Queen of Feathers

Magic & Mechanicals #7

by Jessica Marting

Sent away to her family’s countryside estate following a mortifying divorce, Beatrice reluctantly leaves London for more rural pastures and to see if the angel boy she once played with as a child is still living in the woods.


But Leo isn’t an angel, and he has been waiting years for her to return.

144 pages, Paperback

Published May 13, 2025

About the author

Jessica Marting is a sci-fi and paranormal romance author, art enthusiast (not quite an artist, despite all that time in art school), an avid reader, and makeup collector. She lives in Toronto.

Reviews

[Jayne Butcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick story of redemption. After nineteen years of marriage, the Duke of Bewdley announced to his wife Beatrice that he was divorcing her and marrying a much younger woman who could actually give him an heir. After renigging on his promise to leave her the London townhouse, the Duke threatened to take everything and leave her penniless if she did not sign the papers and move to Clifford House, her late mother’s country home. Furious, Beatrice complied and moved back to a place her family had left thirty years ago. When she was nine, Beatrice had made a friend with someone she had encountered in the woods near Clifford House. When she told her family about the ‘angel boy’ she had met, they called in doctors and had her treated for insanity. Now, as a thrity-nine year old divorced former duchess, she has been vindicated and found the other half of her soul. This is a sweet tale of a love thirty years in the making, wrapped up in the banishment of societal dictacts and the willingness of an open mind and heart.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan Klipp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book by Jessica Marting that I have read. I liked it. While steampunk isn't my typical genre, I like to adventure into it periodically.

I will say that I was completely ticked off along with Beatrice at the behavior of her husband in the beginning of the story. He was just so callous! Beatrice handled it so much better than I ever would have.

Leo was lovely and the romance between he and Beatrice was just downright sweet. I think what I missed about it all was a lack of connection to the horrible events that happened to both Beatrice and Leo. It is touched upon lightly several times, but there isn't a whole lot of depth to it. Perhaps that was done on purpose, but I would have liked to feel more of the struggle they went through to understand and see how it added to the chemistry between Beatrice and Leo.

It's a quick, lovely read. I enjoyed it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen of Feathers is book seven of the Magic & Mechanicals series which follows MFC Beatrice as she is going through a divorce after almost twenty years of marriage.
Left only with her family property Clifford house a country estate, and what her former husband deemed an acceptable allowance she is now on her way out of London to return there.
This short Victorian steampunk novella set in1891 is an engaging story with it’s supernatural elements, surprises, romance, adventure, and a childhood playmate just waiting for Beatrice’s return, MMC Leo.
Nicely written with good characterizations this was a wonderfully charming, spicy little read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MAYA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for paranormal romance, and I can finally said I've read one that featured a Gryphon male lead! I really enjoyed the dynamic between Beatrice and Leo. They really suit one another, and their romance was adorable.

I only wish that their backstories had more of an impact on the development of their relationship. I also wish there had been more of a build up to the confrontation between Beatrice and her ex-husband Reginald.

But I have to say if I'm coming out of a Novella wishing it had been a Novel (aka wanting more story), then it was a good read. I definitely need to check out the other books in this series.

[Callie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatrice has been left, divorced by her now ex-husband. She goes to her property and finds something that triggers her memory to come back from when she was a child.
Read this wonderful story about someone who doesn’t seem possible on paper. This is book 7 of the Magic & Mechanicals. Grab this book, grab the whole series and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa Bing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wild tale of a romance that was thirty years in the making. Beatrice, now divorced and a former duchess, is basically banished to her family's cottage. As a child she befriended a boy in the woods around the cottage and was actually treated for insanity after telling people about him. Leo has been waiting for her and I really love that, despite all the bad they both went through, and their years apart, that they got their HEA in the end. Wonderful romance!

[Danii · Rating 5 out of 5]

After meeting as children Bea and Leo get a second chance at love. A wonderful blend of historical and monster romance, set in a clockwork victorian England with amazing characters, a captivating plot (for quite a short novella) and a satisfying revenge.
An equally amazing short story about another couple attached.
Recommended

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly sweet. I was actually not expecting anything that happened in this book to actually happen. I would be interested in reading more by this author.

❤️ regency
❤️ mmmmonsters
❤️ older hero & heroine
❤️ novella