my taste. That being said, a good story line with great insights into the times and location. The actual writing is very good.
"In Victorian London, passion burns bright—but darkness awaits underground . . " The Corset Girls Unlaced drew me in by the cover and I was turning pages until the very end. This follows Jillian Morehouse who flees to Whitechapel after becoming a fugtive. She ends up finding work at a corset workshop in Mayfair and ends up meeting Michael Kelly who is a reformed criminal. They are drawn together by a powerful connection but their love is tested. This was written well and all of the characters were interesting. I look forward to reading more books by this author. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to any reader who likes historical romance. Thank you to R&R Book Tours, Bloodhound Books and Author for this great read in exchange of my honest review of The Corset Girls Unlaced.
The Corset girls was fun read! I’m not always a historical fiction reader, but sometimes it works for me and this one did!
Jillian and Ada stuck together and looked out for each other. When they joined Evie and Min at the corset shop, I loved seeing the relationships forming and thinking about how different things were in their time.
It’s fun to see Kell and Jillian dance around each other. What could bring the together and what could hold them apart.
I hope we get more stories about the corset girls and learn more about this found family!
Note - for me, the beginning felt a little jumpy and might be confusing, but after that, it’s fine!
Overview: London, 1892
Jillian Morehouse. She led a charmed life in Hertfordshire until the death of her parents drove her into drudgery in service, a fate she escaped - through murder. Now a fugitive hiding in a Mayfair corset shop, the last thing she needs is Michael Kelly, a handsome street fighter who reeks of danger.
Michael Kelly. Born and reared in the hell of Whitechapel, his fists made him unbeatable until Jillian Morehouse brought him to his knees. Desire tells him to make her his own, but what would a sweet English rose want with a thorn like him?
A woman fleeing one violent moment. A man hiding a violent past. There are a hundred reasons why they shouldn't be together. Now they are, and their secrets are trying to tear them apart.